Playing catch-up.....

Oh dear, it's been a while since I sat down to write anything here. Not deliberate, but I have been busy doing things. Plenty of walks in December, by myself, with Louise and with the Friday walking group. Some decisions were made about what to take on the Challenge in May - although I constantly keep changing my mind (well, I am a Libran) so I won't write about it until I've properly decided.

Christmas was spent in the Alps. It was really dreich weather and so the skiing didn't get going until after that. The snow is a bit wet at the moment and the avalanche warnings have been somewhere between 3 and 4 for the past two weeks. There's enough to downhill ski on and there have been some good days in the limited sunshine of early January.

I have shelled out for a season pass for the x-c skiing too. It's a good way to make me go and do it! Had a second day out yesterday even though the snow was a bit hard and icy. I have been looking to buy some more cross country skis, the ones I'm using are probably 20 years old, and I find them rather long. I know they're supposed to be long but there are some available now that are slightly wider so it's possible to use a shorter length. Keeping a snow plough with the longer skis puts a strain on my knees that I can do without!

After the last post I wrote about the Inov-8 shoes I reconsidered the wear and tear and decided to contact Inov-8 to find out if this was a problem they know about. In response, they sent me a leaflet about lacing shoes properly. However, an arrangement was made with the retailer (outside.co.uk) and I sent off my shoes for Inov-8 to look at. I then got a full refund as they said they were 'faulty' but unfortunately they didn't answer my question about the shoes. I still have the second pair I bought more recently and I'm pondering whether to wear them for the Challenge or not. If I can keep my pack weight down, even try to lose a few pounds from my body weight (!), then they may be ok.

One of various problems I'm having with my computer is that most of the time it won't read my camera's SD card so there are no photos for the moment. If I can get it all to work without the gremlins I'll post them up later......... That's the photos not the gremlins......

In the meantime - Happy 2014 to everyone.......

Of many parts..........

Missing so many opportunities to write this blog has created a huge backlog of possible stories. And I have no idea where to start.......all of which indecision only adds to my 'blogger's block'.

A few unkind comments about my writing had left me wounded and then more than three weeks in the Summer without proper Internet or even a mobile phone signal just added insult to injury. Those three weeks were spent in Northern France as co-carer (with the other Granny) for two grandchildren holidaying away from the heat and pollution of Shanghai, without their parents. There was plenty of swimming, playing in the garden, dancing and dressing-up, even some road biking but, sadly, not much walking.

After a week back in Pitlochry where we celebrated a little girl's third birthday, had picnics by the Loch, and enjoyed a surprise visit from a certain person who lives in Canada, it all went quiet..............

There have been some great walks since then. A long planned trip up Creag nam Ban, an exploration of the old railway line in Glenlochsie, Friday walks with the local group and some joint ventures with Louise, usually involving tea and cakes of course, have filled my time.

Last week I used my bus pass and my backpacking tent to join the Scottish Borders Walking Festival.

So there is plenty to write about........I just have to get started.................

{Walking the new trail from Peebles to Innerleithen}

Blogger's Block..............

but I am trying really hard to get through it..............

{Loch Faskally at sunset....}

Reflections..Part 1

The recent TGO Challenge is still on my mind so I'm going to share some of these thoughts in this post.......

First of all, I'm going to have a rant......about the state of the tracks left by the churning of the bike wheels by the riders during the Scottish Six Days Trial. It's really staggering to realise that this is being heralded as a 'great success' by the organisers with hill paths and tracks completely destroyed by the passage of hundreds of motorbikes. I hope their ears were burning as I tried to negotiate my way across this ground.

{Somewhere near the Blackwater Reservoir}

I'll move on to happier thoughts.......

The Challenge 2013 route that I designed for myself was officially Acharacle to Lunan Bay but those who've followed the links and read through my account will realise that once again I didn't finish at Lunan Bay! It's so seductive to wander along the trade-route from Tarfside to Edzell to North Water Bridge Campsite then across to the coast. NOT going to Lunan Bay is becoming a record in itself.....

