Day 5

The day started in a rush, with Alan going down the shops to get milk and then to the train station to getMargaret and Maggie, trying to clear up, eat breakfast and get going. Well we got it together and Ray droves us a short distance back to the River Ouse, now really wide, at the edge of town.  Blisters had started to appear on my feet and I had some pain. Well, I just focused on the pain and then it disappeared and reappeared depending on my mind. We arranged to meet some 6 miles up the river at a bridge with Ray to have lunch.

It was another lovely walk, with a slight bit of rain. We entered a small town near the Cock pub enough said. Walked up to the local church' looked in and then had a a fantastic lunch which Ray had arranged in the church porch. Thank you Ray. We set off again with a lift to our next spot and had a delightful walk through the forest and along the streams, one with loads of watercress beds, visiting an old priory as well, and coming into a village through a Water-mill .

We had hoped to walk longer towards our destination, but the way we had chosen had taken much longer than we thought, and I think me and Alan were knackered and so we called it a day. This was our longest day's walk - 16-17 miles. After trying to text Ray and sort out a meeting point, he appeared and we took this as sign to stop for the day. My maple syrup sweets came in very handy.

We drove into Kings Lynn so we could drop Maggie at the train station and then headed on through traffic to All Saint Church, Helhoughton.  Although we got a bit lost we found the church hall and it was great, it had a dart board and well that was it.  The boys played, Eric Bristow was looking after us.

The local priest came and opened up the church specially and offered a simple evening service and blessings. Alan and the priest chanted in Latin, it was a very simple medieval church, which I personally really like. This was very special evening for me and I think we all felt blessed that evening...

Food called again and we drove in Raynham which was full of police and young people. Again we did not engage and my mind was split by this.  A lot of them seemed lost, on drugs or alcohol. So we skirted past them and found a Thai restaurant, which I felt very embarrassed about being from the Thai forest Buddhist tradition and not eating in the evening. Ray and Alan walked in and well I followed being very quiet. We sat down, the hostess and myself acknowledge each other and I knew I was at home with the Buddha images, Thai cultural icons and Asian hospitality.  I explained what we where doing...I'm not sure she fully understood, and yet a few minutes later a coke appeared on the table for me.  The food for the others was very good, and we all laughed a lot, feeling very welcomed.

As we left Raynham the police were talking to young people and their parents in cars - and the whole scene felt a mixture of sadness and the primal tribal energy of young people when they come together. We returned to the hall and feel asleep exhaustedafter a short excursion of trying to find the trip switch for the electricity, which had gone off.