Hello!
So here I am, still pregnant (34 weeks in), still with gestational diabetes and now anemic. Husband went to sea for a month and while the adjustment is not too bad compared to the past, hormones are making me extra sad some days.
Lately our discussions with my husband have highlighted that I’m fairly lonely in this period of my life. Most of my friends live far away and I am still wary of using public transport due to COVID. Sure, we talk often online but actual meetings are different. I try not to let it get to me, but since it was brought up more than once, I tend to be a bit sad in the mornings. Even if I had reassured my husband I will find ways to keep myself busy. If we factor out the amplified effects of hormones, I actually feel more bored than sad. It’s not too bad.
Switching gears, what do I do to keep myself entertained? Firstly, Garmin has a 150K steps in 14 days challenge. Since I can’t work out to my usual intensity, I’m more than happy to take part in it. Sometimes I walk with someone, some days I put on a podcast. But being a bit aimless with the podcast it needed more mental effort to get 10-12K a day.
Now enter Geocaching, a small recommendation from a discord server I’m in. Downloaded, I bought a month of Premium just to try out the full potential. As long as I can keep on waddling my merry way~
Yesterday I went on my first adventure, not the easiest rating, quite close to home but I’ve never been to that specific place. I was met with a steep valley and was puzzled if I really had to cross it.
Alas, no. Looking around, I found a less steep trail around to the other side and after checking the hint proceeded to make my way through the overgrown field. Took me about 10-15 minutes of looking around before I found the cache! The victory and writing my username physically into the logbook really made me feel accomplished! Later I read from past logs a lot of people took the valley and went straight down. Oh man!
Making my way back with 10K steps already on my back, I was really excited. Having packed water and a snack of peeled orange slices, I found a seat in the park on the way and rested my legs, enjoying the sense of accomplishment and minivlogging the experience to my friends. We agreed with H (a good-good friend) to go geocaching together on Midsummer’s Day (tomorrow from the time I am writing this).
Today is Midsummer’s Eve. The holiday is usually huge in Estonia, but since COVID, this year there will be no public bonfire events. It made me incredibly sad because it seemed everyone has a summer’s cottage to get away to with loved ones. Until I decided nope, I’m gonna take my sun hat, pack some snacks and go at least Geocaching. Granted, I was writing-venting a bit to my friends while out at first, but the weather was great and I started feeling better. Hot but windy enough.
Where did my adventure take me this time? Near the city’s electricity plant, supposedly an easy micro cache (1.5 difficulty). Well…
Ground zero was supposed to be at the rail or right over the rail. I spent over half an our there looking and turning over stones, checking all attachments at the rail and just keeping my eyes peeled. The cache had no hints and some logs said it’s hidden in plain sight. Today I had to come away with defeat and logged a DNF (Did not find) to the app. I’ll lurk to see if there will be a “Found it” log after mine and then try again. The fact I’m now strategizing how to go back to it still makes it a blast. I had a very good walk of 9K steps, had a nice snack on the way and my mood is highly elevated.
Seems like Geocaching is here to stay with me at the very least till the end of pregnancy. I got some sun which also makes me feel great. Bought some berries on the way back and prepping to do a “grill” meal to small-time celebrate Midsummer’s Eve. At the end of this week my siblings will be back in town as well. I miss them so so much it’s insane. But hey, no worries! All is well in the end!
Happy Midsummer’s Eve and Thanks for Reading!
-Ann
Listening to: This is Geocaching podcast (Spotify)
One Day at a Time 
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