On the other side

Sjoe, today we crossed the Pyrenees! Only 26km took us 5 hours 18min.

The Prev day we did 22km to get to Bayonne with bikes and then we took the train to St Jean Pied de Port. It was a small train full of pilgrims - it felt a bit like first day of high school - everyone checking each other out: thinking if they can do it surely I can too! There was also the experienced who warned us because they saw our bikes - apparently its harder if you have the (loaded) bike and yourself to get over the Pyrenees :) We just kept calm, but I must admit I was scared!

Our first Pilgrims hostel felt like a 5 star hotel compared to camping, and the Pilgrims office was so good, and very impressed by the SA pilgrims credentials. We were so lucky that there was a big Basque festival on when we arrived in St Jean, everyone wearing white and red and having a big party with cheap food and drink :) Basque men were spontaneously breaking out in song in the pubs: very cool!

We were quite overwhelmed with finally arriving in a place with such history and significance, joining so many on another "Groot Trek"

We set off early this morning, and from the start the inclines were incredible and once again we were warned by the walkers. At one stage it became so tough we had to leave one bike behind to push the bikes one at a time up the rocky track. It became very misty and rainy on the mountain and quite cold. We befriended some Israeli's who told us they prayed for rain because the heat will be very bad! Their prayers were answered.

Well we crossed the mountain safely and it waz Epic: exactly what we like - a nice hard challenge...

Buen Camino!

(PS: Special thanks to Sanet for all the 'raad')