After failing to continue last year I made a few adjustments to ensure I could keep going this year.....I bought a hip mounted water bottle which I could use without taking my rucksack off. I carried more snack bars and dried fruit for eating during the day. Whenever I pitched the tent I was ultra-careful to consider the wind direction and strength - even using heavy stones to weigh down the pegs.

The next problem I face every time on a long distance walk. The condition of my feet. I currently use Keen leather boots which overall are the most comfortable I have ever used. But I still had blisters. The first few days there were numerous river crossings which meant I removed the boots, put on sandals, waded the torrent, then dried my feet and put on the boots again. I think that protected my feet in some way, certainly cooled them down regularly, so I was pleased that at the end of day 2 I had no problems.

That changed after I had to walk the road. To begin with my heels became blistered, not something I'm usually bothered by......this pushed my feet forward in the boots and then my toes blistered too.

{On the mend - after getting the Compeed off!}

To try and stop this happening next time I've been reading up on Inov-8 shoes and found a pair to try at a reasonable price. I didn't use them when I was leading walks in Northumberland but I did try them yesterday on the Seven Bridges walk with Louise.

{First steps for new shoes}

I was worried the Inov-8's wouldn't be wide enough but the tops are quite soft so I think they'll mould to my feet. The insoles I replaced with my normal instep supporting ones. My feet tend to heat up quickly so there should be no problem keeping them warm in wet conditions.......only time will tell! Certainly for 5 miles on the flat they were comfortable and extremely light to wear.

{Cooling the feet in Glen Tilt}

The repairs I made to my tent withstood some heavy rain and gusty winds but I've redone them this week with some sealant better suited to use on the silicone-coated fly of the Hubba. None of the patches have moved at all. Once it's dried off again I'm planning a little overnighter somewhere local to test it out......

When I fell heavily in Glen Gour I not only banged my thigh and twisted my knees but bent my walking pole too. I've been using Mountain King TrailBlaze poles for a few years now. Admittedly they are rather lightweight for Challenge use but they've survived surprisingly well. After a phone call to Mountain King I sent them back for a 'reasonably priced' refurbishment - two new sections were put in for me. Great service - thank you!

During that fall I also ripped holes in my new Paramo Quito trousers. I continued to wear them throughout the Challenge - but they're away being repaired at the moment. Being Paramo they withstood rain, wind, sleet and hail, along with, mud, peat and river water, admirably. They're also not so heavy as the original Cascadas so were comfortable to wear all day.

A casualty of this thought process will be the Paramo 3rd Element jacket. I love it for its waterproof qualities but it's a bit short for me and if I'm being brutally honest, a bit tight for me round the hips.  It's going to be sold, probably on Ebay. It splits helpfully into a hood and sleeves, and a gilet. During the time I've used it I have also never unzipped it into two parts like that........

Meanwhile - I'm still thinking..............

Rainy Day

Today's heavy rain has forced me to start actually typing up my diary from the recent TGO Challenge. You can find it in the Pages menu to the right-hand side of the blog.

I have decided to just transcribe the diary I kept and post the photos I took, day by day. There's not a lot of detail about my route in the writing and my camera got very wet and eventually died along the way......

{Blue skies at Alnmouth!}

The last two weeks I've spent walking in glorious sunshine in Northumberland based at Alnmouth. I have a few photographs which are still on my phone so I'm going to try and post them directly from there.....
Wish me luck with that.....................

[copied the photo from my own Facebook page - haven't had the courage to fiddle with the phone yet!]

Oooops!......

I was preparing a post to herald the arrival of Spring........a foolish thought, as it transpired! I'd been listing (in my head) the various signs; the fisherman, the lycra-clad cyclists, the bush burning, the crocuses, the birds in brighter colours, and so on.....

For forty-eight hours we were treated to temperatures which never rose above freezing, a strong gusty wind, and heavy, heavy, persistent snowfall. Just before the weekend we had been skiing happily on really good snow and at home, watching the crocuses popping their heads up into the increasingly warm sunshine......

