Still no news on the gardening front – given the lack of a garden – and no immediate plans to invest in one while I am still unemployed and getting my footing in Copenhagen.
Still, I thought I’d share with you some of the things I get up to; it’s all a bit off-topic, but then what else can I write about?
Last weekend I went for a stroll with a friend and a group of strangers. Well, a “stroll” is perhaps not the right word, technically speaking, for hiking 62 kilometres (around 40 miles) with a full backpack over a weekend, but to me it was a welcome outing into fresh air, and though I’ve never hiked with full camping gear before it was really quite relaxing.
Walking can be meditative in the same way weeding can; you do the same thing over and over again like an automaton, clearing your mind and leaving it free to roam wherever it wants to. And sure, on Saturday after 27 kilometres (17 miles) my legs and feet and hips and back and basically most parts of my body were sore and tired, but there’s no harm in being physically tired and it was really much easier than anticipated.
Of course it was a terribly expensive weekend, given that I had to invest in a tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, camping stove and a backpack to carry it all in, but then I actually plan to do more hiking and camping so it will hopefully prove a good investment. My ex wasn’t very keen on tents, so now I have the chance to rekindle my love of camping in the wild. There’s already a plan in the making to join a friend for her walk from the tip of Jutland to the German border – 500 kilometres or 310 miles – some time next year. At least for part of it, if I don’t have the time for the full hike. And I’ve also pencilled in a trip to one of the Norwegian national parks for a week of solitary hiking and camping; a retreat from the world where it’s just me and the fells.
And then a picture of a book shop… I have booked this place in Wigtown, Scotland, for 12 days in July 2017! (The availability is atrocious, and while they DO have vacant periods “already” from November 2016 I figure that a small Scottish village will be more charming in summer than in winter.)
Basically I’ve booked a book shop and the small apartment above the shop, and the place comes with a duty to keep the shop open a minimum of 40 hours per week and run it as a commercial book shop – but with any personal touches that the shop-keeper-in-residence sees fit to add.
Doesn’t that sound just magical? Being allowed free reign of a book shop in Scotland’s National Book Town? (There are 7 second-hand book shops in a small town of 1000 residents…) And as soon as I mentioned the option, a bibliophile friend jumped at the chance to join me so there will be walks along the beach, excessive cooking and lots and lots of fun playing around with window displays, events and whatever else we can make up.
It is probably the nerdiest holiday I’ve ever booked. Well, scrap “probably”, really.
In a sense, this post is a way of saying “I’m still here”, and eventually I am sure I will start blogging more regularly again. I’m just not quite there yet, and probably won’t be until I have a job and an everyday routine and all that. It’ll come in due time. For now I am well, and that is something one sometimes has to tell people who have at one point or another touched one’s life, even if only through the internet.
What a lovely post and you are really living your life right now. You inspire me. The trip to Scotland is an amazing treat. I had never heard of a vacation like that. I am glad you are finding your voice again and sharing your life.
I saw the book shop by accident when a friend posted it as a joke on Facebook – and I took it dead seriously!
And I do love words and reading and writing! I need to keep that up – if nothing for no other reason then to prevent my English from getting stale. A foreign language needs nurturing.
I don’t think you should worry about what you blog about. I really enjoyed your post, it was so interesting. The idea of renting a bookshop to run is so unusual. My eldest son likes being outside and has developed a love of sleeping in a hammock with a tarpulein over it.
Apparently sleeping in hammocks is the new big thing in camping… I still prefer a tent, though, because I like to at least have an illusion of privacy when I sleep.
And running a book shop for a couple of weeks will feel like being a little kid playing shop; I know it’s a hard way of life for those who do it permanently, but as a holiday where my livelihood doesn’t depend on it I think it sounds wonderful!
Soren, It’s so great to hear what you’ve been up to! In my younger years, I did quite a bit of camping and backpacking, and I see the connection to gardening in the love of the outdoors. I actually came to gardening by way of a love for all those wildflowers I saw while hiking. I’m also a book-lover and a word-nerd, so the book shop holiday sounds like an amazing treat.
I need to plan a project for my residency at The Open Book book shop; residents are encouraged to blog about their stay on the book shop’s blog, but I’d quite like to find another writing project – after all, what better place to write?
Until then there’s lots of other things to do and experience. I’m so excited about the world and the endless possibilities, so I need to plan exciting stuff ahead so I don’t forget to do interesting things once I find a job and fall into an everyday routine again.