Day 2. Valcarlos to Roncesvalles. 16km/10m

Up and up and up and……..

I am lying in my bottom bunk in the new Albergue at Roncesvalles and am both thrilled and relieved. We all left at about 7.30 this morning and I walked with Aussie Annie and Morgan and Lilly and then just with Sylvio and Titiana. We kept a slow but constant pace during a fairly steep climb of about 12km. We had light rain for the last hour only and the mist came in as we finished so we had fabulous views. I was very tired but not exhausted. Sylvio and Titiana were excellent company and encouraged me with their gentle Italian all the way. We are awaiting the arrival of Annie and her brood as the going would have been even tougher with two children. I’ve re-met my roommates from St Jean and met two lovely english brothers. When I arrived here I met an Australian lady called Leone and as we had a two hour wait for the Albergue to open, we went to a nearby bar and chatted over coffee and had lots to talk about. She worked for the CEO in Sydney for many years (I worked there for 4 yrs in the 80’s). She’s a nun so I fessed up to my atheism. We may well walk together tomorrow.