Hello, friends!
Recently my friends and I went to the wood.
We wanted freedom. Those of you who work 5 days a week for 8 hours know what it's like to walk in my shoes. For those who can't imagine it, here is my description: alarm clock, cold dark morning, metro, bus, office, computer, lunch, computer, paper documents, not very nice people, computer, bus, metro, house, shower, supper, bed. In the mode like this I'm 5 days a week. Sometimes the routine is interrupted with working out in gym, swimming pool and doing my hobbies. But the above mentioned routine usually dominates. That is why we wanted freedom: no computer, a few people, endless spaces, quietness. The first escape nooks that came to my mind were: sea, field, mountains, forest. The most possible option for Moscow region was forest. So we went to the suburb of Moscow seeking for forest, freedom, warm fire and baked potato.
Before the hiking I imagined it to be like this:
endless field that farther becomes a forest, bright sun, light wind, brave steps forward, no constraint, unity with nature.
I wanted to really breathe, I wanted to touch the tall field grass, I wanted to dream solitary sitting by the tree. May be that is the reason I like the new version of "Pride and Prejudice". In this movie you can feel nature and you want to be in Elizabeth's place when she is walking early in the morning through the field reading a book, a warm sun shines, birds twit. I always liked the freedom of the girl in certain parts of her life - she can walk and dream in the field for hours, or she can think on a swing without taking care how much time had passed. She could be HERSELF. At those moments there was no noisy mother by her side, who was very eager to plant her past century ideas into the daughter's mind or to make the daughter to live with her own stupid fears. There were no shallow sisters by her side. There was only real her. The girl with HER OWN thoughts, wishes and dreams. The picture (see above) in which Elizabeth is running away from the annoying mother, who choked daughter's freedom is close to me. The wood hiking was needed so we could run away from everything that limits our freedom in the big city - crowds of people, traffic, loads of information.
When you get ready to travelling, you usually imagine different pictures. Pictures of forest created by the talented Russian painter Ivan Shishkin came to my mind (You can see them below).
Then I moved to my childhood memories. I remembered fairy tales, cartoons and books illustrations. It's strange that in childhood forest does not seem at all scary or mysterious. In my childhood, as well as in yours, I'm sure, forest is full of light, open, friendly, ready to share the area with you.
Early in the morning on Sunday we came by train to the village that is located 1-hour ride from Moscow. The travel didn't seem long to us because we were fresh and full of enthusiasm for discoveries.
A wide field and bright sun met us. And we felt happy.
I could touch the tall field grass with my fingertips and breathe pure air.
When we crossed the field we entered the forest with our eyes wide open. Wandering in the forest we listened to quietness. We stood still for a couple of minutes making no sounds and devouringly listened. The quietness wasn't screaming, it was pleasant. It was what we exactly wished for. We felt so relaxed after that performance of quietness.
When we detected a nice area for our camp, funny things got started - we looked for dry wood, we made fire, we baked potatoes, fried sausages, sang songs playing guitar. On that day it was very cold but fire didn't let us freeze. Guys, it's such a huge pleasure to drink hot tea with lemon near the fire.
I got mesmerised with forest flora and fauna.
Mary, a friend of mine and me worried about our khm-khm... hair styles(???). Why do the girls feel so insecure about hair? The longer the hair the more insecure you feel?
Dancing! Dancing is the best way to feel warm in the forest.
Us dancing again. As you can see we were hysterically laughing.
And one of the highlights of our hiking is proving that no gravity exists.
Sitting by the fire makes you more sincere. As if fire burns down limiting thoughts in your brain and you start feeling honest and close to the fellows. We spoke about life and tried to share philosophical thoughts. "Life of Pi" came to my mind and I asked boys, who did hiking with us, whether it was possible for a modern human being to survive in the open sea or in the forest without any special equipment or food stock. We all came to the opinion that it was impossible.
We didn't want to leave but we had to, because we didn't take a tent with us. So it was dark when we were stumbling through the forest on our way back. I could barley see the path. At that moment I realised if it wasn't for the boys, Mary and I would never find in the darkness the way back. So girls, my advice to you, if you go hiking, take some boys with you. But those boys, who really know hiking and surviving in wild nature. Let's get back to the idea I want to share with you. Going through the dark forest I suddenly started being afraid. I was scared because I could bare see any objects around me. I guess part of that fear was caused by sensual deprivation and partly it was caused by my wild imagination. Interesting thing is that in childhood it was not scary at all to be in the forest but now, being and adult girl I was scared. Though I completely realised that I had nothing to fear because it was a friendly forest, without any wild animals, I still couldn't quiet my wild imagination. The source of my fear was in horror movies that I used to watch, in scary stories that my school friends told me, yellow paper articles that I came across with. Only now I realise that my mind, and probably yours, is full of rubbish that makes me being afraid. All that rubbish didn't let me move with light heart through the night forest.
Except my junky fears, the hiking was perfect! Mission succeeded.
