Born and raised in the Flint Hills of Kansas, I love the beauty in its simplicity. Post-university, I’ve enjoyed living in and experiencing big cities around the country and traveling internationally, but my heart always brings me back to visit Kansas, especially my native Flint Hills. Once you learn to appreciate the vast and romantic barrenness of this wild Kansas landscape, your awe for dramatic mountains, oceans and city skylines changes and amplifies. Your perspective evolves, your eye will see the world in a new way. Listening to the waves of wind hitting the tallgrass, it can be hypnotic. While at first you might feel alone, stand still and you can sense the centuries worth of inhabitants and travelers who preceded you; the indigenous people, European explorers, Santa Fe Trail pioneers, homesteaders, farmers, bootleggers. A rich history. Hike the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, and get lost in its meditative charm. It is a one of a kind experience. I recommend reading PrairyErth by William Least Heat-Moon before your visit.