nature
The Science and Nature of Wanderlust, tourism, landmarks for nature buffs and more.
Sa Pa: trekking through north of Vietnam
If you liked my first contact with Vietnam, you will love this second part of the trip. For me, it was the most anticipated. To go to Sa Pa, the rural region of northern Vietnam, it takes 8 hours by train. To take advantage of the time, it’s usual to go on a wooden night train. It moves more than a tractor on a dirt road and the beds are a little uncomfortable. To give you an idea, even motorcycles can overtake the train for the first few kilometers.
By Astarothkuu5 years ago in Wander
Season's Beauty
It was a cold Winter evening when I discovered the sun setting under an old stone bridge in Mountain View, Arkansas. Not only did the timing of the evening play a role, but the celestial timing set the sun's placement just right. To get the shot, I needed to get into the water. Yes, it was cold, very cold, but I couldn't resist. I had visited this bridge several times during the summer but its placement in a gully makes for seeing the sun set in the evening impossible. However, with the Winter trees shedding their leaves, this rare shot came to fruition. Over the course of the remaining Winter months, I found this photo inspiring. In what normally was a cold and dreary day, the timing of the sun's setting under the bridge was a warm reminder that beauty can be found anywhere as long as your heart is willing to look for it.
By Scott Slauson5 years ago in Wander
Into The Woods
Beyond the walls. Beyond these rivers of asphalt. Lies a world beyond imagination. As I took my first steps, I felt the weight of my pack biting into my shoulders trying desperately to pull me backwards when my goal lies ahead. Stumbling for an instant I felt my legs regain their composure as they yearned for the adventure that awaited them. The sounds of chirping birds filled the moist air and the distant rumbling of a waterfall beckoned me into the wilderness. We set off into the mountains, all thoughts of society dispersing like the morning fog on a hot day. I lead the charge along this narrow dirt trail, my family close behind me. Every step lead to another, every breath a reminder of the simple joys we take for granted. Through winding hills and over rushing rivers I found my focus drawn to the animals around me. Lizards scuttling around my feet, bees buzzing beside me, and the birds soaring above. I felt at ease knowing that at this moment, I was just like them. Soaking up all of the sounds and smells and sights around me. Feeling my way through this beautiful wilderness that they call home. With no thoughts of work, school, or society I felt at peace knowing that I was, in essence, no different than the ant walking beside me. As we ventured further into the hills the earth beneath us began to shift from dry grass to small shrubs, from small shrubs to trees and back to grass. Each valley filled with a unique display of evolution calling out for you to recognize its diversity and beauty. We began to see pools of fish throughout the river, small at first but growing in size as we scaled the mountains before us. As the sun began to rise above us, we seemed to slip once again into a spectacular new world. Snakes emerged to bask in its warmth, blessing us with their presence along our journey. With the heat and presence of more wildlife we began to walk slower, eyes alert and scanning the trail ahead, searching for anything of interest among the jagged rocks or under a shady tree. Many times, we crossed the small winding creek and each time it seemed to call us into its cold refreshing waters as if it knew how much the hot sun was quickly sapping away our energy. We rested for a moment beneath a small tree along the river, catching our breath and enjoying a drink from the cold clear water flowing along the stream. After replenishing our energy and escaping the harsh sun we once again returned to the path and continued on towards our destination. Deep in the mountains, we had heard, lies a beautiful oasis. Tucked into a small ravine and protected from the elements it was rumored to be full of beautiful pools overflowing with fish and other small wildlife. With the image of this paradise floating around in our heads we continued on our journey. The sound of far off voices echoed from the rocks like some alien presence. For a moment I had forgotten that we weren't alone in this wonderful place and as the voices grew closer the realization hit that for most of the day, we had simply been alone in this vast expanse of nature. The reminder that other people were approaching seemed so foreign in that moment and as they walked around the rocks, I felt relieved to see them looking at us, just as puzzled by the presence of other humans. The ice was quickly broken with a friendly hello and their brief story of the trail in front of us only caused further excitement. As we passed by and continued along the thought of encountering other people disappeared into the dust beneath our shoes. As the sun crept down towards the mountains my legs began to waver. The realization that I had not exercised in nearly two months was the only reminder I wanted of the bizarre world we had left, before I brushed it off and forced my legs onward. We soon reached a steep canyon descending from a high peak into a narrow valley full of tall trees and huge boulders. The excitement began to quickly build as the sound of a distant crashing waterfall broke through the trees. “This has to be it” I thought to myself as I looked back at the smiling faces of my parents and sister. After nearly seven miles, we are almost there. Without realizing it my feet began to move faster, my muscles energized by the sound of crashing water. My growling stomach satiated by the idea that paradise was just around the corner. As I emerged from the brush my sister walked up beside me and we both stopped, amazed by the beauty of what lay before us. Tucked under the shelter of the trees and nestled within a jagged rocky canyon sat four beautiful campsites along a surging river dotted with small waterfalls. It was just as wonderful as we had imagined, and the perfect place to come together as a family during such difficult times and to celebrate my father's birthday after being away from home for many years. This truly was paradise.
