We went to the West again this week-end as it was probably the only spot in England where it wasn't raining cats and dogs. We went for hiking in a beautiful place, it's called Pen-Y-Fan, and it is the highest mountain in South Wales (Fan means just Mountain in Welsh, I think). The wind was chill, but at least there was a sort of sun, even warm sometimes.
I tried to go up thinking of Ithaca. I realised I'd never reach the hill-top if I kept thinking of it, looking up. So I had to try and enjoy even the pain (I'm not very fit), enjoy the landscape, enjoy the nature around (grass&sheeps), appreciate that I was going up, anyway. Well, I need to explain this, for non-hikers: even making an effort is enjoyable, for many reasons, because you know it will do you good, because you know it leads somewhere, and maybe because it releases endorphins. So you travel because you want to get to a beautiful place, but you need to have a anticipation of the beauty along the journey. And you need to enjoy what you are doing, even if you wouldn't have chosen it purely, as I wouldn't go to the gym because it is too boring and ugly to sweat for the sake of sweating.
I forgot: I was following the Black Knight on the way up-hill, and I was trusting his passion for the mountain. (Also his passion for the sheep: he was running after them crying "Lamb chops walking".)
When we reached the top, the landscape was beautiful, much more than what I had expected. We could see at 360 degrees, there were various basins, probably dug by an ancient glacier, with small lakes at the bottom. I'll try and post more pictures tomorrow. So that's Ithaca, I hope. Even more than what I can desire!
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