{The view from the window....}

{Driving might be difficult - that's the road....}

On Tuesday morning we emerged, dug our way out of the house, freed up the van and drove off to sample some new snow - more than 80 centimetres had fallen! The problem with new snow is that once the sun touches it, it turns rather soft and heavy making it harder work to ski.  We only managed a few runs and a coffee before heading back home.

{More digging required...}

{Finally - blue sky, sunshine and gorgeous fresh snow....}

We weren't the only ones confused by the sudden reversion to Winter. On our way home from the afternoon's skiing we came across a badger on the road. He'd either been hit by a vehicle or was just terrified and half asleep but he didn't move very far from me. Eventually we thought it best to leave him. 

{A confused badger...}

A new rucksack to review.....

When I started blogging here I didn't think of having to deal with requests from gear manufacturers to review their goods. HOWEVER, last week I was politely asked if I would like to do just that so this morning a brand new rucksack arrived for me from Berghaus. Those of you who know me well also know I love a good rucksack!

It was delivered quickly by courier. The parcel contained an updated version of a Freeflow 20 in a VERY bright green, almost luminous in fact. The colour isn't really true to life in the photos so you'll have to take my word for it!

{Ready for the reveal....}

The first thing I noticed was quite a strong looking waist belt, and a curved back on the bag itself, with mesh keeping it away from the spine. There is a zip compartment on the outside and two short stretchy pockets which are angled so perhaps they can be used to stow a water bottle. Inside there's a pocket for a hydration bladder and an exit hole for the tube.

{Unwrapped....}

The straps are made of cut-out foam but look quite sturdy. There's an adjustable chest strap. As is not unusual for a small daysack there is no lid but a well covered zip with tagged pulls. Inside, to one side, I found a key hook.

{Top view}

I am surprised the rucksack has no waterproof cover as I'm sure the previous models have had.

{Back pocket zip tucks away neatly}

{Waist belt}

As the photo shows the zip pull has a cover. There are also two pole holding straps, with loops at the bottom, for storage. I'm not sure I like the habit of stashing walking sticks on the back of a small rucksack, but this feature appeals to some users.

{Storage loops for walking poles}

The weather here this morning was a persistent dreich so I didn't feel like joining the Friday group. If I had I could have given the bag its first outing......so that will have to wait.

I'll post a proper review once I've used it for the next month or so. That month will probably include walking, skiing and possibly snowshoeing - a good workout for me and the rucksack!

What a beautiful morning......

...which turned into a most enjoyable day!

{Frosty morning at Crathie}

Louise arrived about 10 am (exactly as planned) and it didn't take us long to drink coffee, put on our walking boots and set off for a short walk to explore the cairns on the Balmoral Estate. The sky was completely cloudless and the air crisp - a perfect day for a wander.

{Louise with a lovely smile..}

Everything which wasn't in the sun was white with frost as we crossed the old bridge - very carefully - it looked and was a bit slippy! I was out of breath very soon - perhaps as much from too much talking as the slight climb on the path.

Frozen mud greeted us on the walk up through the woods but we soon found some cairns to investigate. Louise will probably post some photos for you to see on her blog - mine are no good I'm afraid. The final cairn brought us to the top where we could look down on the castle. 

{Balmoral Castle in the sun}

The path down took us past the handsome statue of John Brown. If I'd been paying attention at the junction we would have gone to look out over the moorland in Glen Gelder for the rutting stags but we took the left-hand path instead and had to creep past the windows of Craigowan Lodge.

It didn't take long for us to get back to the house and while we chatted about our routes for the Challenge I managed to make some lunch. Best eaten wearing a blindfold - it certainly wouldn't have won any prizes for presentation.......

Reflections......

Standing and waiting for the bus.......it's a bit chilly with the promise of snow in the air, but I'm not complaining. There are beautiful shades of Autumn on the trees and the sun is low in the sky. I'm home.

Our trip to South-east Asia was a great adventure. It was only the second time I've flown long-haul but it wasn't too arduous. I'm only just sorting out the photos and the memories so I can share a taste of it all here.

