wheresmykipper

Got the train to meet Emma in Wye on friday. Stayed in the King's Head - ok, nothing spectacular but the cheapest we could find in Wye. Wye is pretty but a bit dull. Got an early start for the 10 miles ahead of us, the longest stretch we've managed yet. Across fields, over fairly flat, open country as the valley broadens out, Ashford office blocks visible in the distance. Swans feeding in the fields. The river now barely 5m wide. Into Ashford and a stop for lunch in a greasy spoon. Rubbish coffee. Out of town through a park with an incongruous orange fountain depicting classical and oriental figures. Looks odd with the railway station behind it. Relieved when Ashford fades away, as we pass through another marsh, parkland, and cross the railway line again. ... read more

I did this one last week on a rare rain-free day of intermittent sunshine, starting in Canterbury and walking the 8-ish miles to Chilham. This time i created a 'Junglist-Rambler' look by pairing walking boots with my big Spiewak puffer jacket. I started by walking out of Canterbury through Westgate gardens which, incredibly, i'd not set foot in once during the 9 years i've lived in the area. There have been quite a few 'how did i not know about this?' moments during my walks. Some nice trees, a Victorian manor house, and the river running its length make the garden a good escape for shoppers and lunching office workers. I pass where the position of the old London Gate is marked and exit the garden through a heavily graffitied grey concrete underpass. Boggy pastures where ... read more

During September to October this year I worked and travelled in Malawi (see previous blog entries). I volunteered with the Malawi Volunteer Organisation near Monkey Bay, on their Malaria Prevention project. Before heading off for Africa I decided that I would like to raise money for the projects I would be working on by doing a sponsored walk through my home county of Kent, along the Stour Valley. At the end of my stint with MVO it was suggested that I could raise money to buy a bicycle ambulance, which are used to ferry seriously ill patients to hospital. The Stour Valley Walk is a waymarked route from where the river rises at Lenham, between Maidstone and Ashford, out to the rivermouth near the medieval village of Sandwich. . I'm following the booklet that describes the ... read more

My tummy bug slowly cleared, and i took a lift in the back of a truck that a german family had hired to get to chipoka to meet the ferry on friday. The truck was 2 hours late arriving, leaving barely enough time to get to the port. It then ran out of petrol in the middle of lilongwe and we had to push it to a petrol station. Arrived at chipoka just before 4, when the boat was supposed to be leaving, and found that it was delayed by 4hrs. Sat in the waiting shed, having a couple of beers. The sun went down, and then the electricity failed, so one of the german guys got out his mini speakers and cd player and played disco tunes. Quite odd. We went up on the 1st ... read more

Another brief entry as i only have 1/2 hour. I'm back at Cape maclear for the weekend. We kayaked out to the island in the middle of the bay yesterday. The weather's been better this time but now there are lots of mozzies. Went snorkelling when we were here last weekend, then packed up and set off in the boat. Once out of the bay the lake was too rough though, so we had to come back by matola - flat bed truck that you sit or stand in the back of. The thing was literally falling apart - the rear panel fell off half way back, and was tied back on with string. Had monday off to go pick up friends from lilongwe airport, setting off at 5am with neil and tony, the project coordinators, ... read more