Exploring Nature's Wonders

 Unveiling the Beauty of Different Landscapes

"Nature is not a place to visit, it is home." 

-Gary Snyder.

There is nothing that a human requires and mother nature has not given us, shelter, food, resources, and magic.
And what was the first thing we exploited in our greed?
Nature
And now in this era of discomfort, pandemic, and sadness, where would we run for peace and solace?
Nature!
But I completely understand that the lifestyles we’ve chosen for ourselves might not make it possible for us to stay close to nature all the time, so let’s together embark on a journey through this essay, relax ourselves and find out the best beauties of nature.

Desert Escapes

In the hues of sepia and ochre, the sun shines to its entire endeavor and the wind blows aimlessly and beneath us, grains of sand change their ways.
There are no defined ways to take us anywhere, the land of mirages and miracles holds secrets of travelers and rovers, some returned, some wandered forever……

Tranquility in the dunes:
The mesmerizing deserts of the world

When the wind blows along the desert, in its pass time, it collects sand and turns them into heaps and when they grow huge, it becomes one of the most dreaded tales of these endless deserts, capable of burying humans, anyone, in their full glory. 

Like every other object in this world, dunes have two sides: a windward side and a slip-face side. The side pushed by the wind is the windward side, and the side which doesn’t is the slip-face side. 

It’s hard to take shelter in these ever-moving dunes, but some species, live in this change. They’ve adapted, they swim through the sand and forever travel with the dunes. We discuss more about them later in the article.

Majestic sandscapes:
Highlights of Sahara, Gobi, and Atacama

Gobi, Sahara and Atacama, we know you’ve heard them before, but when it comes to desserts, remember this as the thumb rule, the more you think you know, the less you know.
Gobi desert, the large cold desert between China and Mongolia, not so recently Gengis Khan’s tomb was found there, it is said that the Llamas were guarding it for 700 years.This desert also once had a city named Khara-Khoto or the “black city”, buried somewhere in the desert.
Another equally mysterious desert is the Sahara Desert, the largest hot desert.
Now, it is a well-known fact that the word ‘Sahara” itself means desert in Arabic, so Sahara desert is just like saying desert desert (yes, twice!) The best part about this desert is its mystery, everywhere you look would be endless sand and scorching sun, a monotonous view, leaving hardly anything for you to figure out.

What to do about it?

Do a lot of research before you visit such places about geographical, cultural, and natural phenomenons, so if you do find yourself in trouble, in the back of your mind, you have some survival notes..

And, befriend some locals! Nothing beats hands-on experience in dealing with life and nature.

Cultural encounters:
Exploring Bedouin traditions in Arabian deserts

"I am against my brother, my brother and I are against my cousin, my cousin and I are against the stranger"

- A widely quoted Bedouin apothegm according to Wikipedia, explaining that loyalties and duties are executed on the basis of priority based on proximity. 

I remember reading somewhere that ultimately and spiritually, ‘Prakriti’ (nature) is the mother goddess; everyone’s mother and one of her daughters is ‘Sanskrit’ (culture), and her traits and characteristics essentially depend on her mother, which is such a nice way of explaining to people that to understand any culture, understand its geography first, then you know why what happens.

And in terrain like of these deserts, there could have been no better community than the Bedouin community to adapt to these harsh climates, who have inhabited the Arabic deserts for centuries.

Bedouin societies are largely defined by male kinship and tightly-knitted families and tribes, which protects them against any foreign factor. The chief and decision-maker of the tribe is a sheikh.

The "muruwwah," or code of honour, places a premium on bravery, charity, and defending the helpless. Loyalty to the tribe is of the utmost importance. The sheikh plays a crucial role in preserving harmony and resolving disputes within the tribe. 

Like any other community, they also have a huge history, art, lifestyle, and so on, which is more to be explored than to be read.

Unique flora and fauna:
Life finds a way in arid landscapes

Among all the natural terrain we are going to explore in this essay, deserts are the hardest to survive and thrive in, but as the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way….Camels and cacti are the most well-known flora and fauna of deserts as they have adapted to long periods of droughts and scarcity and use their bodies as storage in case of the absence of food or water. Some cacti, such as the saguaro, can grow to incredible heights and house desert fauna. Reptiles and insects, because they can voluntarily regulate their body temperatures also easily survive in these harsh climates.

Mountain Marvels

O! Mountain high and wide,
Tell me the secrets that you hide
O! Mountain with strength and glory,
Tell me the whispers and the story
O! Mountain, blue and green
Tell me all that you’ve seen

Nature's Grandeur:
Why mountains captivate us?

“The Earth asked Vishnu, “Why do you come in the form of mountains and not in your own form?”

Vishnu replied: “The pleasure that exists in mountains is greater than that of animate beings, for they feel no heat, nor cold, nor pain, nor anger, nor fear, nor pleasure. We three gods as mountains will reside in the earth for the benefit of mankind.”

-https://lithub.com/on-the-mythologies-of-the-himalaya-mountains/

Humans are always curious and in search of finding the superlatives, the smartest, the richest, the funniest, and for the sake of our adventure, the highest, and what could be higher than our mountains, the first ones to touch the sun's rays and the last ones to touch the night.
Somewhere between peace and calamities, mountains offer us all perspectives above our egos and arrogance and h our humbling human-centric view of nature, and truly give tell us that mother nature lies above us all and all her children are equals in her world.   

 Enchanting peaks:
Himalayas, Andes, and the Rockies

The Himalayas, the god’s abode, from Sanskrit himá 'snow, frost', and ā-laya 'dwelling, abode'*,  rising from earth to touch heaven, standing majestically tall on India’s north, giving us the wisdom of both ‘sur’ and ‘asur’. 

But what differentiates the Himalayas from all other mountain peaks is the aspect of spirituality, the mountains hold great significance in the Hindu religion and many mythologies and folk tales from being the father of Goddess Parvati, to being the residence of Lord Shiva and Parvati, the ‘Kailasa’, where no one could ever visit.

The Andes, the longest continental mountain range in the world, protects seven countries on its way from invaders and conquerors for centuries.It both provides and destructs, for the Amazon River originates here, but these mountains are volcanic and might erupt someday!

The Rockies, the largest mountain system in North America, literally go by their name for having rough and rocky terrain. There’s so much to see on these mountains once you visit as a lot of indigenous communities still live there, massive numbers of wildlife creatures and our very favorite, Bighorn Sheep!

Adventure awaits
Mountaineering, hiking, and winter sports

Mountains have been forever favorites of adventure-seekers, spiritualists, and the gods. Its rugged yet smooth terrains, high altitudes, and favorable climates bestow an experience like no other. Rock Climbing, Mountaineering, Skiing and Snowboarding, and Paragliding are some of the most famous and sorted after adventure activities on almost every mountain range because what you cannot find on Earth, is found in the skies.

 Breathtaking vistas
The allure of alpine landscapes

One of the conspiracy theories I once read years back was that the Earth actually is an experiment by aliens where all humans are mere subjects of this experiment and our behaviors and reactions are being studied and if all of this is true, did aliens find out why we work so hard, climbing these tough mountains, sometimes scratching ourselves, sometimes slipping and falling, just to get a view?

Because it is this view that has changed lives, given sages their wisdom and humanity their breath. It is not something you gain by reading, but by visiting them. Alpine scenery has an attraction that goes beyond words.