2 . Why Traveling Is Essential for Personal Growth

There’s something about traveling that stirs up a sense of adventure within us all. It’s like a call to explore new places, meet new people, and create unforgettable memories.     1    . It’s also an essential tool for personal growth.

Giving you confidence

Traveling, especially for the first time, can be challenging. If you stay in the same place for a long time you become fearful of any change.     2    . But what if you take a risk and do it? You’ll definitely gain more confidence about traveling. The more challenges you come across during your travels, the stronger you become.

Redefining your comfort zone

It’s easy to get stuck in a routine and stay within your comfort zone.     3    . By actively seeking out new experiences, you’ll discover sides of yourself that you never knew existed and create unforgettable memories along the way.

Taking risks and facing challenges

While traveling, it’s not uncommon to encounter obstacles, but it’s all about how we overcome them and accept changes as part of the journey.     4    . This can be as simple as navigating (导航) a new city or as complicated as communicating with locals in a foreign language.

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It can be easy to get caught up in busy daily life. When you travel, you’re forced to slow down and really enjoy each experience. You get to enjoy all the little moments that make life so special, like sunsets in a new city or quiet conversations with strangers. Traveling helps us appreciate the beauty of the world around us and be grateful for what we have right here, right now.

National Geographic explorer Paul Salopek has just hiked across Erlang Mountain in Southwest China’s Sichuan province. This is just a start of his     1    (ambition) plan of trekking (跋涉) in China.

As a trekker with global footprints, Salopek is committed to experiencing different cultures all over the world and     2    (record) the lives of people he encounters on his journey. China, a large country with diverse natural and human landscapes,     3    (be) an important stop on Salopek’s global trek.

Starting in September 2021, Salopek set off from Yunnan province and     4    (plan) to walk through many regions.“My route is not always to famous tourist landmarks,”says the explorer, who likes to visit grassroots areas     5    (find) real life.“It could be someone’s dinner table,     6    the sight of an old ethnic Bai weaving at home.” Because every step of the way is new to him, Salopek tries to keep an open mind about     7     he can seek memorable things.

Salopek is also witnessing China’s achievements in the fields of ecology, wildlife conservation.“I hiked across other places    8    (empty) of their wildlife by human beings. The Gaoligong Mountains represents a chance for comfort,” Salopek says while hiking across the mountains.

Salopek is still currently    9    the road, walking across China,     10    journey in China is being recorded by a film crew for a 10-episode documentary series entitled The Forever Walk: China.

Lushan National Park, in the south of Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, is a well-known tourist attraction both in China and abroad. It has appealed     1     countless visitors on account of its natural views and cultural relics.

The national park covers an area of 500 square kilometers and has more than 90 mountain peaks (山峰). The tallest one of these is Hanyang Peak which has a     2     (high) of 1,473.4 meters. The park-owes its reputation to its     3     (wonder), elegant and impressive highlights such as waterfalls and rocks. There are 12 main scenic areas, together with 37 attractions. The major     4     (spot) include Wulao Feng, Sandie Spring, etc.

Wulao Feng,       5     is located in the southeast of Lushan, is 1,436 meters above sea level. Its five parallel mountain peaks once formed a single one, and standing on the top, you will     6     (reward) with an amazing view of the distant mountains, trees, lakes, and a seemingly endless sky.

Sandie Spring     7     (lie)below Wulao Feng and drops through three rough tiers (层) with a fall of 155 meters. The upper part is like snow     8     (fall) down to the pond; the middle reach wanders and twists, dancing in the air;the lower level looks like a dragon running in the pond. This is thought     9     (be) the best of the Lushan waterfalls. It is said that you are not     10     true visitor here if you miss Sandie Spring.

Nanjing, the capital city of China’s Jiangsu Province and located ( 位于) along the Yangtze River Delta (三角洲),     1     (be) once the capital of the Ming Dynasty and is recognized as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China alongside Beijing, Xi’an     2     Luoyang.

But if you’ll only be visiting for 72 hours, there are a few     3     (experience) that you shouldn’t miss out on.

Any trip to Nanjing, no matter     4     short it is, wouldn’t be complete without some excellent food. Nanjing cuisine is a part of Jiangsu cuisine and often shows the area’s     5     (local) grown produce and fresh seafood.

The city is also considered the birthplace of Peking Duck, but it also prepares a local favorite: Nanjing salted duck,     6     is served cold after being cooked in very salty water.

