6 May 2023

Pozueta to Bilbao

Stage: 6

Walked: 32,43 km

Planned: 31,3 km

Steps: 46,529

The day started at 07:56, a bit late for my starting time the previous days. I was feeling exhausted but willing to get to Bilbao and enjoy my well-deserved first day off - despite the promising long and rough hike. Walking with blisters started to seem alright. I had breakfast at the Albergue and headed for the walk. I stopped for coffee along the route and I met with Patty and Cruz, the same two wonderful nurses from Andalucia that have been staying with me in the same allergies, most of the nights - and the ones who taught me to cure the blisters way before I had one like preparing me for it. We had coffee, told them about my blisters and I started what seemed to be a remnant, short walk into Bilbao. I knew I had a steep climb ahead but I never grasped how difficult it was going to be: the cumulative stress on my knees, the blisters, the midday sun. It was very tough to say the least.  Reaching the top of the hill was jus the beginning because the blisters and the pain on my knees were simply excruciating, particularly on the way down. Only meters away from the city boundaries I felt like simply giving up - though I had no choice but to carry on. A couple of Spanish pilgrims who had started in Irun with me and whom I had encountered before, gave me a powerful “pat” in the back, noticing my difficulties to walk and the tears in my eyes -“vamos que no nos falta ya nada!”. With renewed strength I went for the last push. I reached the town and I was beyond excited. I headed for the hotel, washed my clothes, ate (a lot) and called it a day. With this I closed-up my first “Camino de Santiago” and prepared emotionally for the rest day on Sunday. 

Thank you God for being by my side, thank you Family for your support and cheers from afar. Thank you body for making it to the first-end and thank you universe for creating so much beauty and allowing me to enjoy it.

Talk about “lessons”.  I had a few on this stage.