Rain Drops Are Falling On My Head: 4 Health Benefits of Rain

We all know that rain is great for the environment. It helps plants to grow and keeps the world working the way it's supposed to work. However, not everyone knows that rain also offers a number of direct health benefits to people. From muscle development to skin moisture, rain helps you look and feel your very best.

1. Running in the Rain

Do you like to jog? Running is a great exercise that keeps you healthy and feeling great. Unfortunately, many people decide not to go running when it's raining. There are a number of reasons for this, from concerns about slipping to simply not wanting to get wet. However, running in the rain is actually really good for you.
Not only will it help keep you from getting heat exhaustion, though, but it will also help you achieve longer workouts and to work more muscles. Heat stroke is an ever-present threat for runners when it isn't raining, though. If you do end up suffering from heat stroke, you'll need to immediately head to your nearby urgent care center. It could be a life-saver.

2. Emotional Value

When you stand out in the rain, you're getting more than simply wet. You're getting an emotional value that you just can't get any other way. Experiencing a rain storm evokes different emotions in different people. For some people, it leads to a cathartic feeling, allowing for some kind of emotional release. This is most likely to happen when you've been dealing with other emotional issues and stress. For most people, getting rained on leads to a sense of happiness and overall relief.

3. Moisturize Skin

Are you dealing with dry skin? You can use moisturizers, and they'll help with terribly dry skin. However, to ensure that your skin stays soft and supple, consider taking a different approach. Instead of staying inside and pulling out the lotion, head outside when it's raining. The water will help moisturize your skin. Rain water does this better than water from a bath or shower, which can actually dry your skin out in the long run. When you're sitting out in the rain, your body is also getting the nutrients it needs to give you healthy, glowing skin.

4. No Chemicals

If you're interested in getting all the benefits of rainwater, consider harvesting rainwater for later use. This will allow you to get all the health benefits, as well as lowering your water bill each month. It's possible to use fresh rainwater for watering plants, bathing, or even drinking. However, make sure that the rain water in your area is safe for consumption before you drink it. In many areas where there's safe rainwater, you're getting water that is free of chemicals, contains essential vitamins and minerals, and tastes great. Plus, you get to save money using the readily available rainwater.
There are many benefits of water for people. In addition to the benefits listed above, it's important to remember that the world would not be what it is today, of course, without the benefits of rainwater. Rainwater provides mood elevation, skin moisturization, and nutrients. Shouldn't you take advantage of everything it offers?

Top 6 Cities with Incredible Night Skies

The Milky Way

Not everyone is looking for skyscrapers, hustle, bustle and noise when choosing a new hometown. Some people crave Mother Nature's simple beauty and incredible night skies. Check out these six cities (or the best places to live if starry displays are high on your livability list) with incredible night skies.

Saint George, Utah

Saint George is a comfortable mid-sized city (population about 75,000) only a short drive away from Cedar Breaks National Monument where you’ll see one of the most beautiful night sky displays in the world. Its remote location and 10,000-foot elevation virtually eliminate the light pollution that dampens most night skies. The nightscapes are so glorious, the park throws free Star Parties every Saturday night all summer long—telescopes included.

Boulder, Colorado

Take a quick trip to Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park for a breath-taking winter sky. Park rangers say the combination of elevation and atmospheric conditions transform the stars into twinkling clusters that illuminate the dark skies. The University of Colorado in Boulder has a robust astronomy community, and hosts Friday night stargazing at the Sommers-Bausch Observatory.

Key West, Florida

If winter snow and mountains aren't your cup of tea, the warm autumn skies in Key West will delight you. Even if you aren't a sailor, you can still see the Southern Cross, a small but beautiful constellation located in the southern sky, where you can search for your astrology sign. These wide-open stellar displays are unique in the US, and are closest to an equatorial view. The balmy Florida weather means you can stargaze year-round in comfort.

