Footsore

Since I don't expect to get much exercise in England over the next few days, I went for a long walk up and down hills in the Tarn yesterday. Fearnley accompanied me for the first couple of miles but after that I was on my own. France has a network of Grandes Randonnées or long distance footpaths. The GR653 passes about a mile from our house. It is one of the Chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, which starts at Arles and goes to Santiago de Compostela. So I went about 15 miles east and then struck northwards up the GR36. At 6.45 p.m., after 8 hours walking and facing another hill, I realised my legs wouldn't go any further. Lowri came to fetch me. I could hardly lift myself into the car. Long bath and early night. Fortunately I can move again today.

I have swathed my theorbo in bubblewrap and am hoping for the best for today's flight. This is turning out to be a monster problem for all travelling musicians, to judge from the reports on the BBC website 1, 2.