We’re off again – Well Dancin Al is

September 16th friday night party at Prestonfield in Edinburgh , all welcome just give me notice and I’ll give you a ticket, and the schedule after that is simple.

Leave Monday 19th and arrive St Jean Pied du Porte

Arrive Logrono Sept 28th and easy short walk to Navarette 29th

Burgos October 5th so if you fly to Madrid get the train, I’ll meet you at the station and if you want to join me for a stretch of the way – you’ll be welcome. Or you might’ve joined me at Logrono and the walk to Burgos is like a mini camino but avoiding the major hills

Leon October 14th

O’Cebriero 20th

Santiago de Compostela 24th October

and then major thanks to all our sponsors and back to get up to St Andrews for Jim’s 50th and the Deadbeat, Life Support 25th or is it 30th , Anniversary party

St Jean Pied du Porte

We made it up the stairs before our first lapse of concentration.

I was first – I put the rucsac in the box for the scanner – it tilted sideways and the handy 72 different buckles caught in the xray machine and jammed the blighter. This then involved 9 security people advising how best to approach it. Where’s John Smeaton when you need him.

Si then decided to omit all the toiletries advice and offers of poly bags. Something must’ve registered as he took out his suntan cream – I guesd it was an offering – and placed it with his phone and assorted trinkets.

“Who does this sunscreen cream belong to?” Bellowed our man whose day was destined to be hell and was only 15 minutes old.

“Just bin it” cried Si as the offering was duly sacrificed.

“Hoi, are you the rucsac with the toiletries? Toothpaste shower gel shampoo mouthwash and assorted foot creams” sighed mister day from hell and its only 16 minutes old.

“Duh, yup” said Homer Si

“Sod it just go on”, whaurs smeato when you need him, he thought.  It’d be handy if he could fly in and banjo a few of these clowns that are spoiling my day.

“Look” says si pointing at a big sign, “we can buy liquids here to take on the plane”.

“Aye and bin them at Stansted!”

“Aye, a fair point. Go through three tubs of the stuff and we’ve no even left the great UK port”

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Alors – nous sommes en France.

Biarritz ya dancer.

Please don’t snigger – these hills are looking bigger!

I’ve finished chapter 4 in my head of 1000 reasons why I love smoking.

You see, people grump more when they don’t have a fag to take away the strain – and today – on the plane – how topical – as we get ourselves into position for the starting gate and our a penny a step for the children’s charity – there’s parents abusing their children on the plane.

Give the kid a dummy – I’m watching my ears pop – I’m watching the water bottle contract – I’m thinking this is the pressure building in the kids head – SCREEEEEEAAAMMMMMMMMM! – that’s better a full 12 minutes until we bump land the bus.

Parents eh? Who’d be one. Well we have good news and bad news on the trek front. The Bayonne train leaves at 9pm and its currently 3pm

Do we

A. Get pissed and miss it
B. Bump into fellow pilgrims and get a taxi

Or

C. Walk it and see how long it takes to get lost in SW France!

Its France – we’ve got loads of time!

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And now we’ve arrived at St Jean – we’ve just taken another look and already Simon is starting to agree with the Irish women Aileen who’s going to walk to hunto tonight so its 2 hours less tomorrow,

“Oh so why not when I said it last july!”

Let the battles continue – fair play though he climbed the hill and found the shop that gave us the guide and passport (credencial) and also sells b and b for 7 euro.

Now all we need is to find a shop selling suncream!

The problem is, we’re sitting in the shade, with our credencial which gives you discount at the restaurants on tour and already wondering if they hire golf buggies!

Good news is we’ve got a bed and the clothes are still clean!

Cheers from Simon and Al

Class is permanent – Burgos Cathedral

It’ll be no. 1 in the all time churches league.

No doubting it.

Si and I have taken 4 pictures but it won’t do it justice.

We arrived at 11.30 having hoofed it up the road. We eventually crossed town to a hotel by 12.20 whereupon we luckily got a room – such is the way of the camino and we look onto the Cathedral entrance.

We’ll try and post a picture although a link to burgos cathedral would make more sense so here it is.

Whc.unesco.org – actually just google it – it’ll be easier – but it is a world heritage site for a reason.

As well as numero uno for cathedrals – its also tip top tippity top top prices for the saturday afternoon swally.

Normally we hand over 5 euro and get change or at least 2 pints – here in the Plaza Mayor its 2.40 a half. I’m trying to get my picture next to Carlos III’s statue but there’s tourists everywhere. The things us Peregrinos have to endure.

We’ve been sat here nursing our half pint to get at least an hours worth of value from our chairs – but I’m absolutely gagging on a drink.

I’m sporting my new Atapuerca man t-shirt which I had to buy because the thunderstorm last night interrupted my drying tango and black t-shirts. Luckily I brought enough other things although small disaster.

I was washing my socks yesterday – as you do – and I noticed I’m wearing them awfy thin, and that’s the thick ones. First Si’s boots, now my socks, is this journey going to destroy all our world goods?

Tune in next week and find out.