A long day travelling

Hey guys,

We left on time early this morning and I squeezed into the back seat in between Benbino and Bambini. At one point I had baby bottles in each hand trying to sort both boys at the same time.
That said, AngelOne(Sarah) was a star and drove us there no problem. Unfortunately, about 10minutes after we had been dropped at Stanstead, I had a text from her to say she was going nowhere on the motorway as there had been an accident and that both boys were screaming at the top of their lungs in the back. Poor Angel.

Our flight was delayed due to a technical problem. It isn’t great if you hate flying when you watch your intended plane being worked on and lots of shaking heads from mechanics
Anyway, the flight wasn’t too bad. The Cyclist stuck his head in a kindle book and tried to pretend everybody else wasn’t there. I was sat across the aisle in the window seat with a Scottish lady and her 2.5yr old granddaughter for company. I think the girls high pitched squeals made it more difficult for the cyclist. I thought she was good though and she sat on my lap to look out of the window.

Biarritz was grey, sodden and thick with cloud just like it was at home when we left. We will have to come back when it’s sunny. I think we both coughed at the taxi fare to the hotel. €30 for a 5mile trip. Still we had no other option. The people in front asked if we were going to St Jean which is tomorrow’s start point. That’s a long old journey of about 80mes so heaven knows what their fare will be.

Our hotel is across the road from the rail station where we are on an early morning train to St Jean Pied de Port (SJPP). The physiologist will be eased to know we went out and got some dinner so we are fed ready for Le Grand Depart tomorrow. The aim, once we get there, is to find the Purim office to get registered and have our first stamp on our pimgrim passports. Then find a chemist to get some strong fly spray or bug spray to ward off bed bugs. I sprayed my sleep bag with pesticide before coming out as a precaution. And the outside of my pack. I then packed all my stuff in separate special bags that squash down like vacuum packs and have watertight seals so should they drop in water, they float and the things inside stay dry. The Cuclust says I am mad and has used a black bin liner inside his pack. Not me. Mine are colour coded and it’s all waterproof so I’m thinking they shod be bug proof of I’m careful where I open them. This is a post from a camino forum member aimed at helping people new to walking the Camino.

http://caminosantiago2.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/dont-let-bedbugs-bite.html?m=1

If knowing we will be in communal dormitories in bunks or on mats on the floor to sleep wasn’t enough, we have to be on the lookout for these blighters.

Time for bed now. No wifi tomorrow I don’t think. We will be 2/3 way up a Pyrenees mountain on Route Napolean.
Wish us luck. See you soon. X

4 Responses

  1. You get bed-bugs from 4* hotels in Scotland. You may find hostels are better. Take care. Janie asked if you were raising money for Kemp Hospice?

  2. The physiologist will also be pleased to know I made you both a hearty, healthy breakfast too then; Bircher muesli! Not sure if it was an accident as after about 20 minutes the traffic suddenly started moving again & I didn’t see anything? The services stop was fun though in heavy rain; Mal had messed & Ben had wet so much his jeans & top were wet! Anyway good luck xx

  3. I’m getting a lot of early mentions! Am i that much of a whinge when it comes to food? LOL! Thats good organisation with the air tight bags but surely once you open them the vaccum disappears?? Are you walking near water? Kyle has the right idea, lump everything into one binbag! MAN PACKING!! Did actual LOL at the spraying of the sleeping bag with pesticide, you are funny! Anyway, i hope you both have a safe journey and i have a new phone witha maddive storage capacity so feel free to add me to groups!! Good luck xxx

  4. Prepared, separated, sorted, colour coded, organised – I think the miracle is happening already!!