The sense of yearning within me... it is a feeling of intense longing, to a realm that I can almost sense, just almost. The careless laughter, the outstretched arms against a backdrop of breathtaking landscape, the heat of the sun against the back of my neck, the joy of being right there, right then! But now it is unattainable, and all we have are pictures to look back at, to have nostalgic reminiscences of. The beauty of the moment is sealed, there is no way to go back. The only thing to do is to seize every moment of life, to create more and more of these memories, for that is the only thing we can do.
So here are some pictures captured by the beautiful Kasia, whose photographic skills far surpass that of mine.
Kasia =) hugs
Micah with Bryce National Park. This is one of my favourite pictures, because it captures the vastness and majesty of Bryce. Bryce National Park was one place where I couldn't stop sighing with happiness, because every view, every different angle, was equally beautiful.
An natural arch in the Arches National Park. Notice the tiny specks we call human for scale.
Me, and the waters of Colorado River.
This is Lake Powell, a reservoir on the Colorado River. We swam in the lake, where a native Indian (who looks like a Maori) hit on me, and Kasia almost got swept away by big waves created by a running motorboat.
The Grand Canyon... and I still maintain that you can't fully appreciate its grandness without hiking to the base, not even if you do. I hope to go back someday, and do another trail. Maybe in the winter.
Here's me taking pictures of cacti on the way to Plateau Point at the Grand Canyon, to prove that it is desert conditions that we are talking about. After hiking to the mid point from the base with Kasia, Micah, Vanessa and Michel(e), Kasia and I separated from the rest to take a detour to Plateau Point where we got drunk with nature and even have a video to prove how high we were. Best detour ever.
Me and Kasia finishing the hike from the base of the Grand Canyon. Finally!
Hermit's Rest, the furthest end of Grand Canyon National Park where the shuttle bus can take you. We chased the sun that morning - we woke up at 4 and missed two buses and finally ended up watching the sunrise at the "wrong" place. Fond memories of jogging around the bus stop because it was so cold, exchanging massages to assuage the muscle pains of the crazy hike the day before, and this weird Asian (think he was Japanese?) guy who took our picture at the Hermit's Rest (you can see his shadow) and his request of taking a picture with Vanessa, the girl in pink.
The bus from the back. I was writing in my travel journal that time. The bus accommodates 35 people, but we only had 17, so it wasn't cramped at all. That's Michel(e) from Italy looking towards the camera, his name is Michel but after Vanessa started calling him Michele we all followed suit, much to his annoyance because that sounded like a girl's name.=)
Great times. Wanderlust is like an addiction - the more I get, the more I can't get enough of. I need to run, to be free, to embrace life with the company of people who, like me, can't get enough of it. Too often I meet people who are just so jaded and so complacent with what they have. They don't hate their lives but they don't like it much either. So day after day they wake up, work, go to bed... and before they know it, the best years of their lives are over, and they wish they'd done this or that, and didn't put it off till later, when they had more time, when they were richer, when they had enough of courage to take the step.
I say, fuck it all, it's my life and I will live it the way I want it. I'm thankful for what I have, and I'm vigilant of opportunities that cross my path, so when I see them I can reach out for them. Whether I get them or not is another matter. At least I tried.
In other unrelated news, I finally had formal training for dragonboating yesterday because they had a boat full of newbies. It feels great to finally know what you're doing, and what exactly you're supposed to do! I wish I had more time to go for practice, they have it three times a week but I can only do once. Body's hurting like a bitch but it feels really good =)
OK need to go cook lunch, my Brazilian couchsurfer is arriving in 2 hours. Another one from Indonesia arriving tonight around 9. Strangers are (Val can chant with me) friends you've not met yet! And sharing, is caring!
