We departed Boise on Wednesday afternoon en route to Madrid via Atlanta. Both flights were on time, uneventful, and remarkably free of the travel drama that often seems determined to accompany any major adventure.
Wearing our Buen Camino shirts, our upcoming pilgrimage became a frequent topic of conversation with fellow travelers. On our flight from Boise to Atlanta, the woman seated in front of us had already walked the Camino twice. On our flight from Atlanta to Madrid, the couple seated across the aisle was headed to the Pyrenees Mountains to hike 60 miles. Apparently, we had stumbled into an international convention of people who voluntarily pay money to walk long distances.
During our seven-plus-hour transatlantic flight, Julie and I discovered hydrating eye patches tucked inside our Delta One amenities kits. Never ones to pass up a spa treatment at 35,000 feet, we applied them and spent the next several minutes laughing at each other. Looking around the cabin, I suspect we weren’t exactly the glamorous travelers featured in Delta’s marketing brochures.
Still, there was something delightfully relaxing about sipping a hot cup of tea while wearing under-eye patches somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.
Sleeping on airplanes has never been one of my superpowers, regardless of how wonderful the seat may be. So when we landed in Madrid on Thursday morning, I was running on excitement, adrenaline, and a questionable amount of actual sleep.
After checking into our hotel and changing clothes, we decided that the best way to stay awake was to go sightseeing. We hopped aboard one of Madrid’s famous Hop On/Hop Off buses and spent the afternoon taking in this magnificent city.
Somewhere along the way, we accidentally found ourselves at the rooftop bar of the Four Seasons Hotel.
And by “accidentally,” I mean we saw a rooftop bar and immediately recognized it as an important cultural attraction.
This surprise was absolutely shocking to no one.
After enjoying the views, we eventually made our way back to our Marriott property, grabbed a salad for dinner, and called it a night.
Did I mention it was only 6:00 p.m.?
Jet lag had officially entered the chat.
We promptly fell asleep.
At 10:00 p.m., I was awakened by bright lights and unfamiliar sounds. Through sleepy eyes, I watched Julie turn on the lights, start making coffee, and begin getting ready for the day.
The day.
At 10:00 at night.
Still half asleep myself, I asked, “Won’t your beverage keep you from falling back to sleep?”
She looked at me with complete confusion and asked, “What time is it?”
When I informed her that it was only 10:00 p.m., we both burst out laughing.
Apparently, her internal clock had confidently concluded that it was morning.
To be fair, mine wasn’t exactly functioning with precision either.
After a few more hours of sleeping, waking up, checking clocks, and wondering what continent we were on, we finally enjoyed a leisurely morning in Madrid.
This afternoon, we’ll board a train to Sarria, where the real adventure begins. From there, we’ll start walking the final 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago—a journey we’ve been planning for months and one we’re incredibly excited to experience.
For now, however, our most immediate challenge isn’t the miles ahead.
It’s convincing our internal clocks that midnight is not breakfast time.
Stay tuned. The Camino adventure is officially underway.
Debby’s Fitness Journey 
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