The Edge of the World
8:10 AM
Saturday found us on the train heading to our next host, a cute little camping site in West Dorset. After the tearful goodbye with the Wildsmiths, I was too wrapped up in all the memories to start my routine of worrying how we'd fit in at the next place. But thankfully there was no need, as there usually isn't, because we were once again welcomed in so warmly and kindly by our new hosts Sue, Nick and their son Joe. They showed us around their smallholding, a glamping site they've named Old Bidlake farm. The surrounding countryside is just astounding beautiful and nestled in the middle of it all was our space for the next week, a retro 70's caravan. Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled.
So as we've taken to doing, we settled into our new spot, unpacked a few things and started bonding with our new hosts. Nick and Sue are very adamant about getting us out into the countryside to see the sights, so on Tuesday we took them up on their offer and decided to bike down to the coast. The journey wasn't far but the beautiful countryside hills and both Zach and I being a bit unfit from four weeks of sweets meant we spent a fair amount of time walking our bikes as well as riding them. After some huffing and puffing, we made it to Bridport.
This was where the real journey started. After realizing we could restock some essentials and picking up Zach a sweet new knife, we set out to find the beach. Sue had brought us through Bridport and to the beach just a few days before, so we were confident that we'd be able to find our way there ourselves. So we picked out a direction and started walking but no matter which way we went, I started to get a sinking feeling that we just weren't quite going the right way. Four sinking feelings later, we finally stumbled upon a map showing that the actual coast was still quite a ways from Bridport. Somehow we had clipped that extra little drive from our mind. A little more biking and we were there in West Bay, sitting on a beach nestled between two sets of cliffs. It had been sprinkling on and off all day, but that didn't stop us from climbing up one side of the cliffs to look out to sea, seemingly standing at edge of the world itself.
Zach took pictures and I watched all the people below, tourists, like us, running about in the sand and playing in the water. I know it might seem ridiculous, but there are times that I forget that we're traveling. Maybe it's because we're volunteering along the way so we have some steadiness of work but after this long, our life feels normal now and I forget that we're on this big adventure. It takes watching some tourists to remind me that we are tourists. We're explorers. Adventurers. And once again I'm thankful for all the people we've met and all the people back home who gave us a place to sleep, some encouragement and just plain believed in us.
Thank you all. Sorry we keep getting lost.
H W Z
3 comments
Amazing photos. I think you didn't take any here apart from of the dogs. By gum that was a lazy month! Even Gary had to take the one of my tragically small leg for you both to mock. Had not noticed it before; now I will probably need therapy to move on. Keep posting, and remember, a trail of fruit loops will always have you moving in the right direction. Please give me the names and addresses of your future hosts and I will warn them of the intrepid adventurers who are about to descend on them, in the most round-about way to ensure maximum 'lostness', always 4 hours later than expected, dressed in rags and as far as Winnie is concerned, smelling of popcorn in the ear department. But moms and dads, please don't worry, they are going to be welcomed and loved wherever they go, just because they're the intrepid three: HWZ !
ReplyDeleteI think Debbie means Peach loops haha! - Alex
DeleteI can only imagine the emails now, "My name is Debbie.. Don't click away because I have some very vital information about the intrepid three soon to arrive.. They'll only take pictures of your dogs!!"
DeleteAnd peach loops or fruit loops, both work pretty good for a trail so long as we get to eat them still haha