w/c 18th June

With the weekends now being two days of walking the suggested training also gave two cross training sessions in the week. However as my gym instructor had said give myself a rest before I go I decided not to do anything and won't next week either.

Monday - I had leave from work and hence decided to go for a walk first thing. I just did half an hour which more than made up for not walking across London Bridge! Afternoon spent in Canterbury with Kedra who is also doing the trek stocking up on most of the remainder of our kit with a 20% voucher that Blacks had sent to me. A little walk involved from the car to the shop. Then once home off to see the nurse for an anti-malaria prescription. It is a very costly business this trekking!!

Tuesday - more spending at Nomad Travel Victoria where they give charity challenge participants 10% discount for some hiking sandals for the river section of our trek. Walk up from Bromley South.

Saturday - Joined stage 4 of the Charing Cross to Hastings led walk which was from Sevenoaks to Tonbridge. See photo at Tonbridge here. If I remember rightly there was about 13 of us. Met at Sevenoaks station at ten to 11. The walk followed several footpaths and made use of the walking sticks purchased on route to Bromley South station with my nectar points at Argos! I just used one of them and lent the other to 77 year-old Margot. We stopped for about 45 mins for lunch sat on the benches of a small cricket pavilion. Tonbridge station was reached just after 4pm and a train a bus took me back to Bromley South. I departed the bus rather than sit on it round the traffice of Bromley and more and continued walking home heading on a little detour down the road to Shortlands station and along almost to Ravensbourne coming up to London Rd via the green chain route. Upon reaching home at 6pm I realised the rain cover had fallen from the back of by rucksack. So I retraced my steps and found it on the edge of the zebra crossing near shortlands station. So an extra 45 mins took me to approx 6 for the day and 23.30km reading on the pedometer.

Sunday - The Rotary Club of the Weald of Kent North Downs Walk 10 miles. Arrived at the latest possible opportunity to register and start this walk at 11am. Start/Finish at Harrietsham village just off juction 8 of the M20 past Maidstone. The walk was though various footpaths and extremely muddy fields. Some walkers were doing 5 miles and the organisers were advising this due to the weather however I stuck to doing the 10 miles. There were 5 check points/pit stops along the route and apart from stopping at these briefly I did the 10 miles non-stop in 4 and a half hours. Ploughmans and strawberries awaited and alas a drive home! Just about made it back. The walk was in aid of Cancer Research but I just made the minimum donation of £10 to walk. Glad I did it although my legs are feeling it!! Note the muddy shoes in pic above.