The Camino Gypsy Chronicles: Country Mouse, Big City

I remember distinctly a scene in the film "Into The Wild" where Christopher McCandless ventures into Los Angeles after months of isolation navigating and embracing American small towns and backroads. Lost amongst the big city chaos he no longer enjoys nor fathoms, he takes flight immediately, returning to his natural state in the wild. Reading the book and seeing this scene portrayed in the movie, I simply couldn't understand his actions at this particular crossroad. I thought to myself, 'But LA is so exciting! And Emile Hirsch looks so good showered and cleaned up. So why not take a few days to go to music shows, flirt with some hot LA babes, soak up sun on the beach and eat some killer Mexican food?!' As a free spirit, seems a no-brainer for the guy.

But today, coming into the big city that is Toulouse with mud caked boots, clanking trekking poles, threadbare hiking clothes, zero makeup and a funny walk I've recently developed as my muscles atrophy, after weeks of traveling through quaint villages and down quiet roads and trails, I felt not only out of place, but also out of my element. Whereas I normally love metropolitan hubs and feel entirely at home there, suddenly the traffic was too loud, the people too many, the buildings too large and the streets too aplenty. I missed the village with its one main street and single patisserie. Now we had choices! A patisserie on every block! How does one make up their mind when faced with so many baguettes?

I instantly missed the streamlined pilgrim life we'd adapted to in small towns throughout southern France. Here we were, two country bumpkins tip-tapping along with our trekking poles, trying to look inconspicuous, while trying even harder to ignore all the curious stares. The worst was passing the university with its truckloads of attractive, stylish youths strolling, biking, jogging and rowing down the canal. I felt like yelling to them, "In real life I'm much cooler!," but realized such a desperate outcry would have the opposite of its intended effect. To them, mom and I were country mice venturing into the big city - wide-eyed, anxious, unhip and totally unawares.

Yet, more than what we portrayed on the outside, inside we were Christopher McCandless in LA, desiring nothing more than to hitch up our backpacks and aim our poles and boots south, out of the city, and back into the peace, tranquility and striking simplicity and beauty of the wild.

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Pics of our walk from Baziege to Toulouse. Not too many of them, as the scenery hasn't changed much in the last several days, but a few goodies.

I noticed when downloading this pic that you can just make out a biker on the right. We shared the trail with cyclists all day long, but most loved the set of middle aged men on tandem bikes - the ones in front steering those in back who were blind. Just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Not to mention, mom and I take on similar roles on the trail ourselves...