Day 16 begins

6/7/2012

Day 16 begins

I was awake and yet had decided to have another half an hour or so, to sleep before preparing the bag and leaving. Bad choice. Ten minutes later it began to rain, the floodgates opened and down came the thunderous deluge.... You just know it is going to be a lousy day trying to walk and stay or keep dry. But the tent was holding up fairly well so I made use of the new lightweight jacket and began to put it through its paces as I packed and readied to leave. The tent was not going to survive this much longer I fear, but it went away well despite being soaked on the outside. When am I ever going to get it dry before tonight was my thought. Well not one to be pessimistic, I just got on with the task at hand and started the day off at a good gait. Nowhere to get a hot drink, but well at least I was still dry inside the coat....Wahey......Magic....

The village soon disappeared in my nonexistent rear view mirror, and I was sploshing along the East Yorkshire highways. Then a miracle happened, or was it simply a mirage????

A hot food van at the side of the road in that lay-by......I was crying with joy.... O.k. I'm hyperbolating, but it was a very welcome view on the horizon. P & B Creative Cuisine ran by father and son team Peter and Jamie Sowden. What a pair of characters they are. I was so pleased to be here, under an awning, drinking fine hot tea and munching on a delicious bacon and cheese bap, with fine comedy duo as an add on. Seriously they were very cordial and funny and we soon struck up a dialogue about all and sundry and the meaning of life.

Peter had been running this business for just over a year having been made redundant from another company where he had been a tanker driver and gas supply driver. He was clearly doing well as far as I could see, in the sense that customers kept rolling up for their breakfasts. Even a couple arrived in a Bentley and shouted out of the window their order, which Peter dutifully filled. We chatted for a long while they were topping up my tea as Mac arrived. He runs a local Skip hire/waste transfer station near Hornsea. Mac got chatting with me and offered to buy me a cup of tea. Peter told everyone that I was walking around Britain and I got into conversation with many people. Mac shook my hand and left wishing me well for the day ahead.

I also had a brief conversation with Nathan from North Wales, somewhere near Wrexham, and said that if I was going through his town I could call in and definitely stay the night. I get a lot of people say stuff in the heat of the moment, but take some with a pinch of salt. I don't mean that they are insincere at all, more that I have no idea myself if and when exactly I will be there, so it is hard to plan for it. He did say that he would email me nearer the time and direct me towards his place. I trust that he will do so, he was a very nice young man.

A few minutes later Mac had called Jamie and told him to tell me, that if I made it over towards Hornsea, he would put me up for the night. He gave me Mac's number too. I was both shocked and happy all at the same time. I had been at the food emporium some time now, and Peter had decided that he wanted to do me a pack-up to take with me for the rest of the days food requirements. I could have cried with happiness at such generosity, (later I did, a bit) as I was becoming ever more accustomed in a good way, to this benevolence towards me. Then a gentleman arrived and said he had just seen me on the television, and wasn't I the guy walking the United Kingdom for a year? I had no idea what he was talking about but it all became clear, as he winked at the boys. So word is getting about that Imagine the walk to share community and friendship is coming to town. Andy the bakery driver offered me some tea cakes and scones, which are still lovely. So much help from so many people, and all in so short a time of knowing them. For you readers, I hope that you are getting the real impetus of this experience I am having. Random strangers are offering me so much kindness, and not expecting anything in return, perhaps nothing except the joy of doing the act. This is all about you, the people of Great Britain, to show just how compassionate we really are collectively as a nation and how easily we rise to the needs of others we see as less fortunate than ourselves, or in need of a hand. A big pat on the back to all participants so far, you deserve the best of good fortune and joy for your charitableness and dedicated giving to the greater good of our civilization of our humanity. I'm not the only judge here, but in my eyes you are glorious in your love and kindness. Thank you all.

I took a few pic's of the team and set out again in the rain to see what Leven had on the cards for me. If I got there and did a right turn towards the sea, I would eventually get to the coastal resort of Hornsea. I texted Mac to accept his offer and he said he would ring me later.

Leven was a nice little village, plenty going on except the pub was shut and I could have died for another cup of something hot. Still I found refuge at the Methodist chapel. Not with god but in the doorway, as cover was sparse. I had some of my packed lunch courtesy of the P&B Creative Cuisine experience and savored my good fortunes.

Mac called as I was leaving Leven, heading for his place and we agreed to meet. Actually he came to pick me up. He said he had taken only a few brief moments to conclude that I wouldn't fare well from a night under canvass with such a stormy prediction for the evening, and he felt it only right to offer me the couch and a hot meal. He really was a lovely big hearted guy. Paul Macnamara, known as Mac, runs a skip hire firm and is a gaurdian angel to me now. I know he doesn't want me to tell the whole detail, he is a modest guy, but sufficed as to say, he fed me watered me and offered me every hospitality he could think fit to offer a pilgrim walking around Britain and he goes into my book as one real gentleman and a person I would happily call my friend. Thank you Mac.

We spent the whole day practically, chatting putting the world to rights and sharing a lot of details about life love and the universe.

Eventually he said his retiring comments leaving me to the luxury of his huge sofa.

I set the alarm, I do have an appointment tomorrow with the radio breakfast D.J. Carl Wheatley you know. And that was that. So much love and kindness in one day had blown me away into dreamland.

Day 16 comes to an end.