Booking



 Well, I have done the thing that I did not want to do. I have booked my night’s stays all the way to Santiago de Compostela. I find this very stressful. Now I will have to walk exactly the distances I chose today. No stopping at interesting spots etc. 

I tried to get a bed for tomorrow 3 days ago, but was unable to get a booking for tomorrow night, except for 36 km away And that is too far for me. I will take the bus part of the way and walk the rest of the way. This experience encouraged me to spend the day trying to book the beds. I took an extra day here in Logroño.

Even the Pilgrims’ office is encouraging everyone to book at least four nights out. 




These poor pilgrims at my hostel have just figured out that there are no reservations within a 3 day walk of Logroño. They are all trying different tactics to make it work. One is trying to stay 3 nights in one place then walk tomorrow as far as he can then bus to his reservation then the next day bus back to where he had walked and continue walking etc until he has walked all the sections. One has a previous booking a bit closer, so is sending her bag ahead and then a long walk. It’s just crazy!

I met a Polish pilgrim in town today who had walked 47 km yesterday and then tonight is staying in an expensive hotel, because that’s what is available here.

For those who are reading this who don’t know anything about the Camino I should tell you that there are hostels called municipal hostels in just about every town and city that are first come first served. They usually have a lot of beds like maybe 60 or 90. So if you’re a fast walker, you will always have a bed in a municipal hostel. I am not a fast walker. Also, considering that there are now approximately 500 pilgrims a day starting this walk even 90 beds won’t do it. 😟

Popular posts from this blog

To O Pedrouzo

Image
 Long walk today. Nothing new. I love the smell of the eucalyptus as they were harvesting today.  Mostly shady walk through a few old towns.  Again, I am meeting many people that I have walked with over the last 6 weeks. It’s fun to catch up.
Read more

To Boente

Image
 Someone’s alarm clock went off at 5:30 this morning☹️ Oh, and then they started talking to each other loudly. So I had an early start this morning which meant I got to my albergue at about noon. They were really sweet and let me check in early. More forest walking and walking through small towns.  Lots more eucalyptus forests, too. More hórreos.  I went through one large city, Malide. There was an industrial park before we actually entered the city. It was not a very interesting city to look at. My albergue has  a swimming pool. It’s so cold that it’s really only good for soaking your sore feet. It was a short day today just over 20 km. Tomorrow will be about 28 km and a high of 76°. I’m going to try and get up at 5:30am again.🤣
Read more

To Palas de Rei

Image
 Another idyllic walking day. Walking on paths through forests and fields. Sunshine making dogs lazy.  Walking past sheep and cows. Farmer ok with me taking a photo.  Those strange shaped buildings, like the one beside the house in the pic below are called hórreos and are indeed for storing grain or corn.  Today’s interesting tidbit: eucalyptus trees were introduced here, in Galicia, some years ago, and they are doing very well.  Is this where the tooth fairy lives? 😂 I miscalculated the distance again today (sigh) I thought it would be barely 23 km and it was almost 27km. Oh well. Shorter day tomorrow and then my last long day. 
Read more