Day Two. am

Just bounced out of bed around a quarter to seven. Packed up ready to get breakfast. I am to help myself as Vanessa wakes up a little later in the morning. But that's fine.

During the early morning some sporty car appeared to be idling on the street outside so I got up and shut the windows: otherwise a rural French silent night: until the reversing sounds of the binmen.

Much rested once I could switch off last night. A few things running through my head: Chantilly will be expensive? So my intentions may not come good. There's always the other direction, back to Compiégne where there are a couple of Acceuil pelerin. But this morning I get to Saint Leu d'Esserent... And sort out the footwear issue?

Burning my mouth on 'Gold Blend' Nescafé Special Filter and a bowl of Cruesli with Greek style yogurt. It's a cloudy morning looking out onto their garden with the above ground swimming pool.

Intense dreams during the evening, but they're now fading memories: it will be the Neufchatél playing havoc. The hostess left me a piece which I ate around noon with the egg and banana. It's not the same as stopping for repase at lunch. It's never enough to recover.

These feet! Let's start another trial of pain, but first a real coffee at the Bar on La Place Cantrel. None of the vagrants this early in the morning: the cluster of dirty faced men, and one scruffy dog, stood all day besides the Diagonal Supermarket (the numerous times I passed) until it started to rain.

Perhaps there is another way to spend a morning coffee in French towns, but I haven't found it. It's the same always. A cluster of elderly gentlemen drinking spirit around a nodding patron making all the money at the expense of drunks. That's the problem with landlords - they're making money at someone's disadvantage. But I need a coffee to force my finial defecation before I hop across the road, buy a sandwich and start the pain all over again.