Day 13: Playa Arenillas to Laredo, 26.4 km.

Best bits and blessings:

• It proved to be a wise decision to walk on a bit further yesterday. I heard from others that Castro-Uridales was completely full of tourists and pilgrims last night (Mayday weekend), so much so that some had to bus onto another place for the night. Also the weather packed in late morning but I was well on in the walk by then. Harriet, walking from Castro-Uridales, was an hour or two later than me, and got caught in very wet conditions. 
• Getting the food right is an ongoing challenge, so I was delighted to find a bar open at the first sizable town of the day. Being Sunday, small town bars don’t seem to be open as much, although here in Laredo, a larger beach resort, everything is buzzing,  despite it being Sunday. At 11 am, the open bar in this village, Liendo, was a very welcome sight, having just had nuts and mandarins and a little chocolate until then. The timing was also fortuitous as it was about to start raining so I could get my jacket on and pack cover out. Almost as soon as I got going again, however, I discovered the temperature had dropped significantly with the rain, so made the use of a convenient bus shelter to quickly don my trousers and another warm layer! Such is the restorative power of coffee and food, however, that I felt very positive about starting again after my break and continued to take photos and even sing in the rain! (Some advantages to walking alone!)

•  At one point this morning, I was walking alongside a high stone wall covered in ivy, bracken and brambles. Not this one but similar. I could hear the musical sound of animals with bells but couldn’t see them. Then I came to a section where the wall was lower and I saw this lovely scene of grazing cattle. I’m not sure if you can see the bells. 

Challenges:

• Walking alone. Interesting that what is one day a blessing can the next day be a challenge! It was a very solo walk for almost the whole day today. It seemed a little harder to be positive and motivated, at least initially when setting off on my own. At one stage I briefly walked and talked with Daniel, until he described himself as a turtle and suggested I go on ahead! Most of the others apparently walked the quicker roadside route. In fact, Spanish locals kept telling pilgrims to go that way instead. The route marking was slightly more confusing today and I ended up asking the way a couple of times. 

The way goes where?  I can see the arrow but…? Actually it went left by the corner of the house, so close to the side of the house that I could have looked in the kitchen window! 

• A long, steep descent into Laredo has meant my knees are a bit sore for the first time this trip. I’ll rest up for the remainder of the day and hope for the best for tomorrow. 
• The wifi of recent days has caused me lots of frustration as I try to load photos to illustrate the points in the blog. The last couple of blogs have taken me ages to try to upload the photos and if today’s ends up looking a bit plain, you can assume that I’ve given up on the photos! P.S. Thanks to the tourist info centre again, I found a bar for an expensive lemonade and enjoyed the use of their free wifi for a while, so success with the photos! 

Standout moments:

• I’ll need to explain this a bit for those of my readers who are map people (I know that there are a few of you!). Not being a map person myself, means I only have a very general idea of the terrain I’m likely to see in the day. Yes, I do read the guide book ahead but that goes in one ear and out the other! And being a kindle version on my phone, means the maps are about 2 inches across and don’t enlarge! I could look on Google maps or at other people’s trails on wikiloc, but I’m usually quite happy just following the arrows. So all this means that I can be delightfully surprised to suddenly find myself beside the sea again! Especially today when I was peering through the murk to suddenly realise that I’m looking at the sea!  And a dramatic coastline it was, too. Not recommended for those prone to vertigo,  and I was pleased the visibility wasn’t worse.  
• Another unique happening from today. In tonight’s albergue there is a lady travelling with a toddler in a push chair! Can you imagine the challenges of trying to do this with a young child? She arrived around the same time as I did and the little one was having a bit of a melt down! Obviously, she must be following the biking route, but still hard work! I haven’t spoken with her yet but I understand she is German.
• Checking in at tonight’s albergue – a convent. 

  

• And a last standout reflection: I’m feeling very grateful today for the support and encouragement from everyone. Thanks for messages and greetings, for your prayers and likes. And just for reading my waffle. I appreciate you. 

Day 12: Pobeña to Playa Arenillas, 26.2km.

Best bits and blessings:

• Where to begin? I took more photos today than any day so far. The landscape and views were varied and dramatic at times. 

  

And also a bit much road side walking at other times. 