Mackinaw City, Michigan

Mackinaw City is home to one of only ten dark-sky parks in the entire world, a designation that recognizes special measures to prevent light pollution. Headlands International Dark Sky Park, along the shores of Lake Michigan, is open all night for uninterrupted viewing of the Milky Way. The best time to see meteors and shooting stars is after midnight, so bring a warm blanket and come watch the starry display.

Elmira, New York

Elmira (population about 30,000), is a quaint rural town that offers easy access to one of the Northeast's darkest sky parks. Just across the state line in Pennsylvania, Cherry Spring State Park, the night sky is so clear, the Milky Way occasionally causes a shadow. Stargazers say Cherry Springs is one of the best places to see the nucleus of the Milky Way galaxy.

Borrego Springs, California

Anza Borrego State Park, Borrego Springs, California

This desert destination is a great place to see galaxies, constellations, meteor showers, planets and the moon.  Not even the metropolitan lights of nearby San Diego interrupt the black sky that erupts in light and color after the sun goes down. For a truly unbelievable experience, watch the moon rise over the desert badlands. While the Anza-Borrego State Park is a popular nighttime destination, with over 650,000 acres of desert, you'll never feel crowded.

Kalispell and Swan Lake, in northern Montana near Glacier National Park, and in southeast Maine near Acadia National Park earn honorable mentions for spectacular night skies. If you have suggestions for amazing stargazing, leave a comment below!

Hiking Rainbow Falls at Mammoth Lakes, California

Rainbow Falls from the top view point

Location: Devil's Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes, CA

Hiking Distance: 2.5 miles hike from Rangers Station to the top viewpoint, with additional 0.3 miles to the base of the waterfall. There are two choices on the way out, hiking back to Rangers Station for 2.5 miles, or hiking to Rainbow Falls trailhead at the Red Meadows Resort, for about 1.3 miles. 

Best Time: When Devil's Postpile National Monument Road is open ( which is summer). Usually, the road is closed after a major snowfall in November, and then, clearing of road from snow accumulation is done late spring or early summer, depending on snow accumulation. At other times of the year, the area can still be accessed for snowshoeing or skiing. 

Our hike:

We started our hike from Rangers Station, which is 2.5 miles away from Rainbow Falls. However, in 0.4 miles, we reached the base of Devil's Postpile.

Devil's Postpile

Fire and Ice created the unique basalt columns which is called Devil's Postpile. About 100,000 years ago, a lava flowed from an unknown location upstream. As the lava flowed down the valley, it ran into an obstruction which served as a dam to the lava's path. Pooling up to 400 feet behind the natural dam, the lava cooled. Conditions were such that the lava--that was incredibly uniform in its mineral composition--cooled at a very slow rate. As it cooled, it contracted and cracked, forming hexagonal columns. 80,000 years later, a glacier flowed through the same valley, revealing the sides and tops of the columns. Glacial polish can still be seen today at the top of the formation.- source: http://www.nps.gov/depo/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm

Glacially Polished Hexagons which could be seen at the top of the Postpile formation

Devil's Postpile Columns Up Close

Looking at the columns, it is so amazing how nature works, where the columns lack horizontal jointing, and very symmetrical. Rock formations like these are rare, but can be seen also in a few other places in the world.

From the base of Devil's Postpile, instead of taking the trail straight to Rainbow Falls, we hiked up first to the top of the formation to see the works of ice. After taking in the scenery, we went back down to the main trail towards Rainbow Falls. From the base of Devil's Postpile to the top viewpoint of the waterfall did not have a lot of elevation change, thus the hike felt easy, despite this is a high elevation hike ( some may be affected by thinner air at high elevation). 

Rainbow Falls from the Top Viewpoint

For a lot of people, the top viewpoint is the end of the hike. However, Rainbow Falls could also be enjoyed from the base. We hiked down extra 0.3 mile to the base via steep stairs. The steps of the stairs were uneven, so one should really be watching for their steps. 

