Walter's World Tour

Walter's support team are fed up with kneeling in wet grass to boil a kettle and have persuaded Walter he needs a campervan. We rejected the obvious VW route and have gone for a Mazda "Bongo" only available as an import from Japan we have bought a diesel 4 wheel drive2.5 litre Bongo and it should be ready in about eight weeks - we are having it fitted out by the importers in Poole. [ Imperial Car Company if you want to look ] we have opted for diesel warm air heating ready for the Scottish summer and a nice big double bed. Photos on Picasa as soon as I get some.Since we don't want to go to Tesco etc in a campervan we have also acquired a Clio diesel - 30 quid road tax and 60n plus miles per gallon. We have decided to call it Winnie as in Winnibongo. No ? Well suit yourself.

 Walter in the McMitten tartan - he is claiming to be the clan chief .

Well time to go skiing again  - Fieberbrunn this time [ no I hadn't heard of it either ] off on 26th Feb so hopefully lots of snow between now and then.

Well it seems Walter is getting itchy feet [ paws?] again and we are all off to the USA in mid September for a few weeks. We are flying to Boston for a few days then on to Denver overnight before flying to Moab to do an open canoe trip down the Green river to join the Colorado river - about a week duration.A few days in Moab to check out some local scenery and then back to Denver for a few days before flying down to Florida for ten days or so - actually planning on a bit of kayaking in Florida - alligators should make the rescues interesting and probably quicker.

Well successful trips to Anglesey Symposium and then up to Scotland for two weeks ; no sooner back than Sandra organised a trip on the Thames from Lechlade down to Oxford over 3 days very pleasant right up to the point the torrential rain started - could not have been wetter if we had swum the last few miles. Still can't take a joke should't have joined. Sunday was an all day coastal navigation course quite good but as the instructor is obliged to stick to the BCU syllabus some of it was a bit too basic.

Terry and Walter are off on a lads week away to the Scilly Isles leaving Monday pm 21st June along with three other guys from the canoe club _ I just hope he doesn't get drunk and start singing again.

Well after much nagging I finally got round to building Walter's Sea Kayak - traditional wooden [ balsa ] frame but with duct tape and nylon instead of seal skin  - Sandra wouldn't let me club a seal and John Lewis fabric department don't seem to sell seal skin for some reason.

Can't get photos to upload to WWT site so you'll need to look on Picasa.

Well we have finalised our plans for the early part of 2010 - off to the sea kayak symposium on Anglesey from 30th April until 4th May then back to get ready for a longer trip - off to Scotland.Oban first and a few days tuition with Sea Freedom Kayaking then a few days on our own at Resipole on Loch Sunart before moving up to Glen Uig on the sound of Arisaig and a camping trip with an outfit called Rockhopper Sea Kayaking and finally down to Loch Sween on the Kintyre peninsular for a few days.That's May taken care of , currently investigating a week long trip in June with 3 other members of the canoe club - venue still undecided but Scilly Isles, Devon, Mull, Skye & Northumberland are all on the short list.

Had a paddle on Sunday with 4 other club members down the Avon from Welford to Bideford . Had a nice sunny day but a bit nippy - 3 drops over weirs - 1 long, 1 medium and 1 short and full of rocks. Needless to say we took our old plastic boats!

Bit of a hiatus since last entry - did annual Thames trip on Saturday before Christmas. Did Putney to Greenwich this year and clocked 40.8 kilometres, started at 6.30 am from Putney - still dark when we reached Tower Bridge, horribly cold even with thermals under dry suit.

Booked last minute ski trip to Austria , back to Obergurgul - again! but had best snow conditions ever. Temperature stayed well below freezing at all times so no "thaw/refreeze" just powder snow and bright sunny days. Really enjoyed the trip and probably skied further and faster than ever before. [ "Hero" snow - makes everyone look better ]

Current plan is for 3 or 4 weeks in Scotland with kayaks in May and North Wales in September.

Photos to follow on Picasa when I get round to it.

Well we are back home after our long awaited expedition to Milos . We paddled 123 kilometres over the 7 days - well to be fair from lunchtime Sat until lunchtime the following Friday. Longest day circa 28 kilometres. Had great [ and unseasonably warm ] weather but fairly lively winds - mostly Force 3 to 4 to start but one day Force 6 [ when we were mostly sheltered ] and one day Force 5 [ when we were fully exposed ! ] 2 metre swell -  still can't take a joke shouldn't have joined. Great confidence building trip with a nice bunch of people all of a broadly similar ability.

Selected photos on Picasa site.

Sorry - I've just spent several hours adding photos & text which has vanished appart from the title. I'll try again later.