I learned during the summer from my friend Sandra (one weekend in August it was her first time kayaking) that the best time to go out on the lake is the morning. The lake is calm and there are no jet skis or crazy speedboats showing off. We decided one Sunday morning to take the kayaks out before breakfast. It's strange, I'm not a morning person during the work week but take me into the woods and suddenly getting out and doing something involving nature in the morning (versus being in an office) and I'm all over it.
We went to a part of the lake I'd never been since the water was high enough. There were lily pads and various ducks. Since we were in kayaks we could navigate the shallow water. To me this is the perfect illustration of solitude: getting outside before the rest of the world is up. There are no waves. There are no bugs to bite you. Trying something new is never easy (like kayaking) but now that I've got a kayak I can't imagine life without one.
What did you do in 2011 that allowed you to enjoy the solitude? Did you enjoy stargazing around a campfire or hiking in the woods? Did you enjoy an early morning kayaking adventure with a friend that allowed you to take in the scenery and the quiet morning like I did? I'd love to hear from you.
(Me hiking in Eastern Iceland, September 2011)
