Date: Thursday 6 September
Distance covered to Rome: 723/1027km
Terrain: Beautiful valley floors and many stiff climbs to get out of them!
Overnight: Convento di San Francisco, €10
Feeling: excited that this time in two weeks I will be walking into Rome.
Just when you think these early mornings in Tuscany can’t get any better, this morning I was treated to yet another gorgeous sunrise, but this time accompanied by five hot air balloons floating on the horizon! Talk about a Kodak moment. Unfortunately they were too far away for me to create my own Canon moment, but I enjoyed the spectacle none the less.
And then another doe sprints across my path. I have heard of ‘chick magnets’, but not deer magnets. I think my deer count is up to about seven now. I sat at a restaurant the other day and the waitress was doing her best to explain the menu. She couldn’t think of the English word for venison and instead told me that I could eat Bambi! Not the best marketing spiel I have ever heard!
Today’s path took me through the glorious hilltop town of San Gimignano. It was only just waking up when I walked through, but even then it had a great atmosphere and oozed history. I think I should have planned a lot more rest days to explore all these places or maybe it is a good excuse for a return visit….in a car!
The path also gave me an option of taking a variant from the official via Francigena path, which brought me to Colle in a much more direct and consequently, shorter route. I had aimed to walk 33km today to get to my destination. I hope this means those missing kilometres are not added to tomorrow’s count! Oh well, take it as it comes…
Tip of the day: beware of via Francigena signs giving you the scenic route through a town, rather than the most direct one. App to the rescue!
Life...one big adventure 
Sounds like I know where to start my walking journey in Italy now, thanks to your blogs !! Day 25 by my reckoning 😁
More rain here last night 12mm
Been back to DBO with Mum 2 full suitcases and two full wardrobes of clothes are now down to 1.5 wardrobes and NO suitcases on bedroom floor
I think it must be too overwhelming for her – furniture to plan and purchase + still a storage shed full to the brim to go through 😲
Kate Rogers iPhone
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Yes, I have been thinking about that, what I would recommend. I can discuss in great detail when I get home! 🙂 Glad to hear your Mum is slowly getting sorted! Moving is a mammoth task!
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Mel, the scenery is really ‘out of dreams’. You must be skipping along with all that gorgeousness ! And I hope you’re diarising all those lovely meals you’ve had.
Doing a camino is the best way to see a country and live like the locals (hahaha – hope that’ll be me again in 2019)
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Yes, the hilltop towns are just gobsmacking. I haven’t really got into the food so much. Perhaps that will come when I have some shorter days and I’m not so buggered!
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Well this is sounding much better Mel! Beautiful scenery & not a single mention of nasty dogs, ridiculous heat or terrifying thunder storms. Happy days!! x
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Oh God, sorry if I am sounding like a misery guts! I am just trying to share the highs and lows of every day!
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