Day eighteen - Friday November 5

Departed: Eauze 9am
Arrived: Nogaro 1:45pm
Total hours: 4.75
Total kms: 20
Accumulated kms: 554.1
Weather: Overcast

I had originally worked out a route that would have led me on about 35km today and tomorrow, then only 14 on the third. I then looked through a guide book that finished at the same point over the same period, but spread the distance out to around 20km, 28km and 32km. Much smarter thought I, so today was my easy day.

I dubbed it Kindness to Craig Day. I walked slowly, stopped regularly, breathed deeply and ate heartily. I'm staying in what is by far the most expensive place yet, thanks to every single gite around being closed, but it does mean I get a different dinner and breakfast cooked for me, and I get to watch The Simpsons in French on television. They've got very similar voices, only in French. Bizarre. I also watched a weird game show called Taxi Cash, where contestants think they are catching a normal taxi, but instead are thrown into a TV show where they answer questions about music. I thought Jake Stone would make a good host for an Australian version, but I'm not sure anyone would want him driving them anywhere. My French is obviously improving - not only could I understand quite a few questions, I got a lot of them right. This is what my day has come to.

Walking slowly was quite hard, I'm not a slow walker by nature. I tried to adopt the kind of pace I would imagine one might employ if one was strolling disinterestedly around an art gallery while waiting for one's friend to get out of work so you can both go to dinner. But sometimes I was a bit faster than that.

After I checked in to my hotel-restaurant, I went out to an internet place for an hour or so. When I came back I found no one here and the place locked up. Fortunately someone had forgotten to lock a side door to the restaurant, so I snuck in there - I think I just heard someone come in now, for the first time in hours. I'm so hungry, can't wait another hour for dinner!