Category: Norway
Getting to know Norway: Part 3
28th August 2018 There is something about spending around a week in a place that adds satisfaction to a trip. This is something that I have been discovering on trips to Ireland to get things done. The extra time allows for a chance to soak in the atmosphere of a place and feel more of a part of it. For that, though, you need to not overfill days with activity because that makes you so busy that nothing has any time to seep into your spirit.
That reminds me of a recent trip to Ireland where it was possible to stop awhile and go for strolls in addition to the other things that I needed to do. People were met and things organised, but there was enough time to feel more at one with where I was. Other stays have been as long in duration over the last twelve months, and they have left their mark in a manner that an extended weekend trip would never do.
A relaxed pace often helps. Thinking back to Scottish trips like the one that took me to Na h-Eileanan nan Iar ten years ago, they had defined itineraries, but hill wandering added the slack which allowed me to look around and take in the sights and the ambience of where I was. Just rushing along would never do that, and the much-needed recollections of peaceful islands would have been lost. Such is the state of the world right now, that any memories that restore peace and calm are all the more invaluable.
Oddly, no outing since that Hebridean escapade has exceeded its Sunday to Sunday eight day length and none came close until June 2017 when I enjoyed a six-day sojourn in Norway from Sunday to Friday. Following the August 2016 Friday to Monday four day encounter, this stay was to allow some added breathing room after I noticed how short its predecessor had been. There are other compensations too, for it starts to fill like a proper break after about the third day and any extra days embed a certain sense of discontinuity that really helps for a fresh restart once back into the everyday routine. After what has happened in my life over the past decade, that is relished all the more readily these days.
2017-06-05: More time around Oslo
An afternoon flight from a stuffy and busy Manchester Airport got me to Oslo. If I had known better, I would have stayed on the train from Oslo's airport longer to get closer to where my hotel was. The day had been damp but remained dry as I undertook the longer than expected walk from Oslo sentralstasjon through the city's heart, and my tardiness was noted by the hotel receptionist before I was compensated with the largest hotel room that I ever occupied. It felt more like a two - room studio flat, so there was plenty of space to relax for a while.
The reason for the long trek that Sunday evening was the hotel's proximity to the Royal Palace (Det Kongelige Slott in Norwegian) and that helped to address some unfinished business from my previous visit to Oslo. The next morning brought bright sunshine, so it was time to start a whole day of exploration around Norway's capital city. Looking back through the photos now, it would be tempting to think that it was all sunshine, but there was a shower of rain in the middle of the day while I got something to eat.
My day started around the Royal Palace, though, and I realise that mornings were better for photographing its frontage because that is when sunlight falls on it. In 2016, I had hoped to do just that before catching my train to Bergen, but there was not enough time, so it had to wait. There were no time constraints the next time around, so I had the space that I needed, and it was a wrench to pull myself away for further exploring.
As I continued through the city centre, there was a feeling of closure, and it appeared that Norwegian public holiday observance was much like what they do on Sundays, since no large stores were open. The need to purchase a USB Type C cable for powering my Google Pixel C tablet had to wait until the next morning, but there was no time to be ruing my leaving the actual cable after me, for I wanted to see Akershus slott.
Getting there had me passing landmarks that I had seen before, like Domkirken, where I tarried a while. When I reached the Akershus fort, I spent some time there too, with the old buildings catching my eye as much as any views of Pipervika and the severe-looking towers of the Radhuset were unmissable. Their architectural style reminded me a little of Stockholm's Radhuset, and I was later to realise that Karl Johans gate lay not far behind Oslo's city hall. My previous wandering had taken indirect routes, but I was to uncover shorter ones.
One of those was to facilitate a trip to my hotel that preceded a boat trip around Oslofjord that took my fancy. The outing was not a cheap one, but it made a change from wandering about on foot. The boat may have looked like a sailing-vessel, but it was powered by a diesel engine and did what was needed. Greener and bluer surroundings were to be savoured in the sunshine before a return to land, where I did more pottering about in by now familiar places before I retired for the evening in advance of travel to Stavanger the following morning.
2017-06-06: Last-minute resilience has its rewards
It is possible to travel to Stavanger by train, but it is a journey that takes six or seven hours, so setting aside a day or travelling overnight would be involved. In the interests of time, I chose to fly, so I caught a train to Oslo airport from near the hotel and checked in for the short flight. That was a speedy and well automated affair, so I had time to pick up a power cable for my tablet, and the helpful assistant also saved me some money on my purchase.
