Day 14: Laredo to Guemes, 30.5 km.

Fresh snow on the Picos de Europa. 

Best bits and blessings:

• ‘There will be sunshine after rain’. A beautiful morning of beach side sunshine and many surfers out enjoying the May day holiday. 

• Crossing to the other side of the small channel on the ferry. 

Waiting for the ferry.

• Meeting up with another walker with the same brand of pack, Aarn made in NZ, but he bought his in Norway! I suggested some adjustments to the fitting of his pack, although I suspect it wasn’t actually the right back length for him. It didn’t come with the front packs, either.Shturm (not sure of the spelling but that’s what it sounded like!) from Norway.

This meeting resulted in me walking much of the day with a very international Camino family, Derek, Holland, Jens, Belgium, Andreas, Switzerland, Isabelle, Germany, Francesca, Italy. 

Challenges:

• It felt strange to join with an existing group who already knew each other and had a history and familiarity together. As I talked to some of them individually through the walking day, I realised that they hadn’t all been together all the time and had started at different times and places. They walked more slowly and stopped for longer than I would usually but that was probably good for me on this longer section today. Most of the group also smoked. We’re in the same bunk room, with some others. I’m not sure what will happen tomorrow.

Standout moments:

• Jens began his pilgrimage from his home in Belgium, stepping out his front door in the traditional way of the pilgrims of old. He has already been walking more than 2 months, and by the time he reaches Santiago de Compostela he will have walked nearly 3000 km. He’s not sure of his plans after that. He may just keep on walking! He met Derek somewhere in France and has been walking with him for most of the time since. 
• The albergue I’m in tonight is the most famous on the whole Camino del Norte. It is renowned for its hospitality, atmosphere and history. It’s too early to say how I’ll find it yet but it is incredibly popular. The statistics for this albergue from last year, over 10,000 pilgrim visitors.