Day 1 Arrive In Santiago

HHave you ever left home for a trip and felt like you had forgotten something? Well I spent the last month gathering stuff together for my trip, arranging and rearranging, packing and unpacking, then returning my pack and going back to my old one. On Saturday I spent the day on my final packing. I had everything cinched up and ready to put in the car Sunday morning. I checked off my written list and mental list.

My last week at home I was trying to kick a really tenacious and nasty sinus infection (aka brain tumor,) so between the two kinds of antibiotics I was taking simultaneously and the decongestants, I was very spacey. So trying to get it, whatever "it" was, together, was difficult.

On Sunday I woke up at 4 am, even though I had set my alarm for 5 am. I had some time to write, reflect and get teary eyed, then it was time to go to the airport. As I walked out the door I had that feeling, I knew I was forgetting something, but what could it be? Last year I forgot one of the two bras I was going to take, but managed with only one. I checked my mental list again. No, it wasn't a bra. 

We got to the airport about 6:30 am, I spent time waiting for my plane in the luxury of the United Club, and my flight left at 8:30 or 9 am. The fight was a nightmare due to a woman with three undisciplined kids under the age of five who spent the entire trip throwing temper tantrums, screaming, kicking and hitting. I was in the seat next to this debacle, but everybody on the plane shared the misery. I am bruised on both sides. I didn't hit or kick back, swear, yell or tell her what I thought of her parenting skills, however, so, for that I am grateful. We got to New York about 4 pm EST and I spent the time until my flight for Madrid at 8 pm checking the Dodger game, drinking coffee and eating snacks in the United Club.

The flight to Madrid was like heaven in comparison to the first flight. I was in first class, had a yummy meal, and even got a little sleep. I arrived in Madrid 10:30 am (1:30 am PST,) collected my luggage, and took the Metro to the train station where I waited until 3 pm for my train to Santiago. I got a little bit of sleep in 15 minute snippets on the train. The kid in the seat in front of me was playing games on an iPad with the sound at high volume. His mother didn't seem to mind. We always make the kids turn it down or use ear phones. Whatever he was playing sounded like being in a Casino in Las Vegas. It's Very unnerving sound. I believe it is design to keep people in a heightened nervous state. The gal in the seat next to me had her phone turned to full volume also (is everyone in Spain hard of hearing?) So every time she got a text or a call the phone made a loud noise and startled me awake. She was really nice, just hard of hearing, I guess. lol

I arrived in Santiago at about 9 pm and Stephen, one of the volunteers, was there to meet me. We took a bus to the albergue and he introduced me to the other volunteers and showed me around. After he left I was trying to get organized to take a shower and get ready for bed when the lights went out. I forgot 10 pm is lights out in most albergues. I tried finding my head lamp and couldn't find it. I tried searching using my flashlight app on my phone but only succeeded in creating a huge pile that made it look like a bomb had exploded near my bed. I decided to just find my sleeping sac and sleep in what I was wearing. At this point, it's almost midnight Monday, Spain time (3 pm PST.) if you do the math I had been up thirty five hours with short bursts of sleep. Surrender seemed like a good idea.

It was at this point I realized what I had forgotten, my flip flops, the only other pair of shoes I pack. I take boots for hiking and flip flops for showers and walking about town. Yikes!!! All of the times I've been in Spain, I'd never had to look for flip flops. I didn't even know if you could buy them in Spain or what they would be called. Oh well. I was wondering if Saint Anthony answered prayers for forgotten items, as well as lost items.

I set my alarm for 7:30 am because the sign in the lobby said 9 am was leaving time. All albergues require you to exit at a certain time in the morning, usually 8 am, so they can clean. I woke up at 3 am, because my body thought it was operating on PST, and thought it was 6 pm. I worried a bit about the forgotten flip flops. I Eventually went back to sleep, after posting my safe arrival. My alarm went off at 7:30, I turned it off and thought, oh I can sleep another half hour. I awoke at 9:45 am realizing I was all alone, except for the cleaning people I could hear on the other side of the wall. Whoops! I scurried around, managed to get some clothes on me, and walked toward the old town area to get some café con leche and something to eat.

You will never guess what happened. As I was walking I saw a small clothing store with some shoes in the display window. I thought, "what the heck, it's right here and worth a try." They not only had cheap rubber flip flops, they had them in purple to match my hair!  The Camino is so amazing. And, they only cost 3.80€, about $5. The purple ones at Target were $10.

I was so delighted with my purchase I almost skipped into town. I sat in a little plaza and drank my café con leche and ate tostada con mantiqilla y mermalada. Yummy!