“I can dive in with a long face, and what feels like a terminal case of depression, and come out a whistling idiot. There is a feeling of absolute freedom and wildness that comes with the sheer liberation of nakedness as well as weightlessness in natural water, and it leads to a deep bond with the bathing-place.”
I told you these blog posts were out of order! This post is actually the first evening in Pembrokeshire and my first time staying in a b&b. Now I usually pick hotels just because I am a super quiet person and can be really shy, a hotel has a lot less human interaction and I can kinda shut myself away on my own. But for this trip I wanted to be more out of my comfort zone not to mention I have been “treating myself” for the last 24 months and it has to stop! I booked a couple of different b&bs to see if I could cope, I have heard some horror stories!
Luckily my first b&b was utterly delightful with the owners, a older married couple being wonderful. As a blonde 6ft, tattooed and pierced woman I get judged a lot! I think I have spoke about my height as a problem before, but I kid you not being tall a lot of the time gets confused for loud, can look after herself etc etc. for example if I am standing with a shorter friend it is usually assumed that out the two of us I will be the stronger, louder one with less feeling. I have spoken to my shorter friends who tell me they get the opposite, because they are short, people assume that they are weak, delicate and quiet. It’s ridiculous but it happens and it has happened to me a lot and then add the tattoos, yes in 2019 people still judge people with tattoos. This could be my reason for hotels. Even as I walked up to the b&b I tucked my nose ring away and pulled my sleeves down over my arms because honestly I get tired of the funny looks that I get!
The lovely owners showed me around, made me a cup of tea and offered to wake up super early to make me breakfast before my day of hiking. I met the other guests, all lovely but no tattoos or piercings in sight! So I stayed covered up which saddens me but at the same time I understand and I like my life quiet. So after a cup of tea and lots of hellos I headed down the hill to the local beach. Some how I have swapped handbags for backpacks (I have four back packs now, who am I) and pubs for beaches! I have started recently carrying my swimsuit and a mirco towel around with me because you know, I might want to start swimming in the middle of the day!
Luckily for me I do carry them because the sea at Amroth looked too good not to take a dip in! There was still a fair few people on the beach at 7pm but under my micro towel I manged to get out of my dress and into my swimsuit without flashing anyone! And went for a swim, there were a couple of people in the sea but not many so I probably looked insane! But the water was still warm from a day of sunshine on it!
As a small child I almost drown which meant I for most of my childhood I was scared of water and refused to go swimming, in fact I didn’t learn to swim until adulthood but now I couldn’t imagine my life without the sea in it! After taking a few pictures I popped my camera back in my bag and swam for a bit and floated along on my back with the sun shining on my face and the seawater in my hair!
I am sure that the sea has magical powers! You can go to the coast with every emotion but once there something washes over you! Whether you are swimming or just sitting there watching the waves hit the beach, for that time something comes over you! All of a sudden your problems seem tiny or your happiness seems twice as big, I stand there for the longest time just letting the sea air fill my lungs, letting the salt stick to my hair and skin. Just taking in every bit of it with every one of my senses! Its is dream to eventually more to the sea, even if that’s only in retirement, my heart longs for the coast, I actually feel like a different person when I spend time away!
Eventually I climbed out of the water and with the last of the days sunshine climbed up onto the stones to dry naturally, I honestly couldn’t believe my luck with the weather, I lay drifting away to the sounds of the waves and people walking past chattering. Eventually though I had to get back into my dress under the micro towel and find food because all the swimming left me hungry!
I do feel that I am lucky in the fact I am happy to eat alone, its never been a problem for me! And anyone that knows me knows I bloody love a ploughmans I am pretty sure I would pick it as my last meal!! I sat outside for almost two hours and the last of the days daylight watching people walk by and listening to other peoples conversations because peoples stories interest me and because I am a little nosy! I the light disappeared I made my way back to the b&b for an early night!
