Whilst out picture-taking for this project, I carry a voice-recorder in my pocket. It serves several purposes: Firstly, I can record myself describing what I am seeing and experiencing which helps when transcribing words for the blog; memory is a limited resource! Secondly, it enables me to record some of the sounds I experience along the way, as this is very much an all-round sensory experience. And, thirdly, it’s main objective was to record the responses to some of the questions I ask people on my travels. I have collated a collection of random questions (that I made up) and printed them off, scrunched them up, and placed them in a bag. Often I forget to ask the questions as there is so much going on when photographing people on the hop anyway, but I hope to get better at this!

I set off on my first journey on May 21st, and after some deliberation I decided to walk the five miles westwards to take me to Golders Green. It was a warm day, and I sat off later than hoped due to administrative tasks.

I wanted to know when I had walked five miles, so I used the Running App, Run Keeper, switched to walking mode and strode out of the door. It wasn’t long before I felt the tug of the rucksack straps on my shoulder, and my phone stretching the material on my tight-trouser pocket. Some areas I am due to visit I already have a little knowledge of, and some of them I have never even heard of. I was heading to Golders Green with no real knowledge of the geography of the place; all I knew was that there is a large Jewish community, a shopping area and what I recalled as a cool-looking bus depot or something similar.

Maybe it was the novelty, but I found myself recording all kinds of information about what I was experiencing: I described the lovely scenery…

“I like this exploration and this is the very beginning - It’s making me think of (um) John Steinbeck and Joseph Mitchell (without sounding like I’m trying to be them) I like what they did: walking, travelling, observing, watching, talking, learning, listening…this is it. Exploration of the human/humans. Cool”

I noted seeing a Dog walker with seven or eight dogs, and how I had seen a lot of Robins that day: I love Robins.

I got lost in Hampstead Heath, like really quite disorientated. Luckily, losing my way is not something I worry about. What is more annoying is the discovery that I am no longer any good at map-reading. Static paper-maps always worked for me!

It was really sunny, and there were people making the most of the weather. I asked a guy for directions, and he pointed me toward a tube station: I don’t think he understood the rules of the game!

I was hoping to find an exit and hop on the bus for the rest of the journey, but instead found myself dipping in and out of roads and openings to the park. I knew my mileage was pretty much up, so I stopped at the five mile marker (give or take 100 metres) and took this shot. A road-sign with no name sums up the first adventure perfectly!

After getting lost I had ran out of time to get to the five-mile point I had marked out on my map. It was hot, and I had done a lot of walking, so I headed to a cafe and treated myself to a cup of coffee and a scone with cream. It wasn’t a bad start!