Seize The Day

The views from this pub are sensational

Baaa

I'm nearly at the top of the mountain and this is the view

Last night I had the best sleep since I got here – just the sound of a stream in the distance and a few sheep bleating – lovely.  Another British breakfast to start the day – they have to stop if I’m not going to expand beyond my jeans.  Then the plan for the day was to tackle the 3 mile – 2 hour walk over Wandsfell (that’s a very big hill to you) to Ambleside.  Headed off feeling full of beans and really it was a spectacular walk.  Passed plenty of English walkers with hiking sticks and often accompanied by very happy looking dogs (something you never see bushwalking in Australia).   The walk itself took in some really spectacular views of the mountains and lakes – not entirely unlike Cradle Mountain I suppose – and involved some serious mountain climbing not only up the mountain but also a really tediously steep climb down that made my knees hurt (whinge, whinge).  As soon as I got near the top of the mountain my phone bleeped that I had 3 missed calls from Jasper.  3 missed calls deserves a call back but I couldn’t get through straight away. 

After 2 strenuous hours I finally made it in to Ambleside.  My feet were already quite sore and I just felt really tired but the bad news was that I still had to do the walk back.  I thought maybe a sit down and a cup of tea might revive me enough for the return trip – the British breakfast means that I still wasn’t hungry, but I couldn’t find anywhere appealing enough to take tea.  Instead I bought some cheese, orange juice and chocolate to go with the oatcakes and fruit I had in my bag and decided to stop for a picnic on the walk back.

I began the steep hike back up the mountain and made it to a damp seat where I stopped for some juice.  It began to rain.  The raindrops seemed to wash away any resolve I had to tackle the walk and I knew that I just couldn’t face it.  Not only were my feet and legs sore but I just had no energy.  After a moment of feeling like a total wimp I packed up my picnic and set off back down the hill to the information centre to call a taxi.

While I was waiting for the taxi to arrive I finally made contact with a very flat sounding Jasper who told me that a friend of his, who has suffered a spinal cord injury in a motor bike accident a year ago had just died.  The death was apparently caused by an overdose (whether accidental or deliberate we cannot know).  I didn’t know this boy personally but Jasper had talked about him to me and I just felt and feel incredibly sad.  I also feel that if we as a society didn’t view disability as a fate worse than death then maybe coming to terms with spinal cord injury might be a little less daunting.  People need positive role models, employment, social inclusion and a view of the future.  Then maybe just maybe some of these lives could be saved emotionally as well as physically.

In the meantime my thoughts are with his family and friends for whom the loss must be compounded by what they have been through already over the past year.

I was glad I’d finally got through to Jasper – I knew something was wrong but I just couldn’t imagine what.  Even at 27 he still always calls him Mum in a crisis and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

My taxi arrived and delivered me in comfort and ease across the hills back to the Mortal Man (how fitting that this is the name of the pub I’m staying in).  I feel flat and not inclined to do much for the rest of the day but the scenery is still beautiful from every angle at this place and it reminds me that you’re a long time dead. 

Carpe diem. 

To London tomorrow.