36. Change of plans!

Scabs are off, so at last I can put shoes on. Celebrated with a walk which convinced me that although my shoes are fine for pretty well everything else (like walking up Snezka in Czech), they won't do for a 1,000 (less 75) mile walk.  Having mulled it over, I don't want to do it on the bike, I'm a walker not a cyclist and much though I enjoy cycling, the thought of battling into headwinds on a laden bike with traffic whizzing past fills me with nothing but gloom.

So I'm at home, planning my next thing.  Its taken me til now to really accept that the walk is off, and to accept that it will be good to be here while the builders are here (hopefully imminent), and that they will need paying so its good to be not spending money on walking round Wales.  And anyway I really, really want to see my son again before he takes off round the world - again.  And my garden is in danger of becoming an impenetrable jungle so a major garden project at this stage will be excellent.

The good things have been finding out that I can happily walk 15 miles a day, carrying everything including the tent, up 2,000 feet and be ready for more at the end of the day - and that's before getting fit; enjoying the roaming about here in the Borders and Wales and the people I have met along the way (travelling doesn't have to be to exotic places!); and just enjoying the being out in the wide open spaces. Research (ie my friend and fount of all knowledge, Google) tells me that made to measure boots cost £1,000 and there's a 2 year+ waiting list.  However, happily there are a couple of stores that do specialist fitting and make insoles to fit individual feet so one day, when my feet are properly better, a trip to one of these may produce a pair of boots that make proper walking a possibility once more!  Hooray!

And, this is a very good time of year to sign up for a course or courses - something I've wanted to do for years and either don't have time (work) or miss the September deadline.  So, more research exploring studying possibilities!  And the inkling of a plan for a big trip next year......................