Day One - to roncesvalles

42,000 steps!  Thanks to my sponsors for today and for the first twenty thousand paces.

I now know personally why it is called hell day! It was almost all uphill. Even the exit from roncesvalles was a steep incline. As I walked the first eight kms, to the first stop at a place called Orisson, I kept wondering why I was doing this. I dreamed of turning around. I dreamed of catching a taxi. I dreamed of just sitting down and not getting back up. I was passed by twenty year olds and sixty year olds. Apparently, going upstairs three times a day for a week to go to the toilet does not prepare one for such a hike - 20 kilometres uphill to a height of 1400 metres (not to mention the last five kilometres downhill). Apparently, I have walked the equivalent of 468 flights of stairs today!

Most of the day it rained. I was very grateful for my rain jacket and my quick dry trousers. Much of the way, as we walked through the farmland part of the Alps, it blew a very cool gale. The wind never seemed to be at our backs. 

There were only two very short flat sections when I could put away the hiking poles and pull out the rosary beads and pray that way. Neverthelesss, I spent a great part of the day in prayer. I constantly offer up a quick our father, hail mary and glory be. I kept an eye on the 5000 steps and prayed the same for my step sponsors. I prayed my way through the rosary a couple of times, counting with my fingers on the hiking poles. I also sang my way through the Abergowrie school song about a dozen times.

THe journey never seemed to end. The last 8kms seemed to take forever. And it was very hard going for half of that as we walked in the wet and the mud, on a stony path downhill. I was very attentive to every step I took.

I was so glad to finally arrive at the Monastery. I was greeted with great warmth, enjoyed my shower more than I normally would and was able to wash two days worth of clothes. 

Thanks to Tamara Wooley for the double sock recommendation. It made all the difference, though the wet didn't help my feet at all.

Dear Aunty Pat and Cosentinos - I made it. O ye of little faith.

I am now enjoying a beer and waiting until dinner time - ten euro pilgrim meal. Afterwards, there is Mass and a special pilgrim blessing. I know I will sleep well tonight - hopefully I will be able to launch into tomorrow.

There were a few little learnings. 

I need to slow down. My normal waking pace is super fast - I never learnt to promenade when I lived in Rome. I had to intentionally slow down my paces as I went. I no doubt have to slow down a bit in real life.

I need to stop a lot. That's ok. It's ok for someone to be fitter and faster than I am. If I need to stop so as to make it to the end, that's alright.

As one Abergowrie grade 9 student said to me last week, when the going gets tough, just think of Jesus carrying the cross. That is true for all of life. After twenty kilometres, when we hit the highest point, the rain started to belt down and the wind blew cold. I just prayed the sorrowful mysteries and kept on going.

Companionship is good for the journey. I was glad to walk for quite a while with a couple form Australia. I would slow down or stop and then meet them again on the next pause. It providedgreat  encouragement to keep on going.

I am having a very hard time posting photos at this bar.