Camino de Santiago, Day 5—From Puente la Reina to Estella

~21.6 km

By Noemi NemethPublished 5 years ago • 4 min read

I overslept today, because the beds were amazing and thanks to my earplugs—god bless whoever invented it, for real.—I heard nothing around me. We got a proper breakfast, so it was a great kick start of today.

But a very late one.

It wasn’t the easiest task to leave Puente la Reina, or it was just waaay too early in the morning… or we are just losers. We got lost a bit for the first time ever by the way, so I think we can agree on the fact that the signs are pretty clear—98.9% of the time.

Options for a situation like this: Follow others with a backpack. Almost always works unless they are clearly lost too—like the guys we ran into this morning. Then you have to trust the locals. They are very helpful and sooo nice, especially the older generation. They are just sitting outside on the street with their 0 English—meeting your 0 Spanish—and guide you whether you need it at that moment or not.

Well, we needed it big time today, so of course, a random Abuelito appeared—ask and you shall receive lol—and he was straight away pointing out the route. Gracias. We started to walk and a few minutes later we realized he is like 10 meters behind us, making sure if we took the correct turn, shouted Buen Camino—and he disappeared.

Shortly after we ended up in nature again, beautiful hills, blue sky, and green lands with poppies. When I told people I am going to Spain for six weeks, everybody imagined a sandy beach chill holiday I guess, but nope. Before this trip, I wasn’t really into hiking that much… don’t even ask why I started to walk the Camino then, because I don’t have a clue. I just felt like I have to do it. …but now I just love it. It’s a different side of Spain but ohmygod so beautiful. And now I can’t wait to walk the Northern Route, hopefully, next year.

The path was easy and flat, I loved it, the view was gorgeous everywhere we looked.

Then like an hour later, we saw Cirauqui…

… on a top of a fucking hill, cuz where else, obviously?!

I swear that’s why the Spanish people have nice butts … – Up n’ down and/or million stairs, everywhere.

We took a little lunch break here, it was around 12 o’clock, started to get super warm. The sun was burning through your bones. Don’t want to make any spoilers yet, but just let me tell you the importance of sunscreen lotions. Well, it’s fucking important. If you don’t think it is then buying some Aloe Vera afterward is essential for you. Or both would be actually.

Aaanyways…

What goes up must come down, and up for a bit again, that’s the Camino style. In less than an hour, we reached a supercool place to rest a bit. It’s called the Olive Garden, has really good chill vibes—and a rare stamp btw.

…this was a bit demotivational moment, to be honest 😂

After all the ups and downs I started to feel my feet again. Blister update: still have them, both pinky toes and a big one underneath my toes. Compeed plaster is on them, time to face the truth on Day Five—it is not helping in the healing process at all. Makes it worst… The bubbles under the plaster creating like a pressure that is bitchin’ killing.

But ¡vamos!…. Estella is not far now…

We stayed in Hostel Agora it is supercool. Very modern, clean and the staff is amazing. Still with bunk beds, but it is different, more like a “capsule” hostel, you kind of have your privacy with your own light and plug to charge your stuff. It’s not giving you the typical Albergue vibes at all.

Later on, btw, I will put out a post with all the albergues and hostels where I stayed—with price, review, facilities, address and booking link just to make your Camino life a bit easier.

The buffet breakfast is included, and it was just an amazing feeling to look at this in the morning after all the jam and toasts…

After the shower, I started to experience some tingly feeling—not in a good way—on my skin…

I don’t know right now I just feel like a cartoon character, you know when the rain is only falling on me and no one else.

My feet are killing me from Day One, sometimes with every step I take, I don’t even… wanna—know what’s happening with my blisters under the plaster and now my stupid arm got burnt to death.