Day 2:  Orisson, France to Roncesvalles, Spain  September 23, 2022

I had a great sleep and after a bad breakfast of only baguettes and jam, I began my first walk of any distance.  The French use a red and white stripe to show the way.  It’s everywhere-

The walk from Orisson to Roncesvalles is 16.8 km- 

and I would have to say that is the longest walk I’ve ever done in my life.  I still have a long way to go-

 Along the way-

We entered Spain and the province of Navarra-

The walk wasn’t nearly as up and up as yesterday but the views were as beautiful-

I bought a sandwich in Orisson because there is no village along the way.  The only food available is from this lone food truck.  He had boiled eggs, fruit, hot chocolate and coffee –

I was very glad I had that sandwich because I got dizzy a couple of times so my apple and sandwich helped alleviate that.  I wouldn’t want to be going down on the path, miles from nowhere!

There are monuments everywhere-

When we arrive at an albergue, we have to remove our shoes and keep them on the boot racks. There are a lot of people here because this is only half of the shoes-

I had another pilgrim supper which was very good – trout, vegetable soup and dessert and then stopped in at the pilgrim mass because we had heard there would be nuns singing and of course in a stone church the acoustics are excellent.  Unfortunately there were no nuns so I left early. I walked out of the church and a thick fog had settled in and I got lost. I had to stop in another dorm to get help to find my way home.

I think I’m staying in the penthouse of this monastery.  I am on the top floor and there are about 40 beds in my room but on the other floors there are bunkbeds instead of singles.  I am very lucky.  There might be quite the chorus of snores tonight-

I have already met some great people-  Helle from Norway, Marjanne from the Netherlands and Helma, who is 76, also from the Netherlands-

I’m looking forward to tomorrow and hoping to get as far as Zubiri which is about 21 km. Ideally I would like to get away from the preplanned stages that most people follow. The Camino is very busy and if I could do that I would not have to worry about accommodation. As it stands it is seeming a lot like one has to make a reservation and that is not the way of the Camino. I will see how tomorrow goes and then decide.

Day 1  Saint Jean Pied de Port to Orisson, France  September 22, 2022

I had a lousy sleep but I still was able to make the 8 km walk to Orisson. Breakfast was at seven and pretty good.  We had omelettes - a little protein is always a good thing when you have a strenuous walk ahead-

I was on the road by 8:15-

and dropped off my luggage at the courier office – they make two trips to Santiago every month so I will pick up my larger backpack once I arrive in hopefully 37 days.   It was either the Korean or the Japanese girl who left at 3 o’clock this morning! I can’t imagine because it’s dark until 7:30.  Maybe she only has a week to walk the whole 800 km. I’m not sure.

Leaving SJPP there was a sign saying that Orisson was 8 km away and that should take two hours. Two hours I thought?  Are you kidding me?  For 8 km? I checked my phone and it was 8:45.

Along the way-

The Pyrenées are small mountains but very beautiful. I’m on the Napoleon route which is not passable in the winter.

Most of the 7.4 km was uphill and worse like hole #3 at the golf course-

We walked on a small highway and I had to be really careful that I was on the edge when a car went by because there wasn’t much room for me and it.  Arriving in Orisson at 10:45, exactly 2 hours to the minute!, I could hear a vehicle coming up behind me and so I moved right off the road onto the grass because there was a path. A tractor with a cart went by and I think if I had been on the road either he’d have hit me or he’d have had to go in the ditch.  That kind of scared me so I will be making sure I get off the road from now on!  The French are very patient with we Pellegrinos. I have not once heard a horn and some of these silly people walk in the middle of the road as well as on the right side.

Orisson Is nothing more than a restaurant-

dorms for 28 people and a lovely patio-

It’s a big rest/lunch stop for pilgrims and many carried on to Roncesvalles which is another 18 km away.  It’s where I will spend tomorrow night.  I decided I better make a reservation this afternoon because there is talk that the albergues are full and that would be very bad if I got there after a long day of many kilometres only to have to keep walking to try to find a spot in the next village.  

At the pilgrim supper tonight-

we all introduced ourselves, said where we are from and where we hope to go.  There are 3 Québecers, 2 from Toronto and a woman from Saskatoon and me.  It’s a time to make connections that will  continue throughout the walk as we are all on the same schedule, more or less.  

Today I met Tracy from San Francisco, Helle from Norway and my roommates are from Israel, Florida, The Netherlands and North Carolina.  Except for the two women from the Netherlands, we are all single women travelling alone. 

Tomottow’s walk will be easier than today’s but it may rain.  I hope the French/Spanish weather people are as “accurate” as ours!

