Get to SJPDP turn west

Well in 2007 I barely knew what the Camino was - I had no map - a list of towns, distances and Albergues from the Pilgrim Office at SJPP - three photocopied pages from the Lonely Planet Guide to Great Walks of the World.
Oh and I did know there were yellow arrows to show me the way. And my first mobile phone with talk and text only.
I had read one Camino blog on the computer at the local library and by Camino good fortune a week before I left met someone who had just completed Camino Francés.
Yes, an absolute adventure!
I rang my Mum (in Australia) on a public phone about half way to Santiago.
“And if you told the young people of today they wouldn’t believe you”.

No plans, no guide, no phone, no reservations, no experience and no expectations - well perhaps Murphy's Law. Earlier this evening my wife said that it was the most relaxing thing she'd done in many, many years.

A map on the back page of a credential I'd been gifted was our only guide.

At MAD we took a bus as far north/west as we could get that night. The security guard at the Logrono bus station pointed us to Calle Laurel to find a Pension.

We started in Pamplona a few days later. Sorry, but walking a 1400 elevation hill seemed more irrational than walking across northern Spain. Perhaps next time.

We always try to be kind, but it took until Estella to realize that I'd have to think of others first for this to work. The rest just fell into place.

Walkalong said:

walking a 1400 elevation hill seemed more irrational than walking across northern Spai

Click to expand...

Irrational maybe, but also one of the very best days of 7 weeks on the Camino (but then the weather did come to the party with brilliant sunshine...