El Camino: Madrid

As I was vainly attempting to get a little sleep on the plane last night, it occurred to me that perhaps, just perhaps, I had not thought this thing through. I mean, I had a hotel reservation and all, but had no idea how I planned to get there from the airport. Details.

Before I left, I had some vague ideas, and planned to figure it out when on the plane, but because of technical difficulties (my fault, I didn’t remember my Delta password) I was incommunicado.

Cue the Universal Nudge that has me going on this trip in the first place. My seat mate, Harris, was from Greece, went to university in Germany, currently teaches Spanish linguistics at a university in Kentucky, has traveled far and wide for work conferences, and was not about to let me flounder.

When the lights came up in the morning, I told him of my conundrum, and asked to borrow his phone for a moment. He not only helped me figure out how to get to the hotel, he (despite his quicker trip through customs) waited for me at baggage claim, helped me buy a Metro ticket, and escorted me to my first stop. Our paths diverged at that point.

Some friendships last a lifetime, some for ten hours.

The hotel (Hotel Don Pío) kindly allowed me to check in early, and I went in and passed out on the bed. It’s amazing what a couple hours of sleep can do for one’s brain power.

When I awoke, I asked the front desk person for a lunch recommendation, and she sent me just down the street to No Me Llames Dolores (there’s gotta be a story there…) Lunch was delicious, dessert was on the house (?!), and when I left, they told me I now have a home there, should I ever choose to return.

Despite my Spanish speaking abilities, everyone has been friendly, welcoming. Those jitters? They are quickly being smothered in kindness.

I’ve managed to stay awake since my nap, and will head up to sleep shortly - something about having maybe three hours of sleep last night is making the seven hour time difference easier to adjust to. 

I’m up early tomorrow morning, to take the train up to Sarria, where my Camino walk will begin, so I do hope sleep comes without too much trouble. There is some issue with construction, so the last leg of the trip will be by bus instead of train.  The  time between the two transport is just twenty minutes, so I have my fingers crossed, hoping for no wrinkles in the plan. 

I’ll let you know!