Wednesday, 2 May St. Jean-Pied-de-Port

My French companion set out to catch her train at 5 am, I wished her Bonne Voyage. I asked Madame Etchegoine about the launderette and dropped my things off to be completed by midday. I went to the cycle shop I had passed on my way in and bought a new SRAM chain for the bike. Also visited the Champion Supermarket and bought bread, cheese, ham and apples.

I found the post office and got a medium flat-pack box to send unwanted items to Santiago. I then cleaned the bike and gears, and disposed of the old chain. After lunch at the “Hôtel des Remparts,” I fixed another broken spoke, fitted the new chain and gave the bike a road test and adjusted the indexing.

In the afternoon I met the new inmates, a Chilean couple and Raphael a Flemish Belgian. He came in and seemed very tired. I helped him off with his pack, which turned out to be a two wheeled barrow for his gear. The bolt for one of the wheels was broken. He spoke Flemish, French and good Spanish, but only a little English. We managed with a combination of all of the last three! While I went to the post office with my parcel, he got a new bolt at the local garage. When I came back he seemed to be struggling so I helped him fit the new bolt and wheel. He told me that he had Parkinson’s disease. Later when we were having tea he told us all that he goes hang-gliding. He also had been climbing on Mont Blanc at high altitude to get fit. This helps him at lower altitude, because his body works more efficiently. I can only admire his courage. It makes my efforts pale by comparison!

I visited the Pilgrims’ Office again for information about the route. I was advised that the Valcarlos route would be best.

I had my evening meal at the Gite and followed up with a couple of brews of Camomile, with some of my Carob “chocolate” in between. I was slow getting off to sleep due to the traffic and snoring. I used my ear-plugs for the first time and they worked - a good nights sleep!

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