not quite working outside (I suffer from hay fever sometimes so probab;y not a good idea!) but since I moved out of Reading I have to cycle 7 miles from the Ipswich suburbs to a semi-rural location (my office is in a converted pig barn! [1] ) – people think this is hard work but its actualy more enjoyable than my 2.8 mile commute from Readings suburbs into the city area..

every day I leave the city behind, there is this road cyclists can use which is stopped off from motor traffic other than buses and works vehicles (not very frequent) which runs alongside farmland and cottages

there is also less traffic here and white vans/buses let you through on roundabouts; everyone is prepared to live a slower (but not sluggish) pace of life… it makes you so much less stressed at work.

I see all sorts of animals and birds, from livestock and farm cats to wild creatures..

There were a couple of fine fillies trotting along the Old Norwich Road a few days ago (and the horses they were on were well turned out as well 😉 )

I went back to Reading yesterday for a family get together and it immediately struck me how grimy and unfriendly a city really is (and I’ve always lived in a city/urban environment until now…)

[1] according to gv23 this is a very common practice (they did turn out the livestock and clean up the place first!)