Days 98 to 100: Reunions

Day 98: Those Darn French Trains

The morning after the evening spent at Hugo’s place, I head back toward downtown Grenoble, where I will take a train to Carcassonne around 1:00 pm. While waiting, I treat myself to an incredible brunch, the kind of fresh meal that is impossible to find on the trail. I have been talking to Hugo for days about the food I dream of eating, sorry Hugo, things like a proper brunch with bacon and avocados, right in the middle of the trail where we are both starving. So we might as well enjoy it when we can.

My trip to Carcassonne is shaping up to be a long one: three connections, including one where I will have to change stations. Up until now, I have been lucky with the French train network. Attention, I said up until now, because everything changes today. Of course, my first train has to be delayed. When they announce that my train will not run after all and that I will have to take the next one one hour later, a collective sigh echoes from all the passengers. A man complains on the platform: “It’s one train out of two that doesn’t arrive, where is France headed?” It makes me smile. I must have been very lucky until now because this is the first time this has happened to me.

I receive an email with an alternative itinerary. Well, I will arrive in Carcassonne at 9:00 pm instead of 6:00 pm. Wonderful…

After a long day of travel, during which I take the opportunity to write a little, I really need to catch up on my articles one day, I finally arrive at the Carcassonne train station.

I see my parents waiting for me, sitting on a bench. When I see them, I feel an immense wave of happiness, it has been so long since I last saw them. We share a big hug, then head to the Airbnb they booked.

At the accommodation, a wonderful surprise awaits me: baked potatoes and duck. Quite a change from the usual pasta.

Day 99: A Tourist Day in Carcassonne

The next morning, we take advantage of a beautiful sunny day to play tourists in the medieval city of Carcassonne. We visit the ramparts, the castle, and treat ourselves to a meal worthy of the place. I am not very original, I order duck again.

When we return from our tourist day, I realize that I forgot my cap at the restaurant. Shoot. It is the first time I have lost something from my backpack since the beginning of this hike and it really annoys me. We have so little gear with us, and every item is so important that losing something is always a hard blow. I call the restaurant, but they do not answer. Unfortunately, I will not have time tomorrow to go check if my cap is still there.

In the evening, I start organizing the next few days because tomorrow marks the beginning of a big adventure with my parents.

Day 100: Off to the Adventure With My Parents

Those who read my last article know that I had a fainting episode a few days ago in the Vercors. For safety reasons, I decide to have a few tests done at the hospital to confirm that my health is fine. Apparently, it is impossible for a foreigner to get a quick appointment at a clinic. I decide to go today because it is Monday morning, which is better than going on a Sunday when all clinics are closed and hospital wait times are even longer.

I expect to wait a very long time in the waiting room, but after barely ten minutes, they take me in for an electrocardiogram, a chest X ray, and blood tests. Wow, it is definitely much faster than in Quebec, where the average wait time in the emergency room can be around ten hours.

After two hours, a woman comes back with my results and tells me that I seem to be in perfect health and that I can continue hiking without any problem. She tells me that my episode was most likely caused by extreme accumulated fatigue. Great news. I am really happy that everything is fine. Even though it would have surprised me to have something serious, I wanted to be sure before heading back into more isolated terrain.

I return downtown with my mother, who accompanied me to the hospital, and we meet up with my father. It is 1:00 pm, and at 4:00 pm we will take a bus to Quillan. Since my parents will only walk a few dozen kilometers with me, I prefer to start around kilometer 115 of Stage 5 so they can see beautiful landscapes and the Pyrenees. The first hundred kilometers are not very appealing, and I would rather show my parents great views than force them onto a less interesting route just to strictly follow the HexaTrek trail.

Because we are leaving a day earlier than planned, we offer the last night of the Airbnb to Hugo, who has just arrived in Carcassonne. He plans to visit the medieval city first. On a whim, I ask him if he could bring back my cap if he sees it at the restaurant. I do not have much hope, it spent the night outside.

An hour later, the doorbell rings at our Airbnb. When I open the door, I discover Hugo wearing my cap. Amazing. I introduce him to my parents, we chat a bit, then it is time to head for the bus. Hugo comes with us, then it is time to say goodbye.

After an hour on the bus, we arrive at a charming campsite where we will spend the night. My parents are very excited about spending the next few days sleeping in a tent. Tomorrow will be the beginning of our adventure together.