The First Day

I am here to tell the tale that I have survived the first day. On Thursday afternoon Ralf Paro took me to the airport, and I had the usual flight to Madrid. Usual in that I didn´t sleep a wink. Anyway at Madrdid airport I got a bus into the city to go the the big bus station there. I duly got a ticket for Pamplona and at 10.30 am the bus left and made its first stop - at the airport. Ah well, at least I can say I was in Madrid. After changing busses at Soira, I reached Pamplona about 3.00pm and then caught the only bus for Roncevalles at 6.00pm

PS excuse any typing errors. This keyboard is all in Spanish and the spellcheck only checks Spanish.

Roncevalles is in the mountains and it was a hair raising trip through many blind haipin bends to get there. At the Abbey I checked into the refugio with about 100 other pilgrims. I decided that I would start from Roncevalles and not from St Jean as the walk from St Jean is too difficult. That night at 8.00pm I attended the pilgrims mass and the priest read out a long list of countries of pilgrims - including South Africa - me. The pilgrim list included places like Korea and Russia and Japan and Argentina and from every continent except Antarctica. At the end of mass there was a blessing for the pilgrims setting out the next day.

After mass I had a bite to eat and then rush back before the curfew at 10.00pm. Lights out at 10.15pm. Pilgrims need their sleep. The next morning lights came on at 6.00am. By 7.00am I started walking. As you leave Roncevalles there is a sign saying Santiago de Compostella 790km. Just to encourage one.

It was misty and cold as we left. But exciting. Pilgrims were leaving in a steady stream. The cyclists tend to start later. It was all so new at first - keeping an eye out fro the yellow arrow which marks the way; walking through little villages and farms; practising ones few phrases of Spanish.

It warmed up nicely by 10.00am. After about 4 hours of walking, I thought this was okay. I can handle this. After 5 hours - different story. Wondering why on earth I was putting my body through this torture. Interestingly, the uphills were no problem really. Exhausting but okay. It is the downhills that get me. Every muscle in my legs was aching after the last half hour which was a steep descent to Zubiri. The flats and uphills are fine - just the downhills I struggle with. But I reached Zubiri by 1.00pm - 6 hours of solid walking - with breaks for cafe and bocadillos etc along the way. In Zubiri I found a refugio to sleep in, had a shower, washed sockes and clothes and then had a siesta. I will try the menu del perigrino - pilgrims menu at a local eating house, and then we will see what tomorrow brings. There is a wonderful camaraderie among the pilgrims and I have met many interesting chracters. Communication is fun with so many languages around.
That´s all for today, folks.