A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to go to Nebraska with my colleague Val and our respected boss Geoff. It wasn’t a trip for shopping and merrymaking, but for research. The trip alone from South Dakota was long, about 6 hours drive. Apart from the few stops we’ve made and visits in convenient stores for nature’s call, the trip was nothing but excitement on my part. It was my first time in Nebraska. It was my first time to see the Sandhills.
I heard a lot about the Sandhills from my boss and few people from work. The name itself suggests they are hills made of sand. Indeed, they are.
I was amazed to see a vast of land with sloping hills of sand. There were only few trees surviving in the quite rigid condition. There were bushes though that have persisted all the years.
If you want to see human beings in the Sandhills, forget it. Hardly that you’d encounter a single soul; it is not just the place for people to regenerate their genes as it was far from civilization. Far, meaning, you have to drive through long, rugged, uncemented trails to buy your groceries. Far, meaning, you never gonna enjoy a night in a bar or a movie in a theater. Thus, if your existence revolves around socialization alone, you’d die looking for it in the Sandhills.
But the Sandhills is not a boring place altogether. For nature lovers, this is the right place to be. It is home to many species of animals and plants. Though it looks empty from afar, closely, it holds the secret of its hidden beauty. I saw for the first time a big eagle atop a pole, free and nobody was trying to kill it. There were all kinds of exotic birds flying and perching, jackrabbits running, snakes appearing every now and then, butterflies of different shades, wild bulls and cows and a lot more.
I love nature. If given a chance to live in the Sandhills, I’m quite certain I’d survive. Growing up in a southern town in Cebu, Philippines, the situation could be approximated as the same. Although my town is devoid of wildlife, the crispness of the breeze and the tranquility it brings are comparable. Sandhills can become my home.
We stayed there for two days and gathered the necessary data for our research study. Late afternoon of the second day, we bid Sandhills Nebraska goodbye.
Proof of the beauty of the Sandhills.
Where to stay in Nebraska.
Find your hotel accommodation using this link: Hotels.com – Save big on hotels while you explore the beauty of America’s parks!
Or search for a hotel that is within your travel budget.
[booking_pluginbox id=”8594″]
