Day 4

So it turns out Jesus Could not handle all that cheap red wine. I was made aware of this in the morning when I asked someone what the rubbery pink bits were sticking to my socks. Turns out it was the pasta I had cooked last night and I had slept right through its regurgitation and the subsequent attempted clean up operation. Jesus had slept in bunk underneath me and luckily apart from his own clothing the only other items he had turned purple were my beanie and another girls bra.

Today was a short walk with the highlight being a stop in Pamploma. We got rained on almost the whole day apart from a short break which allowed us to take a few nice photos...

When we arrived in Pamploma wet through morale was low. However after getting into a warm dry bar for a coffee and some pintxos (Basque tapas) spirits were lifted. I also bought two glasses of the Basque liqueur Patxaran only to find out my companion was unable to to drink alcohol. Luckily in true Camino spirit another Pilgrim came along to help us out. The stuff was like a very large serving of pink Sambuca, two glasses would have flattened me.

The hostel we are staying in now is very comfortable.  Our group has our own room and we were able to have use of a washing machine. 

Day 3

I had expected to sleep like a baby after all the walking but I probably only slept for five hours. This however was not due to snoring. Several people had warned me about the loud snoring I would encounter but of the 13 people (mainly men) I was sharing a dorm with only one was snoring at medium volume.

Jam and bread to start the day again and then we set off into the snow spurred on by a Korean chap with a beautiful voice singing us a song. I was really impressed with this guy, his English was very limited but he did his very best, blurting out random aspects of Korean culture we might know such as "Gangnam style" and "Ji-Sung Park". He got very excited when I shouted "Korean BBQ" back at him.

Halfway through the day we suddenly emerged from our winter wonderland. This was a relief as conditions were icy and I had slipped onto my bum already. Most of the day was spent walking with a fellow Brit who was mainly doing the Camino to evade Tax. He'd just come from working in Africa and needs to stay out of the country for a few more weeks. We had some nice chat and he got me thinking about maybe working on an Oil Rig in the future.

During the day I became separated from my Camino dad and when we reached todays Aubergue was very sad to find out he had carried on further. Maybe he decided I would be too much of a drain on his resources if we went all the way to Santiago together.

The village we are staying in has no restaurants this time of year so I bought some supplies from the "supermarket" (a little farm shop ") and with some help from the other Brit David cooked up a hearty pasta meal for us and four other Pilgrims. After the meal we gave ourselves Pilgrim names. So I, Jane the Baptist am sharing a dorm with King David, St. Anthony, Jesus, The Prophet and The Son of James. Jesus and The Prophet are currently still knocking back a few bottles of €2,50 red wine from the Supermarket. I personally am saving myself for walking through the Rioja region!

Day 2

I was woken up in the morning by the kindly Mr Hello (again apt). I thought I was fairly familiar with French culture but I was surprised on asking where to coffee cups were to be directed to a pile of bowls. Apparently it's standard in France to have a bowl of tea/coffee for breakfast and dip bread and jam into it. After emotional goodbyes to the two ladies running the hostel a band of five of us set out assuming all the others knew where we were going. Once we realised this was not the case, got our guidebooks out and asked a few locals, we found the start of the "easy" route to our next destination (the other was closed due to bad weather). Our rag tag group consisted of two Germans, a Lithuanian and a Pensylvanian. This group gradually reduced through the day untill it was just me and one of the Germans who I have adopted as my Camino dad. I taught him a few new English phrases such as 'best of a bad bunch' (Angela Merkel is the best of a bad bunch), 'this is a goldilocks walking pace' and 'I am hangry'. The last phrase particularly concerned him when I explained that I can become very angry if I have not eaten. So every mile or so he would produce a large bag of goodies which included apple he had dried himself and large bars of chocolate. I was very grateful as there was nowhere to stop for lunch and there was alot of walking uphill in the rain whilst we made our way through the Pyrenees. The last part of the walk was through snow and we got snowed on which is actually much nicer than being rained on. We got to the hostel with plenty of time to relax meet other pilgrims, shower and have a hearty dinner with a few wines. The first day is supposed to be thw hardest which must be why everyone, at just after 10pm has already gone to bed. Not sure Roncevalles has much night life anyway!

Day 1

As I closed the door of my flat and I started walking up my road I was hit with the realization that I had started my adventure ... less than one minute later I realised I'd forgotten my phone charger.
                                                         
Take two ... I was privately chauffeured to Stansted courtesy of a very empty easyjet Coach. Then on arriving at the airport I allowed myself one more indulgence and doused myself with duty free fragrance hoping it might last untill Santiago. I'd only had three hours sleep the night before so I shut my eyes soon after take off and then woke up in Biarritz. As this is the main airport serving the Camino Frances I kept my eye open for fellow Pilgrims and within minutes I started finding them and had my first taste of the comraderie which is such a big draw for all those who join the Camino. A three hour wait for the train to St Jean gave me some some time for inner preparation which according to my guide book is just as important as the outer. On arriving in St Jean I latched on to a fellow pilgrim, the rather aptly named Monsieur Hello. He kindly showed me where to get my Pilgrim passport, took me to the first Aubergue (Hostel) and then found us somewhere to eat. After being warmed by this kindness I returned to the hostel for a very different experience. A German man was going bananas at a Hungarian father and daughter because his bag had been moved (to the bunk under mine!). They started grabbing each other at one point but in the end the German chap decided to end his Camino and stay in a Hotel. This was very sad, he had told us earlier that he was doing the Camino because his late wife had done it. So ended my first day. A mixed bag!

Ready to go (I think!)

Think I'm ready as I'll ever be!

• Boots broken in CHECK (Thank-you Go London group for the amazing practice walks)
• Bag packed and less than 10% of body weight CHECK (8.25% - boom)
• Head shaved - chickened out!
• Job left CHECK (I do have another one lined up for when i get back)
• Route carefully planned and accomodation booked NOPE (just follow the yellow arrows and jump into a hostel when I get too tired)
• Emotional goodbyes - Only gone for a month and I Should come back. Still, has been a good excuse to contact friends and family.
• Entertainment CHECK (Most looking forward to 1984 on audio book and having a moment listening to the sound of music soundtrack)
• Excitement CHECK
• Fear CHECK    
• A strong sense there is something I've forgotten CHECK

Camino here I come!