Better Late then Never

Hi everyone! So sorry that there has been a deafening silence, but technology has either let us down or we have been so remote there has been no technology.

We thought we´d tell you all a little about life as a modern-day pilgrim, if we can put it into words, but first a reminder of who we are:

This is us leaving Pamplona (ages ago!)

We are very slowly settling into this itinerant life. We quite like the communal albergues, but it is nice when you gat little "bays" or rooms for two, as we have today.  Sometimes you can chat to other pilgrims and hear of their experiences and you end up sharing loads with total strangers most of whom you never see again.  Sometimes, however, one nationality dominates and it can then be a little exclusive. Sometimes you meet pilgrims who you would think would be friendly (eg a bunch of Irish) who can be dismissively unpleasant.  On the whole the pilgrim community is friendly and mutually helpful.  When we step off The Way for a much needed rest, it is completely confusing.  We felt very alienated for our rest day in Logrono ( we would say cancel your planned holiday there; Pamplona is far nicer).  Just walking everyday, in quite cool weather that becomes sunnier as we move into the afternoon, is very leberating.  The only worries are: will we get a bed where we plan to stop, can we find a shop open to buy provisions, and where on earth is the next loo!

Charlotte:

On the theme of what it feels like to be a pilgrim, Katherine gave her Mum some sound advice which was to be prepared to feel quite strange for at least two weeks if not more, how true her words have proved to be for both of us. Today we walked from Ventosa to Azofra, the sky was blue, sun shining but a cool breeze blew. The soil is rose red and the landscape full of vines and cereal crops, apart from the occasional farm worker and mangy dog the only other people were pilgrims and few of them today. it was beautiful, bird song, flowers and the gentle but steady pace and the sound of our sticks. that is what we have come to feel as the true pilgrim day. it was a shock to me how Logrono knocked me off kilter. We needed the rest and it did us a huge amount  of good but we are already planning how to cope with the change walking the way to resting. Good learning experience and hard to convey as this is such a unique experience for me. As all who know me know i am not a ´believer´but special things do happen on this strange path, brief intense contacts, small favours offered and pleasure in swift friendships. yesterday, feeling out of sorts and a bit fragile i heard an english voice , Brian from Liverpool traveling with Thomas from Germany; we spoke for less than 15 minutes but it bouyed us up for the rest of the day. He was so kind and he himself described how Thomas had befriended him at a low point and were now travelling together.

 The Church was open here (!!!!!!) and Charlotte honoured her promise to Rod.

The endless re-packing ritual!

We shall be a little less serious next time. (Very soon actually as we are making the most of access to this computer)

PS really lovely reading your comments.  Mary, thank you so much for your moth identification -- largest European moth!!!! Matthew, I think the young Italian is running, running, running!