The Norwegians believe that there is no problem that can’t be solved by going outside. Danes put their babies sleep outside. In all kinds of weather. Sweden created allemansrätten or everyman’s right to roam. Outside. All land is open and available to explore and encourage people to get outside. And you will find all of the Scandi’s with faces to the sun when it is out. It’s good for you. Soak it up.
But what does getting outside mean to you? Is it active? Hiking, biking, skiing, surfing? Is it something that makes your heart pump and adrenaline flow? For some it does. The two go hand in hand. For me, it can. But these experiences are more the exception than the rule.
For me, getting outside is a way to restore balance. Fill the buckets. Right the scales. It is contemplative and rejuvenating. It can be that crazy, balls-out, exciting endorphin rush. Sometimes. But mostly, it’s communing. With nature. Or seriously, it’s as simple as a sit on a bench with a view. Vitamin D. Vitamin me. Outside. I need to do it more.
Clearly, the Faraway Files Travel Blog Community has been getting outside lately. There was a clear theme last week with many posts offering ways to get outside for both the adrenaline junkies and the nature communers. Which are you? I’m a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. Depends on the day. Missed last week’s collection? Check it out here.
Xin nian kuai le! Chinese New Year started January 28th this year. Did you celebrate? Happy New Year!
Now that it is February, I’m crowing a bit. I always do a little happy dance this time of year. Give myself a pat on the back for making it through the grey and dark of January. Especially this January. The rooster can be cocky and competitive and loud. Have you heard him? Who hasn’t.
But February is for love. And light. Especially in Denmark. Every day this month we gain four minutes of daylight. It may seem incremental to you, but by month’s end, that totals two more hours of daylight here. Four minutes. EVERY DAY. This. Is a good thing. This video is also a good thing. Have you seen it? A simple and beautiful message for the whole world.
We live in a time where we quickly put people in boxes. Maybe we have more in common than what we think?”
All That We Share – TV2, Denmark
Let’s not put each other in boxes. Let’s connect on what we have in common. Put me in that box. The connector box. The willing to try box. At least once box. The build bridges box. Put me in the “I love drinking coffee” and “eating cheap tacos” and “watching Vikings” box. Put me in the “Yes, I do know all the words to American Pie box.” The “my house is usually messy*” box. The “I love cooking but don’t always follow recipes box.” You too? See. We do have things in common. Let’s celebrate that.
My favorite posts from last week are perfect examples of places and experiences that, on the surface, might seem to separate us living so faraway. But each one shows us that we have things in common too. We celebrate. We explore. We love. We laugh. We all made it through this January.
But, maybe you live somewhere where January comes with picnics and strawberries and barbecues and swimming. Are you smack in the middle of summer right now? Lucky you. If you are – I would love to discuss potential home swaps right about now. Ok – only slightly joking. But please share your posts! I’m looking for a little virtual warmth and sunshine at the moment. And that is not fake news.
This isn’t either. Just one more reason, that my family will support Airbnb as hosts and renters.
Airbnb is providing free housing to refugees and anyone not allowed in the US. Stayed tuned for more, contact me if urgent need for housing
Airbnb is working with partners around the world to support refugees and those who may have unexpectedly been affected by the recent travel ban into the United States. If you would like to help by temporarily hosting these people, please add your listing here.”
– Brian Chesky, co-founder AirBnb
FAVORITES WEEK #15
Thank you to Bryna from Dotted Line Travels who shared her what the Chinese New Year’s markets look like in Taipei and Hong Kong. I would love to celebrate all that color! Amazing. Cheers!
And while the landscapes of Jordan’s Wadi Rum may feel as familiar as Mars, Kat of Where is Kat Going? assures us that we have more in common with the Bedouins who help us explore here than we might expect. Who doesn’t love the rush of wind on their face from an open jeep?
Ruth from Tanama Tales shares a perfect itinerary and a little history of Spain’s melting pot of cultures – Toledo. Disparate cultures, religions and architectural styles bump elbows and influence each other here in this beautiful Spanish outpost.
Let us not repeat a divisive history. Amanda Afield reminds us about some of the difficult and emotional places in our collective pasts. She shares her experience visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau in her post about a day trip from Krakow, Poland.
