So even walking tours are definitely off for the foreseeable future. We had high water and high winds in February. Now in March a kind of hell has taken hold of the Earth.
It's easier for me than for so many others. Although my livelihood is on hold, I'm not destitute. I didn't do panic buying but I always think ahead anyway, so usually have the next packet or jar of main staples. I did allow myself to get an extra jar of Marmite. There will be ways to get fresh veg and fruit – usually a large part of my diet as a vegetarian. I have a comfortable place to live, many books, a computer and phone, radio, my violin and – more crucially – resources in my head for coping with solitude. I'm always busy, never bored, even with no TV. I have far more to do than can ever be fitted into a long day.
A geography teacher friend has come on many walks. She lives close by but we haven't seen each other for a while. On Sunday night we settled down in our new virtual pub. We'll go to a different 'pub' week. Our opening non-outing was to The Spatially Spread Eagle. (For those who don't know Leeds well, there is a real Eagle Tavern at Sheepscar.) This week we'll press a button and be in The Two Meeters.
We’ll get back to exploring the city as soon as we can. In the meantime, while we’re on extended ‘staycations’, I’ll be developing new ideas and even putting together some pre-walk presentations.
To the many lovely people I’ve met during the last months: I hope to see you the other side of this global trauma.
