Week One In A Nutshell

Today is Day 7.  And since internet access is more spotty than I initially thought it would be, I will here briefly outline our adventures.  Pictures added later NOW!

Day 1.  St. Jean to Roncevalles.  Started out like rockets.  All uphill.  Until it was all downhill, which was worse.  Wiped out by the end.  Feet hurt.  Hips hurt.

Day 2.  Roncevalles to just outside of Larrasoaña.  Still walking super fast and passing people right and left.  By the end, we were walking through the desert and singing through the first cd of Les Miserables.  We met up with some other campers and found a field to pitch our tents in.  I got a tiny pre-blister.  Sofia hurt her knee.  Also, we peed in the woods for the first time this trip.  Sofia enjoys it.

Day 3.  Larrasoaña to Pamplona.  We walked for several km until Sofia couldn't use her knee anymore.  Hitchhiked, took the bus, walked the last bit into the city.  We worked on lightening our packs as well.  We don't have stakes for our tent anymore, but we are heavy enough to hold it in place.  Delicious pasta dinner made by us for us to eat. 

getting her knee taped.  yay!

Day 4.  Pamplona to Óbanos.  22 km.  We pushed through the pain and we sang most of the way.  Really cool iron statue thing on the top of the Hill of Forgiveness.  We discovered that we are bad at remembering T Swift lyrics.  Best day so far, in terms of hiking and sisterhood. 

 We witnessed some childhood drama on the playground.  More on that later.
Then Sofia got food poisoning.  More on that later.

Day 5.  Óbanos to Lorca.  17 km.  Sofia worked through her nausea on the road.  She bought a walking stick in Puenta la Reina.  We napped in Cirauqui (the cutest little medieval hilltop town that I want to live in someday) and walked on a Roman road.  We camped on our own for the first time, quite afraid of being caught and fined exhorbiant amounts of money.  The moon shone like a flashlight all night.

new walking stick

napping because we were sooooo tired

pilgrim feet

perfectly useful roman road.  why aren't all of our paths like this?

home sweet home

Day 6.  Lorca to Los Arcos.  29 km.  Worst day ever.  There were very few towns to mark our progress and we had to walk 10 km straight through this horrid arid wasteland.  Also it was the hottest day so far.  Sofia's knee acted up again when we were in the middle of nowhere, so we prayed and tied a bandana around it, and she managed to walk it out.  I wore a bandana on my head for shade.  It looked horrible, but it was good I did, because I still managed to get a burn on the part in my hair.  Also, check out my amazing farmer's tan.

it was a bad day.

Spent a very interesting night in Los Arcos.  More on that later.


Day 7.  Today!  Los Arcos to Viana.  17 km.  My feet felt like bloody stumps an hour into the journey.  It was all I could do to not become roadside carrion.  We started at 6 and walked til 11.  Then we stopped.  Thank heaven.  Who knows how we will do tomorrow!

Summary:
I have a million times more empathy for the pioneers now.  And also for the little mermaid, whose every step on land felt like walking on knives.  And also for all the old people.  How do they make themselves stand up with painful feet is beyond me.  I pray I survive.