I love being outside and the longer I am in nature, the better I feel. Camping on Niijima is one of the highlights of my year. Over the Golden Week holidays we hosted Guru-guru Camp and stayed at Habushiura campsite for 13 days. It was blissful.
The weather was as predictably unpredictable as always. There was rain and wind and lots of sun just like every year. And living with all of it, I didn’t mind any of it. I felt sorry for our camping friends who experienced only the worst of the weather.
Most mornings I walked down to the beach at dawn and watched the ocean for a while. Sometimes I thought to take a self-portrait. Like the weather, I seemed to change subtly every day: hair dirtier, skin lightly toasted, smile wider. The real changes were inside as I unwound and reconnected with the natural rhythms of the planet.
One of the things I love most about living outside for extended periods is being part of the ecosystem. I spend my days adjusting to temperature changes, watching the flowers bloom and fade, seeing the effect of wind, rain and sun on the flora and fauna, observing nature doing her thing. I miss out on that by living in an urban apartment, as much as I may keep gardens and visit city parks.
After a week in camp, Tod & I discussed whether we could live in a tent long-term. We think that with a few modifications (specifically a wooden platform floor and some watertight storage) we could, but a small cabin or shack would be better for keeping us sheltered. As long as it is set apart from other people with lots of nature surrounding us, I think we would enjoy it.
Returning to Tokyo life has been a bit of a disappointment. I’ve thrown open all the windows and doors of the apartment, but it’s not the same.
