June 29 Los Arcos to Allo

Los Arcos to Allo was not the etapa (stage) for today; the stage is all the way to Larraga, 40 km.  Right now, at 4:45 p.m. is 107 degrees, full sun.  I left at 5:30 a.m. while it was still dark since the first mile or so was on the road so I didn't have to see an obscure path.  Anyway, as I stepped out of the casa I almost tripped over a DUDE sleeping on the doorstep.  Estaban, the proprietor, had told me that someone was expected later in the evening, but I guess this guy, doubtless walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, arrived just too late.

I must say that walking through Navarra is not among my top 1000 choices.  It is flat,



no trees. It must be the hay capital of the world (see above and below):




and though the paths area by no means obscure, well, except occasionally, it is really easy to miss a turn, which I did today, and that cost a good 1/2 hour.  Maybe the error was due to a distraction.  I heard a LOUD noise, like that of 1000 motorcycles.  It kept getting louder.  I looked up and thought:  Oh, a drone out here in the middle of nowhere.  Amazon must be ferrying goods to some far flung corner of this desert.  Mais non!  There was a guy in the apparatus going off for a fly!

 It is also very hot.  Despite my screw up, I reached Allo at 10:30 on the dot, as planned.  The taxista was schmoozing it up in a local bar, but presently he appeared and off we went to Larraga.  I could barely understand a word el taxista said.  But when I got to the hotel, I could understand everything all over again and that did make me feel better.

Tonight's hotel has air-conditioning! It also has jacuzzi jets in the tub, but I couldn't get that luxury to work.