'Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably,' C.S. Lewis

While I am not the most elegant of eater-readers, this is certainly a sentiment I share. Particularly, when said activities involve a glass of good whiskey, some dark chocolate, a bubble bath and a book of poems... But being as how I'm currently out in the far reaches of the South African fynbos and we have a drought on, I decided to opt for an entirely different sort of reading adventure. So today, in honour of the 'adventure reading' contest here: https://steemit.com/contest/@therovingreader/adventure-reading-contest-1-update-30-sbd-in-rewards-and-counting, I decided it was 'bring a book to work' day. So that's me having my lunch and digging in to a juicy bit of historical fiction in the form of W.G Sebald's 'Austerlitz.'

The place

So first off, let me take you on a stroll through the majestic mountains I currently spend my days in. Though my work as a field biologist takes me many places, these mountains have captured my heart in a very special way. There's something decidedly striking about them:

Sunset over Elandskop

The field site is dotted with these little rocky outcrops - 'koppies'

Reptile country!

Even better that they're home to one of the world's most unique floral kingdoms, the Cape Fynbos ('Fine Bush'). Which means the area is replete with stunning little succulents and beautiful flowers such as these:

As well as a plethora of small antelope, reptiles, birds and insect fauna. The reserve itself is on private land and thus largely untouched.

The book

But of course, this is a post about adventure reading right? So let me get into the second part. The book I'm currently devouring is this one:

'Austerlitz' was a recommendation from a friend of mine with excellent literary tastes and though it was a bit tough to get into, it was worth persevering as the story has become a rather compelling one, centering on the youth of the titular character and his search for his own origins. It's written in a very energetic style, bouncing around from fact to fact and between places in a way that initially distracts you but later engages you deeply as you move further and further into the boy's past (and pick up on a lot of fascinating anecdotal history in the process!)

The end?

The take home message? Well, I'm not certain what the book's will be, but mine is always that life is just too short not to enjoy the places you find yourself and what you are doing. Whether that be curled up in a cozy cottage with that chocolate and a good book or trekking through nature's majestic peaks. There is too much beauty (and good literature) in this world to waste your time with the bad stuff :)

Happy Steeming (and reading) people,
The Wise Fox