Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

Guest_1055 · ‎27-01-2016

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......

Eagle Ray · ‎29-03-2026

Dear Shell,

Your walk on the breakwall and up to lighthouse hill sounds lovely. Lighthouses and their cottages have a kind of romantic charm and character. I sometimes imagine what it would be like living in such a cottage in the past. It's amazing on those days when everything looks so clear. Yes, experiencing the feeling of those light sprays really does make you feel alive, doesn't it. I'm really glad that you enjoyed your walk.

The last two days I have walked in the woodland across the road in the lat afternoon. It has been lovely as there has been quite a bit of rain and everything is so fresh. I think it was a couple of nights ago now that thunderstorms were rolling through. There is light rain falling out there now as I type this. But when I went for my walks there was some sun filtering through the trees. This afternoon a very large kangaroo bounded away from me in the bush as I was walking along. The birds are a bit more active after the rain. It's sort of warmish at the moment even though there is rain. I was thinking yesterday that it felt a bit tropical.

Shell4 · ‎31-03-2026

How lovely for sure you have a woodland across the road from you. So you are able to walk through that and also around the river and water. I am guessing there are tracks to walk in amongst that woodland. The sound of light rain can feel calming especially if it is raining on a tin roof, a tent or even when you are under an umbrella and you hear the tiny bits of rain drops above you. Kangaroos must be common near you.

I agree lighthouses and cottages have a romantic feel to them. These cottages are very well kept, they are painted a crisp white with a pretty sky blue around the doors. The white picket fences are also painted a fresh white. I also have imagined what it would be like living in one of those cottages. There would be no tourists off course, no strangers walking up lighthouse hill. You would wake up at first light, watch every sunrise while looking out your opened bedroom window. Feeling the fresh air on your face as you look towards the ocean. The mornings sound absolutely beautiful. I could waffle on and on about it.

It would be nice hearing all the birds chattering away in the woodlands. You sometimes hear I think bell birds in some trees not far from us. Beautiful.

Eagle Ray · ‎31-03-2026

Yes, there are walking tracks through the woodland. It's especially nice in the late afternoon with the light filtering through the trees. We have a lot of kangaroos. They hop across the street quite often and occasionally come into this unit complex and feed on the grass. I love the sound of light rain too. When you mentioned the tent, you reminded me of a camping trip I went on where there was light rain overnight and it was so lovely lying in the tent listening to it. I was camping with school friends and when I woke up in the morning I heard my friend exclaiming that there was a slug in our cooking pot 🤣 It was such a fun trip.

I love hearing about the lighthouse buildings. The crisp white cottages with the sky blue doors sound so picturesque. I do the same thing and imagine being somewhere like that in times past, before they were tourist attractions. How beautiful it would be to wake up to the fresh ocean air. I'm now imagining doing a tour of Australia, or the world, visiting historical lighthouse places! I remember Croix writing some nice things about a lighthouse in Wales. I think it was the South Stack Lighthouse close to where he spent time with his grandparents as a child. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong Croix and you are reading this! In WA there is a lighthouse with red and white stripes at Geraldton, one with black and white checkers at Bunbury, and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse which is the tallest on mainland Australia.

I looked up to hear what the bell birds sound like. They sound lovely. They are high pitched and sound very resonant. It's amazing how the sounds of birds can create an atmosphere or feeling.

Today I visited a neighbouring town to do various errands. I did stop to have a rest in a park. Other people were resting in the park too. I find it very relaxing to lie on the grass and I put my hat over my face so I don't get too much sun. It's nice to feel the warmth of the sun though. I also saw a man with a black Labrador who I think was a guide dog in training. She still seemed like a bit of a puppy in that I don't think she was fully grown. She looked like such a lovely dog.

Shell4

Hi ER,

Just letting you know I read your last post a little bit ago. I like how the kangaroos come hopping up into where your unit is . I haven't got many words I have been out walking on the breakwall several times and seeing the sun rise and one time saw 4 horses walking in the water with people next to them.

