We started

It's been a tremendously lovely two weeks since I left the world of the employed and started my meanderings on foot not just on paper. In a fortnight of two halves I have experimented with living in Shazza, the camper van.  I think for her and me it's the start of something meaningful, potentially with me needing to learn some rudiments of plumbing and electrics, but no matter, it's part of the road to discovery we'll be driving together. 

I am a cautious soul, or at least, I believe I am.  So the first few days with Shazza saw me within my comfort zone of North Wales, safe in the knowledge that if it all went wrong resolution was only a phone call away.  The van surprised me by offering me even more freedom than I've been used to when camping.  Instead of leaving a tent where it is because of the whole horror of picking up a bunch of wet canvas, attempting to stuff it in a bag, worrying about when to air / dry it or the next night's experience of finding the wet nylon (it's really not canvas these days is it?) affectionately wrapping it's clammy lips around your legs, you just drive off.  That's it, no fuss, you drive off.  This meant I went to places I  hadn't known I was going, simply following the mountain weather forecast for the Snowdon area and rejigging plans accordingly.  Three days walking took me up Cnicht (day one), day 2 Moel Hebog (kind of, most of the way until rain and visibility definitely stopped play), and day 3 a walk from Ybygy Ifan most days seeing me with a 700m plus height gain with 3 to 6 hours walking a day.  Just starting out on assessing where exactly my walking fitness lies after the "summer" of building up to the Mary Towneley two days on the bike.  Oooh, and isn't Cnicht a pretty hill?

And then finally ... I left the country ...

Typing this while listening to The Boss singing

"We sit in the car outside your house
I can feel the heat coming 'round"