Day 17

At 05.00 I stood in the sea at Lowestoft, trying to neuter my feet down for another day, a day unimproved by a lack of breakfast – thank you Best Western for your Dickensian timings. However, thanks to Ian’s leadership (on his birthday …commitment) and Rob’s route meddling, today was quicker despite a debilitating headwind.
Few things: the best moment was undoubtedly being invited to a beachside wedding just as the photographer was choreographing his sartorially splendid congregation. However, there was another moment where a very fit Scotsman and his wife left their pocket change on the beach with a hand-written message in the sand supporting our challenge. We were walking adjacent to Sizewell B and thoughtful generous stuff likes that makes you feel nuclear charged.
Lunch … CB again … outstanding … and Liz (the ridiculously talented lady who made the suit in 2010), turned up with her equally creative sister to give the old girl some running repairs for half an hour.
Marius, Trevor and Sara between them managed to spirit a new pair of shoes (wow, what a difference) and the afternoon, assisted by new firefighter addition Ali (stupidly fit – what is it with East Anglia) fizzed by.
Few last things: O2 which consistently let me down last year, have again proved themselves to be a wantonly poor service provider. I wrote to them and spoke with them and they told me they are ‘award-winning’ … for what? If I am vectored in within a hundred yards of three masts they may reluctantly give me a signal, otherwise hopeless. Thanks, for nothing.
Lastly Soreen (glad to see Indian guide Himanshu is now a convert) is meant to be uncut and unsullied. The Shoreditch adjustment of blueberry or banana is an abomination, however the cut version, with a miserly amount of spread, is gastronomic heresy. It is precisely because it is so difficult to cut which seduces us so. The layer of butter then sits clumsily, yet copiously over the irregular crenulations. Never mind an Esso tiger in your tank, Soreen has been the major fuel for the whole journey. As nature intended.

425 miles completed, 575 remaining. How far did you walk today?