Day 4: Bruma to Sigueiro

Marion
Very misty this morning lovely to walk whilst it was so cool. For the first 6k´s it was a long straight road, I thought it would never come to an end. At long last we entered a forest it had a few ups and downs then through farm lands, almost like small holdings. The farms in this area are very basic and simple.
We did walk through a couple of very small villages, everything was closed - so no morning coffee to be had anywhere. The last few k´s before reaching Sigueiro were again on a long straight road. Although it was a shorter walk than yesterday it seemed a lot longer, I suppose because it was mostly flat not much variation.
I look to find the good things whilst we were walking to take my mind off the long flat road, like the quietness, the birds singing etc. as I have to make the most of it as my walk is nearly over, only tomorrow for the last 17k to Santaigo.
Whatever village we have walked through in Spain is very noticeable that everyone has a vegetable patch - but what is amazing is that the amount of cabbages that everyone grows, I wonder who can ever eat that amount of cabbages! They also grow a lot of potatoes besides other vegetables.
In Galicia most of the dogs are all on a chain. So sad!!!

Sil
It was so quiet in the albergue that we both had a wonderful sleep. Hospital de Bruma is one of those tiny hamlets where you first come across a couple of animal barns, then a few houses on either side of the road, most that have their own barns as well, then a small stream, a tiny church and then you walk out the other side. 20 buildings all-in-all, if that.
We had a breakfast and then started walking to Sigueiro. We saw a woman cutting down cabbages. Almost every farmer grows tall, spindly cabbages which Marion thinks are used to make walking sticks.

One map said 22km to Sigueiro, the CSJ Guide says ±24km and Benino said 26km. No importante, we have to walk there no matter what the distance. The CSJ guide says, á pretty straightforward day´and they are not kidding. It was really heavy going with long, straight, tarred or gravelled roads through endless forests. It reminded me of walking through les Landes on the Via Turonensis route.

There were a few hamlets to pass through but nothing opens until around mid-day so we didn´t have a coffee opportunity. By the 15km mark my feet were starting to hurt underneath, something I´ve not had before. We stopped at a bus shelter at the 18km mark and I took off my boots to air my feet. I had red, hot spots under a few toes as well as the insteps and heels. This is a problem when walking on flat, tarred or gravel roads with boots. I added a bit of sheep wool and a small foam padding to the worst spot and hobbled on for another 8km. Long, long, flat, straight roads through endless forests with hardly a bird to be seen or heard and no other living thing for miles. At one time it started raining and we put on our raincoats but half an hour later it got hot again and we stopped to take them off.

At the approach to Siguerio the guide takes you down a waymarked path to the local swimming pool. ´´Turn left around the swimming pool, see the final marker pointing the way over waste ground´it says. We battled to find a marker as the whole area is under construction and had been graded and cleared with construction fences and the beginnings of buildings under way.

We found our way to the Hostal Miras, Downstairs was a cheerful bar which seemed to be run by a family of women: mother, daughters and grandchildren – a 15 month little girl who was well at home with the customers, and a new 6 day old baby, who may have been a boy, judging by the blue blanket. Upstairs the rooms are basic but adequate.an old but graceful hostal above a bar, and were taken upstairs to a room. I cooled my poor feet down with Alcohol Romeo and massaged them with Arnica. Then I hobbled to the bathroom and hey presto! there actually was a bath! I scuttled back to the room, collected my universal plug, and was soon soaking in a hot-tub with Arnica and the last of my shampoo. Bliss. We had a coffee at the Hostal Bar and found this internet Cafe in a bar down the road.
We will arrive in Santiago a day early and will have 2 nights there instead of one. I will be checking out the route into the city as it might have changed.

Camino Ingles Day 3:Betanzos to Bar Julia (and beyond....!)

