TraceysTrek

Best bits: poo sculpture, Easter egg

Worst bits: muscle draining shingle

Distance: 22 miles 

After another breakfast of two egg McMuffins then we set off to Selsey and this time the journey was faster as the A27 was now open. Chris the manager at Asda was very amenable and after a few photos we parked up there.

We the popped into Costa and made Kala cry when I gave her a heart.

The beach at West Wittering is beautiful and very long and flat. The tide was out which was helpful so I didn’t need to walk on the shingle at the top. The only people out were dog walkers today but even they were a few and far between as it was much cooler and very overcast. Walking on this flat sand was quite pleasant on my feet. Long may it continue.

I sent a get well soon video message to Mae my friend from Fitsteps who has been in hospital for a couple of months back in Glasgow.

As I came to the end of the beach, I had to walk on large pebbles which had been kindly flattened down by some industrial machinery. Then it was time to walk around another f*estuary. This time though it was quite pleasant walking on grass and surrounded by the gorse in full bloom with that distinct smell of coconut.

But what was that I could see in the distance? It looked rather like a large poo. As I got closer indeed it was a large poo. I had no idea what this was about, but it was very entertaining.

I stopped for something to eat in a holiday complex that was full of families. It was crazy noisy as the  amusement arcade was next to the restaurant and children were running wild. A couple on the next table we’re having an argument. Another relaxing lunchtime for me, not.

Walking on Selsey Beach was very draining on the legs as it was comprised large shingle like pebbles.

After all that beach walking, I was feeling a little peckish again and so I stopped for an ice cream. The two young girls in the kiosk misunderstood my order and I ended up with two ice creams rather than one.

Sometimes you see the strangest things when walking. There were two older gentlemen gardeners and one was wearing a flat cap and the other was wearing a bowler hat!

I had just finished my ice creams when it started raining quite heavily. I hadn’t brought my kagoul with me today but I did have my emergency poncho. However, trying to get inside the poncho proved rather difficult as I was already wet. Poncho was like trying to put on clingfilm in a strong wind. I thought the end product made me look rather like a Russian astronaut.

I had to take a couple of diversions onto the high water route as several signs indicated clearly that the path was liable to flooding at high tide. Guess what? It was high tide.

I’ve noticed a lot of swans on their nest. It made me wonder if the swans on our loch have started nesting.

As I was listening to the radio this afternoon, Trevor Nelson described Pulp as ‘this absolutely iconic band’. Pulp have a new single and album coming out soon. For those of you that don’t know my friends and I were in the same year at school with Jarvis Cocker.

Dave met me and we went for a cuppa and a toasted tea cake in Pagham Beach café. The stuff there were lovely and really appreciated the little Hearts.

I set off again for the final leg of the journey to Bognor Pier. It was more walking on shingle Beach and the wind had picked up. By the time I arrived at the pier, my foot was aching.

Dave and I got ourselves an Easter egg each as a reward for the days activities. Of course we had to break into them early in the evening. Then Dave popped out to find a pub that was showing the football as a Villa were playing in a European match.

I haven’t cried for awhile which is possibly a good thing however yesterday I showed a lady the little video of Angela and that set me off crying for awhile. I’m getting better at looking at photographs without crying and thinking about when the photograph was taken but clearly videos might be a step too far just at the moment.

Interestingly people have now started asking me what I’m going to do when I’ve finished. I’m not even halfway yet! I can’t even think a week in front let alone what I’m going to do when I’m finished and get home. This trek is all about the psychology. I’ve been able to keep going despite the circumstances that nature has thrown my way including the weather, the terrain, short daylight hours, and then there’s the distance I’ve walked, how tired and sad I’ve been feeling and injuries I’ve had to deal with.

I just focus on the next mile and try to keep a smile on my face and talk to as many people as I can. Obviously stopping to talk to people slows me down but it’s worth it as I’m meeting some amazingly lovely people and hearing their stories too. I also get lots of hugs and give lots of hugs.

While I’m walking I ponder on different subjects such as what is home to me? Obviously that used to be where Angela was. I guess to me buildings are just a shell and home is more of a feeling. It’s about the people the memories and the love.