21 November 2014 (Friday) - A Walk

I was up with the lark, and after a swift bite of brekkie I zoomed round to Asda to treat myself to a sandwich. I had intended to go last night, but in the end I ran out of time yesterday.
I then set off to... I don't really know where I set off for. I think it was somewhere in the general vicinity of Otford. A few days ago I'd read a post on the Geocaching in Kent Facebook group that there was to be a geo-mission today. I'd spent much of a day solving geo-puzzles, and today was the day we were to collect them.

As I drove I was rather depressed to hear the news on the radio. UKIP has won yesterday's by-election in nearby Rochester. The opinion of most of the commentators is that UKIP are getting their popularity because most people aren't actually voting *for* UKIP; they are trying to register a protest against the exisiting political establishment. That may well be the case, but if people want to make a protest they should decide not to vote, or to spoil their ballot papers. Because by voting UKIP politicians into positions of authority isn't making a protest; it's doing something rather dubious (at best). Most people aren't interested in politics, and this is where UKIP score. Have you ever listened to anything a prominent UKIP politician says? No? - you should actually listen to them. They come out with a whole load of guff which sounds designed to appeal to the average man in the street. But most of what they say is hot air based on vastly over-estimated guesswork about how much money (if any) might be saved by leaving the EU and sending everyone home on the next banana boat. And then most of what they've said is then formally denied and re-worded by UKIP official press releases the next day. But they've got someone into parliament (again) because the man in the street likes being told that shit is sugar.
And people wonder why I don't beleive in democracy.
I turned off the news and put on an Ivor Biggun CD and sang rude songs whilst I calmed down.

I arrived at the meeting point, and by the time I'd got my wellies on, Phil and Dan had arrived. Martin soon joined us, and with geo-gadgets primed we set off. Up hill and down dale; and there was some serious ups and downs. On the way we saw phesants and squirrrels and a rather brave fox. There were some wonderful views to be seen as we went. Sandra joined us half way round, and we carried on past rather friendly horses and an abandoned car. Who drives a car into a field to abandon it? We even saw the house in which the gold from the Brinks-Matt bullion robbery was found.
We set out with sixty-three geo-targets; we found the lot. There was one that had gone walkabout, but it was rather obvious where it had been, and we'd gone out with permission to replace any that were missing. We walked just over nine miles in just over five hours. We'd parked up by a pub. after our walk we deserved a drink; it was rather frustrating to find the pub wasn't open on Friday lunchtime.
It's been some time since I last did a long walk; I've missed them. But, as I usually do, I took a few photos whilst we were out.

I'd thought we were going to finish a lot later than we did; I came home and took "Furry Face TM" for a walk. It won't be long before he's out with the me on the big walks again. I was tempted to have taken him this morning, but the vet did say he was to rest until the end of the month. And then (with a lot of help) I solved the last geo-puzzle for tomorrow's planned walk.
I got myself some tea, and then watched a film. "Community" is a horror film about a rather grim housing estate. I was tempted to turn it off (on several occassions) but I stuck it out to the end. Mind you it was nothing special.

"Daddies Little Angel TM" phoned; littlun was making strange noises and she wanted my sage wisdom. She put littlun on the phone and he gurgled at me. In all honesty it sounded like the sort of noises that babies make; they are noisy things. I said as much, and she seemed happy with my opinion.
I looked at doing more of my Coursera course, but by then it was 9pm. Next door had by then stopped clanging the piano and was by then strangling their violin. I shall Coursera tomorrow... And blow my sax too; I never got round to practicing it today.


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