Now I am happily seated on my own wee strip of beach to write about the day. (I suddenly realised my part of the beach was being invaded by the tide and had to quickly paddle out!)

• Most of the day has been by myself and I’ve really enjoyed the solo walking. Occasionally there were moments of anxiety when I hadn’t seen an arrow for a while, but generally, I have been content in my own company. 

• Some people have questioned the way I so quickly connected with the other two ladies when I was wanting to challenge my own independence and decision making. I think that it was fine to share those early stages with others and there is no reason to make life more difficult for myself just to prove a point. The first 2 days by myself in France were the most stretching so far anyway. Each day is a new day and I’ll see what each one brings from now on. Maybe walking alone or maybe with others. 

Challenges:

• The best laid plans… Back in  NZ when looking at the guide book and it’s stages, I originally planned to stop at Castro-Uridales but looking ahead last night I thought the stage would be too short and maybe I could walk on to the next town. As it turned out, after my usual early start I was already at Castro-Uridales by 10.30am, after walking only 14.5 km. I had a cafe break and considered my options. There is an interesting church and a beautiful beach promenade at Castro-Uridales but I didn’t think that this would be sufficient to keep me interested for the rest of the day. The other consideration was that the next day’s walk was about 30km so it seemed like a good idea to take some off that. 

The church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion, famous for it’s distinctive flying buttresses. The guide book told of a town with an albergue 7km or so further on so I took a little time to look around the church (sadly not open, despite the advertising) then walked on. When I got to Islares, the albergue had a sign on the door stating it was temporarily closed!  The guide suggested another option so off to the closest bar I went. Refreshed, I got advice from the barman that, yes, there was a beach front camping ground just 1 km further on. So here I am, with my own little cabin for the night, unless another female pilgrim arrives, and at a good pilgrim rate. 

I was fully ready to stop by then and have since had time to shower, wash clothes and go to the beach (and use the wifi!). There are some other male pilgrims here, but no English speaking ones! We’ve exchanged greetings and gestures and info about tomorrow’s predicted rain! 

Standout moments:

• You just don’t know what is around the corner. Even when progressing at walking speed the environment can suddenly change. I nearly missed this amazing view point. If I had stayed on the track I would have. 
  
• 

The track I was walking along moments before suddenly… 

This seat, and this view… 

And shortly after sheep grazing oblivious to their awesome surroundings. 

Fantastic! 

Day 11: Bilbao to Pobeña, 26km.

The wifi available at the local bar was not adequate for uploading photos, so a delay in sending yesterday’s post. 

Best bits and blessings:

• Some unusual forms of transport today! After walking through a largely industrial area we came to cross the Rio Nervion. This was by a unique cross between a ferry, a bridge and a gondola. The 1893 Puente Colgante is UNESCO listed. It cost €40c as a pedestrian to cross in the carriage hanging beneath the bridge, which also transported cars, bikes,  etc. 

• On the other side, Portugalete, we found travellators to take us up higher into the town. That’s a novelty! We thought that these could have been better placed in some of the other, steeper towns we have walked through, where the streets must rival Dunedin’s Baldwin St for the title of the steepest in the world. 

• Some walking time by myself. Yes, I have enjoyed the company of Hermeen and Harriet on and off for much of the trip so far. We walked most of the morning together again today, but after a discussion last night there was a freedom to do our own thing a bit more today. After our day off we have got out of sync with the others we’ve been walking with. A new group of people to get to know. There seem to be lots of Germans all along this route! 

Challenges:

• Walking by myself meant at times discussing with locals in my very limited Spanish the best route to take. Actually, discussion is too generous! Trying to understand more than a word or two as they helpfully tried to direct me to the best way! 

• Chafing! I never get chafing or eczema! But today I did. My suspicion is that the clothes washing detergent that comes automatically with the washing load at the albergues is reacting with my skin. I have noticed it is more sensitive and itchy than usual. I had to change out of my longs, despite the cool morning, back into my usual shorts and use a bit more Guerney Goo! My cold is not too bad, by the way, just a rather runny nose. 

