I've been busy, don't know about you.
I'm in a tea shop in Bridgenorth, having treated myself to a bunch of bananas and a sweetheart cabbage, I'm settling down with a pot of tea to blog.
I'm using my little portable keyboard for the first time, connected to a smartphone with Bluetooth - this is not even the most up to date technology but for me right now this is magical. I'm typing on one device, the words are flying through the air and appearing on a screen next to it. Amazing! What's next, a flying machine?
So, walk related blogging. It's been a great week, staying with my auntie in Shrewsbury first of all, walking a few days without a heavy rucksack, sleeping in a comfy bed, being very well fed and pampered, even.
New boots! I forgot to say about the boots, I now have a pair of 150 quid Meindl boots in the right size and they feel great. The Blister has healed, my boots feel fine. Each ten mile stretch is so much easier than before.
I headed out into Shropshire, following the Severn as it curves towards Ironbridge and down away South towards the sea. Ironbridge down to Bewdley is a lovely stretch of river, lots of wooded sections, lovely countryside and a steam train running near the path. I cried the last time I did this walk and saw a steam train in the sunshine - something to do with rose tinted views of the olden days I think.
Someone came out to walk with me for a couple of hours out of Shrewsbury - Steph Scott, a very dynamic woman and I loved talking to her about travelling and changed perceptions. I'm just really touched that a stranger would come out to walk with me, it makes this walk so much more interesting (and hopefully means more money for charity in the end).
I camped in some woods near Atcham on the day I left Shrewsbury - I'm still working on my camping set up really. The problem is that when I come to stop at the end of a days walking I'm too knackered to do anything properly. I just want to lie down and close my eyes. But I need to take 15 minutes more energy to make sure I have a comfy, flat, sheltered place to put the bed out....otherwise I end up with hip pain because of lumps underneath the roll mat.
So hip pain...and drips from the foggy trees in the morning. But it was a beautiful peaceful night.
I'll enjoy camping a bit more when the weather's just a few degrees warmer I think; things are just slightly too survivally at the moment. But it serves me right for camping in March doesn't it!!
A good days walking yesterday and today - ten miles finished by 3pm yesterday and lunchtime today. Things are getting easier as my body gets into the swing of things, the first 230 miles to Bristol were always going to be my warm-up - a ten mile daily schedule, no pressure. (Just got to make sure I get to hospital on the 26th, no pressure, hah hah).
Last night I stayed with Katherine Soutar-Caddick and her family - she's one of the artists who did a postcard for me and she offered a bed as I passed through. I'd never met her before but we had a really nice evening and great walk the next day (even if I did make them all go to bed early so I could sleep in their living room!!).
So all in all, I'm feeling pretty good - aching feet but upbeat. Ooh, I think I've just found the title for this post...!
xxx