A rebel without a clue.

The Swallows are still here in Montréal. Soon they'll head in a similar direction. And then sparrows will be left behind, but they're obviously hardier and will happily have the skies back to themselves. Any warm spell and all insects will be their's too.? I've bites on my head, ankles, elbows, behind the ears too! What are these feathered friends doing as I'm sat here being nibbled? Perhaps they are short sighted? But I heard that birds sense of smell is swell? They must follow me. My forehead feels swollen, but perhaps this is a combination of the effects? Today was obvious. I've not had a migraine in ages, I thought I'd never have one again, but there you are. The Collegiate Church calls time at seven as the locals play Scrabble. Must be testing. Some kids are singing songs and the fountains flows on. It's getting dark and I can feel those Tiger Mosquitoes using this Yorkshire blood. Actually I wish them luck as it's never done me no good! Keep...

They're bringing in the grapes and I'm forced to cut a few small bunches ... Figs and mûres sauvages. Got locaux fromage and now looking for walnuts. Stopped for cheese, baguette and vin rose before noon. That was twenty Kms in four hours. Another hour and I think that's this day done. Must dry my boots today - still moist after the rains! Not exactly ideal. Everything happens for a reason, and I've no control over anything, like having a migraine and being eaten alive somewhere along the way! I think when I pluck fruit deep in the undergrowth the ants get me and whenever I lay up somewhere the mosquitoes pounced. Just as I was finishing for today - bang - migraine. It's totally unfair, but what can I do at all? Find a dark space and sleep it off, but that lets the greedy bastards in! Round my ankles and elbows they swoop. It's all part of the experience. Like being so low financially that everything becomes potential food! If it tastes good I eat it, hoping i...

Monday morning and the refuse collection truck has me awake before my alarm. The bedding the hostel provides to sleep in is utterly pointless: paper thin, but it's to prevent bed bugs. It doesn't work/match up with rubber coated mattresses to be honest. My back was attached to the bedding all night and it had to be peeled off several times when I was so coated in sweat it woke me. Last night I returned to the Hostel after finishing an excellent read about trees, The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohllebe (which really brings home how incredibly arrogant is our relationships with the denizens of woods and forests), and now I've an item less to carry in the backpack: hurray. Part of me says leave the LePere guidebook, for the route I am walking, too as it is out of date (2016). I have all the information at my disposal on my phone and l would've set off without a guide if there hadn't been one in the Gîte in Béziers; I'll ponder that a while: passing the waste bi...

Two hours solid meditation after I got moved to a quiet room, on my own, in a bed without a shortness issue. Sorted out the backpack: ready for the morrow. The real Way begins from Monday with clearness and a less distracted mind: I ordered water with lunch because booze does get in the Way I want. A lot of meat passed into me: from tomorrow it's going to be lentils and beans mostly. Hastily I head back to room 19 as that lunch killed me off - again. Yesterday is really taking its toll on my body: zero energy being chalked up. Was going to walk the circumference of the walls, but really can't be bothered. Maybe later, but I really don't know if I'm going to wake up today really. The bad rain returned and it's a day to keep quiet.

Life is for experiencing everything. To be, do and go. To touch, taste and feel. To belong everywhere. To be entirely true! But isn't that's how I'm challenged, because it's disapproved of: I disapprove of myself constantly with the voice. Feelings of unworthiness and disappointment, but what are my true emotions and who's voice is ripping me apart? Yesterday was harder than I cared to believe, where each footfall was painful and I was fatigued in all my body, carrying a overwhelming backpack, so I started to question myself and my ethos: what does all this thing you do mean Daniel! So I cried into the night because I felt helpless and hemmed in. Even with all the years of walking I'm still lost upon the highway and have no goal in mind: other than perpetual peace. Two mornings ago I was on the path to peace, but then the noise overtook me again. When the Coquille - scallop shell - vanished so did that peace and I allowed it to chase me for 50 kilometres! Stra...

In the pitch black night I stumbled around, unable to find the door in to the bathroom, in desperation I ended up urinating onto the floor. Never ever done that before and I don't know why I didn't switch on the bedside light? I think I was sleep walking. Even when I'm a sleep it seems I want to walk. There is a stiff breeze blowing outside and the weather is moving more autumnal for sure. At least until Monday. Yesterday I paid for the night's rest and asked for PdJ at seven but the host was a little reticent to be up at that time? But I like away by sunrise to get the best of the day so I twisted his arm behind his back. *** Fantastic breakfast! Too much really. A full complement of Confiture, honey, yogurt, coffee, orange juice, croissant, baguette, butter and I ate what I could. Host reminds me the weather won't be good today. Proofed my boots and seen the direction of travel to the next village. I will reach Carcassonne today regardless of the weather with a...

Day three began too early. Alarm at six is pointless when owls, mosquitoes and an other thing are busy throughout the evening. So I rolled over and jumped back out of bed around 6:45. The host at this campsite were excellent and I feel enthusiastic about another 30 kilometres in the heat. So far it's a bit chillier than yesterday, but we are a bit higher up than Capestang, and I'm grateful for layers. A happy cyclist from Valence gave me some peaches, and the host gave me some plums, which I am grateful to receive! So I give the two dogs on the campsite my love because it's better to give what doesn't diminish with the giving? *** Part one down. Coffee in Olonzac and rearranged the sack. Eat a plum and the little cheese I've left from day one, with the bread of the same, and I'm off. Lost sight of the Coquille, my erstwhile indicator, disappeared the scene from Olonzac so I had no indication whether I was anywhere nearer to Azille. I was totally heading sou...