A rebel without a clue.

First full day with Ruby. Had a great evening's sleep. Awoke naturally at 5:30am decided to get up. An hour later I wriggled with Ruby on their bed, then she came downstairs, thought about going out for her toilet, but it's too cold, and demanded her breakfast and some more. Must have used all her strength and energy while running around on Crowcroft Bank - Lola was also exhausted when I took her home around noon. Just Ruby and I this morning, going to walk up to the allotment with her, via King's Meadow, it's a little cold on the evening - for the butt end of April (a little frost) - so may wait to transplant lettuce, cabbages and more beetroot? Looks better Saturday morning... Got the governments promised Cost of Living payment so paid some of the debt from France off. The rest will have to wait until summer... Although I am not 100% about it I have checked in online for the proposed trip to Germany, via Basel, where I'd planned to connect with Michael for another...

Seven o'clock at the end of my way. Food then bed. Long day. But I reached the coast, but didn't see the sea. Argeles-sur-Mer, but I stayed put. Caught the bus back to Perpignan around 5 and hung around in the centre just to eat then returned to the Auberge du Jeunesse, where I had already checked in. And it's a Sunday. An interesting six days walking. Pretty relentlessly. Some pains and some bites, definitely yesterday and Friday. But I have antihistamines... And I saw spring from a Mediterranean and alpine prospective, before returning to the UK as spring unfolds there too: it's definitely my favourite season, for a change... Crossed over La Tét to walk up to the airport which is around 5kilometres away. On my final morning. It's been a worthwhile, but slightly costly, affair. But entirely worth it. Being away somewhere where comprehension of a language is barely sufficient is like being somewhere on a silent retreat. I never hear the thoughts passing people's...

What next? Why back into France over the top. I simply don't fancy Figueres this time and I've a white and red stripe for company - a French walking sign on the Chemin Saint-Jacques or GR route... As they often intertwine. ... At the end of a hard shift I am back in Place du Neuf Jets awaiting a slap up meal from 19:15 onwards. Lap of luxury and I've 'earned' it - such bullshit. I am just having this good moment after all those preceding billions of billions since 6am this morning... By the time I'd taken many many wrong tracks in the forest trying to locate Maçanet de Cabrenyn, crossing over rapids for hopefully the last time, I couldn't decide whether to keep south to Figueres or head over the Col to Céret for a second bite of its cherries... In the end I took the short straw to a long endurance day up to Coll de Pou de la Neil and then exhilarating, but exhausting, long way down to Céret where it was a beer, a shower, a beer, food, a beer, a beer and bed....

Tapis is silence indeed and yet more strange dreams throughout the night: but I don't remember the themes this time I just recall feeling insubstantial or incomplete within them. A bit early for breakfast at the restaurant next door and attached to the hostel/hotel. I've a sunrise to myself as the hostess said eight for breakfast, but I can't wait so long really as I've one more day walking... Perhaps all the way to Figueres. If I don't walk today it won't be completed and will remain insubstantial. I rang the buzzer and am in the Can - which is Catalonian for Casa. Many many dogs: at least 5. One old and asleep in the bar area who looks a bit snappy. They don't understand English so show their teeth and their eyes so I can see the whites, but two Dalmatians still happy to say good morning! And it's breakfast of champions again... Tostados con Tomate.

Day four a new pinnacle. Walked to St Laurent Cerdans to find it's bleeding closed for everything - it is France's rurality because everyone eats at home, the full bounty, of the Haut Vallespir: up in these hidden pastures... The last village of note before Sud Catalonia and not any suggestion of a reason to hover around for more than to go up one stairway to go down a Jacobs's Ladder of a escalier back to the main route and an Auberge which is no longer a restaurant and to know my foot is capot,  again, after 25 kms. 22 on this bleeding 'way' and mainly up a bloody main road, because there is no other way unless I grow wings, until finally some paths and minor routes? So I hitched to Tapis in a beat up Blue Transit, without back seats, sat amongst the detritus of life, empty food crates with a lovely solitary Collie eating a baguette. The owners both shades, with kinder, took me so I can eat... They passed me by, but as I waved vigorously, they saw me in their rea...

A night full of dreams. In one I was shot dead, alongside a sister, by a ruthless woman - in the same water as a deer and her faun(as the mother deer kicked away at me to get away from me, the hunter and her companion: but it being a dream I entered the spirit world quite alive and determined to track down those responsible! This morning I have a short stretch further up the valley Le Tech to Arles sur Tech and then a decision to make! To go along the valley or up onto the Puig along the GR10 to a Gîtes d'etapes... I am wearing only trainers, but the sole isn't worn out and seems to have good traction! Woke once in the night by the hoots of an owl, or two, and slightly chilly so put on a jersey - first usage of the sleeping bag this time: the apartment had no bedding (€26 extra). Been told to leave it quite as I found it as she waived a €150 deposit which I really don't have! I am at €60 until Friday... I closed the shutters and returned to heavy dreams! Usual two coffees, ...

No walking through the river today. By 12 kilometres a little painful in the left foot so at 14 kilometres I've stopped for today. Up ahead is Arles sur Le Tech, tomorrow, but today it's Amélie les Bains and all those who come for purification by waters... No one wants to grow old and disabled so mineral thermal springs must make us all better? In the general hubbub around Avenue du Dr. Bouix for a coffee and a change of footwear. Easy walking alongside the canal, but on the Via Verte, converted railway track over Viaducts, etc, along Le Tech, striding on concrete does me no favours and the foot flares up once more so I called it a day. In an apartment the other side of Le Tech from Amélie-les-Bains: not bad after I got over the shock of being asked for €150 deposit: if I had it giving it away would've left me stranded. It's a relief she said OK no worries: just leave the apartment as it was found which is very easy. Had a siesta - which I should have had yesterday, but...