Standout moments:

• The hospitalerio, Oscar (volunteer host)  at tonight’s albergue seems a real character. The albergue is not open until 3 pm,  but I arrived at 12.30. He put my gear inside and relocked the door. He speaks almost no English but when he found out I was from NZ he mimed the actions of the haka! The influence of the All Blacks spreads far and wide! When the time came to admit the pilgrims to the dorm rooms, he was very strict about letting us in in the order in which we had arrived! I was second here after Helmuth from Germany. 
• It has been unusually cold all over the place. Watching the local weather report this morning while in a bar for breakfast (I know that sounds funny, I have been in more bars in Spain than I ever have in NZ!) The overnight temperature lows were well below zero on some of the towns along the Camino Frances. Just goes to show you need to be prepared for anything in Spring.

Some views from this morning, leaving Bilbao. The Guggenheim from the other side of the river. 

Throughout Bilbao there are dramatic and interesting structures, bridges and buildings. A great place to visit if you are an architect or engineer. We crossed the river on this footbridge. 

Back to the coast today after a few days further inland. 

On one part of today’s walk we shared a long walkway /cycleway. This part was over the top of some major roads. Interestingly, there are heaps of recreational cyclists, lots of MAMILs,  very few women. 

This is our albergue for tonight, another donativo one so fairly simple. No WiFi. No other native English speakers except for Harriet and I. 

The bunks are quite packed in, and yes, there is a mirror on the back wall!

Day 10: Around Bilbao, 12km around town.

Best bits and blessings:

• A slow start this morning and good internet allowed some catching up with self and others at home. A bit of wandering, shopping, eating, etc. 
• A warmer day – a couple of degrees make so much difference! 
• Museums: Bilbao has plenty to see and do. A standout is the famous Guggenheim museum. Architecturally very modern and dramatic and some ‘interesting’ art inside. Wandered around a large display of Abstract Expressionism. One artist, Sam Francis, described his work as ‘controlled accidents’! Favourite quote about a work by Ad Reinhardt,  ‘at first glance this work looks like nothing more than a black  square…’ hmmm, if you stared at it long enough you could see some texture! Sorry no photos allowed so you will have to make do with some of the outdoor art. 
• Famous floral dog outside the Guggenheim Museum. 
• Much more to my taste was a fabulous collection of the work of Renoir at the Fine Arts Museum. Just gorgeous, and so many of his works in one place. He was a very prolific impressionist artist. 

Challenges:

• I have a head cold. Nothing too major but nice not to have to be walking today. Sneezes echoing around the Guggenheim this morning! I bought some vitamin C last night and will dose myself up to try to get rid of it as soon as I can. 

Standout moments:

Hermeen and I enjoyed a fabulous lunch today at an Italian restaurant. A very nice change from the Spanish food we typically have. €13 for a wonderful chicken and spinach soup (perfect sick person food!) followed by calzone with ham and mushrooms, and a beautiful berry flan dessert. Wine and bruschetta- type bread included. 

And this delightful way to designate the male and female toilets! 

A few more photos from around Bilbao, a lively city with lots of parks and green spaces. 

Day 9: Larrabetzu to Bilbao, 19km.

Best bits and blessings :

• Poshtel in Bilbao: when you are wet and cold one of the highlights of the day must be coming out of the wet and cold into the warm and dry! Harriet found us a great hostel to stay in for our planned 2 night stay here in Bilbao. It is clean and modern and warm. The beds have real sheets and duvets! Apparently, it also has a sauna, which could be just the thing for tired walkers. I always planned a rest day here because it is quite a large city with some interesting things to see. The others, as well as another pilgrim we stayed with last night and walked with today, thought this was a good plan. 

Challenges:

