Tom's Trek

Edinburgh to London Diary

Please click here to go back to diary start page

Day 15 - Monday 4th October 2010

Walked from Kirby Overblow towards Leeds. I was taken through the most glorious N. Yorkshire countryside overhung with gossamer mist and a water colour clear blue sky, all reminding me of a Japanese water garden. I walked with Margaret Nee Silk whose dad was a WW1 MC winner and priest who today lies buried in Harare cathedral. All kindness and support to me and Zane. What a wonderful day to be alive.

Onwards to Wakefield.

------------

Lunch in a Leeds Tesco! Not exactly romantic but after 11 miles and hungry, it's any port in a storm. We have broken the back of the day's walking anyhow. I propose to go as fast as I can walk to get away from the apparently never ending and dreeriest suburbs I have ever seen. All the cars belt past with thin faced people gripping the wheels as if they were in the process of strangling someone. They rarely smile or wave and often seem to aim their car directly at me. What causes so much apparent misery on such a lovely day?

----------------

Out of Leeds now and well on the road to Wakefield on what is quite the most ghastly road I have seen to date. Narrow, very windy and all the cars racing along as if they were competing at Le Mans. No pedestrian walk so I was forced to balance on a narrow strip of grass, like the tightrope walker Blondin, as the trucks zoomed by me.

Harry (driver, handiman, occasional mapreader and now close friend) darts ahead trying - without much success - to slow down the cars. He is quite the most determined canvasser for Zane you can imagine. He hands out Zane leaflets to everyone, however improbable a prospect of monetry reward. He solicits anyone with a pulse!

In a quiet (very rare) layby, I saw a parked white van moving gently yet rythmically. As I walked past I looked inside (well wouldn't you?). There was a couple in the back going at it like dingbats! Harry was about to rap on the window and tell them all about me and the walk and Zane... Fearing for our safety, I managed to stop him just in time.

So the walk isn't dull. I thought back to my youth "plus ca change, plus ca meme chose..."

Tom

Please click here to go back to diary start page

ZANE - Zimbabwe A National Emergency