Day 5 // Estella – Torres del Rìo // 31.1 km

I finally slept well last night. They gave us free sheets at the auberge, which mean that I did not have to cozy up in the sleeping bag, which mean that I was not boiling like a hot dog in a pot. 

I had my alarm set for 6 AM, but everyone else started waking up at 5 AM so I had no choice but to get up as well and have my breakfast. I left the auberge at 6:15 AM. I have lost my hairband and the bobby pin Steph gave me. They might be somewhere in my bag. As I walked through the city I saw a hairband on the ground, but I did not pick it up since I was walking kind of fast. But it made me think how there are gifts everywhere along this road for me. 

It is still dark, but there is no need to use the flashlight since we are walking through the town. It is harder to see the signs. I've learned how to follow signs now and feel pretty confident about it, but since I have other pilgrims walking behind me this morning, I caught myself looking back a lot to see if people are following me. That means I am walking in the right direction. It made me think about how strong we are when we are alone and have no other choice. But when there are other people around us we want to feel cared about. 

I'm walking out of the town now and so is another young man. Our speed matches so I decided to start a conversation with him. Angel is a 25 year old Spanish man, who had started Camino last year, but his knee failed him when he was only in Pamplona, so this year he is trying again and starting where he left off. We hiked up the mountain and saw a beautiful sunrise view. I own all the sunrises and sunsets this month!

There are two signs in front of us, each leading a separate way, but this time everything is clear - one path is longer and flatter, the other one - steeper and shorter. Angel and I make a decision to go the toughest path, of course. At the beginning the path takes us through a beautiful forest.

Angel is from Spain, but he hates football. We talk about different types of sports, studies and universities. I was a bit worried about snakes, because a lot of the paths go through hay fields, but Angel explained that there are not a lot of snakes in Spain and if there are, they are not poisonous. Angel is a bit of an outsider of his family because everyone has dark hair and a darker skin, but he is pretty light skinned and with red hair. I am tanner than him already. 

After 2 hours and 10 kilometers hiked on a good speed, we reach the first city. 

Later on the road I see a bush with the blackberries which I ate yesterday. Angel said they are called Frambuesas and that they are very expensive to buy in stores. I ate a handful of them. These are the first berries I am not afraid to eat straight from the bush. 

It is getting hot and I am ready to take a break. When we reached the 15th kilometer, we saw and auto-bar. We stopped and I saw my old friend Alejandro. We had a light lunch and I enjoyed a fresh orange juice. Angel left a bit earlier, but I had to take a photo with Alejandro because you never know if you are going to meet the person again when you do the Camino!

This is the last time I smiled until the end of the day, but of course I had no idea that was going to be the case. 

We saw a nice sign when we left the bar.

The remainder of today's journey was not easy, but I could manage. The heat got worse and my legs already felt really heavy after the big hike yesterday. Plus, the heat made me get blisters. I don't have the opportunity to change the socks that often. 

Alejandro told me that I missed a wine fountain this morning. There was a fountain where one side lets you get water, but the other side- wine! FOR FREE! MY HEART ACHES. I did not want to take it with me but it would have been nice to at least try it, for the sake of tradition! 

We reach a town. We take a little break. I bought the roll on band aid, which turns out had no use, since it kept falling off.

I made a mistake of thinking I have enough water and I did not switch it to a fresher one - colder one. The next 8 kilometers were the hardest I've had to do up until now. The pictures show that there were no clouds again today. The temperature is again above 33 degrees. The rest of the road takes us through hay fields and next to the highway.

My legs hurt and lets not even talk about my feet. Halfway there I realized that I don't have a lot of water left and what is left is very hot. Hot, not warm.

I see a town in front of me but I have a feeling I won't reach it. I make it somehow. I have no other options. 

Let's call this picture - hello pain!

I spend 10 minutes on recovery and I get my shit together for the remaining 1.5 kilometers until the town.

Tonight we chose and auberge that had a full package - a bed, a pool and a dinner. We put our clothes in the washing machine after we took a shower, since I had no strength to do it yesterday. Alejandro pays for it. And then we go to the pool. Cold water - exactly what my body needed! I have no bathing suit so I had to beg the auberge employees to let me in in my sports bra and shorts.

The heat is not getting better. The whole night we were thinking and rethinking about tomorrow. It is supposed to be as hot tomorrow as it was today. And the big city Logrono is 20 kilometers away. We would reach it at around 11 AM. But the distance for the day seems to be too little. But the heat starts at 11 AM and the next town is only after 12 kilometers. I don't want to relive today's state. We consulted an Italian family next to us and they are definitely walking to the further city. Now we came up with a new plan - We will walk til Logrono and then will rest at a bar until 6 PM, eat tapas and recover. And from 6 til 9 PM, continue the journey of the day. But we will see tomorrow. 

(If there is no blog tomorrow by 10 PM, then know I am continuing the road) 

Good night!