PLAYFULNESS + CURIOSITY Page 3 of 20

Are you up for a Christmas microadventure?

Posted on 2015-12-15 at 8:55 am.

This is a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.

Over the past few summers I have been trying to rally people to tackle a summer solstice micro adventure. It has been a pleasant success, with loads of people heading for the hills. This year lots of people have been tackling a microadventure each month as part of the Year of Microadventure Challenge. Setting the idea as a challenge was a great way of galvanising people to action. People who quite liked the idea of sleeping on a hill but would not ordinarily do it were motivated to get outdoors and try something new.

So here is a challenge for you: a winter solstice microadventure…

The 21st December is the shortest day of the year. The day is short, the night is long. But if the weather is fresh and clear this can be a beautiful season. The sun lies low in the sky, backlighting or silhouetting the world beautifully. And the night is cold and long, filled with stars and the greedy knowledge that you own this night while everyone else is tucked up indoors frittering their lives in front of X-Factor Xmas Specials. You are out there, beneath the glory of the heavens (and – perhaps – freezing your arse off wishing you were back home in front of the telly).

Most people have a chunk of time off somewhere between now and early January. Why not spend one of those nights out on a local microadventure? Head out of town with a friend or two. Climb a hill. Crack open a box of 50%-reduced mince pies and a few beers. Earn your Christmas Dinner. Work off your Christmas Dinner. Do whatever you like. But why not try to squeeze one last night in the wild into these last few nights of the year? Reflect on the year just passed, scheme for the year ahead.

Have a look at this video – it might spark an idea.

A Winter Microadventure: Cycle to the Sea from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.

If you decide to do a winter microadventure, pop your pics and stories on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Make sure to use the #microadventure hashtag to share your story with everyone else. Have a look here to see what everyone else has been up to.

I’ve done this for the past few winters, and here’s how I spent one evening: not exactly suffering – there was even bacon!

So, please, do consider a night under the stars this Christmas time. It’s entirely compatible with nights out at the pub or friends’ houses. It’s compatible with getting home for a full day of putting up the Christmas decorations. It’s so easy to do, but so memorable, refreshing and fun! Work out where you need to be to see the sunrise (use this great link). Tell somebody where you are going and when you’ll be back. And then go!

The Challenge Rules

Go sleep outdoors somewhere – a garden, a hill, a forest, a beach
Do it solo, with friends, family, work colleagues, or an old flame
Put your photos online (#microadventure hashtag on Twitter or Instagram; Facebook Microadventure page here)
Deadline for you to complete your challenge is bedtime on Sunday, January 3

Here’s the stuff you’ll need, complete with links to help you if you need more information:

Sleeping bag: Don’t buy anything special. Just go with what you have and add as many jumpers as necessary.
Sleeping mat: If you suspect you will not do a lot of camping just buy one of these cheap ones. Really makes a difference to your warmth in winter.
Bivvy bag: There are cheap, medium and expensive options. This explains everything you need to know. If you’re worried about rain take a basha too.
Woolly hat: Santa hats get bonus points.
Waterproof clothes
Warm clothes: Christmas jumpers get bonus points.
Torch
Toothbrush: put the toothpaste on at home and wrap the brush in cling film.
Toilet paper
Food and water
Mince pie & Whisky.

How to make hard choices

Posted on 2015-11-27 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Here’s a talk that could literally change your life. Which career should I pursue? Should I break up — or get married?! Where should I live? Big decisions like these can be agonisingly difficult. But that’s because we think about them the wrong way, says philosopher Ruth Chang. Chang believes that hard choices are a godsend because they give us the power to create reasons for us to live the life we want. To become distinctive. And to become the author of our own destiny.

In this insightful TED Talk on decision-making and the human condition, Chang looks at how we exercise our freedom through the choices we make. She explores the relationship between reason and value, looks at how we navigate ourselves through the sea of pros and cons and offers a powerful new framework for defining who we truly are. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

What hard choices have you faced in the past? What did you do? What tips/techniques worked well? What hard decisions are you facing at the moment? Which choice will you make?

Go on, break the rules!

Posted on 2015-09-25 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Colour in your wardrobe, home and food – how colour affects us

Posted on 2015-09-14 at 3:47 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

Last week, our senior editor Rachel talked about “Making your day more beautiful with colour”, today our Do What You Love team member and colour enthusiast Louise is looking at how different colours affect us with the clothes we wear, how we decorate our homes and the food we eat.

