Travel Day & Reentry

Last Monday I awoke early, gathered my things, and asked the front desk clerk to call me a cab.  Didn’t realize it but the train station didn’t open until 6 AM – so I was out on a bench in the dark for a little while until workers came by to open the doors.  Felt quite safe waiting there – the station was in the middle of nowhere.

Once the doors opened, I joined the queue for the 6:40 bullet train to Madrid.  It was a 1 hr. 40-minute trip to Madrid – longer than some flights I’ve taken.  For just an extra few Euros I upgraded to first class, which got me an actually delicious hot breakfast to start my day – well worth it, in my opinion.

Made a quick 4-minute connection at the train station to the train going to the Madrid airport.  Worked my way through security and to the international gates.  

While waiting, I thought I’d treat myself to one last café con leche.  I was standing in line at one vendor and realized the coffee was being served in paper cups.  I had the time and really prefer ceramic – so I switched to another café.  Stood in a long line and, after placing my order ‘for here’, which she repeated (twice), was handed this:

I asked about a ceramic cup – they’d just run out.  I breathed deeply and told myself to not become that spoiled American tourist that everyone despises.  “In the light of eternity…” as they say.  But the situation was a bit comical.  As my friend Mike used to say, “If it doesn’t kill you – it will make a good story.”

I don’t sleep well on planes, if at all.  Since this flight was happening during daylight hours – I didn’t even bother trying to get some rest.  Watched a few movies – started and dropped a few more.  

I’d initially been sad about leaving my happy place on the Camino – but as the flight drew closer to home, I became excited about my other ‘happy place’ – my beautiful home that I share with my wonderful son and my backyard oasis in the garden with my hens.  

We landed on time, I breezed through Global Entry, and found my luggage carousel.  The flight from Madrid was on the same carousel as the flight from Amman, Jordan.  My travel apparel that day was my long black Macabi travel skirt, a long-sleeved black merino wool top over a black tank top, sandals, and my sarong / scarf around my head / neck.  I hadn’t thought anything of it. It was an outfit chosen for ease and comfort. I made eye contact with some of the ladies from Amman.  We smiled and they gave me an approving nod.  That’s when I realized we were, essentially, wearing the exact same thing.  I’d known my skirt, in particular, had been marketed as being ‘culturally sensitive’ and it was nice to actually see it play out.  Unlike me though these women probably wouldn’t strip off the long-sleeved top when they hit the sidewalk in 85-degree heat when out of the reach of air-conditioning.  My pack showed up and I was off to find a Lyft. Nothing to declare.

Back home, it was great to see my son again.  He’s such a good guy – great company. He’d done well caring for the house and hens.  I’d told him prior to leaving to ignore the backyard – the neighbors wouldn’t see it and the hens would probably eat down a lot of the grass.  He’d taken care of the front yard, but the back was, understandably, looking scraggly. I found it to be a bit therapeutic to be out in the backyard, restoring order. 

I knew I needed to check in with work about a few time-sensitive projects so I made that my priority.  And, in general, just tried to stay awake until a reasonable bedtime so the jetlag would run its course quicker than trying incremental adjustments.  When I finally turned it, I left the curtains open – moonlight streamed in.  In the middle of the night, I awoke and lay there for the longest time, trying to focus my mind in the moonlight to figure out what amazing hostel I’d checked into that provide actual cotton linens and a comfortable mattress.  Ahhh… it’s my own hostel!

When my kids were little, I’d read them books from the series “Voyage to the Bunny Planet” by Rosemary Wells.  Highly recommend that series for anyone with youngsters.  In each book a cascade of bad things would happen to one of the animal characters and then they’d drift off into an imagined better day.  “Far beyond the moon and stars, twenty light-years south of Mars, spins the gentle Bunny Planet, and the Bunny Queen is Janet.  Janet would welcome them in and say, “Here’s the place where we begin, on the day that should have been.”  Each book would end with “It was there all along…”  Having emerged from slogging my way through 24 hours awake and deep in a fog of jetlag to find myself in my own comfortable bed, “It was there all along…”

Now, after several days of going to bed at a reasonable time and getting up whenever I wake up – for the first time I awoke at 5:30 – just moments before my alarm.  The worst of it has passed, I think.

Already thinking about next year as the hope of walking in the sun again keeps me going through Chicago winters.  And I’ll keep campaigning for charity:water until everyone has clean water to drink. 💦

I’ve done the math.  If I start in Burgos, where I stopped this time, it’s about 15 days walking to Sarria.  I can take a bus / train from Sarria to just outside Santiago to bypass the heavily trafficked paths.  Hike into Santiago, rest for a day, and then head out from Santiago 3-days’ walk to Muxia – then a day to the southwest to Finisterre – then work my way back to Madrid and then home.  All in – three weeks.  Very doable. 💕🌻🌅🥾🇪🇸🌈🌺

The 2026 campaign for charity:water continues through June 20th.  I know it’s not in everyone’s budget to contribute – there may be other things that are on your heart that get your financial support.  That’s perfectly understandable.  But if you know of anyone who might be interested, please feel free to forward this to them for consideration.  Many thanks.

More later…

 https://www.charitywater.org/marilyn-peterson/marilyn-s-camino-for-water-2026