Zarautz 3/7

San Sebastian to Zarautz 3/7 Stoke Travel Surf Camp Tents

Woke up, got some Pintxos for breakfast. Ran up the Jesus statue the wrong way, Bear Grylls style as the front path had been fenced off due to soil erosion and a bad land slide. There was a lot of cannons used by the Spanish to fend off the French. Met Matty Weeks and his mates Jason and Jack. Went to meet Nadja at bridge at 1pm, but she didn’t show so I called it, and went back to my hostel.

Packed up and walked down to the bus stops to go Zarautz. I spoke to a few indecipherable bus drivers, using key phrases like 'Camping' and 'Zarautz', I somehow ended up on my way to Ilgedo - the start of a mountain range just west of San Sebastian.
After realising that I caught the wrong bus, a friendly english speaking spanish woman came up to me, whilst I was freaking out, to mention that I could either backtrack (something I don't do) and catch the right bust (50mins worth of travel)
or... walk, taking 3 hours.

I chose to walk the 3 hours down the road and Pilgrimage trail, it was very pretty, and for the first time on my crazy couple of solo traveling days, it hit me... realising I didn't have to be anywhere, this was my time and I could do what I wanted... with no plans and a winging it attitude, I set out on my journey along the camino trail.
 Finally I arrived in the town of Orio when it started raining, so I took a train 5 minutes to Zarautz, and walked to the first camp which was the wrong one. I was then instructed I had to walk up the gigantic hill to the Stoke travel camp - typical. 3 hours had past and I was greeted by a bunch of tents and rowdy people that were shocked by the fact that I had walked from San Sebastian, who almost instantly gave me the most refreshing beer!

I introduced myself to everyone and earned a few nicknames, exchanging tales and stories of my trek, then Nadja arrived, followed by dinner and beers, beers, beers.

Zarautz 4/7 Stoke Travel Surf Camp San Seb Hotel Tyrk

Went surfing with Nadj, Josie and Taz, a few beers and went to San Seb with Taz as she had to meet Paul. Later that night we met up with the Stoke crew at People club in San Seb.

But a dehydration cramp kicked in, still needing to drink, I drank vodka waters.

After all my dancing and drinking I missed the bus back to camp, and there was no way I was going to hike it again, I decided to pay 225euro for a hotel. It was on the top floor, overlooking San Seb. Beautiful view, and the room was huge and easily 5 star… worth every penny and well deserved.

Zarautz 5/7 Stoke Travel Surf Camp Tents

Took the right bus back to Zarautz, arrived back at 2pm, had a shower, a beer, then randomly bumped into Pitsy, who I had forgotten all about! Got smashed that night partying with Pitsy, had a heap of fun, this trip was turning out to be everything I expected it to be.

Zarautz 6/7 Stoke Travel San Fermin Camp Tents

Pamplona opening ceremony. We bussed down in the morning, arrived around 10.30, walked to the square and I bumped into Taz. Partied with her and a bunch of stoke people in the square then got into a tree and continued squirting people with Vino Tinto (Red Wine, that Pitsy had stolen the night before at camp) and silly spray.
Walking around with Taz we met some random Americans at the drum performers, Niko and myself started the street party with a dance off, and I did the most epic worm.

Arrived back at camp and partied until 12ish.

Zarautz 7/7 Stoke Travel San Fermin Camp Tents

Woken up by Pitsy at 4am luckily as I didn’t set my alarm correctly. Caught the bus to Pamplona, pretty hectic and hungover. Pitsy and I found out way through the crowds and blocked off laneways, and eventually found an open entrance at the start.
We crammed stationary (worse than any music festival) with the masses for a good 45mins, stinking of beer, body odour and piss in the streets. Worst place to be with a slight chest infection and hangover. Pitsy left and went back the start. Eventually the crowd cheered and disbanded then we marched up the street when I bumped into Josh from camp.

100metres later just after dead-mans corner there was a row of police men, I could already tell we had walked too far. I tried to hide my go pro on my wrist but it was too late. The office yelled at me in some kind of Spanish and tried to direct me to and exit on the side. I refused, asking him to hold on as I removed the memory card, contemplating throwing my Go pro out to the crowd… I didn’t, as much as I wanted too, unknowing if he’d let me still partake, so I removed the battery as well and offered it to him. He refused, and then said in broken English he wanted me out.

I ducked the barrier and regretfully started walking down the lane way with my sore ankle, feeling like shit… I jogged to the outside of the Arena, it was packed, I couldn’t see anything of the entrance, and people were still pushy as hell. I ran around the outside of the arena, and watch a little of what was happening in the Arena on a small TV.

