Trail distance: 10.96 km (6.81 mi) -- Total distance: 26.38 km (16.39 mi) -- Total steps: 34,594
Elevation gain: 433 m (1,420 ft)
Moving time: 2 hours 38 minutes -- Total trail time: 3 hours 2 minutes
Camino del Norte distance: 29.20 km (18.14 mi)
Two parts (see below) are added.
First part of the walk is from the beginning of the Camino on the bridge to where I began recording yesterday.
Trail distance: 2.88 km (1.79 mi)
Elevation gain: 89 m (292 ft)
Moving time: 36 minutes -- Total trail time: 39 minutes
Second part of the walk is from Pasaia to San Sebastian.
Trail distance: 8.08 km (5.02 mi)
Elevation gain: 344 m (1,129 ft)
Moving time: 2 hours 3 minutes -- Total trail time: 2 hours 24 minutes
I wake up in the middle of the night, thanks to automated recordings of chuch bells next to AirBnB. It's 3am. I hear it again at 3:30am, and again at 4am, and again... I'm only half-asleep, and I've been thinking about only one thing: "Why did I miss the first part of the Camino?"
The more I think about it, the more irritaing it becomes. You came here all the way from San Diego to walk the entire Camino del Norte, but will end up NOT walking the entire route, because you weren't thinking? Today, I planned to walk only about 8 km to meet up with the family in San Sebastián, have lunch together, and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. It would take about 2 hours to get to San Sebastián. But this thought that I wouldn't really complete the entire Camino lingers all night.
After getting some sleep, I leave AirBnB at 9am to the train station to go back to Irún to complete the missing part of the Camino walk. It may sound silly, but I just didn't feel okay to move on from the idea of missing the very first part. Well, if you are not thinking, you have to do it hard way...
I get off at the Ficoba-Irún statiton, which is literally only a few steps away from the border. All I had do yesterday was NOT to take the train, but just walk across the border! I cross the border to the north to France. I guess the border must be there, but there is no physical separation, and no one is checking any documentation. The EU is now just one entity, as far as the border is concerned.
I am on the bridge on the Spain side, looking at the train bridge to France.
Now I am on the France side, looking south to Spain.
I see the mountain ridge where I walked yesterday.
The very first signs of the Camino.
The first of many churches I would see on the Camino.
It's another hot day.
After reaching where I began my work yesterday, I return to Pasaia to resume my planned walk.
Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria (Albaola Maritime Culture Factory)
Steep up again.
Walking with a view.
Not sure what these are...
A donkey!
Lots of shades, but it's still hot, and water fountain is nice!
San Sebastián.
I finally meet up with my family for the first time since the pandemic began. So good to see them. They all look great and seem to be ready to walk the Camino!
Afte 2 days of walking right after the intercontinental flight, I wanted to have meat, and I am well treated in San Sebastian. From left, MK, me, William, Jieun, Anna and NK (please discard guests on the other table).
After dinner, while we walk back to the hotel, I see this sign above a crowded square...
