The squeaky pilgrim has indeed discovered how to exit a crowded dorm room before the sun is up, without announcing myself to those that remain sleeping. It comes down to having systems in place - tried and tested procedures that are likely to yield similar results each time.
My procedure involves mostly getting ready the night before. My laundry is packed and at the foot of the bed I leave out the bag that contains sleep sack, toiletries, sleeping clothes etc. I lay out my clothes for the next day too.
In the morning I dress and stuff my sleep sack before getting off the bunk. I then carry the pack and the overnight bag out of the room and finish putting everything together where I'm not disturbing folks. It takes about 15 minutes to pack, Vaseline my feet, put sunscreen on and lace my boots.
Then I escape into the dark streets and locate the Camino signs to rejoin the trail. This is my alone time.
Today I climbed over farm lands and followed a trail that rose steadily until the view was commanding - back towards Pamplona, a backdrop of mountains and patchy clouds that caught the first light of day and accentuated the sunrise. It was drizzling a little and I stopped to put on rain jacket, pants and pack cover.
I was pretty hungry by the time 6km had passed and was lured into a passing cafe/pension by a large sign tauting good coffee, omelette and pastries. The sign was in English and in I went. The lady who served me, faked a smile (barely) and talked about me, not to me, with her employee. I was self conscious and sat quietly eating my tortilla. Soon enough, several of my new Camino friends arrived. I watched the serving lady greet them warmly and tell them she wished I spoke more Spanish. One of them told me afterwards that the cafe owner said I should make more effort. I felt judged, alone and unwelcome. Moving on down the road was easy. Letting go of the feeling was not. Party of me was so annoyed that she had purposefully attracted English speakers with her sign, had elected not to learn a word of English herself and then sat there, voicing criticism at/about travellers doing their best.
I guess today was about learning to let go of feelings that don't serve me. It might take the rest of the week!
Tony the turtle and I hiked on and off together all day. We took each other's picture at the top of a steep hill... a spot you might remember Martin Sheen trudging past in the movie "The Way".
I really enjoyed his company and thoughtful conservation.
Here's what I learned about Tony:
My procedure involves mostly getting ready the night before. My laundry is packed and at the foot of the bed I leave out the bag that contains sleep sack, toiletries, sleeping clothes etc. I lay out my clothes for the next day too.
In the morning I dress and stuff my sleep sack before getting off the bunk. I then carry the pack and the overnight bag out of the room and finish putting everything together where I'm not disturbing folks. It takes about 15 minutes to pack, Vaseline my feet, put sunscreen on and lace my boots.
Then I escape into the dark streets and locate the Camino signs to rejoin the trail. This is my alone time.
I was pretty hungry by the time 6km had passed and was lured into a passing cafe/pension by a large sign tauting good coffee, omelette and pastries. The sign was in English and in I went. The lady who served me, faked a smile (barely) and talked about me, not to me, with her employee. I was self conscious and sat quietly eating my tortilla. Soon enough, several of my new Camino friends arrived. I watched the serving lady greet them warmly and tell them she wished I spoke more Spanish. One of them told me afterwards that the cafe owner said I should make more effort. I felt judged, alone and unwelcome. Moving on down the road was easy. Letting go of the feeling was not. Party of me was so annoyed that she had purposefully attracted English speakers with her sign, had elected not to learn a word of English herself and then sat there, voicing criticism at/about travellers doing their best.
I guess today was about learning to let go of feelings that don't serve me. It might take the rest of the week!
Tony the turtle and I hiked on and off together all day. We took each other's picture at the top of a steep hill... a spot you might remember Martin Sheen trudging past in the movie "The Way".
I really enjoyed his company and thoughtful conservation.
Here's what I learned about Tony:
- He is addicted to panoramic photography.
- When he gets a bit tired, his Spanish might feature the occasional Italian word.
- He doesn't speak Italian.
- We share similar philosophy about human beings and their ability to self heal.
- He is addicted to panoramic photography!
We ended up in a small albergue in Mañeru. Just 12 travelers, one dorm room and an enchanting communal dinner. I do love these tiny villages with their narrow streets, large churches and quietness.
Every night I'm just a little bit more tired than the last.
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