Sunday 18 April 2010

Sat in Moissac with the Memories












19 days in and taking a rest day,the knee and back hurts and if truth be told I need to do a big wash before my entire wardrobe starts walking to Santiago by themselves.
 the days have starting to merge into one big long walk sleep eat and walk again world and its hard to retain the memories of what has been a hard but great walk.
 Certain moments stand out the 34K  walk to Aubrac and on to Espalion being the pinnicle_the elation of walking to the snow capped peak and then the long mad walk down into spring will stay with me a long time .
 Spring it seems has now turned into hot glorias Summer  my pealing nose and red face a testiment to my Englishness.
 The landscape too has changed from the pine woods through to the long lanes lined with Plane? trees and the rivers and canals  running through the the now more frequant larger towns.
 The walk from Le Puy to Conques is a Camino in itself a great start and to finish sleeping in the abbey makes it compleat.
 My walking companion for most of the way has been Thierry the last of the Jonnie Depp camino,s the others long since gone home or retired hurt_Sonia is still about and turns up now and again each time minus more lost items.
 With my thoughts on the big picture of Santiago 1500km down the road I have been putting in too many long 30 plus days in,( not always intentionally as its easy to get lost trusting red and white stripes that try and take you on a 54k detour round Cahors****) using the 45 year old Thierry as my rabbit as we burn up the miles down this rocky road thats so hard on the feet.
 Thierry now goes back to Paris ( train strikes permitting ) and I have decided to slow down and take each day as it comes as I continue on this day by day increasingly busy road

9 comments:

  1. You are not alone Ian. There is a forum of admiring but envious peregrinos reading your blog, walking with you in spirit but without the knee and back pain! Courage amigo!
    Big hug,
    Sil

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  2. Thank you Ian....photos are inspiring.
    Jo

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  3. Beautiful photos Ian.... thanks for sharing them!!! I loved that walk down from Aubrac, walking from winter down into spring as well.....

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  4. Fabulour pics as always dad, summer has hit the UK this weekend too - have been sunning myself in Hyde Park - feeling very lazy in comparison to you!
    Take it easy, maybe even find time for a postcard!??!

    Jen xXxXx

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  5. Ahhhhhh actually I remember those signs near Cahors..... I yelled out at some grateful people to let them know they were going in the wrong direction!

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  6. Ian - it sounds like a really hard slog, but I have faith you will persevere and reach your goal. Many supportive thoughts from the forum are with you!

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  7. Wonderful Pics! Thanks for taking the time to share them. I look forward to you posts immensely. Karin

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  8. Wow, Ian, I can't believe you are in Moissac already! Brings back such great memories for me of the French camino - this time last year I was starting out myself. Believe me, the Pyrenees will seem really easy compared to what you've just done!! Bon chemin pelerin. Jo NZ

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  9. ALL looks like its going well. Looking forward to my leg next week (though not sure my "legs" are).

    Till then

    sx

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