The Observation Wheel in Littlehampton

                    

Funnily enough, my husband and I had not seen the latest tourist attraction on Littlehampton sea front until we reached a high point on our run training route, that took us up on the downs. It was a beautifully clear day and we stopped and looked around at the view.

I turned on the stop saying how crisp it looked everywhere, “Look at the Rampion Wind Farm, the depth of colours in the sea, the ugly tower block of flats in Littlehampton and that big wheel by the promenade”! Steve turned to me and said “What big wheel there isn’t a big wheel in Littlehampton”? He turned and gawped asking “How long has that been there for goodness sake”.

After that run yesterday we had gone to the beach for a swim while the tide was fully in, and afterwards we had driven a half mile along to the new latest addition to the attractions. When we had seen it from the top of the downs, we had thought it must be in Harbour Park, along with the rides, stalls and slot machine lanes but it is not. It stands at the end of Banjo Road bold as brass on its own.

Checking for information about it this morning, it seems that it is only a temporary visitor for just about a month during the summer holiday period. In the reports it sounds bigger than it is, since it is called a Giant Observation Wheel.  The council spoked person quoted said that it will be self- funding but that sounds unlikely to me. It is also doomed to be added to the ‘Marmite’ subject list, since some will love it and others will call it a monstrosity. That area by the beach has had amusement features as long as I can remember, way back to the Wild Mouse and longer ago there was an ice rink.

Then we have the Windmill Theatre/ Cinema that has turned into a very good art house film theatre with volunteer ushers. In normal times we and friends have been there often. The amusement corner by the mouth of the lovely River Arun. Good views of West Beach, the Fort and the downs too I would think. Hurry though its not going to be there long.

Rides cost £5 each or £15 for a family.

Below is a very nice photo taken from Secret Littlehampton on Instagram.

                                   

A very good days training

What can I say other than that this was a very good day both in my training that I worry about saying that it is going so well. It was still dark when the alarm went off this morning after a good night’s sleep when I don’t even remember waking up at all. I had seven hours sleep which is perfect for me, I rarely sleep longer than that and I don’t stay in bed once I am awake, that is something I don’t get at all; just laying in bed, not in my list of skills.

We had a most enjoyable 8-mile run that began when it was not quite fully light and in that crack of dawn moment, when we started our run we spotted two young deer in the first field we pass. They made us laugh immediately because they stood stark still for a moment and then they started off not knowing where they were going and we did a silly commentary of their conversation ‘ lets go this way…. No that way… no, I was right it’s this… no, no ok let’s turn back and go the other way’ Ditzy deer stuff.

The rest of the run was sheer joy to be out running together on a lovely day when the ground had just an edge of softness to it but not soggy. We didn’t stop for anything at all and we both knew before we checked the Garmin Forerunner that it would be a good time for the distance. Steve has a little note book where he records all of our training runs and this was a best for the 16 months since we have been using the device. A clear two minutes better than any of our other 8-milers not just seconds. We saw three pairs of deer altogether and a couple of the Big Birds which always makes us happy.

Once we got home, we had a quick second coffee as we gathered our swim kit together knowing that we could catch the high tide and had seen that it would not be rough. I stood in the bath tub and slathered myself with baby-oil to make getting into my wet suits easier. I attend to my arms most seriously, since my skin is so thin and it’s hard to get the arms right up without pinching my skin. So, I left from home with my wettie already on and done up and was happy that it was easier to get on than when I wore it last time with the weight loss plan going sensibly but well. Steve likes me to always wear my wetsuit for safety sake given my age etc. He didn’t wear his though, but then when we got to the beach, he took ages getting in with just his swim trunks on, which was good, because it gave me a good start and he is a much faster swimmer than me, he caught me soon enough though and we had a most enjoyable swim together.

 

When we got home, we saw that we had an email from Ironman Ironman5150 Plava Laguna in Poreč, on the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia.  The 5150 part, is what the Ironman corporation call the Olympic or Standard distance triathlon.

We had entered this event for last, May 10^th but due to the pandemic it was postponed like so many events. This was a notification for Steve to register his deferral entry for May 9^th next year. Mine had already been done a while back so it put our minds at rest that we were both now on the start list again.

Steve had already booked our accommodation for the stay in Poreč that looks so beautiful in all the travel photos of the area which has a fabulous old town and is on the Istrian peninsula right on the Adriatic sea. It looks to be a blissful location. We are already looking forward to it.

The Ghost of holidays past

At a time when so many of us have found that we must cancel our get-away spells, I have looked back at some of my favourite memories from past holidays. I always keep a holiday diary and this piece was written in early 2016 in Sils Maria in the upper Engadin in Switzerland.

The town here was very quiet when we arrived on 19th Dec but in the last couple of days it has filled fast, with the forecast of loads of snow all next week. I have to say that whilst there have only been artificial runs open here, we have never seen so many people hobbling around on crutches. That no doubt due to coming to a sudden stop if they miss the edge on the narrow man-made trail.

We have had a lovely time, swimming every morning then breakfast, (which we never have at home) then going for a big hike somewhere. Yesterday we managed to catch the short visiting hours to go inside Nietzsche's house, 3-6pm. I am a complete disgrace in places like that and have not behaved so badly since we went to Mozart's house in Saltzburg, or Monet's home in Giverney. I get caught up in the spirit of a great person’s home with their furniture and ornaments.

The main problem is that I seem to completely forget how to read!!! This means notices that say 'Do not touch' could be Chinese to me. When in the homes of the great and dead I suffer an uncontrollable urge to fondle, not just door and drawer handles that they might have touched, but to move the furniture as they may have done.

My husband Steve has caught this almost hypnotic state in the photos he took of me during this visit. I waited until nobody was near before moving one of the dining chairs and sitting at his table, also at the front door I took the warning notice right off and hid it behind the door! Hopefully God will forgive me, since I am usually very polite in normal life. I don't think Frederich Nieztsche minded, I didn't get any bad vibes from him.

We went up to one of the glaciers yesterday, a trek that gave us both legs ache, and on the way back, down we watched a small group climbing a frozen waterfall. 

So, we feel we have made the most of our visit. Saturday night will be in the Black Forest and then hopefully hack all the way home on Sunday.

The diet resumes next Monday though we have not been too bad whilst we have been away.