I felt the time had come to make a next move in Ophelia's journey. I had had these expensive makeup lessons, spent a few hundred on all the makeup and brushes. It was time to get serious. My wife had recently put the iron through a dress, and it had been dumped in a charity pile. I liked it, and wanted to wear it out. I thought about the practicalities, and going to Richmond Park in SW London seemed a good idea. There were lots of car parks, and open space once away from the car parks. 

The trouble was, getting to the Park. I live on a terrace, and know my neighbours. I would have to pass two neighbours, and risk being seen by others. Due to my stupid height, I wasn't hard to miss. I did my makeup, and then the really fun bit, getting dressed. Followed by some accessorising. Equally fun!

I was all dolled up, dressed, and had a tote bag in lieu of a handbag. I thought I'd put on a hat to try to fool any neighbour that saw me, that I was my wife. I looked from the upstairs windows, all was clear. I rushed downstairs, grabbed the tote bag, and quickly put on a raincoat to hide the dress. I held it up inside the jacket. I quickly (and frantically) locked the door, and quickly walked to the car. Inside the car, I quickly started it up and drove off. Not waiting to do the seatbelt. A 100m round the corner, and I stopped to put the seat belt on, and remove the raincoat. It was 30c today, so I as already starting to prespire a bit in the raincoat. I fluffed out the dress, and was ready to drive off as Ophelia. It was terrifying, what if I crashed? What if there was a mechanical with the car? Thankfully, as I drove into the park, I started to calm down. I was now more excited about walking about as Ophelia. I drove to the far car park and parked up. I got out, sorted out my dress, and put my hat stylishly to one side. I was ready!

I walked up to the nearby ring road that goes around the park, usually used by lycra cyclists to whizz around. The night before it had been me doing laps. Now I was in a whole different uniform! I crossed the road, and set off across a wide field up to some trees. I wanted to avoid everyone, but was a bit worried about being on a narrow path through long grass, as Richmond Park as Lymes disease ticks. So I moved onto a bigger path. 

Now I had another problem. I had a planned work phone call, and I was dressed head to toe as a woman in a park! It was also 30c, and I was wearing a wig and big hat. I took the call and kept looking for anyone coming, as I hid in a copse. A couple of people did come past, and I walked a bit further away. I'd grunt rather than speak 'uhuh'. The call over, I walked around the wood to a car park with a cafe in it. Terrified, I turned and walked back again. Come on, it was my first outting! The heat though, I told you it was hot, didn't I?!

I took a few pictures here and there, to celebrate my day out, as much as capture how I looked to work on improvements. I perched on a bench to try to rest from the heat a bit in the shade.