The Story of Hardie

In 2014, I moved to Oxford from my hometown of Edinburgh to take up my first job as a Staff Nurse. Working long shifts can be very lonely and makes it difficult to make new friends when you are the new kid! The prospect of whiling away my days off in my nursing accommodation, watching the hours slip by did not appeal. So armed with a sense of adventure and curiosity I set off to explore my new town.

Before now I had always been a fan of Instagram but being on my own, I found that I had a new passion for taking photographs on my smart phone and sharing them with my friends back in Edinburgh. It became an online diary, a way to document and record all the things I had seen, which was a welcome break from the gruelling shifts I endured. My feet still ached but I always came back with a smile on my face.

My confidence started to grow, I bought a bike and whizzed round Oxford, wandering along side streets, popping into colleges to see what lay behind those high stone walls, snapping at every opportunity so I could share what I saw. I made some life long friends, and we explored Oxford together, resting for pots of teas and slices of cake, but every now and then I need to restore myself with a wander alone.

I am still a nurse but now living in London and some of the best days are when I am alone and as I did in Oxford, I explore by wandering the city streets. Along the way, I notice all the ordinary things other people walk by everyday - an old car, worn door, faded facade or pot of flowers, as seen in another light these extraordinary details can bring a city to life, sometimes with a stranger to match! Each comes with a quote which helps to tell the story of that photo or simply just a pick me up to help me through the day.

You can follow my adventures here.