January 31, 2003

Galloway Gazette 
Galloway, Scotland

We're polite and civilised...
but watch out for doggy doo!


We're polite and civilised, forming orderly queues for everything...

But celebrity walker Polly Letofsky who arrived in Galloway last week and left Stranraer on Monday heading north through Carrick gave a warning to other visitors...watch out for doggy doo on our pavements!

As reported in last week's Galloway Gazette, Polly passed through Galloway as part of her world wide walking tour, which has taken in Australia and New Zealand, Thailand and India.

The 40-year-old  American is raising funds for Breast Cancer Awareness along the way.  pacing on average 16 miles per day, she has already been through 22 pairs of walking shoes.

During her travels she has been keeping a journal and has recorded some rather interesting comments on places she visited.

Her trek, which is sponsored by the Lions Club International, saw her arrive Newton Stewart last week and Stranraer at the weekend.  And if her internet journal is an indication she won't hold back recalling what she thinks of the region.

In her journal, Polly has already made some humorous observations on British life, telling her readers recently:  "I quickly noted how the British stand in a queue for everything, everywhere.  At bus stops people aren't' huddled in masses but rather standing in line, quietly, politely, civilised, single file.

And she also quipped:  "You've got to always watch your step on the footpaths because there is nearly as much doggy-doo here as cow-poo in India.  And if you're in a pub on a Sunday don't ever, ever walk in front of the telly."

In Thailand, it seems the language barrier led Polly into no end of trouble, mainly when it came to deciphering where the ladies toilets were.  Speaking in her journal of the "Land of Smiles, Polly said:  "Temples scare me.  Not so much for fear of God as the fear of inadvertently doing something very Western and having a monastery full of monks gasp in my direction.  it would take many rebirths and lifetimes of therapy to recover from the sight of a monastery full of monks gasping in your direction."

Polly's other adventures have led her to The Grand Canyon, along the 3,800km Australian seaboard, from Melbourne to Port Douglas, through New Zealands' North and South Islands, to Malaysia and Singapore, to India (a country she didn't fall in love with), Turkey and finally to the UK.

Polly said just before entering Scotland at Gretna:  "The Lions Clubs are taking good care of me.  Spoiling me really.  And every day as the winds get chillier and sprinkles of snow are starting to fall across the dainty green dales of the Lake District, I'm grateful that I don't have to camp out in cornfields and riverbanks like I had to do in Europe."

Polly has already been impressed by South West Scotland's' hospitality and seems particularly taken with the place names of the region.  Eccelfechan has been devoted and entire page in her journal.  Will Newton Stewart, Glenluce, Stranraer or Kirkcudbright also make it into the journal?

In Newton Stewart Polly raised 260 (British pounds) for the charity and received a sizeable donation of groceries from Safeway.

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