Date: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Day: 21
From: Lectoure To: Condom
Start Walking: 646am End Walking: 403pm
Time: 8h19m
Distance (Planned): 32.1km Distance (Garmin): 31.5km
Progress: 533.6/765km
Ascent: 600m Descent: 718m
Weather: Grey skies all day, sprinkling rain and cool. Perfect walking temperature.
Stayed At: Airbnb in Condom
General Comments:
• Well, it has been a very interesting day!
• Yesterday afternoon and evening the rain came in thick and fast while we were tucked away warm and dry in the Gite. I was more than happy to not be bucketed on from a great height, but didn’t think about quite how much rain was actually falling and any implications and impacts on the trail.
• When we stepped out the front door of the Gite this morning there was a really nice cool breeze blowing and the skies were uniformly grey and heavy looking. Not a great day for photography, but perfect for walking. We did get a few serious sprinkles on us throughout the day, but nothing that warranted a raincoat.
• The pressure was on this morning as the only place open to get food was about 20km away and it closed at 1230pm. The cool temperatures meant walking conditions were easier and we were making good time until we hit our first stretch of mud. Ugh! We slipped, slid, wobbled and swore, and finally made it to the other side. It was only after I had scraped all the mud off my boots that I thought I should have taken a photo to show you.
• Little did I know what lay in wait for us in the afternoon…
• We made our lunch stop at La Romieu and suitably fortified, it was time to tackle the last 13km.
• And then things got really interesting! In many sections of the trail, soil from neighbouring paddocks had been washed down onto the trail – in some places it was about 40cm deep!
• After awhile it became a complete waste of time to try to preserve our shoes and socks and we just ploughed on through.
• At one stage I heard a squelching thump and some colourful expletives and when I turned around, The Husband was on all fours in the mud! Our sense of humour was sorely tested today.
• The final insult was to cross a creek that had broken its banks. It wasn’t too wide, thank goodness, but it was still cause for concern and we had to step carefully. I guess the upside was that it gave our shoes, socks and legs a good wash!🤣
• Thankfully the last 4.5km were on asphalt, giving us a little time to dry out, and we were even more thankful to walk into Condom – despite its weird name! FYI, the name comes from the Gallic condate-o-magos, which means ‘market of the confluence’ I.e. the confluence of two rivers.
• Agricultural report: canola, grapes, legumes, leeks, potatoes, wheat, wheat, wheat.
• Animal report: an otter (I think), red squirrel.
Top Tips:
• Consider catching a taxi or bus like many of the far more sensible pilgrims did! But look at all the fun they missed!🤣
Bon Chemin.
Life...one big adventure 
Ugh, that mud looks like a read day-ruiner. I can hear the squelchy sound now.
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Yep, I can handle most things out on the trail, but was starting to wonder how safe it actually was. It would have been so easy to slip and fall, and have met one young German woman who has sprained her ankle by slipping on wet grass. Thankfully the forward weather forecast is looking dry and that will do the path a lot of good.
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Yikes. If mud is a day-ruiner, then a sprained ankle may be a camino-ruiner. I’m wishing you a fall-free remainder of your camino.
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Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏
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Oh, heck! I’d have wanted to turn back at this stage. All that claggy mud weighing you down and poor Hubby doesn’t look best pleased. But those ducks and geese!
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Sometimes I do feel like turning back, but when you are in the middle of nowhere, the next challenge is how to still arrive at your destination after you do turn around? In those cases, and as unpleasant as it is, it is easier to push on!🙄🙃😖
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The shoes of an authentic, inveterate hiker Mel. Nike needs these pics to replace their colorful, spotless, designer advertising photos to boost their sales among genuine hiking afficianados 👟
Keep on hiking Mel, and . . .
Keep Looking Up^ … His Best is Yet to Come!
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When I hike, Fred, it definitely ain’t pretty! 🤣 and I’ve even had a few people address me as Monsieur until they realise I am a Madam! 🤣🙃 I guess I should be embarrassed by that, but I’m not!