Marion
A bit of a mishap this morning. We started off bright and early overcast and misty, following the yellow arrows, somehow we missed a turning and were on a main road. We stopped and asked how to get back to the camino path and were told to carry on and eventually we would come to it. Unfortunately it was a very busy and ever so noisy road. Eventually we got back on track, I was so grateful to be at long last off the road and back into a forest. Our little mishap added an extra 6k to our walk. Once we were back on track it started raining so on came the raincoats - must say they are wonderful as they keep and our backpacks dry. It did not rain hard just a steady drizzle. We walked through some wooded forests, sometimes past farming areas on small tar roads. We stopped at Leiro at a large covered seated recreation area next to a church for a backpack rest, toilet and a snack which we were carrying. When we reached Bar Julia Syl tried to phone Antonio to fetch us to take us to Mason de Venta where we were going to spend the night. He was supposed to bring us back again in the morning so that we could walk from that point. Unfortunately Syl´s phone did not have coverage for that area so the bar lady kindly said we could use her phone.
We had a coffee and hot choclate and waited for Antonio well!!! 1 1/2 hrs later we were still waiting and started to wonder what had happended to our lift. The bar lady very kindly phoned and at first Antonio´s Mom said that he had gone to the wrong bar, another 1/2 passed and he still had not arrived, so the bar lady again phoned and we received the message that he was not going to fetch us. So we had to pick up our feet and start walking again. We had been walking the whole morning uphill and now we had to begin again by walking up a very steep hill first a short way on tar and then through a wooded forest. Every time you looked up you thought you were at the top but when you turned the bend so it went up again. After 4k we had a short spell of walking on a flat surface and then it was up and down mostly uphill until we reached the albergue Hospital de Bruma. Instead of walking 18k today we ended up doing 34k which puts us a day ahead of shedule. The albergue we are staying in has 14 bunk beds downstairs and more upstairs. It has a large diningroom kitchen area. We were the only people in the albergue last night, The Camino Ingles does not have a lot of pilgrims walking, so far have never seen any others. The hospitalario showed us a menu 3 courses that we ordered from and it was delivered to us at 8.30pm. A delicious meal. Around 8.00pm Antonio arrived looking for us, appologised for not collecting us. Another wonderful day, I am so lucky I have no aches or pains feel full of engery and still rearing to go.

Sil

It was cold when we left Betanzos. The temperatures in northern Galica are very different to the east, especially Aragon and Navarra which was really hot. We knew the way out from having done a little recce the day before so followed the road until we came up against a huge construction site. The pavement was being relaid with crazy paving - no arrows - and fencing cut off the road.

I read the CSJ Guide but could´nt find the markers mentioned. Í asked an early worker if the way through the buildings was él camino de Santiago´. ´Si´he assured us, rolling his hands like a fish swimming upstream. ´Todos directo´. We found ourselves on a road and climbed steeply out of Bestanzos for about 15 minutes, but we knew we were on the wrong road. No arrows, no shell markers - de nada. What to do. Double back and start again or carry on and hope to pick up the camino along the way. A road sign pointed our direction - Meson do Vento 23km, Santiago 60 something kms. "At least we´re going in the right direction" I say to Marion and we continue walking until we reach a huge round-about with about 5 options. I stop another worker who tells us to follow the middle exit under the highway and carry on all the way to Santiago.

When we have walked about 8km we reach Abagonde. We see an open cafe bar and ask a man there how we can get to COS which is a place on the camino trail.

´Turn right at the church,´ he tells us - it is about 5km further on. We walk up the hill to the church. A road sign says that COS is 4km away and a local info board says 3.2km to COS. We have to get there whether it is 3.2km, 4km or 5km so we start walking.
´Ít could be worse,´I say, Ít could be raining´. With that big drops start to fall and we have to bring out our raincoats. Finally we arrive at COS which is 6km from Betanzos on the camino trail. We have walked 12km already so have done an extra 6km on the detour. We walk through forests, around fields, past little hamlets and settlements and finally we come out of the woods, down a steep path at the 18km (24km for us) mark on the camino guide - the Bar Julia - where we will phone Antonio at the Ó´Meson Novo Bar and Pension to come and fetch us.
Now, this little bar is in the middle of cow country. This is a new arrangment organised by Johnnie Walker who has compiled the online Guide to the Camino Ingles. I don´t think anyone has used the offer of a lift and overnight stay so we will be testing it. I emailed Antoinio from home and he sent me a telephone number. ´Call me when you get to Bar Julia and I will fetch you´he said. There is nothing else there - just a few farmhouses and this bar which is right on the road. It is 12 o´clock and we have been walking for over 5 hours. I take out my cell phone to make my first call in Spain but there is no signal for Vodophone. The woman in Bar Julia offers to use her phone and she calls the number for me. A woman answers.
´I´m looking for Antoinio´I say. She talks rapidly and then I tell her we have reserved a room for 2 people for tonight and Antonio can collect us at the Bar Julia.
´Did we reserve?´she asks. Ýes´I tell her ´I reserved by email.´
OK. Antoinio will fetch us. We order a drink from Bar Julia and sit down to wait. And wait, And wait. After an hour we are pacing up and down and senora offers to phone again on our behalf. She has a heated arguement on the phone and then tells us that Antonio went to a Bar Julia but it was closed and there was no body there! Not possible we say.
The woman from O´Meson Novo says we must just wait. It is lunch time now and they are busy. 15 minutes later senora has a light bulb moment. Her Bar Julia is not the only one in the district, perhaps Antonio went to the wrong one? She phones the woman at O´Meson Novo and they have another, longer argument on the phone. Yes, Antonio has been to another Bar ´Hoolia´and we were not there. Eventually senora tells us that Antonio cannot fetch us from this Bar Julia. We can walk or we can get a taxi Meson Novo. Marion and I consult. It is 11km to Bruma - we will walk. At 2pm we hoist our packs back on our backs and start walking.

