Day 3
Zubiri –> Pamplona (20.9 km/13 miles)
Last night was extremely frustrating. Zubiri was a small town. There wasn’t much in terms of food. Many of us went to a restaurant that offered a “pilgrim menu” (usually a three-course, hearty meal). Well, I had gotten there a little later than some of the others who had ordered. I sat there for 20 minutes before going up to the guy working the bar and got angry with him in Spanish. He was turning people away and was very rude. Even the people who ordered their food way before me got their second courses the same time as me.
I returned to my albergue full and had no idea how I was going to sleep. I opened my bag and went to reach for my pajamas … and they weren’t there. Every night, I sleep in an oversized t-shirt and loose running shorts. And I was having flashbacks to last week when my luggage was lost (that’s another story you’ll just have to wait to hear about). Now I really couldn’t sleep. I tried calling the albergue from the night before, but no one answered.
The night was restless. I was having dreams about this and kept waking up to go to the bathroom. I felt bad for the Kiwi mom and daughter in my room; I probably kept them up.
In the morning, I set off just before 7 AM. We were the last ones in the albergue; all the Spanish people had left. A few of the German and Austrians were still hanging around as I walked across the Puente de la Rabia.
For a long time, I didn’t see another pilgrim. The hike today was through the forest for the majority of the time. I walked past an abbey being restored when I saw the first pilgrims. A cycling pilgrim also passed me.
Most of the time I was just passing hay and horses. About 9ish, I came upon a cute café in a super small town where I saw some people I had met from the previous days. They were leaving as I was coming in, though. The café was cute because there were chickens just wandering around free.
I kept on walking, knowing I’d get there early. There were a few hills, but not too many. I ended up passing two of the people I had run into at the café. They were having a discussion about the Bible and decided not to interrupt them. Instead, I continued listening to my podcasts.
Things were fine until I reached the town just before Pamplona. The signs started to get confusing. Usually, you just have to follow the yellow arrows, but I lost track of them. Thankfully, I had my phone, so I was able to take a detour and end back up on the trial.
My feet and my bad ankle started to hurt so bad. I pushed on to get to Pamplona. Additionally, I had gotten hold of the albergue but they didn’t find my shirt and shorts, my favorite shirt and shorts, putting me into a bad mood.
Reaching Pamplona was surreal. I entered through the walls that surround the city. The streets were full of people. Everyone was wearing white from head to toe with a red bandana, including dogs and babies. People were playing music in the street and parading around. It’s San Fermin, a week-long celebration to the patron saint of the city best known for its Running of the Bulls.
I got into Pamplona around 12:30, but I couldn’t check into my hostel until 2. Unlike most people, I had realized what would be happening today many months ago and made a very expensive reservation. In the mean time, my feet were aching, but I dropped my backpack off at the hostel and went to find some comfy clothes.
My friend told me about an app called Life360. You can track your friends and family by their location. My mom said she saw me arrive in Pamplona and it was a real city. There was even an El Corte Inglés (aka the best store in Spain). Aha! That’s where I’d go.
I tried to make my way around the crowded portions. El Corte Inglés is great, but it can be expensive. Luckily, they were having great sales. I got a Billabong shirt for half off!
As I walked back into the city, the sea of white and red continued. Me, dressed in all black, stuck out pretty bad. I checked into my hostel, got clean, and now I’m just sitting in a laundromat doing some laundry.
I’m unsure if I’ll take part in any of the festivities tomorrow. What I do know is I’m heading off to Puente de la Reina. I already have a place booked online, giving me a little peace of mind. So, tonight I’ll rest before trekking another 13 miles tomorrow.