Another wee run in Portugal, this time near Castelo Branco. I was given a long list of creatures to be wary of, both inside and outside the quinta. "Always check inside your clothes / shoes before you put them on." My host had been hospitalised by a bite from a large centipede in her shoe the previous year! So far mosquitoes have been the most obvious biting creature, and they adore me unfortunately.
Anyway, I decided to venture out for a run before it got too hot, was shown a slightly overgrown path into the wilderness, and trotted off tentatively after a thorough inspection of the insides of my running shoes. I tried not to think about the story my friend from East Berlin had told when he was chased up a tree by an over-protective wild boar with piglets, and had to stay there for 6 hours. Fortunately I didn't meet any boar this time. I did manage to admire the wildflowers en route, and remembered to turn right instead of left at the crossroads in the path, to avoid the ferocious dogs which I had been told lived to the left.
When my route met a tarmac road I decided to risk the traffic instead of the wildlife for a while and enjoyed being able to lengthen my stride. I passed some local workers, strimming the long grass along the roadsides and shouted a cheery "ola" as I ran by. It looked like a hot job, in boilersuits and with their faces covered with visors to protect them. I turned back and retraced my steps when I reached the edge of a village. The workmen stopped and cheered me on as I ran past them again.
I was starting to feel very hot by now, and diverted into a little side road where I was delighted to find the water trough in the photo. I was wearing my buff which I had soaked in cold water before setting off, but it had already dried in the sun, so I re-wet it and drank a couple of mouthfuls of water too - hoping I wouldn't regret that later!
I found the off-road tracks again and headed back into the wilderness. Happily the wildlife remained hidden and I got back in one very sweaty piece. The temperature was 29.5C in the shade, and I ran about 3.5 miles, which seemed more than enough in this crazy heat!