Saturday morning. You'd think, after my big night the night before, at French and Saunders - and after a busy working week - I'd have a bit of a lie-in. You're kidding, right? Me? Sit still for one minute? Ha!
I'd made arrangements with Laura and Katie (and Andy) to spend the day walking at my favourite, localish to London walking place - Friday Street. We'd planned to meet at 10.30, but then that was scuppered slightly by...
...the fact that I got a job! I thought to myself, as I was procrastinating and sort of getting ready, oh I'll quickly check my email - and discovered one from my new headteacher, the one from that absolutely diabolical interview the other day - and they'd gone and given me the job (they need their heads to be read, seriously!). So there was much whooping (shame that Jean wasn't there - I could only whoop to myself) and then frantic calling to Mum and Dad to share the news - which resulted in my being a little late to Katie and Andy's.
That wasn't a big deal, seeing as actually Andy was at the barbers at the time, and also he was a bit crook too - at one stage we thought he mightn't make it. But fortunately he did, and about 11.30 or so we set off...
We made good time down to Friday street and then embarked upon the printed out walk from www.walkingworld.com. Now what you have to understand is, I have done this walk 3 times or so, but I have never ever managed to do it exactly as it is printed out. And you have to also understand, Katie and Andy are walking gurus. So I can't afford to look like a dipstick (she who has done this walk 3 times before!), and I need to save face - so I tried to pass off the directions sheet to Katie (I mean, seriously, she had the full on OS map of the area, and I'm sure if I looked in her backpack, she probably would've had a compass or something in there! hehehe). Katie, however, is an extremely intelligent woman - and passed the flippin' sheet straight back! Hmm...
I needn't have worried. Andy has ridden his bike around here several times and therefore knows the area like the back of his hand. In fact, he was pointing out a whole load of very dangerous looking bike jumps and shortcuts (sheer vertical drop, anyone?) - which I am pleased we didn't take.
About halfway through the walk we arrived in the village of Coldharbour, which has a lovely little pub in it, strategically placed at the exit of our walk - which was just as well, as we were in need of the facilities. We then headed out to the beergarden at the back, and with myself and Laura on the lookout for the publican, we proceeded to have a little picnic. We had bought drinks there - Katie and Laura, in true Famous Five style, drank "lashings and lashings" of gingerbeer, whilst I restrained myself with just a diet coke, as usual.
Anyway, after our lunch we set off again in the direction of Leith Hill, which we eventually managed to climb (I practically hyperventilated my way up the hill, all the time pretending to the others that I was Miss Superfit, and therefore all right). The view from the top of the tower was lovely... even though a little overcast...
We then started to make our way back, and it was at this point that the diet coke in the pub, the water en route, the frappucino at lunch, and the cup of tea at the tower started to take its toll on me. Seriously. Where's the 'Depend' when you need them? (Tena lady for the UK readers). So I hopped over the hedge and went behind a tree, and was no sooner in position, bottom at the ready, when 2 cyclists come flying up the hill. You have never seen me move so fast! Trousers straight up, zip up, and then I had to try and look like a botanist, and not like someone who had been caught short... I don't think I fooled them though!
We made it back in good time, and then headed back to Katie and Andy's for a quick cuppa before everyone came over to Jeans for a bit of pasta (literally only a bit, I underestimated the size of the gnocchi and so everyone's plate was a bit light on) and a movie...
What a fab day...!
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