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I have a very broad range of interests from science to art and from travelling to sports.
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Obviously I read a great deal. Being inquisitive I pursue writings of natural and social events around us; and therefore much of the reading is broad and factual, especially in history and psychology.
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The history that interests me is mainly biographies about famous and powerful people of the past.
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You don't need fiction when you take in the details about these people of power. They have every story of intrigue and dark dealings; they have affairs that soap opera inventors can only dream about. These real people have done it all, because they could do it all. Yet I am aware that history is a kind of fiction: historiography has its methods of construction, and writing produces an over focussed essay of a life that bears only so much relationship with the complexity of the real life.
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No wonder then that I am interested in psychology - because this is how people tick. It is the investigation of the mind itself and what motivates people. This is another factual area, and yet the mystery of the mind is such that there is not a little fiction in this too.
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I enjoy studying even as a holiday activity. It is as much a recreation for me as is hunting or climbing mountains for other people. But I like travel too.
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I would someday go for a language holiday, and intend in the UK to go around historical places with a proper study element in the tour.
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Travelling for pleasure means an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery, the magnificent views and landscapes passed through. These sights are appreciated for their own sake as well as taking the opportunities that arise for learning about landscape connected cultural events and historical moments. It is about broadening the mind: Alain De Botton, the philosopher, has stated that travel is something that takes place in the mind. Two people in the same place can have a different attitude to what they see.
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I should mention finally that I enjoy sports. Badminton gives good exercise; it is a great chance to be involved in an exciting game and socialising with those interested in the techniques. When I lived in Russia I loved skiing in the winter woods. Under the blue sky the snow was lying like a splendid carpet shining in the sun. It gives an impression in the mind of white wilderness and silence. I enjoy nature in its riches and splendour: nature is a philosophy of outlook.
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