I steal a piece of cake from breakfast table although the host watches
closely on me. Accommodation costs 10 euros less than my intelligence
said.
Air is still cool. Sun shines and sky is ridiculously blue but
the wind is cold. Treeless landscape the whole day. The few trees that
there are throw their shadows in a thicket.
The biggest adventure of today should be crossing Foupana river. It is not possible to cross it after heavy rain. First there is a small stream equipped with the German guy who was also in the bus to Alcoutim. He was the one staying in the room next to me this night. I suspected it to be Sara. But Sara has vanished. The man announces that he has already bathed in the stream. I find it appropriate then to say that I intend to bathe after a while where there should be more water. More water indeed, about five meters across and mostly knee-deep. Rocks in the bottom are very slippery. First time that I detach walking poles from my bag. These should be useful in river crossings. They are helpful even if they diminish by half in the middle of the water because I've obviously forgotten to lock them. On the other shore we both find a bush to wrap ourselves under in shade. When my bathing consists of standing in the water and splashing water on my head then the German takes off all clothes besides his underwear, sits in the river and tries to shuffle water on his stomach. Someone has planned walking two stretches today so I don't have time to waste. Somehow I wasn't really concentrating on the travel plan of Portugal but looking at a map of Hornstrandir instead. I don't even know how many kilometers or days it all is.
After the river is a one hour grueling ascent in glaring sunshine. So much use of the river water. Refreshment for two minutes. I put the walking sticks back to my pack. Swinging these takes more energy than it saves.
In Furnazinhas there should be establishments for eating and sleeping. My only purpose is to find food since I'm not going to sleep here. Someone calls me and it takes a while before I realize that it is Sara. She has been wild-camping, hiding from a farmer, cut a huge wound in her thumb, started walking very early and has been around here for many hours. She plans to take the bus in the morning. Before that she was promised dinner at the accommodation. Very well, but I would like lunch. We bump into the accommodation host on the door of the supposed cafe. He promises me a sandwich if I'll stay in his hotel. It's already 3 o'clock. It would be a bit too optimistic to survive the next 20 kilometers on the breakfast cake. So I go and eat cheese that is offered with moldy bread. There's also a tomato and orange juice from oranges that come from the guy's own garden. The German who was sitting by the river arrives and is called Manfred. We all get our own rooms and the accompanying key management is introduced very thoroughly.
After shower me and Sara walk some local dogs around nearby bushes and discuss life. She has decided to continue walking.
Dinner is in German for a change. My stomach will almost explode after that. Who knows when is going to be the next meal.
No network, no internet.
The biggest adventure of today should be crossing Foupana river. It is not possible to cross it after heavy rain. First there is a small stream equipped with the German guy who was also in the bus to Alcoutim. He was the one staying in the room next to me this night. I suspected it to be Sara. But Sara has vanished. The man announces that he has already bathed in the stream. I find it appropriate then to say that I intend to bathe after a while where there should be more water. More water indeed, about five meters across and mostly knee-deep. Rocks in the bottom are very slippery. First time that I detach walking poles from my bag. These should be useful in river crossings. They are helpful even if they diminish by half in the middle of the water because I've obviously forgotten to lock them. On the other shore we both find a bush to wrap ourselves under in shade. When my bathing consists of standing in the water and splashing water on my head then the German takes off all clothes besides his underwear, sits in the river and tries to shuffle water on his stomach. Someone has planned walking two stretches today so I don't have time to waste. Somehow I wasn't really concentrating on the travel plan of Portugal but looking at a map of Hornstrandir instead. I don't even know how many kilometers or days it all is.
After the river is a one hour grueling ascent in glaring sunshine. So much use of the river water. Refreshment for two minutes. I put the walking sticks back to my pack. Swinging these takes more energy than it saves.
In Furnazinhas there should be establishments for eating and sleeping. My only purpose is to find food since I'm not going to sleep here. Someone calls me and it takes a while before I realize that it is Sara. She has been wild-camping, hiding from a farmer, cut a huge wound in her thumb, started walking very early and has been around here for many hours. She plans to take the bus in the morning. Before that she was promised dinner at the accommodation. Very well, but I would like lunch. We bump into the accommodation host on the door of the supposed cafe. He promises me a sandwich if I'll stay in his hotel. It's already 3 o'clock. It would be a bit too optimistic to survive the next 20 kilometers on the breakfast cake. So I go and eat cheese that is offered with moldy bread. There's also a tomato and orange juice from oranges that come from the guy's own garden. The German who was sitting by the river arrives and is called Manfred. We all get our own rooms and the accompanying key management is introduced very thoroughly.
After shower me and Sara walk some local dogs around nearby bushes and discuss life. She has decided to continue walking.
Dinner is in German for a change. My stomach will almost explode after that. Who knows when is going to be the next meal.
No network, no internet.
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