For the first time since I’m here, I wake up by the alarm clock at 5am instead of just before it goes off. I must have been tired from all the hiking and driving yesterday. For a moment I stay in bed, thinking about where to go from here. To be honest, I feel a bit stuck this morning. I don’t want to follow the coast as first planned and heading straight north to the parks is probably not a good idea, because of the rain and snow going on there. In the National Parks app I also read that several roads in the parks are closed because of the weather. So, I don’t know. I need some clarity and I know where to go for that. I drive back to the picknick place in Griffith Park, halfway up the mountain, where I had breakfast yesterday. There is something funny about starting driving right after you wake up, because you have to immediately switch into full focus in the traffic. Fortunately it’s still relative quiet on the roads around 5.30am and I arrive at Griffith Park in about fifteen minutes. I park my car and have my breakfast inside, because it’s still quite chilly outside. Then I see a man that I also saw yesterday, walking with three dogs. I go outside and he remembers me from the day before. We talk for a while until he has to go further. When he leaves I finish my breakfast and text with a friend back home for a while and then sit down to write this story. Coming up here was a good idea. I have a window open and hear the birds outside, I enjoy the view and being up the mountain has a nice calming effect. Yes, I still don’t know where to go from here or even what to do today, but I’m enjoying this moment. It’s not for nothing that the title of the blog is Here & Now. In this moment there is never a problem. You’re just here, in this situation. And whatever the situation is, you can decide where to go from here. I think I’ll go for a short walk and then find a coffee place.
The walk falls in the water, literally, because it suddenly starts raining heavily. I don’t mind though and decide to search for a coffee place to check up on work and writing. After searching a bit on the map, I find a cool coffee place called M Street, about 15 minutes from where I am. While driving it starts raining heavier and heavier, so I just take it slow. It’s clear that the roads here are not made for this weather, because I cross several deep puddles. When I arrive at M Street, another car just pulls out and gives me a space to park right in front of the coffee place. I’m greeted by several friendly baristas and find a nice place to sit by the window. There is a power outlet, so I can charge my laptop and my powerbanks while I check my email. I’m happy to see that there aren’t many e-mails. It helps that we have a few national holidays back home this week. Sitting at this coffee place relaxes me. I think I just needed to see how work was going and have the comfort of a good coffee place. The rain just stopped and the sun is coming through, so I might go for a hike after this.
