Slowing down even more – report Cathy Verschoor (pilgrim 3267)

It’s not even a very nice hangout: there is debris left and right, weeds are growing and a few rambunctious dogs threw sand in my food. But I had been looking forward to it all week: the last day I’m going to hang out on the Waal beaches. And I look at the clouds, ships passing by, write something, read something and do nothing else. Delicious. The rain had almost thrown a spanner in the water that last day. But no, luck again.

Read Cathy Verschoor’s report here

“After 10 o’clock it will be dry,” said the bike’s friend. And yes. With a smile, as radiant as the sun that is about to come, I pick up my ring at the café. You can take shelter for a while, says the owner. No need, the sun is shining and I’m on my way to my hangout. I manage to take 2 hours to walk the distance from Afferden to Deest and I am actually proud that I only know that because the church bell rings when I walk into the village.

What a godsend to walk the route without phone, watch, email, Facebook. I glide through time. The phone is only allowed to be switched on to arrange the overnight stays and to see exactly where I need to be. And all I have to do is walk, eat when I’m hungry and follow the route. I’m indestructible. Not even if it turns out that the place to spend the night is further than I thought and I have to hurry to get in before dark. Even then, I think it’s a shame that I walked so many kilometers in 1 day and didn’t take 2 days. Slowing down even more to finally come to a halt at the Waal beaches. The labyrinth gives me the answer to my question.