Walked hard to get to Pamplona before the storm arrived - it never did! Checked in to the beautiful hotel and had a soak in the bath before taking a walk around this old town. Think I'll give running with the Bulls a miss! Had a couple of reds and a couple of pinchos. So cheap, even with the exchange rate. A glass of red less than $3.00 - even right in the town centre tourist area. 3 course dinner last night including a bottle of wine was about $27. A glass of wi...

Turns out today was t o be 31km. However, myself and a couple of Spaniards took a "bush" tr ack before we realised we had come the wrong way.. So another couple of kms more! A few challenging climbs and descents but quite manageable. Some beautiful little villages. Seems my finger is not broken but torn tendons. Anyway it is very swollen and I can't bend it. It's the middle one so it could come in handy! So learnings so far: Glad I did lots of training. Walking p...

They say this is the hardest day. Well if it is, thank f*#k. Not a good day for pics. Didn't start off well When I forgot to leave the key for the room and had to go back with it. Thankfully only a couple of hundred metres! Poured down, blowing a gale and freezing at the top of the Pyrenees. An "oasis" at the top was a caravan selling hot chocolate. Wasn't he popular. Best hot chocolate ever. Walking with a young Italian man for a little while. He asked how old I...

Slept well. Petit dejeuner, more like grand dejeuner before going to explore the town. Had to have an obligatory pain au chocolate in Ella's honour. Bought some bread , ham, pate,chorizo, and cake plus fruit and chocolate for the walk. Pretty pleased with myself and my school boy French getting understood! Very humid and showers forecast so it might be a little uncomfortable. Plenty of water called for. ��

After 2 flights, 3 trains and a bus I finally arrived in beautiful St Jean Pied de Port via Bordeaux and Bayonne. I will try to attach the view from my room. Non the less beautiful knowing that I have to cross those mountains on Monday. No problems thus far. Hot, sweaty, dry. Nothing that a good shower and a couple of French beers can't put right. Met with a "OK maaaayte" from the French immigration so that put me on a good foot. Clearly didn't pick my English ac...