Well, we're exhausted! This morning Anne and I went on a 10km trek up and down a mountain. Phew! I played Frodo Kent-Taylor and Anne was Anne-wise Gamgee. We didn't have a Gollum. We treked and treked and saw some great scenery. However, it started raining, and Anne-wise and I looked for a Hobbit hole in which to hide. We found one, but a couple were already hiding there (for the purposes of this reconstruction, we'll call them Aussie Guy and Aussie Girl). We found another hole/cave nearby, and hid there, waiting for the rain to ease. As we waited we heard the other couple coming past our hole.
Aussie Girl: I'm Smeagol!
Aussie Guy: Go on then, lead the way Gollum.
I don't know who the guy was playing. Erm, Faramir?
Moral: Never assume that everyone else is any less immature than you.
Anyway, we carried on in both rain AND shine down a "Grand Canyon" (not THE Grand Canyon) and up to the top ("Pinnacle"), which I dubbed Mount Doom, with just some lembas and a Twix to sustain us. The scenery was fantastic and it was a very rewarding climb. It was quite busy, and there were even some small children about. This made our energetic feat seem less impressive. Mordor was never this busy in my day.
We saw lots of wildlife too:
Anne: Ooh, ooh, a roo!
Stephen: Actually, I think that's a rock wallaby.
A: Well, it was quicker to say "ooh, ooh, a roo", and it rhymed.
S: Perhaps next time you should say, "Ollaby, Ollaby, a rock wallaby"?
A: Shut up.
Since we've started hiking, we've noticed that every day is like Boxing Day for hikers. Normally, the only time people say "Hi" to each other when they pass is when they're out for a walk on Boxing Day, after too much turkey. When you're hiking you're obliged to acknowledge everyone you pass. It can be quite tiring. And then sometimes someone ignores you. I hate those people. Don't they understand the Boxing Day/Hiking rules? Ooh - Boxing Day proper is three months away!
We returned to the hostel for lunch, and sat by the fire for two whole hours. Shattered. After that we thought we really ought to get outside, and walked a further 10km about the town and out to various attractions. After 7km I really started to feel it, and nearly collapsed. Weak me.
Big fat book
On a completely different subject, I finshed reading The Lord of the Rings last night. I'd always thought I ought to read it, and I have time to read on my travels, so really I read it because I felt obliged. I liked much of it, but some of it bored me. I ignored the many appendices - I don't care what Sam called his kids. If it's not important enough to be IN the book then it's not worth my time.
You've got to be impressed, however, by the huge, detailed world Tolkein created. Glad I've finished it though. Am now reading Bill Bryson's Down Under, which I've read before. I needed something light and fun.