A rebel without a clue.

Mucus, is it mucating. I'm an mucating a lot at the moment. Blowing my nose into the wind and wiping my fingers on the seat of my pants. What a way to live? Taking it on with me. Definitely changing clothes on the morrow. Sweating everywhere. Up and over, down, through and repeat. We'll talk about it later? Woodpecker hammering and grasses yearning; the season leaps into frame: bountiful spring. Long day. Worthy of some medal or an award. 35kms. Walking from just gone seven until after five. Obviously had a few breaks - four in fact. The part between Pont de Fier and Chanaz was flat and straight. Which is why it was possible. If the hills of the morning had kept on I'd be dead, fallen in a ditch with crosses where my eyes should be. The hosts are great they've given me something more valuable than anything: a beer, a shower, the possibility of laundry and another beer. Then sausage and potatoes for this evening. See them later. I must finish this La Goudale and switc...

It is better. Being alone to recover a weary body. So fatigued yesterday, but had that inability to relax properly. Some tension and anxiety was in my mind. The usual questions. Why am I flogging myself like this? For which I will never have an answer. Perhaps for the hell of it? Or to prove I am not a complete waste of flesh, blood and bone? By seven I will have crouched on the hole in the floor and then I will meander into the valley and, maybe, away from the relentless Bisse? It's definitely behind me now. The town clock struck the quarters and the offices of the day until about eleven, but at that point I was drifting delirious into sleep. Later in the night a muscle at the back of my head decided to spasm. But I think I've had eight plus hours to recover. The Zurich guy I've left behind. His sad visage was not helping my tiredness. I'm thankful I didn't have him in the double bed and don't have the steep incline to Chaumont to deal with. Day three!

Stopped for a snack at Charly now have four hours walking to reach Chamont. The Gîte communal was open. So I took a credencial stamp and a couple of 25cl Kronenbourg. Back on the way as the wind picks up again. More of a country way today, this morning. Drovers path heading north west and mostly up. My food ran out as I froze solid on a picnic table, on a cross roads before heading on a muddy track into a forest. After a bit of trying to hide away from the stiff Bisse I thought better, so continued on, eating the remainder of the Emmental and drinking both of the petite beers. There weren't any shops, banks, boulangerie at all and, although I'm finally horizontal, the last few kilometres were very steep and totally exhausting. The Gîte is simple, but I'm on my own today which isn't really a bad thing. The toilet is outside and below here, and it's one of those toilets you crouch down on. Haven't seen one of them in ages. Quite funny really - squatting is pret...

By six yesterday evening I was overwhelmed with fatigue. It was the first day I've walked on a Camino path since August/September with any intention of doing more than a couple of days. Combined with little sleep for two nights, the hell of airports and the heavier than usual backpack I ground to a halt at the end of a chapter. Anna, who was heading to a Yoga class, called us to dinner at seven and I could hardly stifle a yawn the entire time.  Having hastily consumed a tasty curry I apologized to the other pilgrim - from near Zurich, Switzerland - for really needing to lay down. Now it is just after five thirty and I think I'm a bit early for the hostess, but I am less absolutely tired and I've the dawn chorus to myself. Only day two as well: so how far will I meander today? The other pilgrim, a retiree who also left Geneva Tuesday morning, is snoring in the room next to me. He complained about not being able to find anywhere to kip in Neydens, as the extra few kilometre...

There is a wonderfully warm sun shining in through the large patio doors heating my body, which feels a little bone weary. A little earlier I took a walk to the Eglise in Beaumont, but that wind really takes the edge off any real power from the sun. The lady at Home Saint Pierre told me it takes 5 degrees off the temperature easily. It feels like it is brushing the glaciers and snowcapped peaks and blowing it down the Rhône valley. Even with several layers it's no fun standing still. Much better when walking with it behind or to the side, but I don't need to stand around really. The village has nothing else to look at. The view is amazing with mountains to the north and west, but I'm better sat in a comfortable chair with a woollen, warm, deep piled carpet beneath my feet? Sometimes I think French people are very lucky with their country. Rurally it's absolutely top banana. It's staggering. Like many countries it has real difficulties, but it's heart is held hi...

It's nice to hit my stride rapidly and regardless of the bad night's sleep. Last night I destroyed Robert's lamp twice, and the second time it was truly broken, then inadvertently I walked into the wrong room, switching the light on in his daughter's bedroom: luckily she was in bed so no incident there and I went next door instead. After breakfast, a malted oat affair with honey and fruit, the first part of the morning was along the lake and crossing the Rhône into old Geneva and up to the Cathedral, which was closed until ten. Having asked advice I was shown into Home Saint Pierre for a stamping of the credencial and was allowed to have a little more breakfast - bread and creme du Marrons and another coffee. Then it was a straightforward 22 Kms blown all the way by a gusty cold wind known locally as La Bise. In Neydens I ate lunch from 12:15 until one, then I had to go up and over the long foot of a mountain: the grassy part to around 800 metres from a piffling 560 me...

Raclette, Tomme and pomme de terre. All the way into night. Beer, chassalas and the sound of freight trains throughout my dreams. Bellevue before Geneva. Robert of LA, Stanford Alumni, is the patron and I am blessed all the day. Walking on the right bank of Lake Genève. Emmental, Tomme, tomatoes, bread, cornichons and avocado for the day ahead. 7.5kms before Cathedral Saint Pierre and before Neydens for today. Time to enjoy the sunrise, etc and say bon chemin.