Eagle Ray

That's so lovely seeing the sunrise and getting to see the 4 horses too 🐴💖

Today I walked around a neighbouring town while my car was being serviced. It was quite busy with the school holidays but not as busy as it sometimes gets, I'm guessing because of the petrol issue. I went to see an art exhibition with 3 different artists which was really nice to see. It was a mix of textiles, photographs and models/designs. Not quite sure how to describe it all. But it was very creative and interesting. I then walked through a nearby park and there was a lovely smell from the Lemon-Scented Gum trees, possibly because it had been raining earlier and it brought out the smell. I then gave myself a treat of an ice cream. I eat dairy free and they had dairy free ones, so I had the fig flavour. They make them with real fruit and it was delicious. I also walked past the skate park and there were kids of all different ages going around on skateboards and bikes. Some of them are so little yet so competent on a skateboard or bike already. It was amazing to watch them and so cute. I also visited an op shop and enjoyed looking at things, but didn't buy anything. It was good just to wander and explore today, and I bought some fruit and veg before coming home.

Shell4

Your day there wandering around sounds lovely. I also eat dairy free. Hey I did wander around an op shop today and bought 2 cookbooks for 50¢ each. Yes sometimes it is good for us to simply wander around and going to places that say " us" and to explore. Which exploring sounds adventurous.

I don't understand art much, but what you looked at doesn't sound like that. And I have heard somewhere that art such as painting ,drawing well it can reflect how you are feeling like feeling certain emotions and the emotions come out in the artwork sort of thing.

Yes those little ones can be quite clever on skateboards electric scooters arc. You see this s lot on the breakwall and in the skate park around the ocean where I walk sometimes.

That icecream sounds delicious. I also am dairy free. There is icecream with the brand pana which is dairy free I like the boysenberry the best then the chocolate one. Sanatorium also makes a yummy chocolate one. Think it is made on soy milk also yummy that one has cane sugar the pana I believe it is sweetened with coconut sugar.

Shell4

I went walking out along the path near the ocean yesterday. This is the path that has some hilly sections. I was ok walking on the flat, but found myself puffing walking up the hills. It was good to walk on our there

Eagle Ray

Yes, I agree that just sometimes wandering is a good thing. It’s the sort of thing I’ll do when my car is being serviced as I’m on foot and have a few hours. That's nice you found the two cookbooks for 50c each. I quite like buying second hand cookbooks. I did that a lot in my 20s as I was super keen on cooking then and always wanting to try new things. I feel like cookbooks are always useful no matter how old they are. I bought a very old one with traditional Greek and Turkish recipes and it's interesting to get different ideas from them.

The art I saw I guess you could say is a cross between art and craft. Some were even clothing items with embroidery. So it was very diverse.

The little ones really are clever. They can be so good at balancing. One of the mum's was being so encouraging to her two little ones as they skateboarded around the track. They had helmets and knee pads on.

I'm just remembering I have tried the pana brand of ice cream before. There is a service station who sells them and I got enticed by one when I went in to pay for petrol once. It was yummy! I can't remember the flavour now but I remember enjoying it.

It was beautifully sunny here today. I went down to the river. I bumped into someone I have chatted to before and we had another chat. I sat on a small jetty for a while. Then I walked along the river. Some people had just finished cleaning their fish and the pelicans were gliding away, along with a large stingray, who come in to get fish scraps. There are quite a lot of families here for the holidays, though it isn't quite as crowded as it is some years. I'm guessing the current cost of petrol may have something to do with that. There is a lovely soft breeze and it is still very sunny and pleasant here where it is late afternoon now.

Eagle Ray

Just seeing your latest post. We must have posted around the same time. I'm glad you found it good walking by the ocean yesterday. Those hills can be challenging sometimes can't they.

Shell4

Yes possibly we did post the same time. ☺️

That Saturday sounds lovely where you sat on the jetty and walked feeling the soft breeze. And most likely feeling some pleasant warmth from the afternoon sun. Did it smell fishy where there was fish cleaning. This reminds me of dad he was very keen on fishing and good at it. There was a certain fishy/ oceany smell around when he cleaned fish. I now have a image of him washing clean fish in a bucket of water. Never seen a sting ray eat actually. I am trying to picture a mouth then I scrolled up a tad and saw your profile picture. Maybe the mouth is in that triangle bit sticking out on the top ???