不走寻常路带来的回报 Getting off the beaten path can lead to rich rewards

Many of us have memories of discovering secret places—either literal or imaginary—when we were growing up. They are places that often remain with us, places to which we can return in our minds, either to catch a break from hectic daily life or simply to revisit a joyful time or place.

很多人在成长过程中，都发现过秘密基地——无论是真实的还是想象的。这些地方存在于我们的脑海中，可以让我们在忙碌的一天中得到思想上的放松。

One of the most memorable vacations I had as a child was a trip to Grand Bahama Island, one of the northernmost islands of the Bahamas and near the US state of Florida. One afternoon, I found a secluded place along a sand dune, enclosed by palm trees and broad-leafed sea grape shrubs.

我小时候最深刻的假期记忆之一，就是去巴哈马最南端的岛屿之一，毗邻美国佛罗里达州的大巴哈马岛。一天下午，我在沙丘边发现了一处僻静之所，被棕榈树和灌木所覆盖。

No one could see me, though I could hear the sounds of sea gulls and ocean waves. It is a special memory that sparked an interest in the 18th-century novel Robinson Crusoe by British author Daniel Defoe about a castaway sailor who survives for years on a remote tropical island. I think it also helped propel me to explore far beyond my home in the United States.

没人能看见我，我却能听见海鸥声和海浪声。这段独特的回忆让我对十八世纪的小说《鲁滨逊漂流记》充满兴趣，也鼓励我去探索美国之外的地方。

While we sometimes discover such places by accident, it usually takes at least a small measure of adventurous spirit to find them.

虽然我们有时在不经意间发现了秘密基地，但至少这需要小小的探险行动。

China is a wonderful place to make such discoveries, which we have done several times while living in Shanghai and Beijing. Even if the discoveries aren't exclusive, finding places that are not so obvious can be rewarding.

中国就是这么一个值得探索的地方。我们在上海和北京就多次进行探索，虽然不是完全独家，但也应该获得回馈。

One of our favorite parks in Beijing is Huangcaowan Country Park, a great place for a bicycle trip out past the Fourth Ring Road. It is a little less manicured than other parks, but the trails are delightful and I've never seen it crowded. On a recent weekend, my wife wanted to get off one of the main trails paved with bricks and stone to see where a dirt trail would take us. (That's one reason we are so compatible!)

 我们在北京最喜欢的公园之一就是黄草湾郊野公园，这里很适合骑车。公园没有其它公园那样被精心管理，但骑车路线从来人都很少。最近的一个周末，我妻子想脱离铺着砖石的既有路线，看看旁边的土路会带我们去哪里。

It looked like it might peter out beyond a bend that took it behind some trees. We passed a rough stretch of old paved walkway and then discovered a new trail, beautifully landscaped and skillfully paved with stones, between a canal and the walls of local business campuses and industries.

小路隐藏在树后，我们走过去发现了一条新路，也是用石头铺就，夹在小河和商业园的外墙之间。

It stretched out for about a kilometer, and while there were a few others on the trail, it felt like our own secret place—a reward for getting off the beaten path, so to speak.

小路延伸了大约一公里，少有人烟，我感觉这就是我们的秘密基地，对我们不走寻常路的奖励。

One of our favorite places in Shanghai is Zhujiajiao, a water town with a history of more than 1,700 years. The ancient town in Shanghai's suburbs has gotten more crowded, especially since the city's subway system was extended to the area. Passing through its narrow lanes can be a squeeze, especially on weekends and holidays.

我们在上海最喜欢的地方之一是陆家角，这个水镇有1700多年的历史，不过在地铁贯通后，这里总是人满为患，特别是周末和节假日，小巷里摩肩接踵。

But last time we went, we found a bed-and-breakfast far back in the maze of lanes, where tourists thin out and a better picture of real life on the ancient canals emerges.

不过上次我们在那里发现了一家远离喧嚣的家庭旅馆，体验了当地人的真实生活。

The home we rented was old but comfortable, exactly what we wanted. We waved at a little girl and her mother enjoying the sunshine at an open window across the canal. The eateries and tea houses were often in the homes of the proprietors.

我们租的房子虽然古老而舒适，完全满足我们的需求。我们冲一对晒太阳的母女挥手，房主家里一般都有餐厅和茶馆。

We’d see members of three generations of residents walking by or discussing a family issue outside our door—this was the genuine life of Zhujiajiao, undoubtedly unchanged for centuries.

一家三口在我们门外走过聊天，这才是朱家角真正的生活，几百年没有改变。

Making wonderful memories like these is worth the extra effort to find them.

这些美好的记忆值得更努力的寻找。