Musings on the first week away - typed in the Bay of Biscay

What’s been happening in the Red House on wheels?

The first week has been filled with farewells and love – thank you to you all for your hospitality in Stokesley, Ipswich, Colchester, Englefield Green, Bracknell, New Malden and Paddington – not quite the preparation for a solitary existence, but great all the same.

Highlights so far include; driving across the roof of the North York Moors in beautiful autumn sunshine with my Mum, standing on the roof of Lincoln Cathedral, lunch in Carluccio’s (nice choice Katherine), being silly with Mathew and Abigail in Hyde Park, Katie’s 8th Birthday party, the presentation of spare wing mirrors for Lucy (thank you Paul, what does that say about my driving style?) meeting the Tynedale Biscoe’s au pair, guarding the Cooper’s house from burglars, free van door repair from VW antics of Suffolk (thank you) a pint with me old mate Cliff and a protracted and highly amusing farewell telephone call to Clare. Special thanks go to Karen and Derek ‘my support team’.

Today’s highlight has been reading Alain de Boitton’s ‘the art of travel’ and the sight of literally hundreds of common dolphins. The book is a wonderful exploration of ideas behind the aesthetics of life, art and how we experience the world – some of which were known to me others not. Amongst other things it uses the work of two Lake District thinkers whose work I am shamefully ignorant – Ruskin and Wordsworth. Great tools for my trip.

The dolphins were a simple joy – they swim from miles around to ride the bow wave of the ferry – their only motivation is to play.

Before sitting down to write this I had dinner in Langan’s Brasserie – a wonderful gustatory treat. I should remember the pleasure of that meal when counting the cost of this adventure and measuring my waist line in mid January 2010.

Final thanks go to the high pressure sitting over the Bay of Biscay – I don’t think there’s been a calmer voyage across this infamous stretch of ocean.

Tomorrow Spain ……………

Comments

  1. Kwis22 October 2009 at 03:59

    Great photos! The Art of Travel - love that book. Looking forward to reading more about your adventures. :)

    ReplyDelete

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