Day Three

 

15/05/25 - Day Three


I woke in the night several times to the screaming of some sort of animal. It would have scared me more perhaps had I not been half asleep. I remember thinking to myself either an owl or a fox. As I was beginning to pack the tent away I heard heavy machinery rumbling near by, in a startled panic I began to pack away as fast as I could. I could see the top of some farm vehicle across the field moving parallel but away from me. Hoping they wouldn’t continue round the perimeter to my side I placed my panniers on my racks and skirted the field the opposite way - reaching the road undetected. 

Rolling through the early morning countryside helped to wake me up and then I was at Woodbridge. I took a detour into the town centre and sat outside a deli and enjoyed a coffee while people watching and listening in on people’s conversations. A great pastime, but sadly won’t be long lived, as soon I won’t be able to understand anyone! It was a grey day and it took its toll on my mood, the outskirts of Felixstowe did nothing to improve this. Once in Felixstowe I cruised down the seafront, which was bleak in this weather and not many people around. I was eating my lunch here, (hummus again), when a wave of anxiety hit me and I felt daunted by the trip ahead of me: the altitude, the heat, the Caspian Sea crossing. All this waiting around was frustrating and was filling me with nervous energy, I just wanted to get stuck in. My ferry across the estuary wasn’t for another 3 hours so I found the cosiest coffee shop I could find and sunk into the sofas there, and my book. 

Feeling refreshed and ready I pedalled down to languard point, where the small foot ferry lands, passing the port of Felixstowe and its mass of shipping containers. I couldn’t resist taking a snap of my bike with the epic scale of the docks in the background. I imagined myself boarding a cargo ship in a few months times to cross the Caspian Sea as I waited for the ferry to come in. It looked comical next to the vastness of the cargo ships. 

After getting cut up by said container ship, I had to hold my bike place as we got taken for a ride by the massive waves left in its wake. The rest of the crossing was plane sailing and I exited into Harwich. Harwich is quite an un-noteworthy town except for a few exceptionally grotty boozers which it took all my willpower not to enter, as I was already over budget for today. I headed for some woods on Google maps a few miles outside of Harwich as it was by now nearly 6pm. After exploring the pleasant little woods in the golden evening sun (the weather had turned - so had my mood), I followed an unofficial path to a dead end partially obscured by some wooden dens. My campsite had shown itself! 

Today’s soundtrack for cooking and setting camp was some Skippinish. I messaged a 'welcometomygarden' host asking to pitch in her garden the following evening and set about writing up the days “adventures”. Not much adventuring has happened yet, but that’s all part of the adventure! I look forward to really getting set into a rhythm of life on the road - until then it’s lots of faffage and clunky blog writing, I hope you enjoy!

Thought of the day: how long is too long to go without a shower? 

 


 

Rooibos! Am I artsy yet? 





Quirky and cosy coffee shop

 



Barbara in transit 



Massive f***ing digger

 


 Camp 2

 


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