A train ride to remember.

Yeah! I am finally on a computer again. I don´t know why, but it is definitely more challenging to find computers to get on and write this time. Maybe I am just supposed to have fun and celebrate the end of each day instead? Or, maybe I am just unlucky. I like the first idea best, and I can truly say I keep celebrating each day that I do well on this Camino.

After writing the last entry I went to the train station in Palencia to take the 1:20pm train to Leon. It was leaving from platform one and I was waiting with many locals as well as some other peregrinos. The train pulled into the station a few minutes early and everyone lined up to get on. So did I, and together we all rushed to find available seats in between all the busy ones. The train pulled out before schedule, by a full margin of about 10 minutes. That´s when my heart sank and I felt a knot deep in my stomach. Am I on the wrong train? Oh, no...., oh, yes! I was on the wrong train and it was moving fast along the flat but beautiful countryside. I did not know of I was going north, south, east or west. Quickly I decided to use all my tools to communicate with anyone to find out what was going on. I found a staff, working in the cafeteria (the train did actually have a cafeteria, one of my signs that something was wrong), and he brought in his colleague, who knew microscopically more English. I found out that I was right. It was the WRONG train. However, it was going in the same direction and I could get off at the next stop, Sahagun, then wait there and hop on to my train which was about 10 minutes behind. A few other pilgrims had joined in by now, having made the same mistake. That made me feel a little better. An honest mistake. Then the conductor arrived and looked at my ticket. Wrong train. Of course, I already knew that. But I asked if this train was going to Leon and he said that it was, but that it was VERY expensive. "How expensive", I asked. He told me that I could buy a new ticket but that it would cost me 16 Euros. Sometimes it is worth spending a little extra for pace of mind and a quicker ride. So I did. The young South African guy opted for the other choice and hopped off in Sahagun. I relaxed into my seat and enjoyed the beautiful countryside, peacefully knowing I was on my way to Leon and all was well.