Those Boots

had to be cleaned... I know they could do with more wax on a weekly basis, so will try to do that!
I need to be at a boot camp as cleaning shoes is not a favourite occupation. I think though that shiny or unshiny shoes tell one a lot about the wearer! 
Unfortunately, the right boot had the leather partially cut through by wire on a walk!  They are quite old.. about 18 years...and were broken in on a route march through a Sri Lankan forest, after we had crossed a replica of the Bridge on the River Kwai used in the film of said name. 
NOTE: the real bridge is in Burma http://www.bridgeriverkwai.com/
These boots had to keep marching because if they stopped, the leeches jumped onto the skin.  Mine was fully covered.  My feet wore double lined socks. Those who did not heed instructions, who still wore shorts, screamed as leeches were lanced from their skin with a swift swipe of a knife. Boots with memories of fear and laughter, success and achievement.
Isn't the www interesting because I didn't know this was happening at Kitulgala. Also the river below that bridge was where the group did white water raft riding... just the once.  I didn't wear my boots, but did wet my knickers. We also had to cross the river in a canoe of a tree... balancing whilst we stood in the dug out part!
Would I do that again?  White water riding?
Yes, I think I would, even though in our raft, the leader fell out and it was down to the front two of the six to fish him out of the water whilst I bounced in the bottom of the raft, sobbing in fear, then laughing as I realised it didn't matter what I had done...and when I heard that the leader had fallen out on that particular bounce, I scrambled myself together enough to get back on the edge to balance the raft, and had a whale of a time... even to the end where we floated down the river in our life jackets. Everyone hugged me as I couldn't stop crying and laughing at the same time! For me, it was personal success, achievement and happiness. I had conquered that fear for that moment....ah, nice memories! 
The moral of the tale is that I got back onto the edge of that raft.... and I endured fear and conquered... I should remember that !!!!