S2E4: Who is Impala?
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We have the privilege today of speaking with the one and only, Impala!
Today we begin the show with some wonderful English idioms as we learn about Impala. We chat about being born in the UK and his father's influence on him as a travelling man. We dive deeper into the backstory of his relationship with his father, and how the artist's mind is one of wonder and wander.
We get sucked deep into a conversation around the UK's National Trails. We chat about the similarities and differences of hiking in the US Vs. hiking in the UK. We chat about "stealth camping" and the infrastructure of the trails in England and Scotland. We chat about the lengths of the UK's National Trails and the possibility of hiking all of them (if desired) in a single hiking season.
We chat about Impala's route that he has called the "Mighty Blighty." A trail system that is still being officially created called the English Coast Path, with a special extra twist, as Impala hopes to connect all his footsteps, and the only way to do that is, continue across through Scotland to rejoin the English coast on the other side. We talk trail conditions, and the burden that flat miles can put on one's body. Sometimes surprisingly consistent days of flat terrain hurt the body more, than climbing and descending. We chat about how Impala navigates a yet to be completed trail, and how if the ocean remains on his left hand side, it should be fine!
We chat about trail community and what one does when there are not many hikers around. We chat about Impala's first thru-hike on the Te Araroa and what seed was planted along this hike in his brain to continue to pursue hiking year after year. We talk about the connection and disconnection of living a nomadic life and we chat about how Impala manages his Off Trail time. We talk about the pros and cons of Instagram, we chat about being home while on trail, and we chat about never being bored in this lifestyle.
We chat about being an "addict" for trail, we chat about mind games to hold onto sanity while hiking canals, we chat about becoming the most renowned and professional tiddlywinks player in the UK, we chat about bonds formed from only a few days of hiking together and the strength they can create, we chat about Meander, we chat about spirituality and being connected to the world around you, we chat about "doing miles, and making smiles", we chat about how saying hi to people can become a wonderfully entertaining and even enlightening game, and much more.
Honestly, one of our favorite chats, as throughout this episode, you can really and truly feel who Impala is, and feel the kindness in his thoughts and words.
Truly a wonderful chat with Impala, thank you for sharing some time and your story with us!
FAVORITE QUOTES:
"If I got my pack on, I know everything is going to be alright."
"When you spend more time outside, you become more in tune with everything."
"If everyone went backpacking the world would be a better place."
"I am a professional tiddlywinks player."
"I just became a complete addict [referring to hiking]"
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