Day 43: Estaing to Espeyrac

Talked to a fat old Aussie Lady this Morning. She told me how she's doing part of the Camino, having booke all her accomodations for weeks in advance and now hopping by Bus from Village to Village because she doesn't feel like walking.

Do I have to say anything about that even?

Other than that I have a jolly old time today. Listening to my music and enjoy the Trail. I even sung and danced along for a while again, which I haven't done since I got sick.

It's funny how in hindsight my whole part after Lyon until Le Puy was just miserable! While on it it's impossible to really see how bad it is but looking back it clearly seems like the worst!

Well, you can live Life only forward and understand it backwards...

It is an interesting phenomenon that I see SO many Hikers in the towns but while on Trail I'm still 95% alone! How is that possible?!? Shouldn't there be People waking towards me all day every day?

I'm just having a little break and was looking for anybody but for half an hour I'm all alone.

Are they all taking the Bus? What's going on here?!??

Okay so thats pretty funny. Shortly before I come to the town I see some shoes in a Tree. "Funny thing" I think and walk towards it. Then I realize it is actually the entrance to a Gite! And a very funny one at that!

It's a "real" one, especially made for Pilgrims with different mixed up little houses and old beds. Now that's the real stuff! That's just exactly the sort of excentric little Albergue I love so much! Lots of character and exactly what we Pilgrims want and need ♥️.

I didn't expect them to have space but hey, luck favours the bold! So I went in asking anyway. They didn't speak any english of course but with thw help of my Girlfriend who translated via Phone I actually managed to get a place anyway 😬!

They put me in the little makeshift chapel which is completely alright for me. Beats a night in the forest! Also they serve Dinner and Breakfast so I don't have to go to bed hungry like Yesterday either.

That's the good stuff that Pilgrim experiences are made out of! For good or ill, it will be an interesting experience at the very least...

Wished I had made a better picture but I don't like bothering people while eating. We had a real Pilgrim dinner together outside under a roof. It started raining but that made it somehow even nicer.

We all introduced ourselves as it is the custom. I seem to be the youngest again exept some children walking with their Children for a week or so.

When it was my turn I excused myself in my best french "veuillez m'excuser mesdames et messieurs mais malheureusement je ne parle pas français du tout". It didn't help tough and they forced me to tell them a bit more and to everyones surprise - especially my own - I was able to express myself and tell everyone my story. I even got a little applause at the end which I found way too much for my meager performance but alas... I ususally make up for my lack of language skills with timing and grimaces.

Now I'm lying on the sofa in the little churchhouse and feel very grateful for having found such a nice place. I really really didn't expect to have a roof over my head tonight and I'm just so happy to have found one ♥️.

Got a CD with churchsongs running in the background and I hope it'll be okay to turn that off when I go to sleep 😳.

I'm curious about tomorrow. Hope I manage it to a Campground as it is certainly more comfortable having running water, electricity and a shower at hand. But if not that's okay as well as I'm spending a womderful night here already and I could easily spend my next in the Forest...