Travelling Tim

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August 28, 2006

I open a new chapter in my life

An old chapter in my life has ended, and a new one has begun. After more than 12 years in the West of Ireland, I have decided that a change is needed. A drastic change. No half-measures for Travelling Tim! You can read about my thoughts behind this decision, the fun involved in selling my house, and the final days in Ireland on the 2006 page of 'My Irish house' section. This page will start with that process completed, as I move out into the wide world, officially homeless, with 2 rucksacks and 3 bags to fit my possessions into.

Sometimes events in life click together one after another, and sometimes they don't. This time, though, events and coincidences have followed one after another in a fairly even and positive stream. I am very please to find such a nice buyer for my house: someone who will carry on a lot of what I have started at Coolmeen, rather than just ripping it all out and building a bungalow. What are the chances of finding a buyer who likes the remote setting, makes wine, big into gardening, has a friend who does blacksmithing, and who is in need of a friendly cat?! What are the chances of having a friend with a van who was going to Birmingham just at the moment I needed to travel there myself? That happened too. Then there is the voluntary work opportunity (more about that later). It all fell into place, and I was able to provide a useful skill just at the moment it was needed. Apart from spraining my wrist at an inopportune moment, everything else went well. Coincidence or benevolent omnipotent being? You decide - I never can.

My house sold, keys handed over and the new owner moved in, I stayed for a few days with friends Steve and Katie Brightwood whilst sorting out a few final details, and saying my goodbyes to friends and neighbours. After so many weeks of frantic packing and organising, it felt strange to suddenly be at a loose end, though Steve and Katie's kids Erin and Rowan made sure I was kept busy playing 'Bucaneer', watching DVDs, and going for long walks. I also needed to get back into the routine of living from a rucksack again: a bit of an art-form in itself, trying to remember what is where, and not to leave the shampoo in anyone's bathroom *yet again*.

The day of my departure dawned at last. After a small panic about delays, Steve drove me to rendezvous with Owen and his Mum in the Transit van, and we made excellent time to the Dublin docks thanks to the new by-passes and motorway sections on the N4. Two hours from Boyle to the Liffey: who would have believed it?! The ferry was one of those new super-high speed ones: not really a hydrofoil, but quite similar. I was expecting to have to sit down, aircraft-style, but in fact you could wander around just like a normal ferry, even go on deck, though when the ship got up to full speed it was necessary to keep a tight grip on my new hat! We had a celebratory pint of Guiness in the ship's bar.

Arrival at Holyhead, and not even a passport-check these days. On to the Welsh, and then English roads; Owen's mum kept up a running commentary throughout the journey, so the trip to Birmingham passed by in no time, even with the usual delays on the M6 motorway. I spent that night with Stan and Rosemary, then after a useful morning helping with various computer-related problems, caught the coach down to Oxford, where I was met by my sister Jill.

Another coincidence here: Jill had arranged to meet up with Margaret and Sue some time before: who would have guessed that this was just the time that I would be travelling through the area?! It was a lovely chance to meet up with everyone again. Gerry, Jill, Michael and myself drove to our rendezvous with the others at an old coaching inn on the outskirts of Nottingham. We passed Margaret on the way, and Sue arrived from a flute convention in Manchester soon afterwards.

We had a very pleasant luncheon, and then a chance to visit Newstead Abbey, the home of poet and reprobate Lord Byron. They were having a 'Noddy Weekend' there that day: not the usual kind of amoral and licentious weekends that Byron was used to: he must be turning in his grave!. With so many children milling about, entry to the gardens was free that day! They were very well laid out, with many interesting areas to explore and wander in.

The next morning, after a brief tour of Oxford with Jill, I was on the coach again, via a very busy London to the south coast of England and the town of Hastings, famous for the Battle of Hastings in the year 1066; the last time that England was invaded. Just to the north of there is the Pestalozzi International Village at Sedlescombe, East Sussex, which is to be my new home for the next 3 months. (For a map of the area, click here).

About the Pestalozzi International Village:
Named after Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, a nineteenth century Swiss humanitarian and educationalist, the Pestalozzi international village was established in 1959 to provide education and training in practical skills to children from needy communities around the world, and today educates bright young people aged 16-20 from low-income families in Asia and Africa. It also runs the Pestalozzi international development education centre, providing education in global citizenship for schools and community groups.

The centre boasts outstanding facilities including workshops, alternative technology, gardening etc. Set in 175 acres, the grounds at Pestalozzi include much woodland, a lake, wide-open spaces, and some beautiful walks. For more information see their website.

Wow, am I pleased to be here! Its a gorgeous location, with lots of very friendly people. I have my own room with a lovely view from the window, and a bathroom just across the corridor. There's great vegetarian food, even a broadband internet network that I can connect to with my laptop.

How I came to be here is another one of those ?coincidences?. Some years ago, I did a few months voluntary work at the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, then under directorship of Tony Hirst. I was able to learn a lot and also contribute a lot whilst keeping busy restoring old steam and diesel engines, generally helping about the site, and getting a bit more practice in with boat-handling, helping to crew a working pair of narrow boats on their return journey from the Black Country Museum to Ellesmere Port. Here is the letter Tony Hirst sent to me when I left. Back to the present day, and I had a spare 3 months whilst waiting for my trip to Africa to begin (more about that later). Thinking that I could be of use to the Boat Museum once again during that period, I sent a number of emails to Steve Maris, the new 'Site Manager'. I also left telephone messages with reception, and on his voice mail. They were all ignored. No one bothered to even acknowledge my offers of help, so, discarding that possibility, I checked put the internet for other voluntary work.

Looking on the WWOOFing website, and trawling through the various options available in England, I noticed a mention of the Pestalozzi International Village. I investigated further, and the more I read, the more interested in the concept and the reality I became. An exploratory email sent to the volunteer coordinator was speedily answered, and I found that there was an immediate need for my skills, and that I would be very welcome to come as a volunteer.

My main task here will be as a driver for the various vehicles that ferry students and staff around the local area. There are also a large number of airport pickups to be done, as the new term is just about to start, students to be met when they fly in from abroad, and no other driver available just at the moment. It seems that I have arrived just at the right time! In between driving duties, I will be helping out in various ways about the estate, utilising the various skills I have trained for or picked up whilst restoring the house in Ireland.

After work, and on my days off, I am free to explore the beautiful countryside of West Sussex, and the Pestalozzi estate itself. At approximately 175 acres, there is a huge area of open grassland and woods to wander in, and I have already started to explore it. This page has a few photos of the estate: I hope to share more in future.

There is also a lovely walled garden with some old greenhouses and well-kept vegetable and fruiting areas. Here are a few photos of them.

The students are due back next week, but in the meantime, other groups rent the premises for weekend meetings or gatherings. This weekend, we have a large number of Tibetans, camping in the top field, near to the old windmill. The weather has been rather wet most of the time, so rather than cook outside, they have been using the facilities of 'Swiss Hall', the main catering block. We were all invited to share their Tibetan food: mmmm, how tasty it is!

I mentioned briefly above my next trip. Its to be another Overland Trip, this time travelling by 4WD truck from London through north and east Africa to Cape Town. The trip will take about 6 months, and starts at the end of November. You can see more details, and a route map, on the Dragoman website. After that, maybe Namibia, maybe Madagascar, or maybe something else entirely. I'll just have to see what other coincidences turn up...

Posted by travellingtim at August 28, 2006 05:11 PM