Psychogeographical distance walks?

[rydra_wong]

It occurred to me that the walks I do which I think of as psychogeographical or symbolic in some way often seem to turn into endurance tests.

There's an experimental element: can I map the distance between point A and point B with my body? What happens to my physical and mental state when I walk for this many hours?

Yes, this was sparked by my decision today to walk one of my favourite long walks, from where I live in Bayswater down through an almost unbroken line of parks to Westminster Bridge, then along the river to the Tate Modern. Where, after a late lunch and a happy potter round the Yayoi Kusama exhibit, I thought, as I had suspected in some corner of my brain that I might: My feet ache. The light's going. Let's see if I can walk home.

It was fascinating and extremely satisfying. And somewhat painful.

So, anyone else conducting distance rituals?

(Mercifully for me, I have no interest in hundred-mile walking. Yet.)

Comments

[cxcvi]

I tend to only do this sometimes if I miss my last bus home and decide to walk it instead of taking a taxi. But even then, sometimes my lack of walking stamina wins out...

[rydra_wong]

Permission to dive into the Tube or hail a taxi if it really turns out to be too far is definitely part of it -- the uncertainty contributes to making it interesting, and I'm more likely to risk walks I don't know if I can complete if I know I have an escape option ...

Though I have had interesting walks when I genuinely didn't have an alternative.