Monday 28 May 2007
Maps and beers
Anton and I went to the Nelson pub where we spread Ordnance Survey maps of Sussex out upon the table. A pint or two of Harveys were sipped as we discussed our quest and the project and our various route options: we aim now to try to finish it off in three consecutive days.
Tuesday 15 May 2007
Audiophile
Today was all about listening to the sound files from the first stage of the Dragon Quest and editing all the more obvious drivel out to then send it into the radio station to see what they think. Actually I came away feeling fairly pleased at how natural we sounded, as opposed to our Cholmondley-Warnerish first attempt.
The irritating editing program took some getting used to, and I found myself grinding my teeth as I worked on my laptop going into work. I also worked on it during my lunch break, and then at home in the evening. It is even more time-consuming than doing the walk itself, but interesting nevertheless - and is giving me all kinds of spin off ideas.
It also makes me feel like going around collecting sounds for their own sake. Like the tapping and whistling sound of the wind through yacht masts, or the wind surging like a soft sea through trees which we briefly caught on the walk. I could listen to those sounds for ages.
The irritating editing program took some getting used to, and I found myself grinding my teeth as I worked on my laptop going into work. I also worked on it during my lunch break, and then at home in the evening. It is even more time-consuming than doing the walk itself, but interesting nevertheless - and is giving me all kinds of spin off ideas.
It also makes me feel like going around collecting sounds for their own sake. Like the tapping and whistling sound of the wind through yacht masts, or the wind surging like a soft sea through trees which we briefly caught on the walk. I could listen to those sounds for ages.
Saturday 12 May 2007
Following the serpent to Burpham
Met Anton and we went to Marks and Spencer’s in Tilley hats, Craghopper trousers, Berghaus anoraks, proper Swiss walking boots. Anton was also sporting gaiters strapped around his calf. In his rucksack were Ordnance Survey maps, a compass, the first aid box and a nicely constructed baguette with bacon, lettuce, tomato and I think a dab of mustard.
My rucksack contained an emergency banana, a camera, information about dragons Anton had found, and the Bone of Contention - the small MP3 recorder which had so treacherously let us down last time.
Off to Littlehampton on the train. Today the weather was very different from when we walked it before, dark clouds, very strong wind and sun over a greenish and choppy sea. There was a moment when walking to our start point Anton suddenly felt really ill and wussy, and I thought the curse of the Dragon had struck again. However he felt a bit better after a sit down and some food. He had a snuffling cold and has not been eating properly lately. This is because he has lost interest in food now that he's teetotal.
This time we knew how to work the equipment and everything worked pretty well. I was checking what we had en route and was fairly pleased. We just decided to relax and be ourselves and for better or worse this is what will come out.
Not incredibly eventful walked up to Arundel (making it four times now that I have walked the particularly agoraphobia inducing bit) but felt pretty good. It was windy and a bit bleak, but this seemed much better dragon hunting weather. We walked inland as before following the undulating line of the river, and then crossed the bridge at Arundel and then Anton had a secret route, which led us towards Jacob's Ladder, which is the site of an Iron Age fort.
We climbed up the stairs and by way of an omen I almost trod on a lovely bronze coloured slow worm on the path. Slow worms of course are not snakes but legless lizards. A bit further on we were briefly assailed by a dense cloud of flies, and then we were into the eructational but beautiful village of Burpham. Burpham? Pardon? Etc.
Anton's destination for us, which was a surprise to me, was a nearby pub called the George and Dragon (from whence the legless lizard had repaired methinks). We had two good pints in there (Anton allowing himself a drink) before finding our way home.
My rucksack contained an emergency banana, a camera, information about dragons Anton had found, and the Bone of Contention - the small MP3 recorder which had so treacherously let us down last time.
Off to Littlehampton on the train. Today the weather was very different from when we walked it before, dark clouds, very strong wind and sun over a greenish and choppy sea. There was a moment when walking to our start point Anton suddenly felt really ill and wussy, and I thought the curse of the Dragon had struck again. However he felt a bit better after a sit down and some food. He had a snuffling cold and has not been eating properly lately. This is because he has lost interest in food now that he's teetotal.
This time we knew how to work the equipment and everything worked pretty well. I was checking what we had en route and was fairly pleased. We just decided to relax and be ourselves and for better or worse this is what will come out.
Not incredibly eventful walked up to Arundel (making it four times now that I have walked the particularly agoraphobia inducing bit) but felt pretty good. It was windy and a bit bleak, but this seemed much better dragon hunting weather. We walked inland as before following the undulating line of the river, and then crossed the bridge at Arundel and then Anton had a secret route, which led us towards Jacob's Ladder, which is the site of an Iron Age fort.
We climbed up the stairs and by way of an omen I almost trod on a lovely bronze coloured slow worm on the path. Slow worms of course are not snakes but legless lizards. A bit further on we were briefly assailed by a dense cloud of flies, and then we were into the eructational but beautiful village of Burpham. Burpham? Pardon? Etc.
Anton's destination for us, which was a surprise to me, was a nearby pub called the George and Dragon (from whence the legless lizard had repaired methinks). We had two good pints in there (Anton allowing himself a drink) before finding our way home.
Below: our slow worm. Anton by the Arun near Ford, George and Dragon pub sign, and a poster inside it.
Tuesday 8 May 2007
A Discourse Relating to a Strange and Monstrous Serpent
Up the hill to see Anton about dragons. When I arrived Anton was ostentatiously drinking mineral water, and declaring that he was now a non-drinker, and was refusing to listen to Anna because she had drunk half a glass of wine and was therefore unreliable. Anton's teetotalism has lasted three entire days, a fact in which he is revelling.
Much less annoying was that he had been to Horsham Museum and bought a copy of a just published limited edition booklet on Horsham's Dragon, which includes the "True and Wonderfull - A Discourse Relating to a Strange and Monstrous Serpent (1614)".
Reading it we learnt about "black letters" which is a type of Gothic-looking font which at that time was reserved for important tracts, bibles and so on. The Discourse was originally printed in that font, possibly indicating the importance of the news it contained. The dragon was actually described as a serpent, and we discussed this at some length.
Then sleepily home, with the dragon book in my man bag.
Much less annoying was that he had been to Horsham Museum and bought a copy of a just published limited edition booklet on Horsham's Dragon, which includes the "True and Wonderfull - A Discourse Relating to a Strange and Monstrous Serpent (1614)".
Reading it we learnt about "black letters" which is a type of Gothic-looking font which at that time was reserved for important tracts, bibles and so on. The Discourse was originally printed in that font, possibly indicating the importance of the news it contained. The dragon was actually described as a serpent, and we discussed this at some length.
Then sleepily home, with the dragon book in my man bag.
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