Hagetmau

Be content to follow rivers: they are not artificial, although dredged or straighten, but the water has no human cause? Roads, fields, etc, are lines we have drawn, boundaries to be protected and bastions to be erected. All here is maize. In the fog I perceive machinery standing ready. There is definitely more hills. I'm fully into dawn walking.

Here we are on the outskirts of Hagetmau. Had to go all the way to the swimming baths to return with a code for the door ... This makes no sense. The Office de Tourism is nearer! Stranger. Must be a Basque idea.

Feeling a little distant from the real me today. Which is a common malady. Earlier bought a stew at the Relais Basque, which was made from tongue, but it was a little underwhelming if this is piquant in Basque? Too much meat recently: makes me lethargic. I was hungry, but I paid the price and felt ripped off. So what. Stupid mind. Too much beer. It's getting to me. That's the problem. One beer becomes two, becomes a few, it's predictable and I'm blind. So I'm not doing anything else. Clear out the system. This Gîte is so far from the town: tomorrow is 28 kms.

Ventured to the Carrefour on the outskirts of Hagetmau. Trying to retune my head after too many days on bœuf. Easy. Lentils and tomatoes, rice. But there is no herbs, spices or salt at the Gîte today. Someone left a glass of white wine and a pot of creme fraîche. Quite a nice bit of grub. Dutch ladies force a glass of wine on me, but that's it I'm horizontal.

Two Basque gentlemen have arrived. They're walking from Bazas to home - Saint Jean pied-de-port. Their accent is hard to work out. I think they speak French? Not so sure and it doesn't matter.

Going to forget it's Friday night outside. They've gone to eat dinner. So I can do nothing. Some meditation. There is nothing I need from a bar tonight - every night. So far no hangovers in France. Walking everyday won't allow it. And it's unnecessary. No hangover. That's such a huge difference: no wasted days at all. OK I had a few in Bazas, but not so that I lost the plot. Tomorrow's destination is Orthez. I'm having a conversation with myself ... One of relentlessly many.