September 2008
military poncho
![080814_u20d_p8140083.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080814_u20d_p8140083-thumb-300x225.jpg)
i haven’t mentioned my military poncho for a while, but it’s still an essential part of my wet weather wardrobe.
![080814_u20d_p8140082.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080814_u20d_p8140082-thumb-300x225.jpg)
for example, here’s a picture (taken by jane’s mum) of jane and i eating our picnic in the rain on an island in wales
![080814_u20d_p8140069.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080814_u20d_p8140069-thumb-300x225.jpg)
and here we are slightly before a horrendous rain storm turned up on a boat. everyone laughed at me in my poncho, but i had my camera bag on my knee hence the strange look.
![080814_u20d_p8140068.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080814_u20d_p8140068-thumb-300x225.jpg)
when the rain storm came everyone got absolutely soaked, but i stayed dry (except my backside which got a soaking from the seat). i got asked a number of times during the day where i’d got my poncho from as the once scoffers had become converts.
so there you are folks. a military poncho update. shown here is my lightweight model, ideal for summer showers. the real heavy duty one is reserved for guaranteed rainy days.
thames path – part 18 goring to mapledurham lock
it was back to the thames path yesterday for the latest thrilling instalment of our Thames Path walk. we did quite a long stretch which involved some steepish hill climbs for once.
![080927_350d_img_0583.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080927_350d_img_0583-thumb-300x200.jpg)
there were some amazing riverside buildings, many with strange features like this airborne conservatory
![080927_350d_img_0589.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080927_350d_img_0589-thumb-300x200.jpg)
there were also a lot more trains in the background as one of the UK’s main train lines goes whizzing parallel with the thames for a bit
![080927_350d_img_0605.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080927_350d_img_0605-thumb-300x200.jpg)
at one point we climbed up a steep hill to find a geocache and had our picnic looking at this amazing view
![080927_350d_img_0632.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080927_350d_img_0632-thumb-300x200.jpg)
the weather was quite amazing, and with the trees still in leaf we kept getting these fantastic windows through to the river
![080927_350d_img_0705.jpg](https://www.funkypancake.com/blog/media/080927_350d_img_0705-thumb-200x300.jpg)
the next bit of the path leaves the river for a bit and does a fair stretch on the road i think which is a bit of a shame.
so there you go.