You’ve probably noticed that the world is a pretty crazy place right now. An understatement, I know.

It is particularly crazy for those of us working in adventure travel. It seems that every day there’s another country announcing they’re closing their doors or suspending entry visas or shuttering tourist sites. Just a month ago, we spent our days in the office talking about polar bears and butterflies and wolves. Nowadays, from dawn to dusk—and later—we’re rebooking flights, rearranging complex foreign logistics and, all too often, ultimately telling our local partners the bad news that our travelers aren’t coming. We’re honored to do this work on behalf of our valued guests. But I can’t lie—it ain’t easy.

And that’s where nature comes in.

Yesterday I stole away for a bike ride up Boulder’s Flagstaff Mountain, an area of protected municipal land that is astonishingly beautiful. When I mounted my bike, I was frustrated and down, feeling just a tad sorry for myself for having to cancel next week’s Borneo departure. I had called some of the guests myself and I could hear their disappointment on the phone. I shared deeply in that disappointment.

But nature has a way of healing. Just 10 minutes into the ride, earbuds in, listening to 70’s soft rock, my attitude adjusted, my frame of mind shifted from anguish to ambition, and I felt energized. I couldn’t wait to get back down into town to see my wife and appreciate the wonderful life I have. I even couldn’t wait to open my computer and attack the next challenge that was surely sitting in my email inbox. Nature is that good!

So during all this craziness, a little time in nature just might be that tonic you (and I) need to get by. Well, nature and maybe a little bit of Simon & Garfunkel.

I hope to see you out there,

Ben Bressler
Explorer, Founder, President

This letter originally appeared in Nat Hab’s weekly eNewsletter. Click here to subscribe to future updates from Ben.