Hello!!! ππ yes I’m still alive….and walking. What’s new?? ππ
Sorry I’ve been so quiet lately, my only excuse is that I have been working and walking and enjoying time with my grandson.
I had a super couple of weeks in Devon recently where I got to visit 5 new places, revisit 1 and do a lot of walking and exploring, and added another section of the English Coast Path to my collection.
I got back home last week and as is usual I’ve spent as much time as possible taking my grandson to the beach and the park.
And yes, I started my Thames Path adventure ππππππΆπ»ββοΈπΆπ»ββοΈ

although I can’t walk the whole route as I originally planned, I’ve completed 2 sections; Erith to Greenwich

And Greenwich to Battersea Park. Super awesome. Tomorrow I’ll be walking Stage 3 from Battersea Park to Richmond and on Friday, Stage 4, Richmond to Hampton Court. The 5th and final stage for now, I’ll be walking on Saturday from Hampton Court to Staines. The rest of the walk? Who knows??

As a result I’ve only managed 1 sunset walk at home and a couple of other sunsets I saw from the train on my way home from London. Sunrises = 0. The sun gets out of bed too early for me in summer ππ

So my blog has sadly been neglected. That’s not to say I haven’t been writing….I have quite a few posts sitting in drafts waiting to be completed, but I need to edit the photos that go with them.
I’ll get there.
Meanwhile, after taking my grandson to his 2nd gymnastics class yesterday I finally opened my computer again to update my budgets and plan my savings strategy for the next few years. Gosh I really do wish I had enough money to give me more time to do all the walks I’d like to do.


I completed the Giza Pyramids Conqueror Challenge while still in Stoke Gabriel so I should be seeing the medal in the mail soon.

I’ve started the Ring Road, Iceland challenge although that’s a long term challenge that I’ll flip in and out of over the next few months.
I’ve been dithering about which challenge to allocate the Thames Path walk ….Mt. Kilimanjaro (97.1kms) or The Cabot Trail (299.4kms)?? π€π€π€
The Cabot Trail would have been perfect if I’d been able to walk the whole Thames Path route in one go and I’m reluctant to break it up…and Mt. Kilimanjaro will be completed in 4 days….or maybe 5 depending on my final tally on Saturday. See my quandary??
So anyway, now that I’ve blathered on for the last 10 minutes…here’s the promised sunset πππΆπ»ββοΈπ





Great post π x
πππ thank you
Phew, I’m really glad to hear you’re still alive π … but you’ve got very good excuses for not posting recently (your grandson being nr 1 of course!)
Love your sunset photo’s and that boat in the harbour – that’s a great shot!
Glad to hear you’re on the go with the Thames – can’t wait to see all your photo’s of this walk.
Hello ππ how are you?
Yes, still kicking…and nearly at the post; from Friday I shall officially be classified as an OAP π€£π€£π€£π€£ the benefits of course are..free bus travel, discounts at most events and venues, and people offer to help carry my suitcase up stairs π and the cherry on top: I start drawing a pension. So although I’m about to reach retirement age, I’m certainly not going to be able to retire.
We’re doing great, thanks – still sunny here in SA (although we’re in autumn) – love these mild days before winter arrives. Just came back from Slanghoek Valley (close to Worcester) after a camping weekend and temperatures were between 33 and 36 degrees Celsius π.
You know … if the UK government have the slightest idea of how energetic you are, they will certainly not classify you as a pensioner π … but hey, great benefits there for you!
ππππ indeed…if I slow down I’ll get old.
Camping sounds wonderful, I haven’t been for decades. That part of the country is just stunning. My daughter went to boarding school in Paarl…I remember taking road trips around the mountains..especially when it snowed…I’d bundle my daughter and my 2 younger sisters in the car and we’d drive to find the snow.
Autumn is my favourite season…there and here.
Btw I’ve started planning my trip to SA. In 2023 I’m going to walk the Tsitsikamma Trail with my sisters and brother in law, so I thought I’d stay for a couple of months and plan a trip up the west coast, since that’s something I never got to do.
What great memories you have of your time here in SA … yes, it’s such a beautiful area (have a look on our blog to remind you of those magnificent mountains – I’ve just uploaded our camping trip yesterday). Oh, and our Malta posts also started … it will make you go there asap!
Your trip to SA sounds wonderful and so glad you want to visit the west coast – if were are still around here by 2023, we will welcome you on the beach of Langebaan lagoon π.
Oh I’d love to meet up!! If you’re still in the area by then π
The mountains in SA easily stand out from the crowd. Occasionally I’ll see a travel advert on TV and think “oh I’d love to go there” and then I see the end of the advert and its SA π€£π€£ and if course I have been there..to all the mountain ranges. They are stunning. Thanks, I’ll head over and start reading…yes, I mustn’t forget about Malta. I plan my walks and everything else fades into the background π€¨π€¨
great to hear from you and glad you are enjoying your days..beautiful sunset pics by the way:)
Thank you π yes it was gorgeous. I’m so fortunate to live by the sea.
How are you getting on?
doing ok – looking forward to my own vacation by the sea in june..been walking and getting to the gym- just praying for our weather to settle into warmth and sunshine consistently..
Oh how lovely, something to look forward to…is June a good month weather wise?
Yes, our weather has been crazy unpredictable and unseasonal lately.
it’s difficult to predict here but yes, by June we usually have stabilized.. the worst months ( consistency wise) are march through may.. for instance we ( in one day may have full sun, then a short rain shower, temps can drop 30 degrees and today we even had short snow showers, then high winds..its crazy. You never know how to dress or plan..lmao
π€£π€£π€£π€£ sounds like you live in the UK. March is usually when I start getting fed up with winter….but this year it’s being spiteful and pushing through into April..
indeed..yesterday started at 38 then got up to 66( so i did get out to walk)..fingers crossed today is supposed to start the warmer weather !