Big feelings on the start line

You can start your camino anywhere really, and there are lots of routes to Santiago de Compostela.

In the modern era St Jean Pied de Port (SJPP), a small town near the border on the French side of the Pyrenees, has emerged as the starting point for the route I'm doing - the Camino Frances.

Which is to say I've been thinking about it for a while and it's pretty surreal to be here.

The train from Bayonne to SJPP was a tiny thing, I think the trackless tram I got to Bayonne might have been bigger. It was so exciting to see other people with backpacks and sensible fabrics, I think we all got a buzz out of each other.

First order of business was registering as a pilgrim and getting my very important credential, basically a pilgrim passport that lets me stay at pilgrim only hostels and collect stamps to demonstrate at the office on the other end that I've done the walk. I knew this office was volunteer-run but the sight of these white haired, multi-lingual, kind angels did give me a bit of a pang.

Turns out I was right and the Napoleonic route is closed until April due to weather, so tomorrow will be straightforward with only one option available, via Valcarlos.

Rolling into town without accommodation plans is a crime against my planner nature but it's the point, and I intend to get more comfortable with it. Today certainly went well, and you can't book the majority of pilgrim hostels anyway.

Municipal ones are usually the cheapest, and the one here has 36 beds, split between 3 rooms. I snagged one for €12 including breakfast and was so happy to see a fridge and freezer (meds ugh) I nearly cried. VERY auspicious start!

Bit of recon, some cat action (gets its own post) and look at that, it's started raining (the sky was threatening). It's wild to be here. Big feelings. Walk starts tomorrow.Read more