September 2022

30th

Woke up admist a storm rocking my tent which began around 3am. I have tick bites all over my body but feel two around my left forearm the most. I pitched my tent by the side of Kylesku Bridge.

Regardless of the horizontal spray if rain I spent time taking some pictures.

The first lift came quickly from a 4×4, male driver who was courteous. He drove me to Lairg, stopped at the petrol station I purchase a 50p (all money I had) bar of chocolate. The next lift came from a lorry driver who talked none stop to Invergordon, he told me he only stopped because it was raining.

I attempted to hitch unsuccessfully three times from this layby on the A9. First and second lift only went to… On the third lift, an old pervert stopped and grabbed me before requesting a kiss, how nuts! So I got his picture and registration plate number. The fourth lift took me to Inverness, the driver, an early 60s man from Dornoch on his way to purchase Xmas presents for his family. He asked me when I’d last eaten then gave me £30 to get supplies so treated myself to a large coffee in Starbucks and got a respite from the downpour of sopping rain. The A9 was blocked off due to two lorries colliding which resulted in a fatality I was told. The pervert driver (vocalised naked fantasies before asking if I shaved my public hair) gave me a lift, placing me on a road towards Granton on Spey but dropping me off at least ten miles before the town.

I was relieved to get out of this area when an atheist guy gave me lifts to Aviemore. I purchased some camping stove gas then walked to the A9 to get another lift. I thumbed another lift from a woman going to Glasgow, she dropped me south side of the city. After an hour a Ukrainian stopped and gave lift to Bothwell services but stopped illegally on the M74 hard shoulder. I am covered in sore tick bites, should go to casualty (A&E) as I'm feeling unwell.

29th

Woke up speaking my thought out loud, almost as if they are desperate for me to hear them, through shattered comprehension and compartmentalised cognition.

Sunrise view of the sea from Helmsdale.

I walked around Helmsdale Harbour.

And made a hot drink.

I walked south over the bridge and talked to a dog walker who gave me £10 to get something to eat. I hitched a lift to Thurso from an NHS IT consultant, and along the way, we passed a wind farm.

At Thurso, I walked to a cafe van and purchased a breakfast roll and a cup of tea. She appeared not to recognise me but I’d been and had breakfast there once before.

My mother was a geordie, from South Shields.

Walked into the port of Scrabster.

And found Holborn Light house.

Looking back from the emptiness I felt only chilling wrath projected at forgetful Thurso, disheartened by this morbid town of reprobates.

I asked and received a fill of my water flask from a wood carver before joining the main road to hitch a lift towards Tongue. The road was narrow and traffic travelled fast making this a dangerous endeavour. I was given a lift from a French NC500 tourist to Tongue.

Then given a lift from an Ayrshire NC500 tourist who drove me all the way to Kylesku Bridge, where I pitched my tent for the night.

28th

Thought I heard tent poles being put together in the vicinity of my tent during the unearthly early hours of this morning, at around 4 am. This is the time when the majority of patients die inside hospitals, in slumber from their projection. Took these early morning pictures whilst out of my tent for a pee, baring my ass to the cold north wind.

My tent pitched by Durnoch Beach.

I am deliberating whether or not to return to Dornoch this morning, there is a local history museum I wish to visit. A man from the golf club came via 4×4 and said “I’ll give you half an hour to go, people play golf here”; I won’t be returning to Dornoch, my tent is by the edge of a beach, no problem to them.

As I walked away from the area, half a mile along the coastal path I noticed they sprayed the course boundaries with red paint. Expecting a lot of people to come by this way I thought. The walk along the beach was airy, with so much reflection and space.

I walked around the coastline turning into Loch Fleet.

I stopped at a bench to eat breakfast.

After enjoying a tin of Scotch broth I recommenced my journey across the shore of Loch Fleet.

A man bird-watching caught up from behind, we talked for five minutes about golf courses encroaching upon wild habitats. He told of a plan (by American businessmen) to create another golf course alongside Loch Fleet but, thankfully, had been successfully countered by local environmentalist groups. His group was named “not cool”.

Along the lane I met a man in a Viking van, he had the Vegvisir painted on the rear door; I popped my head around and said hi.

There were so many wild mushrooms along this trail.

I walked over a bridge running the width of Loch Fleet.

And then up a steep incline to hitch north from a T junction.

The first lift of the day came from a woman going to Golspie, she was on her way to an electric bike event being held at a local race track so I went there with her. Arriving, after signing a form I got to test drive some bikes.

There were many special bikes for people requiring extra assistance. I tried a three-wheeler, a tandem (the first time I rode one), an electric mountain bike, and a low-down racing bike. Bought tears to my eye to be doing something substantial. I walked through Golspie and stopped at a grocery and crystal shop. Along the seafront, a creepy man encroached on a custom-made electric bike. He had not been at the race track yet stopped, talked about Christianity, and then requested to shake my hand. He offered me his phone number but I refused it. He told of a castle further along the coast.

Towards the end of Golspie I came across the Big burn trail.

I unsuccessfully tried to find Golspie Tower, but found more fungi.

Eventually found my way back to the A9 and hitched a lift north from a female estate agent. I don’t know. If she didn’t like me or just liked herself to much, but offered the used of a lawn adjacent to Helmsdale community centre where she said she was attending an AGM.