Imagine for one moment what your day may feel like without colour.

Colour is essential to our life. Using colour in our day to day affects us more than we realise, through our wardrobe, how we decorate our homes, the food we eat and creative life. Colour is also a tool that can be used to heal ailments and essentially change our moods, so today lets take a look around us to see which colours we are drawn to and which colours we use the most.

Colours in Your Wardrobe

Image via createyourcolorstory.com

What are the colours that appear most in your wardrobe? Are your clothes hung or organised by colour? Which colours are missing? Think about the colours you like to wear and how they make you feel when you are wearing them. Here are recommendations for each:

Wear Red when you want to draw attention to yourself. Wearing red will make you stand out from the crowd, but avoid red if you are nervous, self-conscious or need to invite more calming energy into your life.

Wear Orange when you want to stimulate your creativity, socialize with other people, be cheerful and have fun. Orange can also motivate you and uplift your spirit.

Wear Yellow to encourage personal power, stability, confidence and happiness. Yellow can sometimes drain your energy levels, so avoid wearing when you are tired.

Wear Green when taking classes or learning something new as it signifies growth. It can also be a stimulating colour, so avoid it if you are a little restless.

Wear Pink to convey compassion and an open heart. Whether you are male or female, you will appear approachable and capable of loving others.

Wear {light} Blue to encourage peace and healthy self expression and to be open to receiving communication from others.

Wear Indigo to encourage intuition and insight.

Wear violet or Purple when you are going through a transition, want to attract new opportunities, or in a spiritual place or setting.

Decorating Your Home

Image via createyourcolorstory.com

What colours do you live with? Do you have different colour accents in different rooms in your home? How do your rooms make you feel? Here is a little overview of how various colours affect us in our living space. Here are recommendations for each:

Decorate with Red: Add red into rooms where you want to invite more energy in or require warmth or physical activity. These are usually a playroom, hallway or kitchen. Red in the bedroom may generate a little passion, but it might also disturb sleep as it is too energizing on the physical body. If you would like to add red in your bedroom, try accents such as throw pillows, blankets or other ornaments in this colour.

Decorate with Orange: Many find orange a hard colour to live with in their environment, so finding a tone that is softer is a great way to bring orange energy into your home/office. This can be in tones such as amber, peach, apricot, terracotta etc. Orange is a great colour for the digestive system so having this energy in your dining room is really good. You may find many restaurants use a tone of orange too!

Decorate with Yellow: As yellow stimulates the brain, using pops of yellow in your study or work area will improve your concentration or when you need to expand ideas. Some yellows can feel a little sickly, so golden yellows, primrose and buttery creamy yellows. Decorating a whole space in yellow with yellow light can have a negative affect and is not recommended as it encourages irrational behavior and nervousness.

Decorate with Green: Green is the colour to use when you want to feel calm and balanced in your space. It reminds us of nature, so if you do not get to enjoy the outdoors much, bring it inside with accents of green and plant life. Be careful to use clear or soft greens only. Muddy, dirty, olive greens have a negative effect indicating decay.

Decorate with Pink: As pink has energetic red in it, if you decorate with a hot pink or deep rose pink, you will be getting some of that vibrancy shine through (and maybe passion too!). Pink is also a muscle relaxant and relaxes our emotions too.

Decorate with Blue: Blue rooms and lighting create a calm, relaxing, expanding space. Many waiting rooms decorate with blue as it reduces anxiety.

Decorate with Indigo: Indigo helps us open up to our intuition and acts as a sedative. Suitable for more ‘quiet’ places. It works well in bedrooms or treatment rooms. Some people find indigo is helpful for studying so using in a library or study could work well.

Decorate with Violet/Purple: Violet and purple create an air of royalty, luxury and mystery. Many might use this colour for entrance halls or areas of worship. For the home, it is recommended to use small amounts, combined with other colours.

Eat a Rainbow

Image via createyourcolorstory.com

By including all the colours of the rainbow from fruits and vegetables, you are ensuring that your body is receiving all the nutrients and colour energy it needs to stay healthy and balanced. Like everything in life, balance and variation bring us everything we need.

