Wandering shakily along a narrow field path, it is hard to imagine that just a moment ago you were still caught in the roaring streams of city traffic. Yet with just a single turn, you are suddenly embraced by the lush greenery of farmland, and hidden within this secret urban countryside lies the Offline Cabin . The first impression of the cabin comes not from sight but from scent. The closer you walk toward it, the stronger and more vivid the fragrance becomes. “This is the smell of camphor wood shavings,” says Lin Jianhua with a smile. Living as a neighbor to woods and fields inevitably brings visits from insects, but rather than harming the land with chemical methods, Lin chose to spread a layer of camphor shavings around the cabin. The rich aroma and natural oils of camphor serve as excellent insect repellents. From this small detail, it becomes clear that the cabin coexists with its environment in the gentlest of ways. “Compared to the internet and the fast pace of urban w...
In Finland, spending the summer in a cabin allows people to connect with nature, rest, and relax, which benefits both body and mind. Retreating to the countryside is not just about enjoying a long-awaited vacation. It is about maintaining a balance between work and life, returning to nature, resting, and regaining energy. One might even call it a kind of “Nordic Zen.” “Finns go to their cabins to relax, take saunas, swim, and spend wonderful times with friends and family,” says Lana Lavonen, a Russian-born Finnish yoga instructor and Ayurvedic therapy consultant. She was born in Petrozavodsk, Russia, and moved to Finland 23 years ago, at the age of 18. “Some people go there for fishing or to invite friends for drinks and fun, but most Finns go to escape the busy life of the city and simply relax,” she says. Lavonen is just one of the many Finns who spend their summers in cabins, a lifestyle they call mökkielämä . Her cabin is located in Hämeenkoski, about 100 kilometers from He...