At sunrise I go outside to try out my new running shoes. There is not much sunshine to see though, because it’s still cloudy. I don’t let that stop the fun for me and head to the beach. Already at the first steps I realise that these are some of the best running shoes I’ve had so far. They’re very cushioned and every landing on the sidewalk is really soft. The run is a bit challenging in the beginning, because I don’t run so often lately. After a while it gets easier again. I usually say that the first five kilometers are the hardest.
I run all the way to the top corner of La Jolla, about 5 miles / 8 kilometers. It’s a beautiful run by the ocean and through the neighborhoods with amazingly beautiful houses. I stop a few times to take pictures. Because there is so much to see, it’s easy to keep going. When I’m done with the run, I realise that it’ll be a long walk back to the apartment. I see some rental scooters (in Dutch wel call them “step”) at the sidewalk and think that that might be a fun thing to do. I download the app for renting them and get on one of the scooters. It’s actually a lot more fun than I expected and an easy way to travel back. I stop at a Starbucks that I remember from years ago when I was here. I get myself a large cappuccino and blueberry scone, the reward for the run, and walk the last mile back home.
The sun is finally coming out so it’s a nice walk. When I’m back home it’s about 9.30am and I realise again how nice it is to wake up early. I’ve already done quite a lot and it’s still relatively early in the day. I take a shower and have breakfast. While walking back I was already thinking that I’d like to stay in San Diego for now. I had thought a lot last night and this morning about the decision between traveling around and staying here. I still hope to see some National Parks like Yosemite and Sequoia Tree NP during this vacation, but I don’t feel like traveling around and sleeping in my car while it’s quite cold at night.
I enjoyed riding the scooter so much this morning that I decide to do it again in the afternoon. I ride to the same Starbucks where I went after my run and sit down to do some journaling. I like writing on my blog, but I also want to write some personal thoughts on paper. I think and write about my goals for next year. After I’m done with writing, I look online to see what the options for apartments back home. I’ve been looking for a place of my own for a while, but haven’t found anything yet. I notice that that the unsuccesful search brings me down a bit and go outside. I walk two blocks to the shore to look over the ocean for a moment. I don’t know many people with as much freedom as I have. I can go anywhere and live everywhere. The only challenge I have with that is to decide where to live. It’s a question I haven’t found an answer to yet. This afternoon I realize that what I pay here to stay for a week, I could rent a nice apartment for a whole month back home. That puts things a bit in perspective. Perhaps there is more possible than I thought before this trip.
I’m done with the thinking and reflecting for now and feel like doing something else, so I take a bus ride and listen to an audio book. I’ve started to enjoy the bus rides more. It’s relaxing to just sit and look around and see a bit of the city. I go to Oldtown, which as the name suggests, is the old part of the city. Basically it’s one square with several old buildings. They are now museums and tourist shops. I remember this place from when I was traveling here years ago. It’s nice to walk around. There are a lot of tourists out here. Although I’m also kind of a tourist, I feel more like a local since I’m just living here for a while instead of just doing touristy things. Visiting Old Town is good for my mood. I forget about my worries and enjoy the moment again. I’ll figure out normal life when I’m back home, but now I’m first enjoying my time here. After I’ve walked around Old Town, the sun is setting and soon it’ll be dark, so I take the bus back home.
On the way back I listen to the audiobook again and hear something that’s really fitting for today:
“Shift from trying to control your life to becoming curious about your life. You don’t have to know where you’ll be a year from now. You don’t even have to know what you’ll be doing a month from now. Move away from the need of certainty that we all have and move toward the curiosity that we all need. Live in the moment and enjoy the gift of the present.” I love it.
I’m thankful for another nice day in San Diego. And to my mom: I walked more than 16000 steps today, so I think I’m gonna win our competition for this year 😉
