Nigel Hallworth

MAJORCA WALKERS

There's a rickety little railway

Snaking through the hills

In the biggest of the Balearic Islands.

The young they come to party

And get drunken by the sea

But that's not the sort of holiday

That appeals to Les and me.

For we are people watchers

And we like to sit an see

We like to think we're students of

Sociology

So today we've been observing

A special breed apart

Those of our compatriots

For whom walking is an Art.......

MAJORCA WALKERS . ( somewhat after John Masfield. )

Weary British walkers with their light-weight walking sticks

Solid and stubborn, with their racy little rucksacks,

Serious socks in serious boots

Tough and true to their working class roots.

Map case neck-hung

Stout hearts strong lungs

Norman Tubb and Marion, life-long companions

Heading for the hostel and their bedtime Horlicks.

Persistent, perspiring, paced by pedometer

Eating up the miles by the striding hour,

Purposeful pedestrians, indefatigable Islanders-

And in Marion's hat is a little pink flower

Big strides, strong strides - must be cracking on strides

Big strides, long strides, lots to see

Sensible shorts with lots of useful pockets

On a safe self-guided walking tour

Surprisingly Majorca is perfect for the walker

Although there is a lot of up and down

Norman is the thinker, Marion's the talker

Chatters as they clatter through the little cobbled town

Norman has a neat moustache

Marion's found a geocache-

They've had a busy day but they're quite tired now

We're relaxing, liking watching all the hiking

Sitting at a table drinking nice cold beer

There are little trams trundling, rocking and rattling

We travelled on a train then got a tram to here;

We love the little trams that amble through the streets

But Norman Tubb and Marion rely upon their feet

Sinews straining, joints complaining

Rucksack straps making shoulders sore

But on they plod now, doggedly perspiring

Walking is rewarding but it can be tiring

We sit at our table and we watch them pass

Now they'll have a chance to rest their feet at last.

Sleep well walkers, have an early night

Back to Gatwick in the morning on a charter flight.