At last I have been swimming! Now, you may think this isn't a big thing, but believe you me, for me it is.
As you may, or may not, know, I have been in Germany for over 6 years now. In the past I was what you might say - fit. That was definitely in the past tense though. And now I have been swimming. It is the start of the new me - going back to being the old me.
The nice part of it was it wasn't scary. OK so I had to queue outside in the rain till they let me in. But, once I had paid my €2 it was relatively painless. I made my way to the changing booths (separate area for the ladies thank goodness) - no locks, but no-one came in and of course being British I already had my cossie on under my clothes. Then with €1 (refundable) clutched in my chubby little hand I took my clobber to the locker. I strapped the locker key to my chubby little wrist - Under the shower - and then made my way to the pool. Now you have to remember I am virtually blind without my glasses, but luckily I had a friend to guide me. And oh boy it was the longest pool I have ever swum in!
Some things are very different to the UK. For instance I knocked my head several times on the red cord that warned you you were entering shark infested waters (otherwise known as the deep end). The other strange thing was there is no time limit! No one gives a monkey how wrinkled you get in there. I can only presume they chuck you out when it's time to close. As it is I wan't there for very long - I figure that even though I only managed 6 lengths, I could double that for the usual swim in England.
The problem was my friend was still going strong, so I had to make my own way back to the lockers. Did I mention I hadn't got my glasses on? What people thought of this chubby little English woman wandering around squinting at all the locker numbers god only knows.
But all in all I have to say I feel a lot fitter and in a few months who knows maybe a little less chubby too!