I was in my tent at 8 pm and fell asleep an hour later, my mind too tired and confused to write a blog entry.

27th

Woke up in my tent on Moffat nature reserve, last night was uncomfortable and cold, need more warm layers of clothing.

Leaving the tent the wind chill touches the bones in my hands, rolling up a damp tent is slightly enduring, even after all these years of rambling I still shake a little at a mildly daunting daily task. The view of the lake was invigorating.

Waited three hours for a lift at Moffat M74 junction before a lift came to Perth, the driver was a later 50’s man travelling north to work on the wind turbines. I entered Broxten services and ate a late lunch then walked to the infamous roundabout. Police usualy come, either tell me to go back to the services or give me a lift to the next junction.

I hitched from Broxden road about successfully without getting moved on by police; a man stopped, I travelled with him as far as the bridge north of Tain. The next lift came quickly, we added by his wife along the way towards Durnoch, he said she’d ring right away, and she did just that. This is a very pretty little place, my phone camera did a little justice here.

I pitched my tent by the coast early in the evening to rest my spirit upon sea.

26th

Strong rain pouring down over my tent this morning; its 7am and still waiting for sopping downpour to stop. Wall climbimg intruders were in and out the garden up until midnight; including somebody smashing metal at 11pm! Water bottle I left on outside table has moved 20 yards without any wind.

Almost thirty pounds were missing from my bank account this morning; have to query that later with Nationwide. The keypad on their cash machine was covered in blood.

Lots of run-down pubs up North, and commercial buildings are not illegal to squat BTW.

My first lift came from an Indian Hindu man, he drove me into Preston. My first visit was to a phone shop to get my P30 phone fixed, but two hours later my phone was still u repaired as the “replacement” screen was faulty! By luck I walked into a pub that I had spent time in before just before the lockdown. A gay Chinese student entered the pub later on in the evening, he was trying loads of drinks and the barman was happy to serve him. We talked for an hour before he realized he should be going home.

I left the pub ajar and unhappy, I did not want to face off the cold evening, feeling unwell. The walk to the M6 was short but seems long, I stopped at Shell garage named the tickled trout for a sugary fizzy drink. The cashier was horrid, whispering in his workmates ear some obscenity. A man in the que had seen me hitchhiking and offered a lift. He took me to Southwaite M6 services. The surrounding fields adjacent to the motorway services had livestock in them, there was no visible places to pitch my tent so chose to hitchhike onwards. It was at least an hour before a sporty BMW coupe stopped and offered me a lift, he took me to Moffat M74 roundabout. I deliberated going to Dumfries but had no desire to hitchhike after midnight. Two options were left and being nearest I chose to pitch my rent at Moffat nature reserve. Getting the tent up was a struggle in the starlit darkness, Because I had previously rolled up my tent with my head torch inside. I lay my head disturbed, my body shook mildly as I passed out with exhaustion.

25th

We left the house at around midnight for the A30. We stopped in many parking laybys either for the toilet, or something else. I checked my balance at Taunton Deane services but nothing had gone in. My friend Koala did not want to go to Bedford via M42 but instead chose the A420, A34, M40, A43 etc.

We got to Uffington White Horse car park just after 5 am. I made haste to make the ascent to the hill fort, to try and get whatever sleep I could from what was left of this sleepless, drawn-out night. I woke inside my tent, overhearing puns about me being camped there as they passed by my tent.

At Worcester M5 junction I viewed a weird rainbow formation in the clouds. Got a lift from Worcester from some Christian people heading towards Wigan. I thought them a bit "happy clap" by the way they began introducing each other to me. But went along with the fun, because I won’t get another lift this long tonight! I don’t fear this sort of thing but don’t think that I am seen with means that I am part, to do with it. The christian people did not take me into Wigan but rather into a suburb named Ashton-in-Makerfield.

These Christian people were from a church named “Lighthouse”. They liaised over the phone with a vicar’s wife (sue) gaining consent for me to put up my tent in their garden. After only five minutes in this garden I was visited by people, they have been walking the perimeter of the garden fence for at least two hours now. Its gone past midnight, rain is pouring down over my tent canvass, and I am not going anywhere till dawn; anyhow activity seems to have abated now.

24th

Feeling much better this morning, but in hindsight, I have not noticed the determination of my central nervous system until I began to become well again. The injection lasts 10 weeks, not the 12 weeks claimed so a couple of weeks before the jab is due I begin to suffer from Pernicious Anaemia; this occasion displayed symptoms of confusion, hazing of cognition, and a slowed staggered projection. In the afternoon I felt unwell and rested whilst my friend continued his woodcarving. A friend of a friend came around a gob shite acquaintance who I have known almost as long as my friend. I was once invited by Carol to her old place, his father’s house, there he offended hospitality by verbally belittling Carol in front of me, he tried this (being anti-French) with his dad who was not impressed with him.

23rd

Woke early with a sore chest but craving a cigarette, I need to cut down on smoking and maybe stop, along the road ahead I will accomplish this. Today’s dawn is the beginning of the autumnal equinox, plants begin to shed their foliage. Late afternoon I journeyed to the doctor’s surgery and received my B12 injection from a creepy nurse named Emily; I checked her name badge to see if her surname was “Strange”. I began to feel well within minutes, a rise of wellness that lasted through the night. In the evening I helped clean my friend’s house and washed a few dirty clothes whilst my friend began his chainsaw carving. My new dress got torn loading and offloading wood and metal from my friend’s van, very disappointed with that. I also refused an offer to drink alcohol, having just received my B12 jab hours earlier.

