In my punting hey day I often vowed I would stop. In the 90's I would drive back from Sheffield having more often than not wasted £60 / £70 on a crap experience and think what I could have done with that money. The difference back then was that I was in my late thirties and needed sex and as I was relatively financially comfortable I could afford to waste the money. From the turn of the century I began to have better punts and punt more in London so for many years continued to punt regularly, although they became increasingly spread out.
Ironically by around 2010, the year UKP was born, I had got myself in massive financial difficulties at the same time as age had decreased my libido, consequently my punting declined. I still managed 4 / 5 punts a year as I had in the period 1990 - 1992 before my punting subsequently exploded, however with the exception of Nicoletta in August I haven't had a punt now for eighteen months, the longest I've gone since 1989.
What is surprising, and I don't know if others have experienced the same, stopping punting, like advancing years just sort of creeps up on you and isn't always in your control as you expect it would be. I thought there would come a time when I would decide no more that's it; instead time and circumstances have stolen the decision from me.
What has also surprised me is that I don't really miss it that much. I never thought I would never reach a stage where I didn't care that I couldn't punt. In my thirties and forties it was a really huge part of my life. However I barely punted at all in my twenties, so I guess things have come full circle. The difference was back then I expected to get a girlfriend / wife so that was why I didn't punt.
I can't say that I will never punt again, but it could easily be that Nicoletta will be my last punt and it would be a good way to go out. As things stand at the moment I can't see my ever having another punt. Apart from lack of money and libido I have become much more choosy and there is absolutely nothing to tempt me locally and I simply can't afford to travel to London as I used to regularly (certainly can't be arsed just to go for the day).
Once upon a time I would travel miles for a punt, now it would take me all my time to cross the road. I have a job in Sheffield later today and once upon a time would have inevitably gone for a punt afterwards, now I just want to come home and put my feet up.
