FOREWORD: I completed the El Camino de Santiago – an 800km spiritual pilgrimage across Spain in late Summer of 2009. I journalled and photographed my trip, and as a final completion I agreed to publish my journal and pictures a year to the day of my journey.

STATS: Walked 10.3km (6.5 miles) Spent €10.05 (Accommodation – €5, Food – €2.75, Internet €2.30)

I met a man called Niall
He said “like the river”
But to me, he was just a little too Irish
He asked for a poem about mosquitoes

His heart was so big – it almost had a soul of its own
All the women he met, like mosquitoes, would come and partake of it
small sips
but taking the essence of who he is
the depth of him would warrant the zealous women intoxicated
while he gave freely

but they became irritating easily
some he shooed away
others needed to be swotted
and all that while he walked that camino trail sharing his soul heart
seeking a butterfly of beauty
to feed his soul
and inspire that heart

8.24am – As I entered Pamplona and was about to cross the Magdelena Bridge I was mooching around, looking at the architecture, the markings on the bridge were very clear. I did not really look lost, although I might have. (all along the path there are little yellow arrows and symbols of the shell on the ground and buildings, to mark the way for the pilgrims). Anyway this sweet local man stopped and pointed me in the right direction, just because he wanted to help and wanted to be a part of my camino and I guess unknowingly wanted to be part of my story. And here he is. So as I sit here on the bridge, I am crying, so touched by his gesture. In the moment with him I realiased that not only is “the path laid out right in front of me” (which is part of my ministerial blessing) but also that there are divine angels all along the pointing out to me the way to go, and if at the time I don’t need the guidance, let’s call it reassurance. This camino is a metaphor for life. Powerful.
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They ask me where I am from and I stutter Australia/South Africa, and the answer is South Africa. It has just taken me a long time. I started my journey in this life in South Africa. I guess it depends on which journey you are talking about. I started my camino in Los Angeles, or was it London, or was it Toulouse, or Sydney, or Cape Town, or Johannesburg…I guess it depends on what you classify as the start…hmm….
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5pm I am settled in my albergue in Cezor Menor after a truly gorgeous day in Pamplona. After my last entry on the bridge I was interrupted/accosted by a group of young Spaniards coming home from the bar. It was 8:30am. They were drunk and insisted on talking to me. It was bizarre, quite a surreal experience, having it contrast so sharply with the wonderful awakening experience I was having on the bridge. It was along the lines of one of them really wanting to “get with me” while another stripped down to his orange Y-fronts and insisted on standing on the bridge railing where I was sitting with his undies at my eye height, just so I wouldn’t miss anything. I was a little scared – my first taste of ‘city life’ after days of being in the country, and I am a little too nice sometimes. Anyway, some local people came and told the boys to move along, to my relief. I definitely picked up some negativity,so I did some serious clearing.

As I wound my way into Pamplona I found myself being righteous and validated that yes cities are ‘bad” and I hate them. It was eerily quiet and I couldn’t work out what was going on. Then I realiased it was Saturday morning. Shit all I wanted was to get to a post office, and now they probably wouldn’t be open. So I got a little annoyed. You walk for 2 days and all you are dreaming about is get rid of about 1,75kg out of your bag, by sending it home only to discover that the post office is closed! In fact everything was closed. So I found myself in a cathedral, it was beautiful. Did some meditation that were awesome and by this time I found a cafe that was open and wandered in. My British friends were there, who live in Barcelona, I was so happy to see them again. We had tea and I enjoyed the bathroom. I didn’t know I was so fond of modern bathrooms. Found out the post offices are open YAY! So went on my way to find it. Sent my kindle back to Lukey (my cousin) in London, I know it was a bit of a risk, but hey my busted hips didn’t care if we never saw that ridiculous piece of 700g machinery ever again! I then found an internet cafe for an hour or so. Skyped my sister in Australia and she was too busy to talk to me which was a jar and immediately put me off, but had a long chat to mum and that was nice and a chat to Amy (my other sister) and sent an email to family saying I was fine and that I would not be emailing again and that this walk is for me.

Walked out the internet cafe to discover that the shops were closing for siesta in 15 mins! SO rushed into a store to get some food – all I could find was baguette and pate, so I sat on a side walk in the park and ate that. It was delicious!