22nd

Been out with my friend Koala in his van today… we visited his displaced friend who had made a strip (adjacent to a public layby) his home.

In the evening I visited Carol, she asked for some headache pills, reverberating a previous visiting request. Her home (a shoe box flat converted from a terrace house) was exactly the same as eight months ago which made me notice I had changed. She had also changed landing a nursing job and a “red and black” company car. She borrowed money and drove us to Tesco. Later she cooked dinner, we watched a true story serial killer film on Netflix (also a red and black logo) before she requested I leave. I had already planned to go, but allowed the end of the film before I left, when our eyes met, I knew we would not be close friends in the future; maybe from a past that I could not remember but vaguely recalled. The walk back to my friend’s house was brisk, entering I was welcomed to a warm wood fire and handed a can of Thatcher’s cider. We sat up and talked for a couple of hours until my friend could no longer stay awake. I attempted to remain awake until 2 am (autumnal equinox) but fell asleep on his couch an hour later at 12:30 am.

20th

Had peaceful nights sleep, but nobody came near my tent that I was aware of.

Autumnal colours of Ideless were verdant, who turned up the contrast this morning?

I made my way into Truro whilst unsuccessfully trying to arrange an appointment to see my doctor. On the way, I called in to see an old friend, his dog has been poisoned but seemed to be recovering. At the surgery, I managed to wrangle an appointment within the next few days rather than in a fortnight.

In the afternoon I hung around the Daubuz moor nature reserve. I met a bald man enjoying the nature reserve with his family, he remembered me from my BMX riding, and said Truro was a better place for me to be in it; I told him I was done here and that I now lived in Scotland. He enquired what Scottish people wore underneath their kilts, I replied “nothing”.

I do not want to be in Truro, I lived here alone and hapless for eighteen long months and have had enough of it. I am planning on staying one night with my friend, then hitchhiking around and in a few days, returning for my appointment, then getting the hell out. I find this city insulting and arrogant, excluding a small number of people I could count on my fingers. In the evening I visited a friend and ended the day sleeping on his living room couch. We talked about our travels in Europe, and the bizarre degeneracy in South Africa since apartheid came down. He encouraged me to contact some friends I had not spoken to for a while, but I only successfully contacted one of two.

19th

Footsteps were walking so close to my tent that they dissolved my wild phobia of people, cheers Stonehenge!

The morning mist placed Stonehenge above the clouds.

Today I plan to leave the drive and hitchhike out of the area. Happy I have made a few more friends. I started hitchhiking on the A303 at a roundabout south of Stonehenge and pulled over a lift as soon as I stuck out my. thumb. Probably in about 2 seconds, .my quickest-ever lift. I climbed into a small car on the radio the elderly male driver played 50’s music by the Shadows. He took me to the A30 Illminster roundabout.

Next to stop was an Asian man, his car was playing French radio, who said he had done charity work with migrants in Calais, and said the Jungle camp was pure trauma. He dropped me on the A38 driving me by one junction. The road was very quiet here, but after 20 mins a rock climber going to Bovey Tracy stopped his car.

From a roundabout by a fire station, I thumbed a lift to Moretonhampstead from Asian women. The next lift came from a vile Communist, he dropped me at A30 services near Okehampton. Here I ate lunch, soup and coffee; I talked to a man cleaning the service sign about magic mushrooms, many people have been talking about this recently.

Was taken to Newquay by chance when a couple stopped to negotiate who had chosen the right way; a sociopathic husband bullied her and made me feel sick. The final lift of the day came from a biker going to Trelisk hospital. He mentioned a new council estate being but in Camborne, only Birmingham city council had bought it and was transferring their housing list, accompanying this development a mosque is also being built. No homes in Cornwall for the Cornish people, wtf. Walked around the back of Trelisk and down a quiet lane, a woman stopped and asked if I was OK and if would I need a lift I replied “No”. The walk to Ideless woodland was steady; arriving at sundown at an area where I had initially planned to pitch my tent.

Decided to light a fire during a damp sundown, a shotgun blasted crows to the tree tops above me, welcome Odin I spoke as I retired to my tent for a quiet night’s sleep.

Chose a section of Scandinavian pine to make set up camp for the night, and enjoyed hot lentil soup but spilt tomato soup over the woodland floor.

18th

Woke up along the drove about 1/4 mile west of Stonehenge. Last night was cold again but this morning is pleasantly warm. Making cast contact with the stones I feel revitalised having spent the night here.

So happy to see this asshole leave the drove early this morning (before anybody got out their beds), other than his intrusive light show.

These bastards never had any history with me or anybody I know from time was living with the travellers or holding Gorsedd and/or Eisteddfod with Druids at Stonegenge. Our sun is gold, the moon is silver, and never was our sun coloured red.

My two friends were over the road in their white vans, as I exited the tent I noticed the canvass was dry on the inside but sopping on the outside from the Salisbury plains. My friend’s girlfriend parted early to go to a car boot sale with her friend.

