Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The view from the mountains




The road to your dreams isn't always a straightforward one. It winds and curves up a mountain. When you start out on the journey, the hike seems easy enough and the destination seems just within reach. You know exactly what you want and you know just how to get it. And yet the closer you get to the top, the closer you get to attaining your dreams, to getting just what it is that you asked out of life, the hike suddenly gets so much more strenous and it takes every bit of effort to make it to the top, to get to that perfect moment of contentment of having just what you wanted. In those moments of utter despair, when the going gets extremely tough, the best thing you can do is to rest, take a breather and stop and admire the views from the climb on top of the mountain. See how far along you've come and look up ahead at where you want to be. And the sceneries will carry you along further.

For me, the year 2008 has been a little like that journey up the mountain...it's been a tough hike with long winding roads seemingly leading nowhere. But even so, I look back at how far along I've come at the end of the year and I feel a strange joy for having made it this far.

Here's to the year past, and new journeys ahead. Every so often, stop to take a breather and click photos of the memorable sceneries along the way. :)

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

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These photos were taken from Pinnacle Overlook, located at an elevation of 2440 feet on the Cumberland Mountains region of the chain of Appalachian Mountains. The overlook is located within Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and overlooks the tri-state area of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. The white lake nestled in the valley surrounded by the mountains is Fern Lake.
To read more on my three day travel through the tri-state area, click here.
~vagabond~ © 2008

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

3rd and the 4th nice pix!
Wish you Happy New year!:-)

Unknown said...

Nice pics as always. That goes without saying :)

Wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Blu said...

What wise words Vagabond, best wishes to you for the year ahead. Wonderful views.

Diana Sahu said...

Brilliant pics yaar..am tired of saying this again and again...just jokin....nyway....Happy Happy Happy New Year....All the best for all ur future adventures....Diana

alok said...

Thank you so much for the wishes.

Prayers & wishes for a happy new year to you too …

Vamsee Modugula said...

Happy New Year to you too. Loved the philosophic touch in the writing. Great pictures too.

I just realized that you have been updating your travel blog too. The last I read was the Bandelier Monument. Will blogroll this too.

~vagabond~ said...

@Abhijit: Thanks for telling me which ones you liked...and a happy new year to you too!

@Ashes: Thanks :)...and hope you have a great year ahead too!

~vagabond~ said...

@Blu: Thanks...and all the best to you too in the new year ahead! :)

@Diana: It means a lot to me that you still say it though. LOL. And a very happy new year to you too! :)

~vagabond~ said...

@Alok: Prayers and good wishes for you too! :)

@Vamsee: Thanks. My travel blog isnt nearly as terrific as yours...but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. :)

Anonymous said...

2000 feet only? it looks pretty cool blue and high tho :) come visit the southern western ghat. hope u have a great year ahead Vee.

Abhishek Dadhich said...

Nice pics... i can almost feel the serenity by just looking at them...

Lovely words... summarizes beautifully the hike and the trek... and it's association with life makes this post, one of ur best...

~vagabond~ said...

@Trisha: yay! you're back...I'm glad to see you out of your hibernation. Was starting to miss your comments here. :)
And I do want to see the southwestern ghat *sigh* ...soon I hope.

~vagabond~ said...

@Dust: Thanks for such a lovely compliment...glad you liked the photos. :)

Anonymous said...

I love the serenity in these pics. My pick is 1, 3 & 4.

I have already wished you for new year. Koi baat nahi, ek baar aur le lo.

I'll mail you the Hinglish version of my poem so that you can read.

~vagabond~ said...

@Cuckoo:
Thanks...for the new year wishes and for telling me which ones you liked best.

Will go check my mail for the poem.

:)

bindu said...

I liked your words. Very true. I hope the serenity reflected in your pictures steal into your life in the new year. :)

~vagabond~ said...

Aww...thank you and a wonderful year ahead to you too! :)