Tanya on the ferry

The White Cliffs of Dover (two photos) - and Tanya and Karen

Tanya and Karen having wine and chocolates as they cross the English Channel!!!

After twenty-four hours on the ferry and bus we arrived at El Molino - our campsite near Pamplona.

At the campsite and Tanya surrounded by tents!!!

There were so many tents - me and Kaz were in #366 and Lesley was in four-hundred-and-something!!
Crazy!!

The pool (three photos)

We went straight to the pool cause it was so sunny.

We drank and danced that night away after a great dinner provided as part of our tour.

Tanya and Jarrod and his van

I ran into Tamara's boyfriend by the pool too.
He was on van tour and was camping in his van with some mates at the same place.

It was noisy trying to sleep but it was okay.

Tanya and her group ready to go!!!

"A 'wee one' in his whites - and with his trumpet"

We left at 9.00am the next day to head in for the Opening Ceremony.

Absolute carnage!!!!!!

Tanya, Lesley and Karen - "in their whites and sashes"

......and Tanya is ready for the bulls!!!

We had our whites on and bought a sash as it is the tradition.

The Town Hall "where it all started from"

There were so many people in the main square.
We found a spot by a wall which was handy because with all the sangria, champagne, eggs, flour, shaving cream and water flying around we were able to put our digital cameras behind us to shield them.

Tanya hanging on and getting "a great view"

I am not real tall - as you know - so I was not seeing much.
I was against a door so Kaz and I climbed up it and hung on and had a great view over the crowd.

(two photos)---Midday!!!---(two photos)

At about five minutes before midday everyone holds up their scarves and chants - "San Fermin, San Fermin" until noon and then a rocket fires and the party starts!!
More sangria, champagne, eggs, flour, shaving cream and water flying around and then everyone breaks off and heads to bars and/or parties on the streets.

At that time the scarves are tied around the neck.

There was more people there than I have seen in one place ever.

We were buying Sangria in wine bottles for three-something and swigging it straight out of that - classy, hey?

"Drunk Aussie idiots!!!" (three photos)

We went to the Mussel Bar which is basically a statue that drunk Aussies jump off trying to look tough but really are lucky not to kill themselves diving head first into concrete!!
When you see the photos you will see what I mean - idiots!

"Maybe partied too hard?"

We climbed a hill to an outdoor pub and sat around and talked to some locals and then got the bus back to the campsite and had an early night.

"Spud" on the bus and in his Running with The Bulls Outfit!!!

Up at 5.00am the next day for the first run - the buses left at 6.00am.

The bull ring --- and Tanya ready for the action

We raced to the bull ring - passing a lot of people who hadn´t been to bed yet - and got our tickets and had great seats - third from the front and just waited.
There was lots of chanting going on in the crowd - lots of locals and a great atmosphere.

Part of the huge crowd that was in the ring (two photos)

The bulls enter the ring --- and The Bulls and The People!!! (three photos)

Then the people streamed in - followed closely by the bulls!!
If you have seen the videos it kind of shows how crazy it is - but to be there was unreal!!

The bulls are winning!!!---------------

The bulls that run are for the fights that night so they don´t hang about in the ring but after the bulls are in they shut the gate and let out six bulls one at a time to torment the runners and entertain the crowd.
It was really fun to watch.

"Spud" in the ring

All the boys that ran were really pumped about it (but I don´t know anyone that did it the next day too!)

Back on the bus to camp for brekky and a quiet arv.

But it wasn´t to be!!
News of the bombs in London filtered through and there were messages flying around and we tried to get in contact with friends in London and make sure they were all okay.
They put Sky TV on in the bar and it was packed.
It was scary to think that I was there not so long ago.
Managed to get in contact with all my friends tho so I am glad of that at least.

Lesley was leaving later that day so we headed back into Pamps for a wander and some dinner.

Tarnee, Tanya and Tanya

We found an Aussie bar and I even found two girls that had been on my Cheese Rolling tour - small world.

"Bomb blasts rock London"

Click on the photo
to see the article and photos

We were approached by a journalist to give an interview - about how we felt about the bombs in London.
She took our photo and said we should be in the next day.

We had paella for dinner which was very yummy and then back to camp for Lesely to get the bus back to London - very sad to see her go.

Kaz and I then went to have a few drinks with Jarrod at his van then to bed for another early start.

As we had been in the ring the day before we didn´t see any of the run itself so this time we went to the main square and we watched the whole run from start to finish live on the big screen.
It was the best way to do it I think and we saw the whole thing and even the smash ups in slow motion replay!

A postcard from Tanya - written while she sat at the pool

Back to camp and we packed and snoozed and then it finally warmed up (Pamps was freezing) so we went to the pool.

Then we got on the bus and headed to San Sebastian.

A walk around San Sebastian and a little Church down an alley

It was a two hour bus ride and we were dropped right by the beach - it looked lovely.

We found the hostel and Karen and I were actually in the hostel but a different building.
While walking down the stairs I missed a step and tripped and my bung-knee buckled underneath me and I knew I was in trouble!!
The guy from the hostel decided to move me back to the first hostel as there was a lift but poor Kaz was on her own in the other one!

Dave from the Hostel also took me to the emergency room and managed to get from the doctor that it wasn´t too bad and didn´t need strapping and that I wasn´t to dance and that I should rest for two days.
"Go to beach" he said '- OK by me - doctors orders!!!

San Sab was basically two days of lying on the beach and eating and drinking!

We found a good coffee shop that did capuccino with fresh cream - mmmmmm!!

Tanya and Karen having tapas

......"The best tapas in Spain!!!" (two photos)

The tapas in San Sab is meant to be the best in Spain and it is pretty damn close.
They just have the food sitting up on the bar and you take what you want and get a glass of wine for 80c.
We went to three bars and then back to the first because it was by far the nicest.
Mushroom prawn and bacon skewers grilled in garlic sauce and calamari ones too.
One I had was bread with panchetta, grillled capsicum and cold fried quail egg - that was one of my faves.
I also had one with anchovies because they were everywhere and I figured I had better - was much nicer than the ones on pizzas at home.

There are two beaches in the town.

(two photos)-----The beach-----(two photos)

......and Tanya checking it out!!! (two photos)

The beach and a Statue high on a hill......

......and a closer look at the Statue

The first day we went to one that was in a bay and had no surf.
We lied about for hours and it was really relaxing.
I went swimming in the ocean for the first time since I had left home and the salty feeling was really good and the water was clear!

Another beach---------------- (two photos)------

The next day we went to the surf beach which had more people.
It was harder to find a spot of sand to lie on and I didn't go in the surf because it was a bit rough and my leg wasn't great still - just a bit achy but obviously didn't want to risk it.

Sunset over the beach-------- (three photos)

After that it was back to the hostel to change for dinner.
We went and got takeaway tapas and then back to the beach to watch the sunset.
It was lovely and my photos don't do it justice.

The Conference Centre

The Puente de la Zurrida Bridge and The Theatre Victoria Eugenia

We then had a red wine in a lovely square and back to the hostel.

A postcard from Tanya - the night before she left San Sebastian

Bye bye San Sab - it's time to hit Barcelona!

Tanya sent over the Friday 8th July edition of

because it has some fantastic "action shots" taken during the run!!!

(two photos)---------- (two photos)

(three photos)---------- (three photos)

......and a sequence of five photos where the bull has a win!!!