She returned later on in the day, with three tins of soup and a loaf of bread for me. The day flew by and as noon approached I felt too tired to leave. Before pitching my tent again I took a walk up to Stonehenge to get a closer picture of the stones.

Returning to the woods I stopped by a truck, the occupant was a grey bearded elderly man named Christian Woods. He was sweet and pointing to his wood burner compassionately offered help if I need it. The second and last night I had dinner with my two new friends, we ate ginger cake by a log fire they had lit before I retired to my tent.

17th

Woke up in my tent around 5am, made a hot drinks.

The moth that had kept me awake had gone to sleep or died.

Following the same direction as last night toward East Grinstead I entered a cafe. A man had order a huge take out, leaving me to wait for a few extra minutes to place my order. A while later a casual smart couple entered and order a two breakfasts costing a wooping £34! Exiting the cafe the walk out of the locality was lengthy. Disturbed and tiring of the busy road I turned northwards into a small woodland footpath. After half a mile I found these Cromwellian monstrosities.

This bought thoughts into my mind of Cromwell’s esoteric picture, his foot placed upon the heart, slowing, maybe breaking a beat of Norman queen, perhaps I thought, this is why cars were fitted peddle accelerators but dismissed the thought dwindling motion as a schism?

First lift came from a woman off to walk her dog in a nearby woodland, she went out of her way to drop me in Crowborough. The next lift came from a guy in his 30s, driving a jacked 4×4 pickup, he took me to Hove. Where he turned left I turned right along the A27, I have no plan whatsoever to return to B-right-on. I received a lift to Chichester roundabout from a farmers wife then another lift from a crazy guy almost to the A27/A3 roundabout. Half an hour later a guy stopped and took me to Petersfield, then a natura cult brainwasher (talked about the Caribbean before claiming he placed people together with kindness) gave a lift to a services along the A272.

After purchasing a pasty from a garage I walked along the road until a Chinese man stopped, he had the same accent as the old man from the Netflix series “Squid Games”; he even appeared as a younger version of the character. At sundown I whislt walking up a dangerous road from the A272 to the A34 I noticed a white van had pulled into a layby.

Inside the van a male, norse in appearance, wearing an Interterresials tshirt offered me a lift, a wee while later I found out he was going to stonehendge, I thought to myself what an exellent place to pitch my tent for the night. We pulled onto the drove (a small dusty track running along the west side of stonehenge) at dusk.

He was friendly and generous with hospitality, his van had a living area in the back, he made tea and later, after his girlfriend arrived shared pasta with me. I was weary about pitching my tent up so close to the track but after talking to a few people who had pitched the anxiety decreased enough for me to pitch up.

16th

Pitched my tent in Dunorian Park, Tunbridge Wells.

I slept out in this park during the 90s, so I took a walk around, and visited a wee few places here that I didn’t in the 90s.

It’s becoming increasingly harder to hide the pain around my eyes.

Walking back into Tunbridge Wells I purchased some aluminium tent pegs and moisturiser. A wee further I entered into a pub named “The Allotment” and have been drinking Guinness since; on request I also used the bar to charge my mobile phone!

The pub was OK until the barmaid left and everybody started talking about UFOs!

A blonde barmaid entered the pub, and half an hour later the precious barmaid returned. The pub was filled with middle-aged men who drawled over the young blonde barmaid, and she craved the attention. The husband of the other barmaid threw a tantrum over my bag being left opposite the bar. My mental health is taking a nose dive again, going to have to leave town, go to the countryside. Eventually, I pulled my mind together and walked two miles out of town to a wee village named Rustall. Mind tired I pitched my tent by the side of a cricket pitch and lay down my head upon a hard bag in an attempt to attain a watchful night’s sleep, but I was out like a light. My friend Stuart has been supportive via text messages but usually concerned.

15th

Was supposed to wake up at 5 am but was roused at 8 am, my friend Stuart said I was gone to the world so chose to wake me and go later. Alec was quiet and did not try and manipulate my emotions to stay, I packed away my things and climbed into my friend’s 4×4 car. Stuart is driving to Essex to pick up his mother but chose to drive anticlockwise so he could drop me off in Kent. he M25 was manic and the A21 into Orpington confusing. I visited a camping shop to get some additions to my camping equipment; a roll mat, extra water bottle and new, warmer fleece. Letting go of two old fleeces saved addtional luggage space for the new roll mat, and I needed addition water for the mountains. The hiking shop was OK and many items were reduced to half price. Cashier gave us wrong directions to the train station, instead directing us to a station named St Mary Cray. I knocked the screen at the ticket office but nobody came. Deffering to google maps we realised Orpington railway station was two miles away. Twenty minutes later I parted company from my friend, entered Orpington station and purchased a ticket to Tonbridge. I walked straight out of Tonbridge station, purchased a frock and loaded my rucksack with provisions, I have no plans to walk either the South or North downs, as I did this (famished) eight years ago.

I walked through the grounds of Tonbridge castle remembering I last visited during a festival. I don’t feel comfortable with the ground here, the tectonic energy is very shallow compared to the Scottish highlands. My network internet comnection appears to have been cut even though I am picking up 4G on my phone signal; so now using pub WiFi.

The pub is old, maybe the fifteenth century and used to be a courthouse with cells, criminals were hung from the wooden post outside; which still sports a hangman’s noose. The pub is civil and friendly but I am feeling despondent and tired due to B12 deficiency, my thoughts are scattered I am struggling to connect with the public socially. There is a wake in the pub today, its good to see people celebrating life, together and dancing.

