Unfortunately, last week, I was not able to post stuff here due to other commitments. Actually, I was traveling on business, and some of my thoughts arising from that trip are the focus of today’s posting.
I am fortunate overall in that my work involves a certain amount of traveling to other places. However, the problem that creates is that it gives me very little time for walking when I am traveling. Eight hours in a plane on a transatlantic flight is eight hours less time for walking. So the traveling itself hurts my step count for the days that I have flights. But also, when I arrive at my destination, I don’t always have the facilities for walking, and I am often not familiar with the place, so I don’t know where to go.
But last week was not so bad. I was in Santa Monica, a township on the coast of California, within the commuter belt of Los Angeles. Now, in a previous posting, I mentioned the psychological importance of walking in the morning, to build up the step count early in the day. So while I was in Santa Monica, I rose early each morning and walked down to the beach. There is a promenade area that separates the beach from the nearest buildings, and that was my place for walking. Five o’clock each morning would see me walking the promenade, starting in the pre-dawn, and usually getting back to my hotel shortly after sun-up
It struck me when I was walking that by going out at that time, I was seeing elements of Santa Monica life that may well be missed by walkers later in the day. The climate there is warm, but not unpleasantly so, and on my way from the hotel to the beach, I would see some rough sleepers on benches here and there. The beach itself had more people sleeping there. It was impossible to tell whether some were tourists passing through, people down on their luck and lacking accommodation, or perhaps those with some other reason to spend the night in the open. One I talked to was a student of Irish descent, interested in languages, and interested in moving abroad to see the world. But somehow, his motivation seemed negative, intent on getting away from where he was, rather than focused on getting to any place in particular. In the end, I wished him well, and went on my way.
Of course, there were also the people that you would expect to see on the promenade, even so early in the morning: joggers, dog walkers, and others like myself, walking. Most were like you would see anywhere, but some would stand out, either for a style of dress, or something they were doing. One lady, respectably dressed, and walking what was clearly a pure bred spitz dog, was looking in the rubbish bins for something. It was only on the second morning that I saw her that I realised she was recovering the plastic bottles. There is a premium on these in California, and a person returning them gets a small refund. This lady did not look like she needed the money, but whether she was motivated by money or environmental considerations is impossible to say. Maybe I should have asked her.
Anyway, by going for those walks in the early morning, I was able to build up my step count each day as well as getting some insights into local life. My step count each day was over 16,000 steps, meeting my target. It wouldn’t have been possible without those early morning walks.
By the way, Santa Monica is also the western end of the famous Route 66. Driving that famous highway is one my bucket list items, but that is a discussion for another day.
Walkingman 