• The weather: yes, it was a good idea yesterday to have two short days into Bilbao because it was really a bit miserable today. The temperature has been around 8 all day. I just saw photos of snow falling in the mountains not far from here on the TV weather. It felt like it! What a change from the first week of walking!The ‘view’ over Bilbao!
• A little back tracking: we missed our way at one stage this morning. Hermeen and Dominique decided that they would take the bus into Bilbao after we realised we were a bit off track. Harriet and I thought we could easily back track to where we went wrong and then continue. We probably added only 2 km or so to the morning but then the rain really set in. No regrets about going back, we want to walk the whole way after all! A wee reminder to take more care in the built up areas as that is where it is easiest to lose the way. 
• I’m not sleeping well. There could be a number of reasons for this, I guess, but my habit seems to be to fall asleep easily but wake by about 11.30pm, lie awake for an hour or two, then have very patchy sleep for the rest of the night. Not the best preparation for the next day’s walk. I am using ear plugs but future Camino walkers might like to bring an eye mask with them. There are always people going to the loo in the night (myself included),  and an interesting piece of Spanish life is that there are always sensor lights in the hallways and bathrooms. No way to sneak out without disturbing others. There are often also street lights shining into the dorms and exit lights over the doors.
• WiFi Challenges: the availability of WiFi has been quite variable which, along with the time difference, has made keeping in touch with family at home a bit more tricky. To keep up with this blog I have sometimes had to stand outside bars to try and get the photos to upload! All part of the challenge! This is also why Harriet was doing the searching for accommodation in Bilbao. It is not possible to stay 2 nights in a row in a traditional pilgrim albergue so we needed to find somewhere else and she used her data to do this. 

Standout moments: 

Harriet and I were walking into Bilbao at 12pm and just passing the Basilica of Begoña. It has a bell tower with 24 bells, one of which weighs over a ton. The bells rang out for midday and were great, welcoming us to the city. 

Day 8: Gernika to Larrabetzu, 16.2 km.

Best bits and blessings:

• A short day: the choice today was either a big day into Bilbao or break into two short days. The rain was due to come so two short days sounded much better. Not all the albergues are open yet but we found out from the tourist info centre that the one in Larrabetzu was actually open, making the stop possible. 

• The weather: while the rain did come earlier than predicted, it was light and didn’t really set in until after we stopped for the day. 

Challenges:

• Feet: Harriet is struggling a bit with her blisters and generally sore feet. I have covered my blister with a compeed dressing and hopefully that will deal with it for some time. There are other areas to watch but are ok at present. 
• Honesty: Right, here is a bit of a challenge to my usual standards of honesty. When we discovered that this albergue was open we found it had a limited number of beds. The talk amongst the pilgrims last night was about where to stay and whether to go all the long way to Bilbao. We did not openly share our privileged piece of info about this place to stay. I’m feeling a bit bad about that.  Especially with my bible verse of the day which I read this morning : 

This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. 

1 John 3: 16-17, Message version. 

Now there is a challenge for me!

Here we are waiting for the albergue to open. We were not the only ones to find it! I think it is full. 

Standout moments :

• Kiwis on the way: today and yesterday I have met my first Kiwis!  I’m surprised as last time we met many Australians and very few Kiwis, and well into the trip before we met any. Last night in the same bunk room was Paul from Christchurch who is not enjoying his trip much because of health issues and the demands of this route. Today I met Oliver and Jane,  originally from NZ but now living in Canada.  Interesting that these encounters occur on ANZAC day.

Day 7: Markina Xemein to Gernika, 25.6 km.

Best bits and blessings:

• Good company and conversation. I walked again with Harriet and Hermeen and enjoyed our wide ranging conversation. Harriet is well educated, well travelled and a great story teller. Knowledgeable but not ‘ know it all ‘. Our conversation ranged from organics to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to Morocco and much more. Monastery archway and Roman road behind. 

Masses of cow parsley among many other lovely wild flowers. 

• Albergues: last night was donativo, basic but fine. And we, as mature women, had a women’s room with about 12 single beds, not bunks. No snoring Spaniard! Tonight we are in a modern, well planned albergue. Our packs and sleeping bag are locked in individual lockers and do not enter the bunk room. Sheets and duvet provided. I presume this is to minimise the chance of the spread of bed bugs! The community of pilgrims is developing, with most staying at the same places. So we look out for others to arrive at the albergue or bars for breaks to see how they are getting on. 

Challenges:

• My first blister! Not a huge one but still needs to be managed. Other bits on my feet feel like they might blister so I’m applying Guerney Goo and watching. 
• The weather: beautiful today but due to change and go wet and cool tomorrow, so watch this space. 

Standout moments:

• Not specific to today but I think it is a unique aspect of the Camino that you see a different side of Spain that you would not get as the average tourist. This is something I could have included in my blog on the reasons for doing the Camino. It is active tourism and where else would you get that glimpse into the real, day to day life here. You walk right through people’s back yards and workplaces, past their front doors, gardens and farm yards. I poked my nose into someone’s tunnel house today to see the progress of their peppers and tomatoes! Here are a few random glimpses of Spanish life that don’t fit anywhere else.