A DAY TRIP FROM KRAKOW | Amanda Afield
On that note. Let’s rock February. Let’s rule the collective roost. Let’s connect. It’s all one big farm yard peeps. Every corner of it connected. Show me yours. Your corner people. Of the world.
This week, I’m going to take you back a little further historically. To the Bronze Age. Let’s rock some old rock carvings. Really old. Petroglyphs. In West Sweden. You know you want to. Or even if you didn’t, let me show why you should want to. Let’s go to Tanum.
Read on. Be inspired. Link with me. Connect with us. Faraway Files begins below.
* I have recently finished, The Joy of Leaving Your Sh*t All Over the Place, by Jennifer McCartney and feel completely validated in my life choices. You too? See. Same box. Or lots of boxes, if you really embrace the book.
FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #14
WANT TO JOIN IN?
We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.
HOW IT WORKS:
Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World.
Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
I know there are many reasons that much of the world was ready to kick 2016 to the curb a few days ago. But there were so many things I felt grateful for last year. I am working hard to welcome the new year with an open heart full of the same gratitude and sense adventure. I am so very thankful for this growing and supportive community that Faraway Files has become. I have met new friends. I have learned of new places. I can’t wait to explore more.
Every corner that you share, each different travel that you compare, takes us places. Some we may know, but now see anew. Others are added to our ever growing wanderlusting wishlists. Where are you headed this year? Where will you take us?
2017 TRAVEL WISH LIST
For our family – we are looking for experiences, quite near AND quite far. For our winter break, we hope to illuminate our nights with Arctic Circle activities and the northern lights. Bring on the Borealis. My wish list grows daily, but here are places that take the top spots lately:
Morocco and Marrakesh with its souks and its sounds. I’m dreaming of camels and carpets and mint tea and blue cities.
The Faroe Islands sound fantastisk and feral and wild.
Portugal keeps calling with its colors and cable cars. Lisbon and the Algarve sound lovely and languid.
And Denmark has places I have yet to still see. Islands like Æro and Bornholm and Samsø. I want to climb down the white cliffs of Møns Klint, run into Vikings in Ribe, and straddle the converging seas under skies in Skagen.
If you have been to any of these or have tips and tales – I’m open and eager. Please feel free to share!
This week for Faraway Files, I am showing you our lastest Scandinavian discovery, off the beautiful west coast of Sweden – the little fishing village Fjällbacka. But before we start linking, I like to look back. Give a shout out to a few posts shared by the community.
FARAWAY FILES #11 FAVORITES
Each week the hosts – Clare, Katy & I – pick our favorites from the previous submissions. We are so grateful to have such a difficult time choosing! These are my faves from the final 2016 link up on December 15th.
What would you do if you had 8 hours in Paris. Seriously. Left your kids with the parents and took the train to Paris for the day. This is a dream for someone who hails from the States. I love Paris and Rebecca from All About U does an amazing job of fitting a ton in – travel along on her vlog!
Ahila from Perspectives Quilt took us to Wales and on a Welsh food tour. I appreciate her willingness to explore, taste and try. Would you try cockles?
And Kat from Brights Lights of America took us tiptoeing along the treetops for the holidays. Travel to beautiful British Columbia and see how they light up the forest for Christmas at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Even I, with my fear of heights, might tempt this one!
We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.
How it works:
Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am, UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World. This week,
IT’S ME! YOU FOUND IT – IT’S HERE. LINKUP BELOW. BUT FIRST:
Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
It was my birthday this weekend! In Denmark you say,
“Tillykke med fødselsdagen!”
– Danish Birthday Congratulations
Congratulations with your birthday! It was lovely. There was singing and kage (cake) of course! And I am grateful for the love from old friends and new. From family here and abroad. For cards and notes and simple pleasures.
And while maybe not a birthday present per se, I am grateful for this growing and engaged collection of bloggers from all corners of the globe today. Last week, we had a broad, diverse and beautiful selection of stories, activities and experiences from far-flung corners of the world. This is a gift to me.
FARAWAY FILES #6 FAVORITES
Here are my favorite gifts from last week, in no particular order. Bumble Bee Mum showed us that all that is fall in Tokyo is not maple. The gorgeous golden Gingko trees that line the boulevards are celebrated as well. They even get their own festival with food and fun.
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