Day 23 - Falmouth

Beer drunk: none, Distance walked: 14km, Time taken: 4h 43m (3h 26m walking)

Turned out to be a pleasant day for walking today.  In the Helford estuary the sky cleared and we even got patches of blue!  Back on the coast is was overcast but mild, no rain and no fog, so you could see the view and it was worth seeing.  As it hasn't actually rained for the last few days, while it was still muddy underfoot, it wasn't as liquid and slippery.  You could even imagine it might dry out in spots.

I walked on my own today as all the others I'd met stayed overnight in different villages to me.  I did see someone in the distance that looked like Trevor but decided not to hail him.  Turned out to be the right move as when I got closer I saw it wasn't him at all.

Today was supposed to be 16km long and of moderate, not easy, intensity and therefore should take about 5 hours to walk according to the guidebook.  I don't know what they were smoking as it was the easiest stage yet.  I got to my B&B at 2:30pm rather than after 4pm as is usual and I strolled most of the way.  My landlady here wasn't impressed when I showed up so early.  For a while there I thought she was going to tell me to go away and come back later but my room was ready so she had no real reason to do so.  I can't say I was thrilled with my welcome but perhaps that is just because so many of the people I've met along the way have been super friendly and an ordinary manner seems rather brusque now.

She was also very fussy about dirt.  I took my boots off at the door as a matter of course but she kept eyeing my hiking pole tip and the muddy cuffs of my trousers.  I had planned on rinsing the worst of the mud off in the bathroom but didn't dare risk her gimlet eye spotting a mud drop.  Given that she makes a point of putting up walkers on the SWCP you'd think she'd be a little more laid back about the odd bit of mud.

On the plus side, she did give me a map of Falmouth and recommended places for me to eat and drink.  There is a Rick Stein fish&chip shop here too which she rubbished so she clearly isn't all bad.  She is also letting me leave my suitcase here tomorrow morning as my train to London doesn't leave until almost 1pm.  This means I can go sightseeing tomorrow before heading off.  Given that she is essentially letting me check in early and leave late it is probably a little churlish of me to be fussy about her manner.

Still, this is my least favorite B&B.  My room is tiny and my (own private) bathroom is down the hall, although I also have a handbasin in my room.  It is also all a little shabby.  The paint is peeling and I can't put anything on the shelf above the sink in my room.  It is so loosely attached to the wall anything heavier than a comb makes it pull away from the wall alarmingly and everything slides off.  There is also absolutely no soundproofing and the couple in the room next door have a small child with them.  At least it is only for the one night.

I had my second last full English breakfast this morning.  I wonder what the food here will be like.   My hotel in London is part of a big chain so breakfast is not included in the price.  The more upmarket the hotel, the more they nickel and dime you.  I'll probably buy my breakfast at Heathrow with whatever cash I have left so it may turn out to be an interesting meal.

There were two German women hikers at my B&B this morning and they recoiled in horror at the sight of my breakfast.  They told me they'd managed a full English once and swore never again.  Lunch was slightly different to the usual.  This time an apple and a packet of nuts and raisins.  Afternoon tea was an ice cream cone with a scoop from a local Cornish ice creamery - orange and marscapone flavour and very flavoursome it was too.

Dinner was an experiment that turned out surprisingly well.  I was very hungry by around 6pm so I picked a place that seemed reasonable and already had some people in it.  It was an African-Cornish fusion place called Amanzi - which is the Zulu word for water.  They were very welcoming and didn't hesitate at all to serve a solo diner.  They also didn't hurry me out even when they were getting busy and could have used my table.  Although, the service could have been better.  They didn't bring the water I asked for and I had to ask for sugar for my coffee, but I'll forgive all that for the friendliness.

The food was tasty too.  I started with a crab bisque with a wonderfully garlicky aioli.  Don't see the connection to Africa but don't care.  Main was plaice stuffed with samphire, crab and herbs according to the menu.  The "herbs" included quite a bit of fresh ginger (a spice surely?) and either pine nuts or almonds.  Again, don't see Africa in any of this and again don't care.  Dessert was a creme brulee which had obviously been caramelised on the spot which is very good service.   The coffee was good too.

Now I have to try and completely unpack my suitcase in my tiny room and re-pack it so all my grotty hiking gear is on the bottom and all my valuables in my backpack.  I swear things are growing in the dark at night.  It is getting harder and harder to fit everything in and I hardly bought any souvenirs today.