A few weeks ago, we had our Summer. It was admittedly a little short-lived (though whilst large swathes of the continent are literally burning right now, maybe that’s nothing to complain about), but it was nice whilst it lasted.
One weekend, the local bus services were all running for free, and it made sense to make the most of this offer. I took a bus ‘out into the sticks’ and wandered around for hours in an area I’d otherwise only be able to get to by car, and maybe wouldn’t even have thought to go to at all.
There was something quite liberating about all of this; being able to look out the window properly during the journey there, not having to think about where to park, and not needing to worry about finding a walking-route that would get me back to my vehicle (plus the financial and environmental benefits of course!). In every way, this was a day to really feel free and explore.

There were some beautiful sights to take in. The vibrant purple hues of foxgloves flashing in otherwise eerie ancient woodland. Meadows spanning miles, peppered with the fluttering of families of Red Admirals. A freshly shorn sheep hydrating itself as it sipped from a trough. Tidy topiaries in the back gardens of homes which I’ll never get to own, but like looking at.

Eventually, taking heed from the sheep and feeling the need for some hydration myself, I went to the local village pub. Here, I was greeted with a warmth that was in-keeping with the day’s weather, and a lady telling me the tale of how her cute dog – that was sniffling around at my toes as we spoke – had been coming to terms with recently losing an eye. I then experienced another benefit of having caught the bus by being able to refresh myself with a beer whilst doing some writing in the pub’s pretty garden, before returning home.

All in all, a nice, easy little adventure for a Summer’s day, and I’m excited to do more ‘bus explorations’ in the future.

Song of the Day: Russian Red – This is Un Volcan

This is a beautiful new song by a Spanish folk singer whose real name is Lourdes Gonzalez. She’s been around for about 15 years now and has produced some incredibly emotive and listenable pieces, the kind you keep on loop and keep finding new layers to the more you listen. One of her earlier pieces, ‘My Love is Gone’, is another favourite of mine for similar reasons.