After resuming my walk on 11 September without any problem the next day proved difficult: I “developed” a strained muscle in my the front of my left leg which made walking difficult. A night’s rest might solve the problem, I hoped, but not so. On leaving Cahors and after climbing up a steep slope, which was quite OK, it was walking on the flat and downhill which proved uncomfortable – to say the least. I decided to stop and rest for a few days. Suddenly, another 22 km seemed a long way let alone 1200! My normal walking speed is about 4 km/hr; it took about 4 hrs to do 10 km on Tuesday. Frustrating this is, having to sit around in the sun waiting for one set of muscles to mend while others, in excellent condition, become flaccid and weak! What value training?! I always did say the intention was to walk to Santiago, but the body must be willing.
People on the route were very helpful: they offered pills and potions, told me all about their ills, aches and pains – but were able to carry on! New relationships I was building up with other walkers have now come to nought but there will be others amongst the “Camino Community”.
So now I am resting……and I hope, as Churchill once said, that this is not the end but only the end of the beginning.
Lately, on Monday in the monastery in Vaylats where I was staying I met those I have dubbed the “Gang of Four”; 4 old boys aged in their high 60s or 70s going to Santiago, one equipped with a backpack plus wheels (for use on roads), whose philosophy is to let tomorrow look after itself without booking beds or worrying about where they would get to; the “Noisy Ones”, being the group of women I met on Tuesday whom I had recognised from the day before in Cahors, not so much by sight as by the amount of noise they made – and which quite amused them; the man who had walked part of the route 2 years ago (stopped because his mother died), and who had met an 87 year old man who said to him to come back in 2 years time on the same day and eat truffles with him and have onion soup, so here he was about to do this! He’s walking from Blois to Santiago and back next year: 3000 km over 7 months. Then there is the 20 year old who has been living outside at night until she was soaked in a storm and is now moving into gîtes at night……
By the way, at the last pause I reduced the weight of my rucksack to 12 kg (including water and food), so it has been easier to carry. I reckon that is the best I can do.
And finally an amusement:
Several men are in the changing room of a golf club. A mobile phone on a
bench rings and a man engages the hands-free speaker function and begins
to talk..... Everyone else in the room stops to listen.
MAN: "Hello"
WOMAN: "Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?"
MAN: "Yes"
WOMAN: "I am at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It's
only £1,000. Is it OK if I buy it?"
MAN: "Sure ... go ahead if you like it that much."
WOMAN: "I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2005
models. I saw one I really liked."
MAN: "How much?"
WOMAN: "£26,000"
MAN: "OK, but for that price I want it with all the options."
WOMAN: "Great! Oh, and one more thing.... the house we wanted last year is
back on the market. They're asking £950,000."
MAN: "Well, then go ahead and give them an offer, but just offer
£900,000."
WOMAN: "OK. I'll see you later. I love you!"
MAN: "Bye, I love you, too."
The man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are looking at him in
astonishment.
Then he asks: "Anyone know whose phone this is?"
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