Today I didn’t walk. I rested my knee. It’s driven me nuts. All I want to do is walk. But I figure it’s the responsible thing to do.

I said goodbye to my two mates – Balazs and Lazlo, both from Hungary. We shared a cab from Biarritz airport to St. Jean earlier in the week, along with a Dutch lass named Rosa, and we’ve bumped into each other a few times since. Because of the shared experience of hardship, friendships quickly develop.

However, i like to walk on my own. I like to stop and take photos when i want to, and not feel obliged to meet someone else’s pace. i also like to be alone to think, and to take in the beauty of the place. Because there’s no doubt some of the country is spectacular.

My knee settled down a bit overnight. The swelling reduced somewhat, and when I went out walking around town today, the pain was still present, but not as bad as yesterday. However, it hasn’t gone away, and I hope it remains manageable pain, not pain that will curtail the walk.

I posted forward to Santiago some stuff that I don’t think I’ll need – thermals, wind stopper vest, gaiters and a book that I won’t finish. All up it came in at 1.75 kgs! That’s a big chunk off the weight of my backpack, which should now be around the 7.5 kgs, without food and water. My knees will be very thankful!

I then visited the Cathedral, which was small but evocative, and had fried calamari tapas for lunch. There was a big demonstration in the main square here at lunch time, and some people were wearing paper mâché outfits.

Tomorrow I’m back out on the road, this time with my new walking poles instead of my trusty stick. I love my stick, and I’ll be sad to leave it behind. But tomorrow is a big climb up to Alto del Perdon – and evidently an even stiffer descent. So perhaps my new walking sticks will help.

I don’t like hanging around. I want to get out and keep walking. I suspect a one or two day rest isn’t going to make much difference with my knee – it probably needs 6-8 weeks. And that ain’t gonna happen, to use the vernacular.

So, the Alto del Perdon tomorrow, or Hill of Forgiveness.

I hope my knee will forgive me.