Day 8

Day 8: Pamplona to Uterga - 17.4 km

Are you keeping track? We walked over 88 kilometers our first week!

Which actually puts us a little behind schedule. But I'm not worried.

They say the Camino is a 3 part journey. The first two weeks are about the physical. The second two weeks challenge you mentally. And the final two weeks are when spirituality really comes into play. 

So I think it is perfectly acceptable to ease our way into walking during these first two weeks of the physically challenging part. Adjusting to the weight of the pack on my shoulders. The up and down terrain. Sweating regardless of whether it is 35 or 65 degrees.

I actually felt really good on yesterday's walk. Which I attribute to resting most of the day in Pamplona yesterday. As well as eating more during the day.

Getting used to the altitude and the time change meant not eating or sleeping much those first few days. But now I'm back in the rhythm of things. And the food is so good!

"Picnic" lunch.

The highlight of yesterday's walk was climbing to the top of Alto de Pardon, the hill of forgiveness, which is featured in the movie "The Way". To have seen it in the movie and then to be standing next to the metal art, the wind turbines, and look down over the valley we had just climbed out of was a joyous moment. Though everyone who reached the peak said the same thing about the metal art: "I thought it would be bigger." LOL. Regardless of its size, it didn't take away from the fact that the view was breathtaking. And we picked up new friends, a 22-year-old woman from Paris and a 70-year-old man from Ireland, who we shared dinner and drinks and raucous laughter with until way past our bedtime. 

Alto de Perdon

Upon arriving at the albergue, one of the first persons I saw was Romy, a woman I had met several days before. We reunited as if we were long lost friends. Romy told me back in Zubiri that being here was a "God thing". Her daughter had told her about the Camino 10 years ago and said they should take the journey together. Romy put it in the back of her head as something she would always love to do but would probably never get around to. But last year a friend of hers came into a large inheritance and asked God what she should do with her tithe. She felt God lead her to give it to Romy, who lives on a pension in New Zealand. Romy decided to use the money to walk the Camino. She would need at least two months, because she is in her 70s and doesn't want to walk more than four hours a day. She says she doesn't know what it means that this is a "God thing" (she has no interest in visiting the churches or Cathedrals, but God speaks to us all in different ways!), but maybe she'll figure it out on the way. 

Romy also updated us on our other friends. 

Jim from Philadelphia passed through here, who we met in Pamplona. He is also walking the Camino for Lent and is giving free foot massages as part of his experience. He looks like he walks the Camino every day when he is home in the States, so he is never too tired to give. 

Sheila from South Africa took a nasty fall and ended up in the hospital getting x-rays. But she is okay. And the Frenchman she befriended on the Way stayed with her to make sure. They plan to get up in the morning again and walk.

Just like the rest of us.