Diary: September, 22

Continued 4/4.

8th

Pitched my tent a mile away from where I was dropped last night, in a village named Maugersbury near Stow on the Wold.

Had a telephone conversation with Skye before I packed away my tent. I surmised he doesn’t want anything from life because he idealises his past beyond his future.

The nurturing softness of the Cotswold countryside is awesome and the views are endearing. I walked straight through Stow and onto Monarchs way.

And visited a well, sat down on a bench nearby and updated my blog.

And another well.

Edible sloe berries are ready for picking.

If you cannot get fruit then rose hips are a good source of vitamin C.

Further along the Monarch way, a wee bit after Donnington some wretch had lit a fire.

A friendly horse greeted me, further down the footpath after another horse tried to eat my rucksack I enjoyed the scenic view.

At Longborough the Monarch Way became the Heart of England Way.

I walked past Sezincote.

And up through Borton-upon-hill acquiring a lift twenty minutes later by a petrol station from a polish guy going to Eversham. I waited sometime before getting a lift from a trade plater driving along the A46. I’ve hiked about eight miles today on an empty stomach so asked the next lift for some food. They, an elderly couple gave me two energy bars before dropping me at junction 13 M5. Next lift took me all the way down to Exeter M5 services and came from a male lorry driver originally from Bedford. From here I reversed my direction, deciding not to return to a previously chased down hapless Exmouth.

Iniating the change of direction to north took time bit began with a lift from a man going to Essex along the A303. A farmer returning from a funeral gave me a lift to Tiverton Parkway. From here I was picked up by “Roger the Vet” and given a lift to Gloucester M5 services. Walking to the end of the services I acquired a lift from a kind woman who bought me supper before dropping me at Hilton M6 services. An hour later a race-mixed half Chinese / white man gave me a lift to Keele M5 services. From here I waited without a lift until midnight.

7th

Dawn came back drunk at 4 am and said “I don’t give a fuck about you, you’re going today”; I.e whatever social life you had here has ended. Insisting that I eat just a spoonful of spicey food that had come from a Sri Lankan funeral which I refused to eat, countering she opened the plastic container and thus attempted to push the food under my nose. Dawn also returned with tobacco which has swollen glands in my neck and behind my ears.

Anyway during the day we returned to the traveller site and met a guy with two dogs who said Alec was away to Wales fishing for a few days. He phoned Alec’s friend who said Alec didn’t want to know me and that he would not be back until Xmas, bad luck for him then. As we walked back into town one of the dogs got sick so the traveller called his cousin who return them to the site via car.

Dawn asked if I would go to the vet with her to get her cats vaccinated. After she withdrew some money we walked up to the vet and waited. Both of her cats had two jabs each, Dawn was told the two cats were male and aged between 12 and 14 weeks. After the vets, I waited over an hour whilst she shopped at Aldi supermarket, she return end with 5 large bottles of QC sherry in her basket.

The shopping trolley was heavy, I lifted the front whilst she pushed the back steering her trolley towards her flat. We stopped at a dodgy garage (owned by some very creepy Catholic Sri Lankans). Dawn had an altercation with a cranky pump attendant who was wearing a Bob Marley T-shirt, I thought this funny. After a struggle with the trolley through Chipping Norton town centre, we returned to the flat. I spilt some cooking sauce from a packet onto the floor and was told by Dawn to get out of her flat.

I left the flat immediately and walked westward out of Chipping Norton along the A44. The road became pitch black, I put on my head torch for visibility. I tried to hitchhike as I had to face off the cars so they could see me. After ten minutes a man stopped, he offered to get me a room in a hotel but found they were all booked. He briefly drove me to a takeaway and purchased fish and chips. After his wife declined to put me up for the night he dropped me off just outside Stow-on-the-Wold.

6th

Woke up next to a handsome traveller guy named Alec, we had snuggled up for most of the night. He didn’t want me to clean his caravan and a few other things that made me unsure about him, but there were more certainties. Today I am tired, two hectic days are catching up with my health, I do need to rest more as much as I require a healthy relationship; free from manipulative Natura cult interference.

