DAY FORTY SEVEN, 16 June 2015,
Molinaseca to Ponferrada
Took a taxi as Lucia needed to be at the bus station in Ponteferrada by 9.30am

Lucia woke up early. Anticipation for the upcoming travel I am sure. We were packed and ready to go by seven thirty. Lucia was convinced that the coffee shop would be open. I was not convinced, as I haven’t seen to many open coffee shops this early in the morning. It wasn’t open indeed! I had organised a taxi for eight o’clock last night, when I made a special reservation. This was a completely fruitless excercise as there was NO taxi at eight o’clock! Or at a quarter past for that matter neither! I rang the company again and they told me they had NO taxied available, this frustrates me no end! One would like to think that after ten months of travelling in Africa one would be used to this kind of behaviour. I just didn’t expect it in Spain. Anyway this man stopped his. Car, and he is racing on a mile a minute. Asking me WHO I rang, WHO I booked with etc etc. anyway he himself was very busy so he had no time to take us to the next town.Lucia took it all in her stride. Finally Jorge came, and he told me that there was no record of my booking! The guy who took it had made NO notes. And since there are a group of taxi drivers,they need to make notes and leave instructions and so forth for the next person calling in. However as it was it all ended up working in my favour. As we dropped Lucia off at the bus station, Jorge took me into town, no extra payment charged, and dropped me off at an absolutely brand spanking new Albergue, right next door to the castle! I couldn’t believe it! It was all too good to be true! I was able to get a bed immediately and put my washing into a machine. Went and visited the castle, some other places of interest, and returned to the Hostal to have a shower and a nap. In the afternoon I tried to visit the museum, but no such luck, although the time and the date were right it was NOT open! Shame! I walked around some more. Felt lost a bit, suddenly on my own after three weeks with Lucia. Bought a new bag and a spiral ring. Decided to call it a day after I set up payment for my website and dealt with important e mails. Hurray I am back walking my Camino!

Today’s lesson: just stay calm, it will all work out for the best
Today’s gift: Brand new Hostal! Hot showers, clean beds!