Day 1

Left my accommodation at 9am, misty morning, couldn’t see far in front of me. Got on to The Way  easily and it immediately started to climb the hill on a road. Cool morning so I had merino, hat and polar fleece on. Took a half hour to get hot enough to take a layer off. I had decided today was a short walk as it was climbing. Didn’t want push myself on first day. We climbed and climbed winding up the hills, quite steep. The mist cleared and hills appeared. Cattle on ridge lines, sheep in the paddocks, houses dotted everywhere. Very green and beautiful country. It did continue to go up and up, arrived at Refuge Auberge Orisson at 12oclock. I think I had climbed 650m. I walked 15.3km.

Along the way I met a man from Romania, who was sitting on the side of the road. He said he was waiting for his girlfriend as she had lost all her paperwork, she had stopped to change clothes and must dropped it. The next three I talked to were from Auckland Nz, couple my age, they were walking with their daughter to Pamplona.The next man I spoke to was German said he was staying at Orisson but thought he might carry on as it was a short day and he only had two weeks. Then I caught up with him later and he said he had to go back to St Jean Pied de Port as he had left his credit card in his car. Guess he was getting 30km walk in today.He dropped his bag off at  accommodation and headed back.

I arrived and had some lovely vegetable soup. Then I met Kirstin from Rotorua but living in Melbourne..probably in her 30s she lovely , we had chat and I got to my room. Did laundry and sat in sun.So pleased I had decided to stay here tonight as if I was doing the whole 24 km uphill I may given up on first day. While sitting in the sun, started chatting to an American couple probably my age and a younger American girl who had lost her bag on flight from America to Paris. So she waiting for that to arrive.

Dinner was at 730pm and everyone gathered in the dining room. About 40 people were there, they got everyone to introduce themselves and where they from. Lots Americans, a few kiwis, German, Spanish, Danish, Japanese, and Argentina. We had a lovely communial meal with lots red wine. After dinner I meet some Irish ladies in the shower from northern Ireland.They were a hoot. Slept ok until early morning.

Blessings

Angel