I spent the morning looking forward to entering France. I got back to the route at 9.15, then most of the day was, again, tarmac roads through vineyards. Not my kind of environment, and it doesn't give me energy, so it is not very motivating.
I did notice, by the end of the morning, that I was walking faster than the day before, and I didn't find the climbs as hard as before. Seems my body is getting more adjusted to hiking.
I took my lunch break in the shade of a church - it was again very hot. I was joined on the bench by someone who, upon learning that I was from the Netherlands, switched to Dutch and told me that long ago, 'in a previous life', they had been a teacher of Dutch in Belgium, but that moving to Luxemburg and learning Letzebuergs had driven Dutch from their mind. When the bus arrived, they were surprised that I didn't get on it; apparently, I had not made it clear enough that walking was the point of what I'm doing.
After that, the heat got worse (around 16.30 I saw a 34˚C), and I had to take it slow, take plenty of breaks in the shade, drink ridiculous amounts of water, and, eventually, buy a lot of ice cream.
Somewhere along the way I encountered another Dutch hiker, who was doing the GR5 from Metz to the Netherlands, so in the opposite direction of what I'm doing. They eventually gave me their guide book for the first part of France, because they didn't need it anymore. I was doubtful at first, because of the weight, but in the end accepted, because of the extra information it contains on campsites.
After the outskirts of Schengen, I followed the markings, which were leading me away from the bridge I had to cross (consistent with the map). At some point I checked the gps, which said I was no longer on my route. At that point I decided to ignore both the gps track and markings, both of which were taking a ridiculously long and pointless detour to the bridge in Schengen, the last part of which was along the car road. I didn't just dislike that, I also thought it was a bit dangerous as there was no sidewalk. So I just walked to the village and found my own way to the bridge. Halfway across it, I apparently entered Germany. Shortly after that, I had my white and red markings again, and a short distance onward, I entered France (though I didn't really notice it at the time). Then it was another 4 km to Sierck-les-Bains, plus one extra to the campsite. And just before the campsite, someone offered me a whole box of strawberries, insisting I eat them all. I ain't gonna say no to delicious strawberries. They also offered me sausage, and asked if I had cigarettes, while having their asthma medication on the table, then told me they had stolen the strawberries from the nearby farm. It was... an interesting conversation.
I arrived at the campsite around 7 and was very glad to be able to shower.
I tried to book the hotel that was the only possible place to sleep tomorrow, but it was full. So I checked the map, and the new book, because there is a possible alternative route along the river, the Western variant of the GR5.
Then, as I was setting up my tent, someone asked if I needed help - it would be a bit stupid, when camping alone, to bring a tent that I would need help to set up, but I suppose it was a good excuse to talk to me. We ended up having a long conversation, with me explaining what I was doing and the problem I had finding a sleeping place for tomorrow, and then he offered to pick me up at the end of my hike tomorrow and drop me off again early the next morning, and I'd sleep at the same campsite as tonight. I thought he was crazy to offer, and it is in part a crazy idea, but I like it. It enables me to do the more beautiful main route after all, which is worth a bit of discomfort in a car.
So that's the plan for tomorrow. And now, my first night in France on my way to Rome!

Geschreven door Jewaontheroad