When we reached the river at the bottom of the stairs, we could not help it but unzipped the lower portion of our hiking pants so that it become shorts. We wanted to test the water. We actually had swim suits in our backpacks. However, when we felt the water was cold, we decided it was not so worth it to swim since we still had to hike back. So, we just spent some fun time enjoying the waterfall from the base. What is fun for us? Photoshoot of course. :)

Here are some pictures from our photoshoot, with hubby as our official group photographer. :)

Us, Marching Toward the Waterfall ( this was the toughest part of the hike, we did not anticipate the current was strong, and the rocks were so slippery! )

We Made it to the Log :) yey yey for us!!

And Of Course, we Have our Individual Posing Contest :) Who Do you think won? Haha! 

Of Course, our photographer had to have his photo taken too :)

After we had enough fun, we hiked to Red Meadows bus stop, which is only 1.3 miles from the top viewpoint of the waterfall. The total hike is only about 4.1 miles. After hiking, we had lunch at The Yodler in Mammoth Mountain, which serves Bavarian Cuisine. 

Lodging: Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain is a skiing (winter) and mountain biking (summer) resort. Thus, there are many hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals in the area. 

Nearby Nature Parks:

1. Mono Lake South Tufa State Reserve

2. Yosemite National Park

Actually, there are so many beautiful sights in the Eastern Sierra of California, I only mentioned Mono Lake and Yosemite because that is what often others asked about.

** pictures above were from our hike last summer 2013.**

A Road Trip Exploring Washington's National Parks

Pictures from my previous post, Arc'Teryx in The Summer

Remember my previous post, Arc'teryx in the Summer? Majority of the guesses if where were we summer of 2010 was Alaska. Not a single one was able to guess Washington. The clues were the pictures above. Indeed, the first State probably that would cross our mind when we think of ice and snow in the middle of summer and of glaciers is Alaska. However, those familiar with the West Coast would not be surprised to see lots of snow to ski in the mountains in the middle of summer. 

taken from inside the plane during our flight to WA: bottom left- Mt. Shasta, California; top right - Crater Lake, Oregon; middle right photo- Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens, Washington; bottom right- North Cascades, Washington

What is unique with most of West Coast is that, though there may be no snow along the coast ( especially in coastal California), but the accumulation of snow in the mountains last until the summer. Glaciers are present in most higher elevation mountains. The Southernmost glacier is Palisades, in Eastern Sierra, California. Summer is the best time to visit these places, because in the winter, most roads are not passable because of heavy snow. 

Anyway, let me share with you now the details of this road trip.

Length of Road trip: 11 days and 11 nights, 3 Washington National Parks + Columbia River Gorge and staying in 5 different hotels/ lodges

Arrival Airport: Seattle, Washington from San Diego, CA

Departure Airport: Portland, Oregon to San Diego, CA

Route of Road Trip: 

1. Seattle, WA- 2. North Cascades National Park, WA - 3. Bellingham, WA - 4. Olympic National Park, WA - 5. Mt. Rainier National Park, WA- 6. Columbia River Gorge, OR- 7. Portland, OR

Our Trip Coverage

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival at Seattle, WA from San Diego, CA. Explored Seattle a little bit, then, we drove to Marblemount, WA, our place of lodging for 3 nights to explore North Cascades National Park.

Memories from Seattle, Our Arrival City, But Not our Destination

Potato Chip Rock At Mt Woodson...... Then and Now

Then (2007): Cousin and I @ Potato Chip Rock, Mt Woodson, San Diego County, CA

Hiking Mt Woodson was one of our "little best kept secrets" before in San Diego.  Not that we are one of the early hikers there, since we only learned of the trail from Jerry Schad's "A Foot and A Field in San Diego". It was a very quiet hike then, and on a cooler day, the number of hikers probably equals the number of rock climbers. Our favorite spot then to have lunch was at Potato Chip Rock. We won't have lunch necessarily right on the chip, but on top of the boulder in front of the chip. We used to just look at the Potato Chip Rock then from the boulder where we would have lunch. Until one day, my cousin from Los Angeles joined hubby and I hiking at Mt Woodson. As usual, we would have our lunch break on the boulder in front of the Chip. However, my more adventurous cousin was feeling so motivated to pose at the chip, that she and hubby tried to problem solve how to go to the Chip Rock. 

