September Camino ....changes so soon (HA HA..) ha ha

Yes, its not just the champions league draw but the general ambience around Simon's scans so now we arrive London on September 22nd and we depart on the 23rd. Oh no we dont! St Jacques has intervened and price has dictated London and a long journey have been binned. Its now £22 to Bordeaux and bash on from there. There's actually a bus 3 times a day to Pamplona from Bordeaux but we will probably get the train to Hendaye. We want to start from Pamplona 10 days before we're expected in Burgos (THIS IS NOW AN AFTERNOON SESSION!!! then AMAYA bus at 5.30pm) SUNDAY 25th puente la Reina or Estella 26 Estella Laundry day and buy groceries for short bus up the hill to the Basque woman's albergue where she does lovely food and huge beds. 27 los Arcos for lunch and buy a few bits and bobs to eat/drink at picnic site halfway along the 7km to Sansol 28 sansol to Viana and logrono 29 Navarette laundry 30 Azofra 1 Recedilla del camino then bus to belorado 2 montes des oca then stay or go to San Juan de Ortega 2.45hours 3 THIS IS NOW SUNDAY 2nd - stay cardenuela rio stuart will walk/bus out from Burgos on 3rd 4 THIS IS NOW Monday 3rdShort river walk into Burgos get drunk in afternoon then bus to RABE(Jimmy at train station/Burgos 5 TUESDAY 4th Hontanas 6 Fromista or 3km further, very early start (pick up Jimmy at station) 7 Carion de los condes and 11.48bus to Terradillos 8 terradillos to Sahagun (pick up Jimmy at station) 9 Sahagun to El Bierzo and then Religeous or Mansilla 10 Leon Laundry and ready for the train to Porto 13 Ponferrade to porto 14th porto stroll on portuguese way 15th visit golf resort 16th more portuguese way or head to Santiago faster 17th flight from Porto or Santiago https://youtu.be/N5LveBIjg3o As usual there's a lot of juggling of times and where we want to go for a wee tapa and also a stroll to break the day. The waterfront at Irun looks a good place to stroll but sometimes you just want to get on your way, especially at the beginning of the camino, but we have to remember tranquillo tranqy tranqy tranqy. So if we stay in Bordeaux we could get out early. so many ifs buts and maybe! We arrive on a different day now owing to a lqck of decision making. We can fly to Bordeaux on the thursday or Poitiers on the friday. Both are simple solutions and avoid us paying too much for train journeys. Its a laugh as we want to take our time, smell the roses and then we just bump the trains. There is still the option of the eurostar on Sept 29. Its £132 and we can justify that.

Why did our dreams, fall oh so flat, all of the time we spent, (planning) never seemed to justify that......this was a song I wrote when i was younger, so much younger than today. St Jacques tells you not to plan. St Jacques promises to provide and she/he always delivers. St Jacques is neither a woman or a man. You choose the pro noun that suits you best for St Jacques As Johnny Cash sang about St Quentin...... St Jacques you've been really good to me. So when and where are we going..... As ever I have no idea but St Jacques will nudge us! We've not finished in Santiago since March this year when Simon and I reminisced about our stroll in 2007. Its hard to comprehend how different a walk 2007 was. We were younger obviously, and we, on arrival in Santiago, were fitter. Back then we started fat and finished thin. We left Leon by bus for ponferrade and then walked to villafranca del bierzo. We stayed in the lovely hotel above the tapas bar at the start of town. We had that thirst and so we wandered further into town and went to one of my favourite places for a bottle of estrella galicia, or 5. Next day we walked to los Herrerios and stayed in another of my favourite places. The food was great and next day I'm encouraging Si up the hill to O'Cebrierio. 1000m in 3 hours and then we walked on. 15 years earlier we had marvelled at the Galician slate,now we stroll on like we've turned the clock back. 12km later we stop at a brilliant place halfway to tricastle. We play guitar and finish 4 bottles of red. ok, no, it was 6 bottles. Soon we were in Sarria, then Portomarin, PAlas del Rei and bus to Santiago. Now we plan for September and October. Simple travel these days is we can fly on tuesdays and occassionally weekends, but generally trust the train, so its Eurostar. Train for London mid September and train London - Paris - Hendaye Wednesday September 21st or Tuesday 27th. I'm going to plan based on the 21st. Arrive Hendaye / Irun 9pm and sleep. Next day, lunch in San Sebastien Thursday 22nd evening tapas and stay over Pamplona.# Friday Lunchtine atop mont del perdon evening Obanos or Puente La Reina

