Lazy Sunday Photo- Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Thames Walk (Oxford, UK) Video, It was So Serene

This is a less than a minute duration video but I really like it. It was such a peaceful day and unlike India most of the time I could feel I was alone on this walk and yet always felt safe. The only botheration was because of my own fears. Long stretch of road, river on one side and wild open fields, what more could I ask for? Well, if I be honest I would ask for the Himalayas in the background.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Sunset on Thames, Oxford, UK

Sunset on Thames, Oxford, UK, June 2008

This was the day when I walked for 4 hours and covered 11km on the Thames River Walk. And that is all I have hiked this year till date. There are tentative plans to trek in Darjeeling along with my younger nephew through YHAI. I hope we are able to pull it off.

Sesha just came back today after trekking to Roopkund (and completed it too!) and has no leaves left. So it has to be just me and my nephew in December. But I am quite tempted.

Automobiles or Walking?

A Small Car Advertising City Sightseeing Tours in Oxford, UK

For me, when it comes to taking a bus tour or walking the choice is very clear. I love walking and I will any day pick up walking (reasonable distance and I consider 20km in one long day quite reasonable particularly on flat terrains) over taking a bus tour.

I have done both in Oxford. The City sightseeing red bus tour is good to get an orientation of the city. The charge is 11.50 pounds and on both my visits it was arranged by my official hosts. It is fun to sit on the top of the bus and take in the city passing by. It even makes for a few good photography angles too. On top of it you can hop off the bus at any point and board the bus later from the same spot. The tickets are valid for 24 hours after all! But when it rains (as it often does) the lower portion of the bus becomes suddenly quite attractive!

The Actual Red Bus, City Sightseeing Bus Tours in Oxford, UK,

But I guess I like walking so much because I am in total control. Oxford is anyway a small city and I can stop any where I wish and click endless pictures! Also all those heavy meals that I tend to eat, walking is the best way to burn them off!

But there is a bigger reason as well. I guess my brain functions only when I am walking and I tend to think earth shattering things only after I have walked at least 10 kilometers and find a flat stone (if unavailable then even a pavement will do) to sit. Sounds strange? But that is how it is with me. Put me on a bus and I will fall asleep, sometimes on the shoulders of the next person too, much to my embarrassment later when I wake up.

Them Doggies on Countryside Walks in UK

The Kings Arms, Sandford Lock

I stumbled upon two very pleasant countryside walks in Oxford. I love walking and these were the kind of walks that just keep going straight, there is very little chance of getting lost, my kind of walks. I will talk about them in detail soon. What I wish to write about today is them doggies. I know Sidhu is a huge fan of dogs and he will view this post very differently.

Imagine walking serenely on a path with the Thames on one side and open fields on the other. You will meet people strolling, cycling or running from time to time. There are flowers to be clicked and admired, in that order. The weather is mild (gave me a mild sunburn later as I was not using any lotion) and all is at peace in the world! Right? Wrong.

It is them doggies. In the countryside, people let their dogs off the leash. And that is a source of unmitigated terror to me! I am really truly afraid of dogs, even the tiny miny ones. So, on this walk when I faltered for the first time, predictably it was when I saw a huge dog let of the leash (Labrador, I deep down know they are harmless). I looked to my right and asked a young lad if it would be alright to walk ahead and if the path leads somewhere? He gave his go ahead. Then he asked me something from afar and cycled around for a while but finally vanished. The dog owner could probably sense my tension and told me they were going for a dip in the river. The dog of course was running towards water without even sparing me a glance and that is the best thing he could do.

Then there was another man throwing a Frisbee to his dog, thankfully in the opposite direction. And of course the dog was quite interested in the game. Again I hurried past. This was the last of the doggies on the Oxford-Sandford walk. Lucky me? Not so soon.

Kennington Bridge, Oxford to Sandford Walk

The day after I did the Oxford Sandford walk, my original plan was to do nothing. That means walking around aimlessly around the accommodation in my lexicon. After wandering for a while I remembered a wooden gate that I gave a miss during my previous visit to Oxford. Not to make the same mistake twice (maybe not really a mistake as in October 2007 the sunset was really early around 4.00 pm and in June really late around 9.00 pm) I walked through the gate. The walk seemed promising till I encountered my nemesis.

On the narrow path there were two ladies on two tall horses with their their dog running ahead. Of course he was interested in me and I for sure was not. Not willing to offend anyone, I politely put my small shoulder bag in front of my legs and the intelligent dog understood my gesture. He went his way and I thanked my stars. Too soon, it turned out.

Countryside near Harcourt Hill, Oxford

Can you see the serenity above? I was walking without a care a few minutes later and then heard some footsteps running furiously. I turned back and my heart stopped. There was a dog taller than me (or so I thought) being chased by the dog who had gone away a while ago. I was silently telling my self, "You had it, who the hell asked you to walk alone?" A moment later I realized the tall thing was a deer out pacing the dog with an effort that clearly bored him to no end. Did I turn back? No, because as one of my professors aptly remarked that I like to "walk with a vengeance."

Next were two really tiny miny dogs and as they bounded with glee towards me, I said in a croaking voice to their oblivious owners, "Please call them back, I am quite afraid of dogs." There faces contorted with surprise but they did call the dogs back. Was this the end? Did I turn back? Not quite.

I walked ahead for quite sometime and met no dogs. That gave me courage on my way back to venture into a forest like area to my left. I was desperately trying to remember the way full of mild turns. After a few turns I decided if I got lost my colleagues would have no sympathy for me. I turned back and there he was. It had a crooked front leg and a dirty color. The collar round the neck gave me some confidence, I resorted back to my shoulder bag trick but this one took offense and while running away started howling furiously from a safe distance. Heart thudding in mouth, I negotiated my way. He kept barking after my shadow and finally decided I am way too far away to do any more bag tricks.

The end of the country road was almost in sight. There were two ladies on their high horses (literally, no pun intended) again. But these lovely ones had no doggies with them. What sweet ladies. I considered this a good omen and made a dash to safety of my room.

Them doggies!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Thames Walk, Oxford to Sandford

The Path, Thames Walk, Oxford to Sandford

In Quest of Pictures at Oxford

Christ Church Meadows on A Rainy June (2008) Afternoon

On this trip to Oxford I would often venture out to walk around the city, Christ Church Meadows and the Thames Path with two cameras in my hand. Three days later I realized that all I was doing was looking at the places through the lens and constantly worrying about the quality of the pictures. After three days my frenzy to take pictures became a bit too much for myself to bear.

Later when I came back from Leeds, and started walking again in Oxford, I would keep the SLR in the small backpack that I carried around. With the point and shoot it was easy taking pictures and less distracting. And it was a pain to take out the SLR, I would make the effort only if something really caught up my fancy. This way I managed to see more.

Thinking that on my next trip, I would try to declare one day camera free! I know easier said than done, but I can hand over the camera to others and just enjoy the views.