Like meditation, a vacation, or a trip into nature, can be a wonderful way to relax and to be in the now. For me, that might mean gazing in awe at mountains or sitting on a beach, listening to waves. Combining meditation with such trips can make them even more inspiring or more soothing and healing. Always eager for such experiences, I get out and vacation or connect with nature regularly, in places like the North Cascades Mountains, the San Juan Islands and as many other destinations as possible. My trip reports cover vacations and short trips to scenic and exciting destinations, combined with meditations and some spiritual topics.
Walkabout or Vision Quest in North Cascades National Park
Not only does meditation enhance your vacation, you can even make your trip a life changing experience, by following steps in my walkabout or vision quest page. It takes setting out with goals and using simple exercises to review your life, look at its direction or purpose and possibly have a spiritual experience, like thousands of native Americans and Australian aborigines have done. Along with suggestions for your quest, this article covers a trip to Cascades Pass, in North Cascades National Park, Washington.
Islands and Beaches for Relaxation and Meditation
In a blog on islands and beaches, I spent three glorious days with our 23’ Mirage power boat in Washington State’s San Juan Islands, which brought back memories of an earlier exciting night anchored at Sucia, one of the islands.
Hay House Cruise to Alaska
Shortly after that, my wife, daughter and I set out for Alaska on a much bigger boat, the 1,380 passenger MS Amsterdam. Hay House publishing booked the entire ship for seminars with speakers like Wayne Dyer and Gregg Braden, along with a writer’s workshop with a contest for a book deal. The cruise to Alaska combined beautiful scenery, great food and inspirational talks. Hopefully, it will get my book, Simple Meditation, published.
Novel about the Inside Passage
Cruising the Inside Passage to Alaska, brought back memories of a novel that I set aside years ago, during an overwhelming rush of appraisal requests for mortgage refinances. That link will take you to an excerpt which appeared in Hut magazine. The story takes place on a remote inlet on the coast of British Columbia, where a chartered yacht is shipwrecked. Goat Hunt, another chapter from the book, is a story of survival and a man’s anxieties about aging, as he hikes into the mountains.
Rafting Hells Canyon on the Snake River, Idaho
While rafting Hells Canyon on the Snake River, I had a few anxieties of my own regarding survival and aging. Along with thrilling whitewater, Idaho’s Snake River has rugged, beautiful scenery and wilderness seclusion.
Quick National Park Trip
In five days, I managed to cover 3800 miles, pick up my daughter and her household in Minnesota, visit with my mother, and visit three national parks, Glacier, Yellowstone and Theodore Roosevelt. That whirlwind trip left little time for relaxation or meditation, but I did manage to see some beautiful scenery.
European Family Vacation
On a week-long cruise to the Mediterranean, we visited Spain, Malta, France and Italy, including Rome, Florence, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and more. Along with beautiful scenery, we saw incredible churches and historic sites. The food on the ship was pretty good too.
Photography
Photography, in nature or on a trip, not only brings home your memories, it can also help keep you in the now, paying close attention to the lighting and details that surround you. As you’ve probably noticed, photography is a big priority for me, when I’m out connecting with nature or traveling to a scenic destination. Some basic photography tips are covered in a short article.
I also have a large photo gallery with a section for my newest photos. Spectacular mountain scenery has always been among by favorite subjects, along with islands, lakes and beaches. Deer, bears, wolves and a variety of other wildlife can be very rewarding to stalk with a camera. I shot enough photos in Europe to fill another section of my gallery. For scenic pictures that don’t really fit elsewhere there’s a grouping of buildings, boats and stuff. In addition to still photography, I recently bought an HD camcorder and am dabbling in video. You're welcome to visit my youtube channel.
