A rebel without a clue.

A beautiful morning. Chatting to two pilgrims finishing here, same as the couple from last night, who are doing it in stages. 5 days out from Bourges to Gargilesse. There is a Gare 10 kilometres away so they're off to catch the train back to home near Besançon. They're off at seven and I will be away by sunrise. A more challenging aspect to today, by the sound of it, as it's more climbing. But I've not had any climbing to do of this nature since last year in Majorca and I thoroughly enjoyed that experience, until Sòller but even that was fairly enjoyable - if the villages were out of my reach financially? Vallée de la Creuse. *** An interesting morning through the mist, by the cows in the fields: this is a different France. The wasps are spinning around me now on a filled belly. I made too much pasta with flageolet and lardons then passed out. Keith, the interesting Quebecian, said I slept like a baby. For a few days I've sought the after meal siesta but it hasn...

Argh! There is a fête in Argenton-sur-Creuse so the hotels chambre d'hotes etc are full. The suggested Hotel on the crossroads is too close to the comings and goings - so this afternoon I must walk to the Refuge municipal in Gargilesse-Dampierre: but not now. Not for a little while. I feel tarnished although I had a fit night last night. The knock on effect of two long 32 kilometres days. But at 15kms it's a pleasant afternoon stroll alongside the Creuse? But it is chilly and in L'Agora Café Bar Brasserie there is 99% shade where the sun is just beyond me to the south. A coffee. Number 3 of this day. No more. Should I eat repase... *** At first I thought it's all the same, as I followed a street out of Argenton-sur-Creuse, up passed the Gîte at Le Péchereau, which is full, and much of it was a little bland, however there was the river, once I had rejoined it. And then it hit Moulin Loup, a leat, and a streep incline by the damming barrier across the river. Now I am defi...

Today I am not walking, as such, I need a day resting my feet, body and mind. Last night was a restful sleep until a mosquito snuck in the room, but I didn't consider it much really and was awake around 7:30am. None of this 5am madness to contend with and my clothes are all washed and so too am I! A quick tour of the cathedral and gardens prior to tourists, yesterday I used the north and south portals as a shortcut. Down to the area around the Halle market for breakfast then I go somewhere else on bus, train or Blablacar... To continue towards Limoges for the flight Wednesday 1720... *** Down for a coffee outside of the marché which opens around 9. The down to the station to head somewhere else to continue walking three more days towards Santiago...  Blue skies and a colder air: autumn and winter are coming along. It's ceaseless. But it's beautiful! Last night I spent a little time drinking fine local biological wines in Vinapava where I'd heard of none of the grape var...

Just stopped for a coffee in main focal point of Brécy and there was the pelerin who woke me up at 5am... I walk fast, but he must have other means: like the devil he's beyond mere humanity, but not God because he's not infinite or eternal? First pilgrm in four days and I didn't like him... He told me a talk too fast so I stopped talking to him after that. Last night he shared none of the fayre I spread on the table. *** Bearing down on Bourges and my body is stumbling today. What I consumed yesterday was not so healthy: from too much rich, but glorious, chocolate which I wolved down coming into Baugy. Now it's finding its way out of me again! First toilet by the wayside. The large absorbent napkin that I kept from the scramble eggs in Paris on Sunday came in useful. Still got two sections of four I tore it up in to. My bowels feel less agitated. It's all part of my Camino experience the bodily functions i must perform, especially after a 75cl bottle of vino... But ...

With the one day off, Sunday - which really can't be considered off in the true sense as getting from Montmartre to Vézelay took all day - it's 8 days walking since I left Blighty and it took me until the day from Chantilly to Le Mesnil-Aubry to get into my stride. Indeed the afternoon and evening in Écouen was definitely the best, mentally and physically for the people I met and the food I ate and the drenching I took. The conversations we had that evening in Écouen, Alice, Oliver and I, revolved around art, cinema, philosophy and Jean-Luc Godard (he died on Tuesday 13th..some of his atoms had already blown off and obviously influenced my day) ... I knew nothing of him, except his name, prior to the meeting of our three souls. *** Six ceaseless hours, the last hour I was eating walnuts, young plantain and dandelion leaves and hoping it wouldn't rain heavily between little showers. Just as I was about to cry for lack of energy Mercier chocolatier factory arrives around a co...

Everything is a bit damp this morning. It definitely rained during the evening, but the bed was a little sweaty because it had a rubberised cover below the disposable sheets so my stuff is a little damp... Perhaps my sweat was enough for the stuff above me to get damp: I did wake up drenched before midnight, when I didn't know where I was in the pitch black... Not sure if I fancied a slightly stale Tradi  baguette with Boudin in it so I just fed the fish crossing the second bridge to the shining lights of the café Le Berry . Don't waste food I hear you say, but by the time the baguette has saturated and sunk into La Loire  it'll be eaten by fish, prawns etc. A bit of blood is something every fish goes for? Day 4 and Bourges is 49 kilometres away as the cars fly which is definitely 2 days on the Chemin, but one long and one shorter... Not sure about having two days to reach it? Or even one... Ha ha. Auto-stop... First things first: coffee and croissant times two... Jeudi tha...

A recollection of last night: lightning without thunder and a lot of jet plane activity around midnight... And I thought it's an invasion from space... It was distinctly indigestion! 26 kilometres and I am here. No stopping - 5 hours straight. First soul in the Gîte (€16.50) and next to the Nef and Cours de Château and next to L'Auberge de la Poule Noire. Straight in. A glass of class: Sancerre! But it was expensive and took me over budget. Could I call it a day then? *** I've a Hemingway (A Moveable Feast) and a beer, but no other pelerins in three nights. No idea what could've happened to the Dutch brothers other than they probably didn't like the idea of sharing so are in a hotel. The older brother, Bos, had walked from Le-Puy-en-Velay, but Joost never had - and he struck me as the more conventional of the two with his flowing brushed out locks of hair. But it doesn't matter. They've gifted the centre of La Charité-sur-Loire to me! Earlier I ate expensive...