I’m leaving the day after tomorrow, and now the reality of this challenge is starting to bite.
My lounge is full of kit, and I’m finding it difficult to pack for freezing conditions when it’s 12 degrees and sunny outside! What’s packed now is final.
The reality of leaving my family for this length of time is also becoming difficult. I’ve made all the practical preparations – serviced and MOT’d the car, paid the visa bill, had a severe hair cut – and emotional goodbyes are all that’s left.
We’re leaving on Sunday morning (as early as we can manage), and driving from our home in Norfolk to Newquay. I’ve been busy getting taxi quotes from Newquay to Land’s End, as my family will be walking with me for the first few days. If anyone reading this can recommend a good taxi firm, that would be much appreciated!
This evening, I’m saying goodbye to friends. Sitting in their lovely home, sharing a couple of bottles of wine, is enough to make me start to question my motives… but there’s no going back now!
So what am I going to miss while I’m gone? Not Brexit, that’s for certain. I’ve checked that I won’t miss any crucial anniversaries or birthdays. My family claim they won’t miss my dad jokes, but I can always tweet my dad joke of the day.
It will be interesting to see what I actually miss once I’m in the depths of this challenge. At this moment, I think I’ll miss a decent shower, my own bed, and free access to a washing machine. I’ll even miss the normal routine of the school runs.
But this is the challenge of a lifetime. I can’t wait for the simplicity of stopping where and when I like. I can’t wait to live out of my pack and carry everything I need. But most of all, I can’t wait for the luxury of some solitude and silence.
Further reading
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Go for it. All the best
Thanks, Steve! Best wishes, Mark.