I had a great 14kms hike today to Estella. Taking the bus from Puerta La Reina to the first stop down the road reduced the walking length from 21kms to 14kms. These shorter walks are like rest days. Well I needed one after the party last night. Two Scottish chaps I chatted to in a […]

Today was a sort of “rest day.” I walked about 4kms into Pomploma on a beautiful sunny morning. My plan was to go to the tourist office and ask them how to get a bus to Puerta La Reina. Well the Camino provided. I was a short walk into the old town when the tourist

The trails today were marginally easier, but the day was hotter 28C. I booked a hostel in Villava so I didn’t have to arrive in Pamploma exhausted and then have to find my alberque. My accommodation here is fine, but the restaurant next door could be improved. I didn’t mind the tables of locals having

The walk at the beginning was idyllic. Then it got rougher. Somewhere beyond Espinal the path became very rocky. It was easier to climb up the rises than to descend them. It took me a very long time to get to Zubiri. However once here my hostel is lovely. There aren’t many restaurants here so

Today was more strenuous climbing but in brilliant sunshine. I walked a good part of the path with a lovely woman from Australia. She is spending six months in the south of France to realize a dream of becoming a writer. We discussed plot lines as we rose through the most incredible views. Some say

I had a lovely time in St Jean Pied de Port. The pilgrim’s office was very accommodating. My hostel La Vita Bella was lovely. It didn’t do dinner so after I bought my walking poles I found a cafe nearby and had a risotto with mushrooms, chorizo, courgettes and some extra chunks of cheese. With

It was pitch black at 6:30am when I left my hotel to walk across the street to Gare Montparnasse. I found my gate, when the time was posted for the train to Bayonne accept that I got on the wrong train. Actually it wasn’t really the wrong train. It was the wrong half of the

Again serendipity came to the rescue. Rosa had tried repeatedly to book a reservation for us to see Notre Dame and was told that they were “sold out.” We knew that we could get in at 6:00pm for mass, so we set out to get there early. We arrived at 5:30 to suss things out.

I flew Air Transat to Paris yesterday…..or maybe it was the day before?…I can’t be sure. I know I left on a Monday and it is now Wednesday. Anyway the flight was OK. There was a lot of turbulence and there was nothing to watch in the way of TV or movie entertainment. If the

I leave in three days – GULP! Yes, I’m excited. I’ve had a few sleepless nights thinking through the packing list and the various “to do lists,” but I am, for the most part, ready. I’m walking almost everyday now for 10-12kms with a full pack – 10lbs. The other day it rained, so I