Back from an extraordinary hiking trip to Scotland. Soaring temperatures, not a single drop of rain, few midges, outstanding panoramas were just some of the highlights of my second multi-day hiking adventure into the West Highlands.
At the end of last year, I had decided to spend more time outside of London to discover the rest of the UK. In order to make that happen, I booked a few races in various parts of England. Today, on the weekend of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, this brought me to Stratford-upon-Avon.
Got the CleanSpace tag delivered. It is a RF-powered, portable device measuring carbon monoxide concentration. I spent a few days playing with it, and sharing my first impression here. Ultimately, I want to know whether the data can help foster change to the better.
Let’s face it. Air quality in London is quite poor. You don’t need technology to notice. As soon as you reach the country side, the difference is usually very apparent. I will soon get hold of an active sensor that transfers carbon monoxide readings to my phone in real-time. Interesting: the sensor is powered only from energy harvested from wireless and broadcast networks. Energy from thin air!
Great timing. A wave of cold temperature and clear skies comes to Sweden precisely when needed. But if it weren’t for the logistics, the wind could have made ice skating impossible. A story in pictures on what the dark and cold winter in Sweden had to offer.
No, this is not a story about a refugee even though certainly many could be written. Instead, it is a story about a migrant within the European Union. A story that should make UK citizens think twice. A story against reactionary and nationalistic tendencies.
It’s easier than ever to track your mileage in running, cycling, and many other activities. But why would one do that? For the present self to celebrate past accomplishment?. Or to post it online here for promoting one’s virtual self? No. I want to track running mileage in order to adjust my course and correlate exercise with race performance.
What a friendly welcome of the local Swing dancing community in San Francisco! I’m saying thank you and recommend the following to my fellows in London – should you ever visit San Francisco, then Lindy in the Park is a place to go to.
As if the race wasn’t long enough on its own, some runners did not pay enough attention and had to run the extra mile in the Vanguard Way Marathon, a nice and challenging race on scenic trails south of London. A humoristic take on how to get more out of the race than you paid for.
Run to work statistics: 41 commutes, over 200 km distance covered, 17 hours spent on exercise, around GBP 86 saved on public transport, not so fresh air, and a ridiculous number of trolleys avoided by not having to go through one of London’s busiest train terminals.
A journey through valleys, villages and across mountain passes, through sunshine, rain, and thunderstorm: in this year’s mountain bike trip, we crossed the Alps from Oberstdorf in Germany to Lake Garda in Italy.
What started as a joke turned into reality on a bank holiday weekend: A bicycle ride from London to Paris. Well, to be exact, we skipped the part from London to the channel and started in Dieppe.
Panoramic views on a scenic route through the Black Mountains in Wales. This challenge, organized by the Longtown Mountain Rescue Team, was worth every step that was needed to complete the 50 km hike. We arrived tired, but happy before sunset.
On the topic of cycling in London: much has been written, and more will be written. That is because it is a complicated matter. This is a brief and incomplete view on the upsides, the downsides, and the quirky aspects of cycling in London.
The pedal of the electric piano in my room keeps sliding and slipping away under my foot. A well-known issue. Placing the piano on a large piece of cardboard fixed this: a cut-out of the right size is now keeping the pedal in place.
The ice conditions and the weather in Stockholm being far from ideal for ice-skating, we travelled all the way up to Lake Siljan in Dalarna, Sweden. An essay on the wonders of long-distance ice-skating, a winter activity as fantastic as well as little known outside the Nordic countries.
It was my second time in France. After exploring the countryside in the Auvergne a decade ago, this time I visited the capital over a weekend while travelling from London to Munich by train and by bus. A mixed story about discovering Paris by foot.
Man brukar säga att det är mycket lättare att lära sig ett främmande språk när man befinner sig i landet där språket talas än om man befinner sig utomlands. Angående svenska som främmande språk får jag nu ingå kompromisser eftersom jag inte längre bor i Sverige. Kommer jag att glömma bort allt som jag lärt mig? Helst inte.
A visit to Milton Keynes gave me a brief look into former codebreakers’ life at Bletchley Park during World War II. The exhibition also featured a rebuilt exemplar of the bombe, an electromechanical machine that played a role in breaking the code of the Enigma. I got fascinated for several reasons.
It was my first four-day hiking trip in the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada in the Sequoia National Park (California). This is a recount of my experiences and a descriptions of the lessons I learnt while carrying my backpack with food and shelter over segments of the High Sierra Trail.
A friend recently showed me this place. I am posting no more than this: have a look at Saatchi Gallery in London and find out. Guess first what it is. Find out later.
Spending a day at the Channel near Eastbourne, escaping to more scenic running routes than London can offer. Wind and rain. The weather forecast calls it “heavy drizzle”. Impressive.
The deserted City of London on Saturday. Almost empty. Brilliant colors and stark contrasts on a unique day of sunshine and rainfall – a few pictures.
A recount of a hiking trip into the wilderness of Scotland: on ex-hurricanes and their effects, suicidal drivers, famous spots from the literature and the movies, a town nicknamed Lang Toon and on the festival time in Edinburgh.
Time to have a look how my experiment worked out in the first month. Running to work has lived up to my expectations and has never yet failed to lift my spirits. There is room for improvement, but the 14 runs totalling in more than 70 km were worth every kilometer. Here are the few lessons learned.