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Finishing one, starting another

Posted in around the UK, conqueror challenges, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Health, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2020, tagged Boxing Day, Conqueror virtual challenges 2020, family and relationships, for the love of walking, Great Ocean Road Australia, walk1000miles on December 26, 2020| 4 Comments »

Just thrilled to have finished the Great Ocean Road, Australia virtual challenge yesterday….exactly 5 weeks & 5 days 👏👏👏 🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏻‍♀️

And just because I can….I signed up for another 3 and the 2021 challenge. 🤪🤪 so some serious walking coming up next year.

I’m planning on walking these as part of my 2021 challenge…along with The Ring Road of Iceland, Alps to Ocean New Zealand and the Cabot Trail in Canada.

First though, I must finish off my 2020 challenge…Getting started on the Mt. Fuji (74kms) challenge this morning I set off just on 7am and headed to the cliffs. Hardly saw a soul…it was quiet and peaceful, not a breath of air. I didn’t get a spectacular sunrise, but it was soft and pretty and I had a super walk and my total for today is 15.76kms.

The harbour is so pretty, especially now with the Christmas lights decorating many of them.

The wind came up on my way back as storm Bella started making herself felt.

With only 63.4 kms to go, I’m really excited to be reaching the end of the 2020 challenge.

Why not join me https://www.theconqueror.events/r/CE1474

I finished off the walk with fresh croissants from the CoOp 🥐🥐 and a cup of tea with the family and then a much enjoyed sleep, but not often done. My daughter and I had a quiet walk to the cliffs and back before supper as well, after which I spent the late afternoon and evening with my beloved family and just enjoyed being with my grandson. He is ever so cute, a real little munchkin, so full of beans, and boy can he be demanding…when he says “G’anny sit down!!!” – I sit 😂😂😂 usually on the floor which is not good for the old bones 👵🏻🦴🦴🦴😩😩

I hope you are all well and had a lovely 2 days. If you didn’t get to see family and friends, I truly hope that 2021 will see you all reunited.

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On our way to spring

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, gratitude, Holidays, It's my life, tagged heading into spring, uk tier 4 lockdown, winter solstice on December 21, 2020| 4 Comments »

Winter solstice could not have come at a better time.

We’re on our way to spring

Whilst the date of winter solstice has been the same for aeons, synonymous with hope and renewal, this year it followed hot on the heels of a date that will hopefully be forgotten in the mists of time, for yesterday we went into Tier 4 lockdown in parts of the UK.

Spring always reminds me of the 1970s Eurovision song; ‘All kinds of everything’ – snowdrops and daffodils, butterflies and bees…all kinds of everything, reminds me of you…

The first to appear are the snowdrops, those pretty little fairy lanterns that lend a cheer to the hard grey ground, and bring a smile to our faces

And then the sun begins to shine again as the daffodils with their bright yellow faces sprout with wild abandon

from then on its one after the other as more and more spring flowers appear; bluebells

hyacinths, primroses and then one of my favourite flowers…tulips

But don’t be fooled….for March can bring on a bite of snow

But as we roll into April….perhaps a visit to Paris is on the cards 🙂

Bring it on….

Happy Winter Solstice

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Travel Challenge – Day 5

Posted in around the UK, European travels, Fun Stuff, lifestyle, other peoples blog, Travel, tagged around the UK, South Downs Way, Travel, travel challenge 2020 on December 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »

I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 😃

I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!

The Travel Challenge involves posting one favorite travel picture for each day. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations, without any explanation. If you take up this challenge, then you also need to nominate someone each day.

Today, on the 5th day of the challenge, I nominate https://ericotrips.wordpress.com

You’re under no obligation to accept, but if you do…..

You can post any of your favorite pictures from 2020…enjoy and happy travels!!

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Travel Challenge – Day 2

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, long distance walks - solo, other peoples blog, Travel, tagged around the UK, South Downs Way, Travel, travel challenge 2020 on December 21, 2020| 1 Comment »

I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 🥰

I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!

Today, on the 2nd day of the challenge, I nominate http://theatozoftravel.com

You’re under no obligation to accept the nomination, but if you do…you can post any of your favorite pictures from 2020…enjoy and happy travels!!

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Travel Challenge – Day 3

Posted in around the UK, European travels, Fun Stuff, long distance walks - solo, other peoples blog, Travel, tagged around the UK, South Downs Way, Travel, travel challenge 2020 on December 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »

I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 😃

I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!

Today, on the 3rd day of the challenge, I nominate http://theredphoneboxtravels.com

You’re under no obligation to accept, but if you do….

You can post any of your favorite pictures from 2020…enjoy and happy travels!!

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Travel Challenge – Day 4

Posted in around the UK, European travels, Fun Stuff, lifestyle, Travel, tagged around the UK, South Downs Way, Travel, travel challenge 2020 on December 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »

I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 😁

I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!

Today, on the 4th day of the challenge, I nominate http://wanderingexplorer.travel.blog

You’re under no obligation to accept, but if you do…..

You can post any of your favorite pictures from 2020…enjoy and happy travels!!

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Travel Challenge – Day 1

Posted in around the UK, gratitude, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, photography, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2020, tagged around the UK, South Downs Way, Travel, travel challenge 2020 on December 21, 2020| 5 Comments »

I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 🥰

I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!