We now have to tackle ´THE HILL´- a 3km bugger of a hill that winds its way up 400m in 3km. It starts off straight up on tarmac, then becomes gravel, then becomes a forect track. Up and up and up it goes. When we finally reach the top we are not sure that it has ended because we have done it so quickly.
Ít can´t be 3km´I say to Marion. ´We couldn´t have walked up that hill in just over half an hour.´ But we have. Over 2 weeks of walking, climbing in Aragon and France has made us fitter than we think. We walk to Hospital de Bruma and find the albergue open. Benino is trimming the shrubs outside and looks quite pleased to see peregrinos arrive even if it is 5pm.
We have walked 35km and feel OK. We are the only pilgrims at the albergue and Benino tells us that there were 2 South Africans two days ago as well. We think that it could be Gwenda who was planning to walk the Ingles around the same time as us. There were only 3 pilgrims here yesterday but a group of 12 the day before. We are starving and Benino tells us that a restuarant in Meson de Vento will deliver a Menu del Peregrino to us if we order at about 7h30pm. He writes down the options and we choose what we want and he telephones for us. While we are sitting waiting for the delivery, a car pulls us and a young man comes to the albergue.

´Silvia y Marion?´he asks. It is Antonio. He doesn´t speak English but we work out that there was a misunderstanding. There are 4 different Bar Julia´s in this area and he didn´t know which one we were at. (I think there is only one on the camino trail and try to tell him that but he insists that his mother thought we were at the other bars waiting for him.)

Áre you staying here´he asks. Ýes´we tell him, we have booked in and are waiting for dinner to be delivered. ´What about tomorrow night?´he asks.

´No´we tell him ´we will walk to Siguerio tomorrow.´ He seems disappointed that the arrangement didn´t work and assures us that it will in future. He leaves and then our delivery arrives. Ensalada rusa, salmon and chips for Marion with a carafe of Vinto tinto: ensalada pasta for me (with the ever present tuna which I scratch off), a Tortilla Espanol and a Coke, and Tarta de Santiago for both of us. In the crate is a table cloth, knives and forks, two small plastic cups for the drinks and tuppaware containing the other food. It is a feast and we scoff the lot!

We are now a day ahead and will have to spend an extra night in Santiago. I find the telephone number for Fernando at Hostal Pazo de Agra and I send him an sms asking if we can spend Thursday night at the hostal as well.

Benino arrives with blankets for both of us and makes sure that we are comfortable and tells us to just pull the door shut behind us when we leave in the morning. We get into bed exhausted from our very long day. Just as we are falling asleep, Benino comes to see that we are all OK. What kind people these Spanish hospitaleros are. My phone beeps. It is Fernando. No problem to stay an extra night.

"Our bags are packed, and we're ready to go...."

The emails are flying between us!

Marion:

"Yesterday I packed my back pack and just now I weighed it Bugger, Bugger, Bugger it weighs toooooooooooooooooooooo damm much!!!!!!! 6kg and I have not got any winter woollies in!!!!! So now back to the drawing board, unpacking to see if I can take out anything!!!!!"

