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Traveling is something that’s really hard to beat.

What’s one of the best parts is that it always opens new views to the world: with every trip, you’re smarter and more content – and, usually also equipped with more thirst for knowledge. It’s a very positive addiction, one that educates and brings long-standing happiness. When I’m going abroad, I like to read beforehand traveler’s tips, history, and place the trip in a context.

But just as exotic places bring joy to me, my own home neighborhoods are likely to be exotic for someone else. This mutuality and the sense of humane interaction and curiosity is what really tops everything else. Traveling is about interaction; cultural exchange, exploration, intuition, learning, and understanding. Whereas a volcanic island is a wonder for me, the summer’s forest foliage, clean greenness, lakes, and finding a route in the forests – tripping over damp logs and letting the shoes soak the tussocks’ moist can be really an adventure for someone visiting Finland. It just sometimes takes a trip to see the beauty and respect anew something that is seemingly familiar.

I had an interesting little walk in the forest with family and our jackrussell terrier. It was pleasure for everyone; it was one of those damp and gray days that could so easily be spent at the Internet. But this time was different. We went to a shelter in the middle of the forest, and made fire. There was a lake, where the probably most spirited and energetic of us, Veeti, could jump into and make fine splashes. He’s such an adorable and fearless explorer. With every play and moment of his joy it’s also a lesson in canine behaviour. I think the word ‘pet’ is not proper; more like a family member with just a bit different genetics 🙂

With the usual keenness to store memories in digital form, I spent quite some time behind the camera’s viewfinder. It’s a funny thing that I always think nature photographs lose some of that delightful detail and color, even though the camera is ok. There’s something inimitable in the real world, though taking pictures is one of the best ways of reproducting the atmosphere.