Santa Cristina and Orion Litta

It's good that we write blogs once we arrive in a place, not en route each day, for the walking is, to say the least, challenging. We had imagined that by now, we would be getting quite fit and charging along, covering further distances each day. However, we are all struggling with foot problems and Soph and Tim in particular have some quite entrenched blisters. We had thought today's 17 km walk into Orion Litta might be quite a breeze, but we were all most relieved to arrive and find a place to sit and eat. We got off the track a few times, but Tim's trusty GPS saved the day each time. Overall the path is better marked than we anticipated, but there were still signs missing or covered over in a few critical places today.

Before giving details of the last day or 2, some general comments. As pilgrims with pilgrim credentials, we are entitled to stay in parish houses along the way. Each one is totally different, and basically some churches have a room set aside for pilgrims coming through. We have stayed in an old renovated church building, an upstairs room full of bags of what seemed to be op shop clothing, a huge empty building with a bunk and 2 bed bases in the corner, and last night, in a room with beds, quilts, pillows (yes, pillows!) as part of a church parish house. I made the mistake of settling down for a day time rest in the early afternoon, not realizing how busy the day would be. Throughout the afternoon the building was full of children, youth, adults, having afternoon bible studes, playing soccer and board games and generally hanging out together. We were offered birthday cake at a 5 yo girl's birthday party and the very friendly guy who ran the bar kept offering us coffees, water, pannini, gelati, throughout the afternoon and evening. Unfortunately Tim finally succumbed to the flu so slept most of the late afternoon, but I had the best ever talk with a lovely kindergarten teacher who was full of fun and love for the children she works with, both in her job and most weekends with the young people at the parish.

This journey can be quite lonely, especially as English speakers with minimal Italian words or phrases. When we arrive at the place we are staying, we are offered a key, shown our beds, and where to shower and wash our clothes. Our pilgrim passports are stamped, then we are often on our own until we lock up, leaving a key at the designated place and walk on the next morning. So to be part of something so full of life and activity last night was really special.

Our usual day, if there is a standard day - each one is so different - is to get up about 6 am and pack our gear, and try to be on the road about 7 - 8 am. We may catch a bakery (bar) for a croissant and espresso, then it is walking between towns, sometimes on major roads, but most often along trails that weave through rice or maize paddies. We may stop at a bar or have a picnic of salami, cheese and pannini, then have our main meal when we arrive in a town. Juggling the siesta, and availability of food in towns is interesting, sometimes we end up carrying food we don't need, other times we are desperate for something to eat and there is nothing we can get. Then we may have a typical 10 euro set menu with mini pizza, pasta, schnitzel, fruit, bread, wine and coffee for lunch or evening meal.

We tend to walk well the first couple of hours and find ourselves tiring or feet getting very sore after that. As I said, it is pretty challenging. But the people we meet, the scenery, the journey itself, are all wonderful.

We have to try to book a place to stay the night before. It is fun to try to do that, we usually ask our immediate hosts to ring on our behalf. Last night we were told that due to a sporting event in Orio Litta all accommodation was booked out tonight, so the priest rang and spoke to the mayor. Our instructions were to call him on our arrival. So, sitting in a bar having pizza and coffee, Tim asked the barista, via google translate, if he could help us find the mayor. A smile and he stepped out into the steer calling out, Maestro, Maestro, and the next minute a very sporty man appeared and showed us to our pilgrim accommodation for the night - wait for the pictures- 2 rooms, one above the other, in a mediaeval pilgrim tower! The mayor here has been welcoming pilgrims since the first modern day pilgrims walked from Canterbury to Rome in 1996. He said we are the first Tasmanians to stay here.

Whenever we get a bit discouraged, something special tends to happen. Surprises keep happening and we are having an amazing time.

I have again broken the unspoken keep-it-short blogging rule and written far too much.

Photos to follow.

Love to all, Merran.