A Dirty Little Secret

I have a dirty little secret and I need to share it.  Yesterday I took the bus part of the way.  In the eyes of the die-hard pilgrims I´m less than human, but I needed it. My blisters have worsened and skin in now lifting off in big slabs, if you´re brave I´ll show you a photo.  There is a certain breed of pilgrim who believes that unless you walk every step of the way you´re not a real pilgrim.  I subscribe to a pragmatic approach and if I have to take a bus every now and again I´ll do it.  After all, a medieval pilgrim wouldn´t knock back a lift from a mule train would he!  Yesterday´s trek was from Logoño to Najera, almost 30 km.  I took the bus to Navarette,  about 10 km along the road and walked the next 20 km. Interestingly, when I announced to my fellow pilgrims that I would take the bus there was considerable silence.  In the morning there were six of us waiting for the bus.  We all agreed it was the best Euro we ever spent, speeding down the freeway in a small bus we covered 10 kms in around 10 minutes, that would take 2.5 hours of hard walking and about 14,000 steps.

I have also come to the conclusion that I am the only pilgrim who believes that homeopathic medicine is a crock of shit.  It seems that the spiritual side of the Camino attracts the loons as well.  I´ve seen a New Zealander dangling a crytal on a string above her food, I didn´t ask why as I was simply incredulous.  Also had a German woman doing yoga on the top bunk in a hostal at 3 am.  I kid you not.  There are a few reasonably grounded ones like me here too, but you have to search for them.  Getting sick of the food.  Restaurants offer a Pilgrim menu served early at 7 pm for around 9 Euros, 3 courses, vino included but they are very repetitive.  So tonight I cook.  Am staying in a hostal in the Cistercian Nuns Abbey, good cooking facilities.

The biggest challenge I have is to heal the blisters so that I can finish this walk.  The wine in La Rioja is good and very cheap. Steps taken to date 318,547.  Well on the way to one miilion.

Until tomorrow.
Bob