It rained a lot overnight. Fortunately the sandpit was a shallow one and allowed me to drive on in the morning. Into South Carolina.
Today makes it three days since I properly spoke to anyone, which is kind of strange. (I'm not sure I can count asking petrol station cashiers for forty dollars of Regular as conversation.) And there is only so far I can rely on my imaginary friends before it gets tired. Emily and the Purple Nimbus have gotten me here, yes, but there comes a time when a little more stimulating interaction is required. I mean, I'm really good at pushing all the right buttons with Emily, really good. She loves it. Demands it, even. It's just a talent I have. But when it comes to discussing the history of the American South, or deciding which plantation manor house we would choose to live in, I get nothing back.
I had an imaginary friend as a toddler, incidentally. If I recall correctly, her name was Natalie, which confused the hell out of my parents because the girl over the road was also called Natalie. I don't think I'll ever know if her (my?) choice of imaginary name was Freudian. I'm quite interested to know what sort of things (imaginary) Natalie and I used to get up to. It might help with the upcoming couple of weeks of me-time. I've probably got some amazing advice about how to make the most of time with imaginary friends stored away in my subconscious somewhere.
I think the solitude is affecting my attention span as well. I downloaded a stack of films for the journey between DC and Florida but, so far, have been unable to get through any in one sitting. Two hours feels almost like an eternity. Usually I'd be able to spend a whole day, or more, doing nothing but watching films. It's disconcerting. Apparently fatigue and hunger can contribute to a diminished attention span. So I'll blame the driving, even though I am limiting myself to about three-and-a-half hours max behind the wheel each day. I think my diet is okay. I'm eating enough vegetable-laden cous-cous for two each day (easy to cook, appeals to my culinary skills). Maybe I should eat more? Might stop by a grocery store and stock up on additional snacks tomorrow. Will stop buy a grocery store...writing about hunger just compelled me to eat all my ancillary food.
In 'Whole Foods Market', the States has the best supermarket chain in the world. I say the world...certainly in the US and UK. And maybe Canada. There is one on my way through Charleston tomorrow. Just the ticket.
Newest McDonald's in the world. Congratulations, South Carolina.
Through Charleston, South Carolina, with its' balconied houses and pillared porches, and Savannah, Georgia, much the same. I'm spending tonight on Jekyll Island, summer retreat of the rich and famous of New York. Winter retreat of moi. I still have to pay five dollars to get onto the island though. It is one of many down the east of the States, created by the building of canals to supplement the natural coastal harbours and thereby allowing shipping a safe haven from the Atlantic down the entire length of the country from Boston way up in Massachusetts, all the way down to Miami, Florida, and the Keys beyond. The Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway. Epic.
The ipad got confused being away from the internet for so long; it thought today was Saturday, and had me convinced too. As you might guess, keeping track of the days isn't the easiest of tasks when there is nothing to distinguish one from the next. Today is actually Friday.
I can say one thing for the world of work: Friday had an aura. To me, Friday has lost its' sense of magic. To me, right now, it is just another day in one long line of days.
Reached the southern apex of my northern hemisphere adventure, until the back-end of February at least. Tonight I am at Sebastian Inlet, about half-way down the Atlantic coast of Florida. I won't be making it as far as the Everglades and for that I am sorry, Gentle Ben. I am sorry.
The last three days just kind of melded into one big wake, drive, park, film, sleep merry-go-round, until today, which was notable for the recurring rainstorms that thrashed down upon the road every twenty or thirty minutes. And for the apparent illness that is trying to take hold of me at just the wrong time. Six straight days of travel from Washington, and it is the day before meeting an Astronaut that I become under the weather. And it's not like I've been neglecting my primary food groups either. Hopefully the Florida humidity coupled with a one-a-day multivitamin or two and stacks of water will see me right overnight.
Before I sign off, I should mention that tonight's neighbours are a couple of chaps from the upper reaches of the state of Georgia, one of whom uttered the immortal line You're not from round here, are ya?, as we greeted each other.
See y'all on the flip-side. Hopefully.
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