On day 9, Paul's made a very tough decision...
Today I just cracked.
I woke up feeling a deep dread for what lay ahead.
Yes, I could lighten my baggage load by posting a load of unwanted cold and wet weather gear home - with just a hope that I don’t need it for the remainder of the trip. A quick 15 mins in the local Poste took care of that.
I could have another ‘rest day’ to try and marshal my thoughts for a better day tomorrow.
I could even look into ways of getting my accursed bike closer to the destination in Rome without pedalling it.
But no - all of this was avoiding the massive problem I have been slowly developing along the route.
Memories are made for sharing with the people you make them with - and I’m just basically fed up of being alone on this trip. I am lonely, and I miss the people I love.
Add to this the prospect of going into Italy with little of no communication skills, and a not unreasonable expectation that I might be wiped out by any one of the notoriously unobservant drivers, and it all reinforced the only decision I could make.
I worried that this might creep up on me some weeks before the start, and the people I shared my concerns with airily said ‘Well if you don’t like it, you can come home - it’s easy!’
It’s not though.
I had a flight from Montpellier to Newcastle booked in a trice, and managed to secure a bike box at the airport - which is a short walk from my hotel. Easy.
What’s hard is accepting that I’ve failed in my goal, despite knowing that in chasing it I could have experienced all kinds of mental anguish…and who needs that? It still feels like a huge failure though.
I spoke to Dave about my decision, and he admitted to being surprised I’d lasted as long as I had, and that he wouldn’t have lasted 48 hours. We’re more alike than I like to acknowledge.
I can’t say that the ride from Nimes to Montpellier was eventful or even enjoyable - but it was mercifully short at around 35 miles.
As I spotted my hotel for the night, the pain in my sit bones kicked in hard - and at once I realised this was the right thing to do.
Promenade du Peyrou (photo courtesy of orelien fly)
