Date: Fri 17th May
Distance: 30km
Temperature: Cold/Wet
Mood: Mostly Good (until the end of the day)
Left: Logroño 8:30am
Arrived: Nájera 4:40pm
Santiago de Compostela: 595km

Please forgive us. We know you were all looking forward to a relaxing Saturday breakfast whilst catching up on our daily blog!

SMB on wheels – Enjoy the ride fellas! (Your numbers are dwindling!)

Our accommodation in Logroño was fab! After a typical breakfast we checked out and hit the road. It was a cold 5 deg start and we copped a shower as we walked out of town. The Camino trail out of town is also used as a local walking track and we were greeted by most of the friendly locals as we passed them with the typical “Buon Camino”.

This was going to be another big day with 30km back to back. I had pre booked the night before a private room at an Albergue so we didn’t need to worry about accommodation when we arrived, but we needed to arrive before 4:30pm else risk loosing it!

We enjoyed a morning coffee break in the village of Navarette and bought some lunch supplies before continuing on. The weather was looking very ominous the further we walked until just before getting to the small village of Ventosa a storm came through bring with it hail! We made it to a small bar just before the downpour! After a hot chocolate and the rain subsiding and 12km remaining, we left after 2:00pm knowing we needed to get to Nájera before 4:30. With about 5km to go, the legs were letting us know that they had had enough and the feet were getting sore, until we finally made it.

Well on top of 2 x 30km days, being wet and tired we met our “Raymond” (reference “The Way”). Going from a lovely Hotel in Logroño to a private Albergue room in Nájera were 2 worlds apart. (Note: Many Pilgrims stay in the Albergues for their entire pilgrimage and enjoy the experience. We admire them! Call us “soft” if you like, we have sampled every type of accommodation on offer so far on the Camino and there extremes are wide!). To top the day off, Jenny ceremoniously dumped her backpack on her bed and minutes late realised she had emptied the remained of her water bladder all over the bed! After a quick shower (A shame we forgot to take a photo, you had to see it to believe it) and after rearranging the entire room (see photo) we headed into town for a quick bit of sightseeing (Whilst we didn’t feel like it, we always drag ourselves out to see the town we are staying in and in this case we didn’t want to hang around back in the room!) and we needed to eat something for dinner.

“Raymond” had offered us earlier to eat at his restaurant for 9€ each, but after passing by and seeing no one in there we decided to play it safe and choose the cafe with the most people in it! We enjoyed the company of a French couple at the table that had 2 words of English between them (twice as many words of French that we had between us). So was a very entertaining evening as we discussed our Camino adventures in broken English, Spanish and French and with a lot of hand gesturing!

Back in our room all settled in for the night we are treated to the noise of what sounds like a rodent! And did I mention there was no WiFi!!!

We have experienced a low point! But don’t expect it to last!

More Photo’s