It was a similar feeling two weeks or so before going on holiday... trepidation, angst and excitement, let's just stop everything and get away for a bit... we can sort everything out when we get back... only this get away would be a bit longer than a week or 10 days, how do I get everything in order so Michelle will be ok while I'm away for 18 months ?
Actually, Michelle has always been able to cope, probably a lot better if I'm not there thinking I'm sorting everything out anyway, she's a strong, resilient woman, relax, do all you can do and get out of the way...
My thoughts of slipping away quietly, a few hand shakes and nods of expectant failure were all I wanted, all I expected. I was a very sensible boy on New Years Eve, a lovely meal and a few beers in The Kings Arms, our new local pub now we'd settled back in Woodhall. I didn't need a hangover on the first day of my big adventure... My phone rang while we were driving to Skegness, I thought we were early for New Years morning but clearly not early enough... The Masonic Hall in Skegness was already filling up so I needed to get my finger out !!!
That was 7 days ago, it actually feels like a month ago. A whirlwind of activity, rucksack on, walk, stop, sort feet, eat, walk, stop, sort feet, eat. All the time meeting interesting people, thinking constantly about where I might be sleeping tonight. Trying to respond to messages of support, trying to avoid getting dragged into every pub by well wishing folk....
I'm very grateful for the love and support I've been given already, equally, I've been very grateful for the peace I've had walking and sleeping in my tent on my own, tucked away from the world. It's been an amazing start and I'd like to thank my family and friends and the Freemasons of Lincolnshire for getting me through this first week.
The stats... I've been on the go for 7 days. 2 of which were actually only half days. According to my Strava App, I've walked 70.05 miles. My IPhone says I've walked 92.44 miles but obviously that includes the walks to and from the bar and getting up in the night for a wee !!! Who knew that we actually walk 20 miles a week, going to and from the bar and getting up in the night for a wee ??? Even more mind blowing, this equated to 203,736 steps... there's no wonder my feet are a little tender.... 😰😬
I plan on adding up the steps and actual walking miles covered each week, I won't include the miles wasted walking to the bar and the toilet !! It will be interesting at the end to see what those numbers are...
Has the first week helped me get to grips with my head ? In a word, no. It has however given me the opportunity to talk to some very interesting people and I've listened to them. We are all on a journey and there are people around us living the most interesting, complicated, traumatic and sometimes bizarre lives and we think our own lives are unique. We think we are suffering, hard done by, getting a crap deal... seriously, we have no idea whatsoever. Well I clearly didn't have any idea... 🫣😞
I've had a lovely day off with the wife. We've had a look around a bit of Hull, walked 5 miles which I didn't want to be doing which I won't be adding on to the tally. 😤 Tomorrow, Michelle is heading home for nanny duties so she'll drop me back at the Humber bridge so I can carry on where I left off.
The adventure will move into the second week, a new province, a new challenge with the terrain and obviously a new challenge with the dialect... flat caps and ferrets all over the place... 🫣🤔
I pray the blog hasn't been too bland for the first week, it can only get better and I hope to involve lots of you in it...
Sleep well and I look forward to being with you again soon. 😉👍😍
Well done great effort on the 1st week brace yourself could be some colder weather due in so just keep an eye on that , we will too take care look forward to following week 2
Tick VG..... crack on Mate 😉
Well done on your first week mate. What an inspiration you are.
Chris, I will be keeping a log of your progress on a spreadsheet week by week, so keep the stats coming in every Sunday please mate!
Very interesting first week, keep it up. X