Cousin @ The Chip Rock, 2007 

Harbor Seals or Sea Lions? And Swimming With them In San Diego

La Jolla, San Diego, CA

Some of the common sights you will see in San Diego waters, most especially in La Jolla, are the harbor seals and sea lions. 

 Sea Lions or Harbor Seals? @ La Jolla, San Diego, CA

 Sea Lions or Harbor Seals? @ La Jolla, San Diego, CA

Could you tell from the pictures above which are the sea lions, and which are the harbor seals? How about finding what are different between the two groups?

1. Differing flippers: The sea lions have longer hindflippers that they could rotate allowing them to assume a sit-like position and walk on land. The harbor seals have shorter hindflippers that are angled backwards and not capable of rotation. They could not use their hindflippers for sitting or walking, thus they rest by lying flat on the ground, most of the time on their belly.

The foreflippers of sea lions are longer and skinnier. The seals' foreflippers are stubby and hairy.

2. Differing ears: Sea lions have smal earflaps that you could see, true seals look earless because they only have earholes.


Could you now tell which of the two pictures above are the sea lions and which are the harbor seals from the differences I mentioned? If not, read on, as I will add more differences in this post. Meanwhile, let me share with you a common sea lion and harbor seal behavior that I shared with a visiting tourist who was planning to snorkel in La Jolla Cove. A lot of tourists (and locals too), usually find delight in seeing the harbor seals and sea lions in their natural habitat. They are sure cute and fun to look at. However, they can be intimidating for those who are swimming near them for the very first time. 

Snorkeling at La Jolla Cove

A few months back, while I and hubby were rinsing our goggles, prepping them against fogging, a guy who was all geared up to swim and snorkel came near us and asked: "will you get into the water with those seals?" He was actually referring to the sea lions. The one swimming back and forth makes a lot of noise, characteristic of sea lions. Sea lions make a lot of noise, whereas seals are adorably silent! :)

Hubby told him, "yes, we'll do. Those noisy ones swimming are sea lions."

The guy replied, "Don't the sea lions attack people?"

Hubby replied, "They don't, if you leave them be. They most especially won't if they are in the water!"

The guy looked like wanting an explanation why sea lions won't attack in the water, so I told him, "Sea lions and seals do not attack people in the water. The water is their world, they feel very safe there and are very confident with their survival skills there. Sometimes, they would swim past you, somersault in front of you, kind of probably showing off their superior swimming and acrobatic skills in water, or it may be their way of making fun of us in the water, because for them, we are VERY POOR SWIMMERS! :) "

The guy smiled, feeling more confident now getting into the water, but before he went to the water, hubby added, "oh before we forget, don't make a mistake to come near them on rock or on shore or  anywhere out of water, they could attack you!"

The guy looked at me with confused stare, so I told him, "Yes, on land, on rock, anywhere out of water, the sea lions don't feel as strong as they are in the water! Just like some humans, when they are weak, they act out strong to hide the inner weakness! Sea lions somehow could be like that. When they feel weak, they feel less safe, so they are more prone to defend themselves when they feel like you are invading their space and they misinterpret your proximity as harm. When they defend, it could be mistaken as attacking. That behavior could be seen on land where they feel less confident of their skills. Be careful not to come near them on rocks, like what those other people are trying to do. When they haul out on rocks it means they need rest and space."

The guy said, "very interesting! I did not know sea lions behave like men too, gracious and playful when they are confident, yet, could be A BULLY WHEN THEY ARE WEAK!"

