Wulverdinghe

Day 16:
Distance: 35.52 km (520.81 km)
Steps: 51,055 (745,371)
Move time: 8h06 (119h11)
Spend: £6.01 (£209.66)

Oye-Plage to Wulverdinghe.

In spite of loading up on several litres of water to start the day (and quite uncharacteristically so), I found myself quickly rationing my draining supply under the sapping heat of the Pas-de-Calais sun. France practically seems to shut down on Sundays, and I barely saw another soul in any of Gravelines, Bourbourg, or Watten (today's main towns) to help replenish my supply, except in making the early morning pilgrimage to a boulongerie. Regardless, the lack of water taunted me repeatedly and at length, and just as I thought salvation was upon me with the evening appearance of a churchyard tap, it didn't work. Sometimes things just don't go your way, but equally sometimes they do. And shortly after, I found myself exchanging a 'bonsoir' with a friendly local chap. Despite his lack of English and my very limited French, he quickly clocked my situation and eagerly invited me into his house, where, amidst the chaos of his three daughters and two dogs, I was able to refill my bottles. I never even intended to head to a campsite tonight, but following perhaps the most broken (and somehow yet wholesome) conversation possibly ever, the whole family accompanied me to out to this delightfully cheap spot, where I have even been able to wash my suncream-stained shorts (and let's hope nobody steals them in the night while drying, because they are literally my only pair. Otherwise it could well be underwear all the way to Istanbul.)Read more