LETS GET READY TO, er? Ramble?

In the blue corner we have THE CITY AKA BIG SMOKE!

In the coat, scarf, gloves and hat corner ready for the Antarctic, but just going for a walk around London we have Rose "THE CROMPTONATOR" Crompton!

NOW LETS GET READY TO RRAAAAAMMMMBLE!

Yes that's right ladies and gentlemen, with feet that move as quick as Charlie Brown's scuttling little legs, I ducked and weaved my way around zone one, taking on the sights and sirens of the city for an evening walk, with a walking group.

One of my ambitions for 2012 that I've put on my list (which I'm yet to publish in a blog) is to find two new hobbies or interests. I've thought about how much I used to enjoy walking around the local fields when I lived back in Leicestershire, so it led me to look up groups to go walking with in the city. Slightly different scenery, definitely no cows [insert desired catty comment here] but I need stuff to get me out the house and after a bit of Googling I managed to find a walking group right in the centre of London.

Geez, you don't even know how stir crazy I've been going working from home. Literally sitting in front of my laptop with no where to stroll to apart from the kitchen, then back to the living room and then maybe a short trip to Tesco across the road if I'm lucky. That's it. No one to talk to. It's a wonder I've not gnawed off a foot yet - obviously I wouldn't chew off my hands, that would be crazy, I need those to help me make money typing/writing. So, tonight I got myself out there and attended my first walking group ramble!

Ok, ok, so before you go off on one thinking I've aged about 40 years, this was with a walking group for people aged 20-30s, who all live and work in London so they're all quite like minded city dwellers and it wasn't going for an amble with people aged 60+ wanting to talk about nothing more than their post office pension scheme or whatever. Bit of a sweeping generalisation, apologies, but I'm trying to ensure you don't have the same bemused smile on your face as my housemate as a stereotypical image of a walking group pops into your head.

It was all very sociable and around 30 people rocked up. I chatted to an ex-teacher who'd had enough of the rudeness of young people that he quit after a year, a chap from Australia who loved coffee shops and banana bread too and a fellow newbie that was from Poland and schooled me on the finer points of vodka. I don't even like vodka.

Overall everyone was really lovely, they kind of all reminded me of my Mom and her walking group and friends, but younger. Shit, well there's that stereotype I was trying so hard to not get you to think about. But they were, they were all just friendly, nice to chat to people. Good to get out into a new social circle and apparently with over 800 members I'm sure there's many more people to meet!

Even though it was in the city and I've lived here for five years, and even though the route from Old Street to London Bridge was one that I trudged everyday because it was my work commute journey for nearly two years, the leader still managed to find a route that lead us down city back streets and around buildings, statues and monuments that I'd never seen before. Just goes to show, London always has something new to show you and there's no way you can ever see it all, not even after five years. It's nice to be reminded of that, especially because it's so easy to narrow your sights in London and just stick to places you know and so end up seeing things you've seen a thousand times before.

As soon as I fix myself with a decent pair of walking boots I'm off on a 10 mile proper ramble. The last time I walked 10 miles or more was when I was in the Brownies, so bring on the challenge!

RoseC -x-