The guy thanked both of us, and looked very happy with what he learned, and then, happily and confidently jumped into the water and swam away. :) 

What Happens When You Visit San Diego?

Fun with Visiting Friends

Visiting San Diego? Come physically prepared. Though San Diego is one of the biggest cities in US, but it is very laid back and outdoorsy in style. Though of course, there are the usual big city amenities, but the best part for me of visiting San Diego is enjoying the balance of nature in the city. Come physically prepared, so you can run, chase the waves, jump, hike up in the mountains, to be on top of the world, to touch the sky, to see the colors of life and be inspired.

After our 5 day thanksgiving trip into the Pacific Wild in Big Sur, CA, hardly had no time to rest to have fun with visiting friends, enjoying the great outdoors and building priceless memories. Time spent with friends and our loved ones in the great outdoors, IS PRICELESS! 

Now, am tuning myself back to reality. :) Back to work, I had a mind relaxing and heart inspiring thanksgiving break though very physically demanding ( 8 straight days of wandering )!

One, Two, Three, Wildlife Too Many @ Monterey Bay

One sea lion

Two breaching whales

Three Colliding Jellyfish

Wildlife Too Many

All wildlife pictures above were taken from Monterey Bay, California.

The whales were taken from the boat, while all the other three pictures were taken from the Coast Guard Wharf, Monterey, California. This is one of the popular places in Monterey for kayaking, snorkeling, diving, and well, just simply enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. 

Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail

Hiking @ Los Penasquitos Canyon

Last weekend was our first time to hike at Los Penasquitos Preserve and Park. I wonder why we never hiked this trail before. But I am glad that at least we were able to finally find another nature park that feels like an escape from civilization, yet, still is within San Diego City limits and very near the comforts of home. 

The hike here can be as short or as long, depending on anyone's interests. One can hike at the vast open space ( canyon's meadows) or in the rich oak woodland lining the Penasquitos Creek.

Joshua Tree National Park, Music and Video

I recently stumbled upon an old album in one of my portable external hard drives. It was from a time when my younger brother visited us in San Diego during his work related trip/assignment at the Bay Area. Though we toured my younger brother to a lot of places in and around San Diego during his short stay with us ( just short since he had to go back to the Bay Area for work assignment ), but somehow, it was the pictures from Joshua Tree National Park that inspired me to make a video of our picture stills.

Words inspired from Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Trees ( with Arms Opened Wide Like in a Prayer of Thanksgiving or Supplication )

Very inspired to make a video of our pictures of Joshua Tree, I chose the song "Desert Sky" by U2 from their Joshua Tree Album. I am a big fan of U2 and I have some of their albums. However, after I completed the video, and uploaded in you tube, I was told I can not use the music because it is protected by copyright law. :( Aws! I am so sorry U2, I am so naive I guess, I did not know I could not use some original music. Thankfully, one of my favorite songs, where the title of my blog was inspired from, allows a re-use to share because Karl Kohlase's goal is to spread the word of Christ in songs. So, here is the video of our picture stills from Joshua Tree National Park, with "Simple Life" as background music instead.

our collection of still pictures @ Joshua Tree National Park during my younger brother's visit

( music courtesy of Karl Kohlase's Simple Life )

I guess I just have to listen to the video I made using "Desert Sky" from the U2's Joshua Tree album at home. 

My Weekend Wanderings Here in San Diego

"One does not climb to attain enlightenment, rather one climbs because he is enlightened."
-- Zen Master Futomaki

It seems that time flies by so quickly these days, that I always end up chasing after it to finish the many tasks I have at hand. Despite my crazy busy schedule however, there is one I can not give up, and that is to hit the hiking trails or swim with the fishes on weekends and some weekdays. I have more time to explore the outdoors, than time for computer. 