Saturday we walk and then bus out of Puente La Reina for one stop then do the 7km walk to ciruena. We carry on to Estella via Lorca and Villatuerta, with the wine fountain at Irache to look forward to in the morning. Sunday we walk to Villaymor, then Los Arcos and finally onto Sansol. Sansol is a great albergue and the next stop is Logrono! If we are flagging in Los Arcos we will get the 5pm bus. Sansol is a good laundry stop as it is windy up there. Monday night in Logrono, September 26th ()

When Stu and I did the Sansol to Viana walk again I was reminded how good it was, especially the first 2 hours. The last 20 minutes is, as can be, a wee bit naff, seeing the town but walking the road but Viana is so welcoming. I also enjoy leaving Viana as you pass the allotments and admire the tomatoes. Especially the day one fine allotmenter at Fromistagave me one. So tasty it was. Logrono is a city to party in and whatever day it is we will party in the calle Laurel, eat skewers in the famous Paganos and munch our way up and down the majestic mouthwatering delights. Its always good to chill here, although by 9pm I'm usually running around looking for another morsel of this or that. But on we shuffle to Navarette and Najera for Tuesday. There's anumber of albergues and a nice hotel in Naverette but ideally we get to Najera. If we batter on we stay in Azofra. Its hard to know because we might be day 5 tired. Whatever happens we will sleep the night, it will lead to Wednesday in Santo Domingo where we bus to tosantos or Belorado. Ideally we walk to Villafranca Montes des Oca on thursday morning or at least the town before so we can stop there for brekky so its now Friday night in CArdenueala with Saturday in Burgos where we will stay until Monday. So its now September 30th to October 2nd!! We still have 2 weeks walking until we need to be in Lisbon. Next up is Burgos to Leon. The meseta with the halfway point of Carrion De Los Condes. Its a 6 day journey and takes in the Grand Canal at Fromista on day 3.

Stuart will be arriving at 11am off the Santander bus and we have the option to get a bus to the edge of town or Tardajos but we can wait and see how the weather is. Simon and I stayed in Hontanas in 2007 and I was there the last time and its a good place as is Hornillos. Castrojeriz and Fromista are the next planned stops. Fromista on Wednesday night and Carion de Los Condes on the Thursday. I've not done the long walk out for a few years so I'm loking forward to it and arrival at Terradillios Templarios for Friday night in the big Albergue on the edge of town, Saturday in Sahagun, Sunday lunch in El Burgo and dinner in Religeous. Monday we walk to Leon with much anticipation! Tuesday is a lazy day with bus to Astorga and lunch 5km up the road. wednesday we walk to Foncebadon Thursday to Molineseca Friday we walk to Ponferrade for some lunch then get the train at 7pm for Vigo which arrives 11.12pm. We could get the train to ourense and stay over night. Then train to Vigo first thing on Saturday The views from the train are pretty special but there is a bus we could get that is a bit quicker at 3.30 hours.Its at 10am or like the evening train 6.45pm. The difference is it gets into Vigo at 10.15pm so an hour earlier in theory. Friday night in Vigo and Saturday in Lisbon The train to Lisbon is via Porto. So get the 8.58 from vigo to Porto which arrives 10.20. Then you have a couple of hours in Porto and you can get the slow train at 12.30 or the fast train at 1.30. There is a bus option to porto that only takes an hour leaving at 10am. We'd still have loads of time in Porto but an extra hour in bed! If we are staying in Vigo near bus or train station that probably tips the balance. As its a journey saving half an hour on the train journey to have an extra hour in a cafe in Porto is a lovely trade off or maybe not. The slow train stops at more towns so you get more views! Either way we arrive in Lisbon at 5pm on Saturday night. HERE's AN EARLIER OR IS IT LATER version....no idea but now we are leaving its time to stop talking and start walking! We've not finished in Santiago since March this year when Simon and I reminisced about our stroll in 2007. Its hard to comprehend how different a walk 2007 was. We were younger obviously, and we, on arrival in Santiago, were fitter. Back then we started fat and finished thin. We left Leon by bus for ponferrade and then walked to villafranca del bierzo. We stayed in the lovely hotel above the tapas bar at the start of town. We had that thirst and so we wandered further into town and went to one of my favourite places for a bottle of estrella galicia, or 5. Next day we walked to los Herrerios and stayed in another of my favourite places. The food was great and next day I'm encouraging Si up the hill to O'Cebrierio. 1000m in 3 hours and then we walked on. 15 years earlier we had marvelled at the Galician slate,now we stroll on like we've turned the clock back. 12km later we stop at a brilliant place halfway to tricastle. We play guitar and finish 4 bottles of red. ok, no, it was 6 bottles. Soon we were in Sarria, then Portomarin, PAlas del Rei and bus to Santiago. Now we plan for September and October. (DECISION MADE ITS FLY TO BORDEAUX) Simple travel these days is we can fly on tuesdays and occassionally weekends, but generally trust the train, so its Eurostar. Train for London mid September and train London - Paris - Hendaye Wednesday September 21st or Tuesday 27th. I'm going to plan based on the 21st. Arrive Hendaye / Irun 9pm and sleep. Next day, lunch in San Sebastien Thursday 22nd evening tapas and stay over Pamplona.# Friday Lunchtine atop mont del perdon evening Obanos or Puente La Reina

