Old Friends, New Friends

Over the past few days I’ve finally stopped dithering and decided that I’m heading towards London with some sense of urgency, and actually made what, for me at any rate, is a surprising amount of progress at long last.

After my parents left, somewhat abruptly, I was able to get away from Milton Keynes and on towards Leighton Buzzard. I met Carrie again on the way, and we shared the last few locks into town. She was gracious enough to describe my ham-fisted efforts as “help”, when perhaps “better than nothing” would have been a more appropriate description (I can do most things, but I’m really still getting the hang of this boating business, and there’s virtually nothing that comes as second nature so far).

Our paths had crossed a few times in recent weeks and it was with a degree of regret that I left Leighton Buzzard, knowing that it was not likely to happen again, certainly for several months. Still, this is all part and parcel of life as a bridge-hopping overstayer CCer. Old friends are left behind and new ones are created, seemingly by a haphazard process of magical randomness.

Such as Dave, who I met almost immediately after leaving Leighton Buzzard. I’d spoken to him on the towpath on Friday as he was out walking his dog, since when we’ve shared around 34 locks and about four bottles of wine. Dave is also single-handed and one thing I’ve learned over these past few days is how nice it is to share locks with another single-handed boater. I’d never done this before (like most things on a boat) and it’s refreshing to know that the other person has an understanding of what is involved in working a lock unaided.

Dave is going to Rickmansworth which, weather permitting, we might possibly get to today. That would put London within reach tomorrow. Reaching London means catching up with old friends I haven’t seen for months. No doubt there’ll be an endless procession of visitors to the boat, all asking the same questions. Of course, there will be the inevitable trips up the canal to the pub. Maybe I’ll even get some work done too.

Eventually I’m sure I’ll tire of all this and it will be time to move on to pastures new, where I’m sure I’ll be meeting up with some of the old friends I won’t have seen for a while.

I could get to enjoy this.