Graham to John o’Groats DAY FOUR

For those following my daily posts conveying my hitchhiking adventure, you will know that

• A: I have a bladder that seeks constant attention and
• B: Whilst day one delivered wonderful moments and an amazing ‘hike’ of over 320 miles, day two didn’t!

OK, day two did gift me a grateful 150 miles and it did, as the first day, deliver ‘memorable’ moments but my, it was arduous.

Even the evening proved equally difficult: safely ensconced in my overly priced room above a pub, how the hell was I to know that Tuesday night entertainment was karaoke. So, unable to sleep, I decide instead; to write. But I’ve mislaid my glasses and whilst trawling the room to find them, stood on my laptop and broke the blinkin’ screen. Then, finally finding my specs, it was now plain to see that, due to the amount of unplanned walking I’d done, my shiny patent leather shoes had developed two bloody great holes in the sole.

Sorry. I’m waffling. Let’s get on with day three.

Day three involved wanting an early start. So, at 6am I walked the two miles to the A1 to continue my journey. Although a little down, the walk did me good; time to think, contemplate. At 6.45 I arrived. My thumb and I in good spirits. And then, after 20 minutes or so, the heavens opened. I rushed to an adjacent Morrisons store and sat in the cafe. Two hours, three americanos and five toilet breaks later, sunshine and blue sky pierced the gloom.

Back I went.

Chris, a businessman,  in an electric Volvo seemed a nice man. OK our views on Trump differed considerably but we chatted and bantered. He asked me what I did for a living. I explained I was retired but my main role in life was that of a Big Issue vendor. (I swear I’m sure I saw him flinch).

Some 20 miles later, my bladder indicated it needed emptying. Not in half an hour or ten minutes, but NOW! I quickly explained my predicament to Chris who thankfully pulled into a layby some two miles away. I rushed from the car, sped to the end of the layby where, behind a bush, I relieved myself of unnecessary cargo. Sadly, so did Chris. As I finished and turned round, I saw my suitcase dumped in the layby and Chris speeding off without me. Was it something I said?

I could, quite honestly, have just got a taxi to the nearest railway station and called it a day. But I didn’t. And wow, I’m so glad I didn’t!

Mo, a lift that arrived some 20 minutes later, was an absolute diamond. He was as laid back as horizontal can get. Mo, for nine months of the year, was a market trader selling questionably ethical goods. The other three months of the year spent in Bali. What an amazing leg of my journey this was. He was as enthralled listening to my tales as I was listening to his. We had an absolute ball.
Mo was visiting his parents in Aviemore, some 160 miles along the A9 but insisted on driving me an extra 29 miles to Inverness where he thought I might have a better chance of a lift. Mo is coming down to Totnes to visit in the Summer.

Yes, a gloriously wonderful end to a day of abandonment, little sleep, broken laptop, and a pair of holey shoes; holey shoes that today travelled an amazing 216 miles, holey shoes that have only 120 miles to go to reach John o’ Groats.

Graham is raising funds for Bob the Bus and Totnes Caring and the crowdfunder link is here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/graham-walker-998

Read More on this Story:

DAY ONE: https://www.totnespulse.co.uk/thats-it-im-off-graham-walker-starts-his-trip-day-one/

DAY TWO: https://www.totnespulse.co.uk/well-what-a-dream-start/

DAY THREE: https://www.totnespulse.co.uk/grahams-travels-day-three/