Hello! Today we arrived in Zariquiegui (don’t ask me how to pronounce it, I still haven’t learned), and walked 12km to get here from Pamplona. It was a perfect day – slightly cloudy so it wasn’t too hot, no rain as we walked, and very minimal wind to cool you but not make you cold. Couldn’t have been better!
We walked through the city for a while and then on lovely nature paths along giant fields. The path was busy with pilgrims and bikers, but it still was very serene and peaceful at times. There were some ascents we had to do, but the incline was much less than others and didn’t last as long so we felt like we did much better today. We completed the 12km faster than we have before and are feeling like our bodies are really starting to adapt.
We are also so incredibly lucky to still be walking with a new friend, Angela. She sent her pack ahead and graciously invited us to add some items to her bag to lighten our packs. We are all staying at the same hostel tonight so we just combined efforts and made it work. Praise God! Tomorrow we hope to do the same. And let me tell you – offloading a few pounds really makes a difference!
We had our classic lunch – a baguette with meat and cheese which we make ourselves, and had a lovely dinner at the hostel. For the afternoon we napped, had quiet time, relaxed and showered + did laundry (two very important things). It was so nice to have a full afternoon to rest and reset after many long days. Tomorrow will be no exception!
Other than another interesting bathroom experience, today was fairly chill. In the town we are staying in, I used a port-a-potty, and oddly enough it had what looked like a stick shift in a manual car. The toilet itself was also different, with a proper toilet bowl rather than just a giant hole. Well, I did my thing, and then out of curiosity pulled on the ‘stick shift’. As I released and pushed it back, blue cleaning liquid SPRAYED out SO loudly. It honestly scared me enough that I stopped pushing the stick shift, wrapped my head around what was happening, then continued on haha. Don’t be surprised when one day I make a whole post about bathrooms in Europe – it’s been a real big experience for me haha.
For now, I’m heading to sleep (my dad is already well asleep), and hoping for a clear day tomorrow for our large ascent and then even larger descent. Pray for us and for our ankles + knees! You are in our prayers!
Buen Camino!
Hannah + Tony
