Bétheny

I have briefly mentioned before my two mates who are travelling with me. We are inseparable. Before the trip we got on fine but over the past couple of weeks I have not been getting on too well with one of them. We start each day on good terms, and over breakfast, on those days I get such a thing, nothing is said but as soon as we get going the grumbling starts and it just seems to get louder as the day wears on. On the long days we are pretty much shouting at each other by the time we finish. However today, for the first time, we were all quite chummy for ages. I think, and hope, that our relationship may just have turned a corner. It was a 22-miler so plenty of time to fall out. Only 15 miles tomorrow. Surely we can stay civil to each other for that long. I feel that I have done my best, always smear on Compeed anti-blister stick before we set off and slather on plenty of CCS cream after the night-time shower. He has two main complaints. The wee blister on the end of my second toe has not changed much but isn’t so painful nowadays. The large blister which was on the ball of my foot in line with the second toe seems to have moved along a little each day leaving fairly robust, or numb, skin behind. Just thought you would like to know.

The bearded pilgrim, who I met in Canterbury, still the only other pilgrim I have met, was very vocal in declaring that the French were very rude to him. He had been swore at, shouted at and even spat on. He thought it was a Brexit thing. “They hate the British now.” It seemed to be his abiding memory of travelling across France. Made me a little nervous as I was about to spent 6 weeks doing just that. I am still less than half way across France but I haven’t come across any bad feeling at all. In fact it is remarkable how almost everyone I pass acknowledges me with a “Bonjour” and/or a wave. Possibly a haircut and a shave might have been a good idea for him.

A very curious coincidence occurred as I wandered into Reims. I spend most of my walking time listening to Desert Island Discs as I have mentioned before. Got through nearly 300 of them. This one was Christina Lamb, journalist, who told a story about meeting a politician from Pakistan called Benazir Bhutto and I noticed that I was walking through a park dedicated to the same person. What are the odds on that I wonder?

In a sort of Travelodge hotel tonight and the only practical eatery nearby was a Buffalo Grill. Didn’t manage to finish my burger dinner but they did give me a litre carafe of chilled tap water that was lovely.Read more