Day 9: Pian della Capanna to Pieve Santo Stefano

Another day and more adventures. The Way today wasn't long (20.61 km - with about 1 km of that in a car and I climbed to an elevation of 1120 m), but I'm afraid it was very hot and those who have followed my previous travels will know that it's an understatement to say that I don't do well in the heat and, consequently, I spent the day moaning about everything! I left the Rifugio around 7:30 am because I wanted to share breakfast with the Italian pilgrims who were absolutely lovely and had made me feel so welcome the night before. There was no coffee at the Rifugio, but I was lucky enough to find a café about 7 km down the path (and, as the coffee was good, I had two). There I met a woman from the Netherlands, riding to Rome and an Austrian pilgrim (one of 16 south bound pilgrims today). In Austria they say "we don't have kangaroos" (he's the second Austrian to tell me that this trip). Not long after that I met a delightful couple, who live in Prague (he's Czech and she's Mexican) who have a very relaxed approach to their walking - they had no idea where they would end up tonight and no fixed end point! After I'd seen my last south bound pilgrim for the day, I came to an overgrown field, boarded by trees, where it was hard to know exactly where the track was. I was walking up the side of the field when I came around a bend and saw the backs of five wild boars in the grass! I was scared, there was nothing between me and them. I retreated back down the path and found a tree I could climb up quickly if I had to. Then I yelled out "cooee" at the top of my lungs three times (which reverberated across the open field very impressively) and tentatively made my way back up the path. That did the trick - they were gone! Phew. My next adventure came when I arrived in Pieve Santo Stefano, I knew my hotel was 1.5 km out of town (it was the only place I could get) and stupid Google maps gave me directions that involved walking across the river, when I discovered this, I was outside the council office and went in there to ask about a taxi. The English speaking staff member told me I could not walk (it was too dangerous along the highway) and that there was no taxi. She advised me to ring the hotel and get them to come and get me. This I did, and the man said he would. I happened to be outside the supermarket next to the council office, and a lovely old man with a bag full of groceries, who's English was not good, approached me and asked me what was going on. I thanked him and told him it was OK that the hotel was sending someone to get me. A few minutes later, he comes back, in his car, and tells me to get in. I got in his car, you have to trust the universe sometimes right and who knew when the hotel would send somebody? And, he takes me this tricky back way that is not on the map to the hotel. Honestly, I was teary as I thanked him and felt such a cow for all my complaining today. When I get inside the hotel door and began to explain, the man behind the desk told me that the lovely old man was his father! It was incredible that he happened to be in the supermarket just as I was freaking out. As soon as I got to my room, I was sobbing - I can't believe how lucky I am sometimes and what an ungrateful wretch I can be. It's supposed to be 32° tomorrow and I'm going to suck it up and do my best to walk without complaint. My final news is that as I approached my room I realised that the upper part of the sole of my left boot has lifted off - it's all good though as I was able to buy some gaffer tape and have strapped it up. What a day.Read more