journal - blue mountains - 23 oct 06

walking through a forest alone, quiet, you really sense who the whole place is alive and happy in its existence. it all works together. nature is mutually beneficial.the fragrant forest smell, sweet, with a faint scent of decaying brush, mixed with new leaves, moss, and damp.

vines, leaves, they glowed blue under the thick canopy. dark, but welcoming.

the glow of the sunlight beginning 300 meters of was incredible. jewels of warm light mixing with the greenery making it this ''light at the end of the tunnel'' vision, filtered through mossy rocks, bushes, young trees, and large trunks.


i felt very alone until i reached a bench and realized that i am on a well trodden path which i guess this particular day is not so popular. i see a bench and then a tree nearby with engravings like ''lucy + brad 95'' and i realize i'm not quite alone.

i try to source the bird songs i hear, the rustlings in the leaves, but i see very little other forest life, aside from the flies (which have not bothered me today), but there are signs of life everywhere.

i love going on hikes, walking quietly through 'nature'. i don't know why i don't do it more often.



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notes: check out the 65º-70º inclines/declines on steps i had to climb. going down stairs CAN be hard. especially hand-cut limestone stairs (the grand staircase they call it) which are uneven and narrow, and if you don't get your footing right you very much feel like you're going to slide the rest of the way down. which would really not be fun. my legs were shaking when i finally reached the bottom. they are still recovering. these were not a part of the "grand staircase" but i climbed up them all the same.