The holiday divides itself into four parts - for the first we explore Phnom Penh and the history of Cambodia, in the second we are joined by the family and go to Siem Reap, the third is shorter, just a couple of peaceful days by the sea  and for the last part, we spend a busy week living in Kuala Lumpur.

In the meantime........

{Looking across the flooded fields in rural Cambodia}

Intermission........

All packed up and ready to go............

Cambodia and Malaysia this time. A catch up with the grand-children and some hot sunshine!

I'll post if I can - if not - it'll be when I get back.

{Under the Balmoral Bridge}

Good and bad.......

The last week or so have bought good and bad things this way.

The good were two gorgeous sunny days walking. The first; a day out with the Aboyne Walkers. A very sociable walk around Loch Callater and lunch in the sun at the bothy.

{Lunch in the sun}

{Heading round the Loch}

The very next day Louise and I organised ourselves a spectacular sunny day, with roaring stags and wonderful views, ending with coffee and cake - what more could a girl ask for??? Louise's walk report makes good reading and can be found here.

{Wonderful views}

{Louise - at the top!}

Sadly these two good days were followed by some bad news.........the broken bones in my shoulder are not healing very quickly, which is why I still can't lift my arm and there is still quite a lot of pain from time to time!

On a brighter note, I've entered the Challenge for next year............

A lot of catching up...............

I know - it's been too long since I posted here.

There have been family visits, physiotherapy sessions, parties with the neighbours, interesting days out, lunches in the sun, a seemingly endless, bumpy ride home and now we're back in Scotland getting ready to go to Cambodia for another get-together with our grandchildren.........

I did keep planning to write it all up - but this year so far has been full of plans for things that didn't happen......

{Weekly market in Guillestre - much grander during the summer holidays}

 Alongside the usual weekly markets there are always more specialised ones which take over a village for the day in summertime.  My favourite is the Potters' Market. This year we went to the one held in the village orchard in Montdauphin Fort. Nothing was bought this time but the venue was spectacular and I managed a long walk round the stalls.

{Very tempting blue pottery}

To give John a break from his kitchen chores (!) we often had lunch out. This restaurant is in Guillestre and serves great salads. Sitting out under a big umbrella is the best way to enjoy a hot lunch break!

{Guillestre - lunch on market day}

The highlight of the month had to be the visit from the Shanghai gang - seeking fresh Alpine air after the suffocating heat of the busy Chinese city.

{An ice-cream break.....then a visit to see the marmots}

I had planned to take Brodie on a few easy walks - sadly that was not possible but we did buy him the sticks for next time.....

{Trying them out....}

 The weather was very kind and sunny so we explored some mountain villages to keep cool....

{Staying cool in St Veran}

All too soon they all flew back to China but we had visitors from Aberdeen arriving so a lot of tidying had to be done - no time for musing.....  John and Heather arrived and the two Johns had to fetch , carry and cook for us all. Poor Heather was incapacitated with a slipped disc and in a lot of pain.

{The two Johns enjoying some time away from housework.....}

Not long after that enjoyable week John and I set off back to Scotland. My shoulder did not appreciate the travelling one bit. Extra painkillers had to be taken..... but eventually we reached Dunkirk for our ferry ride to Dover.

{Crossing the channel as the sun sets}

Sitting it out......

Inevitably my daily exercise now consists of moving from one seat to another, not too far away. 

I have been able to reduce the painkillers which were making me feel a bit disconnected and dozy. The one handed typing is improving, as you can see....

There are some surprisingly difficult things to do with my left hand. I've always been very right-sided. Apart from some obvious things (!) I find brushing my teeth awkward. Also, eating yoghurt from a small pot, blowing my nose and reading a magazine strangely hard to do. Shoes are easy with slip-on sandals and crocs.

Of course the most fun is my long hair! Him Indoors doesn't like it much anyway and I could see a glint in his eye when I mused aloud about possibly having to have it cut short. Having a shower means 20 minutes of him struggling to tie the hair up into a plastic cap. I have to keep making encouraging noises and not show any frustration.

