So it begins

Self-discovery

Published Date : August 20, 2000

Writing twice in two days…I must be sick!  Actually, I’m just in a really good mood.  I feel like I’m getting some direction in my life.

This trip is the best thing I could’ve done for myself.  Being on my own and being whomever I want to be.  Nobody has any preconceived ideas of me here.  Nothing I do is out of character because I’m inventing myself as I go along.  Also being away from Mum & Dad is huge.  It’s not like they’re overbearing – far from it, but they’re in my life on my terms now.  I’m loving it!

Like I said, this trip is the best decision I’ve ever made!

Lightning, thunder and crags! Oh my!

Published Date : August 22, 2000

Yesterday was an incredible day!  In the afternoon, I decided to hike up Far Easedale to Calf Crag (1762’), then along the ridge to Helm Crag (1306’) and back down to Grasmere.

Far Easedale

When I started out, my big concern was that I forgot my sunscreen.  It was a gorgeous warm day, so I didn’t bring my jacket or any wet weather gear.  When I was about half-way up Far Easedale, I started to hear thunder but I kept going.  By the time I reached the summit of Calf Crag it was overcast and windy, but the thunder had stopped.

The location I chose for my lunch break was in a little nook, just below the summit.  Not only was it perfectly sheltered from the wind, it turned out to be an excellent location to shelter in a lightning storm.  It was maybe a bit close to the summit, but it was beneath an overhang, so reasonably safe from strikes.  And it was in the midst of my lunch break that the thunderheads passed directly overhead, heading down the valley.

Half an hour later, after the worst of it had passed, I decided to carry on with my hike, assuming that by the time I reached Helm Crag, the storm would have moved on.  Unbeknownst to me, there was another storm moving down the neighbouring valley behind Helm Crag.  This new squall collided with the first one, and the new larger storm stalled right over the Crag at approximately the same time I reached it

Stormy day

I had met up with a couple of other hikers by this time, and there we sat, perched on a very exposed ledge, about 100-200’ below the summit of Helm Crag, in the middle of a very active lightning storm.  We were right in the thick of it – forget counting the seconds between lightning and thunder, they were simultaneous!  I could feel the electricity in the air, making my arm hair stand on end.  With every crack of thunder the entire mountain reverberated with the power of it.  On top of the intensity of the electrical storm, it started to pour and even hailed for a little while.

After what seemed like ages, but was probably only about 10-15 minutes, we decided to make a go of it.  As fast as we could negotiate the rocky peak, we all scrambled up to the summit and hurried across, using an unstable goat track just below the peak, rather than risk full exposure on top.  Before I knew it we were across and headed down the other side.  Whew!  I made the descent in record time, but was, needless to say, frozen and completely soaked through by the time I made it back to the guesthouse.  The storm had almost completely dissipated, and the sun was peaking out from behind the clouds again by that time too.

The only time I was even a bit nervous the whole time was during the mad dash across the summit.  But who wouldn’t be?!

According to the gossip, Tweedy’s pub was hit by lightning during the storm.  Cath and Kim were inside at the time and said that everything jumped (including the pool balls going completely off the table), the lights flickered and fire alarm started to go off.

So, being a small town, the four of us on the peak and the people who were in the pub when it was hit are all minor celebrities now.  Kinda neat!

On a slightly separate note, it turns out my walk was just over 10km long, and aside from some stiff knees (from crouching to avoid becoming a lightning rod)  I’m not really sore at all.  So I think I’ll give the 15km walk a go next.  It’ll have to wait for a day off though, I don’t have enough time in the afternoon to do it.

Hellos and Goodbyes

Published Date : August 25, 2000

Last night was eventful.  We all headed into Ambleside for Monty’s (Australia) going away bash.  He’s been here since I started and he’s loads of fun, so it’s sad to see him going.

The first place we went was just a quiet pub.  Our second stop was a disco and it was a blast!  There was a group of guys there checking us out all night long (“us” being Cath, Tamie, Evelyn, and her friend Mandy).  When it got close to the end of the night the boys descended on us – effectively using the divide and conquer tactic.

Apparently Evelyn was a bit of a naughty girl and was pashing with one of the guys for 15 minutes.

I, on the other hand, was the paragon of virtue and was perfectly well behaved!  Sorta…I ended up with a strapping young man named Al.  He’s 22 and originally from Glasgow, but now working in Liverpool.  Consequently, I couldn’t understand a word he was saying to me most of the night.  We ended up having a good long dance though!

Did I mention that he’s a hottie? At least 6’2”, blond, blue-eyed, muscle-bound…a perfect himbo in other words!  Actually, that’s not fair, it’s kinda hard to talk in a club, so I don’t know how smart he is.  He just didn’t strike me as a rocket scientist.  His pick-up line was, after all, to pinch my bum.

Leaving was an entirely ludicrous affair.  The five of us girls piled into a cab with Monty, the only guy.  The car was surrounded by a swarm of guys pressing their phone numbers up against the windows.  Monty was thrilled.  He is forever remembered in Grasmere and Ambleside as the guy who got to go home with the girls that night.  Glad we could oblige!

On a completely different note, Glenthorne now needs a replacement for Monty, and Phil has asked me to ask my brother if he wants a job.  I’ll have to ask when I call home this week.