Penultimate?

The last few days I've passed through villages with no bar, no tabac, no épicerie and no marché, as well as no cash point. Just now I was losing my reason, because I had not eaten since breakfast at seven, but luckily in Gite for groups I saw a hastily written instructions welcoming pèlerin in. The door was open but the cupboards were bare! But in the fridge was enough cake to carry some along for later! Was getting a little frantic before then and had tried to eat raw acorns, chestnuts, dandelion leaves and these didn't make me feel this way was working. It was great cake!

And now I am in Lortet but it has no shop, bar (yet) or anything. Three guys are renovating a hotel on the way into town, but it doesn't open for 2 weeks. One of the fellows has given me some food and a beers, but suddenly I feel the overt competitive masculine manner of the guy coming to dominate the conversation. Helpful guy, if a little lost trying to acquire "only the best", but I had to leave and I am now a little lost here sat on a stone, by the bridge, waiting for someone to collect me and take me to a bed!

A river flows north from here, out to join the Garonne, and a part of me yearns to drift northwards home.

As there are no options here for pèlerins, (or if there are the persons responsible didn't answer the phone) I am heading to a Chambre d'hôtes a little south of Lortet for €31 excluding PdJ.

What do I do tomorrow? Do I walk the one last stretch, étape, to the penultimate town before Lourdes, and attempt to get there by evening, or get to Lourdes tomorrow morning and call it a day here now?

Three cows just crossed the bridge. How wonderful to see them unperturbed by me, sat on this rock, lingering and looking at the same river longingly.

They arrived and they've had to take me to an ATM which means they've driven me to a larger town. Almost forgotten what these things are! And I'm in a vehicle: not since the bus from Béziers Airport have I required wheels!

It's time to sleep a long time and see how I feel tomorrow? Oh I never crossed that bridge. Decisions decisions...