On arriving in Stavanger, I caught a coach to the city centre, where I placed my main holdall into a luggage locker for later retrieval. Check-in for the hotel was not until later in the day, and I wanted to try my luck at getting onto a Lysefjorden boat trip. When I went to the provider's shop, I got news that they were booked out for that afternoon's sailing, so the omens were not good.
As befitted the outcome of my enquiry, the skies were grey with little sunshine, so I strolled along the quay-sides surveying the cruise liners that were docked there. Then, it occurred to me that going to the boat and asking for a space might be worthwhile, given that not all booked passengers do show up. So, I resolved to try my luck and got on the next sailing after some patient perseverance. It was just as well, given that rain was to dominate the weather for the following few days.
It also happened that I had some designs on walking around that part of Norway, so I fancied getting an introduction to where I was intending to go. The boat manoeuvred around the docked ships with such agility that it was intriguing to watch, and I then realised why the boat had wing mirrors. One around those obstacles, we were on our way.
The boat entered more open water after going under the bridge carrying the main road to the islands of Sølyst, Engøy, Buøy and Hunvåg. Ferries were seen plying their ways, and we were accompanied by a smaller boat for much of our own journey. Passing more islands, we reached the opening of Høgsfjorden, where we entered to get to its tributary Lysefjorden. There was little sign of sun, or I would have been busy photographing sunlit islands to my heart's content, not that the surroundings were not beguiling without the added lighting.
Things got more interesting after Forsand, beyond which we passed under another road bridge. Bergsholmen was our next landmark, and the fjord grew wilder in appearance the further along its length that we went. There were various stops within the vicinity of Preikestolen to see waterfalls and such like, but it was the rocky outcrop itself that was the main event.
Once we started our return to Stavanger, it was easy to tell that the attentions of others were waning, for the sightseeing must have been done as far as they were concerned. For me, though, things only were getting going as sunshine had broken through the cloud cover to light up the surrounding hills. Though the episode did not last, there was plenty to photograph while it did. All the while, the Lauvikka to Forsand ferry plied its passage and there was a freight ferry full of articulated trucks carried in a more insecure way than I would have expected.
Soon enough, we were back on firm ground again, and I checked into my hotel. Electrical power in my room was limited until I discovered, until I made an enquiry of a hotel receptionist who told me what the "Hovedbrytter" switch. When I went back to offer my gratitude, I met someone different without realising it and caused some confusion before spotting the right person in the office behind her.
Putting that embarrassment behind me, I did more strolling around Stavanger while sunshine and blue skies had made their appearance. Later, I had some food while pondering the next few days would bring. Possibilities like hiking to Preikestolen or Kjerag would need to be selected according to the weather that came.
2017-06-07: Going Scandinavian in the rain
If I had any plans to go to Preikestolen on Wednesday, they were stymied by the predication of afternoon rain. The morning was dry, so it allowed some more strolling about Stavanger and a spot of shopping too. After a midday meal, I decided to brave the light rain to walk around some of Stavanger's lakes. In many ways, it was like what the Irish would call a "soft" day, and it was mild too.
There is a piece of Scandinavian wisdom about there being no such thing as bad weather, so long as you are clothed for the conditions. That was the approach that I took as I headed for Litla Stokkavatnet, but I hoped that there would some shelter from trees too, and so it proved when I started to go around the lake itself after getting there along urban streets. As I moved to the shore of the larger Stora Stokkavatnet, it was easy to get the impression that you were not in a city at all, but that this could have been a country location. That idea persisted as I made a brief visit to Hålandsvatnet because Friheim may as well have been a country hamlet.
Returning to Stora Stokkavatnet, I persisted with my anticlockwise circuit, even though coming off near Sanddal would have made it quicker to reach Mosavatnet. As I completed my way around, it was apparent that the evening rush hour was imminent because many were cycling in the opposite direction. The ambience had been pleasingly quiet, and this posse of cyclists did little to disturb that.
Eventually, I needed to leave my wooded lake-land surroundings after me to navigate towards Mosavatnet. Quieter lanes and cycle paths were my lot, and it took a little effort to orient myself properly at one junction over a busy road. Once that was achieved, I soon was at my intended destination.
Again, wooded lake shores were my lot, but there were more people out and about by this stage in the day. Quite a few of them were jogging, and no one seemed to notice the rain that much; that applied as much to groups of youngsters out training as it did to anyone else. The proximity of city streets and major building works meant that the feel of the place was not as rural as that around Stora Stokkavatnet, but that was overlooked as much as any temptation to take a shortcut back to my hotel again; this was to be another complete lake circuit.
