I did not enjoy today's walk.
There.
I said it.
Whilst other days have been hard going, today I just didn't enjoy myself for quite a large chunk of the walk - mainly the first part if I'm honest and that just coloured the day.
Firstly, it was annoying having to dash off from a nice chat with Ken over breakfast for my taxi. Especially as he'd said I'd shared some wise things with him that he was going to have a think about!
And of course I didn't get any stamps from Rieti for my credential apart from the hotel because I had to leave before the tourist office was open.
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| Maglianello Basso |
Having a ride meant missing a sign that apparently says 100km to Rome (though this obviously means that now I way nearer than that!) I did see this sign though so at least that made up for it a bit!
But secondly the start of the walk today wasn't pleasant at all. Although the clouds were pretty when I got out of the taxi, the first part of the walk was walking through long very wet grass.
5km (3 miles) of tramping through this meant I had very soggy feet and legs and it just plain and simply made me very miserable.
I stopped part way and swapped my socks for a dry pair and very attractive plastic lunch bags. Which was fine for a bit because my feet were dry until they got hot and sweaty and were wet again!
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| Beautiful - the height of fashion! |
The only bright spot was this sign on the fence beside all the long grass - Buon Cammino Pellegrino!
Until I translated the saying by Mother Theresa: 'Happiness is a journey, not a destination'. But I honestly was not happy about my journey at this point at all!
Still, it did get better once I was beyond the grass - I have to say I've never been more grateful to find a gravel track!
This led me along to a really nice place for a bite to eat - a Roman bridge called Ponte Sambuco. There were a couple of picnic benches just beside it so I stopped and refuelled which was much needed!
It was built by the Romans to allow the Via Salaria (the salt road) to cross the stream below. The Via Salaria was an important ancient Roman road running from Rome, passing through Rieti, to Castrum Truentinum (Porto d'Ascoli) on the Adriatic coast, a distance of 242 km.
Once refreshed I carried onwards now walking part of the way along the edge of a road with some quite scarily fast cars whizzing by at intervals. It's a bit unnerving to have to walk on the wrong side of the road, not facing traffic, because the correct side has too many blind corners!
Thankfully beyond this I found a lovely, though muddy, woodland path that began to restore my faith in the walk - but then it started to rain!
And having embraced plastic bags on my feet I then came up with the idea of wearing my coat backwards to protect my front whilst my backpack cover kept my bag and me dry so I didn't overheat. Again not the best fashion choice but it stopped me overheating!
Thankfully I walked out of the rain so I didn't have to endure this garb for too long and arrived shortly after into Poggio Bustone.
I picked up a stamp at the bar behind me and then my car transfer whisked me on to Poggio Moiano where I will stay for two nights.
The company I've booked my trip with couldn't find availability in Poggio San Lorenzo so arranged for me to have two nights here. They also offered an option to be taken back to Poggio San Lorenzo tomorrow to walk back here! Given there was extra cost to this I said no thanks, so I'll have a day tomorrow to recover from today and regroup before travelling onwards on Saturday. In actual fact tomorrow is a national holiday here in Italy so that's actually worked out quite well.
My accommodation is quite rustic - but functional and I have a kettle (not every place has had one) and I'm currently enjoying the warmth of a stove which feels like a bit of recompense for a tough day.
On reflection, now I'm warm and dry and my shoes and, now washed, socks are hanging in front of the fire I'm relieved that it has taken this long for me to get to a day like this. A day where I felt for the first time like really giving up.
But I didn't. And for that I am grateful and now I have a day where I don't have to pack up and rush off in the morning. A day to relax and consider the journey so far - the ups and downs both physically and mentally - and to regroup ahead of the last days of this pilgrimage walk.
I shall pop out for dinner in a little while which is being provided by the accommodation as there aren't any restaurants in this little village and then I'm hoping for a good night's sleep!
