Outdoor Odysseys

Into 2025

There was a time when I ensured that the start of a new year and the anniversary of my setting up this place got marked with a piece like this one. That lapsed over the years. Other distractions took hold, and the marking of these occasions felt less important.

Yesterday, I reflected on the year just gone, with all its ambles along Celtic and French trails. This time, I try to look ahead while bearing in mind that much is uncertain. After a break to sort out matters in Ireland, my freelance business needs to be put back in operation; its technology needs an upgrade too. That likely will mean less time for other things.

Even so, some things always need to progress; it is always a matter of prioritisation and balance. Working from Ireland might become a possibility, for instance. That would allow Irish explorations to continue, recognising that one base is not enough and that staying somewhere like Galway has its uses.

At one point, I toyed with a Pacific northwest escapade in the U.S. until I realise that some added work was required for assembling such an excursion. Piecing together a trip featuring both Seattle and Portland (the one in Oregon) sounded like a task for a travel agency or concierge. While 2020 may have begun with weeks of research, that is five years ago now. Thus, some undistracted time is in order to piece things together. Until I see how the U.S. goes, that will wait for now. The main thing that stalled it last year was the need to attend to other matters that are now in hand.

Canada comes to mind as another option for a transatlantic undertaking. Toronto is coming to mind here, and I am checking out the hiking possibilities for a non-driving enthusiast like myself. The early signs are encouraging, so looking into accommodation and travel arrangements could be a next step there. New AI tools are proving their worth as I ponder any prospects.

A few days based in Inverness would allow for something closer to home to go with any Irish hiking. Other ideas could emerge yet, and continental Europe has its share of options. Non-flying ones could work: train travel could return me to Switzerland after a long time, for instance. Norway is another place that I would like to see again, either by spending more time in Oslo or going further north. With enough time, both could be part of the same trip.

Time for idea gathering would add to the above, since things are very open at the moment. Many years begin like that for me. The serendipity of life adds to its variety, so we should plan that out of existence. First, I need to get used to dividing my time between two places before adding in others on a temporary basis. In some ways, that has been done before, so it cannot be ruled out now. For now, though, I hope that 2025 brings you some good things as counterpoints to the challenges that no one can avoid.