Saturday we walk and then bus out of Puente La Reina for one stop then do the 7km walk to ciruena. We carry on to Estella via Lorca and Villatuerta, with the wine fountain at Irache to look forward to in the morning. Sunday we walk to Villaymor, then Los Arcos and finally onto Sansol. Sansol is a great albergue and the next stop is Logrono! If we are flagging in Los Arcos we will get the 5pm bus. Sansol is a good laundry stop as it is windy up there. Monday night in Logrono, September 26th ()

When Stu and I did the Sansol to Viana walk again I was reminded how good it was, especially the first 2 hours. The last 20 minutes is, as can be, a wee bit naff, seeing the town but walking the road but Viana is so welcoming. I also enjoy leaving Viana as you pass the allotments and admire the tomatoes. Especially the day one fine allotmenter at Fromistagave me one. So tasty it was. Logrono is a city to party in and whatever day it is we will party in the calle Laurel, eat skewers in the famous Paganos and munch our way up and down the majestic mouthwatering delights. Its always good to chill here, although by 9pm I'm usually running around looking for another morsel of this or that. But on we shuffle to Navarette and Najera for Tuesday. There's anumber of albergues and a nice hotel in Naverette but ideally we get to Najera. If we batter on we stay in Azofra. Its hard to know because we might be day 5 tired. Whatever happens we will sleep the night, it will lead to Wednesday in Santo Domingo where we bus to tosantos or Belorado. Ideally we walk to Villafranca Montes des Oca on thursday morning or at least the town before so we can stop there for brekky so its now Friday night in CArdenueala with Saturday in Burgos where we will stay until Monday. So its now September 30th to October 2nd!! We still have 2 weeks walking until we need to be in Lisbon. Next up is Burgos to Leon. The meseta with the halfway point of Carrion De Los Condes. Its a 6 day journey and takes in the Grand Canal at Fromista on day 3.

Stuart will be arriving at 11am off the Santander bus and we have the option to get a bus to the edge of town or Tardajos but we can wait and see how the weather is. Simon and I stayed in Hontanas in 2007 and I was there the last time and its a good place as is Hornillos. Castrojeriz and Fromista are the next planned stops. Fromista on Wednesday night and Carion de Los Condes on the Thursday. I've not done the long walk out for a few years so I'm loking forward to it and arrival at Terradillios Templarios for Friday night in the big Albergue on the edge of town, Saturday in Sahagun, Sunday lunch in El Burgo and dinner in Religeous. Monday we walk to Leon with much anticipation! Tuesday is a lazy day with bus to Astorga and lunch 5km - 12km up the road. wednesday we walk to Foncebadon or El Acebo if we got to rabanal. Thursday to Molineseca then taxi to train station or.... Friday we walk to Ponferrade for some lunch then get the train at 7pm for Vigo which arrives 11.12pm. We could get the train to ourense and stay over night. Then train to Vigo first thing on Saturday The views from the train are pretty special but there is a bus we could get that is a bit quicker at 3.30 hours.Its at 10am or like the evening train 6.45pm. The difference is it gets into Vigo at 10.15pm so an hour earlier in theory. Friday night in Vigo and Saturday in Porto or stick with Lisbon The train to Lisbon is via Porto. So get the 8.58 from vigo to Porto which arrives 10.20. Then you have a couple of hours in Porto and you can get the slow train at 12.30 or the fast train at 1.30. There is a bus option to porto that only takes an hour leaving at 10am. We'd still have loads of time in Porto but an extra hour in bed! If we are staying in Vigo near bus or train station that probably tips the balance. As its a journey saving half an hour on the train journey to have an extra hour in a cafe in Porto is a lovely trade off or maybe not. The slow train stops at more towns so you get more views! Either way we arrive in Lisbon at 5pm on Saturday night and then have 40 minutes to get out to Caiscais. With a bit of thought I'm doing a U-turn. We need to arrive in Vigo for Thursday night and then have friday in Porto. The city looks stunning and the 9 days walking along the coast back to Vigo looks banging, to quote a camino phrase. So how do we meet the guys in Lisbon, well here's a plan. They are golfing Sunday and Monday an hour north of Caiscais so we could stay in Porto and bus down to where they are golfing. Meeting before during and after. All we miss is the late night hotel bar.