Saturday 12th May
Well Jacq and I have decided to try and camp and cook for the first time. We found a campsite that was local to Guildford on the web and here we are at 6.30pm in the evening on our little pitch having had a first course of noodles and awaiting a possible second course of soup and chopped vegetables later.
The campsite is a bit of a find as it has a nice little lake at its centre where other campers appear to be trying their luck at catching whatever they can. Also the facilities are very clean and user friendly (clean toilets and showers). The surrounds of the site have oak trees which signal the gentle breeze that is blowing around us but also provides some coverage for the stove action that is a prime feature of evening entertainment.
It certainly feels like we have walked into a whole new world of outdoor living. As I type this a warden of the site (singled out as he wears the green branded campsite sweater) is relaying some paving stones at theentry gate to this section of the site. Next to this gate is a large motorhome with attached tent gazebo which makes me imagine the wardens may actually live permanently on site.
I conjure a semi retirement lifestyle of motor home existence where one becomes more and more in tune with nature nestled in this little quite community of people who enjoy the outdoors.
Another thought rumbles past my head which is that we have been blessed with agreeable weather. There are a few white clouds across the sky stretched by the prevailing wind but with plenty of blue gaps behind it which is beginning to darken into a purply hue as the light starts to fade.
Clearly this helped me to cook relatively smoothly without things being rained on, blown everywhere and having to suufer a diet with all foods eatern a la mud/grass/insect depending on the slant of unforgiving environmental conditions.
I'm told Canada in May and June is the insect version of Tottenham Court Road in rush hour so I may need to further sharpen my camp craft in the weeks to come....
Sunday 13 May 2007
procrastinate no more....
Friday 11 May
Woke up this morning with a sudden sense of urgency and imminency for the trip. Feels like I need to finalise most of the rest of my prep for the journey this weekend. I need to buy some final equipment, have another practice night under canvass with stove for food being fully operational and generally get my head fully into gear on all the minor details that I don't feel I can leave till when I'm on terra firma canada!
Whilst doing all these last minute bits I have become aware of the fact that I can't cover all bases and have to rely more on a make it happen mindset when I get there.
I notice how much I am accustomed to all things routine and how either I take what I already do for granted or I imagine the things I will learn about outdoor life to be more complex that what I have already learnt. It is the fear of succumbing to the unknown and the recognition that so much of my confidence and self esteem is founded on competence.
The competence of knowing things or being able to do things. What would it be like to be fully confident without such things?
And also the courage to be humble, to embrace not knowing and therefore feel more comfortable taking risks. Also being able to pre evaluate those risks to minimize the perception of them by analysing the 'what if' scenarios to feel that the perception of that risk is lower and or a person's confidence rises about overcoming that risk.
Lets see how I get on!!!
Woke up this morning with a sudden sense of urgency and imminency for the trip. Feels like I need to finalise most of the rest of my prep for the journey this weekend. I need to buy some final equipment, have another practice night under canvass with stove for food being fully operational and generally get my head fully into gear on all the minor details that I don't feel I can leave till when I'm on terra firma canada!
Whilst doing all these last minute bits I have become aware of the fact that I can't cover all bases and have to rely more on a make it happen mindset when I get there.
I notice how much I am accustomed to all things routine and how either I take what I already do for granted or I imagine the things I will learn about outdoor life to be more complex that what I have already learnt. It is the fear of succumbing to the unknown and the recognition that so much of my confidence and self esteem is founded on competence.
The competence of knowing things or being able to do things. What would it be like to be fully confident without such things?
And also the courage to be humble, to embrace not knowing and therefore feel more comfortable taking risks. Also being able to pre evaluate those risks to minimize the perception of them by analysing the 'what if' scenarios to feel that the perception of that risk is lower and or a person's confidence rises about overcoming that risk.
Lets see how I get on!!!
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