Observe the illustrations on this rubbish bin. I was amused by the dirty nappy illustration! 

The modern and the ancient. 

Many dogs protecting their properties from those dangerous pilgrims!

Labour intensive fertilising this field. 

Brand new fencing! No smooth, uniform fence posts anywhere here!

Barman making my freshly squeezed orange juice. Can’t get fresher than that! 

Day 6: Deba to Markina Xemein, 25km.

Best bits and blessings:

• Friends: I have had a great walk today shared mostly with Hermeen and Harriet. Good company, interesting conversation (which definitely helps to pass the time when the going is a bit tough), well timed breaks, a good breakfast to start and we feel we did well today. 

Also, I’m trying to learn other pilgrims’ names and nationalities. It is good to greet them and get to know them more and more as we cross paths. 

• Animals along the way: 

We’ve seen lots of all kinds of animals today and lots of lovely pastoral views. 

Also enjoyed the joyful sound of animal bells drifting up the still valley sides. 

• Sharing: I have perhaps taken too much pride in my ‘packing light ‘. Of course, it is important on a journey of this length, but I have been humbled by the willingness of Harriet to share her extra things like fruit, muesli bars and chai tea bags. Such kindness is a blessing and not possible when being totally minimalistic. 

Challenges:

• A literal challenge from this fellow who did NOT want his photo taken. I didn’t have a lot of faith in the quality of the fencing so moved along quickly! 
• Much up and down today. I knew that this route had a lot more hill than the Camino Frances but really hadn’t quite anticipated that it would anyways be so steep! 
• I observed Irene waiting for her companion, Father Jack, this morning and passed the comment that I wasn’t sure I would have the patience to walk with someone so much slower than me. A bit later I was reflecting on the fact that it was on this day 2 years ago that Jon and I began our Camino Frances. By the third day of that walk I knew I was in big trouble with my knees. Jon frequently slowed his pace to keep me company, and rarely, if ever,complained about it. Thank you for that gift, Jon. At the time I was probably too miserable and frustrated to appreciate it. Today we walked a long, very steep route down into this town. I would really have struggled with that path on our previous walk. 
• The snoring Spaniard: in the upper bunk next to mine last night was a super snorer! I forgot to dig out the ear plugs from my pack and instead of rummaging around in the dark, I put up with this snorer, loud enough to make the bunk vibrate! It made for a rather disturbed night! 

Standout moment:

• Just before we entered our destination town for the night we came across this rather unassuming door into a church. 

So pleased that we went inside to have a look at the 11 th century church with small statue of Michael the Archangel, surrounded by huge megalithic stones.

Hard to photograph but fascinating! 

Day 5: Zarautz to Debate, 23.5 km.

Best bits and blessings :

• Food: yes, it is a priority when it’s fueling you for the day.

We scouted out the location of a bakery that would be open early in the morning. So success! Breakfast! If you know me well, you’ll know that I actually prefer a nice cup of tea and something without too much sugar for breakfast, but needs must! 

And then it was off on the way, enjoying the beauty of a still morning. 

Looking back towards Zarautz. 

 And then, just like the hobbitses, second breakfast! 

A thick slab of tostada con marmalade. More carb loading, but note the tea. It tends to be served with hot milk and pretty weak which is why I don’t usually bother to try and get tea. 

• Bonito: beautiful! Yes, it really was – country side, weather, views, all of the day.

Wild flowers in abundance. 

Friendly locals!

Challenges :

• Feet! Not mine, although I am not so smug as to assume they will not cause me any trouble. Mine are a little bruised underneath and I’m watching the callouses in case they blister.  Other people I have met are having difficulty, especially with the challenges of the hard underfoot surfaces and constant up or down. The only time the path is flat is along the beach fronts. I met Rueban from Germany today, who, like Guy yesterday, is carrying far too much stuff and weight and suffering for it. Also Father Jack from Montana, who was also dealing with some foot problems. He described it as penance. Hmm, I don’t agree with that but it wasn’t the time or place to discuss it! 
• Leaving things behind at home. Things are going on at home, of course, and I can’t be in 2 places at once but there are times when I feel a little torn about the things I am missing. My brother’s house sold just the day before I left and so yesterday, Jon and Connie, with help from my other brother and others, had the last of the stuff to clear out. I am sorry to not be able to share that task and appreciate that this means more work for them. My family have been very encouraging and supportive of my journey. Thank you for the gift, everyone. 