The sky is overcast with heavy rain clouds and I get the feeling I am in my tent for the night, but at least I am familiar with the region, so I won’t be walking endless miles searching for a safe place to pitch my tent. My bag is packed with some edible provisions, but I will undoubtedly miss the friendship I found on the gipsy/travellers site. A guy came over from the wake, said hi and said “people don’t sit on their own where we come from” before asking me where I was going. He asked if nobody had talked to me tonight, I replied “no, because you just did”. Stopped to get a small pizza because I have another four then two miles to walk.

14th

I woke inside Perry’s trailer, his dogs had not disturbed me all night; I guess they’d gained familiarity with me so were undaunted by my presence. I walked them both early in the morning, the biggest dog was sluggish toward the end of the short walk. Alec entered, thankfully minus his oversized black winkle pickers. the seated himself on the sofa and scooped up the drooling dog saliva and placed it on his tongue with his left index finger. Shortly after I handed him a bottle of South African “fairtrade” white wine that had been purchased for me the night before. He seriously needed some mouthwash I thought. I asked him to watch over the dogs whilst I went into town to do some shopping, I returned to an empty trailer with four, two-litre bottles of cider for him; couldn’t keep it together to look after the dogs for a mere two hours regardless of promising to help look after them.

I’d also purchased a bottle of single malt whisky and on the news of a friend becoming a granddad shared the first drink of the bottle with him. Later he gave me a game of chess and won the game in just four moves. In the next two games I crept up on him but still did not get checkmate despite taking his Queen. In the evening Alec came and began manipulating my emotions in an attempt to get me to stay; he stated was going to psychologically convince me not to leave and thus vocally repeated “you are not going anywhere” about thirty times. When he left my friends trailer I reclusively wept, he’d played on everything sweet I found within his charecter, but his face was hard, his eyes angry; his ego was dented and only wanted to gain control of the deterating situation.

13th

Woke up at 5 am in a friend’s trailer, dogs have been quiet all night. The main road adjacent to the site is disturbingly busy and I suspect out-of-sight things beyond my cognition are happening but there is no anxiety present from me on site, guess I feel safe here, partly because when I lived on the travellers’ site in the 90s I was safe from ritualised abuses. Today I received a lift to a doctors surgery to book myself in for a Vitamin B12 injection. I have been experiencing symptoms of pernicious anemia for about three days. I first explained the situation to a receptionist who differed me to the practice manager. The manager, named Janette, refused to temporary register me as a pateint stating it was the surgeries policy not to give B12 injections to potential patients approaching the surgery with the said circumstance. She advised me to go to Banbury A&E if my symptoms worsened; failing to mention this dwindling health has potential to permenantly damage my bodies central nervous system. It appears this discriminste policy desires some people not to live longer, even more so the vulnerable who have been perpetually displaced subordinate.

Alec eventually returned from Dawn’s flat, dressed in oversize winkle picker loathers and a black M&S trilby hat. After Alec denounced me as “ugly”. I noticed his trainers were missing and said they, whoever they were took his footwear away from him. Reminds me of the creepy preacher guy from the poltergeist film. Glad I didn’t get intimate with him, he’s not clued up at all. Contact with my Oban friend named Skye has completely ceased; any friendships I accumulate end by getting erased from my phone contact list as they become defunct from corrosive influences.

12th

Woke up on a couch with Alec, been kinda cramped sharing a sofa and he snores loudly; here, this morning it’s cheap Aldi cider and spicy cheese wrap for breakfast. We visited a few neighbours before leaving the traveller’s site to catch a bus into town; were a bit dismayed to see Alec sitting on the pavement so many times, his legs are so thin.

An elderly man from the traveller’s site was struggling on a zimmer frame along the side of a busy road to get to the bus stop, cars are travelling at speed, and there is no path from the site to the bus stop. He pointed to rubbish strewn across the wall adjacent to the bus stop and said it gave the council an excuse. not to erect a shelter contrary to the council not even providing a safe path for access; I was left wondering just how many dangerous roads he’d walked down during his life. Alec was not worried about the bus driver refusing to let him onto the bus with a bottle of Budweiser in his hand and purchased return tickets. We were in the town just five minutes before Dawn appeared, she apologised about the goings on a few days ago which resulted in me being on the dark streets late at night. On my own, I searched around charity shops for a new dress but only found a limited choice in evening wear. We purchased some shopping at Aldi, then wheeled a shopping trolley back to her flat, which seemed as if she was rerunning the events of another day. Before arriving back at her flat we met up. with a traveller who asked me if I could look after his dogs for a few days; I agreed because so many people have helped me along this forsaken road, wanted to give some help and support back. Arriving at Dawn’s flat I fell asleep on her sofa and woke half an hour later to Alec hovering on her floor; if only he cleaned his own mess up I thought to myself. A couple of hours had passed when I received a phone call from the traveller asking if I was back on site looking after his dogs, realising the time I left Alec and Dawn and took a taxi back to the site.

The two dogs were pleased to see me, after fetching my bag from Alec’s trailer I took the two of them for a walk along a lane adjacent to the site, the big dog pulled hard on the lead, in humour he (pictured above) reminded me of the statue of Turra Coo!

