VDLP 2013: Zafra, Finally!

Our plane got very much behind in Philadelphia. There was some sort of emergency and at one point we were number twenty-something in line at the runway. We finally got off the ground about an hour late, and that put us into Madrid a bit late.

There were several peregrinos on board but all were headed for Pamplona.

My first stop was the Renfre station at T-4. We landed at T-1 so I had to find the shuttle. I finally got to T-4 and found the tiny Renfre station on the first floor, tucked into a corner by the Cercanius. Hooray! I made it! Well...not quite.

There was a disabled gentleman and his wife trying to make reservations somewhere and the one solitary clerk did a great job for him while the minutes ticked away. I was unable to buy a ticket to Zafra from the machine so I had no choice but to wait. Forty five long minutes later I had missed the only train to Zafra for the day. Exhausted and hungry, I made my way to the Avenuda de las Americas bus.

This bus took me to a metro station where I caught a train to within a block if the south estacion de autobuses. There I was able to get a ticket to Zafra on a line called Avanza Bus.  The coach left at 11:30 am and cost 20,15 Euros.

The buses in Spain are Mercedes Benz buses!

I made the connection by 7 minutes so there was no time to eat or drink. This was one time I wished I had carried some food!

The trip to Zafra was five more hours. I was feeling the lack if sleep, but more of food and water. Two hours into the trip the bus stopped for a 20 minute break and I almost cried with joy as I slugged down a beautiful glass of zumo naranja and found a bag of Mr. Corn!

Armed with a new full bottle of water I enjoyed the scenery into Zafra. The bus windows are huge and great for sightseeing!

I missed a great photo moment when we passed a ruined rooftop holding six nests of storks, each nest with a mother and two babies! Because of the way the road was situated up high, I was able to literally look down into the nests It was an incredible moment!

I had booked a room at the Hotel Cervantes. It's cute, clean and inexpensive but highly perfumed. Luckily I'm only here one night. My head is pounding from the scent but I stripped the bed and am using my sleep blanket and so far was able to sleep about five hours. I paid 28 euros.

On the way to the hotel I saw a poster advertising a new albergue in Zafra, but I'm happy where I am.  There is a mercado a couple of blocks away, I have air conditioning, and I'm happy!

It is now 2:08 am. My body thinks it is morning but I better try to get a bit more sleep. Tomorrow I hope to find the Albergue and officially begin my Camino.

That's all for now.