Day 48 - 18th May - Damascus - Zero Day

Today we sleep in. What joy! Then we have breakfast at a little cafe, and thoroughly relax and take our time. We walk two miles to the supermarket. Suzanne offers to drive us but we say we are happy to walk, which amazes her. She says 'most hikers will only walk if there is a white blaze to follow'. On our walk to the supermarket we talk to an old fisherman about the signs saying 'trout rodeo', which is a fishing competition just been held.

Amazing cakes - people eat this stuff?

We enjoy looking at all the food in the supermarket, including all the junk food but we buy fresh and healthy, and make fresh turkey roles with salsa for lunch with salad, and then check out the Outfitters. I have decided to buy another walking pole, but they come in pairs, so I have to buy two. I put my old one in the 'hikers box' at the Hikers Inn, and it is pounced on by a young male hiker who has no poles and thinks that my old pole will be perfect for him. I'm glad. The Outfitters repairs the tip of Digby's walking stick for free.

We join Stickbuilt and Tater Chip for a barbeque at their apartments, and get to meet Sandy and Linda, and some other friends of Tater who have come up from Alabama.  We eat burgers, and home made pistachio nuts, grown by Tater and Linda, salted and spiced by Linda. They are fantastic and Digby and I scoff them.

Tater Chip on the right - also known as John Lay

Linda - Tater's wife who has come from Alabama for a few days

Tater, Digby, Sandy and Stickbuilt. Look at all the food.

Digby and I take some wine, but nobody else seems to be drinking - they think of us Aussies as another species. Stickbuilt does have one glass, and then when he decides to have a bit more, we have already finished the bottle!

We make a good connection to Sandy and Stickbuilt. They are very similar to us. Stickbuilt can take the teasing that we dish out, in good fun,  and he tries to give it back, but alas he is too polite to be really effective. The longer he knows us, the more he develops his 'aussie' skills of 'taking the piss'. This forms the basis for a good friendship, and Sandy and Dave become good friends.