Day 39 begins and day 40 too.

29/7/2012 – 30/7/2012

Day 39 begins and day 40 too.

I woke and saw that the rain was about to come down, so stayed in the tent. My stomach was not feeling the best it had been but I don't think that I was ill at all. I did feel decidedly tired and exhausted though. Maybe a rest was in order, and besides I didn't have to be anywhere. Danielle from the pub had sent me a message and that was very nice, but my mood seemed somehow odd. The events of yesterday were exceptionally rewarding, the people I had met had built my spirits up very high, but sadly I still felt a little bereft of something. I started to type and get something done on the writing marathon I would need to do to get back into the saddle with the project. I gave up after an hour as I couldn't concentrate properly. The rain hammered down for another hour or so, and I decided to sleep. I woke and ate a few of the small provisions I still held but nothing would shift this aura of depression. Maybe it was the spot, a ghost, a bad Kalma I had created somewhere, who knew, but it gripped me and I wasn't able to shake it. I thought that maybe a trip to the pub later would help, but in the end I just couldn't be bothered to move out of my cocoon. I read and sipped a bit of the drink that I still had, but eventually I gave up trying to work it through and went back to sleep and didn't wake until the following day, and late at that.

Day 39 rolls into day 40.

Day 40 begins.

I felt better today though it was late morning. I had gotten packed up and decided that I should go to the Caravan Clubs park and ask if I could use their shower facilities. Not that I hadn't washed, but a proper hot shower would surely give me a boost. I popped into their offices but the lady said a flat no. It's not that I was surprised but I tried the charity angle to see if the spirit of kindness would prevail but she just said that the park issued each person a key and only head office could override that decision. I found that hard to believe, but hen again what did they owe me? I thought about going and asking one of the people on the park if they would let me use their keys, but took a bow and left in the end, smelly and running out of faith again. It felt as though some people just didn't look beyond the end of their noses to see what others could use by way of a bit of a helping hand. I wished the lady a good day and left still smiling but disappointed nonetheless.

The pub was still closed and so were several other places I might have gotten a cup of tea. I had to walk past the dunes and into Blyth before I found a cafe to have my first warm drink of the day. Though the weather was warm it was cloudy mostly and occasionally the sun popped out for a few minutes against the odds. I found a place called T-K's Sandwich Station at the beginning of the high street. The food was very good and not at all expensive. I wrote a poem or two and helped the owner put out a fire in a cover less service box full of litter outside the Post Office sorting building. Some dumb ass had thrown a cigarette butt into the box and it had caught light, creating a lot of smoke. Actually I did little but hold the door to the cafe whilst Pam put the fire out. Chivalry ain't dead you know..

I set off out of town, nothing here grabbed me as a clue as to my need to be here longer. I went into an Asda shop with a hope of using the toilets and buying a few food items. There were no customer loos, but one of the staff said I could use the company staffs toilets. They were nice people at least. Along the road another mile I came to yet another Asda, a bigger store. Wow they seemed to be everywhere..

I found myself in the cafe and asked if I could use the power outlet to type. They didn't seem to mind me sitting nursing my few cups of tea for most of the next 4 hours. I got into an interesting chat with John who worked here and he was a very nice young man.he asked all about the walk and the aims and what I was going to do this evening. Later he asked me if I wanted to join him and his friends at a pub quiz nearby, he possibly guessed I would be old enough to know some of the answers....lol.

I carried on typing till he closed up and was ready to leave, then he took me and dropped me off at the pub whilst he went to change. When he returned with Lauren his girlfriend he introduced me to his friends and the quiz began. Even with my help we didn't win, but they were happy that at least they didn't come last again. Jack, John's best friend was keen to know why and how easy it was to change my name. He now wants to be called Ultimate Warrior.... But he did put his hand into his pocket and make a very nice gift to Cancer research U.K. Thank you so much Ultimate Warrior, (A.K.A. Jack Dixon.)

Cameron and Dean were also with us at the end of the night, and John and the gang took me in the car to drop me off near to where I had been earlier in the day. I took some pictures that are pretty poor as we were in the middle of nowhere and no street lights about, but nevertheless you can see that they are a great bunch of young people trying to be helpful to a stranger in town. What a unique chance for me to have been helped and shared an evening with some very nice youngsters from Blyth and Bedlington. Thank you John, Lauren, Jack, and Cameron. (See picture)

The night was dark but the torch I have helped a lot. Soon I was into and out of Bedlington looking for a place to put my tent up. I eventually found a spot under some trees out in the counrtyside. The long grass hid me from view. (I cared more for the residents than for me) And then another lovely day came to a tiresome end.

Day 40 ended late but finally.