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wow…you got everything on that Camino. I am wondering if the weather is “normal” for this time of the year. It does not feel like spring here too in Vancouver . Look forward to eat outside. Is summer coming soon ? I hope so. This day for you is unforgettable. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
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I am not sure there is anything like ‘normal’ weather anywhere anymore. Other than a few hot days, we have enjoyed quite mild temperatures and I am more than happy with that. Summer can hit at the end of the month!🌞🌞🥵🥵
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Oh no, walking through deep puddles and mud is the worst! But makes a good story when no one got hurt 😊 Maggie
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Sorry, Maggie. All your comments ended up in my Spam AGAIN! I have no idea why the system doesn’t like you! Yes, we survived the mud and wet conditions, but did hear of one woman (no hiking poles and wearing sneakers) slipped and badly sprained her ankle. We got off lightly. Mel
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Grrr what is happening!! WP checked and said it’s not me, but it happens to you and one other account, and another three where my comments must be moderated!!
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Yep, it’s so weird. Every time I mark you as NOT SPAM, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference from this end. I wonder if there is something else I should be doing?? Let me know if there is. Happy to have you not end up in the Spam bin! 🙂
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Yes, what party poopers missing out on all that muddy fun 🙂 I wouldn’t have taken a bus. All part and parcel of spring weather. I disliked crossing small rivers or the like when tramping in the Kaimais. Hopefully you were both able to clean up the boots and had a good meal to finish your long day xx
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Yes, we’ve had our final rest day and that was very handy to get everything clean and dry! Fingers crossed no mud lies in wait for us today! 🌞🌞
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The mud Mel!!!! Do your boots dry out over night?
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No they don’t, but luckily we had a rest day yesterday and managed to get everything clean and dry. Bring in the sunshine to dry out the path! 😁
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A very well timed rest day! Fingers crossed that the sun is shining for the remainder of the hike 🙂
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Hold that thought, Di! I don’t think even the weather forecasters know what the weather is doing!🌧🌞
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Oh dear that’s not good Mel. Your poor shoes – well actually your poor feet!!!!.
Have to say the scenery probably makes up for the mud.
Hope you are loving this trip. It does look and sound like you favourite one so far.
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Yes, it’s been an amazing experience. I’m not sure if it is my favourite, but it has been absolutely stunning. I never dreamed the scenery would be so consistently beautiful. I hope you are managing to stay dry and not develop web feet! X
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At this stage we are flooded in. We were supposed to go to a funeral in Bathurst today but we are no going anywhere anytime soon. Roads might open by Sunday if we are lucky and it stops raining. We are up to about 350mls.
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OMG! That’s an insane amount of rain. Stay safe, chick. Xx
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The rough and the smooth. At times like this I take my boots off and chance it.
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I was keen on getting my boots and socks washed and wasn’t sure what would be under the rushing water, so plunged on regardless and live to walk another day!🙃😄
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Why do you walk such distances? It wouldn’t be fun for us. We would rather do this by car.
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Oh well, it all comes down to the time available to walk. Sometimes we just have to put in the hard yards.😉🤣
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Petrarch writes about the feeling of walking long distances out of curiosity. With him, in the late Middle Ages, modern tourism started.
Happy weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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You have a great weekend too!
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Tragic! xx
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🤣😄🙃
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Oh wow that is a lot of water along the trail, I can’t believe you ploughed through it!! The ducks are also very cute…but I just can’t recover from the name Condom!!! I really hope your shoes dry quickly!
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All good. A lot more mud since 7, but we have been able to navigate it successfully if squishily! 😖
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Hmm, while I look at your feature picture, I suddenly had a flashback to our Portuguese Camino in 2018 … I don’t think I ever got all the mud out of my shoes! But as you say, it can turn into quite a fun day (in retrospect of course) 😉.
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Yes, it always seems so much more amusing in retrospect!🤣
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With all that mud I reckon I would have resorted to a bus, taxi, or uber to shorten what was a long distance day. Well done to you both!
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Well, sometimes you get so far in, I start to think that surely nothing worse can happen?! 🙂
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