well, it is time for an update and filling in of how the past few days have been.
This route has been a trial by fire for me. I came into this knowing it would test me and I wanted to be tested. Well, it has tested me in many ways already. I am constantly asked: how is this similar to the Camino Frances? My answer: only the walking is similar.
The only true starting point for this is Canterbury. That was never happening. I decided to start off in the Po Valley knowing that it would be grasslands and flat. What I forgot to count in was the complete lack of shade and the warmer temperatures that I have walked in the past. My ass…has been kicked. My spirit… resilient. Thankfully I know that there are no medals handed out for this. It’s a personal journey. And I’ve had to make choices that I didn’t necessarily intend on going in. I will get to that at the end of this update and can’t wait for the mountains to come.
One of the parts of these journeys that I deeply love is visiting cities that otherwise wouldn’t happen. I have yet to walk the Camino Primitivo, but that starts in Ovideo and it wouldn’t normally be on one’s list to visit. I loved Leon in Spain and fell in love with Baiona in Galicia. On the Via Francigena already, Pavia is an absolute gem of a town. While it wouldn’t normally be on one’s itinerary, I can easily say that it is well worth a day trip or an overnight from Milan. It quickly took my heart and was the perfect place to start this adventure:
and of course, I had to start things off with an excellent lunch at Lino Ristorante in Pavia
The first two days quite frankly were “boring”. I did this on purpose. I know that it takes the better part of 4-6 days to really get my legs on me and get used to my bag. Because I’ve dealt with intestinal and abdominal issues since last July, I went into this way less prepared than I have previously. I wasn’t able to properly bag train going into this, so a flatter area was “ideal”. What I didn’t take into account were the distances, sun, lack of shade, and lack of services. I had read about how there isn’t as much infrastructure on this as the Spanish Caminos and I was in for a very rude awakening. Yet, I keep walking.
This is not the idealic Italy we all think of. Which is why I love it. I came back to Pavia on the first day as there was no real lodging in Santa Cristina e Bissone. So…I treated myself to a bottle of Burzi that I picked up from my visit to Burzi
Day 2 into Orio Litta was more of the same. Grasslands, lots of wide open spaces, little shade, but at least there were towns with services every 3-5km. Orio Litta is your classic Pilgrim town. This town really would have no reason to exist if not for this route. The sun really did me in even with it just being 16km and I took less pictures.
Day 3…was rough. My bag is too heavy. I knew this going in and yet, I still stupidly did it. The lack of services was a real issue and I wasn’t able to make a reservation for the boat ride down the Po. What that meant was 25km of wide-open spaces and next to no services. I brought along a 1.5L bottle of water…it wasn’t enough. with about 3km to go, I had enough and braved walking along a highway to get to a Mall just outside of Piacenza and ordered a cab. The toe socks I bought to hopefully stave off blisters has failed me. I didn’t have enough water and the anti-friction cream I bought in Milan isn’t doing the job. I need compeed and I need to get into my flow. Right now, the elements are beating me. But I have to remind myself that many don’t start here. There are other starting points. A handful will start in Aosta and have already had around 250km to get their legs going. Or they start in Fidenza and kick into the Appenine Mountains. Or they start in Tuscany (the most common starting point). I took a different starting point and the normal questions that go through one’s head when they do this are happening. Wtf am I doing?! Did I make the right decision to start here? Did I bite off more than I can chew? This route is tough and I wanted it to be tough. But I’ve been here before and pushed through as I will do here. So, I took the taxi into Piacenza and settled in for the evening. I wanted to go out more and see the city, but my quads screamed: NO.
In no way should this ever be someone’s first long route. I am already seeing that. But the great part is what happens along it. And of course, the wonderful food and wine. I stayed the night in Piacenza and decided that another day of sun+no services just wasn’t smart when the Apennines were about to happen. I made my decision to head into Fidenza via train the next day (as in today as I’m writing this) and just enjoy my evening in Piacenza.
which of course meant searching out a good meal as well as a proper bottle of wine:
Right now, I’m in Fidenza resting up and happy I have compeed to take care of my blisters. I shipped some weight to Lucca and am looking forward to what the next few days will bring. ANDIAMO!
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