The swallows gathered on the telegraph wires above the tent and chirped merrily away, getting ready to head south to South Africa. A bright red maple leaf later on the trail and a huge green caterpillar also heralded more signs of  approaching autumn. Dropped off a couple of postcards at the post office bix on [...]

Last night we had decided not to push on the 4k to St Perdoux and had camped in a field. We didb’t leave till 9.00AM, so a late start. Arrived in St. Perdoux to find that the Bar-Tabac was permanently closed, and got water from the cemetery . Was about to leave when I said […]

Being threatened with calling the gendarmes if I didn’t move on, was a first today. I had just climbed a long, slow, hill after leavibg Paerhenay, having walked about 16k. I had decided to reward myself with a drink of water at the next flat place. A pile of paving stones loomed, so I pepared […]

As we sit in the tent, feeling hot, and the dogs pant (it was 32°C today), the met office are forecasting thundershowers until the morning. So I have checked that the tent is storm ready. We followed the river Thouet south of Aurvault. Initially there was a great din, that had gone on all night, […]

Happy was licking her paws last might, so I wondered if the pafs on her paws were being affected like Topsy’s. So decided to get extra stocks of the acid toughening solution in Airvault, the next big town. This turned out to be a real slog to the outskirts, but we did get 2 bottles […]

Finally left Touars today, and after 2k of blacktop, hit the riverside paths that charachterised the day. Lots of families with caravans or shacks by the river out Sunday picnicing. River wide and often covered in floating weed, blown away at parts to give nice generous expanses of water. No bathing signs everywhere, but expect […]

Went back to the cyber café and finished uoloading all my audio files for the Audio Diary. Now need to match these to photos and publish them all. Am back to Aug13 currently. Interviewd Giles, the owner of the café, who I am sure runs it mot for the money but for the sociability. A […]

[/audio Giles, the owner of Liberté Fraternité Cybercafé explains its name. A former photographer who sold fast film processig around the world, from China to Martinique and now likes the company of passers by and travellers in his very laid back cybercafé. Free beer and coffee if you stay and chat long enough!

About to interview the owner of the Thouars Cyber café.

It is forbidden in France, to call anything Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. So the Thouars cyber café, the only one that I have found in 5 weeks, misses out the “Fraternité”! So I have been holed up in there all day, downloading big audio files that I have nade in a dauly basis over the lastk […]