Pamplona is beautiful. Arrived late left early but did the tourist thing. Checked out the bull ring and this magnificent monument. I was happy to see the bulls winning.

Bussed it too St Jean Pied de Port, France, found the pilgrims office and became official pilgrims.

It was hard work for Dozy Dave. Checked into our accomodation and checked out the town.

Met the rudest man I have met for a long time today in SJPdP and he was a bloody Aussie. Saw another Aussie today. A galah and he was on the shoulder of a bloody big galah that was walking him through the busiest part of SJPdP. Go figure!

Having a good nights sleep in a real bed, ahhh the joys of travel. Been in the air and on the road for nearly 40 hours. Had one big oops moment when Distracted Dave nearly did my Camino serious damage today. At the bus changeover in Soria on our way to Pamplona he pulled his backpack out from the jumble in the bus’s hold grabbed a black backpack and headed for the next bus. I threw David’s backpack into the hold and as Distracted Dave began trying to wedge ‘my backpack’ in the real owner was desperately trying to take it off him. Well it looked the same he countered. Well yes Distracted Dave they were both black. And she was taking the other bus so it would have been a huge oops. Why was he distracted? His mind was on other things like finding a toilet in The 10 minute changeover time as our bus didn’t come with the luxury of a toilet. In fact it had definitely seen better days.

Now the last leg of the journey but that can wait until tomorrow when we catch a bus from Pamplona to St Jean Pied de Port.

David complete with huge yellow purple bruise is finally airport ready. Bags have been packed and unpacked several times but gotta watch Sneaky Dave. He keeps insisting i just need another pair of socks, another pair of jocks. He doesn’t believe me when I tell him that three pairs of socks and jocks is all he needs for seven weeks.

David decided today he should give his house a good clean before he went away. To clean the nearly 4 meter high bathroom ceiling he needed his step ladder. Guessed it in one. He miss placed his footing as he began climbing down. Result one broken toilet seat, sore hopefully not cracked ribs and a bruised hip. Good one Dangerous Dave. Between my deadly cold and his acrobatics I’m wondering if we will even make it to the airport. And now he wants sympathy.

Wednesday and nine days til we leave and I was feeling lousy. Sore throat, aches and pains. If I hadn’t had my flu shot I would have sworn that I was getting the flu. Oh well I guess at least it is 9 days before we leave and not one. Time to get over it and hopefully not pass it on to David.

It is a beautiful day for a walk. The polar blast has moved on through Sydney and it is a calm day here in Melbourne. I should keep training so I think I’ll go for a walk. Water everywhere, the ground soggy underfoot but I wouldn’t have this problem if I stuck to the path.

Wattle in full bloom added a touch of colour. The clouds thick as I began to walk. A small ray of sun snuck a look through the clouds and I turned my face skyward appreciating the extra warmth. A few small patches of blue quickly grew to half the sky. Steam lifted from fences and in my jacket and scarf I was beginning to feel overdressed.

Oh how fickle the weather. The clouds gathered en mass and blanketed out the blue sky. Not only were the clouds victorious but they are doing a victory rain dance. It is now cold and very wet. Not feeling over dressed at all now.

Only two weeks to get our backpacks sorted before we head to Spain. Well France initially. David and I will be doing a slow walk of the Camino Frances starting from St Jean Pied de Port. It will be my second walk and Davids first. I walked it by the book four years ago but this time we will be taking it slow.

Watching the Hawthorn (go Hawks) GWS game in Canberra and it is snowing. Hardy souls in their disposable ponchos watching the game and even hardier players in their shorts and sleeveless jumpers. I know I said in my last post that I was enjoying the cold…but this cold! Think another couple of years of conditioning before I could be joining them and even then I think I would need to have battery operated long johns with mitts to keep me warm enough so I didn’t freeze. Maybe the novelty of the snow is keeping the thoughts of how cold it is at bay.

A chilly polar blast is throwing its weight through Melbourne, reminding us that yes, it is still winter. Usually adverse to the cold weather I haven’t found it too bad this year and I have been enjoying my brisk walks. I keep thinking that this would definitely be preferable to the 41 degree days that Spain has been experiencing. David and I are off to Spain in 2 weeks to walk the Camino Frances and I have been praying that the heat wave they have been experiencing is long gone. So something I never thought I would say but cold weather isn’t too bad after all.