Mt. Woodson Trail

Hiking, boogie boarding and snorkeling have been a large part of my life to free myself from daily work's stresses, and also to keep myself stay physically active. It is my wish to keep my heart, mind and legs strong to be able to climb mountains and canyons even at age 70s or 80s. Hiking has also brought me so many sweet memories from the beauty of our natural world. 

Potato Chip Rock at Mt. Woodson, San Diego County

My hikes since the past weekend somehow were giving me high hopes for a beautiful spring this year. Though after the rainy December, we did not get much rain here anymore, but I am still hopeful that starting next month the hills will explode with colors. Here are some early bloomers I found from the trails.

wild daisies

Penstemon

a new found, I still have to find the name of this one

also right now a (?), still have to find the name

Though there are not a lot of wildflowers in the trails yet, but their presence makes me dreamy of a colorful and beautiful spring. Right now, my hikes, though there may be very little flowers in the trail, but they constantly bring me inspiring colors of pure joy and happiness. Usually, after a strenuous hike, we would relax by the sea, such are some of the simple joys in simple life.

@ Torrey Pines Gliderport

Rest and Relaxation Therapy in Nature

Happiness and Contentment in Life that Is Simple, Life that Is Simply Good!

We all live in a life that is not devoid of stress. The stress may come from our work, from people we work with or people we interact with, from family, from friends, or even from ourselves. Though I may give a picture of a stress free life because most of my posts here are our nature escapades, but truth is, they are my way of managing stress in a life that is as busy as anyone, and as stressful as anyone. Just like most, I work 5 times a day and have to do household chores at home. Though I love my job, find a meaning in doing it, see it as my passion and one of my sources of priceless joy and happiness, but I do not deny that it is not perfect and it has its share of emotional stress.

So much researches point out to the dangerous health disorders brought about by stress. Stress can raise cholesterol levels, create hypertension which could damage arteries to the point where there is blockage and heart disease. Stress is also known to cause digestive disorders, worsen bowel conditions and lower immune system which causes our bodies more susceptible to infections and viruses. Stress can also slow recovery from major traumas to the body.

We respond to stress by doing our best to live in harmony with ourselves and to be content with our lives. Our lives are not perfect, and maybe never will be, but we need that acceptance and contentment within to feel a sense of happiness and inner joy that can never be taken away, not even by daily stress.

Fun in The Great Outdoors

US Having Fun Hiking and Photographing @ Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Outdoor activities always become more fun with family and friends. Make this year one of your bests ever by taking some outdoor adventures with your family and friends. There are various activities you can do with a group that are fun, enjoyable, and most of all, good for people of all skill levels.

Me with Family and Friends, and The Milky Way @ Mono Lake South Tufa State Reserve, California

One of the most interesting and versatile outdoor activities is hiking. If you have little kids and older people in the company, you can always find easier hikes with minimal slopes. Hiking does not always have to be as strenuous as climbing Mt. Everest.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

( probably the easiest hike we ever did, and who says easy hikes do not give beautiful rewards? )

 Hiking Lady with a baby stroller 

( who says that nature exploring stops when you have a baby?)

If the little child in your company will learn to love hiking, they become more caring of their environment, more motivated to keep a healthier lifestyle, become more physically active so that they are in better shape always to explore the world. It also is fun and very inspiring to see little kids think out loud like scientists because the nature they experience around them stirs their curiosity seeking for a better understanding of their world. 

Father and Son Exploring Nature Together

Hiking enables you to spend time with your family and friends in a relaxing, stress-free environment. The activity also offers great opportunity to learn about outdoor safety and wilderness survival.

Got some sands? Aside from hiking, another fun activity you can do with your family and friends is to have fun in the sand.

 Leaving My Shoes Behind for More Fun in the Sand

One way to enjoy the sand is by riding a UTV. Check out UTV news at SideBySideAccessories.com for the most up to date and important UTV riding information.