Finding a quieter road, I left Mosavatnet to continue towards Breiavatnet and I soon started to recognise my surroundings as I got nearer to this lake that I had passed more than the others. After all, it is beside the bus and train stations, so I spent some time here the previous day. On this occasion, it was time to get back to the hotel and end my damp yet satisfying saunter.
2017-06-08: Two hikes in one day
My last full day in Norway allowed me to go hiking in wilder surroundings despite what felt like twenty-four hours of rain. Once I had dealt with some Irish matters by phone and email, I was on my way for a stretch of time away from any semblance of work. Lightening rain added to the hope of there being something special to savour.
After a ferry ride to Tau and a bus journey from there to Vatne, I was at my trailhead. Because I was destined for Preikestolen, this was no solitary trek given how famous the rocky outcrop happens to be. Nonetheless, I enjoyed a dry start in misty conditions, but rain was to return, so the walk was to become one where I was clad in waterproofs for much of the way. This made the ascent sweaty work and I needed to be aware of others around me too, not that there were no quieter stretches.
Looking through the photos that I captured, there is very little from the ascent, but I still recall moments like a phone call from my brother and the final approach to the viewpoint where you could see all around and wish for sunshine because it would have been so alluring. There was plenty of wet rock to traverse, and the conditions must have chivvied me into making near constant progress all the while.
What is etched in my mind is the poor visibility at Preikestolen itself, not that it deterred anyone from taking clichéd photos of each other. In my own mind, I like to think that the clag spared me from seeing anything like a sheer drop, so it was no disappointment to meet with it. People still must have remained there a while because what I remember of the descent is that it was quieter and there was one point where I was tempted to include a diversion to Moslifjellet but discounted it for reasons lost to me now.
It might have been galling for some, but the sun began to come out when I was back at Preikestolhytta, but I must have seen it as an opportunity for a second hike to follow the four-hour return trip to Preikestolen; anyone that stayed up there may have been rewarded by breaking, so who is to know what rewards ample patience can bring? While others relished such a thing, I had Revsvatnet in front of me, and it surrounded by a pleasing mix of bright greenery and craggy hillsides. Assessing how long it might take from the map that I had and how long I had before the last bus to Tau, I decided to hike around a lake in a much wilder aspect than anything that I had encountered the day before. There are other walking routes in the area, but I reckon that they would need more time to explore and taking one's time is best.
The lake circuit also granted me some solitary walking that was not my lot earlier in the day, and it was accompanied by morale-raising sunshine for most of the way, so my camera saw more use. The air might have dried, but the often boggy ground remained soaked, and any long vegetation was leg wetting. Even so, I continued along rough paths while keeping an eye out for any confirmatory splashes of red paint. That strategy worked well until a scramble threw me off track enough to cause disquiet in the woodland at the southern end of the lake before I regained the right path beside the Revsåna flowing towards Lysefjorden. Going along the river bank against the flow of water got me to a bridge near the lake shore and a sign for Preikestolhytta that soothed any loss of composure.
The path went up and down a lot as it passed several waterfalls, so that took its toll on tiring legs. Reaching the hut at Torsnes brought short-lived hopes of a broader and gentler track, but more path walking followed until I was back near Preikestolhytta again. Any hopes of catching the penultimate bus of the day to Tau suffered the same fate as those at Torsnes, so a longer wait in muggy midge-populated conditions was in order; it gave my system some much-needed rest. At least, I was awaiting the bus instead of being stranded by my own tardiness, and it was reassuring that I was not alone in my vigil. In fact, the others continued all the way back to Stavanger by the reverse of what had been my outbound route.
2017-06-09: Departure
While I might have liked to return home on a Saturday and gain an extra day, flight schedules scuppered that scheme, so I left on a wet Friday. Waiting in the hotel as long as possible did not stop my getting damp on my way from there to the bus station, from where I got to Stavanger's airport to start an air journey with a connection via Oslo. The experience was a reasonably painless one.
Overall, the trip satisfied me and imperfect weather was not a source of irritation; much had been savoured and Norway is better known to me. Unused schemes like a visit to Kjerag or travelling up the coast to Bergen may encourage another return yet should life settle down again and my overseas wanderings restart. Other parts of Norway are tempting too and visiting the Lofoten Islands or Jotunheimen National Park are just two examples, and I also would like to wander about the wooded and lake-studded hill country near Oslo itself. In a nutshell, there is more to draw me to Norway again.
