Gulls Waiting for a Dive into the Surf

“How long did it take?” “Did your train connexions fit?”. We will not go that boring way. Travelling should raise more creative questions. For instance, could you compare this journey between Carlsheaven and the Northsea with a giant leap? Its feels obvious that One leap for Many connexions does not correspond to the multiple experiences of waiting for a next train to arrive. So, No, we do not write about happy landings after that “leap” from There to Here. And Yes, sitting Here at my Other table while yesterday I was writing from our Solstice Confusion under that Old Oaktree, makes that impression of having made that huge jump.

But all those railroad bridges crossing over the rivers toward the sea may only be compared with jumping on stilts if all the heavy things are left out, the engins, the rattling wheels, the noisy travellers, the crucials delays, the waiting, the lack of movement. Also left out are the real and adventurous experiences, not only what you saw through the windows. Because there are uncountable people on their way to elsewhere like you. With or without luggage, masking their “selves” behind smart texting, or reading the timetable. Missed encounters.

And what gave our experience that extra touch of lightness, was that we passed in due time all these railtracks in the “Ruhr-Region”, where only some days ago hundreds of fallen trees were blocking the traffic: no regular train was in service. How lucky we were to travel today!
Perhaps the symbolism of the Leaping or Jumping is attractive to focus on lightness and fresh breathing within a mind set, that leaves out fatigue, worry and feelings like that.

And what was my first thing to do after arrival at pour Pied-a-Terre behind the Dunes? Of course: I went for a swim to wash out my fatigue and renew my encounter with the sea spirits and birds. On todays photo you see the Gulls waiting for a fresh fishing dive into the wild surf. For wild she was the low-tide surf and tearing so strongly that I took care not to stay in there for more than a quick bath. But salty enough to feel refreshed now and fully Here as if we had made a giant leap.