16.1.2021
After the struggles from the day before I found myself coming to my senses once again. Looking back on the immense stress I put on myself I feel humbled now for the experience. This applies also on the first few days of my travels where I was exposed to similar challenges, all of them more in my head than really problems needed to be solved. What I (hope) to have learned and internalized by now is that a calm and clear mind is the result of trust in oneself. Obviously I thought I had enough trust to take on such a life changing decision as going away from my comfortable life in Switzerland and in search of a yet unknown lifestyle and home to live in, but these struggles only two weeks in let me look into the mirror of truth. I am not fully there yet but with everyone of those experiences along the way I get more and more confident to trust my abilities to navigate along the waves the ocean of life presents me with.
17.1.2021
The calmness catapulted me right into the Now of living and I had a lovely day. Indeed I could meet up with new found friends and felt somewhat ordinary during our long walk on the beach while talking and just really feeling how much connection means to me, how much kindness there is in humanity. Apart from realizing that a huge component to a fulfilled life is indeed connecting on a deeper level with others, I let the day fly by with taking in everything around me. My departure draws nearer and I enjoyed the time here in South Shields so much that I will miss it. It probably resembled my life in Switzerland a little bit as South Shields really is not that much bigger than Aarau, I had a tiny flat here as well and the freedom to roam freely for hours with my dog, connecting with people through small conversations or walks together. Although there are still four days to come, I can feel that I am beginning to say my farewells on the inside. I have had the opportunity to make amazing photographs of the nature around me and was able to take deep breaths while gathering strength again, recovering in a sense from the first days of travelling, reflect on my coping mechanisms and learned very much from the people I met. The most beloved things I will take with me were that the people from South Shields are called "sand dancers" by the others and that people here in the UK honor the memory of their beloved diceased by having a bench installed with a sign on them showing names, quotes and even sometimes pictures, all of them in public spaces to remember them while also serving the public to enjoy the dedicated spot as well.
18.1.2021
Today was the day that the drastic meassures for travelling to Scotland tightened even more because from this day until further notice everyone travelling from England to Scotland needs a negative test result. This is why I had my test package collected today from Carter's, a pharmacy and also something called a travel doctor. They were very nice and tomorrow morning I will have the test done by myself, seal the package and bring it to them to have my results in at the latest by Wednesday. After that I took the Metro to Newcastle Central where my train will be leaving on Thursday at 14:55, strangely enough you can buy your ticket with the ScotsRail app but then have to go to a ticket machine either way to print it out with a code that was sent immediately by mail after buying it. I wanted to go to Jesmond park but instead ended up at the quay where these multiple bridges, all serving different purposes, stretched out in front of me. Although the old city part and China Town looked very clean and nice, it felt kind of strange being there in the first place. Though there were people out about doing their daily business such as work or sports or walking their dog or just having a coffee, I kind of missed the calmness of South Shields, the vastness of the beach and the ocean, in short I needed less city and more nature. So after realizing that, Marjorie and I were back on the metro by 1 o'clock. My goals achieved for the day, mainly fetching the test kit and figuring out how long it takes to get to Newcastle Central as well as printing my train ticket, we made a short stop at Morrisons's to buy a small amount of supplies to cook for the next three days and were home by 14:30. While Marjorie slept I cooked and treated myself to binge-watching movie trailers on youtube, with a clear conscious as I have saved so much data roaming over the last week. Now it is dinner time again and while writing this Marjorie has placed herself directly in front of me to keep eye contact, knowingly producing awareness that she is now ready to be fed. I am ready to be fed as well and cannot wait for these next last two full days here to enjoy the wonderful landscape a few more times before getting ready to explore Scotland, at last (and hopefully, fingers crossed for a negative test result).
I wish you all, beloved souls, a wonderful evening, send you love and light and am with you in my thoughts
Nadine
Comments