24th April 2025

It was a novelty to wake up and not have to pack up straight away. There’s not much to discuss about today; it was a day of rest and recovery. We spent time talking with camp mates, reading by the pool and rehabilitation exercises for me. My leg was no longer burning or causing shooting pains when I put weight on it, instead it had formed a dull ache. We were hopeful that we’d be able to get back out onto trail the following evening. 

We’d struck a friendship with campmate Elvis, from Ukraine. He’s a published author who hikes full-time and has a following amongst Ukrainian soldiers. His goal is to create a long distance walk in his home country once the war is over to help those who served bridge their way back to civilian life. We’re simply in awe of him: while we’re hiking this for our own self interest he’s inspiring a nation at war.

That evening, our tent noisily blew about in the onslaught of wind. I could just make out the sound of a coyote howling over it