Mind Games

When you walk and walk and walk for a long time, something changes in your head. Most of it for the good I might add. You would expect that a person would become more inwardly focussed but it’s actually the opposite - you are open to new ideas and things. 

Today we were wandering through the  woods (as you do!). I love the woods here - they are chestnut trees and oak trees and the leaves are just starting to turn, so we are often walking through fallen leaves. It’s not going to be good after that rain which always threatens but never actually comes. We feel the weather gods are on our side. 

So we are toddling along up and down a few hills when we hear some music and up from behind us come a couple of cyclists. 
We don’t see many cyclists. It’s quite hard on a bike and the ones we meet are usually crazy Frenchmen and they are always dripping in sweat. They turn up late in the evening, treat us all to yet another towel and underpants extravaganza and then down whole loaves of French bread. I don’t think this path is suited too well to the competitive nature of biking. I had a very long and boring conversation in broken English with one who showed me his maps (that was a line I haven’t encountered before!). It was all about distance and getting as far and fast as you could in one day. 

But these two were different. They had fairly basic bikes, they seemed to be having a lot of fun and were talking and laughing and kissing. The minute they came to a tiny hill they hopped off their bikes and walked. As they came nearer Laura recognised the music. It was Trinity Roots and the song was Aotearoa. I mean, what are the odds? A forest in the middle of nowhere in the middle of Spain on a very quiet Sunday. 
Then they were gone - whizzing down a hill before we could say anything. 

All this walking can have you believing in all sorts of spiritual malarkey - I lost my earring and when it was found and given back to me, I was sure I was  blessed - but really it’s just chance and numbers - how many people round here are are  wandering about in silver earrings - it’s  gumboots and cow poo here. And there is also my incorrigible pragmatism to keep me from ever becoming airborne!

We are going really well - Laura is getting fitter and fitter and walking faster and faster - I swear her legs are getting longer and longer. I trundle along behind like the aged Gnome Doll. 

We have Santiago de Compostela firmly in our sights now - but we don’t want it end.

Love Lesley