Over the Pyrenees

Yesterday and last night was a time of many first!

Yesterday I walked 28 km which in itself would have been a feat but what made this an even bigger accomplishment was the fact that it was 28 km and most of it uphill - I was traversing the Pyrenees mountains. This is the hardest part of the journey, or so they say, and it's kind of cool that it's at the beginning: It was like a trial by fire. My body ached so much, but less now than it did last night when I finally arrived at my destination: Roncesvalles. The journey was tiring to say the least and luckily the clouds were protecting me from what would have been enough heat to scorch my will to go on! I've never sweat as much in my life and that's saying something. The last 3,6 km were downhill and I would have thought that would make me happy. But the hill was so steep and my legs so tired after climbing the mountains that I was lucky I didn't fall (both from the hill being steep and my legs just crumbling to the weight of gravity). This was the first day and the night before I had slept on a train, arrived "late" (usually you wake up at 6 in the Refugio's) at 10:00 and didn't start walking until around 12:00. This meant that I didn't arrive in Roncesvalles until 20:30 and the lights are turned off at 22:00 in the Refugio. I had left to eat, shower, wash my clothes, ache in pain and anything else that a person does before bed. Since I could walk 28 km's of this I'm guessing I can walk 28 km a day in normal conditions. I'd appreciate less pain after the journey, during the night and when I wake up, but I'll take what I can get! :)

Sleeping in a Refugio (Refugio's and Auberge's are like hostels for Pilgrims that are travelling to Santiago de Compostela) is like being on a school trip, when you were a kid that is. It's loads of people sleeping in the same huge room and the beds are of course not luxurious, but instead something that'll suffice for the occasion: Sleep! Not that I really slept in the Refugio, I sort of drifted off several times and gained slight conciousness in between. I had never slept in a Refugio, with about 40 people, and the earplugs I took with me came in quite handy (first time for sleeping with earplugs as well).

Even though the first days journey was hard and even though my body aches the trip was awesome. The fog in the mountains and the steep hills filled with trees made the scenery mystical and awe inspiring. I met up with 2 girls, one from Germany and one from Hong Kong, and travelled with them two thirds of the way. We had loads of fun and mastered the art of posing for pictures and silly photography. The hilly countryside surrounding Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port is so amazingly beautiful. And there is little I can do to explain the feeling of triumph having gone over the Pyranees.

Well I'm off to Larrasoana which is about a 25 km walk. I'm about to see what day 2 feels like. Hopefully I'll have time there to let my clothes dry (they're still wet) and wash and dry the ones I'm wearing. Stay awesome beautiful people!