Bayonne to Saint Jean Pied de Port, September 21, 2022

 I had a great sleep even though there were 10 of us in the room. They were probably wishing I hadn’t arrived because I coughed a bit and then dropped my iPad noisily on the floor. I slept until about 9 which was awesome and then I had breakfast –

Croissant, a slice of brioche and part of a baguette! And usually I don’t eat much bread, ever!  Oh,oh!

After breakfast I crossed the Adour river -

to explore the old city of Bayonne.  It is beautiful and it was a lovely day.  The streets are narrow-

There were 650 homes with wood trim like this in the 1700s.  Few remain today-

A specialty of the region is the Basque cake.  This one is citrus flavoured and very expensive-

Another Basque specialty-

Nico loves castles-

Hayes tractors-

And Andi unicorns-

The Bayonne cathedral was started in 1213 and has two magnificent spires that are more than 80 m high–

The stained glass windows in the nave and choir are lovely-

In the chapel of Saint Jerome, which dates from 1531, the windows show Jesus exorcising a SyroPhoenician woman‘s daughter –

I found an Orange store and was able to get a Sim card and data. Saskatchewan may have high mobile phone prices but 30 days cost me $55 but that also included a 10 euro Sim card. At least I’m set now for the next month.

I caught the train to Saint Jean Pied de Port. Along the way –

SJPP is a medieval town in a walled city-

I visited the cathedral and lit a candle to start this spiritual journey-

Interesting grocery store items-

A local beer-

I will have my larger backpack sent from here to Santiago so I made those arrangements. We had a communal supper at the hostel and I met people from Israel, Germany, Sweden, the US, Korea and Japan. The owner of this hostel, Andrew, is from Australia and he bought the building five years ago and remodelled it. He says it’s a great place to live and it is truly a beautiful town.  He also told us this is the busiest time on the Camino and people are having a hard time finding accommodation.  Hmmmm…

Where I’m headed tomorrow-

I’m feeling better today about this big walk.  I am well rested  and looking forward to the morning. I think it’s going to be OK!

Paris to Biarritz/Bayonne, France

September 20, 2022

My flight from Calgary to Paris was 8 1/2 hours long with an eight hour time change. I arrived at CDG (Charles de Gaulle) about 12:30 PM. I had a good seat on the plane and slept a lot; in fact the only time I was awake was when I was woke up to eat.  

North Battleford made the cut –

I don’t know the name of the plane I was on but the windows darkened automatically.  Even at 10:30 this morning it was still “dark” out and then all of a sudden it was daylight!  There were no shutters, it just happened automatically. The food was pretty good and I sat beside a couple from Paris who spent the last month touring Alberta, British Columbia and some American states.

The CDG Airport is very comfortable. I have spent the afternoon on a very wide and soft couch. I slept a lot so I’m hoping I won’t feel much jet lag.  We board in about an hour.

September 19, 2022 Saskatoon to Paris!

Well the time has finally come! I am sitting in the Saskatoon airport waiting to board the first leg of my flight which will just be to Calgary. From there I will catch a flight to Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Paris and then later tomorrow evening I will fly to Bayonne/Biarritz France where I will spend the night and then explore a little bit in the morning provided I am not exhausted. Travelling east knocks the shit out of me so hopefully I will be able to sleep lots on the plane and be well rested when I finally get to France.

Jane and my wonderful grandchildren brought me in to Saskatoon. 

 We visited with my mom and dad

and then they dropped me off at the airport.

I am not sure about this trip.  Although my memory isn’t that good, I’m usually feeling pretty excited when I finally get checked in, through security and to the gate but so far I’m really not feeling it. I have had two excellent years at home – spending lots of time with Jane and her family, seeing my parents often and keeping busy working. But, I decided when I was turning 60 this past November that life was too short to sit around and not travel. However as I’m getting older, it is getting harder too.  The things I’m doing and the places I’m going are all things I have wanted to do for a while and so it is time.

I know the next seven months will fly by and I will be home before I blink but at the same time I know I will be missing a lot being away from the people I love.

Because I am walking the Camino Frances, I have a slightly larger day backpack than I am used to. 

It weighs 15 pounds and that is all I will have with me for the next 37 or so days. All guide books say it should only weigh 10% of your body weight so I am OK weight wise.  It’s a well fitting backpack so it should be OK but it’s hard to see over it when I’m carrying it in front and I will be carrying my larger backpack on my back at some point.  I hope it won’t be heavy and cumbersome.  I may have to find a Sherpa to accompany me on this trip! Or maybe I am too old for all of this!