The trip to the Blang Rantau Sawang forest was an unforgettable experience. That day, with a friend, I decided to explore the natural beauty hidden there. The trip began by passing through a fairly challenging road, full of rocks, and large holes that forced us to be careful riding a motorbike. Although the road conditions were quite severe, our enthusiasm to find the wonders of nature did not diminish.
In the middle of the road, we stopped for a moment at a rest stop. There was a simple hall and a small pond there. This place felt like a small oasis in the middle of a tiring journey. I parked my motorbike, then washed my face in the clear and refreshing water of the pond. Not far from there, there was a small river flowing quietly beside the road. I was amazed to see the clarity of the river water. Even small fish were seen swimming freely, creating a very calming view. I did not miss the opportunity to take some photos of this river, trying to capture the clarity of the water and its peaceful atmosphere.
We continued our journey, and finally arrived at Blang Rantau. Here, we took a short break in a simple hut in the middle of my friend's palm oil plantation. While resting, I watched my friend's activities as he prepared to harvest the palm fruit. I decided to take some pictures of these moments, including the harvest in the form of palm fruit bunches that had been collected. The beauty of nature combined with human activity gave a unique nuance to the photos I took.
After my friend finished work, we continued our journey to explore the forest around Blang Rantau. This forest has its own charm with its dense vegetation and fresh air. In the middle of the journey, we found a small river hidden in the forest. This river was surrounded by large rocks, and the water was so clear that the bottom of the river was clearly visible. I washed my face with water from this river, and the coldness immediately refreshed my tired body. I took some more photos of this river, trying to capture its natural charm.
We continued to walk through the forest, looking for interesting objects to photograph. After a while, my attention was drawn to a chicken claw leaf. This leaf had a different color and texture than the other leaves, making it stand out. When I turned the leaf over, I was surprised to find a very unique mushroom. This mushroom was red with fine hairs covering it. I had never seen a mushroom like this before, and its beauty was truly captivating. Without hesitation, I took several photos from various angles, trying to capture its unique details.
Not far from there, I found two beetles that were also interesting objects to photograph. The first was a red beetle perched on a small branch. Its red color was so striking amidst the green background of the leaves. The second beetle had a unique body pattern, with orange and black stripes that made it look very striking. I felt lucky to be able to find and photograph these two insects in their natural habitat.
This trip gave me many valuable experiences. The natural beauty that I found, from small rivers, chicken claw leaves, hairy red mushrooms, to unique beetles, all showed how rich and beautiful the nature around us is. Although this trip was tiring, every moment I experienced felt very valuable. I returned home with a heart full of happiness and a collection of photos ready to be shared with the photography enthusiast community. This trip not only enriched my photo album, but also taught me about the beauty and diversity of nature that we must protect together.
NOTE: I first wrote the article above in Indonesian, which is my own language, then I translated it using English with the help of Goggle.