Day Thirty: Arzacq-Arraziguet - Pomps

 

It was such a joy to be walking today again because the air is getting warmer each day. Luckily the sun was hiding behind a layer of clouds so it wasn't too hot but comfortable to walk.

Dogs like this make me nervous at times. Some of them run barking towards me and make me freeze for a moment. I just want to shout "Stop! In the name of love, but STOP" because I never know what's going to happen. So far they've never harmed me but it's still frightening when there's no fence or owner to stop them.

Just a small cactus in front of a house

One of the things I won't be missing is handwashing all the clothes. Right now it's actually ok because it's warm outside and everything dries til the next day. At the beginning of the camino I would really think twice about what I wanted to wash because it took so much longer to dry.

Day Twenty Nine: Miramont-Sensacq - Arzacq-Arraziguet

Another absolutely beautiful day on the camino today. I walked about 16km today so my feet are not complaining. The sun was hot but thanks to sun lotion and a sun hat my skin is slowly tanning and the air is getting warmer every day.

I heard loud quacks when I came closer to this little creek and then saw the little frogs in there. I had expected big ones according to the noise but was disappointed just a bit.

These are my goals and destinations: Arzacq-Arraziguet I already reached, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port we'll reach in less than a week, and Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, well... I hope to reach Santiago in May sometime!

Day Twenty Eight: Aire-sur-l'Adour - Miramont-Sensacq

Little signs leading me through Aire-sur-l'Adour to get out of the town

I keep seeing statues of pilgrims like that. Do people really think we still look like this?

Just outside of Aire-sur-l'Adour is a beautiful lake

And what a beautiful day it was again today! Sunshine all day long with over 20°C and compared to yesterday it was a walk in the park because I only did 18km. There were lots of empty fields ready to be cultivated. Here and there I kept seeing farmers on their tractors doing exactly that. Here are some impressions of today:

Someone really likes garden gnomes

Just before entering Miramont-Sensacq. So it's 'only' 954km til Santiago de Compostella.

This is the hostel for tonight. The door is open, we are welcome to go in, and noone is there to check on us. This is not the first time that I've been told either where the key is or that the door is unlocked, to make myself at home and just enjoy. I'm fascinated and speechless well because I have never experienced things like that. In this hostel there are envelopes and the request to just put in the money and put that envelope into the donation box.

Day Twenty Seven: Nogaro - Aire-sur-l'Adour

Today way a very beautiful day, sunshine all day long and the highest of 22°C which, to be honest, felt even warmer whenever I was walking in the direct sun. I was walking again by many vineyards:

Sometimes I also had a bit of shade which I was very thankful for.

Tonight I'm staying in a hostel in Aire-sur-l'Adour which seems to be especially welcoming to pilgrims. I'm exhausted, hungry, and happy. Being on my feet for 30km is not easy for me but I like to push myself once in a while. The Spanish boarder is coming closer every day. It is still uncertain if I will be able to cross it or not in order to continue my walk. I guess we'll know more in about a week!

Day Twenty Six: Éauze - Nogaro

 

A cartoon at the wall at my hostel in Éauze

One final look at the walk today before leaving Éauze

Not sure you can see the lizard on this picture but I have seen quite a few and heard even more when they disappear in the grass once I get closer. They are very cute.

Nogaro

Once again an incredible and spacious gîte

I got there around 1pm and had most of the afternoon to chill in the sun.

Day Twenty Five: Montréal-du-Gers - Éauze

 

My host from last night is an older lady who runs the gîte out of fun but is actually into producing Armagnac. I was allowed to taste some from this bottle. In general this area is known for its Armagnac and it's being distributed to the rest of France.

A lot of today's path was through alleys like these

and lots and lots of vineyards

I walked past this funny sculpure that shows how far these places are away from the camino, what direction you would have to go, and how many days it would take.

Some more wisdom along the way...

Not sure what the pilgrim is holding in his hand. Is it a shevel?

Day Twenty Four: Condom - Montréal-du-Gers

So today was another great day. I was happy to leave the city to be out in the middle of nowhere when I ran into this girl:

Noza is from Uzbekistan and funny enough, I had heard of her in my hostel in Lectoure two days before. She was walking in front of me on the path at some point and when I was at her height we politely greeted each other (which everyone greets everyone here when you are going through villages. Me as a city girl had to get used to that...) and she asked me something in French. I looked a bit puzzled and since I didn't answer right away, she said: "Is English better?", and the rest is history. We walked the rest of the way together, exchanging stories what we'd experienced so far and so on. We are both staying in Montréal tonight, Noza camping but me at a gîte:

Noza accompanied me to the gîte and we had some coffee and french fries with mayo. It must be my favorite in the world.