We explained to Ivan that fun has a different connotation for us. In fact fun is not how I would describe walking anyway. Pleasurable is perhaps a better word. Pleasurable because I am outside, obviously taking time out from chores and therefore doing something I wouldn't normally be doing. "Fun" maybe when I stop and get to sit down in an amazing pub with a beer.
In fact, that IS what it is all about and something I cannot expect a fourteen year old to understand. I have discovered that the ingredient to happiness (my happiness anyway) lies in contrasts. I think that in order for me appreciate the mundane nature and comfortableness of every day life, I have to mix it up. How can you appreciate not suffering if you have never suffered? The irony of this, is that as you become more comfortable (something we continually seek) in life, you shirk further away from discomfort not realizing that a dose of it may be necessary for true happiness.
Not to mention the tremendous physical benefits of walking.
We made the mistake today of thinking this would be a short day. We lingered over breakfast and didn't leave the village until nearly 11 a.m. For some reason, without checking the map, I thought we only had about a eight mile day.
Offa's Dyke zig zagged all over England and Wales today. We spent miles walking around a canal, which was stunningly beautiful, but the road would have got us to the same place within minutes.
We lunched on top of a hill, thinking we had traveled miles but the village we had departed from hours ago was still clearly visible and disappointingly close.
I am usually very intuitive when it comes to mileage and time of day but on this day all that ability left me. We had obviously entered into a weird time and space warp.
Howdy pardner:
Ivan was questioning our sanity more than ever, but his sense of humor and obvious physical fitness never failed him and he walked admirably on.
We walked for nine hours and finally arrived, tired and desperate at our destination, The Cross Keys pub in Selattyn (back in England again)
This pub doesn't serve food and doesn't have accommodation but was chosen because it was in Mick's 2005 pub guide. It does have great beers. It is also 17th century, beautiful and traditional. We had called in advance and they had agreed to let us camp on their lawn.
I had told Phil and Hilda the hospitable publicans (only the third owners since 1900) that we would be arriving about 2 pm but because of this time warp we arrived about 8 pm. We basically fell through the door into the small bar and everyone was instantly aware that we had arrived.
It was also blatantly obvious (thanks to Ivan) to all at the pub that we had not had any dinner and had no prospects of any.
One of the locals suggested he run us down to the local chinese/chippie a few miles away. Ivan thought that was a grand idea and made lots of satisfied noises as he inhaled his egg fried rice and veggie chow mein - which he more than deserved.
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