Raven's Roads
Living an interesting life: the travels and musings
of motorcycling author Linda R. Moore

Hallowe’en

Woke up, navigated my way to the coffee, and woke up some more. I was up and dressed, reading and doing some notes, when the rest of the household woke up. Jetlag makes one an early bird, but I think that I’m probably over it now.

We spent some time chatting and saw SG’s other guests off on their travels. They were from Nottingham and craving a trip to the seaside, as tacky as possible. Then we got a call from Griz and he and Steph were going to pick me up and go to see MagRat, their daughter. Which I did. She works in a sort of department store and is a big tall lass against whom I looked like a shrimp. She’s 19 now and I’ve known her since she was 15 and she’s doing all right for herself: her own place, and a good job, and about to be trained to supervision. Not too shabby.

Got a slight tour of Ipswich, which is brimming with churches. I’m curious about why there should be so many. Griz asked me to come back and spend more time, and I’m quite willing. I’m curious about those churches and the history and getting to know my friends a bit better. Was amused to be taken to a part of Ipswich known as California! As I understand it, California is a made-up name from some old novel or other - would have to research it - this part has been California longer than California itself!

We met up with everyone for a big pub lunch in a place I’ll have to find the name of later. :: sigh :: I must learn to write this stuff down at the time. Healer and his wife Janet and SG and Chris and Griz and Steph, and me. We had a wonderful time. I indulged in roast lamb because I knew that I wouldn’t be getting that up in Scotland. ;-) Tried Adnams ale and toasted Lios and LV back home. J

The pub was right beside the water and you could look out on boats. It was a proper old place with beams and nooks and lots of intriguing stuff on the walls. Has probably been there a goodly while.

At the end, I became aware of becoming exceedingly warm and the table got quiet. Healer - who has that name for a reason - was directing energy at Steph and I was getting caught in the path. I felt hot and then really very energized. It was quite astonishing - I knew that he could do that (I had the idea he sent me some of that to help with the cough, because it cleared up pretty darn quick after I asked for some help, and he confirmed that) but to feel it in action was quite something else. If you imagine sitting down next to a radiator and how warm that is, you might get an idea.

I asked him about it a bit, but there wasn’t much time, and yet I have an invitation to see his and Janet’s neck of the woods next time, so I’ll be back.

Went back to SG’s and C’s flat and Griz joined us later. Wanted a bit more time to yabber on and we commented on how familiar we all seemed to one another, despite this being our first *actual* meeting. Griz brought his waistcoat that Steph had quilted for him - it has hedgehogs and all sorts, she’s really very talented - and we talked about the awful illness he had last year and how glad we were that he was still around today. J

But there reached a point where I was jittery and knew it was time to go, and I’d just continue to be more nervous until I left. Sadly, I gathered up my stuff and said good-bye to everyone and Griz gave me a lift to the station. He hung around with me for most of the wait but had to head back eventually.

Feeling thoroughly cared about and liked, I got on my train and began the lonely patch of my trip. The ride down to London was easy; at one station you had to get off and take a bus instead, but it was all laid on and simple to manage. They actually bussed us all the way to Liverpool Street, so I got to see parts of London I would never have seen before, through waves of tiredness. It was mostly residences and I enjoyed seeing Hallowe’en cats and witches silhouetted in windows.

I had to haul my baggage through London and it was rather tiring. I’d sort of reached saturation point - I later discovered that I was hauling 19 kilos of stuff and it was plenty! Not enjoying myself very much, I managed anyway, and got onto the train at St. Pancrass. Then it was just a short hop to Luton Airport, where I spent a somewhat surreal night, not sleeping very much. I wrote an article about it and thus will hold on to that story for a while. So, fast forward to 9:25 am on the morning of November 1st, and that will be the start of my Scottish adventures. Later.

Just a few random posts

• Quick trip finish-up (0)
• The beginning of the end of the end (2)
• Mini-interview (2)
• The train mall (0)
• Landmarks (0)

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