Day 9: Zimbabwe and Tortillas

This morning we were joined by Tarryn, a spritely twenty six year old from Zimbabwe; don't say she's from South Africa or she gets quite violent. As she is an attractive girl, I naturally don't want to look like a fool in front of her at any point, but we are all forgetting that I'm Matthew Bills and that bad things happen to good people. Firstly, let me tell you that no one will ever know the amount of skill, daring and timing it takes to fart and scuff your boot in tandom whilst walking! After a strong coffee at 5:30am my stomach wash churning like a pin wheel and I had been clenching my arse through forty minutes of conversation with Tarryn, looking for a window to hang back and let rip. Eventually, fearing that I would combust, I had to change tack and attempt the audacious act of discretely fluffing in the presence of another human. With a light layer of moisture glistening on my brow from the concentration, I scrapped the floor in an elongated manner and let it go, praying sincerely that I could trust this one... My arse decided to turn into a bloody trombone and people for several kilometres behind were blown backwards onto their rucksacks like over turned wood louse. I have never been so embaressed. With a wilting look and without another word, Tarryn pushed onto the group in front and I couldn't bring myself to speak to her again for several hours.

With embaressment burning through my body I stormed the 30kms today. The Rioja region is flooded with vineyards and rich red clay which looks beautiful but becomes monotonous very quickly and the rocky country lanes have given all of our feet some serious punishment! Worryingly, my bug toe nail has turned a violent shade of black and I'm concerned that it way fall off!

When we reached Najera we stopped in a bustling park next to the river to sit down and drink a cold orange juice - it always freshly squeezed in front of you here and tastes incredible!

Once we had booked into out albergue and washed our clothes and ourselves, we had a wander around the old town and church. This whole town is very nice, it's bridges and rivers give it a very French feel and its the busy town I have seen. Children are dotted around everywhere, playing table tennis and swinging on roundabouts! It makes me miss my school a little, but not enough to leave early and start re-jigging my wall displays.

Thankfully, tomorrow is a shorter walk of 23km so hopefully my feet will have a chance to recover! I'll avoid the coffee and maybe try to strike up a conversation with Tarryn again.