Travel Arrangements
Trains between Macclesfield and Manchester Airport, as well as between Oslo and its main airport at Gardermoen. Outbound and return flights between Manchester and Oslo, and between Oslo and Stavanger. Coach travel between Stavanger and its airport. Return ferry trip between Stavanger and Tau, followed by a return bus journey between Tau and Vatne.
Getting to know Norway: Part 2
11th August 2018 Unsettled after a political upheaval in June, I needed to head away from Britain and Ireland for a while. Given that I still had legal work in progress, I chose to ration my annual leave and only added a day to the Summer Bank Holiday weekend that offered a chance for an escape. That may have compressed my stay in Norway more than would have been ideal, but I still got an introduction that would stand me in good stead.
2016-08-26: An evening around Oslo
My arrival in Oslo was accompanied by grey skies, so there was no rush in leaving my hotel to go for a stroll around the city. In any case, there were Irish emails that needed answering while cloud cover steadily broke to reveal blue skies. That and the need to find a branch of Tanum where I could add to my map collection was enough to get me exploring again.
My quest took me past St. Olav's Cathedral to Karl Johans gate, where my shopping needs were fulfilled. Then, I headed for nearby Slottsparken, where I pottered about the royal palace in the evening sunshine. On the way back towards the city's main train station, I was to pass some university and parliament buildings, as well as the National Theatre. It all provided architectural eye candy, and I eventually sought the shore around the Opera House, though ongoing building work added too many cranes to the skyline for my liking. Nevertheless, I made the best of what lay about me and set off in the direction of Akershus without ever reaching it. That was to await another visit when I got to understand the city's geography more keenly. There was another way to the shore that would have worked better for my needs, but June 2017 was when I was to learn about that.
2016-08-27: A rail journey to Bergen
One idea that popped into my head was making a morning time photo of the royal palace, but there was not enough time for that before I needed to catch my train to Bergen. The railway line was world-famous, so I fancied travelling along it and seeing what was there. Handily, I would pass through many other places while learning the lie of the land in a country that was new to me.
Though diverted by railway engineering works and subsequently detailed by the need to await rail replacement coaches, the first part of the journey was blessed by sunshine. As we continued west, that was to change markedly, with greying skies and damp weather reducing the allure of the surrounding countryside at where it should have been the most dramatic whenever snow traps allowed us to glimpse it.
What I relished was a chance for quiet appreciation of what lay outside the train window, but others were not so interested. An Italian family had a child watching a film on a tablet computer without earphones. That was not to pervade all the journey, but it did for long enough to send me to the buffet car for sustenance and a bit of peace. There was little point in ruining anyone's holiday (mine also) by suggesting the need for headphones, and the passage of time has dimmed whatever irritation I might have felt at the time.
Eventually, we left rain after us for a while and some fjords were there to see under grey skies, ensuring only week sunshine if that at all. The train was running well late at this point after a momentary problem with the locomotive. That was not a big deal for me, but it had been different for anyone changing onto the Flåm railway. Hopefully, it did not mess up their day too much.
Bergen's train station was undergoing renovations while I was in the area, so we all passed under scaffolding with heavy rain pounding the roof. After a wait, I took my chance to make for my hotel, but a misunderstanding of the city layout had me heading on a more roundabout route in air that was not fully dry.
After booking into my accommodation and settling into my room, it was time to wander around Bergen. Sunshine eventually broke through to brighten up the evening, but not before I visited the tourism information centre and got something to eat. After that, I tried out the Fløybanen, and it gained me alluring views over Bergen's harbour and nearby islands. Not finding my wallet where I expected it caused me to wonder if I had left it on the funicular train that I had used, but I located it and any sense of panic passed.
In fading evening light, I went down again and pottered about the city a bit more and got more of a grip on its layout. It also showed me where I had taken a wrong turn earlier in the day. With light lost for the day, it was time to return to my hotel for the night and rest before the following day.
2016-08-28: A saunter around some of Bergen's hills
The trouble with exploring is that it sometimes gets in the way of planning activities. For my Sunday in Bergen, there were choices to be made, and the shortness of my stay had me torn between the options that came to mind. The lure of a boat and rail tour was a strong one, but I also had hiking gear, so I also fancied a walk. The decision was made for me by my oversleeping. This was to be a day spent wandering around Bergen's nearby hills, and any regret about missing out on that wider tour was set aside and left for a possible return sometime.
