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

In Santander!

Santander the capital of Cantabria and nearly 300 km behind us ,1/3 of the way!. So much has happened along the way I can only give you a few impressions, also this computer keyboard has most letters missing, Two days walking bitumen from Bilbao along the Nervion Valley /hard on the feet and mind/urban industrial scab. Yesterday we got to Laredo and found an albergue. Ben and Dan befriended an old Spaniard that lives in Sydney and got his fascinating life storey out of him. The next morning we split up, I left early and walked all day and got as far as Guemes. J,J and Ray were somehow alteady there! B and D were not, they had gone on to Santander we learnt later. This was the best albergue yet, run by an amazing worker/priest called Ernesto, he is an exponent of Liberation theology/socialist/environmentalist/harsh critique of consumerist culture/and a genuine humanitarian {more on him later}. After a great meal and breakfast we walked to S the most amazing days walk yet, spectacular clifftop/ocean scenery, lovely grassy path covered in heath and crocus flowers we walked with 2 basques. Have met many interesting people. this is too hard, more later plus photos. Onwards!

photos

Here are a few photos

Greetings from Bilbao

Daniel, Ben and I have reached Bilbao the others are somewhere behind us we lost contact yesterday but hope to meet up again today. After sleeping rough 2 nights ago we stayed at a hostel in Gurnika the night before last and set off late about 1pm (after looking around town, Tree of Gurnika, Peace Museum etc). We managed to split up on the outskirts and I walked by myself for a few hours until I ran into the boys. We walked until dusk and then found a pleasant hostal with individual rooms, bathrooms, bikes to ride to the local restaurant etc Bloody luxury!! I hope the others didn´t have to camp out again. Hopefully we´ll meet up today, I´ve left messages on the walk (chalk messages on the road etc) as we can´t get Ray´s mobile - hopeing they´re not too pissed of with us! We must have walked 150km now only 700 to go!!! Yesterday I dumped my tent and a zip up hoody, a Tshirt, etc lightened up the pack considerably (I´ll cover myself with my rain poncho when we sleep out- every gram counts). The weather is cooler today 24-25, just hope the rain holds off.

Ray Joe and Jason got to this albergue about 6pm. They spent the night in a pine forest with a little fire. Ray swears he heard a bear go through during the night - they are in good spirits. They didn´t get any of the messages I left along the way but did find Ben´s jumper that he´d tied to a tree for no good reason-they spent time trying to decode the message. We will give ourselves a rest day tomorrow, go and check out the Guggenheim and the town. We are all in pretty good shape physically but are tired and sore, a day of rest should fix that!

Greetings from Gurnika!

The last couple of days we´ve been walking in the mountains away from civilization hence no posts. The scenery is stunning, the first couple of days we walked in sight of the Cantabrian sea along the green country trails - we start before light and when the sun comes up and starts warming up the ground you are enveloped in a grassy - herbal scent (mint, oregano, fennel etc grow wild evreywhere). At regular intervalsn we come down into the valleys and into little fishing villages or little pueblos where we can always get a good beer and bocadillio. Last night we got into the gin and tonics and after a long hot walk the go down easy.
The weather continues at 30+ every day we spend the days soaked in sweat but we´re told that a cool change is coming. The boys are powering ahead leaving the oldies behind but we get there and can always find them in a bar. Meeting a few walkers - French, Canadian, Germans and a Polish girl that has walked all the way from Poland (she´s been walking for 3 months!).
Will look around and try to find the ´tree´ and do 4-5 hours today towards Bilbao (we´ve been doing 10 hour days so far)
Still nopt able to upload photos - they have a block on it for some reason I´ll try again next time.
Hi to all that have sent messages!

San Sebastian

After a gruelling 10 hours walk we stumbled into SS, through forests, over mountains, picturesque little fishing villages. This is a city of 150,000 - beautiful, elegant, and vibrant . Like Madrid people come out after 8-9 for the evening pintxo crawl or paseo. Everyone is included - kids, old people, handicapped, teens. We are in the Parte Viejo (the old town) it seens to be mainly a warren of small streets with many bars, cafes, restaurants and pensiones. It´s hot 30-32 but with lovely sea breezes. The beaches are packed, La Concha is the main beach it´s a gorgous curving stretch of golden sand dotted with bars with a backdrop of amazing belle epoq 5-6 story buildings. We flaked early and slept well. One more day of rest and then it´s onwards and no more 2 day stay overs. Will send photos soon. SS has 3 great beaches so we may have a swim.