Being on this traveller’s site is similar to the traveller’s sites I lived on in the 90s only here the land is owned by gypsies but has travellers living here as tenants. I met the landowner yesterday, he did not reveal who he was but he could see the spirit and was friendly. Alec said he was a second cousin of the world champion fighter Tyson Fury. I have met many gipsies on my travels and all of the gipsies I have frequented have been nice people. I kept company the evening with a neighbour named Stuart, before returning to the trailer just after 11 pm to see the dogs. I drank much water to clean out my liver and thus did not drink in the evening. We talked about my things, including occurrences in our lives that related to our religious beliefs and the predicament of ignorance I have with my brother. Stuart is generous in hospitality and I enjoy his company. I feel kindled to have made unpretentious, new friends.

11th

Woke up next to Alec, he put the TV on and twisted open a full bottle of cider. We talked for a while before he left to get a lift into town. It looks as there is a lot of tidying to do around here. People are usually messy when something, somebody has left their head in a mess, ho hum.

Programming on freeview TV is a seventies programme named “the prisoner”, an irony I thought to myself. Half hour later there was a knock on the window by some travellers shifting things from the driveway.

Alec’s scrappy doo dog keeps looking out the window after him, the dog has some sort of detachment problem. I suspect from the previous owner locking him inside a cage and used as a stud puppy. Alex talked about a 6ft black male gay friend living nearby. He went into town and returner with food and cider, we spent the day playing chess with his neighbour; I won two games and lost one. Later we went back to Alec’s trailer and fell asleep watching a film.

10th

Helped a man look for keys his wife lost the day before, they’d stayed in the neighbouring hotel haven’t not been able to access there car to leave the service station. After ten minutes I got a lift out of Charnock Richard from a man in a range rover. I used the opportunity of switching on the electric heated seat to warm my cold bones before parting company at the Keele M6 service station. An ex-serviceman stopped, bought me lunch at Stafford services and via his trip to London dropped me off on a hectic M40 / A34 roundabout. I waited here sometime before being picked up by a guy on his way to Bournemouth.

He dropped me at Oxford A34/A44 services, where I purchase a yummy sandwich. I a feeling a little bit better this afternoon from my stressful hitchhike yesterday. The footpath along the roundabout on the A34 underpass was a public health risk.

I also walked past a bucket filled to the brim with stagnant water. Fifty yard up the road I pulled over a lift from a Scottish lady in a range rover. She took me to Woodstock, there was a horse fare being held in the grounds of Blenheim place. The next lift came from a chauffer, has driving an eighty thousand pound range rover, I was left wondering why fate had upscale the car. He took me half way to Chipping Norton where I was picked up by a woman driving a horse box. I hitched a ride from a builder heading towards Burford. He dropped me off at the Beeches traveller site where I was received by my friend Alec.

I spent the evening with Alec’s two friends, both cooked me food and their hospitality seemed sincere. We played chess, I won the first game but lost the second, another game wasn’t played. We left his trailer at midnight and ended the night cashed out on a cluttered couch.

9th

I woke at 5 am and updated my blog ten minutes later. Many spiders seem to have found their way into my tent this morning.

A walk down a country lane to Keele services is typical of Staffordshire countryside.

Returned to Keele services and commenced hitchhiking trip after 7am.

After a lift from a guy going to Liverpool I was dropped at Knutsford.

A lift to Lancaster M6 services from a young guy going to Keswick.

This guy (pictured below) took me to Hamilton M74 services.

Got a lift to Perth from two guys who had been working in Carlisle.

I had a chat with one of them about B12 and realised I been passing out because am due for another shot of B12, so I decided back off to England after the police moved me on from Broxden roundabout. I walked to a layby and received another lift to Bothwell M74 services then picked up another lift to Johnstone M74 services from a man going to Dumfries. Two young people then picked me up and took me to Southwaite M6 services. Next lift was from a trade plater and took me to Charnock Richard M6 services.

Feeling unnerved about tonight, for what reason I do not know so I guess its just anxiety because I am hitching in the dark; or maybe its because more and more people are telling me to stop. Kicking off at Charnock Richard M6 services tonight, Ned’s following me about on and off slip road, lorry driver called police. Exhausted so pitched tent, I’ll put walking pole up their ass if they try come near me.

8th

Pitched my tent a mile away from where I was dropped last night, in a village named Maugersbury near Stow on the Wold.

Had a telephone conversation with Skye before I packed away my tent. I surmised he doesn’t want anything from life because he idealises his past beyond his future.

The nurturing softness of the Cotswold countryside is awesome and the views are endearing. I walked straight through Stow and onto Monarchs way.

And visited a well, sat down on a bench nearby and updated my blog.

And another well.

Edible sloe berries are ready for picking.

If you cannot get fruit then rose hips are a good source of vitamin C.

Further along the Monarch way, a little bit after Donnington some wretch had lit a fire.

A friendly horse greeted me, further down the footpath after another horse tried to eat my rucksack I enjoyed the scenic view.

At Longborough the Monarch Way became the Heart of England Way.

I walked past Sezincote.

