Final Day

We could really use a rest day. Our muscles are extra sore from yesterday but it is time for the final push back to Campi where it all began. Rain is in the forecast and about one hour into the trek it begins to sprinkle. 

We spot an empty barn and make ourselves at home before the downpour begins. The timing couldn't be more perfect. The stalls have clean bedding in them and we feel a bit like Goldilocks invading the home of the three bears. We pull out our I-phone and start reading the second to last chapter of The Chamber of Secrets. Nadia and Elliot are officially hooked after our visit to the Harry Potter Film Studios outside of London (and Lucas is loving revisiting his old favorite).  They can't wait to get to the end but the rain lets up after several pages. Too bad. Such a magical setting for reading about Harry, Ron, and Hermione. 

We get back to the trail but Nadia and Elliot spot a hay "roll" and have to run up to it to take pictures. They've been eyeing these bales every since we arrived in Italy and they finally have a chance to get up close and personal with one. 

We encounter an unexpected uphill section and we slowly climb our way up. Thank goodness for Elliot who invents clever "poems" while we struggle to catch our breath. He can be seen in the photo above, gesticulating wildly during one of his epic poems (we had to cut him off soon afterwards because of course, like all five year olds, his subject matter turned to potty humor).

And then we hear them. Sheep bells and they are close!  A Shepard appears with a small herd and several dogs. They are going in the same direction as us!  What luck!  I give Nadia the phone since she is last in line on Mozart. She takes a few shots of our shadow. 

The sheep have this funny way of hanging their heads when they are on the move. It seems to be their way of protecting themselves. 

We finally spot Campi off in the distance. We have been walking for 4 hours and the kids are getting giddy. 

We have a satisfying lunch this time with cold pizza slices that we picked up the day before during our short but sweet evening in Norcia. 

We start to cover familiar territory from the day we had our trial run with the donkeys. 

Lucas says he can't believe we really did it.  He had comically called the trip a bit "far fetched" before we began. "Yeah Mom and Dad - this donkey trek is a bit far fetched for our family. It is not like we do these things all of the time". 

He's right. But guess what? Now we do and that is almost the best part of the whole adventure. 

Because who knows what's next? Who knows!