By Kyle Skinner6 years ago in Wander
The Country Road. Top Story - July 2020.
Morning. The rising sun promised another hot day, humid and full of sweat. Grateful to be in the car soon for the next five hours, with its frigid blast of AC on my face, I greeted the day with the anticipation of home. I loved my parents deeply and always welcomed the sight of my Dad’s farm, with lazy days sitting by the pond and admiring the beauty of nature; however, I also loved my suburban house outside the busy metro of Atlanta and looked forward to driving south.
By James D. Greer6 years ago in Wander
COUNTRY LIFE IN MISSISSIPPI
Back To Where It All Started....Country Living There was a time when I thought of home that images of cobblestone homes, crowds of people and hundreds of vehicles driving by throughout Chicago would come to mind. I was born there and would never see anywhere else as my home. But, most of my life has been spent in one of Mississippi's country towns in the Franklin County area. Since age 10 I have been a resident of Mississippi and all of its southern charm.
By Nathonia Smith6 years ago in Wander
The Golden Lining. Top Story - July 2020.
One Sunday morning during the peak of Winter out here in Beautiful British Columbia, I woke up to a gorgeous layer of snow covering the landscape outside my window. It was a stunning sight to see and a very welcome one, as it is not very often that we get snow where I live. Contrary to what many people believe, we don't all ride polar bears and live in igloo's up here in Canada. There are some parts of the country that hardly ever get snow, like Vancouver Island, the place that I call home just off the coast of BC. So, as you'd expect, it's always a very exciting time when we get snow here. And it's something that I must take advantage of since it doesn't take much time before that fresh snowfall begins to melt and everything starts to look rather gross...
By Zach Doehler6 years ago in Wander
Homeland Love
This world is full of both beauty and ugliness. Nature though is never ugly, it's the most beautiful and majestic part about this world. Some places are full of forests, some with bodies of water, some with flat land for miles, some have hills that may turn to mountains and so much more. Most people don't take the time to appreciate true natural beauty. Sometimes the most beautiful things are right in front of you, you just need to look.
By Kate Whittemore6 years ago in Wander
A Road In The Wilderness
I believed for most of my life that I had been given a gift of creativity in the sense of written and performing arts. I would proudly own that label all the time, often identifying as dancer, writer, poet, singer. But scarcely would I explore visual arts. Quite the opposite - I would actively avoid any such expressions.
By Kara-Glenn Bolger6 years ago in Wander
Climbing the Great Divide
In August 2015, my parents and I flew over to visit my brother in Colorado. At the time he was living in place that was around 8500 feet in elevation, and since we come from a mere 800 feet above sea level, it took a little while to adjust to the thinner air. Our first night there I felt my heart beating super fast, and I was just trying to sleep!
By Rachael Spafford6 years ago in Wander