And up through Borton-upon-hill acquiring a lift twenty minutes later by a petrol station from a polish guy going to Eversham. I waited sometime before getting a lift from a trade plater driving along the A46. I’ve hiked about eight miles today on an empty stomach so asked the next lift for some food. They, an elderly couple gave me two energy bars before dropping me at junction 13 M5. Next lift took me all the way down to Exeter M5 services and came from a male lorry driver originally from Bedford. From here I reversed my direction, deciding not to return to a previously chased down hapless Exmouth. Iniating the change of direction to north took time bit began with a lift from a man going to Essex along the A303. A farmer returning from a funeral gave me a lift to Tiverton Parkway. From here I was picked up by “Roger the Vet” and given a lift to Gloucester M5 services. Walking to the end of the services I acquired a lift from a kind woman who bought me supper before dropping me at Hilton M6 services. An hour later a race-mixed half Chinese / white man gave me a lift to Keele M5 services. From here I waited without a lift until midnight.

7th

Dawn came back drunk at 4 am and said “I don’t give a fuck about you, you’re going today”; I.e whatever social life you had here has ended. Insisting that I eat just a spoonful of spicey food that had come from a Sri Lankan funeral which I refused to eat, countering she opened the plastic container and thus attempted to push the food under my nose. Dawn also returned with tobacco which has swollen glands in my neck and behind my ears.

Anyway during the day we returned to the traveller site and met a guy with two dogs who said Alec was away to Wales fishing for a few days. He phoned Alec’s friend who said Alec didn’t want to know me and that he would not be back until Xmas, bad luck for him then. As we walked back into town one of the dogs got sick so the traveller called his cousin who return them to the site via car.

Dawn asked if I would go to the vet with her to get her cats vaccinated. After she withdrew some money we walked up to the vet and waited. Both of her cats had two jabs each, Dawn was told the two cats were male and aged between 12 and 14 weeks. After the vets, I waited over an hour whilst she shopped at Aldi supermarket, she return end with 5 large bottles of QC sherry in her basket.

The shopping trolley was heavy, I lifted the front whilst she pushed the back steering her trolley towards her flat. We stopped at a dodgy garage (owned by some very creepy Catholic Sri Lankans). Dawn had an altercation with a cranky pump attendant who was wearing a Bob Marley T-shirt, I thought this funny. After a struggle with the trolley through Chipping Norton town centre, we returned to the flat. I spilt some cooking sauce from a packet onto the floor and was told by Dawn to get out of her flat.

I left the flat immediately and walked westward out of Chipping Norton along the A44. The road became pitch black, I put on my head torch for visibility. I tried to hitchhike as I had to face off the cars so they could see me. After ten minutes a man stopped, he offered to get me a room in a hotel but found they were all booked. He briefly drove me to a takeaway and purchased fish and chips. After his wife declined to put me up for the night he dropped me off just outside Stow-on-the-Wold.

6th

Woke up next to a traveller guy named Alec, we had snuggled up for most of the night. He didn’t want me to clean his caravan and a few other things that made me unsure about him, but there were more certainties. Today I am tired, two hectic days are catching up with my health, I do need to rest more as much as I require a healthy relationship. There has been so much rain since I arrived in Chipping Norton, including a huge thunder and lightning storm last night. I am staying here another night, today I cooked fish and chips, a nice gesture as I’ve been hungry during the last two days. I gave my friend a tarot reading, although I need a new card deck.

My friend Dawn has been gone a long time doing a to-do in town, I am hoping she is OK as it is pouring rain outside + I am getting bored. If I leave I cannot lock the door behind me so will stay in till at least she returns. Vince from Belgium still keeps in touch but is very uninformative in reply.

Strange to find the attic door open, I have been hearing lots of noises in the flat and never noticed the door open this morning when we returned. The police were supposed to come around to see my friend, but she is not here and they have not come here; has she been arrested? My mind races when I am alone in a flat for more than a couple of hours, one of the reasons I live outside. As I predicted Dawn didn’t return, was only supposed to be out 2hrs max but it’s now 10:30 pm, over 5 and a half hours and still no show. If she isn’t back by the morning I am leaving the flat without locking the door; sick of being lunched out, happens everywhere with every new person I meet.

5th

Having problems with my eyesight this morning, text on my phone is a blur, must make an appointment to see an optician. Have a terrible taste in my mouth from the pollution of the M74. Been hammering down with rain all night. Today I am on a mission to get my HRT from England, I cannot get a prescription electronically sent to Scotland because they use different systems; the only other option is to register for another doctor’s surgery, this is difficult as getting an appointment to see a doctor.

At least during this heavy rain storm I was dry and warm in my tent last night; because the cold bites harder and so damages you more when you’re wet and hungry. The first lift of the day came from two alternative people, one of them got out of their van, walked over and offered a lift. They looked ajar when they dropped me at Moffat Junction, hope they are OK. The next lift was from a farmer driving a clapped-out Skoda; he took me to the centre of Carlisle where I collected my medicine. I walked to the M6 junction and noticed the berry’s ripening.

