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Hola!

I have managed to safely cross the Pyrenees AND continue walking after the ordeal! I say ordeal, but the experience was spectacular. I had two obstacles that made crossing the pass a little harder than it ought to be: 1) my own fault, I am carrying far too much for this trip. 18kgs, to be precise, when the recommended weight is 10% of  one´s body weight. That leaves me 11kgs over, and 2) it was incredibly windy in them thar hills. So windy, in fact that, with the excess weight of my bag, it was at times impossible to take even one step forward without waiting for the gust to ease.

Ascending the Pyrenees

Orrison rest stop, 8km in, 500m up. Closed for two more days.

Close to the top...

Getting cold on the Route de Napoléon

The view was amazing though, and I stopped up the top to make a sandwich with some roquefort and pur porc sausage that I´d bought in St Jean (on bread with little bits of fig, yum!). Photos will have to describe the rest. The Internet at the hostels can be quite expensive.

Roncesvalles was the  destination after the Pyrenees, we arrived at 3 and the hostel didn´t open until 4. There is nothing else in Roncesvalles (other than some churches, a bar and a monastery- no houses?), so we sat, sore feet, sore backs, sore legs, and waited to ´check in.´  Later that evening me and the other ´pilgrims´ joined in the bar to eat the 9 euro pilgrim menu. Bean soup, beef stew, and a tub of yogurt with wine and bread… was ok.

Accommodation on the first night...

My friend "Ko from Korea" out in front.

On leaving Roncevalles, I jettisoned a baton (walking stick that I´d purchased only the day before) an airline blanket, a belt, and a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird. This was not enough, and after purchasing food for 2 days (nothing open in Spain on Sunday, I was told – have since found this not to be true).

Ko approaching Larrasoaña

I have kinda met a group of people and we have walked together for the last 2 days, still with heavy pack, thought some of them seem to be in such a rush, and tend to race each other out of bed, and then speed along at pace. In keeping up with them, I have missed a bit, and so will fall behind tomorrow. I will be posting a good deal of weight from my pack to Santiago. I will make do with a lot less, and have a much more pleasant walk I´m sure. I don´t´care how much it costs me to send my stuff on, my shoulders canna cope no more, I will be waiting at at the doors of the post office tomorrow morning promptly at 8. It´s been 62 kms with hardcore heavy bag. I feel I´ve earnt the right to wear the same pants day and night for the next 30 month.

Camp in Pamps

I am now off to check out Pamplona with some fellow pilgrims and yah. Early start tomorrow.

Love Mark