Day 2, Roncesvalles to Akerreta

 What lies ahead

Another big day, but easy compared to the heroics of the day before.
This was one of my longest days - 30km. Because of the predicted rough surfaces I wore my tramping shoes, as opposed to the running shoes I'd worn the day before.
Breakfast at Casa Sabina in Roncesvalles was a highlight for being the most miserable. Unless I missed something, it consisted of a glass of juice and a piece of toast, plus coffee. Because they were catering for the pilgrims in the monastery next door, the dining room was all laid out when they opened the doors at 7am. The toast and juice were on the tables, but there was no sign of anything else.
They did have some very nice filled rolls to buy for the day ahead, so I grabbed one - later regretted I didn't grab two.

 Goodbye to the Casa Sabina

The temperature was great - I wore a hoodie for the first hour.

 The paths at first were smooth through nice green forests.

I was blessed with good company. Firstly Anna from Ireland, who was walking with a family group.

 Anna from Ireland on a picturesque bridge.

When her group stopped for coffee I linked up with young Connor, a very earnest 18-year-old who'd been at my table for dinner the previous night. We were joined briefly by the 32-year-old Spanish man from the same table, but he was anxious to press on, so walked ahead.

I spend a pleasant 30 minutes walking with Wendy from Taiwan.

In each case, either they would stop for a coffee, or the conversation would lapse and one of us would just drift off. It's one of the nice things about the Camino that there are no rules about politeness in this way - we're all doing our own Camino.  

I briefly walked with an Italian woman, but it was too hard making conversation.

My Spanish friend kept reappearing. He was a fast walker, but liked to stop from time to time, so I'd catch him up.

I tend to walk at an average pace compared to others, but I don't stop much.

After starting at 7.25am, my first stop was 3hr 40min later, just after 11am, when I devoured my sandwich.

This was the moment when I wished I'd bought two.

My lunch break took ten minutes, and then I was off again. It was some time later that I caught up with my Spanish friend again. I joined him for a nice cool glass of lemon juice, but again, only stopped for ten minutes. I left him, but inevitable he caught me again, only to branch off at the 25km mark at Zubiri, in desperate need of a toilet.
Although I expected to see him again, he didn't catch up. He was hoping to condense five days walking into four, so I expect he's continued on and I won't see him again - such is the way of it.
I had unexpected company for the final 5km from Zubiri to Akerreta. As I trudged up a long slope I heard someone behind me. That was unusual, as most people's destination was Zubiri today, so I turned, expecting to see my Spanish mate.
Instead, it was a slightly Gothic German boy, Pierre from Berlin, maybe in his twenties. He had plenty of tattoos, black nail polish and wore his dyed hair in a rather fetching ponytail.
He had a slight attitude and was determined to prove that he could walk the Camino in 30 days (I'm taking 40).
His destination for today was at about the 40km mark, so when I bid him Adios, he still had another 10km to go - more than two hours.
Although the time passed, thanks to the company today, I spent long periods alone. The surface was very varied.

These photos don't really illustrate to roughness of the path, but it wasn't easy going in many places

The hotel at Akerreta - my room is the one at top right. My washing is not visible hanging over the railing 

I was glad to reach Akerreta. Although I'd been walking at a good clip for nearly eight hours, I pretty well collapsed on arrival. Wonder of wonders, there was a bath, so I climbed in and took stock of my physical state between little naps.
The uneven downhill terrain had caused my feet to slide around a little in my shoes, so I had a slightly bruised toenail and a minor blister on the same big toe.
My left achilles was tender and a little bruised, but I think that'll pass.
Yesterday I'd used my single pole in my right hand, but today I changed to my weaker left hand, which left me free to drink water, take photos and look at guide books.
Strangely enough, just before the end I realised my elbow was aching and now I can hardly move it. I had the embarrassment of not being able to get out of the bath until an awkward rolling on to my stomach and getting up on my knees.
All in all though, a good day. Things are easier for a while with 20-24km days for a while. Tomorrow I'm in Pamplona (no bulls though)
Today I've done 35,000 steps
Today's photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UwDFLKbnGVYXjkKbA
(the final ones are taken in the hotel - a very old, scenic building)
The next link is the day's proceedings from my watch - although it shows 28km, most of the maps and signposts indicate 30km.
https://app.suunto.com/move/petergibbs/5cf52b2fb99d96553074ec31