sand dunes and salty air

White horsey white horsey bring us luck bring us luck

I've seen at least one every day, and said it at the time, but say it now as well, as I'll need all I can get. I didn't think I had a lucky charm, but found that Fernanda had left one in the pocket of my fleece on my last night in London, so I won't need quite as much superstition as I might've. And even less now that I've done four days of over 20 miles each without falling apart, which makes my faith a little less blind.

The first day was the hardest. I officially hate A roads. And wankers who make cracks along the lines of 'I hope that isn't a bomb in your pack'. I kept wanting to reply 'If it was a bomb, would I really be in _insert name of south-east backwater_?' Which is not to say that I dislike the south-east: even Stone and Northfleet have their own kind of neglected beauty. More that I'd hope for a bit of solidarity and friendly spirit rather than knee-jerk xenophobia. Will it be any better when I cross the channel? I have no expectations either way.

But when I crossed the M25 (happily on a flyover and not a subway) I did spit back. But for all the hate I have for London, I'm planning to go back. It's home, and I love it too. It does feel a bid odd to have left just now, though. Seeing the news of the failed bombing at Oval (was that it? no time to fact check) gave a sensation akin to watching the news of Montreal's 1998 ice storm from my flat in Vancouver, but much more frightening. I only caught a bit of the seige mentality that seemed to be forming, and feel like a bit of a traitor to have bailed out. All I can say is that while this blog was initially to keep people from worrying about me, if anything big happens again (heaven forfend), drop me a line, london peeps, so I know you're fine too.

********
All three of the first days were much longer than planned, and not pleasantly so. But when I looked at the map two nights ago and saw I was just over 20 miles from Canterbury, and figured, why not, let's do in four days what I'd planned for five. So here I am resting up a bit

AACK
out of time already.
interesting--no proper blisters yet. more news of that later, though