Val:

"I kid you not that it took me 8 hours to pack my back pack on Sunday, I actually burst into tears and Martin gave me a glass of wine and a cuddle!!!!
I have not weighed it because there is not one thing that is not on Syl’s list and I even took out most of my toiletries, should be fun trying to get a comb through my hair without conditioner…it is like straw!"

Syl:

Your pack will be fine! Weigh it - just in case it is over the limit allowed in the cabin. The dimensions are actually more important. It must be about 56cm X 45cm X 25cm. If it is a bulging ball it won't fit in the overhead locker. Squash it to fit those dimensions and tie the cords very tight.

Val:

You might have to sit on mine on the way to the airport!

Photo: This is my pack duly squashed, corsetted and manipulated to measure the correct dimensions. It weighs 5.15kg.

Two days and counting!!!

Meetings, training, paperwork etc

Preparations: There is a lot to do in preparing for a long trek (or a series of short ones!) When you live on the other side of the globe you have to make meticulous plans in order for everything to go smoothly. Only then can you walk with peace of mind knowing that the groundwork has been done, that you will make that connection between airport and train and there are no uncertainties about planes, trains or sutomobolies! Once you have decided on an itinerary of sorts - start and end dates agreed upon - all the travel plans have to be made.

Meetings:
We've now had two meetings - the first at Val's place and the second a lunch meeting here last week. I did a vegetable stack for lunch with scallop shell polenta and served it with assorted pestos.
We started off deciding on which airline to fly, where to fly to, how to get to the start of our walk.
We have booked on Iberia from Johannesburg to Toulouse. We will get a train to Lourdes and start walking from there. We've discovered that the times of our flights from Johannesburg to Madrid have been changed from 22h30 to 20h30. Our connecting flights from Durban to Johannesburg will get us there with time to spare. We get to Madrid earlier and have a longer wait for our flights to Lourdes, which have not changed.
We get to Lourdes at 11h10 and we agreed not to rush to get the midday train from Toulouse to Lourdes but to rather have lunch somewhere and get the 14h00 train which is a faster train and gets to Lourdes only 1 hour after the midday train. Making this decision now means that we don't have to bust a gut trying to get from the airport at Toulouse to the train station in an hour.
We have booked a hotel room for the first night, only 15 euro each at Hotel San Etienne, so it won't break the bank!
We've agreed to get a bus from Puente la Reina to Pamplona rather than walk there as this gives us a few extra hours in both towns. We've booked a room at the Hotel Maisonwave in Pamplona (78 euro for the room) and will have a slap up dinner - courtesy of Val who leaves us there to return home, via Barcelona, the next day.
Marion and I leave for Lugo on the 20 June. When I first checked the train times from Pamplona to Lugo, they left at 12h36. Between now and the 13th June they leave at 13h07. We'll have to check the departure times again before we leave Pamplona on 20th June.
Because Marion and I will arrive in Lugo around 10pm, I have booked us in the hotel closest to the railway station, Hotel Muralla. There is only one bus in the afternoon to Ferrol so we'll get an early morning bus to A Coruna and from there a bus to Ferrol. We've decided to start walking to Neda in the afternoon which will leave us with a short walk to Pontedeume the next day.
I have booked us into the Hostal Paza de Agra (where I've stayed twice before) in Santiago, 40 euro for a double room. Marion leaves me the next day and I start walking to Finisterre. Because I plan on leaving after the midday mass, I decided to book into the hotel Tamara in Negreira which has a special rate of 25 euro for pilgrims. The albergue only has 20 beds and its bound to be full by 6pm.
I am planning on taking 4 days to Finisterre and back to Corcubion, arriving there on 30th June.
Training:
We have done walks that we did earlier in the year and have found that we are flying up the hills and are coping with long distances. We are still walking on the beachfront twice a week - two new wanna-be camino pilgrims, Phyllis and Eugenie have joined us - we walk with Highway AC on Saturday mornings and doing a long walk ± 20kms on a Sunday. We'll have a weekend away in the 'Berg on the 15/16th May to do some proper hiking in the mountains. Our backpacks are comfortable and mine has remained constant at just under 5kg.
Paperwork:
We checked through our e-tickets, insurance, hotel booking confirmations etc. I have sent my tickets, passport etc to the Spanish Embassy with the application for a Schengen Visa. We have all got our FOREX in cash and cards.
I have downloaded strip maps for the route from Lourdes to Somport and profile maps from Somport to Puente la Reina and will photocopy relevant pages from the CSJ & Miam Miam Dodo Arles guide. The three of us will share carrying the maps and guide pages. I've also downloaded guide books for the Ingles which Marion and I will share as well as a guide for the Fistera.
Countdown:
We have got 4 weeks, 3 days and counting!!