What colours do you notice the most in your meals? Are there any colours missing, do you eat one colour more than others? Here are some benefits for each:

Red food: In addition to vitamin C and folate, red fruits and vegetables are also sources of flavonoids, which reduce inflammation and have antioxidant properties. Cranberries, another red fruit are also a good source of tannins, which prevent bacteria from attaching to cells.

Orange food: Thanks to the huge amount of nutrients associated with orange-coloured fruits and vegetables, consuming orange foods can help your overall health. The abundance of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and phytonutrients in orange foods are good for your skin, eyes and heart, and they may also decrease your risk of cancer.

Yellow Food: The colour is sunshine, yellow food includes water soluble plant pigments that function as antioxidants. There is also an abundance of vitamin C. Studies suggest that these nutrients will help your heart, vision, digestion and immune system.

Green food: The natural plant pigment chlorophyll gives fruits and vegetables their green colour. Green foods that are rich in isothiocyanates, induce enzymes in the liver that assist the body in removing potentially carcinogenic compounds.

Blue/Purple food: Foods that are this colour are rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are the most abundant and powerful of all the phytochemicals contained in the foods we eat. They help make our blood vessels healthier, meaning a healthier cardiovascular system and lower risk of heart disease. They are also very beneficial in reversing the short-term memory loss associated with aging. They also help improve our motor skills, from walking and sitting to smaller delicate movements such as using our hands, wrists, fingers, and toes.

How else does colour show up in your life?

What colours are missing from your life?

How can you invite these colours into the different areas above?

Have a beautiful and colourful day

What are your dreams telling you?

Posted on 2015-09-11 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Get out your rainbow colours and make today beautiful

Posted on 2015-09-07 at 11:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

A magical reminder that the world is a kaleidoscope of colour. Image credit: Jamie McCaffrey

Colour is a powerful thing. It can open the door to the mind and the soul and heal us on all levels, it can improve our health and boost our sense of wellbeing and it can also help us to create a happy harmonious home. So forget black, white and grey (yes, all fifty shades of it!) it’s time to open our eyes to the bold, the bright and the beautiful.

Here are our top tips for inviting more colour into your life…

1. Wear clothes that light you up

We all love neutrals but by stocking our wardrobes with the same fail-safe shades we could be missing out on the health benefits implicit in colour. As our very own colour expert Louise Gale says: “Colours can have a big psychological effect on us. Warm, bright colours, such as pink, yellow and orange, instantly put us in a cheery mood and make others feel that way too. Green is calming and soothing, blue can help you feel relaxed, and purple is associated with creativity and luxury and like red, it can also boost your energy levels.” Look for beauty in what you have in your wardrobe and bring your outfit to life with a bright accessory, like a bag, a scarf or a piece of chunky jewellery.

Floral Gypsy Top £26, Jeans £20, Knitted Scarf £12, Tan Belt £5, M&Co

2. Rock bold lips

It’s a small thing but lipstick makes a massive difference to the way you look and feel. As Coco Chanel said: “If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack”. Bright lips are back this season and the enduring classic red offers a shade for every complexion; orangey-reds work well on ‘warmer’ faces with yellow undertones, while reds with a hint of blue look great against cool-toned skin.

Lipsticks, £12, Iconic London

3. Love your walls

While it’s great to have a neutral scheme that goes with everything, all that white, cream and beige can start to get you down. Your home is your playground and your sanctuary, so it should feel that way! Vibrant splashes of colour here and there can brighten your mood, stimulate lively conversation, inspire work, hobbies and interests and help you wind down too. If you’re not sure which hue is for you, take this The Paint Personality Test before you get out your brushes and go bold.

Image credit: House To Home

4. Give your living space a lift

A colourful cushion or a well-placed throw can change the focus of a room in an instant, while a quirky accessory will ensure your home reflects your personality and makes a style statement to see you into autumn.

Linea Justapose living room, House of Fraser

5. Go potty for plants

As Oscar de la Renta said: “Gardening is how I relax. It’s another form of creating and playing with colors.” So with cooler weather on its way now’s the time to pop down to your local garden centre and find inspiration. Add a pop of dramatic colour to your garden with containers filled with beautiful autumnal blooms like Violas, large faced Pansies, Heuchera, Nemesia, Snapdragon, Dahlias, Chrysanthemum or Camellia.

Image credit: Homebase

6. Spread a little sunshine

Show someone a little love today by giving a colourful gift – like a candle, photo frame or journal – wrapped in beautifully designed paper or decorated with bright tape. Your act of kindness is guaranteed to brighten their day.

