While in Oslo a couple of months ago to visit family, I decided to swim a different place every day during my stay. I would swim no matter the weather or what my other plans would be on a given day. I was on holiday and felt excited about having this plan. I knew it would add spice to my stay.
Oslo is by the Oslo Fjord so there is easy access to the sea. Here is how is went:
- Day One: At lunch time on my first day I went for a walk with my sister on a peninsula near the city centre. We walked through a forest and ended up at a beach called Paradise Bay. This is a beach I used to go to while a teenager. The sun was shining on the water and the landscape was beautiful. I went for a mini swim and quickly felt excited for my next day’s swim. My project had started.
- Day Two: I went to see an exhibition just outside of Oslo with my mother and sister. The exhibition was actually a gong bath. It left us feeling super relaxed. The exhibition centre is located by the sea so no excuse about not swimming. The sky was grey, nearly raining, and it was late afternoon. I did not feel like swimming but did it anyway. Luckily it went fine. Mission accomplished!
- Day Three: With my mother I was visiting the National Museum of Art by the harbour in the centre of Oslo. Over the years they have built really cool places nearby to go swimming. It was a beautiful day. I tried to find an excuse for not swimming as I could not find a place to change into a bathing suit… but it worked! And what a refreshing experience it was to get into the sea.
- Day Four: I went on a day trip to visit a good friend at her summer house an hour away from the capital. Her place is by the sea. We decided to go for a walk further out towards a place called the World’s End. I used to spend my summer holidays there growing up. The sun was shining and I could not believe how lucky I was to experience the sea, the sun and summer in Norway in this way. It was my most fun and refreshing swim so far.
- Day Five: Last day to swim and this time in a lake in Oslo. My only fresh water swim. The lake is in a forest and easily accessible. There is a three kilometre walking/running path around it. This is also a place where I went swimming as a child. I walked around the lake with my sister and mother early evening before I had my little swim with the ducks nearby.
My experience of the swimming project turned out to have a bigger impact than I thought. In addition to the fun of going into the water every day (and feel like a viking haha) it had made my days more exciting and brought me joy. Although there was no degree of difficulty involved it felt great to have achieved what I had set out to do.
A good friend once gave me a book about happiness. I remember reading a chapter about a man who decided to go look for different colours of blue. It started small, grew over time, and ended up giving him extraordinary experiences. It became his mission and enriched his life. It brought him happiness.
Perhaps we could all do with a fun daily goal? It does not need to be anything big. Just something that has the potential of bringing more joy and excitement to our life. What would you choose?
I wish you good luck! Annette X