{A favourite seat outside}

Sleeping at night also means sitting but with the aid of some old quilts and 4 pillows that is, so far, not too bad.

So now I'm beginning to look forward to a trip to the supermarket!

So now what?........

Only having the use of one arm, not being able to sleep lying down, having to take painkillers which make me feel 'woozy', these are all very frustrating and/or painful consequences of my little accident.....

Even worse though ...what am I going to do with myself? All my usual outdoor and indoor activities are suspended - I can't even type properly with one hand!

There are some books I could read.....films to watch.....but they won't keep me fit.

Am I being too negative?

So what will appear on these pages over the next few weeks? I'll have to think of something.......I don't really just want to keep a diary of having a broken arm.....

We'll have to wait and see......

Running on empty.............

There was a slight hint that things might not go as planned - my Neoair burst and deflated, leaving me trying to sleep on Louise's lounge floor......I replaced it on Thursday morning in Inverness before we caught the train to our start points. I bought a Vango Ultralite self-inflating mat - thankfully it is quite comfortable and seems much tougher than the blow-up neoair - also much cheaper!

This is not going to be an account of the few days of Challenge 2012 which I managed to complete but more a reflection of why it all went so badly wrong and why I was very relieved to find myself on the bus home late on Tuesday afternoon......

After the sleeping mat incident things settled and I enjoyed the first couple of days walking to Kinloch Hourn and beyond. The Granite Gear rucksack was exceptionally comfortable to carry and didn't seem too heavy. I didn't miss a top pocket as the OMM chest-pouch was a great substitute. It enabled me to access my small bits and bobs without having to take off my rucksack. The Keen boots were grippy, comfortable and supportive.

The ground was wet, well, saturated, with water standing in pools everywhere and any burns I had to cross were full and fast. A dry wild camp site proved difficult to find on the first night so I eventually went with two other Challengers right down to Kinloch Hourn and camped in late evening sunshine just before the bridge, this made my day a lot longer than I had planned.

I stopped short on the second evening, realising that a crossing of the River Loyne might just be too difficult for me on my own. The sky seemed dark and threatening, with occasional squally showers. A passing Challenger told me the weather forecast - heavy rain and a south-westerly gale, maybe gusting over 80 mph.
The pitch I chose at the old Altbeithe cottage was as sheltered as I could find.

By 5 am all hell was breaking loose - and I spent two hours listening to the wind howling like some pre-historic beast and trying to tear the tent out of the ground. After packing up inside the tent, eating a cold breakfast, there was a lull so I finally went outside, foolishly losing my concentration and the wind succeeded in taking the tent....I'll never forget how it flew up, kite-like, still complete, and was carried over the barbed wire fence and up the hill away from me. There was some very bad language.........................

I haven't run up hill for a long time but fuelled by adrenalin and panic - I set off.  Ploughing upwards through bog, tussocks, dips, mounds and hollows I would almost reach the tent when the wind would take it off again. A last effort found me climbing a waterfall and finding, resting in a small river gorge, my tent, still assembled, waiting for me........

Getting back down, grimly clutching the tent, I was knocked off my feet several times by the gale but finally made it to the house. Three other Challengers had come to meet me, realising what was happening but not being able to see me, and helped me fold the tent and finish packing up. The next few hours we all struggled along the road, fully exposed to the terrible gusts of wind and monsoon-like rain. Even the Paramo gave up, my feet were completely soaked, and I could hardly see through my wet and steamed up glasses. Stopping for food or drink or respite was not an option.

The walking on Monday was hard going. My feet were badly damaged by a day spent walking in water-filled boots. A mistake in my route made it necessary to almost double back to Invergarry leaving me the endless canal-side walk into Fort Augustus. I arrived at 9 pm, foot-sore, and too hungry to eat any supper.

Struggling up the road in the morning, eventually reaching Loch Tarff, being hit in the face by a heavy shower of sleet, hail and snow - I asked myself a simple question. Are you enjoying this? And another, are you looking forward to the next few days' walking?

The answer to both these questions was an emphatic NO!

