Each day of walking is like a world, and you can never tell what will happen. All of these photos are from one day, yesterday. But they don’t tell the whole story. In the midst of all of it, there were mishaps, enough of them to really jar me and test the travel spirit.
I left the adaptor plug for the Iphone in a socket in that village that starts with a Z. Panicked, I ran around stores to try to find an adaptor. A lovely lady at an art store had some, but Iphonezilla didn’t like them. Finally I went to what they call a “China Store” and bought a fake Iphone charger with the proper prongs. Now my phone takes hours to charge, but no it works. I wrestled with that horrible question of attachment to the device. I do a lot on it: photograph, blog, Facetime with Scott. Perhaps some of you know the feeling of running around in a foreign culture with that emergency feeling in the pit of your stomach. It took hours. I bought watercolor paper I didn’t need to patronize the art supply/ hardware store lady, and some cologne I probably did need at the China store for all their help with my phone. Iphonezilla ate a large part of my day, then would not charge, keeping me up late, as you should never leave your phone unattended. I wanted to talk to my husband Scott on his birthday.
My weird vasculitis was acting up again. I’m vain enough to not show you a picture of it; it’s disfiguring but not dangerous. In fact, it was a conversation starter. I got 5 versions in 5 languages of “Are you all right? And what is that?” Then everyone would tell me it was heat rash or an allergy. But it got me introduced.
That hostel was industrial and no nonsense. When you’ve hosted a thousand years of pilgrims, you know how to do it. Already fried from the phone thing and the leg thing, the snoring thing in my room of 8 women almost did me in. I slept not more than 2 hours last night, really pissed off at the snore monster, a spry French woman in her seventies.
Then the day began again, and after walking, a compassionate hospitalero (inkeeper for pilgrims) snuck me into a private room to catch up on my rest. This simple act of kindness touched me deeply, and saved my day. The following photos are from this, my 4th day on the road. Estella tomorrow— maybe. Buen Camino, Suzanne
Saltworkstudio | Suzanne Edminster 
Thank you, Suzanne, for taking the time to post, these wonderful photos, and your blog, on such a day. I so love the photo with the sign posts and the weather over the plain.
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Awesome Suzanne! I love your images and running commentary. Wish I were with you on the journey.
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A smile from here
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Hope you wake up feeling refreshed – thanks so much for sharing your day.
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Carry on Suzanne: Travel is the agony and the ecstasy in all its forms. Thinking you!! Hugs Kathryn
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Then good thing is that you received the refuge of sound sleep — which will “knit up the reveled sleeve of care.’
Love the anchor on the door, seeing the menu at the cafe, a medieval flair of the arches — as well as the choice of many directions for the path with the background of the blue beauty of sky and clouds.
I guess you have to treat iPhonezilla as a friendly foe or a cantankerous companion….
Thank you for taking the time for the effort of posting. Wishing you all the best….
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Thanks! Comment reply is hard from the road, but right now I have a computer. Thanks for your good wishes
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There are always strangers in your life, it seems, ready to help out with just what you need. The phone jack, the quiet bed, the sunshine; there are some of us who might call them travel angels. Use your watercolor paper take a deep breath. They got you covered! xoxoxo
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yep. I´ve always been fortunate to meet the right ones, you included
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Ah yes the unexpected in travels – seems like the words unexpected and travel go together. And hooray for the nice innkeeper.
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Some how when things go wrong on a trip they take on a greater magnitude and can be a total wipe out. So glad you persisted, somewhat solved the problem and were blessed with a very kind gesture.at the day’s end. One of life’s joys is how powerful a seemingly small kindness can restore sanity and warm the heart – a good life lesson for us all. Persistence pays :).. .
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Iphonezilla! We have here now a cordless phone that always loses its charge at inopportune moments. Glad you got better replacement equipment and a good night’s sleep.
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Great to hear from you! Does the cordless mean you now have a land line¿
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I’m in Kensington, Suzanne. Land-line only.
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Thanks for taking me along! I’ve always wanted to make this pilgrimage.
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I am savoring each and every paragraph and photo, Suzanne. I am there with you in spirit, you brave lone adventurer, and I am sending you traveler’s luck and serendipity with each step….
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