Mum

Earlier this year my mum passed away. She was almost 97, so had a good innings.

She knew about my plans for this trip and loved the idea. 

This week she has been heavy on my mind, or rather her ashes are. She died in early January 2016 and here we are a week from May 1st and her ashes are still under my dining room table. Decision making is not always simple when you are one of six strong minded siblings, two of whom live abroad.

But I’ve just had the most brilliant idea, i'm going to take mum with me...

Not literally - that picture wouldn't fit in the car once I'm all packed up! Though my mother did love my car, Gloria, as she had always yearned for a soft top and never got round to getting one til too late. She would insist that whatever the weather, I was to drive her to her numerous hospital appointments with the roof down so she could give the other residents of her care home 'something to talk about.' 

Anyway, I've decided I'll transport her ashes with me on my trip and scatter them as I go.  That way she'll get to rest in lots of beautiful and interesting locations. 

If this sounds familiar, it is! It's the plot of the film 'The Way' where Martin sheen walked El Camino de Santiago, the 500 mile walk otherwise known as The Way of Saint James, scattering the ashes of his estranged son on route. 

She's be delighted to know that it's not long until I set off. 

This week I was thrilled to receive some fantastic map bunting from my amazing neighbour Claire. That should spruce Gloria up a bit on the journey!

My neighbours also got me a basket of goodies for my travels. I’m so lucky to have such a friendly community on my doorstep. 

Time to start the countdown!

Gearing up

My blue Streetka Gloria, is a soft top, has just two seats and a surprisingly large boot which is just as well since my friend Ros will be joining me for some of the route, and will need luggage space.

I plan to leave on my travels on May 1st. It has not escaped my notice that Mayday is an international distress signal but I am ignoring it! I’ll travel anti-clockwise round the coast of Britain, as close to the sea as possible. I intend to largely ignore Tourist information Offices. Instead, I’ll ask random strangers living in the places in which I stop for their suggestions of must see and must do in their area.

Some people might be appalled at the thought of how much they’d have to pack to be away for 80 days - almost three months. Me? No worries. 

Having 30 years as a colour and image consultant as another qualification in my professional skills bank, I know that the secret to putting together a suitable capsule wardrobe is layers and sticking with three colours (that way as few as 12 items of clothing can make up at least 30 possible outfits). And I am travelling the coast of Britain not Uzbekistan, we have plenty of shops.

My dear friend Crispin just bought me a selfie-stick for my travels. I just tried out taking a picture with it. I never thought I would be self-obsessed enough to own one, but Crispin said I'd definitely need one if I was to photograph myself at Outlander Locations in Scotland!

Crispin used to cross the channel several times a week on the bridge of ferries to France and back. He was thinking of accompanying me on this trip 15 miles off the coast. (In a yacht of course, not in a ferry!) However, being able to do only a few miles a day and none in inclement weather conditions, and with a marked lack of enthusiasm from his female crew to do the Irish Sea, the idea was canned. In fact today he's taking the yacht and his sailing ladies over to explore the islands and inlets of Holland instead.

Getting ready for my big adventure

About eighteen months ago it occurred to me that it was time to set out on an adventure before it was too late; and life and creaking joints got in the way. 

I work internationally as a professional numerologist, so technically as I long have access to a computer and the internet I can work anywhere in the world. A second stream of income is teaching developing intuition in UK and the Netherlands and that too could be timetabled. My third stream of income (yep I am a 21st century woman with a rather unique portfolio of work skills) is public speaking. That was trickier to manage as I get booked 12 months in advance. Hence the eighteen month planning. I needed to give myself a clear three month with no fixed appointments.

So here we are. 

In May 2016 my beloved Streetka Gloria (aged 14), and I (aged considerably more than 14) will be leaving my home town of Eastbourne on the South Coast of England and travelling anti clockwise around the coast of Britain in just 80 days.

I am going purely for the adventure but have a few plans on route to add a bit of interest. I am gluten free for medical reasons, not because I heard about it on daytime TV, so I am looking for fabulous gluten free food. 

I am also planning to avoid the obvious tourist destinations and the tourist information offices. Instead I intend to  sit in a cafe and ask the locals what are the must-see and must-dos in their area.

My beloved number one daughter Morgan gave me the National Trust book of the Coast for Christmas so I will be using that to help find interesting and beautiful places. I have a budget of £50 a day which I will try to stick to by using Airbnb for accommodation or Youth Hostels when necessary. My beloved number two daughter Freya set up a spread sheet of destinations and plotted my first ten Airbnb stops to get me started.

My mileage is about 3,767.2! However a client has just invited me to spend a couple of days on the island of Skye so that will add some miles to my total. My car is tiny so I am having to think carefully about what I take with me particularly as my friend Ros who painstakingly plotted my route for me armed with map, sat.nav and a magnifying glass, will also join me for odd days on the way.

I can't wait to begin.