Satisfyingly, cloud cover was broken, and I had a sunny morning in a part of Norway with a similar weather reputation to Scotland's Fort William or Ireland's Dingle. This is a place where rain abounds, and I was to have some rain every day of my stay in Norway's second city and one-time capital. Another stroll around the city was to see if a better photo could be made of Lille Lungegårdsvannet. It surprises me now to think of how long I lingered around the man-made lake, but I was rewarded for my patience.
Then, it was time to return to Vågen, from where my hike would commence in earnest. It was by now near the middle of the day as I passed the Bergenias, a royal fort that is open to the public. A visit there would need to wait until the next morning, since I was decided on an outdoors outing. In fact, I was so dressed and equipped that I heard an American lady comment on the fact to her companion, perhaps unaware that I too was a native English speaker that could overhear and understand what they were saying.
Coastal road walking with only occasional views of the coast were my lot as I continued past Sandviken. Eventually, the main thoroughfare that I had been shadowing was left for some narrower and quieter lanes. Plying these allowed me to get to Munkesbotvatnet are some steep strolling with some switchback bends to ease the effect of the gradient. As I did so, the earlier sunshine was fading as clouds encroached to bring me a dull afternoon that limited any photographic action. Eventually, these were set to bring rain, but my hike was done before that happened.
The tarmac ended at Munkesbotvatnet, and a wide gravel track was its replacement for the journey to Storvatnet. This was lake to lake walking on a popular trail with so many coming against that I was left in wonderment. Eventually, though, the need for more personal space led me away from the track to follow a muddy trail that reminded me of Scottish stravaiging with its undeveloped feel.
Fewer people were going this way, which achieved what I needed as I navigated around more lakes on a course that took me both uphill and downhill. There were good views to be enjoyed, even if more sunshine would have made the sights even more special. Eventually, I was lured onto moderate summits around Rundemanen before I reached another gravel track that would carry me past Lille Tindevatnet Store and Blåmanen, a lake followed by a hill, on my way down to Fløyen where I caught the Fløybanen down to Bergen. Were it not for a need to attend to other needs, I might have been tempted to walk all the way down, and I had decided to limit aspirations that would have led me around by Svartediket and Ulriken. It is never good to rush a first encounter, and the decision possibly saved me a wetting too.
2016-08-29: A last saunter around Bergen
Though there was a direct flight from Bergen to Manchester on Monday, it did not leave until the evening time and staying until then did not appeal to me since I needed to check out of my hotel around noon. Bergen's train station was being refurbished, so I did not see any luggage lockers there. If such a facility were available, then there might have been some time for a short fjord cruise if one was available.
Instead, I pottered about Bergen in the morning between any rain showers and explored the Bergenhus, as well as revisiting other spots that I had savoured on previous days. Then, I headed for the local airport for a flight to Oslo, from where I flew to Manchester. Those flights took me over mountain scenery, so I peered out at what lay below as much as I could. Then, I could not have known that another Norway visit would come to pass less than twelve months later.
Travel Arrangements
Train between Macclesfield and Manchester Airport. Outbound flight from Manchester to Oslo, followed by a train journey from Oslo to Bergen. Return flights from Bergen to Manchester via Oslo.
Getting to know Norway: Part 1
24th June 2018 Another post has related what has distracted me over the last few months, and that is set to continue for a little while yet. This is a venture that needs a little more set up time and some added oversight compared with previous working arrangements that I have had in the U.K. That means that thoughts of overseas explorations have been put on hold though the ongoing sunny weather is certain to lure me out and about from time to time.
Nonetheless, I am not ruling out any chance of such excursions this summer, even if my current reading is more about research for possible opportunities about possibilities for further into the future. The Canadian Rockies and the Atlantic Canada have been of particular interest, though these would be more expensive trips than the ones around Europe that I have enjoyed lately. Despite this, it is good to have some idea of where to start with what is a very big country.
The subject of this post takes back to the summers of 2016 and 2017 when Norwegian encounters came to pass. The allure of Norway had lain with me for a few years before that, though, even when actual trips to the country were an impossibility due to personal circumstances. They were enough for me to collate an article on the place for future reference.
After trips to Iceland and Switzerland, thoughts of a trip to Oslo surfaced in November when I was left with annual leave to use after holding the days over in case ongoing legal works in Ireland required my presence over there. However, the short hours of daylight proved a deterrent, even if relaxing a book of an evening would have had its benefits and explorations under street lights would have been a possibility.
