Getting around

This week has absolutely flown by and it's been very enjoyable, but I am still a bit concerned that I don't seem to be getting through the house de-cluttering/mega-cleaning project with any speed or conviction. I've realised today that I am the proverbial kid in the sweetshop because there are so many interesting things to do, I'm chopping and changing from one thing to another with jobs started, but not far progressed.  I'm pulled between doing the dutiful household chores, which I'm enjoying so much more because I have  time for them; going out for walks; emailing and messaging friends and family; reading; mindfulness colouring book; looking up recipes and cooking them; etc. Hopefully this is just a phase in reaction to the freedom of choice now available and the novelty will wear off in time.

On the reading front, I managed to find a copy of the second book in the wonderful Jean-Claude Izzo's Marseilles Trilogy in English online on Monday and it arrived today! There are plenty of copies in German and Italian to be had, but it's not been easy to find an English edition. I have almost finished the first book, "Total Chaos," so will be able to move straight onto book 2.  I need to find "Solea," book 3 now.

On Tuesday our youngest went back to University so I travelled with him as far as London to help him onto the train with his bags and took the opportunity to visit the Alexander Calder exhibition at Tate Modern; loved his wire sculptures of circus performers and mobile art. Thank you to my friend who recommended it and I want to pass on that recommendation, as it's really fun. On till April. The walk back over the Millennium Bridge was invigorating; a muted winter sun and freeing cold with an amazing golden sky over the combination of spires and modern towers which makes London such a rich and diverse city.

Today has been a beautiful day; very cold but so bright and a blue sky, an ideal day for a walk but I'm waiting in as our Interrail tickets are due to be delivered any day and need to be signed for. We now have a route in mind, but we can't finalise the route or book accommodation until we have the tickets to be able to make advance reservations, which are required on a number of the trains.  Once we have done that we can start to choose hotels, hostels, apartments, whatever seems right and within our budget for each destination. So our draft route is as follows:

LONDON TO PARIS
PARIS TO LAUSANNE
LAUSANNE TO FLORENCE
FLORENCE TO ROME
ROME TO VERONA
VERONA TO SALZBURG
SALZBURG TO MUNICH
MUNICH TO BERLIN
BERLIN TO HAMBURG
HAMBURG TO COPENHAGEN
COPENHAGEN TO STOCKHOLM
STOCKHOLM TO SUNDSVALL (SWEDEN)
SUNDSVALL TO TRONDHEIM NORWAY)
TRONDHEIM (FLY HOME)

I am so looking forward to this; the planning and the anticipation are definitely part of the adventure.