International Pilgrims Day

Dont know if there is such a day, but I think it might have been yesterday.
I have walked for 7 days along the Via Francigena, an ancient pilgrim's route from Canterbury to Rome, having only met 3 French women walking to Rome from the north of Italy, and 4 Italians out for a day-walk on the VF.
So a bit surprised, when in the first 15 minutes, I meet a French couple also walking to Rome.

A few hours later, I meet 2 Austrians who had just started walking that day from San Miniato, my destination that night. A few minutes later I pass another man who barely says hello as he rushes past - I imagine he's another Austrian trying to catch his mates. After my lunch stop, I head off and see 3 pilgrims ahead just stopping for lunch, and to my surprise, they turn out to be Aussies, from Perth, who have been on the road for 6 weeks, again walking from the north of Italy, having done the French 'half' of the VF the year before. Their daughter was accompanying them, but from the body language, I don't think it would rate as her ideal holiday. Rod is 74, so made me feel like a youngster, and while we are talking another pilgrim struggles down the road, carrying 2 packs with his wife following a way behind. This time 2 Italians, who have been walking 2 weeks, and as Rita is fluent in Italian, they chatted away full speed, asking all about us, and interested that I was going to Santiago. I duly wished the all Buon Camino, and headed off in the 'wrong' direction as I'm heading North and against the 'flow'. Not 20 minutes later I pass a young male pilgrim who says "Bonjour" but keeps going.

Amazing - 11 pilgrims in 1 day, when I expected I'd be lucky to meet that many in all of Italy.

On another note - have you checked out the "My location" link at the top of the page?
Peter has done a lot of work on this, and it now shows my intended route as straight line between points, and also maps my progress, and if you click on each marker it gives stats on distances from Assisi and Santiago, as well as a distance walked to date, which is understated as it is based on straight line distance between each of my log-in points. As you know, probably the only place you travel in a straight line between 2 points is on the Nullabor, and let me tell you - this aint no Nullabor! - although at the end of the day, when I'm climbing up to yet another Tuscan hill-top town, I wish it was.

But thanks for the effort Pete, it's a great improvement.