Arrived safely to St. Jean Pied de Port

I have literally just arrived in St. Jean after a long day that began with a lovely free breakfast at the Hotel in Stansted. I had beans and egg on toast with a couple of sausages at about 8:30am. I checked in ok and then just sat and read the paper until it was time to board, which also went smoothly. I had been expecting an upset at some point today during my travels but it was yet to come if there was to be one.

The flight was good, bit of a turbulent landing and the girl next to me kept falling asleep on me. It was lovely flying into Biarritz as you could see how green the area was. The flight took about an hour and twenty minutes. Boarding my flight I couldn't see may other pilgrims but once I had collected my bag there was a fair few of them. I knew where the bus I had to take to Bayonne was and I was expecting the #6 bus as this is what my research had indicated. Instead it was the #14 and I jumped on with everyone else, no big deal. After about an fourty five minutes on the bus we arrived at the Bayonne Train Station. I followed the crowd and grabbed my ticket by testing my French skills by expertly stating where I wanted to go, "St. Jean?".

There was a long wait for the next train and I decided to just sit in the station for the duration and stared into space, watching people come and go. I talked briefly to a woman from Canada doing the Camino with her mother. After about an hour and fifty minutes the train came. It was only a single carriage and it was one that powers itself, nothing to pull it. The ride was lovely though I kept having to fight to stay awake, I barely slept due to excitement last night. I could see the Pyrenees (sp) as we approached St. Jean in a journey that was an hour and twenty minutes long. We traveled most of the way alongside a fast river and I saw a few herons, the scenery was fantastic.

Upon reaching to St. Jean I immediately walked to the place that I have booked for two nights rest. I will be exploring St. Jean tomorrow and getting my Pilgrim Passport which enables me to stay in the Pilgrim only accommodation along the Camino. There is also a Pilgrim museum and I want to check out the shops, I am hoping to get myself a walking staff and a shell too to hang off my bag to let people know I am a pilgrim. The place I am staying is nice, lovely room with a great view. I think there are only two of us tonight and I have a breakfast to look forward to tomorrow. I am absolutely wiped out so I am most likely going to skip dinner for tonight, I just wanted to let you all know that I am safe. I am chuffed that I got here with no problems at all as I was dreading this part of the trip. Over the Pyrenees Tuesday, weather permitting.

I will check in again tomorrow.