Hot and Bothered

God, isn't it hot? Certainly not the weather for getting down to that vital revision or work on my dissertation. Definitely the weather for ciders in a beer garden. Not wanting to commit to either of these extremes, I committed to an alcohol-free day in the sun, walking in the countryside.

There's so much countryside about. Much to my surprise, a twenty minute walk or so from the University campus at York brings you into glorious countryside. Another few hours and you're in the middle of bloody nowhere, lost and parched. Trust me, I know. The lesson I learned from an epic 'stroll' that eventually turned into an unsuccessful attempt to walk all the way to Elvington (what were we thinking?) is that too much of a good thing is not good. Initially, the animals, flowers and the fact that we were away from civilisation is novel and enjoyable. After a while, though, with the sun beaming down on pale skin, the animals appear to be mocking you, the flowers all look exactly the same, and the lack of civilisation is not as good as you first though when all you're after is a cool drink, a toilet or a lift back to where you came from.

It's sunny, and that's great (though I'm sweating like a paedophile in a playground and smelly to match). Venture away from the stuffiness of the city to the surrounding areas in search of peace and quiet, by all means. But, and this is a lesson that we can all learn with respect to life, for heaven's sake don't go too far.