Leaving Europe.

Scott's Pub again. I've just done the tourist thing. Luxembourg, although ridiculously expensive (€18 for a bacon cheeseburger in Scott's), is interesting. Take away the Gucci/LV/Rolex Grand Rue in Haute-Ville, because it's always there for those who have nothing better to spend their money on, and it is an interesting town. It's history stretches back into another epoch: especially below Siegfried's burg (Lucilinburhuc) in Grund by the Alzette leading to the Moselle, north-north east of here. It's noon so time for another Cheeseburger! At some point I will venture back up to the Altstadt and find the local Vino ... Time is on my side ... and I will walk to the airport as it is little more than 5 kilometres from me!

I'm hogging the fire, because it's a pretty cold day outside, they forgot to turn on the radiators so everyone is getting too paranoidly close to me for comfort. What am I like... It's the "Delay" stage now. And I don't think that a generation ago there was anything, or any reaction to a new disease, as to the Corona Virus currently - so I don't know how BJ worked out his "generation"?

No point in spending any money on wine (€10 a glass) when I'm not sure if I'm just being taken for a ride. Luxembourg strikes me as a place which will wring you dry, given half a chance, I walked in to a wine bar and got the once over, looked at the stupid prices and headed back down to Grund.

...

With a little more than two hours before I may drop my bag and pass onto Airside and into "no man's land" I sit alone, but it's actually very quiet here. Because I had some time to kill, and thought it sensible to miss out public transport, I walked up from Scott's in Grund - which was only 8 kilometres. Slightly bracing, as there was a hill between me and the main road leading to the Aerogare, I did the distance in 9kms an hour pace! My lungs are feeling great the last few days, my heart is jumping for joy and, obviously, I arrived at the airport sweating my head off. Just taken the time sort out my drop bag back to the 10kg weight - found its 11.4kg with my coat in it - and allowed my body to readjust to looking like I've not got a fever!

On the way I met a Vizsla, boy, was greeted at the airport by a downpour and a bright rainbow to put me on the path back to Ye Olde Englande - I feel very well but I still desire not to be flying to Stansted, but Leeds! Oh well, c'est la vie. Now I'm on a quest to find the "free" water on Landside: simply a swindle to make people pay €2.90 for Spa water (because it's in short supply)!

Airside and a couple of Battin on tap to take me into the final hour prior to departure! Although I'm nearly back I'm still 200 miles from friends, family and Lola and I reckon I'll be wiped out financially until April. Does it matter?

What did I just do? I walked from Ash Wednesday until Metz (except for the day I met Mike, Werner and Jenny the world famous Frankfurt white Arabian horse and drank way too much Apfelwein in Gelnhausen). A grand total of 14 days on my feet, in all weather, 445 kilometres. It's not bad. And I'm already thinking of the next Way! Back to Salamanca thence to Vigo via Portugal.

The flight slowly fills and I'm yawning. A long few weeks and interesting times! Goodbye Schengen area!