Today we said goodbye to our Belgian comrades who have been so kind and helpful for the last few days. In fact I really don't know how I would have managed - seriously - without their timely help. On Day 4 on arrival at La Coquille I was in serious pain with my knees - I hobbled into town and discovered on disrobing that I had some wonderful bruises all over my shoulders and underarms caused by my very expensive new rucksack. The Belgian women dispensed arnica tablets, massages, words of encouragement and best of all offered to take my rucksack in their backup vehicle for the next 2 days. I also resorted to Ibubrofen for the knees and without baggage sailed through the following 40 kilometres and now we have 3 days off.
After looking around this wonderful city, cathedral and blogging in the Biblioteque Municipale and of course lunching (La formule for €12) we headed out of town by bus to Decathlon (Outdoor Shop) and bought me a new rucksack which is heavier but has more padding and more support (I bought the wrong type previously due to lack of knowledge of what I really needed). I have also bought a plastic water system so I don't have to keep taking off my rucksack to get to the water, some rubber caps for the ends of my pointy sticks so that they don't make such a racket on tarmac. So if I still struggle, I can't blame the equipment - it will be down to me.
Everywhere we go now we have learnt to milk the fact that we are pilgrims 'Nous sommes les pelerines!'; I hadn't realised how much we could call in the favours as a result of this. It's almost as if we are doing the penitence for folk and they are basking in the reflective light and heat from our halos. Seriously though, it has got us through some scrapes and given us considerable concessions. We were able to book more internet time at the library at no charge because NOUS SOMMES LES PELERINES! and we got priority over the lads coming from the local ecole so feeling a bit smug and a tiny bit of a fraud.
We have also manage to swing 2 days lodgings here at the Hoteliere St Jacques - this is a really old historic building that used to be a seminary and has an echumenical (spelling???) i.e. 'holy' feel about it. But it is cheap, clean and comfortable and tonight we've got a room with a loo en suite. Last night Mo had to negotiate several long dark corridors with her head torch! Normally ONE night is all that is allowed and then it's 'on yer bike' (or pieds) but as we have done 8 consecutive days walking and we need some rest and we are SOOOO weary and NOUS SOMMES LES PELLERINES!
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Am enjoying reading all of your adventures....thanks for sharing them! Glad you have managed to get the pack thing sorted.... I wondered how that was going to pan out. My pack is still fairly light, but it has excellent padding and wearing it was very comfortable. Glad you have got better padding and hope it proves comfortable. Great that you got to meet those lovely Belgian women as well, and Perigieux sounds like it was an interesting place to explore. Go well! Margaret
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Happy Easter!
Em xxx
Hi, having walked the Puy-en-Velay route in 2008, I know how difficult the first few days can be. To avoid sore shoulders, tighten the waist belt of your packsac. You should be able to put your fingers easily between your shoulder and the straps. As your New Zealand friend said, that I met on my "Chemin" il faut y aller doucement. Enjoy!
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