SUNSHINE, SEA SHORE AND SANDALS

What a beautiful day it was today! It was our turn to walk in Durban North so John and I met Marion at her place just before 6am.
I decided to try out my sandals today. Most of the walk was on pavements, grass verges and on the road and this could be similar terrain to parts of the Aragones and Ingles.
We started walking to Umhlanga Rocks at 6am. I think we're getting fitter because we really motored along! Unlike last week's walk, this one is relatively flat so it is quite hard going on the muscles.
The view was a great distraction - the sea was spectacular with huge waves which has brought out all the surfers. The sky was the deepest blue and there was hardly a breeze for the first 2 hours but a little cooling breeze on the way back.
We stopped at the pavement cafe on the Umhlanga waterfront on the way back for a drink ... a-la-camino walking! When we got back to Marion's she gave us another drink and a muffin.
Next weekend I'll be in Johannesburg for their Camino Workshop but the following weekend we are going to walk "The Two Gorges" in Kloof and Everton - back to the hills!

PLANNING IS SUCH FUN!!!

Half of the fun of going on a long trek is in the planning. Where to start? How to get to the start? How many days to walk? Ordering the guide book, reading other people's diaries. Then the big decisions - boots or shoes: sleeping bag or liner: fleece or thermals.
I have the Arles to Puente la Reina guide from the CSJ UK - also the Miam Mian Dodo guide that includes the Aragones.

We decided on starting at Lourdes so we have booked our multi-flight tickets from Durban to Johannesburg to Toulouse and home from Santiago on Iberia. http://www.iberia.com/
Remember to change to your country and your language (top left of the screen) before you start searching the timetable - and click on mulitple-routes to get to the window that allows you up to 6 changes.

We will get a tain to Lourdes from Toulouse. http://www.voyages-sncf.com/
There is a train at 12h09 that arrives at 15h04: Then there is a train at 14h00 that gets in at 15h53. So we have to decide, do we want to rush to get the 12h09 train that takes almost 3 hours or do we wait for the 14h00 train that takes less than 2 hours. Decisions, decisions!

We have decided to stay in a hotel in Lourdes to get over the Jet lag. It is the Hotel Saint Etienne ** 61, Boulevard de la Grotte. http://www.hotel-saintetienne-lourdes.com/ contact@hotelsaintetienne-lourdes.com Triple room 46€. 250 metres from the entrance to the sanctuaries (Porte St Michel) Continental breakfast is not included - 4.50€ Services: Souvenirs/Gift Shop, Packed Lunches

We want to take part in the Torchlight Marian Procession which takes place each evening at 9.00 pm (as it has done since 1872.) During the Procession, the pilgrims walk in groups behind their pilgrimage banner. Everyone is invited to carry a lighted candle in their hand – a reminder of Baptism. The procession lasts about 1½ hours. Candles are bought in the town before entering the Sanctuary.At the end of the Procession, the Priests and Bishops present give the Blessing.
The welcoming of pilgrims and announcements begin at 20.45. The Evening Procession begins from the Grotto and ends in the square in front of the Rosary Basilica. Between torches, pilgrims carry a statue of Our Lady (a copy of the Cabuchet statue of the Blessed Virgin).

http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ru&contexte=en&id=478&id_rubrique=478

Our schedule for the walk to Puente la Reina is almost complete but, hey, one never knows how it will change once we are walking! The comments on the accommodation is from pilgrims who have walked this route.