Floral fabric sticky tape, £3.95, Dotcomgiftshop

7. Polish up your act

Dark manicures, brilliant brights, jewel tones, matt finishes and a splattering of nail art, when it comes to painting our fingers and toes there are so many wonderful ways to create our own unique and colourful look this autumn. So now’s the time to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

Matte nail polish, £2.99, New Look

8. Eat right, eat bright

Multi-coloured plant foods don’t just look good on your plate, they’re good for you as well. Each colour relates to different phytonutrients, which boast specific health benefits for the body and mind. Find out more here.

Image credit: Consciousbitesnutrition.com

9. Bring the outside in

Flowers have a wonderful healing energy, which can instantly lighten our mood or transform the atmosphere in a room. “The best way to appreciate the colour, scent and beauty of fresh flowers is to place them in your hallway and in your bedroom,” according to event-stylist-to-the-stars Matthew Robbins. “That way you enter your living space in the morning to something fresh, organic and inspiring and you end your day seeing something natural and beautiful.”

Botanical vases, Dunelm Mill

10. Connect with creativity

Ask yourself which colours you are especially drawn to right now and use these as a basis for a new creative project. Draw, paint, knit, sew, scrapbook, take pictures, bake – do whatever you love to do – or try something you’ve never done before. To find out how your colour choices reflect what is going on in your life right now, click here.

Which colours make you feel happiest? What’s your favourite colour and what does it mean to you? Which colours would you like to surround yourself with and why? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Food for thought at The Little Beach Hut of Dreams

Posted on 2015-08-19 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

In the spirit of summer we’re delighted to bring you this post from lifestyle blogger Niomi Smart who packed a delicious picnic to enjoy at The Little beach Hut of Dreams….

Last week I was lucky enough to spend the day in the ‘Little Beach Hut Of Dreams‘ in Hove, Brighton, so I whipped up lots of delicious food in preparation for a delicious picnic by the sea.

The beach hut is beautifully decorated in greys, whites and pale pinks, and there are comfy seats with big fluffy cushions to help you get comfortable while you dream the day away. As it’s the height of summer (although you’d never know from the windy weather!), I thought I’d make this video to share a few of my fresh and healthy recipes, which are perfect to pack up and enjoy on-the-go. They’re all listed below, too. I hope you enjoy!

Fruit skewers

strawberries
blueberries
raspberries
melon chunks
grapes

1. Chop the strawberries into chunks, and slide onto a skewer. Follow with a blueberry, then a raspberry and finish with another strawberry chunk.

2. Repeat with the melon and grapes.

Corn on the cobs

2 corn on the cobs

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

2. Wrap in tin foil and place in the oven.

2. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Salsa

2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/4 red onion
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red chilli
Himalayan salt & pepper to taste
handful fresh coriander leaves
1/4 cucumber, chopped

1. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor apart from the coriander and cucumber and pulse until the tomatoes and onions are chopped to the consistency that you would like the salsa.

2. If there is a lot of liquid from the tomatoes, spoon out the excess liquid. Transfer into a container with a lid.

3. Chop the cucumber into small chunks and pick a handful of coriander leaves and stir into the salsa.

4. Store in the fridge for up to three days.

Butternut squash & buckwheat salad

1 cup uncooked bulgar wheat
1/2 butternut squash
salad leaves
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
handful fresh coriander

1. Peel the skin from the butternut squash and chop into about 1 inch thick chunks. Steam for about 20 minutes or until soft.

2. Cook the buckwheat according the the instructions and allow to cool.

3. When the buckwheat and butternut squash are cool, transfer to a large bowl and stir in all the remaining ingredients.

Fresh mint & orange water (serves 2)

10 fresh mint leaves
1/2 large orange
1 lime

1. Slice the orange and lime into slices and divide into two glasses.

2. Add the fresh mint leaves to the glasses and top with water.

Naomi’s outfit: Dress – ASOS, bag – Skinnydip, shoes – ASOS, sunglasses – Quay Australia

To find out more about Niomi, visit her website.

Adventure – are you getting enough?

