My Camino
Day 1 — Up the Pyrenees we go!
We woke up early in the morning and took a train from Bayonne to St. Jean Pied de Port. Didn’t have time to explore this lovely French mountain town. Went straight to the Pilgrim Office where we got our first stamp in our credentials (pilgrim passport) and acquired our scallop shell, which would be an additional weight proudly displayed on our backpacks throughout our journey. This is the place where mere walkers become peregrinos — pilgrims! After registration was completed we had quite a late start and lots of kilometres to cover.
It was a steep walk to Orisson. Some walkers decided to make it their first stop, but as it was only 8 km from the start we wanted to push on. However Orisson was a welcome break after the climb, so we sat with our coffees and tortillas (first of many on that trip!) and took in the lovely Basque Country views. I was observing other hikers with interest, making mental notes for future references. In Orisson I had identified two different types: first the organised ones — one lady at the next table took off her boots, socks, applied talcum powder to her feet, then reorganised the content of her back pack! Whilst another woman took out her notebook and started sketching — that was another type — an artist. I could safely say I wasn’t neither.
After the break we continued on. The beautiful Pyrenees views are breath taking. On the way we saw many stone crosses, we stopped by the figure of Virgin D’Orisson, we walked through some snow patches — a clear reminder how lucky we were with the weather, so different from the previous week.
Our trial was very well signed by yellow arrows and stone posts. Still sometimes you could lose your way if you weren’t too careful and let your mind wonder. At one point we had descended down a steep path deciding that it was the right way. After a while we came across some Korean guys climbing all the way back. “Is that the wrong way?” — we enquired. Unfortunately the Koreans didn’t speak much English, said something about a gate and that they didn’t know, so they clearly decided to climb back to the main trail. What do we do? We decided to trust our fellow Korean walkers and climb all the way back. (later on we found out that the gate was open and we could have carried on down!) The steep climb back to where I had just come from finished me off. It was an additional kilometre on a very long day’s walk! We reached the first hostel in Roncesvalles exhausted and quite late.
I say hostel — but these are albergues for pilgrims. Reasonably priced (usually between 5–15 Euro per person) with large rooms full of bunk beds (literas) or beds (camas) and basic facilities. This albergue was modern and obviously freshly renovated. Each two beds in the attic room were in their own cubicle with two lockers. Later we went to our first pilgrim menu, usually similar choice of starters and mains — meat or fish with chips and some desert. Vegetarians don’t have much choice (that’s why I introduced fish to my vegetarian diet — hence became pescatarian for the duration of my pilgrimage). Vegans don’t have a chance and have to cook for themselves or learn how to explain in Spanish what they don’t eat — as even ensalada mixta comes with tuna!
First night in the albergue, I was exhausted so hoped for a good night sleep. This was only possible when after a few hours I scrambled in the darkness to my locker and retrieved my ear plugs. These little devices are an absolute must for light sleepers. How can you ever get any sleep with this cacophony of snoring, farting and slamming toilet doors! After screwing my ear plugs in (yes, they are the screw in type!) and putting my eye mask on, I found the desired calm and fell asleep. In the morning all was still quiet till I removed all my protective gear and realised the place was swarming with activity, reminded me a bit of a busy railway station. The majority of people were ready to depart, rushing around! Have to get used to the early starts! The albergue locks its doors at eight in the morning and won’t re-open till much later in the afternoon. It’s not a hotel, it’s a pilgrim’s shelter for the night!
