MeAndering the Camino

Yesterday after a challenging time finding my albergue, I started looking at the next few days and when I would need to jump ahead due to my decision to get back for work projects. Surprising to those who know me well, I hadnt done complete research on the Spanish bus and train system. My original plan was to walk today and tomorrow and then take the bus ahead to Leon. This would give me 6 days and over 100 miles. However, the city pairs I would reach today and tomorrow, were not an easy combination with Leon. Bus issues, combined with the not very accommodating weather report, I booked bus and train to get to Leon from Estrella today.

Once again. The Camino introduced me to more people who emphasized that there is no right or wrong way to do “The Way”. Waiting for the bus in Estella, I met Danny from Louisiana who started with his wife last Sunday but had to get home and had left her today to continue on while he made his way home. We rode the bus to Pamplona together and talked on the train platforms before I left for Leon. I also talked with Nicola, an artist from Milan, who was heading home due to severe back issues. Being his 4th Camino, he knew he would be back and encouraged me to not worry about skipping some days but make the most of “my camino”.

So after an hour backwards on the bus and 4 hours ahead on the train , I arrived this afternoon in Leon. I had planned to spend a rest day here on Monday evening anyway so now it’s bounced ahead a bit.

Walked around for a couple hours this aftwrnoon. A nice Gothic area close by. A wedding at the cathedral meant not going in but there was a “Gaudi” festival in the streets around the Gaudi designed Casa Botines.

Looking forward to a night of sleep without a deadline to be out of accommodation by 8:00am! With 125 km down, resting the legs tomorrow to so we are ready to begin the next 309km on Monday! Hoping weather doesn’t deteriorate here as well! There is another mountain range to conquer!

Only 13,694 steps today!