Posted on 2015-08-10 at 9:47 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Today’s post is by Rachel Kempton, Senior Editor at Do What You Love

I love the idea of microadventures; mini escapes for people who want an ‘adventure’ but who don’t have the time, money, freedom or expertise to do something big or off the wall. It’s a concept that I was introduced to recently by one of Do What You Love’s guest bloggers, adventurer and author Alastair Humphries, and one that has inspired me to think about adventure as a whole, and what it really means to me.

Adventure can mean something different to everyone. For many it’s about thrills and excitement, taking risks, or discovering the unexpected. For some it’s about physical exertion and extreme, even dangerous, challenges; and for others, it can be mental or spiritual, or involve an emotional journey of some kind. For me, adventure is about being open to new experiences and finding little ways to challenge myself every day. It’s about making life richer and more fulfilling, creating lasting memories, learning, growing and getting to know myself better, and ultimately, doing more of what I love.

When you choose adventure, doors open – as if by magic!

As Alastair says: “You do not need to fly to the other side of the planet… be an elite athlete, expertly trained, or rich to have an adventure. Adventure is just a state of mind. Adventure is stretching yourself; mentally, physically or culturally. It is about doing what you do not normally do… and doing it to the best of your ability.”

Adventure is a way of being, a way of seeing, an approach to life.

Over the last few weeks, in a bid to mix up my day-to-day routine, I’ve been challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone and seek out adventure in my daily life. So far I found myself doing all sorts of new things: reading (and enjoying!) books I wouldn’t normally choose; getting up earlier and starting my day with a morning power walk or breakfast in a café; learning new skills to boost my creativity; exploring new towns close to home; and planning our next big steps as a family.

Half the fun is getting there! I’ve realised that when you see life as an adventure even mundane things, like supermarket shopping with my son, can be fun, especially if they involve befriending grizzly bears on the way there and getting the bus home!

I’ve also been inspired to organize a couple of impromptu microadventures with my little family. One was cycling the Tissington Trail in Derbyshire. Although we didn’t quite manage the full 26-mile course we pushed ourselves and definitely earned our picnic! Escaping the city and immersing ourselves in nature, even for one day, was so liberating and energizing. It’s true what they say: ‘the best things in life are free’.

My other microadventure was a last minute trip to Croatia – somewhere my husband and I have never been before. Every part was an adventure, from flying with an excited two-year-old (which, as any parent knows, is all part of the fun!) and driving on the other side of the road, to familiarizing ourselves with the language, culture and food and deciding what we most wanted to see and do.

The stunning Istrian Peninsula coastline inspired us to dream

The highlight was heading inland and veering off the beaten track, up a steep, winding, dusty gravel road, to explore the charming hilltop town of Grožnjan.

In the summer months Grožnjan’s labyrinth of cobbled streets and courtyards become one great stage for musicians.

Grožnjan is home to around 30 national and international artists whose houses are the stuff of fairy tales and fantasy novels with their tiny doors, colourful house numbers and cute window boxes. It was a pleasure to wander around the artists’ open studios and galleries and see them blissfully happy in their surroundings, making a living by doing what they love.

A gorgeous photography studio – I couldn’t resist treating myself to a print!

Grožnjan’s lovely antiques dealer

A potter’s paradise: an open ceramics studio

The last few weeks have shown me that adventure really is right there for the taking! It’s all around us, at all times, so it’s up to us to seek it out. Here are my top tips for making adventure part of your every day life:

Alter your perspective: see adventure, and the ability to seek it out in the daily routine of life, as a challenge. Each morning ask yourself: How can I be more adventurous today?
Slow down and indulge your senses: The more we tune into our five senses, the more easily we can tune into that magical and vital ‘sixth sense’ – intuition – the gut-feeling we all have. We also start paying more attention the signs all around us, the little ‘coincidences’ and ‘messages from the universe,’ as well as the things that feel good, easy, or magical, we open the door to possibility. All of these are clues leading us towards what it is we really love, and want to be doing, and invite serendipitous opportunities our way.
Switch off regularly. Give yourself permission to have a daily digital detox. Step away from any distractions, and focus on what you really want to do. Adventure can only start when you take control and captain your own ship.
Live in the moment and be spontaneous. Planning is all well and good but sometimes you just have to do it. Some of the best adventures come as a result of an impulsive, spur of the moment decision. What would you love to go and do today, tomorrow, or this weekend? How can you make it happen?
Connect with your inner child: The wilder your imagination the better! Climb a tree, write a story, go running, roll down a hill, sleep under the stars, take a road trip, take a new class, start a conversation with the mystery person you pass each day on the way to work – everything in life can be an adventure if you choose to see it that way.