Asson:
Pilgrim accommodation: Accueil Saint Jacques, 3, rue des Pyrénées , Asson Tél : 05 5 71 04 83 leon.laclau@free.fr Capacité : Sleeps 4 Prix : 10 € / nuit
http://www.asson.fr/vivre/asson-vivre-associations-stmartin.htm?CTX=/FR/liste_locations.php,399*#=52

Arudy:
B&B facilities and camp site: http://www.ot-arudy.fr/pages/index.php

Oloron Ste Marie:
Pilgrim accommodation: Relais du Bastet, 12, place de la Résistance Tel. 06 77 19 82 85 12,50 € per night 2€ for sheets.
Or: “Maison Guerra Laroque, run by a very helpful Canadian named Pierre who advised me that the way is well marked to Somport (the stretch I did from Urdos, along the 'route ancienne d'espane' was fine). It is a really beautiful area. You can get a Credential from Pierre, and his Refuge in the Rue Revol is a delight.” Sleeps 5
Or: Patchwork http://hebergement-patchwork.oloron-ste-marie.com/indexe.html Pilgrims/walkers : (accommodation up to 4/7 pers.) : 12 euros/pers./night, without sheets/towels: option breakfast: 5 euros; option evening meal 8.50 euros

Sarrance:
Former monastery, phone in advance! Les Fontaines d’Escot, a former monastery and St James study Centre has been for centuries a refuge for St James pilgrims. We are 200m from the path you just have to cross the river bridge. We offer special discounts for pilgrims: Two pilgrims in a twin or double room is €13 each pilgrim
http://fontaines.selfip.com/pyrenees-bandb-simple-rooms.php

Borce:
Pilgrim accommodation:

"This former hospital St Jacques (also known as Hospitalet), is recognizable because it is shaped like a chapel with a steeple. It has been redeveloped into a museum and refuge for pilgrims and hikers. Sleeps 6 .

(Many of these photos are from the Aspe website) http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_transversales/voies_aspe/aspe_pat06_borce.php

CANFRANC ESTACION:
Pepito Grillo.Habitaciones hostel multiple sleep-sac, should be open all year. Price: 8€ Tel: 974-37-31-23 CANFRANC TOWN http://www.pepitogrillo.com/ The hostel offers a place to rest pilgrims going to pass 4 bed room 56.00 € - Habitación 4 personas Incl breakfast.

http://www.sargantana.info/canfranc/tarifascanfranc.pdf
Albergue Sargantana 55€ 4 bed-room sleep sac in multiple rooms, open all año.Teléf: 974-37-32-17 Villanúa Tritón hostel in the old town, 8€ in rooms sleeping bag múltiples.Teléf: 974-37-82-81

http://www.aspecanfranc.com/

JACA:
Refugio, newly built, Tel: 974-35-51-16. Excellent rehabilitation of the old hospital of pilgrims in the streets Conde Aznar. 6€

The following photographs are from:

http://www.jacajacobea.com/listado_albergues.php

ARRES:
Shelter, run by volunteers, comfortable and fraternal, has 20 beds. http://www.santacilia.es/seccion0205.shtml
“Arres is a little like Hontanas on the Meseta in that it just suddenly "appears". The path meanders around the hillside, turns a corner, and lo and behold, there is the village! It is a beautifully restored house (as is Santa Cilia - cared for by a woman in the village at that time) and when I was there the hospitalero took it upon himself to cook dinner for us (there was no shop in the village - there was in Sta Cilia). Arres is a special place, and all the pilgrims were taken to a place to watch the sunset, then to the church for a special "blessing" and in the morning we were woken early for breakfast, given a sandwich and sent on our way in the dawn light, a wonderful experience clambering down the hillside path stopping frequently to watch the magical sunrise.”

RUESTA
Refuge in the two houses rehabilitated. 72 in bunk beds, hot water, heating, blankets, lounge and dining room. Sleep is 10 € - breakfast 3.50€ more. They also provide meals for 7 euros and prepare food bags for 4 euros. Phone: 948-39-80-82. http://www.ruesta.com/albergues.htm http://www.ruesta.com/precios.htm

SANGÜESA
Refuge in Labrit street. Run by the Daughters of Charity, who kept clean and cozy. It is essential to have a credential. Keys from the City residence. Phone: 948-87-00-42. 8€
Hotel Yamaguchi. Tel: 948-87-01-27; double with bath, from 40 euros.
The pension Navas. Tel: 948-87-00-77; double with shared bath, 25 euros.

Izco
Refugio, new construction. Eight beds in bunks, with hot water, kitchen and lounge. Open from May 15 to October 15. The keys are in the sale of Izco. Phone: 948-36-21-29. It costs 6€

TIEBAS
Refugio, very basic, but serves for the night.. To shower, use the front of the locker room or the pool. Voluntary donation. Keys, Jose Mari. Tel: 948-36-02-22

Puenta La Reina:
We will take a bus from here to Pamplona as Val has to fly home the next day.
http://www.laestellesa.com/servicios/Segunda.asp

Pamplona:
Albergues, hostals, hotels etc., We will probably stay at the Hostal Dom Luis in San Nicolas.

