Here are a few clips from the Forest during one of several great hikes in the Austrian Alps. It wasn’t until I moved permanently to Sweden that I had any real exposure to nature. First, as a Scout Leader, hiking and camping around Göteborg, and later while living and working in Lapland in the far north. I also spent some time in the woods and rural landscapes while at art college on the island of Gotland.

Hiking up and down the hills surrounding the Gastein Valley a couple of weeks ago was soul-soothing for sure. It was serenely quiet and we both felt decoupled from the mostly mundane, everyday challenges of city life. There, it was finding a path within the path, figuring out in realtime where to step and how to maintain balance all the while breathing fresh air and taking in the amazing views. Views that were millions of years old. It gave me some perspective and reminded me of how much I love being in nature.