After a lovely evening wandering round the old town and sampling the local vino and tapas , i set off early to get out of Pamplona. I had to walk right through the city the sun was shining and there were not many cars around. Past Cezur Menor the landscape really opened up and was spectacular. I walked up past the wind turbines to the metal life size figures that adorned the top of the hill. It was so clear you could see the mountain range that hugged the coast.
People are already beginning to drop like flies largely due to the weight of their back pack and not worn in foot ware. Some people have truly horrendous blisters, red raw and are still walking.
We took a slight detour to see a medieval church built by the knights Templars. It was once used by the knights as a hospital for pilgrims and I am beginning to see why they would have needed one.
I am growing very fond of the stick that I bought in st jean. In 4 days I have managed to leave it behind everyday, but somehow it always turns up again. I have also managed to lose my hat but was able to replace it in Pamplona. It's got my name in so maybe it will turn up.
Today was the first real experience of walking in the severing heat. I feel really tired tonight and am just starting to wonder whether I will be able to get to Santiago. I have spoken to some people who have done this trip many times and have told me that the secret is just to take one day at a time and not think of the hundreds of miles ahead.
My soap had turned into a mush ball and I have suddenly developed a craving for things that smell gorgeous. This afternoon I dived into a jasmine bush in the hope that some of it would rub off on me. I called it a 'dry bath'.
The camaraderie and support on el Camino is magical and I'm sure it's what keeps people going.