Day 5 - Unexpectedly Easy

Day 5 - Unexpectedly easy

Woke again around 4:30 and failed to get back to sleep. First people getting ready around 5:40. By 6 the lights came on and the monastery started quietly playing music … ergh.

Nearly cramped up during the night but thankfully it quickly passed. Still not sure what I will do today, play it by ear/foot I guess.

Shockingly (to me) my heart was still pounding overnight. Normally when asleep my heart-rate is about 58-65. Today it was still 92-97 from midnight to 2am, then the lowest it dropped to was 79.

Not sure if breakfast is a good idea, i could be out and leaving now. Breakfast doesn’t start for another 40 minutes.

…

Shockingly (to me, and probably to the man who told me not to walk), I made it to Zubiri fine. A little over 5 hours of walking, that took 7h30 (long lunch, a stop to put 2 blister plasters on, and then a drink break 3km outside Zubiri)

I panicked a little in Zubiri as the main Alberque is shut, so went to the further one from the Center (Suseia), thinking it would be the last one people tried. Turns out to have been a good idea and it’s a lovely place. Host there is really friendly & helpful

I deeply regret not doing the communal meal. It was salad and vegetable soup, then sausage … the first two put me off, but I hear the food was delicious and the crac was good (good conversation, jovial).

I ended up in town with a disappointing meal. Some sort of fatty pork that which I thought from the picture was Chicken. I should have gone with my initial instinct of a cheese & ham toastie, or chicken paella. The Spanish sausage side & sangria were nice though.

Had a lovely conversation with a French lady who came in for food, and as my table had the only free space (was a table for 2) so she got stuck with me. Talked about languages, spirituality instead of religion, food and a bunch of other things. Was a lovely end to the day.

Although another fleeting interaction. Something I find a little hard, opening up, talking to someone & getting on with them and then boom, likely not seeing them again.

6am start tomorrow, roomies want to be awake then with aim to leave at 7. I might try and leave at 6:30 to get out ahead of the sun. Although I need to post this too (writing on iPhone but method for posting is on the iPad right now - doh!)