Day 3

'Saturday Morning May 24.

I got up this morning expecting to spend the day with Buddy and Holly Young, but got thrown a curve. Buddy, who had just returned from Rio, got very sick. They were taking him to Dr./Hospital. So, I decided to audible.

Instead of going to the museum I had planned, it looked like the boys might be interested and I didn't want to do it twice, I decided to go for a hike. I had thought about it a couple of times before and had looked at some different hikes. I bought a hiking book at Paddington Station, ran back to my hotel, packed, and grabbed the Tube to Charring Cross. I was supposed to get a train to Winchelsea, but after buying the tickets the attendant told me that the station was closed today. I had to make a snap decision and decided to go to the end city of the hike and see if I could get a bus or a cab to the beginning of the hike. I bought a ticket to Hastings and got on with 4 minutes to spare. I read and re-read the description of the hike on the way down.

I especially liked this section, "In 50 metres you pass post 10 to take the leftmost fork (but not the next fork left in a further 10 metres), continuing on a wide grassy way uphill, your direction 225 degrees.". In the introduction to the book it says, "This book often gives the direction in degrees, when a change of path is encountered, so it might be worth buying a compass with a swivelling rim marked in degrees - although most novice walkers checking drafts of this book managed perfectly well without referring to either a map or a compass." I have my GPS so I am a little more confident, thought the word "most" is a little nerve wracking.

The train is now full of people. Almost all the seats are taken.

The Tube was filled with soccer hooligans-lots of yelling, lots of quick furtive looks by others in the walk ways. Since there had been trouble in Moscow this week after a lost match, I think people were a little more on edge.

I made it to Hastings. Then I figured I would get a bus to Winchelsea. This was not popular, nor expected. I got the impression that I might have been the first person to ask about this. I found the name on a bus route and asked the driver.
"Winchelsea by the sea or the town?"
I thought in my head, "I didn't know there was two."
I plaid stupid, because I was, and showed him my book. Another town was listed, Icklesham. He told me bus 100 went to Ickelsham. He told me the ticket was 2 pounds (about 4.00). I counted out my money and had 1.96. He waved me on the bus. Then we drove. It was a local bus, no other tourists on board. We drove some more. After a while I began to get concerned. Surely we had gotten to Icklesham. I tried to read road signs. None of the names appeared on the books terrible map.Then I caught sight of the word. Someone else got off. I got off the bus, the doors closed, and it sped away.l

Now you have gone and done it Kyle. Here I was standing in the middle of nowhere. I looked around. No signs, no stores, no people, the other guy who had gotten off the bus had disappeared. Even the street looked empty. I got the book out and read the description. I found two landmarks and realized I was in the exact right spot (I think). I tightened my boots, fixed my pack and headed back to Hastings which the book says was 9 miles.

I followed the first directions and got to an old church in the first ten minutes. I circled the church took some photos and then followed the directions in the book, except they made no sense. I tried different things, I started over three times. I back tracked, after 30 minutes I decided I need a new strategy. I had made no progress, The train had taken much longer than I expected it was later than I wanted it to be, I felt a little defeated, but was not even sure how to turn the process upside down and get the bus back to Hastings.

At the crest of the hill was a big windmill (Hog Mill) that Sir Paul (Beatles fame, lives in the area) paid to renovate. The book said I would be able to see it , but did not indicate I would go near it. I went straight for it. It was on a tall hill, there was a walking trail, 1066, that lead to it and even though it was headed in the wrong direction, I figured I could get my bearings and try to find a solution.

The view was beautiful. I could see the sea. I knew Hastings was on the ocean, I knew it was south of my location, so I decided to head across country to the sea and then turn down the coast to Hastings.

I put the book away and decided to trust my instincts. This was a little frightening as I have trusted them before and ended up in bad situations. I walked through beautiful farming country. They have all sorts of rules about allowing public access so I had no trouble getting through fields and over fences.

Eventually I started to see other hikers. I knew I was not on the right trail, but figured I was on a usable trail. I came to ocean and walk along its edge. I was only a few miles from Dover, so it is a place with rising cliffs, ocean spray, and soring gulls. I decided not to stop for 30 minutes and did that for about 2 hours until I made a brief stop to eat a bite. I had not seen any signs, but was sure by then that I was making good progress.

Then I found a trail leading in the general direction I wanted to go. I lead to a church. The church was open and for a donation they would allow people to go to the top of the tower. It was taller than expected and gave a great view of the sea and the towns and where I had come from. I could see my route. The book was trying to take me on the hypotenuse of a right angle, but not being able to find the trails I had gone the long way.

From the top of the tower I saw something, a radar station. I remembered reading about it in the book on the train. I got the book out again and scanned through the text until I found it. Somehow I had managed to find the trail I had intended to be on all day. I headed for the radar station and found myself in a beautiful park. I also found a park ranger. Because I despised the book by now I had put it up again and decided to go by feel and recommendation. I asked the Ranger the way to Hastings. He asked me if I had a map.
"No" I said sheepishly.
He pointed me to the headquarters and an older lady standing outside.
"She has a great map."
I went to get a map.
I asked her for directions to Hastings.
"The easy way or the hard way?"
Since I was training for Kili, I decided to take the hard way.

She tried to talk me out of it.
"It is up and down, and up and down, and up and down."

She gave me the map and pointed out the way. It was a terrible map. They had re-numbered the markers, it was vague at just the places it needed to be specific. I missed several turns, but kept making steady progress toward Hastings.

Eventually, I crested a hill and could see my destination. At the top of this last hill was a tower with a metal basket on it. It was used as a warning signal to alert the city of attack (Like the signal fires in the Lord of the Rings).

I walked into town followed my instincts and got near the train station where I got help from a friendly chap (I love the English). The train station had clean water, I had finished mine about a mile away from the city. I washed my face, gathered my things and got on the returning train where I am typing this update.

The conductor just announced that the train is shut down in front of us and we will have an hour delay and that buses are gong to be sent. Not much I can do, but wait and see.

I took my MP3 player with me, but never put it in. I started to listen for sounds.
Creaking Windmill
Wind in an orchard
A lamb calling for its mother
A swan noise, not melodious, but confronting.
Several friendly greetings
The sound of the waves against the rocks.
Children running and screaming away from the cold waves.
The sound of a baby carriages wheels being pulled through gravel.
Cars approaching cars receding.
A dog bark
Trees creaking in the wind
Twigs snapping as I walked on them
The wind whistling through the church tower.
The rhythmic thumping of my feet on the circular stairs of the church tower.
The whirling of the radar dish going round and round.
A small creek splashing out of a pipe.
My panting
My groaning
My voice, startling after several hours of solitude.
The sounds of carnival rides, children worn out, and arcade games

I didn't hear anything life altering, I just heard the world, it was beautiful.

Mind the Gap,

Kyle