oldfartsonfoot2: 7th July.

Not cold today, just fresh with the promise of rain. Unable to have a shower as showers locked until 8am. Why? The caravan parks vary so much. Some supply toilet paper, some don't. Some have plenty of hooks in the showers, most only have one if any. Some of soap holders, most don't. Most have showers where you have to push a button to get them to operate. That's fine, except some last 5 seconds if you are lucky before they stop, others a minute. Some you can adjust the water temperature, others you can't. So some are a nice temperature, some come out luke warm but it's cold by the time it gets to you and others are that hot you have trouble washing the soap off. Some have water pressure that just about pushes you out the door, others you have to stand flat agains the back wall to get wet. We are yet to come across one that is ideal. Don't get me wrong, we are still grateful to have running water to wash the sweat off, but...here's the rub. Most have large beautiful swimming pools that must cost the earth to operate. They appear to be used by about 5 percent of the park occupants but we all use the showers!!!!!!!!
My gripe for the day.

Off and not bothering with the GR trail today as it goes way out of the way and you have to use ladders and ropes to get down the cliff. So, unless I want to make 3 trips, down, up and back down with Annette's pack, it's find another way. On the bitumen road that turns to gravel that turns to a grassy lane that turns to this?

Hell did Karen have a say in our route today? Pushed on a bit and found a bit of a track and then it turns and goes the wrong way. Oops. Packs over the barbwire fence and off through the paddock. Found another track and down it until it started to resemble the overland track in Tasmania, more creek bed than track.

It soon becomes completely blocked by blackberries and wild roses, so it's back to the farmers paddock to find another lane which joins up to a bitumen lane. Started to rain lightly, straight down, not a breath of wind. You all know those days where it rains all day? Well it's starting to look like one of them, maybe. Annette suggests we put the pack covers on and I persuaded her that we sit it out under a walnut tree. (Every fourth tree)? A couple of minutes later it stops and we are off again to get miles from any shelter for it to start again. Finally get to shelter and now the tops of the packs, our hats, shirts and my shorts (don't ask) are wet. I didn't get a I told you so but I could sense it. Pack covers on and our new lighter, untested, wet weather gear out and on. The pants are great with long zippers which means they go on over the boots. Do we look cool? Well, I do. Off we go in the rain and the new gear is great. Light and even though we are working hard, hardly raising a sweat. Into the village of Autoire and checked out the church and discreetly left our packs in the church. Becoming a bit of a habit that. We think that you have to be pretty bad to nick something from our packs in church and you never know who just might be looking down on you. Found some interesting buildings.

Not far down the track and we stop for a bit to eat. Me and my new gear.

Off and then Annette's complaining of having a sore toe. Blister. I told her she was just winging today as the first thing this morning it was like, is that rain? And now it's her toe. Boy did I get it.

It's a long day when your feet are hurting so out with a pin and blister burst and on with a blister band aid and a bit of a hug to try to get back in the good books.

This is a communal bake house. The round bit at the back is just like an oversized pizza oven. No wonder Gretel could push the wicked witch in.