july update

We've somehow already passed the mid-point of the month (and the year :o)! After months on end of sanitizing and keeping distance from people, I’ve accustomed myself to this new way of living but have equally been missing spending time seeing friends in Tokyo. It’s been a while since I last transplanted myself outside from Tochigi, and this has been insanely bugging my alter ego! I’m sure many of you have been facing the same dilemma, and I don’t want to be traveling too far out, so I decided to enjoy myself within my usual habitat by re-exploring one of the forests home to the grand Nikko National Park.

I drove up and through the woods in my car ( the drive there was already refreshing to the eye !) and parked near Hoki river, a spot known to some local fishermen as a place for trout fishing ( I also bumped into one while I was there :). I walked around the riverbed with no exact destination in mind and found a quiet place to settle myself to read and take in the view I was surrounded by.

This was completely unplanned but it was very relaxing just sitting by the riverside with nothing but the sound of water running, the birds freely chirping, and the trees swaying to the wind. I spent a good hour sitting there with a book while occasionally greeting people that passed by. I tend to overlook what is near me because of how easily accessible it is, but this time out allowed me to realize that there was so much bliss I had taken for granted! The area is also well known for numerous hot springs, and I drove by quite a few on the way. Lucky for me, there was a small foot bath in the parking area to the river so I took a quick rest there before heading back.

I spent the rest of the day cooking a nice meal and watching a movie with my feet up on the wall :) To add the cherry on top, it was unusually sunny which brought a little spark of joy to my day. A mini drive out to see the natural green and allowing myself to carelessly wander in my thoughts added color to the monotonous days I had spent the past few weeks. It was definitely a good way to declutter my mind from feeling stuck in one spot :)

Don’t forget to take a breather from time to time!

** The clouds seemed like an arms length of reach so I had to take a quick photo:) **