I also had an interesting experience in a public restroom. It was in the middle of the town square and I went in did my bizo, then discovered that I could not get out. There was a sign in Spanish explaining how to exit but I couldn’t understand it and started to panic. It was hot and stainless steel inside and I suddenly thought I couldn’t breath. I literally started to imagine that I would die in there. It was crazy. I started banging on the door and screaming help in Spanish. Luckily I had my guide book with me so I could find out what help was in Spanish. But nobody heard. It was scary and then I stopped. and called on the light. I opened my eyes and saw this button, that I swear had not been there before, and pressed it, and the door opened. The sun shone in, and everything was eerily normal outside. While I was inside it was the most frightening experience I has had in a long time and everybody was just having a regular day. I feel like I am in a computer game being tested.

I often say I am not afraid of anything, like spiders, or being alone…so perhaps I am being shown stuff.

I then set off on my way to find the path. There are little and big arrows “fletchas” all along the path, painted on the ground, walls and little picket signs all along the way, but after I made my way into Pamplona – it wasn’t as easy to find the path again. I stumbled into this man who I asked for directions…which consisted of me simply saying: “camino de santiago?” most people know it every where you go, and are used to people with backpacks limping around there towns. So anyway, this guy ended up speaking English. He was from London and he was a little Greg Parry clone, and he talked and talked. He took me to see the Cuidodela. It turns out he was drunk (it was about 3pm at this stage) from the night before and had not been home yet. He was fun but he did not stop talking. I told him that I needed to get walking because otherwise I would not get a bed ( I was still a little wary, having nearly missed out on a bed in Zubiri) he told me he had always wanted to walk the Camino, so I told him if he showed me where the path was he could walk a little of the ways with me and then he could tell people he had walked the trail. He just wouldn’t have to mention how little he did! Anyway, he ended up walking me the whole way to Cezor Menur! It was hot and he was drunk, it was kind of funny and surreal.

I love how I am escorted when I need it. The balance between having my alone time and then together with my chaperones/knights in shining armour. It is so wonderful. I love this gentle weave of a dance.

I arrived in the albergue and there were 3 men in the gorgeous communal kitchen. They had just prepared dinner, and so I shared a plate of pasta and sauce with them. It was perfect. I am so blessed. These might have been the best 3 days of my life.

I met a sweet guy from Brazil, Luis. We spoke about Colombia. He said it was beautiful. I love the Spanish, I love Spain and I am still pretty clear on living in Colombia.

The set up of this albergue is that you help yourself to the food in the kitchen. I ate a biscuit (cookie) it was a Marie Biscuit – like what I ate at Granny’s house when I was 5 years old. It bought me so much joy.

8:27am – After much anxiety, well not much, I decided to walk. I felt a little shy all of a sudden to be with all the people in the kitchen at dinner time. But when I got back a group of sweet French people invited me to share a meal with them. I fresh tomato salad, pasta, fruit. It was wonderful and I was glad for that, and am enjoying experimenting with all sorts of foods.

Today while walking in Pamplona, before meeting my drunk friend, I stumbled into a church service or wedding thing. I was completely floored. There I stood stunned in the middle of the street, while floods of people poured out of church. What was stunning was that they were all immaculately dressed. I have never seen anything like this before. It was like some incredibly stylish movie. I just adored it. I mean another completely surreal experience. There I was this grubby sweaty pilgrim just surrounded by these gorgeous, perfect, well tailored coiffed, immaculate people. Honestly, words do not portray it. And what was astounding was this was probably just another Saturday service, they probably do that every week. And then having said that I actually wonder if it actually happened at all- it was so random it almost feels like it could have been my imagination.

Another precious moment that I forgot to write, was sitting in a park yesterday at Arres, and watching the little boys playing. They had this toy head of a bull on wheels, playing “bull fighter” it was amazing.

Time goes slow here and I want to write as much as I can to capture the essence of the place like the more i write the more of the liquid gold will be captured.

The albergue here in Cezor Menor is run by a German who speaks every language that the pilgrims here speak from English, Spanish, German, French and Portuguese…

I just had a flash of my night last night, on the top bunk in Arres. I could not sleep for the snoring and heat, it was super stuffy, so I went and lay in the courtyard under the stars. It was incredible. I just let it soak into me. I then went and slept on the couch. In my dreams I had this awareness that I can’t sleep because I don’t feel safe – so light to that.

go to previous day: day 3 -zubiri-to-arres
go to next day:day 5 cezor menor-to-obanos

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