Lost in Devon!

I was reminded whilst commenting on Strawberry Anne 's blog about harrowing experience I had a couple of years ago. Husband was taking one of his usual walking trips, this time along the South West Coastal Path. We kept contact each day - Husband rang at 4pm to say he had arrived at that day's destination and was going to find a tea shop before making his way to the small hotel he was staying at for the night. We agreed not to make contact that evening.

Next morning some rather important mail arrived that needed a quick decision - at 8.30am I rang Husband's mobile - there was no reply. After several attempts I rang the hotel where he had stayed the night. The hotel staff said he had never arrived! Panic! After many attempts to reach Husband on mobile (which was switched off) finally at 11am I rang the police! They were really good and searched CCTV footage of the town to see if Husband had been in tea shop or any other area of the town - they could find nothing fitting the description of a white-haired bespectacled man with a rucksack and checked shirt. Knowing the route Husband was expected to take along cliff path the police and helicopter went off in search and could find nothing.

At about 2pm the telephone rang and Husband's cheery voice said "Hello". That was as far as he got - I screamed with rage and ranted on and on. It turned out that Husband could not access the hotel he was supposed to be staying in (doors locked) and because also he did not like the look of it, he moved to a different hotel for the night. Husband did not think of letting me know! In the morning, because the weather was very windy and the inevitable rain, he had plotted a different route away from the coastal path. I telephoned the police who found Husband and gave him a stiff word or two! Husband very shame faced came home early!!!