――Huaying Mountain Chapter
What is the meaning of travel? Some say, “The meaning of travel lies in choosing to set off.” On the journey, you’ll notice that people have diverse habits. It’s only while traveling that you come to understand that not everyone lives as you do. This broadens your perspective, allowing you to face your own life with a better mindset.
Shortly after the summer vacation of 2010, there was a group of people who, with just a bicycle, a backpack, and a resolute heart, embarked on a long journey and completed a magnificent adventure. They left the marks of their wheels on the winding and rugged Sichuan-Tibet Highway, traversed the ethnic-minority-flavored Yunnan-Tibet Road, and experienced the solitude and desolation of the China-Nepal Highway.
With admiration, I also began planning my own itinerary for leisure days.
A seven-day holiday is a rare chance to relax, and our weary minds and bodies need an easy time. Of course, these days, whether for long-distance or local travel, there's one huge issue—too many people. I don’t want to see the “sea of people” at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, nor the crowded Break Bridge by West Lake. My trip to Lijiang during the National Day two years ago also left a deep impression on me, and since then, the beautiful fantasy of a “heaven on earth” has “vanished into the crowd.”
As a Chongqing native, there are actually plenty of fun places nearby: Huaying Mountain to the west, Chengdu to the northwest, the Ancient Shu Road to the north, and the Yangtze River Three Gorges (including Fengdu Ghost City, Baidi City, etc.) to the east. But due to limited time and a desire to visit scenic spots, Guang’an, not far from Chongqing, lured me with two culturally rich destinations embodying the spirit of Red Rock—the Former Residence of Deng Xiaoping and Huaying Mountain. So it seemed Huaying Mountain was a must-visit. Not long ago, I chose Huaying Mountain Scenic Area, took a bus from Chongqing to Dazhou on my own, and got off at Huaying Station (you can also choose to go by car or self-driving).
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Wanting to slow down and let time slip through my fingers, the all-too-familiar urban life had lost its charm for someone tired of the hustle and bustle. The season when maple leaves gradually turn red is the perfect time for travel. Wandering amidst green mountains and clear waters, enjoying both movement and stillness, every mountain, every body of water, every rock, and every scene here holds breathtaking and touching stories. Huaying Mountain left my footprints and swept away all the fatigue from work and study.
All in all, my last trip to Huaying Mountain left a good impression and also brought a small realization about life: the charm of travel lies in never knowing what will happen tomorrow. When you look back, you’ll find you’ve gained much more than you imagined—whether it’s a wealth of experiences or a change in state of mind.
As for spontaneous trips, I’d say mine is just about to begin—no matter how near or far—and will continue to be so in the future.