A lot of people travel for the same reasons: fun, new experiences, a boost to self-esteem, and to develop personally. To be honest, this article isn’t really about traveling, it’s more about having an open mind. My goal is to encourage you to stay green, get off your butt and see what your local area has to offer.
Mind traveling
What is mind traveling? It’s your mind exploring new places and new people. It’s green and carbon-free. Your body doesn’t travel, only your mind does. Reading memoirs is a way of mind traveling. You get a chance to see things from someone else’s perspective and be aware of your own life.
Reading Hemingway’s mind
Reading the memoir of Hemingway, A Movable Feast, brought me to his writing life in Paris during the 1920s. Writing in Parisian cafes and meeting artists was Hemingway’s routine. In his 20s, he took writing seriously and started to write short stories and novels. In winter, he traveled with his wife to Spain or other cities in Europe and waited for spring.
My mind was traveling with Hemingway while reading his memoir. He bought me to his writing world and the places he had been, meeting people that he knew and getting to know the hobbies that he loved—drinking, boxing, skiing, horse racing, etc. When he was young and poor, he often felt hungry but grateful and happy for what he had.
Reading Woody Allen’s mind
Woody Allen was a comedy writer before he became a film director. One of the things that he learned from comedy writing is that never write when you’re not feeling well. The jokes in his memoir are my main reason to read Apropos of Nothing. I can see his sense of humor from the beginning of the book. His life is full of crazy, famous, and rich people. That overwhelms me as I’m living a gentle and frugal life.
Mountain trips
Taking a hike is part of life now. Because of Covid-19, I long for outdoor activities as much as everyone does. When the weather’s nice and warm, you’ll see me in the mountain in wintertime. I never travel alone or hike alone as I enjoy going on adventures with friends always.
Step up to Lion Rock
Lion Rock is the most iconic mountain in Hong Kong. As iconic as the Fuji Mountain in Japan. The Lion Rock looks like a lion only when looking from afar. I climbed to Lion Rock for the first time with friends. It’s 495 meters high. We took endless steps up and down, which was the most amount of steps we had ever walked!


Take the aerial view of islands
The view is everything when it comes to hiking. Tai Lam Chung Reservoir gives hikers a stunning view when they reach the top. It looks like a lake with thousands of islands. That’s why its nickname is Thousand Island Lake, named after a similar reservoir in Zhejiang Province, China.

Climbing to the mountains is a good workout for the legs. Hiking day is literally leg day. I love it! Sometimes I wish I was a snake so that every day is abs day.
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Wonderful post, only one critique, Woody Allen is whom I believe you were referring to.
Yes, thanks for spotting this for me lol
I can confirm from personal experience that a hike to/on Lion Rock is one of the things one must have done in one’s life!
Your last sentence is brilliant! 🙂
Thanks for you kind comments! 😀
The islands in the last pic look like a snake 🐍 and go well with your last line.
2020 was all mind travel – 2021 has begun well for me – just published my first book – 4 Pillars of Abundant Life
I wish and pray that 2021 is great for you too. Do check out the book 😊
Congrats to your new book! 😀 Love the topic! haha love your imagination too! Thank you for the blessing @ashok ❤
Thank you so much Helen. I do hope you would be able to get a copy of the book 😊🤗
Beautifully written. Going for a hike right now! 😉
lol glad that you’ll go for a hike! ❤
I love Woody Allen. I think way back to when I read “Without Feathers” and it was the first time I’d laughed out loud while reading an actual book. Also, I wish we had your lovely scenery here in SE Michigan, but there’s still plenty to see and I’d do well to remember to take advantage of it – even in the winter. Thanks.
“Without Feathers” sounds an interesting book! Would love to check it out later. I’ve never been to the US. I believe the nature in SE Michigan must be awesome. Show me the scenery and I would love to see! 😀
I did a bunch of river kayaking posts you might want to check out. No mountains or breathtaking vistas, but it makes for a lovely outing.
Thant’s cool to go kayaking! ❤
I love to travel…and even COVID..has not hampered my spirit…Travel is what keeps me going..
Stay blessed..
Where did you travel lately? ❤
Just travelling through parts of my country I have not been before….
That’s cool! ❤
Gorgeous views from Lion Rock. I’ll have to remember it when we’re in Hong Kong next. Maggie
haha great! check it out when you’re in HK ❤
Traveling can be an inward or outer experience. I enjoy both. Whether it is traveling through a good book or my inner thoughts, I explore new dimensions. I do miss my outward travels but have seen many new local places I have not seen previously.
Thanks for your words of wisdom
Blessings
Lisa
Thanks for sharing Lisa! ❤
I never thought about it that way, “reading memoirs is a way of mind traveling”. I love reading memoirs and I can definitely see how you can travel with them and see things from their perspective!
Glad to hear from you! ❤
Reading is the perfect way to travel when the possibility to physically go is not possible. Hemingway is a good choice! I’m glad you also mentioned getting out in your local area; that’s what has helped me cope with travel restrictions, noticing the minutiae in the same way one does on the road. Thank you.
haha would love to know what’s in your local area ❤
Lion Rock looks like an amazing place for a hike. So much respect for your desire to keep green. Something we all have to do for our planet. 🌎
The aerial view is breathtaking