‘Twas the Day Before Camino…

As mentioned in my last post, the “travel” day was totes heccas. Here’s a quick summary:

• The Uber to the train station was smooth enough albeit frustratingly slow and he drove the longest way possible.
• I caught my train with a few minutes to spare only to receive a call (left message) during the journey to say the flight was now boarding 1hr 10min earlier than previously advised. So now I was already an hour late.
• I had already checked in online but still had to queue to check-in my sacrificial suitcase containing my pack, poles and a pocket knife.
• Immigration = huge queue. Tick, tick, tick. Nuff said.
• Security check… Of course I was the random person requiring a full emptying of carry on as well as having to put my boots through. (See pic of my selfie stick set-up. Ha ha)

• Raced to my gate 45min after boarding time and was ushered straight on. Phew, made it but no time for food or coffee or toilet etc
• Flight to Abu Dhabi and went straight to gate. Waited awhile. Mass exodus of a SE Asian tour group – I don’t know why. Then started hearing murmurings of a gate change. Sure enough… off I trot some 20 gates away.
• Flight to Paris. Through immigration again, grabbed checked luggage and then off to figure out where the TVG train station was (had to use free Airport wifi)

• Train to Bayonne with a tight changeover midway. Basically exited one train and had minutes to step onto the connector.
• Train… Bayonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port… getting exciting now ’cause we’d essentially shaken most of the locals loose and this train was full of wide-eyed, backpack toting, and like-minded fellow pilgrims.
• Beautiful scenery surrounded by towering mountains reminding us all of the day ahead walking over the Pyrenees Mountain Range. I would be lying if I didn’t have that “what am I doing here moment” albeit with a huge grin on my dial.

• Hiked into town without the aid of the internet, ditching the sacrificial suitcase in a bin on the way and found my way to the Pilgrim’s Office.
• By this time it was about 7:30pm and the office wasn’t going to open for another 30min and then only for 30min. I waited.

• Got in. Got my stamp and headed off to find my alburgue (in the wrong direction – it was dark and I had no internet/gps).

• Turned around after about 10min walked back the way I came. Found my albergue where they were on the verge of giving my bed away ’cause town was full with an influx of Spaniards and beds were scarce.
• All shops shut so no water bottles for me 🙁
• Limited meal options at this time short of dining in a restaurant so I ordered a takeaway savoury crepe and headed back to the albeqrgue.
• Quick Shower ’cause there was a curfew, put gear on charge and went to bed pretty much.