A rebel without a clue.

The last few days I've passed through villages with no bar, no tabac, no épicerie and no marché, as well as no cash point. Just now I was losing my reason, because I had not eaten since breakfast at seven, but luckily in Gite for groups I saw a hastily written instructions welcoming pèlerin in. The door was open but the cupboards were bare! But in the fridge was enough cake to carry some along for later! Was getting a little frantic before then and had tried to eat raw acorns, chestnuts, dandelion leaves and these didn't make me feel this way was working. It was great cake! And now I am in Lortet but it has no shop, bar (yet) or anything. Three guys are renovating a hotel on the way into town, but it doesn't open for 2 weeks. One of the fellows has given me some food and a beers, but suddenly I feel the overt competitive masculine manner of the guy coming to dominate the conversation. Helpful guy, if a little lost trying to acquire "only the best", but I had to l...

Another day and another voice in my head. The lady I shared the room with is stressful. It's interesting to hear someone in another language talk low of you to those around the table. To get out of bed and be ready to depart I must turn on the light. It was only a bedside light. At the table I didn't respond: I'm not sure it was worthy of me. No matter! I feel heavy today. Yesterday was "trop" - too much. The straw which almost did me in. I was losing feeling in my fingers and toes: the stiff wind blowing when the rain stopped was making me shiver. Last night I couldn't eat so went to bed, but I couldn't sleep. Then the house opposite had a light on shining straight into my eyes so I tossed and turned until I felt I could resist no longer: I got up and fumbled with the shutters. Then I felt a chill around four as the blanket seemed incapable of keeping any warmth in. Finally the stressful ladies phone buzzed at six so I got up, used the bathroom, returne...

This chambre d'hôtes is probably the most comfortable on this time out, but the room was full. Some walkers and some hunters and plenty of snoring. The beds were comfortable, but a little too close together: at €20 for all the host has done (including washing my dirty stuff) I'm content. And I definitely slept long enough for the day ahead. I'm early for breakfast. The hunters are in one room and the "pilgrim" are in the other. Coffee and croissants. Our host is drying my clothes off I think he's an ex-pro who played for Marseilles, but before Chris Waddle's era. Oh I got that wrong he played for another team in Marseilles no wonder he looked at me like I'd lost the plot? There are a couple of hills ahead, but they're facile(apparently) compared to yesterday when we crossed in Haut Garonne and out of the regional park. Two of the guys in the room are walking from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean on the GR10 which sounds tough, solitary and dange...

The heavens have opened and we've a thunderstorm. Not since the second étape (stage) from Capestang did I see rain, but then it was overwhelmingly heavy, it continued until Carcassonne to a lesser degree. So nine days until this! I'm so glad I'm comfortable, dry, showered, clean and not dripping. Dinner isn't until seven tonight so there must be a break in this? Some things are just impossible to overcome, and must be accepted, out comes the rainware. Two Chasseurs went out just prior to the storm to head up into the mountains to shoot their guns, perhaps they'll return soaked and gored by the stag they're after? The owner of the Chambre d'hôtes seems a bit suspicious of them, but I know hunting is a way of life in France: as long as they don't shoot the animal without any consideration to what will be done with the carcass? This village, Juzet-d'Izaut, has a charcuterie (du Cagire) along the road from here - the area is below the mountain Pic du Ca...

October is here. The year is nearing its end and it'll soon be the winter solstice. The weather is about to change here too. Later today there will be thunderstorms and heavy rain, but I expect to be done for today by then? This morning I've eaten two eggs and home made baked beans, made last night, as I'm bored of bread and jam. Done and dusted so I depart for yonder mountains: it's not yet sunrise and outside there is a breeze. The silence of the mountains. The only sound the rustling of leaves, the buzzing of flies, the faraway call of a bird and the swish of a falling leaf! The old couple were ahead of me and I don't understand that at all. Coming down of the mountain trail Deer Keds are everywhere; I am beginning to look forward to the lowlands! All this forest, with the majestic beech trees growing tall, has many threats to one's sanity! The first "Hameu" for sometime and it has a mineral spring flowing: refreshing and cool, enough to push me...

Depression is bizarre. Just like that I feel overwhelmed. The world I am walking through is so supreme. It's a rare sight to see early on a Monday morning, but something paralyzes me. The thing I feel haunting my steps and putting me back once more. Today I must focus away from the repetition of the hoodwinking mood! Let it drift away. There are dark clouds to the north and they are enhancing my feelings! Now the destination is reached it seems much too short a journey: I arrived just around noon. There are towns further up the pass, however there are no Halte Saint-Jacques. But maybe that's for the best? I see there is a Chambre d'hôtes up that long road at €40. Some days it's Donativo and other days you get something better? My budget is around right for today, but I don't think stopping here at noon is quite enough. Perhaps I'm addicted, or it's a habit, to carry on until the later parts of the afternoon? It'll be up, but this is piémont du Pyrénées ...

No my brain doesn't work today! It's impossible to switch into French mode! That's beer, but it's not the end of the world as the couple understand one too many beers. It's a hazard of towns on a Saturday during harvest season in France: they like to celebrate all weekend: and this is fair. It's going to be a hot one! I must depart shortly. Once my bowels have had their say! Walked all day, except for two brief "snack" breaks. Now having a sablé biscuit and hair of the dog! I'm tired beyond words. Why is it 31°C at the end of September. Break weather... Cool off please. Not a cloud in the sky. Luckily from noon it was not relentlessly up; calm down and not sadistically up. The Halte Saint-Jacques is next to the Cathedral, but I think I'm very early to get in. It says 6pm on the Office de Tourisme door. That's fine! I'm in the shade of the Linden tree here. The rest may wait! The custodian tells me I've an hour to wait before the pe...