Restless night near the village

The shelter spot by the lake is beautiful, but it is not far from the town of Jels, and it is Friday evening. For the first time, the weather is nice, so everyone is heading out. Young people are hanging around with loud music, and two fishermen are sitting on the dock talking late into the night in front of my shelter. Besides, I feel less safe with so many people around. In the middle of the woods, I don’t have that; no one comes there.

Nightmare, there goes my dream

Once again, I dream, and it’s a nightmare. In the middle of the night, I am ambushed in my shelter, and they take all my belongings. I can forget about my new life. Moreover, it involves violence, and they don’t seem to care that they are destroying my dreamed existence.

Applying sunscreen is almost a full-day task

I get up broken. The cold water from the washroom perks me up a bit, but it doesn’t help much. I first apply sunscreen, then anti-tick spray. What a dreadful job. It feels like half the day has already passed before I leave. It’s all such a hassle, but anything is better than getting burned or being eaten by ticks.

Off the ‘meat hook’!

I am relieved when I realize that my pants can finally come off the ‘meat hook,’ as my mother used to call it. I have gained pounds this winter, and my pants no longer fit. My mother, who always struggled with her weight, had a solution for that: buttonhole elastic. This allows you to walk with your button undone without your pants falling down. I refused to buy new pants. I knew I would lose the pounds again.

An omelet in the woods

The hike is amazing. Especially the forest, and it is delightful in the bright sun. During lunch, I cook eggs in the woods. That remains a highlight. The ants, however, don’t care about my anti-tick spray and march happily over my legs. But well, I did sit down in their territory. My fault.

Surprise shelter

Unexpectedly, I come across a shelter that isn’t marked on the map. I can’t resist the temptation. I think it’s good enough for today. I may have only walked 12 km, but I have enjoyed 12,000 km.

Now let’s hope it stays calm tonight, as this shelter is also close to a village (Skodborg).