Day 2 Orisson to Roncesvalles

Today I start with this post in my sleeping bag on the top bunk in Albergue de Roncesvalles. It's now 21:42 and lights out are at 22:00.
Thought I would sneak in a couple of sentences prior to silence and darkness. Well, silence is not really a word you can use as snoring is the order of the day.

What a day this has been........
I left Orisson at 8:00, one of the last to leave as usual. I hate the process of packing my backpack and it usually requires three repacks as I cannot seem to get it right. Missing my Rob in a big way as only he really knows how to pack properly.
As we left the glorious Pyrennes well not so glorious as the weather turned sour, so much so that I heard this evening that the pilgrim office in SJPDP warned people not to do the Napolean route today.
The problem is we were 8km's up and the time we left it was still fine. So we pushed on and up from 600 metres to 1400 metres. The weather moved in, a lot of mist, we even missed the the Virgin Mary statue.
Rather mystical in this weather, well so I thought. I was fortunate to meet two retired British ladies (sisters), Charlotte and Jane, walking at my speed. I was bit nervous to do this on my own, people die up there in bad weather.
Note my backpack weighs 15kg's with water. 5 kg's above what I should be carrying, oh well I need my stuff no matter where I go.
We stopped for a snack and then I just froze, note to self do not stop walking when it's near freezing point without the correct gear. My hands went red and I could not feel them. So boer maak a plan, pulled out my seal skinz socks and used them as gloves, worked like a dream. From there we just kept going up and it got colder and colder, by this time the British ladies were also feeling the pinch. The only way to solve this, pick up the pace from 3km's per hr to 4.
Finally we reached the highest point and then it was a long road down to Roncesvalles with a lot of snow on the road and some rain. I must say I smiled when I saw the monastery in the distance. I would not recommend walking downhill without the walking poles, took a lot of pressure off my knee.

The first person I thought of when I walked into Rouncesvalles, was my dear friend Lynette Rouncivell, her surname says at all, was nearly moved to tears in that moment.

I checked in at Albergue de Roncesvalles at about 13:30 with my two british friends. My bed number was 162, a floor with about 200 beds, 3 showers and 3 toilets for the men. The Albergue has been renovated, only open for 1 month, rather comfortable for a hostel.
After my shower I was sitting on my top bunk chatting to the American guy next me when I heard my name being called. It was Linda Tyas from South Africa, she found me. We were both so excited that I nearly fell off the bunk bed. I met Linda at the Camino workshop on the 5th of March and then visited her in Veldrif two weeks before I left. I think the other crowd around us knew the South African's had shipped in, we were having a very loud moment.
The two of us set off into Roncesvalles, one of the smallest towns I have ever seen in my life. There are no shops. We found a pub that sold goodies, that helped a bit as I need a little brekkie of some sort before I leave in the mornings.
We booked in at the hotel for dinner, we were served veggie soup to start, trout (with head), no I did not eat the eyes and a tiny yoghurt for pudding. I must say the red wine was good. On my way out of the hotel I bumped into the couple (76 & 78 yrs. of age), met them in SJPDP, they walked 27.5km's in one day, huge respect from my part.
Then Linda went to mass and I went to fetch washing followed by a visit to the wifi section.

Today was really awesome, I met lovely caring people, especially the volunteers running the Albergue.
I have found the Camino family is forming and it's really special.
Lets see what the next chapter holds.