Days 3-5 - Lourdes, France > Roncesvalles, Spain

I've arrived @ the Roncesvalles refugio where I'll be doing voluntary work these next two weeks. The building's three storeys are completely stuffed with pilgrims; They've put me in the old house, where the hospitaleros stay sometimes (i.e. me), but they may have to send the next pilgrims there as well. It's crazy.

But let's go back a few days to tell you how I got here.

** St Jean-Pied-de-Port **
Monday night I stayed in St Jean-Pied-de-Port, at a 400-year-old house with a very nice owner who cooked his guests dinner. The many languages at the table reminded me of the many Camino group dinners I had last year <3 They had an internet room there, allowing me to voice chat with Paul for a bit. The computer didn't get my camera though, so I couldn't upload any pictures.
I met a few interesting people on the way there: An Australian couple - one of whom had survived mucous membrane cancer and wasn't exactly looking forward to climbing the Pyrenees in one go - and a retired American gentleman. Not the cheapest place to stay unfortunately, but all the cheaper ones were full. There was a cheap spot left at one place, but the hostess insisted I walk around barefooted, I wasn't allowed to use my slippers, while the place reaked of rat piss. No thank you.

** Orisson **
Yesterday I started my climb through the Pyrenees, making for my room @ Orisson (France), the only place to stay in this part of the Camino. The American guy tagged along, but he walked ever so slowly, holding me back too. But the long trip was worth it: This place was absolutely beautiful. It reminded me of an alpine shelter, with its wooden beams and the stairs outside around the back. There was nothing else here except this hotel: No town, no stores, no nothing. Just us and the view really.
Me and a Danish lady tried to wash our clothes, but the washing machine turned out to be a dryer, and what we took for a temperature setting was really the timer. So no luck there. But we had a lot of fun doing it :)

** Roncesvalles **
Today was sunny, but the road here was tough: A 12-mile walk with very strong winds (got blown off the road a couple of times), half-dried muddy snow on the road, and still about half a foot of fresh snow beside it. But my wonderful shoes carried me through just fine; I'm not even tired yet! I walked here with the American again, as he didn't want to make trip by himself. He wrote a few lines in my journal, telling me how much he enjoyed his time spent with me. Sweet.

These past few days have seen fit to bless me wth a bad case of the scoots. I hope I'll feel better soon, tomorrow is a day off for me. My two weeks of voluntary work here start on Friday. I'll let you know when I experience something worthwhile :)