Walk the walk of walking the walk

I’ve bumped around a lot of cities in my life.  Way way back in the olden days of the 90s (LOL), when I was hanging out with X a lot, we’d walk and talk.  Just wonder around the neighborhoods, either his or mine, and chat.  We did the same in Madison a lot as well.  When I lived in Da Bay, I would walk, until I needed the cane as that took the wind out of my walking sails.  Before that, BV and I used to walk a lot.  I remember some of the walks in the Redwoods and just around places in Da Bay with her.  We’d also walk to groceries and there was an Indian place she knew and liked about a mile away and that was always a nice walk.  We also did Yosemite and the Bay to Breakers, so we walked often.

Covid was a whole new thing.  J and I would walk.  A lot.  We’d get Kiddo out and walk.  Well, Kiddo would power around on her Scootbike.  Even nights, to burn off some of the kid energy, we’d take Kiddo out.  A short walk.  Only about half mile.  We’d bring 5 jelly beans with us and Kiddo would stop occasionally and need a “booster” to keep going.

Mexico, San Francisco, LA, Bangkok, Saigon, Da Nang, and now Shanghai.  I’ve got to just walk about in a LOT of cites.  Alone with my music and thoughts or with a friend/girlfriend, I’ve walked.  Then winter in Shanghai happened and I fell off of that.  This summer, I got back to moving and getting about, only this time on the bike.  It was nice.  Now, it’s winter again and biking is hard, just with the cold and the layers and all that.  Undeterred, I’ve given up the bike, but I’m walking again.  I’m used to the cold once more.  After 3 years in Thailand, last winter was a bit of a shock to the system.  Now, however, I have a hat, gloves, good coat, vests, and other cold weather gear and I can walk.  

I bring that up because it is 2C (37F)  here today.  The high is supposed to be around 9.5C (49F), but at least it’s sunny.  I have gotten into a routine, though.  I walk Kiddo to school.  I then go to the produce market and get what is needed for produce.  Usually, I’ll grab some fruit as well.  Clementine oranges are in season here and I love those things.  Then, once home, I’ll drop off produce and swap bags and keep moving and walk to the cafe that is near.  All told, my mornings start with a 2.5km (1.5 mile) walk and it’s only been a week of that, but with Kiddo sick and missing some days and the like, it’s only really been 3 days, but I am loving it so far.

Besides, the walk is (in parts) gorgeous.  I mean, how idyllic is that?

I’ve also found that while moving, it’s not too cold.  I don’t stroll or dawdle, I move.  Even with Kiddo, I keep a pretty good pace.  She, however, walks like J, so that’s not a problem, because J walks hard!  Besides, Kiddo, who Identifies as a Little Thai Girl (her words) and as evidenced by her school work on ethnicity and nationality, also likes to walk quickly so she can get out of the cold faster.  Why she would need that bundled up in a billion layers is beyond me, but she is a fluff ball.  Also, pretty cool hat and scarf by J and her knitting needles.  

So, I’m going to try to make this my Winter of Walking.  Just to get out and move, but also to see what I can.  Be it nature and something cool, like above, or just the mundane, that day to day, the cars and people doing cars and people things.  Part of it is to add a layer of fitness, because… why not?  The real reason is to just do it.  To see.  To move.  To not just do a drop off and return and then home and wondering what to do and getting mentally lazy and physically lazy and having that all add up on me.  I can think, move, see, listen, smile, and enjoy.  For no other reason than, because it’s there!  

Let’s go, Kiddo… to see, explore, do, feel, and be free.  Free in movement and thought, to be us, to let you be you.  Let’s wonder the world, day by day and city by city and let’s se how much of it we can cover.  We’ve already done more than most, as you’ve got Ha Noi, Da Nang, Saigon, Bangkok, Shanghai, LA, San Francisco, OSide, Green Bay, and a few more.  Where’s next?  Tokyo?  Seoul?  Beijing?  Chiang Mai?  Who knows, but let’s find out.  We can do it hand in hand with Mumma, or we can go elephant style, with me leading and Mumma at the rear, with our darling lil elephant in the middle, exploring and loving with us as we go.