On My Way

July 5th, O'Hare airport, Chicago: Headed to Madrid!

The international terminal had temporarily replaced flags from
  different countries with the red, white, & blue for July 4th.    

After an hour delay, my Iberian flight finally left around 7:00 p.m. On the 6th I arrived in Madrid after 12:30 p.m. with enough time to make the 14:50 train up to Oviedo, the Primitivo's start. I'd opted to purchase a train ticket ahead of the trip to avoid any close calls in getting to the station from the airport.

While at the Madrid airport waiting for transport to the Charmartin train station, I met a walker from the U.S. who had just finished the Camino Portuguese route that begins in Lisbon. She had previously walked other routes and was now heading back to the states. It's usually easy to spot Camino walkers with their backpacks, trail clothes, and a certain look that identifies us. We exchanged Camino talk -- where, when, how many days, and what routes to explore next.

Once in my seat on the train, I breathed a sigh of relief -- any major transportation delays could have created challenges with reservations and walking plans. I was grateful to be on my way to Oviedo, and it felt good to be back in Spain! 

The schedule board at Chamartin -- my train was on time.