Sunday, July 22, 2012 – Washaway to Somewhere Near Barnstaple

Today we covered in one day the distance that last year took me a week.  You may recall that last year I often dreamt of trading my boots for a bicycle, but what I really should have coveted was a car.  What an easy way to travel!!  And with air conditioning, you hardly ever break into a sweat, even when driving on the wrong side of the road.

View from Tintagel Castle

From our B&B in Washaway (a small village southeast of Wadebridge), the car took us to Tintagel in no time at all.  After exploring King Arthur’s castle, Janet and I strolled around the village.  Because we are highly-experienced trail walkers, we relate to people who wear large backpacks and who, as you know, are invisible to the general population.   That’s how we spotted King Arthur, happily walking around the village.

“Lost-a-lot!!  I’m so pleased to see you again!!” exclaimed the King.

“Good morning, Your Majesty.  You look much happier than when we last met.”

“Yes, your suggestion that I wear a backpack so I would be as invisible as a homeless person works wonderfully.  I’m so grateful to you, Lost-a-lot.  If there is anything I can ever do for you, just let me know.”

“Well, Art, there is one little thing.  I’ve had difficulty finding parking places.  Can you do something about the crowds?”

“Oh, all my subjects are enjoying the sunny days, and I wouldn’t do anything to deny them that pleasure.  But don’t worry, the weekend is nearly over, and you won’t have any further parking problems.”

King Arthur was right.  After Tintagel, Janet and I drove through Boscastle, Bude, and out to Hartland Quay where we stopped at the hotel for lunch – and despite the crowds, we found a parking place adjacent to the hotel.  Then we went to Clovelly, where there was no parking problem at all.

From Clovelly, we drove to somewhere near Barnstaple, where we spent a wonderful evening with Roger and Pauline in their lovely home.  Pauline cooked a delightful dinner, over which all four of us reminisced about  our meeting last year.  But that was only after I regained my composure.

You see, as Janet and I drove up to Roger’s and Pauline’s house, I gasped at the sight of Nora Too! – Roger’s and Pauline’s beautifully restored 1973 VW camper –  parked in the driveway.  You may recall how Nora Too! and I fell in love with each other last year. 

Well, nothing good ever happens when a spouse encounters a paramour, and I was not happy when Janet immediately got out of our car and walked up to Nora Too!.  From the bits I overheard, their conversation went something like this:

Janet:  “You are much more beautiful than I thought.  No wonder Ken was so enamored by you.”

Nora Too!:  “Enamored???  I don’t think so.  He never writes or calls.”

Janet:  “Well, that’s just the way he is.  Always wrapped up in himself – never any time to think of others.”

Nora Too!:  “I recently became seriously ill.  I had ingested some bad fuel.  My fuel pump became clogged and my spark plugs were fouled.  I could hardly move.  He didn’t even send a get-well card.”

Janet:  “I’m not surprised.  He’s so fickle.  Why just the other day I noticed him ogling a young motorcycle.”

Nora Too!:  “OH!!!  HOW COULD HE?!!!”

Janet:  “You don’t know the half of it.  Sports cars, power boats, jet skis – he jumps from one to the next as if they were toys.  He’s even riding a bicycle now.”

Nora Too!:  “How could I have been so stupid?”

Janet:  “Don’t be so hard on yourself.  You know that Roger and Pauline love you.  Look to them for true love and the rest of your days will be filled with happiness.”

Nora Too!:  “You’re a remarkable woman to put up with him.”

Janet:  “I try.”

(c) 2012 Ken Klug