Next, I pulled over a lift to Penrith, they were going to the lake district for their 20th wedding anniversary. I stopped the lift short at Southwaite services because at Penrith most of the traffic goes down the A66 towards Scotch Corner. I gained another lift from two elderly people going to Wales, am so sleepy in their car! The next lift came from a Romanian lorry driver, he took me to a layby near Stone and attempted to molest me. I bolted out of his cabin escaping through some fields, taking the front of my dress over barbed wire. There was a major accident northbound on the M6 and from the layby and fields, I was on that side of the motorway. I walked two miles through fields to get to the next service station. Here I got a lift from a guy delivering electronics, he was going down the M6 toll so got him to drop me south of Standford. A lift came from a Welsh couple who dropped me off at the A5/M6/junction. I thought I’d cleared the M6 toll but the next lift took me clockwise across Birmingham and down the M42 / M40. The female driver (from Wales) was a staunch socialist and thrashy indifferent about Liz Truss becoming prime minister. I was glad to leave the car at the Oxford A34 / A44 interchange. It was dark, I was determined to get some distance from Oxford towards Evesham before I pitched my tent for the night. I waited at a dark roundabout for an hour before an eccentric elderly lady picked me up and drove me to Chipping Norton. I popped into a public house and asked for water, they also gave me nice ice. Across the street, I saw a woman in trouble so went over to ask if she was OK. She, a woman in her mid-40s named Dawn, offered to put me up for the night, but via her flat, we went to a traveller’s site to meet some of her friends. We sat in a caravan crammed with litter and broken things but the guy we went to see was awesome.

4th

Woken disturbed with endless messages going through my head. Last night I was disturbed sleepless by public walking too close to my tent on numerous occasions.

It’s raining outside but now I have to get up, pack my tent away and walk, and hitchhike through the ongoing rain. Waking hungry and thirsty, with no money and with a premise of becoming cold and wet through rain is a dismal outlook. Got up for a piss and took some photos of my tent, pitched just outside Stirling.

Rain is relentless, and downpours could last for hours so going to make a move, and get packed up. I walked anticlockwise alongside the River Forth, look at these elder sprays.

I walked along way round the river (to get to the M8 junction) and caught up with some local history.

First lift came from a couple travelling from Swansea, they stopped at a garage and bought me some supplies then stopped to take a few scenic photographs before dropping me off into Aberfeldy.

After ten minutes an elderly lady stopped and gave me a lift to Killing, the sun broke free from the clouds as we passed through Kenmore.

I took some time out of hitchhiking to walk along Loch Tay and then onto Docart falls.

Acquired a lift from a couple in a transit van, and they took me to a small town named Callander. After a short walk through town, I found a park to dry my tent, still wet from the morning.

Woman got stopped by police after pulling over for me, anyhow she took me to Cumbernauld junction. Last liift of the day came from a taxi driver; went out his way to get me to M74 Bothwell services.

3rd

Skye revealed himself to be a guy who believed I was a prostitute. Today I have left his house because he offended his hospitality. Am on the road again, poorer (flat broke) than when I met him.

Before leaving Oban at midday I chose to have a walk around on my own time.

I sent several texts to Skye but received no reply; could not make up my mind if he was a friend or foe, but his perspective was useful.

The first lift came from an elderly woman going to Glasgow; the wrong way. The next lift dropped me in Appin beside the Caledonian way.

A young couple gave me a lift to Ballachurish then a man drove me to Speen Bridge via a meal at Mcdonald’s drive-through in Fort William. Not my choice but was starving hungry and received a fillet-o-fish and fries.

I had planned to go to Inverness but the next lift, from two elderly ladies, took me to Newtonmore. I had a walk around the Clam MacPherson museum, but took no pictures because I no longer like them.

I got a lift to Aviemore from a hill walker and walked through the town before leaving via a layby on the A9. The next lift dropped me in Stirling and came from a Rugby referee. He didn’t seem to like me very much but talked more towards the end of the lift. I walked clockwise the river miserable and emptied, before pitching down my tent on some grass.

“Skye got back via fb messenger and sent some sweet texts, but his conversation is much to offhand and illusive to gain any meaningful affirmation. We’re going nowhere but perhaps that was the idea; I suspected him recovering from drug induced psychosis.”

The rain poured down as a rested my head on a pillow made from my spare clothes. Unsafe here but at least I am dry, I thought.

2nd

Woke up this morning uncomfortable with my face dug into the cushion of the sofa but at least the migraine has gone. Getting older is starting to show, my focus is getting lengthier and my eyes are less reactive to changes in light. My skin is less tight (largely down to sun/wind damage) and although my agility is not affected I am sleeping more. I have a feeling I will be leaving Oban soon, this morning Skye jumped at my presence and turned away from me; today I have been blipping about in Skye’s car, looking a lot better than I did in Ayr.

Planning on doing some mountain walking over the next few days, maybe through Glen Coe.

Got a few texts from the Ayr Buckie monster, he believes treating people as shit who are trying to help him is acceptable. He is dead in my mind so won’t be responding. Tonight Skye pushed me away into his spare room, whilst he fell asleep on the sofa.

1st

Woke on a housing estate about half a mile away from the centre of Oban. My new friend’s name is Skye, he’s a local to Oban.

He has been very kind to me and his hospitality is generous and unreserved. Later Sky took me to see the view of Oban from McCaig’s Tower.

After some shopping at Tesco (where I was stalked by a weeble-shaped old man sporting a huge eighties magnum moustache, who purchased two of everything) at checkout with an unfriendly cashier, my friend drove me to another viewpoint. At Skye’s flat I enjoyed another fish pie, still have a huge migraine so chose to rest my head for a wee while at 8 pm, but then woke 6 am the next day.