Standout moments:

Hermeen and I went into two churches today which we found with open doors. That can be a bit unusual here. The second one had a sign saying that stamps were available there for pilgrims. The man inside was so lovely and interested in us and our progress. He gave us good directions onward and we found our way easily to the info centre which was where we needed to go to check in and pay for tonight’s albergue. We got here in good time. The place is now filling up. There seem to be lots of Germans! 

Inside the church.

And a funny thing: as I said  the path has been very up and down every day so far. This town we are in tonight even has lifts and escalators to get it’s people up and down around the town because it’s so steep! 

We came down this lift! 

Day 4: San Sebastian to Zarautz, 21km.

Best bits and blessings :

• I am very thankful for some small things today which make life just that little bit better! A quiet, warm room and a comfortable bed last night. I am happy to have the company of Hermeen, who, although 16 years my senior, is very fit and active. We walk at a similar pace and have kept each other company today and yesterday, and helped each other to manage the small challenges of the day. Things like figuring out where to stay and eat and even sharing a load of laundry together. They might seem like small things but they make a big difference to the day. We had the opportunity to do a wash last night at the youth hostel. More about that later. She is very friendly and speaks English well (and some French and some German, so helpful for talking with other pilgrims as well) and we have some good chats as we walk. We’re also of a similar mind when it comes to walking distances. We could easily have walked further today, but think it sensible to pace ourselves a bit at this early stage and hopefully avoid some problems down the track. 
• Tourism offices, especially those with English speaking workers! On approach to Zarautz.  Another lovely beach.                                                             On our arrival in Zarautz early this afternoon, we went to the info centre for advice about accommodation. We knew that the official pilgrim albergue is only open in July and August. My guide book had a couple of other options but the tourism office lady phoned around and found a tiny double room in a hotel for us. The cost is about the same that we have been paying elsewhere and we get to sleep in a bed with sheets, and use real towels!! That’s a real treat, already. The shared bathroom is no problem. Our tiny room under the roof.                                            There is apparently a surfing tournament on in town and it seems to be school holidays so budget rooms are rare, and we know there are more pilgrims coming along behind us. 

Challenges:

• Managing the food and drink. Another morning without any food until about 11am. We knew that last night’s hostel didn’t offer breakfast but understood there to be a place nearby that opened early. The sunrise view back towards San Sebastian.          Unfortunately the directions got lost in translation so we didn’t find it. We walked on to the next large town before finding anywhere to stop. Hermeen had 3 cafe con leches grandes! I had one and 2 pieces of tortilla (Spanish omelette). We were less interested in the distance to Santiago than the distance to Orio where we could get food and coffee!     I’m also probably not drinking quite enough to keep myself properly hydrated. A bit of a headache after today’s walk that don’t go away after the cafe con leche. It is a case of getting into the rhythm of drinking regularly. Of course, the toilet availability becomes an issue to be manged then, as well! 
• The under foot surfaces were hard work today. A long distance walked downhill on large rounded stones. Quite bruising to the soles of the feet and hard on the knees. We met 3 French men who were really struggling with their feet after that stretch. Blisters on their first day.
  The 3 French men and Hermeen walking down into Orio for our cafe con leches. 
• My next challenge will be to find myself a new bra! Unfortunately Hermeen brought our washing in last night and must have missed my bra. A fact that I didn’t realise until I went to shower on our arrival here this afternoon. Oh well, they actually have shops in Spain, you know!! 

Standout:

• My standout character of the day today was one of the 3 French men that we met, Guy. He was very friendly and also spoke English well, which is always a bonus for me! I’m rather afraid that he may have brought on some of his foot problems by carrying a huge pack. It is a 75 L pack and when I made a comment about it’s size he said that he needed to carry enough for 40 days as he’s going all the way to Santiago, and you need to be prepared for bad weather (same as me!). When his feet were being dressed by one of his friends he brought out a full toilet bag and a pair of scissors to cut the bandage! He’s not traveling light!