Sabrina takes on Australia: Royal National Park

The beautiful thing about going to a national park is how you get to get away from the stimulation of the city life, especially getting away from the city of Sydney to the Royal National Park. We were fortunate to be able to hike with such a lovely weather making the park vibrant and fill with life. Throughout the hike from Bundeena to Wattamolla, I have recognized how the environment offer so much more than just its natural aesthetics. It has provided me with more insights than I could possibly receive from being working in an office space or a classroom. 

Growing up in the state of California in a small city 31 kilometers east of the Los Angeles and attending a university 16 kilometers from the city of San Francisco, I have been exposed to a frantic lifestyle of people dashing from one place to another, ordering a cup of Joe on your smartphone app to skip the lines, and updating people on social media about the exciting things we are doing. It is safe for me to say compare to the Royal National Park, the city environment I am living is hectic. But instead of comparing city environment, I will compare the differences between the Royal National Park and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco. Both areas offer walks along coastal trail with spectacular views of the waters. But Royal National Park hands down offers a more immersive natural experience. The walk going through stone stairwells that winds a path through the woodlands allows me to appreciate the lively shades of greens, orange, and yellows of the trees, inspired me to capture it in this photo.
As I walk through the trails, the more inner woodland it is, I see various plant species and hear different bird calls. I feel at bliss physically, mentally, and emotionally that it seems like the time has stopped and that I am in a whole different universe. This feeling doesn’t seem to carry when I hiked along the coastal trail in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. There is so much urban developmental history engraved there. You can see the historical shipwreck and the famous Golden Gate Bridge during the walk. It just reminds me the city is not far from us, therefore I am not completely away from the wilderness. I still appreciate the Golden Gate National Recreation Area for its enriched history, but I adore the wilderness of the Royal National Park.

On a broader perspective, the Royal National Park gives off a tranquil feeling, while the Golden Gate National Recreation Area gives off an action-packed feeling. As I zoom in more on both ecosystems, they share common features. Both environment offers serenity where trees are swaying with the wind and chirping as birds soar through the open sky and chaos where the waves are crashing on rocks. I believe this is why people seek the space of national parks and recreational areas. They know that it is a space that provides temporarily relief from the everyday activities while opening more opportunities socially with a 'hello' and sharing their thoughts. I have a feeling I connect to each of these environment on a spiritual level because my life is constantly in the phases of calm and chaos. I feel without one or another, life would not be as exhilarating. I feel chaos tests my ability to work through madness. As a result, when I finally reach the state of tranquility, the result is priceless and beautiful, just like the rock formation in this photo.