New Year, New Dawn, New Life

Hey everyone

It's been quite a few days since my last posting but not much has happened apart from work, work and work. Went for a little new year's jaunt up Dumyat to get some quiet time and turns out it was more busy than a town centre on Boxing Day sales!! Not quite but there were a lot of folks there. I soldiered on nonetheless to get some air in my lungs and it was a good few hours on the hills. It was a gorgeous day, a bit chilly if you stood still but the sky was blue and there was no wind.

On the hill there were families, teenagers, oldies, little kids and even a couple of babies thrown in for good measure (strapped to the daddy's in those harness things mind you). There was even a guy who'd parked his Lamborghini in the car park and I'm not sure he climbed the hill but where did he put the muddy boots??!

It was good to be out walking by myself as I've not done hat yet - not really brave enough, but I have trodden the grounds of Dumyat a few times now and you can't really get lost. Anyway I had my new all singing all dancing watch on, altimeter and compass included, so surely i couldn't have got lost!

I set off at about 1pm and made my way through the masses with their various mountain attire!! The was the teenager with the brand spanking new white trainers (obviously a Christmas present!); the old lady with her skirt, coat and wee flatties on (her feet must have been sore); a wee boy who was diving in the icy puddles and ended up in one up the his knees with the mucky water flowing over the top of his wellies - funny; the couples with the girls who had their new suede boots! on complete with no jacket and a scarf! - amazes me why people dress like this? and then there was the seasoned hill walkers with the waterproofs and rucksacks.

Anyway I was back at home eating home made vegetable soup with a hunk of bread by 4pm. Grand Day Out! for a New Years Day.

More pics can be viewed here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79088&l=bcf36&id=682653237

It all got me thinking - yes again! My trek is becoming ever more a reality as the days tick by. I think it's something like 81 days now. Final preparations are under way, got my dental appointment soon, visa application is being sent in the next few weeks, doctor appointment for vaccinations is upcoming. In addition I only need another £150 to meet the fundraising target of £3250 which is amazing.

Over Christmas period I was watching the Wainwright Walks series with Julia Bradbury on BBC2 and i came to really like the little quotes that were read on the programmes. It mostly referred to hills and landscapes of the Lake District but a few could be applied to life in general, here's another of my favourites:

Mountain climbing is an epitomy of life. You start at the bottom, the weaklings and the resolute drop out, the determined reach the top. Life is like that.

Alfred Wainwright

bye for now

Ange x