And so The Journey begins...129 miles

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And so, indeed, the journey has begun. The Journey, in fact, for it seems that this trip is one that I have dreamt of and schemed over for many years. Not in its details or particulars, but in its essence, its soul, its purpose. What that is, why i'm doing this, is a difficult thing to explain. It is difficult, even, to explain to myself, but i'll give it a shot.

The thing, I find, about life, is that it is filled with unanswered questions. On the face of it, it is a turbulant pool of why's, how's and what-if's. As we grow up, we start finding answers to those questions. We learn, grow, develop and soon start to become happy with our lot. We've learnt what we need to know, we've become adults, we've taken our place in the social tapestry; and we are content.

The fact remains that there are still many unanswered questions in our lives. Indeed, probably more now than when we started to ask them. Most of them, however cannot be answered. You cannot find the answers in a book, no one can tell you what they mean, and that, if we're honest, is a real bugger.

So, after a while, we start to discount certain questions. They're not that important, they don't affect our daily lives, and, actually, we can live life just fine without them.

Now, my problem comes when I start to think about what life actually is. My life is as filled with these unanswerable questions as everyone elses, my understanding of the world more a description of my confusion than my clarity. But, also, I desire the answer to one further question. This life I lead, this world I live in, this home and root of all my confusion and doubt. What is this life itself? What is its substance, where does it come from, why is it here?

Tough questions. Not even wikipedia has the answers, and so im stuck with another question on my list of unanswerables.

But then, I begin to think, there is a way of seeking my answers. The last few years i've found myself in a few tight spots (literally at times), a few wild spots, a few spots on my own; and through it all i've had a bit of time to think. I thought about my list of questions for a while, and slowly, out of the haze of confusion, some clarity began to emerge.

I had no answers, no leaps of wisdom, but I did begin to feel some sense of understanding. Some understanding of life, because I had some understanding of myself and my questions. The more I pondered, the more of myself I could see, the more of my life I began to understand.

And that, I think, is where i need to go for my answers. Not a book, or a Vicar, or even the mighty wiki, but to myself. The answers to existance lie within, through knowledge and understanding of ourselves. All I need is a little more time to think...


...maybe i'll go for a walk.


And so, indeed, The Journey has begun. We're resting in Canterbury at the moment, having just finished the first 10 days of the walk. From Reading we followed the Thames to Windsor, by which time Jen's boots had slowly started to eat her feet. After wrestling them off, we caught a train to Kingston to get some more shoes from an outdoors shop and then continued onto the North Downs Way. We followed that right into the centre of Canterbury, which is where I am now.

The last 10 days have been fairly tough. After everything I have just written, I didnt actually end up with much time to think. I spent much more of my time reflecting on the life I was leaving. All the home comforts and the friends and the good times. All the comfort that all the people I know bring to my life. All of them behind us, with nothing but the open road ahead.

Slowly, though, my head is beginning to clear. Slowly I am remembering why I am here and why I have chosen this life. And, slowly, I am beginning to think.

And that, it seems, is quite good.

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Photos

One for Radio Rich
A trail through a cloud left by a passing plane on our first day, which Radio Rich found positively "amazing!"

Swimming in the Thames
It was too hot to just stop and look at the water...

A nice sign...
...by the side of the Thames

The first of many fires
Good for cooking, drying and generally feeling pleased with ourselves!

Stop for lunch
...and the horses seemed much more interested in our digestive biscuits than nature should permit.

Stile-ish
One of the many "made-for-walkers" fence barriers along the North Downs way. Clearly Jen has a highly refined technique.

Comments

[ROWENA]

wow
- Andy - what can I say? Notwithstanding the profound physical feat you are undertaking, what about your use of rhetorical devices? Absolutely outstanding! Love it - keep it coming! Rowena

[j]

well now
sounds like uve managed to get out of Reading. Im defo up for some autumn climbing so ill be checking back to see how youre progresing across our great land. Thats if i dont see u before then. Just remember early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese. And cheese tastes real good compared to worm. Have fun

[Annie]

:)
Amazing~ and a bit inspiring... have fun, and keep up the good thinkin'!