Jamie McHale

This Christmas was the first I've spent apart from my family.

I managed to see a couple of friends in real-life in November!

Autumn has arrived in Edinburgh, the leaves have turned and we've been treated to a series of crisp and fresh then damp and misty days.

This month was a good month for running.

[Watch embedded video on YouTube] Last weekend we took a quick trip out to Dunbar to cycle in East Lothian.

I kicked off the month with a day trip over to the west coast, catching up with friends who were visiting family in Troon.

July was another month that has flown by, filled with code, a little reading, and a hiking weekend.

[Watch embedded video on YouTube] The last weekend in July, with lockdown eased, I finally decided to take a few days off.

Hayfever ruled for most of June, so I was less slightly productive than I wanted, although I found more time for sitting indoors reading.

The days seem to be flying by at the moment.

April has been a strange month.

As with most other people in the world, March was a very different month to almost all the others that I have ever had.

February was a busy month.

I kicked off January watching the fireworks over Edinburgh Castle, then retiring to a pub to listen to acoustic covers of Bruce Springsteen songs.

December was a good month, mainly spent walking in New Zealand.

I have wanted to hike the Old Ghost Road for a while, after driving past the trailhead several times on previous New Zealand road trips.

I was excited to walk on the Paparoa Track, New Zealand's newest Great Walk, which formally opened on 1st December.

November was the first month of my third New Zealand adventure (with a mini-Melbourne break halfway through).

At the end of November I walked the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk in New Zealand.

I went to Zealandia in 2018 and really enjoyed my visit, so this year I decided to go back again.

I'm in New Zealand for a couple of months visiting my brand new niece.

October was another month full of work and preparation for my two months away.

September was a quiet month, gearing up for my New Zealand trip by working as much as possible.

August has flown by!

Last weekend I took a trip to the Isle of Coll, off the Scottish West Coast to run their half marathon with Gordon.

At the start of the month I took a trip to Harrogate and Hexham for a wee countryside cycle and walk.

Last weekend I took a short trip to Harrogate and Hexham.

This month was a quiet month, getting my head down and earning money for a trip to New Zealand in November/December this year.

May was a good month for running, I participated in both the London Hackney Half and the Kirkcudbright 10km.

After running the Hackney Half Marathon last weekend, I decided to do the Kirkcudbright Academy 10km, at the Kirkcudbright Academy Half Marathon I ran in 46:15, which I was pleased with.

I ran the Hackney Half Marathon in 1:49:25.

April has been a fairly quiet month.

March has been a busy month, mainly knuckling down to work on some software projects.

I took a wee mid-week walking break in Aviemore.

February has been a busy month with work.

I attended <a href="http://www.productforge.io">Product Forge Digital Health Hackathon</a> over the weekend.

I blogged over at Rookie Oven on "How to Prepare for a Holiday as a Freelancer", with a few practical tips and considerations.

I recently attended the CivTech Demo Day in Edinburgh.

Today I attended Working in the Open as part of the Fire Starter Festival.

Getting back to work with jet-lag after two months of walking in Australia and New Zealand was tough!

I'm spending Christmas Wellington with my family.

Walking the Heaphy Track is one of my most treasuered memories.

[Watch embedded video on YouTube]

[Watch embedded video on YouTube] The Kepler Track is one of New Zeland's "Great Walks" - a circuit that loops around the ridges opposite Te Anau in Fiordland.

[Watch embedded video on YouTube] The Milford Track has been known as "The Finest Walk in the World" - and is one of New Zealand's "Great Walks".

My first stop off in New Zealand was Mount Cook, for a short walk up the Tasman and Hooker Valleys.

The first destination of my Australia-New Zealand trip was in the Blue Mountains, a couple of hours west of Sydney.

I took a short break in Prague this week - Ryanair and AirBnb combined for a lovely cheap trip.

I blogged over at Rookie Oven on "How to Switch Off" - a useful skill for freelancers and entrepreneurs.