To 650 and beyond!

At last, the 650 km are done. Today I walked down to Killiney Beach and across to Whiterock Strand which is an easy 3 km. Then straight up to 'the castle' (once a semaphore station) via the 238 step Cat's Ladder and across to 'the obelisk', local landmarks at the top of the 200 m hills.  Lots of steps. I stopped into the source of dogwalker's latte at Victoria Gate for a bottle of water and then headed to Coliemore Harbour via Sorrento Park. It was very, very humid today. Not hot, tropical humidity but the chilling, temperate version that leads to illness if you don't get dry and warm quickly. And then it poured rain, but that was OK because a car named Buzz had come to photograph and collect me at the 650 km point (thank you). I was getting comments from my Facebook stalkers via Walkmeter as I was walking - I learned that the iPhone touch screen does not work with sweaty fingers nor in the rain so sorry if (any) replies seemed terse. 

While this walk, my 53rd,  was only 8.5 km, I feel the need for a rest before we start Trailwalker 2010 this day next week. Which matches the Oxfam training guide quite well. I've lost almost no weight over the last three months in doing all this walking but I've benefited in many other ways. It's made me get out and about more and while I regret a few missed opportunities (Bordeaux, Los Angeles), I managed to rack up some klicks in New Zealand, Spain, England and Ireland. Fantastic. Lucky.

Work out how to follow me in Facebook (Walking Commentary). You are invited to stalk us virtually next weekend across the South Downs, assuming the iPhone battery extenders I've borrowed work. A Gurkha curry in Brighton at 7 am Sunday will be our goal.

YES, YOU CAN SPONSOR 8.5 KM ANY TIME 24/7! 

Yet Another Canal Walk

A short walk, just 7.75 km up to Denham and back. A humid, overcast day and not a lot more to write about it. Bashful and I ate lunch during a telephone conference call between the Oxfam Trailwalker organisers and the walkers. Lots of questions about the checkpoints, signage and facilities as you'd expect. It seems that the Gurkhas prepare curries at several locations and the traditional completion meal is another curry. An interesting development, perhaps a bit worrying; I think I'll bring my own food. Other sage advice included waving arms at bullocks (which will be exhausting since we have a Bulloch in the team!).

Walkmeter linking into Facebook has a dark side. The volume controls are disabled when the iPhone speaks the comments posted on my 'wall'. Good outdoors. Awkward in meetings if people comment after a walk has completed. Very awkward.  Couple that to the sense of being stalked and I'm going to have to get off Facebook.

And if you have problems making a donation on the site, forget it, don't waste your time. Thanks anyway but even I was unable to donate today so I understand your frustration. But I'm really pleased to see we ten have reached £12,707.70 despite the intermittent problems on the site.


Thank You BOB! Once here and again HERE where the pain was worst! 

Uxbridge Common Loop

This three mile loop was conceived to help us prepare as a team. Well, today just three of us headed out to the common. It was a lovely day and we walked five kilometres.

Among the topics of conversation were the team theme and the peculiar partitioning of information by Oxfam, who don't provide the support team with as much information as they give the walkers. Our able bodied support team seems to be overlooked by Oxfam.

With two teams of four people, including seven males, I suppose it was inevitable that the team theme would involve Snow White.

Sponsor wanted: 5km

Coliemore Harbour

Be the first!

I need to raise £500 in sponsorship for walking 60 miles in no more than 30 non-stop hours across the South Downs in July. It raises money for Oxfam but I'm in it because it also assists the Gurkhas, who I think have been poorly treated and discriminated against for a century. They even get buried at the back of the British War Cemetries I've visitited.

I've started training this week and will be blogging so you can follow my progress. I'll probably do 60 walks in which I cover 500 km or something like that. I'll add maps and pictures like I've done before.

The first walk was 5 km around the Vico Road to Coliemore Harbour and as pleasant as it was to be walking with Lia, my lasting memory will be people that a few people were viewing and pointing at Dalkey Island. It fleetingly piqued my curiosity. Pointing forgotten for a while, incomprehensible snippets overheard in Dalkey village took on a new meaning when I heard it said that somebody was planning to drill an exploration well in the Kish Basin. The Sunday Independent carried an interesting but poorly researched article that seems to confirm something is happening. The thought that I might be able to sit in bed and watch a well being drilled is just a bit ironic.


Sponsored by Nessa - Thank you.