Ray, Joe and Jason are still walking the Primitivo and should be well into Galicia and getting close to Santiago - keep going not far now!

Over in Lugo!

After splitting up im Oviedo Ben, Daniel and I experienced the first rain on the first day! We walked on and the weahter picked up for a couple of days. It then improved and we did some great walking through beautiful country, with more albergues and less asphalt. The albergues were getting more crowded but they were cheaper. The primitivo has few very small towns but more of the original oak and chesnut forests (less bloody gum trees, a big environmental problem in the north). But the weather detiorated, Ben threw up in his walking shoes during a little bus stretch. We got to Lugo a fair sized city in Galicia and decided as the weather was getting worse with frosts and storms that it was time to call it quits. We headed for Madrid to catch Kerry and Nina as they came in. So we walked almost 750 km but didn´t get to walk into Santiago. No idea where the others are, hopefully they got there.

Camino Primitivo

It looks like the montero 6 are breaking up at Oviedo. Ruben, Ben & Daniel are carrying on along the Camino Primitivo tomorrow with the aim of meeting Kerry and Nina at Santiago by the 28th. Joe and Ray are having an extra rest day and Jason will probably finish up (with foot and financial problems). Let's see if things change by morning.

Greetings from Oviedo

We are now in the capital of Asturias - Oviedo. We are almost 2/3 of the way to Santiago. Tomorrow we head into the Picos de Europa - harder climbing but a shorter path and the original camino del norte, so we´ll be trading the coast for the mountians. After much discussion we have all agreed to diverge from the coast. Last night we had a very pleasant but basic albergue to ourselves (until the Belgians just before dusk) - it was pretty isolated but a food van came around and we brought spagetti, ingrediants for a sauce, fruit, chocolate, wine and sidre (getting very hooked on the local cider). We estimate that we´ll get to Galicia in about 6-10 days, and Santiago another 2 days so we getting there. Physically we are ok but Jason´s foot is playing up and the bed bugs have got to me (they aren`t a big problem but they often blister and the ruptured blisters can get infected - I´ve seen people get very sick but I´m ok so far I just hope they aren`t in my sleeping bag!!)
Greetings to everyone posting messages nice hearing from people. Sounds like a plan Greg! Yes we have has swims on the way but once you start moving it´s hard to stop!

Llana - Asturias

The last few days we've stayed in good albergues. Last night it was in Comillas, a very pretty fishing/holiday town. This area has many scattered medieval holiday towns with beautiful beaches, many caves such as Alta Mira (with Paleolithic cave art). The weather and walking has been spectacular - everyone says it can't last- Tomorrow we hit the half way mark. Within two days we decide wether we walk across the Picos de Europa (the highest peaks in the Iberian Pen), we can see them in the distance and the siren call is drawing us that way - some concern about weather.
People we've met
· the 2 Belgium boys - they've walked from Brussels, the young one is 17! They mainly sleep out as their budget is 25 euros per day between them - people have been very generous- they both say they are using the walk to consider their future.
· Vilma the Swedish girl - she has walked from Sweden. We've crossed paths at many albergues. She walked with us for one day after an upsetting experience with one of the lycra clad cyclists (which is concrete evidence supporting my contention that they are all wankers!)
·Elizabeth from Denmark - she walked the Camino Frances and decided immediatly to do the Northern Camino in three years but after 3 days she decided to sell her flat and all her possions and head back to spain immediatly. She has spent 1 month in Guemes because she lost all her bank cards etc and was fixing things up; in the meantime she has been adopoted by the locals, they all call her daughter (when they hug the local women look like the kids as she is over 6ft and they about 5ft!)- she has spent the time learning Spanish.
·We've also spent time with 2 basque economists doing part of the walk-
·The Canadian from Ottawa doing his 5th camino (just retired from the public service)- he's heading for the Picos about 1 day ahead now.
·Last night we had dinner at the albergue with 3 Taiwanese girls, 2 Argentinian students, a French Canadian student, the 2 Belgium boys and a couple of Spaniards.

Near the Asturian border

We are now in San Vincente de la Bosquera just a few kilometers from the border with Asturias and almost half way to Santiago de la Compostela. This is a beautiful and very old fishing village set an on estuary. We have passed through many of these villagers, quit a few have become more reliant on holiday makers and tourists but haven,t lost their charm. This experience is so intense, so many things have happened, it,s so difficult physically and mentally, so many wonderful moments that it is difficult writing or even talking about it so I,ll try posting a few photos instead