I went back to Fort Augustus and caught the bus............

Why did this happen? I have thought about it.....

I allowed myself to get too tired...My mental and physical tanks were emptied by the frantic race to retrieve the tent......I made a bad decision about following my route in bad circumstances  despite there being an easier alternative....I didn't eat or drink properly nor rest enough.....I should have stopped before I had to walk the canal tow path and done that the next day....I should have put on my gaiters and waterproof socks before walking in the storm....If I'd carried my bothy-bag could I have sheltered inside it?.......I should have waterproofed the OMM chest-pouch more carefully as everything inside it was soaked through.....I could have sprayed the rucksack too, so that losing the use of the pack cover (it was too windy to keep it on) didn't have such consequences (a wet rucksack is surprisingly heavy!)......and so on.....

I did feel that I was putting myself in danger by carrying on, so, although the decision was hard, I still believe it was wise........

A week away..............

{Across the beach to Seahouses}

Back home after a week on the Northumberland coast where I lead walks from Rothbury, Belford and also some coastal routes and didn't get wet (a Miracle!) despite the weather forecasts.

But I'm struggling with Blogger which has been changed while I was away..... I get this message....

"Your browser is no longer supported by Blogger. Some parts of Blogger will not work and you may experience problems."

It seems I have to download Google Chrome to get it all to work properly............mmmmmm!

Now, where did I put the hoover........................

Rushing about time - visitors arriving from afar - yes, it's the Chinese Branch of the family flying in this evening....

HI has spent the day putting up stair-gates.

All worthwhile - though there may not be any posts for the next two weeks.....

{You'll have to look very hard but this is a photo of

some amazing ice-crystals I found while x-c skiing last week}

Queyras Regional Park.........

While I'm here in France I often write up my trips to the Queyras Regional Park. From the house here, we are looking straight over the Fort at Mont Dauphin and east towards the park.

There are four main downhill skiing areas in the park - Ceillac, Arvieux, Abries, Molines/St-Veran. There is also a smaller area at Aiguilles. For x-country skiing there are tracked routes at Ceillac, Arvieux and between Abries and Molines/St-Veran. It is also possible to ski some of the forest tracks if the snow conditions are good.

{A simple map to show the area}

Throughout the park there are plenty of walking paths and mountain routes, usually signposted, along with Refuges and campsites.  The villages are very old; the houses typically built with wood (usually larch) and stone.

Just thought I'd give you a better idea of the area...........

Blame it on the jet lag............

There are probably a couple more posts to be written about our trip to China but I'm beginning to feel that I am becoming one of those people who insist on showing you their holiday snaps!

So here I'm going to tell you about some other things which have been going on since we returned.

If you have applied to take part in the TGO Challenge in May 2012 you may have noticed my name on the list of participants. I truly did not intend to apply this time but at the last minute decided that I would as a possible trip to Canada has now been postponed till June 2012. I couldn't face sitting here in May, watching everyone walk past, and not be a part of it....

One of the things that I had been going to replace if I was successful in the draw for the Challenge, was my current backpacking rucksack. The pack I used for my first Challenge was an Osprey 50l. It was replaced a couple of years ago by a Deuter 45 + 10 Actlite. This one had a bottom compartment which I found really useful for my bulky synthetic sleeping bag. But sometimes the shoulder straps slipped, and I found the long, narrow shape didn't really fit my short squat back!

Now that I'm the proud owner of a 'down' bag, which compresses to about half the size of the synthetic one, I have been considering a much lighter weight rucksack. It may have been the jet lag but I clicked the mouse one evening to buy the new rucksack.  It arrived very quickly from the retailer.

{Granite Gear Vapor Ki}

I've played with it a bit now I have it in my possession. So far I like it. Its basically simply a big bag with straps. I hope to be able to carry everything inside it, with nothing hanging on the outside. It has no top pocket nor any belt pockets so I've got plans to use a chest pouch for all those little things I can't do without. I'm looking forward to giving it a trial run. It feels comfortable around the shoulders, and the hip belt fits me very well. There are outside pockets at the top and bottom of the sides. It has a roll and clip top. I'll probably have to invest in a waterproof cover.

