A rebel without a clue.

Another boring day. Perhaps without the wind directly in my face I'd not be pushing myself to arrive so hurriedly to the end of the walking day! There was a small highlight when I crossed through a small regional park with dwarf oak trees, leaning together against the frigid winds, where I stopped for lunch huddled against their shelter from the gale which gave me a chill yesterday when I stopped for food!  Once passed this promentary I had the longest straightest boring-ist section of 7 kilometres I've every had - actually Landes was far more boring, except for the tree cover! Now I'm in Pétrola and I can't be bothered to move - some fine olives and a beer, but I feel weary suddenly! *** In every Albergue a different challenge. This one I can't recall how to light a calor gas fire. I'm holding down buttons and I'd made sure the canister is full. But I'm lost. It used to be the time the button was held down ... But really it's so long since I sat nex...

It's freezing this morning - la Mancha for it's temperature ups and downs. Heading across the road for breakfast of champions: tostada con tomate and to listen to the jumble of voices I cannot fathom - their conversations could be witty, dense, deep or banal and I will never know. Politics in Spain heading to extremes it seems: haven't we been here before? Could there be a military Junta in the 21st century? If only all politics could put aside their differences to find the common ground, but humans don't like to compromise. We want to control existence in all its guises! Something didn't digest so well during my sleep and I work up with palpitations, sweating heavily and thinking I'd left with the keys! How strange as I was still in bed! Less intense day today. 20 something kilometres. Apparently there is a pilgrim a day behind me: the host of the Albergue wanted to give me a lift forward yesterday but I refused and he informed me. If I take a rest day at some ...

Saved by the vines. It was the longest day! 35 Kms into a gale. It's the hardest day I've know. Gladly it didn't rain. Some ominous clouds along the horizon, but they, somehow, stayed there! Today was exceptionally tough. Now I am enjoying local Jumilla wine, but the locals seem unimpressed by the wonderful thing they have all around them Monastrell grape is divine to eat and the wine is definitely helping me off to a warm bed! It's only old men holding up the bar I stumbled into and the first one I struck, before I was taken to my bed for Sunday, the girl behind the bar is their granddaughter and she's totally in control. The tapas is good and the vino is exceptional. I'm heading to the Restaurante near where I'm sleeping and if it's not open I keep warm until another day beckons! *** 101 years since the end of the "war to end all wars" and wars are still happening as the result of western imperial arrogance, Russia ignorance and, usually, mal...