Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

[Guest_1055]

Hey to anyone reading this.

Last night I had an idea about starting a new thread about exercise especially walking. I am aware that walking is very beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical well being. And by actually doing it....well it can make a huge difference to how we cope with the storms that we face in life.

OK, I am not real good at disciplining myself to walk, and have to really push myself to do it. And sometimes it is even hard to leave this bedroom. Anyway I am not a beginner walker, as I have stuck to sort of a plan before. So I know that it does make me feel somewhat better. But I only stayed on the plan for a couple of months, then gave up.....for whatever reason. So here I am again wanting desperately to not fail this time.

So I guess this thread is for anyone that does walk, anyone that is struggling to walk because of depression or anxiety issues. And anyone else really......

I am unsure of the outcome of all this. But my ideas included: Sharing about things we have found out about exercise especially about walking. Writing down the reasons that one would chose to walk ( like something to help motivate). Being accountable in same way. Sharing about the places where we actually do walk, like the beach, gym, around the block, with the dog, out to the clothesline and back. And any other useful tips that could help others. So here we go......

[Guest_1055]

Such a beautiful walk Eagle Ray. Thankyou for sharing it xxx

[Eagle Ray]

Thank you Shell 🙏 I hope you are doing ok and maybe getting to do some nice walks too. Big hugs to you 🤗

[Eagle Ray]

Hello dear Shell,

I went for a walk this afternoon and thought of you and your walks and wondered how you are going. I hope you are going ok and have been able to do some nice walks.

Today I walked by the river. I came across a white faced heron who walked across the path. He or she was not flighty and I just stopped and hung out with the lovely birdy until cyclists came along and we both had to move. But even then the heron did not fly away and just went onto the grass.

Further along I saw a couple of large stingrays then a smaller eagle ray (my namesake). The eagle ray had sand on his or her back. They often bury themselves in the sand and you can only just see that they’re there on the bed of the estuary. I pointed out the rays to a woman who was excited to see them and took out her phone to take photos.

It was very warm and the sun had a bite to it. I came home and fell asleep on the couch and only just woke up. I always find I see something interesting on a walk.

Hugs,

ER

[Guest_10158]

Hello, it has been a while since I posted on here.

I still go walking most days. Many days I walk on the breakwall out near the beach. I really like walking there. I also walk along the waters edge on the sand. Walking barefoot just makes me feel better. 

I just recently walked somewhere down south about 3 and half hours drive from me. It was such a beautiful area. We drove to be near running water, a waterfall within a rainforest type area. Breathing in the fresh mountain cool area was invigorating, the air felt so clean and pure. We walked towards a lookout, once we arrived there we peered over the railing to see a deep drop with a canopy of tree tops all the way on the bottom of a valley and a tall beautiful sounding waterfall to the right of it. We stayed there for a while just looking and looking . Walking further on and down and up steps and a bit around the guarded path we came upon a way to rocks , quite a few large flat ones .The rocks were the typical ones you see in the Australian rainforest bush landscape. We found one to sit down upon. 

On another day a bit more east of this mountainous area we waked along a beach. I have never been in this area . It was a beautiful beach , I noticed the sand didn't feel quite as smooth or fine as the beaches up near home. We looked for shells, finding very tiny cone like ones. We use to find these as little girls, collect them and make shell necklaces. We wondered how the shells got their patterns on them . Did the animal that once called them their home make it?  We though that that was possibly true.

It felt good to feel the cool water on my feet and the breeze in my hair. 

• On another day we walked up and down streets in this village a bit more west again. So pretty this village. We walked into quite a few boutique shops. And this lovely presented toy store. It was good to walk somewhere different 

[Eagle Ray]

Hello! Your walks sound absolutely beautiful. I love the sound of the waterfall in the rainforest area, the fresh mountain air and the beautiful beach. The village sounds just lovely too. The patterns on shells can be so interesting and beautiful can’t they. I watched a lovely film the other day called My Octopus Teacher about a man who gets to know an octopus while diving over the course of a year. The undersea footage of various sea creatures was fascinating including the behaviour of the octopus.

I walked today by the estuary where I saw lots of two types of stingrays glide past - the big black smooth stingrays and the smaller brown eagle rays with their bluish spots. Most of them had some sand on their backs. They often bury themselves in the sand. I also watched some very small crabs that were a mottled brown colour with white front claws. I saw an osprey, a kind of sea eagle, fly across the water and then land on an electricity pole where it could look down for schools of fish. There were small wrens about too - splendid fairy wrens and southern emu wrens. They are very cute.

It’s so lovely to hear from you and thank you for sharing your walk 🙏☺️

[Guest_10158]

Oh you are still walking by the the estuary. You must really like that spot ER. That octopus film sounds like something I would like. Think I might look it up. My niece does deep scuba diving. And has told me she also has seen octopus under the water as well as sea horses. She told me underwater that deep feels like an escape from what's happening above..another world. She seems to really like it.

And yes the village appealed to me very much. Not like a city feeling at all. The air just felt fresher and pure. And so many boutique unique stores lined the main streets. We didn't have enough time to walk all the streets with stores. 

I like itty bitty wrens. Not sure what type are the ones at mum and dad's. But there is blue ones and brown ones. They are so small and cute.

[Eagle Ray]

Yes, the estuary is a lovely spot. I always see a range of birds and often something in the water whether it is stingrays, dolphins or schools of fish. I have seen a Port Jackson Shark in there. There is a big Bronze Whaler Shark that swims in the ocean near the estuary that is known to local fishermen and divers. The divers swim with him and he doesn’t seem to be a threat to people. The movie about the octopus is available on Netflix. I don’t actually have Netflix but I was staying somewhere that did a couple of weeks ago. My favourite part of the film is when the octopus is playing with fish and then because she has built up such trust with the man she goes up to him for a hug and he holds her on his chest. They are highly intelligent animals. She has some very clever ways of evading predators. I can relate to what your niece says as I used to go snorkeling a lot and found it so peaceful. I would totally relax under the water and become so absorbed in what I was seeing. I just had the thought that if I go snorkeling again I could write about what I see here, like going for a walk but what I see underwater instead.

I hope you are having a lovely evening ☺️

Hugs,

ER