Hiking

Spring break begins this week after a long and busy winter term. I gave another paper last week on methodology (just baby steps here). Yesterday I had an annual progress interview at the department. It sounds like I'm on track, and I feel confident that this is the case. So now I am taking a little time to relax.

Not that I can rest for all of break, but I am balancing my work with recreation. So today I went on a moderate hike in the nature reserve trails North of campus. Part of the trail is an abandoned country road. It goes uphill for quite a ways and eventually turns wet. In fact the road bed has become something of a small stream fed from a spring bubbling up somewhere on this hill. The pathway begins being shaded by trees on both sides, but as one makes the climb, there is eventually a break in the trees on the right and a beautiful view of the valleys North of the city is revealed. In fact there is a side trail into one of the valleys upon which I hiked for a short while. There are some other good green places in Exeter, but this is one of the few areas that is really wooded, natural and open for hiking.

As spring comes into its own, I encourage you all to get out from urban life and the manic streets, and go walking in the countryside. You don't have to be a camper or a long term hiker. Just have a ramble in the rolling hills. For those of you living in really big cities, this might be more of a production, but I know that you can go hiking on several mountains in Seoul and many cities have substantial open parks.

Once more into the breach,

Ben