Day 113: Waterproof will

Day 113 - Friday, July 27th 2018: Banna Beach to Tralee via Fenit 24 km / Total 2321 km, 16°C, rainy

Wet morning. It's been raining at night so, of course, I had to pack my tent wet again. But also, my stuff didn't get dry, and I had to wear wet socks and shoes. But as the rain was expected again I didn't really mind: my shoes will be wet again so ... Let's carry on.

The only thing I was concerned about, regarding the weather, was that it was cooler, which added to wet feet might be a bad combo, so I took some vitamins to enhance my immune system, just in case, as I don't want to get a cold. The first hour and a half were alright, dry and quite sunny, walking to the west, along a river estuary, surrounded by some sand dunes, and almost no one on the road. No one except a dog. Oh, he was not alone, he had his friend as well, who was wearing a muzzle and growling at me, very encouraging! Let's get my walking sticks to defend myself and shout louder than them and go ahead. It worked but it's always quite stressful.

Around noon, soft rain started as I reached Churchill. A village that really has a church on a hill. The church gate was open, so I decided to get in and sat for a minute. No one inside, and absolutely no noise. I like when churches are peaceful place. I don't believe in God and don't pray, but I recognized how inspiring a church could be, very good for meditation in fact. Or just to find peace. And rest.

Then I got down the hill, and there was a dog crossing the road, getting back to his garden with his friend and barking at me. A few kilometres later, another dog on the road, trying to bite the car's tires. Walking sticks ready for defence, and shouting at the dog to get back home. And so he did. 

After walking East, I reached Fenit, where I stopped for lunch, with a view above the Dingle Peninsula on the other side of Tralee Bay. That's what I saw when I sat at the table, then a wall of water came from the mountains which disappeared. I couldn't even see the lighthouse anymore, and the rain suddenly beat the windows very strongly. At least I was inside enjoying a hot chai latte.

When the rain stopped, I got back on the road, as I still had three hours of walk to the west to reach Tralee. And of course, the rain was back again. I had to make another stop in a pub in Spa after only an hour and a half. Imagine the guests inside the pub, watching a woman getting in, with a big bag, under a rain cover and definitely wet! I asked for a hot cup of tea and chatted with another customer about the weather, of course, the drought and global warming. He asked about my trip, and I explained I was going to take a day off in Tralee to get new shoes, as mine was too used after a thousand kilometres, at such point that there was a hole under it and water was getting in. The manager listened to my story and gave me my cup of tea for free. Walking again, I realised how positive could be the effects of a cup of tea on my body. It helped me finish my day.

I arrived at the hostel completely soaked. After three hours under the rain, nothing is waterproof anymore. And after a warm shower I spent another evening getting out of my bag all my stuff trying to dry it.