Day 12: Stage 10: Lortet, 28 km, ☔️🌧️, 17°

WET, WET, WET!

We ate very, very well! Our host Nami welcomed us very gracefully. She carefully showed me where everything was, and even suggested a room that I take for myself. The shower was attached through my room, which meant that the three other guests would come through my room to use the shower. Things worked out really well, with everyone having their own space. 

As I said, we ate very well! Nami is an excellent cook and she learned many of her cooking skills from her Japanese mother. She was born in Japan and lived in Tokyo for the first 30 years of her life. Her father was French and passed away when she was very young. She and her mother made many trips back-and-forth to France because of her father‘s family, however, it wasn’t until she was 30 that she chose to move to Paris where she spent 10 years. She then moved down into Toulouse and lived in this area for the past 30 years. She’s only two months younger than I am. Yup that old!🤣She switches languages easily between English, French and Japanese. And that lady can laugh!

She cooked this amazing huge dish of vegetables with all sorts of flavours and prawns on top. I thought this was the only dish they we would be served so I had two helpings as did everyone else.

However, she brought out an amazing second course which included a huge bowl of rice and a pot of curry chicken. It was delicious! We’re all blown away. I suggested that she should open a restaurant, to what she replied that I wasn’t the first to suggest that.🤣 

After dinner we all sat there talking about walking stuff as you do in these situations. A couple of us went and cleaned up all the dishes. And then there was dessert and more visiting. Of course!

The other couple is from Brussels (I didn’t get their names). Most of the discussion was in French, but from time to time it switched to English so that I was somewhat included. I told them that I’m very used to this, and not to worry. But as usual people try to include everyone which was very considerate.

There was a lot of talk about what the weather would be like today. Most thought that it would be very wet. After dinner, I went back to my room and tried to figure out a route for today. It’s not much fun humping over those hills through the mud in the heavy rain. 

As thunder and lightning storm started down across the valley. It was spectacular as I watched from our elevated location.

After a half decent night of sleep, we were all up early and had breakfast together. Mani feels that we should be eating well if we’re on this long walk. She fed us accordingly with yogurt, a choice of fruit, bread, and usual jam. I even had a delicious cup of tea! We were going to need it because it was pouring.

I said my goodbyes and I headed off down the slope and out of town.

I began walking through the trees with the rain pounding down all around me.

Eventually I decided that I was going to go with my Plan B and I switched over to the roads. This was an extension of the cycling routes that I saw yesterday. Note to Paul, there are lots of good cycling routes in this area, and they are marked.

I had both my lights flashing on the front of my shoulder straps and my bright red pack cover behind me so I wasn’t too concerned about the traffic. I was more concerned about the huge puddles and the cars sending up great amounts of water as they sped by.

The rain continued to fall hard for 2 1/2 hours, by which time I had moved back into the hills and onto the GR route. The rain eventually eased, but still continued to fall, and I was able to take a few more pictures as I went. It would’ve been a beautiful walk on a sunny day! But you take the good with the bad on these walks. Just part of the process.

I started to pass through small villages, farms, cows, little churches, and so many other scenic areas. I walked on and off the GR as I proceeded.

I eventually stopped for a little something to munch on underneath the roof of a barn. I know the farmer wouldn’t care if I was standing there trying to keep dry as I ate something. The rain continues to fall fairly heavily now and I’m so happy that I’ve got my Gore-Tex clothing. It’s really proved itself these past years, again and again.

I’m just over an hour out of Lortet, but I don’t want to arrive too soon. There is a restaurant there, but it doesn’t appear to be open until Thursday, so there’s nowhere to sit and wait until I can get into my place. I decided just to show up at their front door when I arrive and see if I can get entry. 

And then I arrive.🥳

The river is very high with the heavy rain on the mountain snows.

I was able to get right in. My host tells me the weather will not be happy for a few days. Perhaps just cloudy tomorrow.

Our gear (3 of us) is hanging to dry. We are having tea and talking about our kids. Dinner and breakfast is provided by our host. Tomorrow it will start all over again. The three of us will be together again tomorrow after the walk.

I wonder what’s for dinner? It’s 17:00 and I’ve over 2 hours to wait!

Bon chemin!

Geoff🌦️🌈

(670 m vertical, 2,185’)