Solitude

While writing these lines, I am the only guest in a very spartan hotel, which had seen better days, on a windswept mountain pass at nearly 2000 m above sea level in the Italian Alps. The radiator in my small room was struggling to produce an ambient temperature last night, so that I had to add a couple of woolen blankets to my duvet cover to stay warm enough. The water in the narrow shower is taking more than 5 minutes before producing some luke-warm liquid .

The breakfast is basic, with a small but strong cappuccino as the only highlight this morning.

But as unlikely as it sounds, I am loving it (ok, with the exception of the shower….)!

The important point is not to confuse solitude with loneliness.

Following the past few weeks of working and travelling, of meeting amazing people and their animals, having long and thoughtful conversations, the time has come to take stock and to reflect on what I have seen and what is lying ahead of me.

The basic accommodation is helping to focus my mind and the mountains around me are an impressive background for a couple of training sessions per day.

The local but simple food is a welcomed change to the at times lavish feasts I have enjoyed together with my friends. And a great add on is, that this sort of travelling is hardly breaking the bank…..

From time to time I am enjoying these periods of reflection and to some degree it is the expectation of this, that is drawing me again and again to the mountains.

While recovering from the cross country skiing sessions, I am finding time to read, to write and to make plans for the future. The time in me as well as around me is slowing down and over the whole day there is neither a need nor a point in rushing anything.

While being on my own, there is no need to talk, to explain or to justify.

Like Ying and Yang, solitude and rest can produce the necessary contrast to enjoying company and adventures even more…..