I found Nadj, Josie and Taz out the front of the bulls statue, all extremely pumped and excited from the run. I was not impressed.
We bussed back to camp and met Mel Carter from primary school, I had a few beers. Then went to bed determined for the next day, whilst everyone else partied.

Zarautz 8/7 Stoke Travel San Fermin Camp Tents

Awoke to some noise and the sound of tent zips, I quickly got changed back into my somewhat washed San Fermin attire. Opened my tent and there was Nadja not ready at all, having her laugh at me as I realised it only 2am… I went back to bed fully clothed.

I rose at 4am, the girls were still up, and were in no condition to run it again. So I solo missioned it to the buses and Pamplona. Made it to dead-mans corner, as the gate was open and it wasn’t as busy as the first day. Waited 30mins until the police formed a wall and I soon realised I was going to get shafted from running it again.

Now, I wasn’t going to let that happen… I sprinted down laneways, trying to find an entrance but I was on the wrong side of the track this time, but as I was midway through all my cussing and fierce anger I saw a person crawling out between a barrier. So I ran up and managed to sneak back in through the two barriers.

it felt so good to be back in it again, but, I was well before dead-mans corner. I met 2 aussies Jarred and Jake, we exchanged stories the few minutes before the first firework to shake some nerves. However, I needed to piss really badly, so I drank what was left of my water and went into a doorway and filled that bottle as fast as I could, when the first bang went off, piss went everywhere, and I didn’t care.

I turned around facing the start, limbering up a little further jumping and cheering with the crowds. Then people started running, I didn’t want to get too far, but I wasn’t missing out on the Arena, I jogged up to just before dead mans corner when the first bulls stampeded past us. Adrenalin was coursing through my veins, as I pushed, sprinted and shoved my way through the crowds, I glanced back fearing for my life, I couldn’t see past all the people and their screaming to judge how far the second set of bigger bulls were behind me. I kept jumping fallen people, zigzagging idiots who stacked up against the walls, pushing through stationary idiots, and took dead mans corner… were a few moments later I could hear the screams and people yelling, I glanced back yet again, and saw a number of massive bulls. I reached out with my right arm, clearing people out of my way as the bulls galloped past me as if I was standing still. I kept running after them, to towards the Arena, then a left hand bend came up, and a bull had fallen over, I almost stopped to help it up, then I realised there might be more bulls still to come, the adrenaline of unknowing kicked back in. I continued to run, I could see the Arena and the bottle neck of an entry, some idiots were stopped on the walls of the Arena, and some were trying to come back out… I didn’t know if the fallen bull had got back up, meters away from the Arena at this point I didn’t care about people, and pulled people out of the way, and myself into the Arena.

I was in, the crowd was amazing, like people had described, I felt like a Gladiator, but this was only halfway. One at a time, a bull was realised into the Arena for 5 to 10minutes or so, cleaning up people that either weren’t lucky enough, or didn’t give the bull the respect it deserved. I dropped my iPhone in the first wave of movement, everyone pushing for the wall, it dropped to the ground in the shadows of people and their feet, with dirt and dust scurrying everywhere, I wasn’t going to lose this phone, and I didn’t, amongst the barrage of feet I grabbed it and launched back up to my feet.

I picked up a rolled of newspaper and ran for moving crowds of people, the bull, I could see it, waves of people moving frantically in unison, I got up against the wall and shuffled myself out of the path of the bull the best I could. Recording with my iPhone I sprinted up to the bull and as it turned clockwise towards me I ran on its left to slap it on the bum with the roll of paper… I did, and ran faster than I had all day through the crowd until I span around looking for the bull. It wasn’t chasing me, I had survived, and I felt so alive.

I did this 2 more times and used two hands to half-heartedly vault over the back of another. Then there was a guy who had a bull in a headlock, everyone was screaming ‘PUTA’ at him, I wasn’t happy either so I ran past some people to hit him, until I got there and the bull was almost head to head with me with him on the side when a local came in and punched him in the head, just as the bull began to stumble. He broke his hold and the crowd unleashed on him. His pants were torn off and he was kicked and king hit a number of times before scurrying away like an injured dog.

I left the Arena and the end, with crowd cheering us all on again, and found the nearest café to have a well-deserved half litre of beer and some Pintxos. Grabbed another beer on my way to the bus station, where I ran into Aliza from Kabul on the staircase.

Aliza and I sun-baked the rest of the afternoon, grabbed some dinner and smoked up on the beach, to end my amazing day.