Day 5
Puente la Reina –> Estella
While everyone else was scrambling around in the dark trying to get ready to go, I continued sleeping until my alarm went off at 7 AM. I was one of the last people in the albergue, but it was a great choice. The past few days, I’ve felt super tired within the first hour of walking, like I could curl up in a ball and fall asleep on the side of the road. After waking up at 7, I felt more refreshed. Things were even open in town, so I was able to grab a tortilla and a café con leche before hitting the road.
I’ve got a faster pace than most people. I usually go about 3 miles per hour, or about 5 kilometers. Also, I don’t like to stop too much. If I stop for a long time, it can be difficult to start again. I’ve also realized my ankle feels stiffer if I stop too long, so for me, it’s best to keep going.
Because of this, I’m able to start later and still make it into town pretty early. I even passed two French people who had left my albergue at 6 this morning. Thankfully, I have olive skin that tans easily, so I don’t have to worry about beating the sun.
Today’s walk was rather uneventful. There were a few hills, like one in the beginning. An Italian guy I’ve met in passing was just ahead of me. When we reached the top, he was exhausted. He said to me, “That was rude.” I laughed. Yes, it was rather difficult.
I continued walking through the path. The way is usually clearly marked (except the town just before Pamplona). Whenever I’ve felt some doubt about if I’m going in the correct direction, a yellow arrow appears, reassuring me.
At one stage, I ran into the Danish guy I met yesterday. He was staying at my albergue. After walking from Pamplona, like myself, he decided to go for a 6km run because the walk wasn’t hard enough for him. What? It turns out, he is walking with his brother, his mom … and his 80 year old grandfather. They’re only walking for about five days, but still! Today, he was carrying his grandpa’s backpack on top of his own so that his grandpa could move easier. How awesome.
The Camino often shows some amazing sides of people, like the lemonade stand boy yesterday or the Danish guy today. Today, I was nearing my end, just a few kilometers left, and walking through a pueblo. Three boys were sitting on a bench selling drinks and nuts out of a cooler. They ran up to me asking if I’d like to buy anything, I said no, thank you, and they all gave me a Buen Camino!
In a nice change from the blistering sun yesterday, today was overcast. I arrived in Estella a lot less exhausted than the day before. Because 13 miles wasn’t enough, I walked some more. There’s a sports store chain with a franchise here in Estella, so I walked 20 minutes to find an ankle brace. Luckily, they had one, so hopefully my ankle will hurt less tomorrow. I also went to a grocery store to buy supplies to make lunch, dinner, and a bocadillo for the road tomorrow. Tomorrow is Sunday, so I never know what to expect in Spain on a Sunday.
Estella itself is a bit larger than many towns I pass through. I walked around a bit to try to prevent my muscles from being too stiff. It has many churches for a town of only 14,000 people. There’s a nice river that runs through the town as well.
One last thing I’ve noticed, or rather not noticed, is the number of pilgrims walking. Before the Camino, I had read about record numbers of pilgrims walking. Meanwhile, I can walk for long stretches of time without seeing one. Apart from Roncenvalles, I have stayed at a full albergue, although I’ve been booking ahead just for my own peace of mind. Will it stay like this? Who knows. Once I hit Sarria, for sure there will be a ton. But for now, I’m just enjoying the scenery solo with my podcasts.