Holidays these days tend to be very child-orientated to keep my three monsters entertained. They're mostly beach related. I've never really been a sun, sea and sand person - I burn far too easily with my pale skin - but there's something quite relaxing about sitting by the sea and listening to the waves rush in and out...even when drowned out by excited screams and the odd shrieks of sibling rivalry. :P
It's hard to pick a favourite holiday. Before the days of little monsters, two holidays stick in my mind. The out-of-the-ordinary visit to Taiwan to stay with a friend who was working out there was probably the most striking. It's also an experience that I've used as a basis for how someone might feel when arriving on an alien planet for the first time - the contrast in culture and surroundings was that sharp for me. But the best? I think that was my trip to Sweden with my husband and his parents. We had this little log cabin quite literally in the middle of nowhere, with private woodland and our own lake. The quiet and solitude were amazing. No traffic. Very few birds. If you wanted to write something post apocalyptic about being the only human being left alive, it was the perfect setting for inspiration. I loved it. We went canoeing and fishing on the lake. I saw my first red squirrel, a firecrest, and a Camberwell Beauty butterfly. Some people might find the silence and isolation creepy, but I adored it to the point where I even considered moving there. I'm not great with languages, though, so I'm not sure it would have worked out. But I'd love to go back again.
Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to our yearly holiday booked for the end of May. This time we're having a week in a house styled to look like an African hut, up on a cliff top setting by, yes, a beach. I'm hoping for dry weather. The beach is huge, and the dunes between us and the sea are a haven for butterflies. And hopefully by then, all my edits will be done!
4 comments:
Fingers crossed the edits are completed and the ocean's roar is a bit louder than the children's. I love the sound of the ocean - very relaxing to me.
Amazing you can edit three stories at the same time. I'm much to linear to do that! I'm in awe!!!
Pippa, you sound like a true nature lover! I get excited about squirrels and butterflies, too. I'm very excited about our upcoming move to 4 acres in the country! There's a big pasture, a view of the valley, and a couple acres of forest...you get the idea. We're getting chickens for eggs, so I may be asking you for advice.
Good luck woth your edits and enjoy the peace of the ocean!
That sounds wonderful, Pippa! I hope you spot many butterflies.
Hi Judith - well, two sets done and off to line edits, one set still to be done. I guess because my writing 'system' is much more chaotic and non-linear makes it easier to work on multiple projects, but I envy you! I've yet to write something from start to finish without jumping about or switching to other things in between. >.<
Sarah, wow - that sounds wonderful! And by all means shoot me any questions about chickens - we've had ours for two years now, and I adore them.
Thanks Vivienne - I hope to share all the pictures when I get back!
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