I walked alone!

As the girls dropped me off at Burrow Bridge, we were all worried. I was worried about them driving home & they were worried about me walking on my own. Because of Sophie I am now paranoid about something happening to them. After about an hour of fretting I phoned them. "We were 10 miles from Bristol, going the wrong way, but we're ok now"
The thing about walking, or being, on your own is having more time to think. I call it my "Sophie time" I sometimes need this time to be alone.
I walked across a bridge & that's when I learned about the Somerset drainage system. An elaborate pattern of rhynes (water courses) that cross the wetland area, which makes walking easier as it's flat & straight but harder because you have to cross at the right point. Today's walk was going to be fairly straightforward I thought. Feeling confident, I decided to take a short cut down a footpath only to find myself in a field of cows, one of which was intent on following me. As I walked faster the cow trotted (do cow's trot?) behind me. I was getting scared, but remembering what Gary told me, I waved my stick & shouted "Go away, I want to be alone" and she did!
Walking along the straight flat roads to Street, with the absence of cars, people & an Ipod, I started singing to myself. Just as I was reaching the crescendo to "Bridge over troubled waters" with only the cows (safely behind barbed wire) as my silent audience, a cyclist shot past. Feeling very embarrassed, I hummed quietly from there on.
I reached Street in record time. So early, in fact, that my contact for a lift back to Salisbury wasn't home.
I should explain, at this point, that the Scout Association have been helping me with transport & accommodation and Neil (Surrey Contingent Jamboree Leader) had put me in touch with his equivalent in Somerset.
After having a quick look around the Street Shopping Outlet I decided I wasn't into retail therapy, & besides, I didn't want to add to my load. So I headed back to Beverley's house where I met her, and her family. What a lovely family they were. Her husband Murray & daughter Abi welcomed me into their home, & after a cup of tea, Richard, their friend & fellow scouter (Ass. District Commissioner) took me all the way back to Salisbury. In the few hours I spent with them I learnt a lot more about the Jamboree selection programme, not realising the Contingent leaders had to be selected as well as the Scouts. (I thought they'd be paid to go!)
After a cup of tea, Richard headed back to Street & I headed for the shower. I felt quite overwhelmed by their generosity. Street to Salisbury is a long way!