Hills, Streams, and Camino Dreams
The chirping of birds filled the dormitory as I rolled onto my side and pushed myself up from the bottom bunk. After a hasty packing session, I made one last check of my bag before heading downstairs. The morning felt crisp and calm, a quiet contrast to the strenuous hike from the day before. Outside, the rolling hills and mountains we had conquered yesterday stretched before me, serene and inviting.
After grabbing some snacks from the vending machine, I retrieved my boots from the musty storage room and slung my backpack over my shoulders. The others had already gathered downstairs, ready to set off. Amy and I found ourselves walking in the street at first, the trail too muddy to traverse safely. Soon we passed through a small town, descending a slope before returning to the trail. Trees lined our left side while cows grazed on our right, and we joked with the horses, though they offered little response.
We paused to admire the sunrise cresting over the hills behind us. Later, we stopped in a quiet town at the only open café, enjoying a brief respite before the trail took us back into the trees and up more hills. Music accompanied us through dense woods, opening up to prairies of tall grass bathed in sunlight. The day was full of ups and downs, each step demanding effort, yet each view was breathtaking. I wished I had stopped more often to take it all in.
A small stream followed alongside a concrete path as we descended, swelling into a river that we crossed by stepping along concrete pillars acting as a makeshift dam. On the other side, a roadside bar tempted us with beer and wine at 9:30 am, a treat for early days on the Camino. The terrain alternated between bare rock and dense trees, and eventually a fork in the path opened up a perfect view of the tree-covered hills beyond. From here, our route led downward toward Zubiri.
The trail became unrelenting, bedrock jutting at sharp angles and slippery mud making every step precarious. A small snack stand offered a curious custom: donate underwear and your wish to meet a future husband would be granted. While we passed on the donation, we enjoyed food and shade as familiar faces arrived. After two more hours of hiking, nearly rolling my ankle a dozen times, we finally reached Zubiri. Finding the cozy municipal Albergue took some time, but soon we settled in. Clouds rolled in and rain began just as our friends arrived, giving us the chance to meet new companions while sheltering in a local café. This night marked the first true immersion into the Camino, a night no longer buffered by modern comforts. Ahead, the walled city famous for the running of the bulls in Pamplona awaited, along with more green hills to explore.