A Long Day Over the Pass

9:12 AM

Brrr, it was very cold last night. So cold that it woke me up and I had to go looking for my sleeping socks and down jacket. Trying to fall asleep again after that wasn’t easy.

In the morning, the same ritual: too cold to get up. Forcing myself by letting the air out of my sleeping pad so I have to get up. Making tea, packing my backpack, fetching the bear bag, breakfast with a sandwich and almond butter, drinking my tea, and getting the pack ready. Wind jacket on, rain gear on, hat on, because it’s so cold that I need to warm up by walking first. It took a while, but then the sun broke through and I could warm up in the sunshine.

Aimee has arrived in Spain; she’s going to hike the Camino del Primitivo. Such a shame that her backpack has been lost by the airline Veulink. What I can’t wrap my head around is why you have to pay for checked luggage if they don’t handle other people’s belongings carefully anyway. The Primitivo is becoming very primitive indeed. I sincerely hope many Camino moments will still happen and that it will turn into a beautiful journey.

9:41 AM

9:50 AM

11:29 AM

Here we go again, up the pass.

12:58 PM

It’s going pretty well, if I may say so myself.

1:05 PM

And once you’re up there, time for lunch.

1:07 PM

1:59 PM

3:47 PM

And whoever goes up must also go back down.

4:42 PM

I’m planning to make dinner and then hike another 5 km, so I’ve already made a start on tomorrow’s pass.

When I arrive at that spot, it turns out to be so small that my tent really doesn’t fit.

6:12 PM

So it’s another 3 km to the next campsite.

7:11 PM

All well and good, but there are already two tents at the campsite and there’s no room for a third. This is off to a great start; now I have to cross the pass and search another 5 km for a spot.

7:44 PM

Pfff, well, I’ve found a spot. It’s windy and cold again. I quickly pitch the tent and put on all my clothes so I can crawl into bed nice and warm. Good night.

Total: 42.91 km in 13:27 hours · 1,604 m up · 1,352 m down