The other impulsive purchase I've made recently is another Paramo jacket. I really like the 3rd Element that I bought last year but for this time of year, when it's cold and damp, I was impressed by Louise's smock. Just throw it over the top of everything else, job done! So despite some heavy discussions recently about the effectiveness of Paramo vs Goretex (etc) - I'm going to give it a try.

{Paramo Velez Lightweight smock}

In the meantime I have been walking a couple of times with the local Aboyne group and been very lucky with the weather. One walk around Learney Hill and the other in Glen Tanar. Both were very sociable 8 mile routes.

{Setting off with the group in some welcome sunshine}

There was also a foray onto the Revack Estate with Louise - another similar was planned for this week but this time the weather got the better of us and I didn't fancy venturing over the Lecht on icy roads.

{Winter view to the Cairngorms from the Speyside Way}

Yes - there does seem to be a purple thing going on - can I blame that on the jet lag too?

Shanghai Baby!.......

This is the first of a few posts about our time in Shanghai visiting my daughter and grand children.

It's taken me a while to get over the jet laggy feeling and decide how to present the trip. We were away for four weeks so there is a lot to tell....

Before we went there were two minor disasters to contend with. The first was a lovely, throbbing abcess on one of my teeth! It appeared during the weekend before we were due to fly to China - not good timing! I didn't dare ignore it so on Monday morning I phoned the dentist, luckily I got an emergency appointment and the offending tooth was temporarily drilled and filled. But it was still quite painful and infected so I left the country clutching 7 days of antibiotics - just in case!

The second problem was more mundane and really my own fault. When I started packing I noticed that my old trainers were almost in pieces and in need of replacement. At the last minute I ordered a pair of Keens (which I'd had my eye on for a while anyway!) anticipating that I would need to be able to walk comfortably while we were away.  On Monday the parcel arrived - such good service I thought - opened the box and discovered a completely random pair of men's brown shoes! I was straight on the phone to Taunton Leisure - oops! muddled the orders - oops! (again) no more of the ones I had ordered in stock - full refund on its way! So I took the old trainers instead.

The flight was going to be the longest I had ever been on - so I was apprehensive and packed a few items to improve my chances of getting through it comfortably. In a little stuff bag I put spare warm socks, spare undies, some deodorant wipes, ordinary 'wet' wipes, my anti-dry eye drops, a lip salve, and a small bottle of mouthwash (which had to go in its own see-through bag along with some moisturiser). My chosen book (The Ascent of Rum Doodle), my i-pod (with all episodes of Hitchhikers Guide on it) and a Sudoku booklet.

Actually the flight was fine even though we didn't get much sleep. There was no way I could move very much from my 'middle' seat so everything in my rucksack just stayed there for the whole trip! The overhead lockers were so full my things were unreachable. I watched rather a lot of films.

The best part of the whole journey was a tub of ice-cream at what to us was 3 o'clock in the morning. Bizarre but very welcome.......

We were met at the airport by my daughter and little Maree, there were lots of hugs and smiles - and then whisked at an alarming speed into the centre of Shanghai. After a little walk around, a cup of Starbucks coffee, we were finally unpacking our bags in the guest bedroom of Katy and Glen's smart flat on the 46th floor of the huge apartment block where they now live. There couldn't be a greater contrast to their house in the woods in Yorkshire.

{First photo of Shanghai - the walkway beside the Oriental Pearl Tower}

I had planned to blog everyday but it didn't happen, I'm afraid. Internet connections are a little fragile and blogging is disapproved of by the Chinese authorities so I decided to bring it all home instead.

{View from the lounge window over the River}

{View from the dining room at the urban forest of tall towers}

We delivered all the 'goodies' from our baggage, hung up a few clothes, and after a meal in the dining room overlooking all those skyscrapers, we fell into bed. What pleasure there was in being horizontal at last!

[btw - ni hao is Good Morning, or Hello - in Mandarin.]