Hmmm

Hey all,

Realised this morning after packing all my stuff that if I skipped the morning cigar then I could catch the 10:30 bus to Calvi – so did that. Apart from one local, the driver and the guy selling the tickets, there was a middle aged English couple on board with me – who seemed to be having a kind of mild domestic - "I hope you're not going to spend the entire fortnight stressing about that" etc. - so I didn't talk to them, at least until Calvi, when I asked them when the bus to the next little town left – there were only two a day, one at 2:30, one at 7:30, so I thought I may as well get on 2:30 and spend a night somewhere at the start of the walk, rather than spending a night there, then another night at the start of the walk. Were more people on this bus – most of them got off to go and camp at the first of the GR20 campsites, but I and another English couple – who are really nice, came in to town and found a motel. They had booked ahead, I hadn't, but the hairy, sweaty and completely shirtless guy who runs the place had one room left – so here I am. Having breakfast with the nice English couple tomorrow morning, then together we will try to find the start of the walk. Had a huge pasta lunch and will try for another huge dinner to get loaded up on energy before I start tomorrow – which I reckon will be a tough day – the pack will be at its heaviest.

Wandered around this little village for a while – took some photos – the streets here fascinate me after broad flat Australia – found a nice church and lit some candles. Will re-pack my gear again tonight, see if there is anything more I can get rid of...

Photos. Calvi, which is a pretty town. A photo especially for K – from the bus on the way into Calenzana – I think I was saying something to her like “Hmm... They are pretty big hills. I should take a photo,” which she thought was a good idea so I did. Then a couple of a church here, a street shot and then: Hmmm. And another one: Hmmm.

Cheers, B.

Update: spent the last couple of hours chatting with the nice English couple, retirees, who basically spend most of their time hiking around the world - apart from tomorrow's lunch, they are taking no food, and less water as well - so in a fit of excitement I threw out some food, ate some, and kept some. The Australian notion of walking - taking your own food, stove, tent - seemed to shock them a bit, although they had done it once, in NZ.