We’ll be blogging about adventure throughout August and we hope our posts inspire you to be more adventurous in your daily life. As always we love to hear from you so please do share your experiences – no matter how big or small.

Will you choose adventure?

Posted on 2015-07-24 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Make time for microadventure

Posted on 2015-07-24 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This is a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.

The single biggest obstacle that gets between people and the adventures they dream of is a lack of time. Microadventures have always been about making the best of what is available, squeezing in small bursts of adventure into a busy calendar, rather than just lamenting how busy you are.

This weekend was pretty busy for me. It involved 14 hours on a train, an evening speaking event, a Christening, and not a lot of time for the sort of mucking about I enjoy. But I was speaking in Scotland, and any visit to Scotland feels like an opportunity to do something fun in the outdoors…

Kings Cross might be a very cool station, but I’d still rather not be here on the weekend. Still, at least I could be very grown-up and diligent and knuckle down to seven concerted hours of book-writing. This went well for a while. Until I got so very bored that I resorted to taking photographs of my computer instead.

A good time-filler on a train is gazing out the window and looking for cool spots to sleep wild for a night. Then you pin the location in Google Maps on your phone and save it for when you happen to be back in this part of the world and in need of somewhere free to lay your head.

As a very professional motivational speaker, I was sure to arrive at the venue very early. This allows plenty of time for what is known, in the trade, as “faffing about with your slides”. Swapping one picture of a desert for a slightly different one is – you feel – the key to giving a cracking talk.

Time for a spot of Dutch Courage before the audience arrive. Makes my jokes funnier (at least to me).

Time, at last, to give my talk. I spoke at length about microadventures, about the joys of sleeping on hills and making the most of whatever opportunities come your way. Time then for me to practise what I preached. I headed off into the evening to find a hill. But first, serious expeditions require serious nutrition. This is the glamorous world of the itinerant speaker – long hours on trains and snatching crap food when the chance arises.

The long, light summer evenings are perfect for climbing hills. The air was warm though wet with drizzle. It felt like a fine night to be high above a city and enjoying the dusk.

And so to bed. I slept well until about 7am when I was woken by the bellowing of a too-close stag which slightly scared the crap out of me, but successfully ensured I did not oversleep. If it’s raining hard and you are in a bivvy bag it is always worth finding a wood to sleep in. The rain rattled on the tree canopy but I was dry and sheltered down beneath it.

I woke to this view:

I enjoy the odd feeling when I am removed from the rest of the world, but still close enough to be connected.

I also enjoy being in situations where small pleasures become all that I need in life. A shaded bench, sheltered from the rain, to eat my breakfast apple and enjoy the view…

And now, to church! I had a Christening to attend and didn’t want to be late. I set off walking east.

It was such a pleasant feeling to have nothing to do but walk. I wish more of my mornings began in this way. On the road I saw a very good lesson for life for me: to slow down.

The rain was quite heavy but the landscape was beautiful and I was in an uncommonly good mood. An elderly man walking his dog passed me. “Not so good this morning.” he said, briefly. Weather observations are the glue that holds together most British social interactions. The correct technique for my response would be to agree, briefly, and carry on. Something like “Indeed!” or “haha!” or even a smile and a nod.

But I was feeling wild and reckless and the rain smelled great and I loved the shining beads of water on the cow parsley and gorse. So I contradicted him, “Not at all! It’s a wonderful morning!” and carried striding on. The poor gentleman is probably penning a shocked letter to The Telegraph as we speak.

Shortly before I reached the church I ducked into a small wood. I extracted my suit from my rucksack, smoothed it down as best I could, and hung it in a tree to try to get rid of a few creases.

Then I stripped to my boxer shorts and attempted to turn myself into a respectable-looking gentleman on his way to church.

Suit plus rucksack. Always a strong look.

I made it to the church on time. In fact, I was the first to arrive. You don’t want to be late for the Christening of your first godchild. I’m supposed to be setting a good moral example here!

And then it was back on the train, back down south, but with even less book-writing than before. Trains are brilliant for looking at the world and wishing you were out in it, making the most of it and exploring.

[Tweet “What plans do you have to squeeze some microadventure into your busy life?”]