Thursday, July 16, 2009

12 June 2009 - Day 13: Lancing to Worthing

4.15 a.m.

An enthusiastic cockeral is crowing. It carries on relentlessly but i get back to sleep. Later when eyeballed severely, it stops for a full twenty minutes.


At 7.30 I wake woozy from deep sleep and find the neighbours' horses being moved from stable to field.



After packing and drying the outside of the tent, which has to be upended like a distressed turtle and tethered to prevent its escape on the wind, the regular and by now inevitable struggle begins to pop the damn thing down.

Dennis is playing with his grandson, Rupert, nearby. He's sympathetic, which is better than ribald laughter at my previous efforts last campsite, and offers me coffee across the field. They are there with Jean, his partner, to be near their daughter who has just had a baby. Dennis was a retired RAF man and tells me about the small aircraft constantly flying past from nearby flying schools.



He asks me where I'm heading and tells me his brother has chronic bronchitus but still exercises daily.





12.00 p.m.
Temp: 21c, humidity: 45%, wind: light westerley
O.S. Explorer Maps 122/121
Distance travelled: 6.4 miles




I have to get into Worthing for the monthly Worthing Breathe Easy meeting at 2.30. It's a gentle path along the shore, under light cloud.



























Towards the end of the Worthing promenade there is a municiple display which shows how far the influence of Derek Jarman's garden on Dungeness has reached. But this is very static and "arranged". It lacks the Jarman anarchic spirit.

















2.30 p.m.

There is a talk and demonstration of nebulisers by sales representatives from Phillips Respironics. They have brought us chocolates.











I give my talk after tea, then chat to Val. Everyone is welcoming, and I stay overnight with Sheila, the group's chair, overnight in Finden village, north of Worthing. She is concerned about the group, as several committee members are standing down due to worsening health, and so far no-one is volunteering to replace them.