Progress

Me and Jimmy have taken a swap between the blogs, so you’relucky enough to be treated with Nathan’s attempt at this blog.

We have now completed a full 5 days canoeing around Leam and by Sunday it will hopefully have been 5 days straight. It might not seem like a lot when you think of the 4 months that we’ve got to paddle, but the progress we’ve made feels significant. Remembering the first half day when I could barely move my arms after getting out of the canoe, physically I think we’re now both feeling stronger and more ready and aware of the physical toll that each days takes.

But while 5 days isn’t going to dramatically improve our strength, we have definitely improved in terms of doing the things that are essential for the journey. First, while Jimmy had already mastered the simple task of steering the canoe, I’m crashing a lot less than before and no longer making my own windy route up the river. Then there’s the practical stuff: getting in and out of the canoe – if we ignore the day went for a swim, lifting the canoe out of the water (I’m meant to call this portaging), taking on food, hydrating and even just setting off at the start of the day have all become a lot more smooth.

Not as practically important, but something which I reckon is pretty crucial is the quality of the chat that we’re now getting through. Most people ask how we’re going to cope with being stuck in the same boat for hours every day. I can confirm that we are yet to run out of topics after 5 days of repeating the same stretches of water with only midlands wildlife to talk to. We’ve covered – in no particular order and this is just the stuff I can remember from today – the women of Warwick Uni, what we should do if a third world war breaks out when we’re canoeing, where Eastenders is going wrong and how many times we’ve each been to A and E. It may not be riveting, but we’ve reached some conclusions that will definitely advance humanity as we know it.

Well, in typically modest fashion, I’ve got to say that was some beautiful blogging. Adios.