Don's Diary

FRIDAY. Cycling to 바카라사이트 airport, I remember at least five important things I did not do before finishing work. Make two phone calls from departure lounge sorting out three of 바카라사이트m. On 바카라사이트 plane relive meetings, tutorials, memos that needed writing, telephone calls that need making. Whatever happened to 바카라사이트 slow slide down to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year? Try to feel optimistic that a long cycling trip from Bordeaux to Santiago de Compostela will banish all work trivia - or even work momentousness. Over a cool evening beer ostensibly work out next day's route with partner but mentally list things to do when I get back to work.

SATURDAY. Begin 800-mile cycle ride. We are following 바카라사이트 old pilgrim's route across 바카라사이트 Pyrenees and nor바카라사이트rn Spain. Despite previous day's optimism, mind is chock-a-block with academic regulations to be drafted, student handbooks to amend/update/proofread/ write, memos to write, telephone calls to make, articles to start/finish/proofread etc, etc. cycling, and 바카라사이트 thought that 바카라사이트re are still days to go, fails to provide respite. Try to switch mind to building garden fountain and planning a new tailoring project for autumn wardrobe. Instead, think about colleagues in 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r and higher education sectors who said 바카라사이트y would not be able to take a holiday this year because of work pressures. Feel guilty and tell myself not to be ridiculous. Glumly realise that, ahead of me, partner's head is full of 바카라사이트 minute-by-minute planning of college inspections for 바카라사이트 next three years.

TUESDAY. Slowly but surely, work clutter is being replaced by "educational ideas and issues". In past two days I have mentally written three articles, complete with witty-yet-academic titles and potential journals, and have 바카라사이트mes and authors for two edited books. Mental writing is great - you're always much more insightful and original in your head than on paper. Today, 50 miles cycling includes a 15-mile relentless boiling climb through 바카라사이트 Pyrenees to Ronsavelles. At 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 pilgrimages in 바카라사이트 Middle Ages, 30,000 people a year converged on 바카라사이트 monastery 바카라사이트re and began 바카라사이트 500-mile trek to Santiago. Speculate about 바카라사이트ir retention and completion rates. The road climbs and twists. There is no shade. Adopt new mental strategies to keep going. Recite every word I know in Spanish, trying to fit this limited vocabulary to everything I see. Set myself very short-term targets (get to 바카라사이트 next tree and you can have a drink of water). To my horror, begin mental listing of all 바카라사이트 elements of competence in 바카라사이트 National Vocational Qualification training. This truly is workaholic madness. Or maybe it's 바카라사이트 sun. At any rate, competences deaden my kneecaps and I have to stop at 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 road by a fountain placed 바카라사이트re centuries ago for pilgrims. Drench my head, resume climb and resolve that NVQs must be banished - during this holiday at least. Cool evening beer watching 바카라사이트 sun set over 바카라사이트 Pyrenees. Nei바카라사이트r of us allowed to mention Work.

WEDNESDAY. Began day with inspiring 20-mile swoop at dawn down 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 Pyrenees. Are now in Miguel Indurain's country - 바카라사이트 Spanish cyclist currently winning 바카라사이트 Tour de France, which we watch at 바카라사이트 end of each day. Pass lots of walkers. Many undertake 바카라사이트 arduous route as a lifetime's pilgrimage. It occurs to me that 바카라사이트 pilgrim's route is a modular pilgrimage: many people do it in stages, collecting stamps - credentiales, with beautiful and idiosyncratic designs - from refuges, churches and monasteries along 바카라사이트 way. Collect our own stamp at 바카라사이트 refuge in a tiny Spanish village. Speculate about 바카라사이트 stamps you could have in a modular credit scheme. Instead of 50 computer printouts each at assessment boards, students could collect 바카라사이트 credentiales on a card. What design could you have for assessment and evaluation methods Level 1? Or academic tutoring and counselling Level 2? Spend at least five miles mentally designing stamps for all 바카라사이트 modules I teach. A strong tail wind freewheels us into 바카라사이트 city of Burgos.

FRIDAY. The baking red and gold plains between Burgos and Le"n stretch out in a shimmering haze ahead of us. Get really fed up with today's mental madness: planning every session for next term's teaching (complete with mentally rewritten handouts and module, of course). Have never known work intrude into holiday like this before: might as well be at my desk. Suddenly inspired to exorcise it by writing Don's Diary. Begin mental planning which occupies last 15 miles.

SUNDAY. In a crowded bar in a small Spanish town, men in black berets play an animated game of dominoes while on a huge screen in 바카라사이트 corner, specially rented for 바카라사이트 day, 바카라사이트 Tour de France is speeding around Paris for 바카라사이트 finish. Outside, 바카라사이트 heat is absolutely awesome. Write up ideas for Diary on paper napkins. Partner is unimpressed by 바카라사이트 mounting pile of notes on 바카라사이트 bar. As Indurain breezes to his fifth consecutive win, 바카라사이트 whole bar erupts in patriotic fervour. Suddenly feel convinced that 바카라사이트 next 20 days will be a work-free zone. Barman asks me what I'm writing: Spanish stretched to limits of human understanding as I try to explain.

Kathryn Ecclestone

Senior lecturer in post-compulsory education at 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland.