North Downs Way

Hi folks,
I left you in England and I’m now writing from France.
After leaving Farnham I sped up a little bit, the way wasn’t so difficult and I got a sunny day; also, the idea to be so closed to Canterbury gave me energy.

But unfortunately I’m now paying back my effort. Once in France, my knees have been feeling destroyed, I tried to stop a couple of days to recover, but did not help.

Seriously, I’m walking as an older man, let’s see if it will be getting better.

Anyway, the North Downs Way was really nice, at least at the beginning. A nice walk across fields and wonderful little villages. But I was in England and, as you know, the rain is always behind the corner.

After 2 days of rain I passed from paradise to hell. I had thought I had already seen enough mud in Wales, but I had never seen the Surrey and Kent mud.

It was not just mud but real puddles of mud in the middle of the path.

I tried for 2 days to follow the actual Way but after slipping and falling down both days I then decided to follow my lovely tarmac.

After that decision the weather got better and the last four days to Canterbury I started to hike more quickly.
And now here I am. In the North of France, still freezing, wet and without speaking a single word of French.