Last month, I visited Washington State with the help of Enterprise Inspires, and crossed two more National Parks on my National Parks bucket list, effectively making it 12 Parks that I’ve visited. Now I only have 46 more to go!

This trip let me reconfirm how truly fortunate I am to be able to travel. One, that I have the time and the means to travel, and also two, that I am fortunate enough to be able to make it a priority to travel.

I do know that travel does come with some challenges. There will always be some kind of financial costs involved, some kind of planning and logistics involved, and coordination with all travel partners involved. Besides that, there are also things that you can never plan for, as travel always comes with possible unknowns, and it’s impossible to plan for an unknown.

To me though, these challenges for travel are always worth it. The experience and the memories from what I gain from travel is priceless.

Besides the obvious physical benefits I gained from all the hiking during this tip, there was also the immense mental health benefits. Being outdoors surrounded by nature is definitely my favorite form of relaxation. There is nothing quite amazing as hiking in the lush rainforest, humbled by the tall trees that tower above you, and hearing the soothing sound of the gushing river, that of which grows louder as you near the approaching waterfall:

Being up close to a waterfall is another humbling experience in itself, to see in person the true force of Mother Nature, in both strength and beauty, in the life it provides, and the life that it can take away. It is also pretty amazing to know that the water will eventually flow out to the ccean, thus connecting us all.

That is another thing I enjoy about travel: the connections I make. It is always interesting to talk to other visitors on these trails and to see that no matter where they are from, we all still share the same passion and respect for the outdoors and for nature. I was also able to link up with other local photographers as well, all who share our similar mindset in why we enjoy photography. It shows me that despite different ages and backgrounds, we are still are able to connect through shared passions.

In all, this was a very enriching trip for me and I hope to return one day soon. One week sure wasn’t enough to appreciate what Washington has to offer!