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I kinda promise this will be a quick entry (well as much as I can write in 14 minutes)
Arrived in St Jean Pied-de-Port along with about 150 other pilgrims who all swarmed the pilgrim office, although everyone got beds! They stamp your credential (like a passport) along the way to prove that you have been walking the entire time. Then in Santiago they give you a Compostela which, if you´re Catholic, I think means that you get all of your sins forgiven.
I met 3 Camino dudes (also walking), Hans (German, 67)- who had just handed over the reins of his multi-national wood chipping company to his son, Sergio (Italian, 62) who drove to Santiago and decided to walk a couple of years ago and Helmut (Danish, 69 - and yes my 11 year old self is still thrilled that I met someone called Helmut) who is walking to celebrate his 70th birthday.
Needless to say after a glass of wine, I went to bed. 😊
The first day of the Camino is supposed to be the hardest, 1200m elevation over 27km of walking.
So I set off, passed some pilgrims, and some more pilgrims, and then hit the snow...mmmmm....snow! Wasn´t prepared for that, but luckily the walking kept me warm. The walk is supposed to take an average of 8-10hrs, but I finished in 6, along with 2 guys I met on the way, Michel and Miguel.
The refugio slept 120 people, in one big barn-like (actually a converted medieval barn) room with no windows.
There was a massive rush to get in the door, and I realised that german ladies have especially sharp elbows!
120 people in one room equals amazing acoustics for snoring. Luckily, they´d put all the men in bunks on one wall, and the women on the other wall (with the couples in the middle) so it wasn´t too bad. Earplugs were awesome!
Day 2 camino- Michel (a Swiss-German guy, who I´d met the day before) and I left around 6.30am, with the aim of reaching the town just before Pampalona a mere 38km away.
They´d told us that the BIG hill was on the first day, but didn´t tell us about the OTHER big hill on the 2nd day. Stunning scenery, but so hot, so tired, so sore. Michel started to teach me useful German words to pass the time, like Eidechse (means lizard) and how to say I´d like to eat something (which I´ve since forgotten).
When he said ´excuse me while I make a short biological excursion´. I refrained from teaching him some Australian, but what I really wanted to say was ´oh, you´re going for a piss´, but being refined, I didn´t. Michel, if you ever read this, you´ll realise how crass I really am!
We arrived at Trinidad de Arre around 3.30pm, to be told that the refugio was full, and that we´d have to walk the 4.5km to Pampolona. I disagreed, and after locking the next pilgrims out, they let us stay! Phew.
There was a beautiful garden and they served us Pilgrim dinner (chicken nuggets) at the town hall!
We had dinner with Sander (who was celebrating his 66th birthday), Fernando (65) and Dee (Canadian girl who lives in Yellowknife and knows the Ice-road Truckers!!!)
Sander and Fernando, despite having no language in common started having a competition about how many sporting events they´d been in. Fernando won, having completed 55 marathons, 148 half marathons and 6 100km events under 24 hours. I felt a little bit like my marathon effort was insignificant, but they´ve got 36 years on me!!
Day 3
A short day - merely 28kms. Through Pampalona (no bulls), and down the most spectacular rolling hills, wind turbines, wheat and canola fields and the first of the grape-vines.
I decided to detour to a little church at Eunate, it is octagonal, surrounded by arches and a shame that a tour bus pulled up just as I got there. (there will be photos however)
So I walked back, and am currently in Puenta la Reina (I just had to ask someone where we actually are).
Feeling pretty good. I think tomorrow we´re only heading for 31km?? Taking it easy!
Catch you all later.
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dan
non-member comment
A slow leisurely walk
Its good to see you are taking it slow and not exerting yourself. It sounds amazing! Good job so far, onlu 27 more days to go!! Very proud of you. Dan