Swimming With The Fishes in San Diego

Swimming With The Fishes

This labor day weekend has been more about exploring the sea for us. Unlike most places that probably is cooling down already from the heat of summer, we just started to heat up. Most of the summer prior to last week, we were only in the 60s-70sF (15-21 C). It was only this week when we warmed up to the 80s-90sF (26-32 C). However, despite the air temperature is warmer this time, the water temperature for us always remain to be in the cooler side. With air temperature rising, more people are going to the beach to cool down. 

Shivering when the air temperatue got warmer? That was us after more than 2 hours straight in the water swimming with the fishes at 62F water (16.7C). Unlike air temperature, water temperature in the Pacific West Coast does not vary much and stays in the cold side. 

Cousin With Her Captured Fishes 
( girabaldi- orange fish, sea lion, friendly leopard shark that has no capability to bite, and more )

Best Places in the World to Go Hot Air Ballooning

There are few, if any, ways more exciting to discover the beautiful world of nature than through air – seeing the world from above can provide a brand new perspective on the surroundings that can completely change the way you experience it.

That’s why if you really want to discover an area, you must not only see it from the ground, but get up in the sky to discover its full beauty from above, and the best way to do that is with a hot air balloon ride.

After all, being on the ground you can only see what’s around you, unable to discover the true beauty of the region that only presents itself when seen all at once – rivers twisting on the ground like snakes, forests covering plains and providing intriguing patterns – all this melds into a breathtaking sight that can leave anyone speechless.

Here are some of the most amazing sights to go hot air ballooning in the world:

Cappadocia, Turkey
One of the most sought out hot air balloon trip sights in the world, this beautiful area of desert and limestone rock mountains, has a lot to offer even to the most experienced travelers.
Thanks to a very strange and unique landscape and distinctive weather conditions, this region, located in central Turkey has left few unimpressed – with a variety of cave churches and fairy chimneys scattered throughout the region.
Although you probably won’t have the skies to yourself – there are plenty of balloon tours taking place every day – the other balloons floating beside you can even add to the experience, as they become an interesting part of the landscape and even the culture of the region.

Queensland, Australia
With ideal climate conditions for hot air balloon rides, Queensland is the perfect place for anyone looking for a breathtaking experience from the skies.
The region is special because of its incredible variety of nature – there’s the amazing Daintree Rainforest, which is the biggest single rainforest in Australia and a great attraction on its own, which becomes even more impressive from the skies.
Then there is the Great Barrier Reef – an incredible maze of sea life, which can be seen up close or from afar, all from the comfort of a hot air balloon.
And finally you have the amazing Australian wildlife – all kinds of mammals, birds and fish, including the Australia’s world famous kangaroos, and when you’re flying over the sea, even whales, if you get lucky.
All this combines for a great experience that makes Queensland one of the premiere destinations for hot air ballooning in the world.

Maasai Mara, Kenya
If you think the only way to go on a safari with loud and shaky jeep, you should definitely check out the hot air balloon tours in Maasai Mara, Kenya.
Not only is this a much safer choice, but it provides a much more intimate experience of seeing the animals – quietly gliding through the air with a balloon can help you see much more animals and see them at their most natural state.
Consider taking this trip during the migration season from July to October – it’s when all the animals migrate, so you can not only see herds of animals flocking to their destination, but perhaps even a lion or a hippopotamus hunting their prey.
Although many people prefer to see the world by foot or by car, exploring the most amazing places from within, perhaps it’s not the only way to fully discover a place for what it truly is.
A hot air balloon ride can not only provide a very calming, but breathtaking experience, but it can also be a way to connect to nature on a different, much grander level.
After all, from the skies you can truly appreciate the beauty, when you can see the whole of the region with a single sight.

About the Guest Author

Hayley Woodward is a Melbourne based travel writer. When Halyley is not busy writing or researching her work, she enjoys travelling with cairns hot air balloon company, Hot Air.