There has been so much rain since I arrived in Chipping Norton, including a huge thunder and lightning storm last night. I am staying here another night, today I cooked fish and chips, a nice gesture as I’ve been hungry during the last two days. I gave my friend a tarot reading, although I need a new card deck.

My friend Dawn has been gone a long time doing a to-do in town, I am hoping she is OK as it is pouring rain outside + I am getting bored. If I leave I cannot lock the door behind me so will stay in till at least she returns. Vince from Belgium still keeps in touch but is very uninformative in reply. I am wondering if the corrosive midget is here, maybe my newfound friendships will be exploited and dissolved again.

Strange to find the attic door open, I have been hearing lots of noises in the flat and never noticed the door open this morning when we returned. The police were supposed to come around to see my friend, but she is not here and they have not come here; has she been arrested? My mind races when I am alone in a flat for more than a couple of hours, one of the reasons I live outside. As I predicted Dawn didn’t return, was only supposed to be out 2hrs max but it’s now 10:30 pm, over 5 and a half hours and still no show. If she isn’t back by the morning I am leaving the flat without locking the door; sick of being lunched out, happens everywhere with every new person I meet.

5th

Having problems with my eyesight this morning, text on my phone is a blur, must make an appointment to see an optician. Have a terrible taste in my mouth from the pollution of the M74. Been hammering down with rain all night. Today I am on a mission to get my HRT from England, I cannot get a prescription electronically sent to Scotland because they use different systems; the only other option is to register for another doctor’s surgery, this is difficult as getting an appointment to see a doctor. Skye is driving south in his van today but all my messages to him have been seen but ignored for the last 48hrs.

At least during this heavy rain storm I was dry and warm in my tent last night; because the cold bites harder and so damages you more when you’re wet and hungry. The first lift of the day came from two alternative people, one of them got out of their van, walked over and offered a lift. They looked ajar when they dropped me at Moffat Junction, hope they are OK. The next lift was from a farmer driving a clapped-out Skoda; he took me to the centre of Carlisle where I collected my medicine. I walked to the M6 junction and noticed the berry’s ripening

Next, I pulled over a lift to Penrith, they were going to the lake district for their 20th wedding anniversary. I stopped the lift short at Southwaite services because at Penrith most of the traffic goes down the A66 towards Scotch Corner. I gained another lift from two elderly people going to Wales, am so sleepy in their car! The next lift came from a Romanian lorry driver, he took me to a layby near Stone and attempted to molest me. I bolted out of his cabin escaping through some fields, taking the front of my dress over barbed wire.

There was a major accident northbound on the M6 and from the layby and fields, I was on that side of the motorway. I walked two miles through fields to get to the next service station. Here I got a lift from a guy delivering electronics, he was going down the M6 toll so got him to drop me south of Standford. A lift came from a Welsh couple who dropped me off at the A5/M6/junction. I thought I’d cleared the M6 toll but the next lift took me clockwise across Birmingham and down the M42 / M40. The female driver (from Wales) was a staunch socialist and thrashy indifferent about Liz Truss becoming prime minister.

I was glad to leave the car at the Oxford A34 / A44 interchange. It was dark, I was determined to get some distance from Oxford towards Evesham before I pitched my tent for the night. I waited at a dark roundabout for an hour before an eccentric elderly lady picked me up and drove me to Chipping Norton. I popped into a public house and asked for water, they also gave me nice ice. Across the street, I saw a woman in trouble so went over to ask if she was OK. She, a woman in her mid-40s named Dawn, offered to put me up for the night, but via her flat, we went to a traveller’s site to meet some of her friends. We sat in a caravan crammed with litter and broken things but the guy we went to see was awesome.

4th

Woken disturbed with endless messages going through my head. Last night I was disturbed sleepless by public walking too close to my tent on numerous occasions.

It’s raining outside but now I have to get up, pack my tent away and walk, and hitchhike through the ongoing rain. Waking hungry and thirsty, with no money and with a premise of becoming cold and wet through rain is a dismal outlook. Got up for a piss and took some photos of my tent, pitched just outside Stirling.

