Monday, July 29th

Aire-sur-L'audour
6:36am
Today promises to be truly evil. The sky is already pink, predicted temperature of about 35, and it's a 31.5kms walk. Would've started an hour ago, but the backpack is kind of trapped in the caravan behind sleeping bodies.

8:33am At the stream, after the lake. Intentionally lagged a long way behind the other three. Enjoying just thinking my own thoughts without having my brain scrambled by the continual French conversations, about what I have no idea. But they were waiting at the bridge.   Saint Francis, Clementine, Assisi

The threat of an evil morning had disappeared though. More cloud cover. Walking out of town, passing the Saint Quitterie, closed. Was surprised that both the eglises in Nogaro, historic monuments in themselves, were closed yesterday. On a Sunday. Always assumed that Dimanches were God's big day.

Another two backpackers have just rolled up. One of them almost literally, as he's pushing a trolley type thing. He even carries a spare wheel. he stops for a chat, and this will probably go on for quite some time.

10:28am
Latrille
At the eglise. The Way, today, has been good. Fairly long, unchanging roads, and I'm usually so far behind the others that I can think.
So I began planning my novel. Just rough, at the moment, but if the Way continues as it has so far, I should have some kind of firm plot structure by the end of the day. It involves an angel with red wings. So far, this may change, I get caught up with opening lines, they have to be good. If I can get the opening just right, then the rest will fall into place.

12:57pm
Miramont-Sensaqc eglise.
Lunch. This time the petit pains bought a few days ago with camembert cheese. Down the road a little there's a fountain that's apparently renowned for improving eyesight.

later Pimbo Another lengthy chat with the woman who runs the Pimbo eglise office. Never miss a chance. But really, I think anybody who names a town Pimbo just has to be on drugs. Like the French weather bureau obviously is. Predicted 35, but never really saw the sun at all. Clouds, yes, lots of 'em; winds yes, drizzly rain certainly, but not sun.

The road we've followed had people's names writ large all over them, maybe it's been part of the Tour d'France. But, typically, a variety of roads; uphill roads, both gentle and steep; downhill roads, likewise. Stopping at every eglise, drinking water like a maniac, while the villages we're passing through are like ghost towns. Everything's closed, occasionally someone to "bonjour". The houses pretty, some exceptionally so, but there just there.

6:08pm
Arzacq
Rolled into town, just after five, and damn the Post Office is closed. The French Bureau d'Poste is a waste of time. They're open for three hours in the morning, then for two hours in the afternoon, closing at three. Useless.

Anyway, to continue the groaning for a while, my feet hurt. For the first time, they ache. But tomorrow's shorter. but not by much, a kilometer or two.

Arzacq is a really Spanish-looking town. A huge public area surrounded by the Centre Ville. You kind of expect snipers from the rooftops. Hey, gringo! Hey, pelerin!

6:45pm
And almost next door to the gite (and, by the way, I'm in the 'London' room, it has the Union Jack flapping outside). Alas, no Oz flag.
But, just the beer, the one. There's people outside, drinking slowly, as it the French wont. Inside, the local yobs are drinking Coke, while another plays a computer game, and he obviously thinks that computers are meant to respond to being belted with an open fist. Somehow, I can't see that being written into into programming language.

A couple of backpackers just wandered in, still toting packs. They don't stay long.

later
Outside the bar. On the TV inside are televised bullfights. Bulls being killed and the crowds going wild, flapping white material in appreciation of a particularly fine kill. Then the highlights, the instant replays, again and again.