The journey into France threw me plenty of challenges. It rained for about the first 5 days. Even after plenty of wet weather in Italy, I still don’t think I can get used to these constant days of rain. The muddy tracks, wet clothing and boots, and inability to access any shelter or places to eat/coffee stop along most paths, make for some miserable days walking.
There have also been a few accidental wrong turns, which have resulted in some challenging conditions.
Despite some hard and long days on the road, there were also plenty of positives during the week.
I spent my second night in a France at a B&B run by a lovely French couple in the town of Mouthier Haute Pierre. Included in the rate was dinner with them. An amazing spread of home cooking, and some great conversations despite difficulties due to limited ability to understand one another’s languages.
I then ventured on through the rain for the next few days, before my parents both arrived to pick me up at the end of a day of walking! This has certainly been a highlight of my trip and made life a little bit easier since their arrival.
It is amazing how having someone here giving encouragement and support, as well as being able to have a conversation, makes a huge difference. I no longer have to worry about finding my next meal or accomodation. I also have the ability to walk with a smaller day pack, instead of carrying all my gear on my back everyday! To top it off, I also now have my much needed new pair of shoes! 🙌🏼
We also were able to spend my Mum’s birthday together which was lovely. I had ensured I had walked additional KM throughout the week to enable me to have a shorter day (still 23km) to be able to make the most of her birthday. Once I had finished walking, we went to a winery in the afternoon, followed by coffee and cake in a small town, finished with an amazing French dinner in Langres!
It was a great feeling to be able to get out of my walking gear and forget about the challenges ahead!
During the week, I was also fortunate to meet a lovely lady Astrid- the Vice President of the association Diatonic for children with type one diabetes in France. One of her twin boys (6 years old) has type one diabetes.
My grandfather reached out to Astrid to make her aware of my journey! She was so supportive of my venture and it was fantastic to meet her while we were staying close to her home.
We also met up with fellow Royal Adelaide Golf Club member Jane and her husband Charlie for dinner one night in Besancon. Jane and Charlie were travelling not far from where I was walking which gave us the opportunity to cross paths!
Plenty of positive experiences on top of a pretty challenging week with long distances and the weather that has come with it! Exhausted but taking each day as it comes!
Thanks again for the support! Almost $38,000 raised so far for JDRF! 💕😊
Remember, if you are thinking of donating, and would like to use it as a tax deduction, make sure you do so before the end of the month! 💙
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