Alastair Milloy / starting out

After a few weeks of not knowing what would be happening or what we would be doing on the first away week, we are now here in a beautiful place away from cities, people, motorways…….

The solo day is tomorrow but for once I have no plans of what to do but only where to go – along the coast rather than inland.  Still to decide whether to fast or not or whether to take a camera or paper or really what to do.

The thought of having no technology, even a watch is very strange.  Over the past few years technology has crept up on us all mobile phones, broadband, internet, hdtv, digital cameras……..  To not have any of that in this environment means that you have to live in the moment and gradually accept that there is no need to take the phone with you if you cannot get a signal.

The solo day will take that a step further – no conversation – no watches either – so no knowledge of what time it is except for the sun in the sky.

The solo day was overcast and so not much help from the sun.  I had decided to set out early and go along the coast and spend time alone watching the sea and life pass by.  I brought my camera (as I had decided that it was not technology) and penknife (to carve some wood for my son) and some paper and pencils to write and draw (badly).

Spending a day alone or not talking to anyone was not that bad however on retuning it was very strange not being able to talk to anyone, to find out what others had done or to share what had happened.

That would come the next day.