Val will be leaving us from here so it will be nice for her to have a place to spread out her stuff and repack for the return journey home.

Saturday 20th June: Camino Ingles
Marion and I take a train from Pamplona to Lugo. http://www.renfe.es/ We leave at 12h36 from Pamplona and arrive in Lugo at 21h00 (costs 46.10€ ). We will spend the night at a Hotel and get a bus or train from Lugo to Ferrol the following day.
Bus - Arriva.es ± 2 ¼ hours. Week days - 11:00, 13:15, 16:15, 18:30. Saturdays - 11:30, 16:15, 18:30 and Sundays - 16:15 and 18:30.
Train: 7h08 arrives 09h13.
We might have to have an early morning and take the train. I'd like to visit the Tourist Office for a stamp and a map and their Sunday hours are 10:00 to 12:30. The CSJ guide says:

The Tourist Office is on the first floor of a modern office block tucked into
the left hand side of the Plaza España (if facing the direction of the port)
They provide pilgrims with:
Credencial
Sello
Map out the route (showing 2 alternatives) from the city to the outskirts
A copy of the Xunta Guide in English
A schematic of the distances and elevations on the route (which isn’t terribly accurate!)
A Gallego phrasebook (which is perhaps too heavy to carry)
And…they have good toilets if setting off immediately from there!

This is the suggested itinerary for the Camino Ingles:

Ferrol – Pontedeume 25 kms (Albergue at Neda - 11km)
Pontedeume – Betanzos 20 kms (Albergue at Mino - 27km)
Betanzos – Hospital de Bruma 29 kms
Hospital de Bruma – Sigüeiro 24 kms (Hospital de Bruma 38km)
Següeiro – Santiago de Compostela 16 kms

I LOVE MY BOOTS!!

I LOVE MY NEW HI-TEC ALTITUDE ULTRA V-LITE BOOTS WITH THE VERBAM SOLES!!







(Picture from www.hitec.com)

I have been wearing the new boots around the house, on short walks with the dogs and on ± 8km walks in Kloof but this morning we walked 19km and - I LOVE MY BOOTS. They are leather but are light, cushioned inside, great soles. They are an improvement on the HiTec Kevlar that I wore on the Via Francigena and in Spain as they are Waterproof. Hopefully, no blisters with these.

AND I LOVE MY SOCKS!!
The socks are FALKE stretch hiking socks with padding around the toes, under the foot and heel and around the ankle but they are not padded on the top which allows some air in. They were very comfortable and I don't think I'll need sock liners.
It was a HOT day - 30oC - and it was a loooong, flat walk on tarred roads, grassy verges and on the hard sand along the beach from Durban North to Umhlanga Rocks and back.
We stopped at the pavement cafe for a coffee and I asked for a black Decaf - but, I don't think it was Decaf because by the time we had walked a couple of km I started to feel twitchy and by the time we got back to Durban North I had a red face like a rooster and was feeling a bit woozy. Could have been the heat or could have been my thermostat! A short rest at Marion's, a cold Cranberry Juice and a few grapes and I was feeling again.
On the way home Val and I stopped at Sportsman's warehouse in Springfield and we bought her plastic cutlery set, waist bag, folding backpack, telescopic pole and a few other odds and ends.
I bought Marion a Karrimor waist bag for her birthday next month. We've been looking for something less bulky than the Cellini bags we used to Rome and this is a really nice bag with 3 zippered compartments and a soft, mesh back lining to absorb perspiration.
On Friday morning we are going to Westwood Shopping Mall to visit Cape Union Mart for boots for Val & M, and to Dischem to buy the shoulder-strap pads.
Our aim now is to get fitter so we are going to walk the 'Pot 'n Kettle' walk next Sunday. Woooo ... those hills are killers and the 18km is more like 25km!! But, if we are going to cross the Pyrenees we need to get hill walking.
Val doesn't work on a Friday so in a couple of weeks time we will do three-day, back-to-back walks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and see how we feel.
I feel a bit like I did when training to run Comrades! I want to be slim, fit and strong for the walk.