I'd never felt this way before. Fear was taking over, my thoughts were about to start snowballing out of control as we drove to the airport. I'd traveled so far to embark on this journey, yet I was so tempted to just turn around and go home to the comfort that I know as my life but before I knew it we had arrived. My bag was checked in and as I walked to the departure gates to say goodbye to my parents which I'd done so many times before but this time it felt different. My mother had a look in her eye and I knew what she was thinking 'you might as well be four years old heading away in my mind'. Funny how it doesn't matter how old we get or how far we go in life, in our parents eyes we'll always be their baby, but she knew I was a grown up and had to what I had to do.

As I sat and waited for the flight I looked around at all the different people waiting to get on a plane for work a holiday, visit loved ones or like myself only new where they flying too but had no idea what was to come. When I landed in Biarritz the feeling came over me again it was so unsettling. As I waited for my bags Australia popped into my head,only seven years prior to this I had packed up everything got on a plane and traveled halfway across the world to set up a life in Sydney not knowing anyone or anything there, yet here I was only a two hour flight away form home and I was allowing fear to take over. Suddenly I spotted my bag grabbed it, took a deep breath and walked out of the airport.

Before I knew it there were loads of us on the bus heading to Bayonne to catch the train to Saint Jean pied de port where we would all begin the same journey,
Camino de Santiago. Saint Jean wasn't what I expected at all it was much bigger but come to think of it anything that had happened that day up until this point wasn't how I had envisioned. As we all walked into the town where nobody knew anyone, it suddenly dawned on me that we were all in the same boat and that everyone else was probably running on all kinds of different emotions. I went and found my hotel but couldn't get the key until 3pm and it was only just after midday, I thought my nerves what am I going to do until then! I realised I had to go and find the tourist office to collect my scallop shel and Camino Passport so off I went exploring the beautiful cobbled streets in search of other pilgrims. I ended up having lunch with three people that I had met back on the bus to Bayonne, we were all so happy to sit and have some food. It was fascinating that we had all met about 3hours ago and we're chatting as if we knew each other much longer yet nobody knew anyone's name. I looked around and thought no one is being labeled as a teacher, hairdresser accountant or whatever we were all just simply equal.

I walked around the town for a while after lunch with a lady I'd also met on the train, she was just a beautiful soul. She was from cork and reminded me very much of my friend Ger back in Sydney who funnily enough is from cork also lol but to me in a weird way it was like a sign that Ger was there with me for that short time and it gave me a sense of comfort. It was so effortless strolling and chatting and as we said goodbye for the evening I wondered would we bump into each other again on our travels, as I walked away I smiled and thought yes out paths will cross again.

I went back to the hotel and checked in, the room very simple but I just wanted to book something decent enough before the big day tomorrow. So I had a shower and wondered back out to go and have a glass of wine and unwind before bed. I ended up bumping into three other Irish girls that I had meet briefly at the airport in Biarritz, they were sat outside a bar just up from my hotel so I joined them and we just chatted,again so easy and relaxed we all agreed that it was like we knew each other years. After chatting for a while I suggested if they wanted to meet in the morning to start the walk together and everyone was very happy to do so as it's going to be a very hard and long first day and will be nice to have some support as we set off.