September 1994 - Bucks Mills

Today was a tough day. The reality of just how physically demanding the challenge I have set myself really hit me hard today. With 20kg on my back and my guitar and books being carried by my scrawny arms, climbing and dropping over and over again for 7 miles was at times agony. If you were anywhere near the Bucks Mills coastline today, you may well of heard the occasional verbal extremity firing out of my mouth and echoing round the entire bay!

It was made slightly worse by the fact that I was meeting my friends Ian and Bella at their house just off the coast path at Sloo, but that meant I didn't have much time to hang around so I was powering through instead of taking some much needed breaks. It reminded me of some of my conversations with Jess Burford (http://jess-camino.tumblr.com/) before the project in terms of the difference in walking when you have a destination; a definite point that you want and need to get to, often by a certain time. I found that this makes the walk all about that end point, wherever I was, I was wondering where I was in relation to that end point in both time and space. So setting times of arriving in places is something I think I need to wary of; but I'm also just learning how long it takes me to cover certain distances and terrains. 

I called in on Ian and Bella for a much needed lunch, before dropping my things and heading off to Buck's Mills accompanied by Ian and his Labrador Bala. After a wet and unexpected indecent involving a large wave, we headed back up to the house where Bella (who is Sardinian) had cooked us the most amazing Italian meal. After dinner myself and Ian went and played songs to each other on guitars, Ian is a far far better player than me so had lots of great tips and things for to work on which was awesome.

I was really pleased by how much Ian and Bella were interested in my blog and what I was doing. Ian talked of how much he admired my prolific uploading without self conciousness. This is exactly the sort of justification I've been needing really so I am really excited about continuing to do so over the coming days.

So I am sat here, in a really cosy double bed, staring at my bag wondering what I might be able to leave behind. Do I really need my camping equipment? I've found somewhere to stay every night so far...

Ian and Bella have kindly offered that they will come and pick me up from Clovelly tomorrow night and bring me back here again, so I am going to take them up on their offer and take the opportunity to leave some of my weight here for the day, to see if its worth me losing some. Anyway, please to comment on my posts if you've got something to say, as I've only had one lonely comment so far!!! Peace x 

2 comments:

  1. you must camp sometime as part of the experience

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  2. yes, I have decided to take my tent with me. And don't worry, there is plenty of camping yet to come as I'm still in the net of people I know from home, but will soon be passing out of it! On my way to Morwenstow today; looks like a camp might be likely!!

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