Places can inspire. We asked our Explorers where they had felt the most inspired; see four of their picks below!

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Sarah P. Duke Gardens

North Carolina, USA

~ Erika Zambello

I was a work-study student at Duke Gardens for two years during my graduate program, which meant I had the distinct pleasure of visiting multiple times a week. The Gardens themselves are absolutely gorgeous, with a mix of plant beds that change with the seasons as well as permanent plants. Their combination of garden areas, including the Asiatic Arboretum, the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, the Historic Gardens, and the Doris Duke Center and Gardens, meant that I always found something unique.

Of course the place itself is inspiring, but so is the staff. They are so energetic, and the Curators are constantly striving to be creative with the natural resources within the 55 acres of Duke Gardens. For example, in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants they have recently created a Piedmont Prairie, educating visitors on the importance of this vanishing ecosystem. How cool is that?

 

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Kruger National Park

South Africa

~ Ryan Huang

Kruger National Park in South Africa is always going to be an incredibly important and special place to me.  I studied abroad in the Kruger and that time became a very formative year for me as a conservation scientist.  By being immersed in the natural savannah landscape and spending every day for months studying wildlife, I developed a very close bond to the area.  In particular, I loved this particular spot at Lake Panic where we would have sundowners (the South African term for drinking and watching the sunset).  I’ll always have great memories of good times, great friends, and even better views.

 

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Oxford

United Kingdom

~ Nikkita Mehta

I lived in London for 3 months while on assignment for my job. Of all my weekend trips, I felt the most inspired in the streets of Oxford, a place with a long history of fostering intellectual curiosity. Pictured below is the iconic Radcliffe Camera, built in the 18th century to house a library.

 

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Kennebago Lake

Maine, USA

~ Mary Zambello

I have been visiting Kennebago Lake, located in the Rangeley Lakes region of Maine, since I can remember. How can there be so much beauty in one place? When the lake is calm, and everything is quiet; there’s no better time to think and become inspired. I have always been inspired by nature, and its energizing simplicity. When I am finally removed from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, the lake somehow always reminds me of what’s really important.

 

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Do you have a source of inspiration? Let us know in the comments!