Heading Out – Day 2

Going from Z to A

* This post is a day late due to no wifi*

I awoke in the early dawn somewhere over the Atlantic – which means at some point on the 8 hour flight I actually dozed off – which, given my track record for sleeping on planes, is a bit of a miracle.

Landed in Frankfort at gate Z56, not realizing before I did what a massive airport it is. My connecting flight was at gate A1. I sprinted (as fast as I could in flip flops). Each Duty Free store and Hermes shop seemed like an unnecessary obstacle between me and my destination. I arrive just 5 minutes before they were supposed to start boarding. Once I arrived, the flight was delayed about an hour. While rushing to my gate I did spy something worth pausing for:

We need some of these tiny ping pong tables in our Chicago office! I’m pretty sure they’re small enough to fit in the center of a quad of desks.

Made it to Biarritz by 6:30 but our luggage was another 40 minutes behind us. There were about 500 people in baggage claim and the one toilet was out of order.

Once through, I befriended a fellow confused traveler at the bus stop. Jacob is in from Orange County. First time in Europe. We found the bus to Bayonne and, as I write, are waiting for the last train of the day to Saint Jean Pied de Port. Train ticket only 11.6 euros. Bargain.

Another option was a cab from Bayonne ti get me there quicker. A sweet French family called a cab for me but after sitting in the cab stand for 30 minutes I realized I have no way of contacting the cab company if the first cab doesn’t show. So, train it is!

I’m concerned my hostel will be closed and I have no way of contacting them to tell them I’m on a later train. But this is where I need to let the Camino teach me. Today’s lesson is to just chill out. The place will either open their doors to me – or they won’t. If they don’t I’ll find a Plan B. It’s going to be fine.

***

Later … made it to the hostel. They were closed – past curfew. But as luck would have it there was a firework display as I was walking up and one of the guests looked out the window at the fireworks and let me in. I’ll settle with the owner in the morning.

More later…