I went for a two day solo walk at the end of April. I took the same path I had taken the same time the year before. At the hight of pandemic uncertainty it was a reprieve from the constant worry(even though there were no local cases). Being conspicuously foreign I had a few interesting reactions from people along the way. Some old folks just telling me to be safe from animals, some kids dutifully guiding me to the village bus stop on the way back wanting to see inside my pack, and trying to remember social distancing, and one couple on an abandoned walking track being completely surprised to see me and rushing past with towels held to mouth. My big takeaway was how wide and imposing roads are, how noisy cars are, how much people miss when they drive from place A to B, how much things can change year to year, how far away the next town really is if you're using human energy, and how so many peoples experience of the landscape is buy all the right gear from the magazine and then go somewhere to kill something.