Herman's Way, Vézelay......

	Last update 31 March 1996

	15 March 1996	The start. A little bit of sightseeing this morning. We climb the hill again, to visit the Basilica in daylight. The principal road leading to it, is bordered with houses from the 15th, 16th and 18th century and ends in a large terrace with a magnificent view of the valley. (Click on the pictures to see a larger image.)
		And then to the presbyterate, to get the first stamp in Herman's pilgrims passport, representing the real start of his journey. The monk dressed in the blue color of the Fraternity of Jerusalem, told him: "Vous êtes le premier hirondelle, qui s'envole d'ici cette année.", he was the first swallow to fly out this year. A quick lunch, and it is time to say good bye. A little emotional for us, I can tell you, it is quite an adventure to go off like that all alone. "This first day I walked towards l'Étang, and then followed a very beautiful path to Neuffontaines and on to Le Chemin. The last part was very steep, going up to 328 m. I can't find a suitable camping-site and it is already 5:45 p.m. But a little further I find a perfect site to put up my tent, a small field surrounded by shrubs, 50 m from the rivulet Rau. 7:30 p.m. the tent is up and it is almost dark. Back to Vézelay: I don't understand my own feelings at the moment of saying good bye, it seems like they are 'turned off', even if I would look for them, I couldn't find them. Still I know I love Jol very much, and Schippie also evokes feelings of a big bear hug. The first part of the road I don't know what I am feeling either, not happiness, no sadness, a big confused feeling. The route isn't very clear in my mind, so I have to force myself to pay attention and to look at the beautiful landscape. Only after 10 km my head clears up, funny experience, and I can enjoy the magnificent landscape with the rolling fields and earlier, many groves. The first trouble: All of a sudden my left ankle starts to hurt, and it is getting worse. No panic, but deep disappointment, almost fatalistic. I make a stop, take of my shoe, and oh, what a relief, a small very sharp stone is pressing against a tendon and caused a nice blue spot! Taped it, shoes back on, and proudly on my way again, geez, what a relief!
	16 March 1996	My first night out was very quiet, the noise of an airplane, some cars and the barking of a dog in the distance. In the beginning the rustling of the leaves around my tent kept me awake, and also I have to admit, the sound of my own heartbeat. It went too fast, breathing exercises didn't help. Tried to figure out, why the tension, I am not afraid, I trust the site, I don't think someone will bother me, at most some policemen, but I haven't seen anyone. What could it be, the only thing I can come up with, it must be a rather healthy tension of survival. At 2 a.m. outside to take a look at the sky, at one side full of stars, beautiful! In the morning I don't feel like getting up, it is very cold outside and my sleeping bag is nice and warm. Got up anyway, got something to eat and drink, pack my things and on the road again. I am strolling along, yesterday I asked for some water at a farm, my intuition on how and where still works perfectly, I like that. I am writing this in a café in Corbigny at 10:30 a.m., and after 2 large cups of coffee I should be on my way again. From Corbigny I followed a path that ended in a lot of barbed wire, guarded by some dogs. You can't have it all, so back 3 km. When I was having lunch, two girls passed by with a bloodhound, a real big one, like in Magnum; played a bit with him, which we both enjoyed. Through a wood on a very soggy clay-path, heavy walking, made me a few inches taller! Past the Grand Étang de Vaux and along the Canal du Nivernais towards Bazolles, where I had some wine and filled my water bottle. Back to the Canal for the night. Slowly but surely my thoughts and feelings are getting back to normal again, a relief, it didn't feel good before. I have to be able to cry and laugh a little, make fun of myself and my surroundings.... I become human again, well sort of...
	17 March 1996	Sunday-morning, rain the whole night, but my tent is holding up all right. Back to yesterday's café for breakfast, turned out to be the only one open all day. Even made an 8 km detour through small villages, nothing open. Not a day to repeat.
	18 March 1996	After a dry start, it drizzles while walking to Décize, an old town on the river Loire, and on to Cossaye about 10 km south. Made my camp at some sort of a peninsula. It is pitch dark now, before I saw two big animals in the water, with a big round tail about 80 to 100 cm long. Could be otters, I can't think what else.
	19 March 1996	7:00 a.m. and my tent is frozen solid, must be at least -5 °C maybe less. I am sitting in a café in Lusigny, 12.5 km east of Moulins. I am not sure if this is still the Bourgogne, the atmosphere is more southern, the French bread is excellent, so is the wine and the cheese, and it is nice to relax and take my shoes off. I didn't have much energy this morning, a little reaction maybe because of all the new impressions, not as much food and drink as I would have liked and more km a day than I planned. But the basic feeling is good, no matter what comes over it. I read a lot about hikers and cars, but you have to experience it on small roads without a footpath. Most of the time they pull out, sometimes hardly, and sometimes when they come from behind, they pull out to pass you even closer. Very funny! French women abide by the rules mostly, so they stay at the right side and hardly pull out, rather annoying. Truck drivers always clear the way up until now. So much for social behavior. Take myself, I don't work, stroll about frank and free, and all alone, and I even like that! Talking about antisocial .... SHIT, EVERYTHING CLOSED AGAIN, that's what is most disappointing up until now. Neuilly-le Réal, 8 p.m. I checked into a small hotel, I was too tired to find a camping site, I wanted to take a shower and most important, my left foot is hurting. It is swollen near my big toe, where I had the first blister. I hope it is just a light gout-attaque, I took some medicine, lets hope it helps. The hotel is very nice, I have my own bathroom, with bath, I almost forgot how nice a warm bath can be!
	20 March 1996	This morning the pain in my foot is almost gone, it is still swollen, so another pill. A good breakfast, lots of bread and butter (on a small cockle-formed dish!). Going to do some washing today, mail this letter and the first roll of pictures, and not much else, just rest! I do have some time now to write some more and to do a bit of calculating. This startled me a bit, it seems I have walked 147 km in four and a half days. This is far too much! I knew beforehand I had to keep track, and it is important to find a way to restrain myself. When the weather is nice, it will be easy, just lie in the grass and look at the sky. When the weather is bad, I'll have to start later and hang out in cafés longer, but they will have to be available. Maybe I should change my route, choose larger villages to go through, and plan this every morning. Yes, that's right, this free bird will have to plan, not just follow his compass, otherwise I'll end up with injuries or severe gout. I am convinced now that the pain in my foot is gout, I remember I had the same trouble at the same spot last year. I'll have to be more attentive and take my medicine earlier, if it happens again. It feels much better though, and tomorrow I'll be on the road again. Funny thing, I feel a bit lonesome here in my hotel room, while in my tent I am really at home and happy. Probably because I am not used to staying in hotels on my own ...."
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