A rest is as good as a change

We're three months in. We've completed Zone One. We've done give or take 1000 miles. We've completed the first leg of our adventure and ticked many things off our lists already.

We've lived in a tent for two weeks in temperatures below freezing; spent four consecutive weeks sleeping in the van, we've eaten vegan, vegetarian diets including lentils. We've dealt with vomiting, diarrhoea, menstruation, allergic reactions requiring prescription treatment. We have milked cows, been to a slaughterhouse, sheared sheep, driven tractors. We have laughed, cried, faced fears, made friends, talked to strangers, worked crazy long hours, dug ditches, shovelled shit, clipped hooves, chopped wood, lived off grid, sat around too many different kitchen tables to count.

Built into our year are odd weeks here and there to rest, recuperate, regroup, stop, breathe, sleep! This was our first one. We are not without tasks as we are holiday cottage sitting for a friend and doing some weeding and general garden tidying and ensuring the cottage is guest-ready for the next visitors after we leave but it has been just blissful to go to bed when we want, get up when we want, eat and drink and sit around. We have read, watched some TV, played cards, done jigsaw puzzles, gone for walks, chatted, baked bread and just generally enjoyed some down time. This weekend we are meeting up with a large group of very close friends which we are all very much looking forward to. It's a perfect marker to the end of this first part of the adventure.