We, probably, first heard of rhe Camino de Santiago from a fellow long distance backpacker and documentarian Scott "Squatch" Herriot. Check his work out, that man has an eye for comedic timing and creates some really enjoyable trail documentaries.
But back to the whirlwind months and days leading up to our flight. The first challenge was finding a reliable pet sitter for our loyal, four-legged companion Phoenix, and our two cats. Our dog, was used to our adventurous lifestyle but this time, she couldn't join. A week of interviews, phone calls, and background checks ensued. Finally, we found a house and pet sitter, who has turned out to be immediately accepted by Phoenix. First hurdle jumped.
With pet care sorted, we turned our attention to packing, gear seeking, and route planning. The art of packing for a long-distance hike is a science we have mastered over the years, but this time was different. We were aiming for the perfect balance between lightweight and comfort. Our hotel and hostel stays mean that we can ditch the tent and cooking gear, but we still needed some essentials: clothing, comfortable shoes, and rain gear. A time or three our floor space looked like a mini outdoor gear store, with piles of clothes, maps, and gear strewn about. We double-checked, then triple-checked, everything. Did we have enough socks? Were the passports in the right pocket of the carry-on? The tension was palpable as we debated whether to bring our sleeping bags. Spoiler: we didn't.
The day before the flight arrived, and our house buzzed with last-minute activities. I did some last minute home repairs, while Lauren helped get our pet sitter situated. Phoenix sensed something was up and watched us with big, questioning eyes. We will miss the goodest doggo, but she will certaibly spin circles on our return. Then we were off to the hotel to try and sleep closer to the flight.
Sleep was elusive. We knew that to tackle the time zone change effectively, we had to start adjusting our sleep patterns. A sleep tracking program on our phones became one of our final hurdles. Anxiety coupled with alarms set for 6am, 5am, and 1 am was used to help us adjust to Spanish time. We stumbled through our days, eyes bleary, in a haze of coffee and anticiption. Each morning felt like a small victory against the impending jet lag. When we got up at 1 am the morning before our flight, we went out for pie a few hours before interacting with TSA.
The airport loomed ahead, our gateway to adventure. The first leg of our flight took us to Texas. Due to some sinus problems, it felt like Psycho's head was going to explode as the plane descended and cabin pressure changed. As we landed in Dallas, we had a narrow gap of time to deboard and find our way to another terminal for our trans-atlantic flight. MInutes felt like hours. The tension was thick; would we miss our connection to Madrid? Just as our anxiety peaked, an announcement crackled through the speakers—our flight was boarding, We made it to our connection on time.
Onboard, we settled in for the long haul across the Atlantic. Madrid was within reach, but sleep was not. We tossed and turned, the excitement and anxiety of our journey intertwining in our minds. Window shades pulled, and eye masks blocking out the light did little to help us chase Spain time. The hours dragged, and the hum of the engines became a constant that never quite put us to deep sleep. Again Psycho had a rather painful experience due to the cabin pressure.
Madrid greeted us with a golden sunrise and a dash through immigratiom and customs. Our next challenge was the layover. We had a few hours to kill, and Madrid’s bustling airport was a maze of duty-free shops and hurried travelers. We used the longer layover to try to gind SIM cards for our phones, to avoid the international roaming charges.
Afterward, we found a quiet corner, fought off napping, and indulged in vending machine sandwiches. Psycho bought some decongestant to fight the head ache on the third flight.
Finally, the call for our flight to San Sebastian echoed through the terminal. Did Psycho's head burst. Did Apricots have a run in with Border Patrol?
Stay tuned for Day 1 wherein team Psychricots deboards and navigates the new land of Irun, Spain.
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