Nanjing is known for     8     (it) cultural and political importance. Today, travelers can visit numerous temples (寺庙) within the city and walk along Stone City, the remains of the city’s ancient fortifications (防御工事), at a local park.

Nanjing is also home     9     one UNESCO World Heritage Site — the Xiaoling Mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty, located in the Zhongshan Mountain National Park, where many other    10     (importance) sites, such as Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, are also located.

8 . What is the 15-minute city? It’s the urban planning concept that everything city residents need should be a short walk or bike ride away—about 15 minutes from home to work, shopping, entertainment, restaurants, schools, parks and health care. Supporters argue that 15-minute cities are healthier for residents and the environment, creating united mini-communities, boosting local businesses, and encouraging people to get outside,walk, and cycle.

Many cities across Europe offer similar ideas, but Paris has become its poster child. Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sought to fight climate change by decreasing choking traffic in the streets and fuel emissions. In 2015, Paris was 17th on the list of bike-friendly cities; by 2019, it was 8th. Car ownership, meanwhile, dropped from 60 percent of house holds in 2001 to 35 percent in 2019. The 15-minute city figured largely in Hidalgo’s successful 2020 re-election campaign. The idea has also gained support in the U.S.

It clearly won’t work everywhere: Not every city is as centralized and walkable as Paris. Some car-dominated cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix would be hard-pressed to provide everything people need within walking distance. In addition, some urban planners argue that the 15-minute city could increase the separation of neighborhoods by income. Neighborhoods equipped with all the conveniences required by the 15-minute city also tend to have high housing costs and wealthier residents.

Despite some resistance, the basic principles behind the 15-minute city are influencing planning in cities around the world, including Melbourne, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Singapore, and Shanghai. Urban designer and thinker Jay Pitter says cities where basic needs are within walking distance create more individual freedom than needing to drive every where. “In a city where services are always close by,” he says, “mobility is a choice: You go where you want because you want to, not because you have to. My fight is not against the car. My fight is how we could improve the quality of life.”

9 . Planning a family trip? Let the professionals handle it.

In the ever-evolving world of travel, using a travel professional to decode your family vacation options can really pay off. Here are several things to bear in mind:

Before the pandemic, planning a vacation took time, knowledge, patience and perseverance. While the pace of change has slowed, keeping track of the global landscape can still be incredible.     1     He or she uses his or her experience and skills to make even the most complicated travel schedule a reality.

    2     Some get paid by travel suppliers such as a hotel or restaurant. Others charge consulting fees sometimes determined by the number of people traveling and the complexity of the trip. Still, others rely on a combination of both. Families also benefit from top agents’ access to upgrades and value-added options. Should your trip take an unwelcome turn, a good agent will have your back to help with canceled flights, health challenges or the need for a last-minute shift in the travel schedule.

If you are eager to visit a Disney resort; understand the evolving nature of the cruise world; visit a ski resort or explore a specific city, region or country, using an agent with that specialty can give you a bonus.     4     They’ll know how to book the best cabins, sort through meal and activity options and provide insight into how each member of the family might make the most of the sailing.

Whether you’re traveling with the kids or with the extended family for a milestone birthday or anniversary celebration, you no doubt hope to return with treasured memories rather than tales of a trip gone wrong.     5    

With more families learning and working from home, a good agent can help zero in on destinations and lodging options that can maximize your current lifestyle.

The natural beauty of Fanjingshan ensures its place among the country’s top nature reserves.

Flowers are coming out pretty at    1    foot of Fanjingshan in early April, while white snow is still attached to the mountaintop.    2    (it)green and fresh vegetation(植被)is a major feature of Fanjingshan,    3    stands northeast of Tongren city in southwestern China’s Guizhou province. Fanjingshan is home to more than 7,100 species of wild plants and animals. There are more than 40 different    4    (type)of forests as well as endangered animals.

The Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve was established in 1978. It    5    (recognize)as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1986. The reserve covers an area    6    more than 77,500 hectares and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018.

To protect biological activity more    7    (effective), the Fanjingshan administration has set up observation stations and put in    8    (monitor)equipment. Experts say Fanjingshan has an advantage in its application to become a    9    (nation)park in that it is the only natural habitat for the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey and the Fanjingshan fir, both of which have been rated as    10    (threaten)species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.