Section 22 Harold Wood to Upminster; Section 23 Upminster to Rainham; Section 24 Rainham to Purfleet
Load up and ready to go by 6.30. Today's challenge is that it is sleeting heavily so even a 5 yard walk to the car has me drenched. On with GPS and realise big underestimate of journey. It is 70 miles to destination and said I would meet Rob at 7.30. Then the news tells of pile up on M1 near us so diverted traffic will slow me down. All those thoughts come crashing in and then I breath in and say they are all just thoughts. Today will be great...put on some Chopin, keep calm and head off.
We meet at Purfleet Station and boy is it grey, miserable and heavy...that is the word heavy. I observe this thought and think better ones. Great to see Rob's face and words of 'come on lets just get this done'.
We drive to Harold Wood, park and set off. We capture evidence of the weather at the start in front of the expensive cab office we used on a previous section. Rob, ever the artist, takes his time to snap and prevents a lady from passing on the pavement. She is patient but then wants to be on her way and says with feeling 'he is a right David Bailey isn't he?'. As we walk on I try to explain to Rob that she is being ironic but as with earlier compliments about his fine chest and sturdy legs (see Walk 5) he thinks she is being genuine and his photography classes are working.Our theme for today is what is wonderful about today? The walk from Purfleet to Upminster in the rain warms us up to this theme.
We even manage to get excited about the overwhelming browns and greys around us. We find a cafe in Upminster for our cup of tea and can appreciate sitting in the rain and cold outside the cafe - now we are into our theme! A lady laughs at us as we capture a picture of these two drowned rats in the window. We set off past a Windmill on our way to Rainham. This is a very pretty section. Lots more shades of dull brown and grey...admittedly with the odd flash of gorse yellow. A long conversation started with the question 'What is Rob Kyprianou?'. Karen pleased that someone else has to put up with these ridiculous questions. Rob rises to it and we are in to discussions about space time coordinates, parallel universes and the essence of a person. Some wonderful theories and they all made sense at the time but now no recollection of the answer. Later we saw in the Daily Mirror (honest we picked it up off a table) a picture of Steven Gerrard next to his Tussaud's copy. 
Which was which I asked and how do you know? Rob thought he knew but was not sure and hoped Rafa could pick both for Liverpool's next game. Along the way we came upon a Rafa Mourhino dream....the perfect nil nil...look at the picture. Surely nobody can score.
The last section goes across Rainham Marshes and by the Thames. Here we bump in to Bob of Rainham taking a walk by the river.He talks to us about the Tilda rice factory, the concrete barges used in the war to block the Thames from invaders and the Jules Verne like diver statue rising from the water. 
Quite earie. Bob joins us for a walk and a chat. Lovely guy whose company and stories we enjoyed. He took photos of us crossing 100 miles and then left us. Our 100 mile point is memorably called Coldharbour Point and is opposite Erith on the Thames and between Rainham and Purfleet. Further along we came upon RSPB official Phil who told us he had just seen an Icelandic White Gull.
Very rare and a significant sighting. We could not see it now but he had called another 'birder' to confirm the sighting. We talk about the place and then move on. About half a mile later we come across the other birder who has the Icelandic visitor in his sights. A totally white gull with no other markings. Very impressive and we view it in his viewfinder. In between the sun came out briefly and the rain and sleet did stop. It was a wonderful day with only a few of the great things about it captured here. 100 miles done and a lot of great memories already. Remember most things are just a thought and make sure you have the best one for you.
Next week we start the southern section of the London Loop.
No comments:
Post a Comment