Rain is relentless, and downpours could last for hours so going to make a move, and get packed up. I walked anticlockwise alongside the River Forth, look at these elder sprays.

After half an hour the downpour subsided; apart from feeling hungry and thirsty am not that bad.

I walked along way round the river (to get to the M8 junction) and caught up with some local history.

First lift came from a couple travelling from Swansea, they stopped at a garage and bought me some supplies then stopped to take a few scenic photographs before dropping me off into Aberfeldy.

After ten minutes an elderly lady stopped and gave me a lift to Killing, the sun broke free from the clouds as we passed through Kenmore.

I took some time out of hitchhiking to walk along Loch Tay and then onto Docart falls.

Acquired a lift from a couple in a transit van, and they took me to a small town named Callander. After a short walk through town, I found a park to dry my tent, still wet from the morning.

I have two hours of light left, I could hitch back to Stirling or go West towards Oban, both ways are going backward so am stuck here thinking it out. Next lift came from elderly man with long white hair, he dropped me at Stirling services.

Woman got stopped by police after pulling over for me, anyhow she took me to Cumbernauld junction. Last liift of the day came from a taxi driver; went out his way to get me to M74 Bothwell services.

3rd

Skye revealed himself to be a guy who believed I was a prostitute. Today I have left his house because he offended his hospitality. Am on the road again, poorer (flat broke) than when I met him.

Before leaving Oban at midday I chose to have a walk around on my own time.

I sent several texts to Skye but received no reply; could not make up my mind if he was a friend or for, but his perspective was useful.

The first lift came from an elderly woman going to Glasgow; the wrong way. The next lift dropped me in Appin beside the Caledonian way.

A young couple gave me a lift to Ballachurish then a man drove me to Speen Bridge via a meal at Mcdonald’s drive-through in Fort William. Not my choice but was starving hungry and received a fillet-o-fish and fries.

I had planned to go to Inverness but the next lift, from two elderly ladies, took me to Newtonmore. I had a walk around the Clam MacPherson museum, but took no pictures because I no longer like them.

I got a lift to Aviemore from a hill walker and walked through the town before leaving via a layby on the A9. The next lift dropped me in Stirling and came from a Rugby referee. He didn’t seem to like me very much but talked more towards the end of the lift. I walked clockwise the river miserable and emptied, before pitching down my tent on some grass.

“Skye got back via fb messenger and sent some sweet texts, but his conversation is much to offhand and illusive to gain any meaningful affirmation. We’re going nowhere but perhaps that was the idea; I suspected him recovering from drug induced psychosis.”

The rain poured down as a rested my head on a pillow made from my spare clothes.

Unsafe here but at least I am dry, I thought.

2nd

Woke up this morning uncomfortable with my face dug into the cushion of the sofa but at least the migraine has gone. Getting older is starting to show, my focus is getting lengthier and my eyes are less reactive to changes in light. My skin is less tight (largely down to sun/wind damage) and although my agility is not affected I am sleeping more. I have a feeling I will be leaving Oban soon, this morning Skye jumped at my presence and turned away from me; I also feel a strong ancestral presence beckoning a move. Today I have been blipping about in Skye’s car, looking a lot better than I did in Ayr.

Planning on doing some mountain walking over the next few days, maybe through Glen Coe.

Got a few texts from the Ayr Buckie monster, he believes treating people as shit who are trying to help him is acceptable. He is dead in my mind so won’t be responding. Tonight Skye pushed me away into his spare room, whilst he fell asleep on the sofa.

1st

Woke on a housing estate about half a mile away from the centre of Oban. My new friend’s name is Skye, he’s a local to Oban.

He has been very kind to me and his hospitality is generous and unreserved. Later Sky took me to see the view of Oban from McCaig’s Tower.

Inside McCaig’s Tower.

Sky being informative.

After some shopping at Tesco (where I was stalked by a weeble-shaped old man sporting a huge eighties magnum moustache, who purchased two of everything) at checkout with an unfriendly cashier, my friend drove me to another viewpoint. At Skye’s flat I enjoyed another fish pie, still have a huge migraine so chose to rest my head for a wee while at 8 pm, but then woke 6 am the next day.