The Travel Challenge involves posting one favorite travel picture for each day. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations, without any explanation. If you take up this challenge, then you also need to nominate someone each day.

Today, on my first day of the challenge, I nominate the wonderfully adventurous couple behind http://jwalkingin.com

You’re under no obligation to accept, but if you do….

You can post any of your favorite pictures from 2020…enjoy and happy travels!!

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Getting out in Tier 4

Posted in around the UK, conqueror challenges, gratitude, Health, It's my life, long distance walks - solo, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2020, tagged Conqueror virtual challenges 2020, Great Ocean Road Australia, long distance walking, tier 4 lockdown uk on December 20, 2020| 8 Comments »

The universe conspired to deliver a beautiful day to make up for the horrid news delivered yesterday. A grey, wet and dreary day would have been too depressing. Tier 4??? Seriously!

However, we are now one day closer to coming out of lockdown. Meanwhile, knowing as I do, how the British weather system works; grey, overcast skies in the morning…clear sunny, blue afternoon. Clear blue skies in the morning…rain by midday – with the odd exception.

Soooo, when I pulled back the curtains this morning and saw clear blue skies with just a hint of cloud on the distant horizon, I determined to use my shopping trip as an excuse to get out for a long walk. Which I did.

Heading along the same route as yesterday where I discovered Lloyd Park, I once again reached the park.

Thinking a slightly different route in the park would be good, I followed what looked like a nice, firm, dry sandy path to the trees I could see in the distance…it wasn’t firm or dry 🤪🤪🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏻‍♀️ within a few meters I was slipping and sliding along…

Managing to keep upright thanks to my walking poles, eventually I reached a tree halfway to where I really wanted to go, and called it quits.

I did a careful about turn and slid back to the concrete pathway, which although tough on the bones, is so much easier to walk on. I walked as far as the carpark on the distant side of the park, then returned. There were a fair number of people out walking, mostly masked up and keeping their distance. I overheard snatches of a few conversations; mostly about the lockdown and the mental health of people affected by the sudden change in the government’s position on Christmas.

On my way back out the park I ‘slid’ to the left and walked past a massive allotment plot.

I stopped to listen to a robin sing and then went shopping.

Oh oh…who is that I spy lurking behind the bush?

In all I got in a very good 9.1kms and as a result I’m now only 103.3kms away from reaching my target of 2020kms of my 2020 virtual challenge 👏👏👏🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏻‍♀️😃

I noticed this amazing decoration on the side of a building near the station

As for the Great Ocean Road route in Australia I’m only 25km (15.6miles) away from the end of the challenge 😁😁 I am now close to reaching the end of my virtual journey…239.8km along the south coast of that epic continent – Australia!! I really want to finish by Thursday 24th.

I’m roughly halfway between Port Cambell which I left behind 4 days ago

Port Campbell and 51.2 km (32 miles) to go

And nearing the end at Allansford

I hope to visit Oz for real in 2023/2024….finances depending. I only just received all my postcards from the Conqueror Challenges team. It seems I started the route before they were ready, so they kindly sent the cards in one batch when they were done. So awesome. They’re all incredibly on the ball with their customer service.

And so as 2020 starts to wind down, I’m gearing up to virtually climb Mt. Fuji 🗻🇯🇵 Hopefully this challenge will dovetail nicely with the last kilometres of my 2020 challenge. And of course, it goes without saying…I’m going to participate in the 2021 challenge too….😁😁😁🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏻‍♀️ What distance do you think I should set my target at?

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Look away now….

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, gratitude, Inspiration, tagged Strictly Come Dancing on December 19, 2020| Leave a Comment »

If you have recorded or want to watch Strictly Come Dancing on catch up….

Because…..

Well well well well….Strictly Come Dancing champion 2020……issssss

BILL BAILEY!!!!! 🕺🕺🕺🏆👏👏👏👏

Huge congratulations to Oti for raising a champion dancer.

I genuinely thought Hrvy would win due to his age and popularity and of course I would have loved Jamie to win, even though I didn’t think he would, and Maisie…..what a little ray of sunshine…

They were ALL amazing and the final was quite simply SPECTACULAR or as Craig would say FAB.U.LOUS 😁😁😁

but I’m THRILLED that Bill won. He was amazing and definitely made the most improvement and ended in a spectacular fashion.

Strictly Come Dancing has been so uplifting during the last few months and it’s still my absolute favourite show. It brings so much joy.

Thank you BBC ❤❤❤❤

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Congratulations Bojo

Posted in around the UK, tagged Christmas cancelled, Coronavirus, Covid 19, mutant virus on December 19, 2020| 4 Comments »

May I start by saying…..

This ~~government~~ is absolutely totally and utterly fcking useless….I mean the bloody PM.

Tier 4!!!! Less than a week before Christmas when day after day that useless ‘I can’t even think of a suitable curse’ supposed prime minister has been saying that people CAN go ahead and plan for Christmas. Have a merry little Christmas!!! 😠😠😠

They KNEW about the mutant variant over a week ago and they didn’t take action immediately!! September is when they identified it, and just recently they said its spreading fast. Why not shut down immediately.

As usual they bloody wait and dither and obsficate and kick their heels, just like he did in January, February March.

I’m fed up with his dithering ffs.

We know and understand the need for lockdown, for taking action and making hard decisions, but WHY does he always dither and obsficate?

I need a cup of tea

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