Figeac-Cajarc (31.6 klms) Monday 31 st July 2007

Going past beautiful pastoral scenes- forests with little streams. Feels good to be back on `Le Chemin` and meet up with 58 year old German Rainer, who saves me a long days hike by informing me that I am going in the wrong direction. As in the case of last year, I have a French guide book to increase the challenge.

We hit it off and Rainer tells me that he started his hike in Germany 50 days previously. He looks to be carrying a huge pack and has lost 22 kilos in the time.

Somehow we manage to miss the way and get off track, which ends up costing us another 10 klms on a very hot day- some hard lessons are learned on this road!

He is fatigued and I leave him behind hiking another 6 klms to a village called Grealou, but am feeling beat after over ten hours in the heat.

Decided that from now on i`ll stick to the GR 65, as the others are misleading. Back is ok, but lower legs are mounting a revolution. At least I had a week of stretching before commencing, but this was my only preparation.

Smile meter is 8/10