Nevertheless, visiting when hours of daylight were longer brought their rewards on my first trip in August 2016. That was an extended weekend trip that left me wanting more, and I returned in June 2017 for a longer stay. Between these, I got to explore around Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger even these only scratched the surface of what is to be found. This is a long country with lots more like the Jotunheimen National Park, the Lofoten Islands and Tromsø. Even around those areas that I did base myself, there remain plenty of unseen sights. Repeat visits would be rewarded, and I am left wondering if Norway could become an alternative to Scotland in some ways. Given that involves quieter corners away the frenzy of everyday life, that may be no bad thing.
Given the perceived limitations of my previous encounters, there was a temptation to put it all together into a single post, but looking back over previous ones about Scottish trips reminded my that I have split up such things in the past, and it may help readability, so I am doing the same here. There will be a mix of more leisurely strolling and boat trips to go with some longer hikes. Since this might become a longer outdoors exploration project, initial walking locations might be busier than what I otherwise would seek, but such things need to start somewhere, and I have spotted other options near them that could have their uses. It is not as if all opportunities in the featured areas have been exhausted.
Imputation
18th June 2018 It is not often that you will see a statistical term as the heading for an entry on here, but the reason is that, around twenty years ago, I took my first steps into online publishing. Though the exact date is lost to me, I am settling for the middle of June and that inspired the title. After all, this is an educated guess when accurate recollection has faded.
Back then, I was a university student, unsure of what the future might hold. There was the act of writing up a thesis and having it examined before I found a way into a life of work that continuously conveyed me until last August, when a much-needed career break began. That ended last month with my starting out as a freelance consultant. Another adventure has begun, and it brings its delights and agonies, but the hope is that any added sense of autonomy, flexibility and space for managing my affairs would outweigh any episodes of irritation. There is much to learn, and that is its own motivation.
That changeover was not distracted by all the fine weather over the last few weeks. Priorities were such that a trip to Ireland in May brought more in the way of exploring than otherwise was the case. The city of Kilkenny was explored, as was Castletown House near Celbridge in County Kildare. Various walks and cycles around my home in Cheshire have been complimented by episodes of website enhancement. The visible changes have been subtle, but things should load faster now.
What has not been forgotten that there are trip reports outstanding, and that recent round of website tinkering reminded me that I used to split some trip reports into several parts. That was opportune for those relating my Norwegian wanderings will follow that scheme. There will be one each for the 2016 and 2017 trips, and there may be an introductory one too. Chances for such things this summer may be limited by the need to build up some savings again after a period of reduced earnings, but time may bring its own surprises yet.
Of anniversaries and birthdays
7th May 2018 A warm sunny bank holiday weekend may be a rare thing but I have not been lured out and about. In any event, temperatures have risen a little too high for what I call comfortable walking and other preoccupations have overtaken me. Still, they have not been all-consuming so I have not passed the twelfth anniversary of my setting up this blog after a May Day bank holiday trip to Scotland that took in Lochaber, Inverness and highland Perthshire. Sometime in June (the actual date itself is lost to me) marks the twentieth anniversary of my setting up a website for the first time and November is when my public transport website reaches its tenth birthday.
It goes without saying that a lot has happened during these time intervals. Family and work circumstances have changed while my explorations of hill country have become more international; the process of recounting my Norwegian wanderings is an ongoing project. There have been new beginnings and false starts but life has continued in its many ups and downs. The need for constant supply of new and happy memories has been made plain to me as my explorations continue.
Finally, I have got to reading Graham Wilson's Climbing Down and I have other books by the same author to keep me going after that. Guidebooks to parts of North America as well as New Zealand have been perused in the off chance that my wanderings may become intercontinental. Canada's western reaches have their scenic allure together with a hint of danger added by the presence of bears and other wild creatures. It is my intention that those readings continue as I rediscover the necessity of reading books from cover to cover in place of dipping in and out of certain sections. Any way that adds an extra overview has its place. They have added thoughts of visiting Vancouver Island and the Canadian Rockies while any prospect of going as far as New Zealand is more of a long shot.
Before all that, there is a possible venture in my working life that will need setting up if it comes to pass. Once such a thing is place and things are more settled, my hope is that my outdoor explorations will continue. After all, May is the best time of year in Britain and Ireland and I hardly want to let that slip by me if I can help it. Longer outdoors outings may not have happened since February for a variety of reasons but there should be more of the year left for such pursuits. Life's adventure continues.
