WHEN WALKING

Home to Santiago – Day 42 Messanges to Labenne-Ocean: 32km The one-week family holiday starts today and during the time it takes me to complete today’s walk, my family will be flying the distance I have travelled this past six weeks. Better get a move on. After packing up the tent in record time, I…

Home to Santiago – Day 40 Onesse-Laharie to Taller: 26km Travelling in a group gives the day a slightly different tempo. First thing in the morning, Ulrike leaves on her own path to the coast. I hear her saying goodbye to Chantal. “Maybe we’ll meet again.” Arnaud translates into French, to which Chantal replies, “No,…

Home to Santiago – Day 39 Labouheyre to Onesse-Laharie: 24km I have breakfast with Ulrike this morning. I have my porridge made from the night before, my demi-baguette with jam and butter, a yogurt, a banana, a bowl of coffee. She has a potato from last night’s dinner and is off while I am still…

Home to Santiago – Day 38 Pissos to Labouheyre: 17km We leave our little holiday chalet and set off very leisurely. It is short stage tempo. The path will take us in one straight line to Labouheyre with almost nothing in between to distract us, . I fall behind to look at the church and…

Home to Santiago – Day 37 Mons to Pissos: 32km Gérard assures me this morning that there will be no storms today. They have all passed. Nor rain. Yesterday he spoke to an old man at a boulangerie, who showed him the sky and gave him a prediction far more certain than anything he might…

Home to Santiago – Day 36 Le Barp to Mons: 20km After breakfast, François sets off a little earlier than me. He too has an appointment to meet with his family, and as his is a little ahead of mine, I don’t think we’re likely to meet again. I suggest a photo and he whips…

Home to Santiago: Day 35 Gradignan to Le Barp: 27 km It’s dark when I set off. This will be a new discipline for me, with the 2pm curfew in the forest here. But before I leave, I have a chat with Gérard and Chantal. Chantal likes to practise her English with me. I like…

Home to Santiago: Day 34 Bordeaux to Gradignan: 10km I have all the time in the world to leave Bordeaux, and I take advantage of this. I can’t arrive at Gradignan until three o’clock, and the walk to Gradignan is a mere ten kilometres. This is a luxury I very rarely have, and I’m glad…

Home to Santiago – Day 33 Arsac to Bordeaux: 22km This morning I have breakfast with Brigitte and, let’s call him R, who is getting ready for his day at work. When R leaves, I talk shop with Brigitte and we exchange ideas on teaching and language learning – I realise I have not quite…