DAY 134 - ROVANJSKA TO SOUTH OF KARLOBAG: 32.31 MILES (62,620 STEPS)

3 September, 2011

32.31 miles (Total: 1315.69 miles) 62,620 steps (Total: 2,563, 581 steps)

I couldn’t sleep, as I was again reeling with leg cramps periodically through the night. I was also looking forward to the arrival of Rob and Di who were going to pick me up somewhere on the road between Rovanska and Karlobag. I eventually got up at 3:00am and decided to set off on my walk. I hadn’t set off this early before, probably because of some apprehension of walking during darkness on busy roads, but with my torch in hand and fluorescent cagoule I set off. It is a strange experience walking in complete darkness, particularly as along these cliff side roads there were no street lamps.

Early on I realised that water was going to be a problem because I was passing through settlements before the shops were open. Fortunately I arrived at a camp-site just past Starigrad and there was a camp shop and cafe which I was able to get stocked up at. My legs were hurting and again it was going to be very hot. As the sun came up it revealed amazing scenery of high cliffs and mountains bordering with the sea. The frustrating part of the journey on this stretch, was that though you could see your next destination a few km away, the road would hug the coastline and might take you 10 km to reach. All the way through the day, water continued to be a problem. I seemed to be dehydrating fast and settlements were few and far between. I saw signs for Lukovo Sugarje and a restaurant—just in time I thought, for I felt I was about to faint, but when I got to the remote village the restaurant was closed.

It was still going to be at least a couple of hours before Rob and Di arrived, so my only option was to walk on. Eventually I came upon a remote farm house and knocked on the door—a young man came and I pointed to my Medugorje wrist band and said ‘pilgrim’ and asked if I could have some water—he immediately went in and came out with a one litre bottle of cold water and it felt like a scene from ‘Ice Cold in Alex’ as I drank it down virtually in one go.

Then his mother appeared seeming to be telling him off for giving me water and came out with some cheese and I thought how kind as she started speaking and offering the cheese to me.  Then I heard her say “10 euro”.  I smiled but she insisted “10 euro—good”. I thought this piece of cheese wouldn’t cost 10 euro in Harrods’s Food Hall and made gentle excuses that it was too hot to carry as I walked on with shouts of “8 euro—very good” ringing in my ears.

I walked on a few kilometres until I heard three short toots behind me and my heart leapt as I realised in was Rob and Di Parsons.  They pulled into a perfectly placed lay-by and we hugged each other as Rob rushed out with a selection of ice cold water, iced tea and Coke Zero to select from—I took all three and dashed out of the heat into their wonderful air-conditioned car and back to Sukosan. All of a sudden every ache, cramp, and dehydrating thought, evaporated and was replaced by pure joy at seeing my dear friends again and looking forward to our week together.