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Hello,
Every now and then while traveling, there comes a week when everything magically falls into place, with one remarkable experience after another. Some moments might have been planned, others spontaneous and several completely unexpected, but together, the result is almost hard to believe, in the best way possible. That was my past week, a week spent in Nevada, Arizona and California. It all began with... The Las Vegas Experience Despite the 118F (48C) temperatures, we roamed up and down The Strip each day, wandered in and out of the hotels and casinos and spent some time in the Arts District and at the Fremont Street Experience. We went to the wacky and trippy Meow Wolf Omega Mart art installation as well and paid a visit to Gorilla Sushi where we partook in their awesome all-you-can-eat sushi deal. We also ended up in a helicopter thanks to Georgiana. One afternoon she had the random idea to take a sunset helicopter ride over the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and over The Strip. I think it went from being an idea to us being in a helicopter flying over Vegas in about 4 hours. And it was absolutely one of the best decisions we made as the views are stunning to say the least! (We went with 5 Star Helicopter Tours. They were great and they offer cheap deals through Groupon.) Next up... The Grand Canyon Experience We rented a car, and left Vegas. First stop - the massive Hoover Dam. It was pretty interesting to walk across it but the heat was brutal and we didn't stay long. A couple of hours later we took a fika break in the town of Kingman, Arizona. By sheer luck, we stumbled upon the absolute cutest little bakery (Cupcakes by Jan) run by the absolute cutest and most welcoming elderly woman, who happens to also bake some outstanding cupcakes. This was an excellent find. Then we continued driving, eventually arriving in the town of Tusayan, near the entrance to the one and only Grand Canyon National Park. The very next morning, off we went into the park...and I'm not sure what to say about it apart from 'go there if you haven't been!'. The Grand Canyon is mesmerizingly beautiful to the point of absurdity. We spent that night in the very pleasant little town of Williams, Arizona, located on famous Route 66. Here we walked along the main street, checking out the historic shops, saloons and eateries, many of which seem to be left unchanged from a hundred years ago. After a solid sleep... The Death Valley Experience This day was surreal as well. As we were driving through Bullhead City on our way back to Las Vegas, we suddenly decided to go full force and continue on to Death Valley National Park. So, from Arizona to Nevada to California we went, and despite the driving time, we managed to arrive in the early afternoon. Inside the park we visited Zabriskie Point (unique mountains and mud formations), Artists Palette (mountains full of colorful mineral deposits), Badwater Basin (lowest point in North America) and the Mesquite Sand Dunes (huge, silky desert sand dunes) as well as driving through a ton of other gorgeous landscapes. The temperature did reach a ridiculous 130F (55C) though, so it was somewhat impossible to be outside the car for more than a few minutes at a time. But it also seemed to keep people away as we only encountered a handful of others during our entire time in the park, making the experience even more special. So yes, this park is AMAZING. I had been to part of this park before but I honestly forgot that the landscapes were so damn otherworldly and mind-blowing. Again, AMAZING!
Finally, late that night, we pulled back into Las Vegas, promptly passed out in our hotel room and woke up the next day ready to fly back to Florida. And back in Florida is where I am now after that crazy, insanely memorable, 'this is why I travel', too-good-to-be-true kind of travel week!
It's time to use your travel knowledge and research skills! Previous photo
With last week's photo, a lot of people guessed various cities across Northern Europe. But it was Peter, Jesse, Eliza, Josh, Steve and Michele who guessed the correct city - small, yet attractive, TALLINN, ESTONIA!
My first memory of Tallinn is eating a pancake at a local restaurant that my Estonian friend brought me to. Then there was a walking tour of the city's main highlights (led by my friend), being invited to a magazine photo shoot at a villa on the outskirts of town and finally, in the evenings, some very cool hidden bars scattered throughout the old town. I don't know what kind of experience that was in the end, but it was super fun! Travel-related (usually) tidbits that appeared in my inboxesCheck it out: Beyond the Language BarrierMy friend Anastasia Lind is hosting an exciting interview series about creating meaningful connections and adventure around the world. I'll be one of the travelers she's interviewing, along with a solid list of others. It starts on June 24th, it's all FREE and you can register here: Beyond the Barrier Take the Nomad SurveyIf you're a digital nomad or remote worker, here's a quick nomad survey that I invite you to fill out. It's from the fine folks at Safety Wing and Draper House as they try to get an idea of the travel desires and abilities of those who work online. |
Mysterious Azerbaijani Castle
The nearly impossible to reach Parigala Castle (Fairytale Castle) in Azerbaijan is an archaeological mystery. Carved right into the middle of a cliff face several centuries ago, its origin is not quite known, adding to the fascination.
How Large are the Largest Hotels?
After checking into the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, it occurred to me...this was one massive hotel. So I researched the largest hotels in the world and discovered that the Flamingo is the 20th largest hotel on the planet. But it's quite small compared to the top of the list (First World Hotel in Malaysia has 7351 rooms)!
Must-Try Street Food
Here you go - 18 yummy street food items from around the globe that will enhance your travels!
Beautiful Asian Towns and Villages
One minute I was researching Japan and before I knew it, I was dreaming of Asia's most beautiful towns and Asia's most beautiful villages. Get ready for the wanderlust :)
Digital Portals
The company, Portal, has installed real-time digital 'doors' in Poland and Lithuania so that strangers can instantly connect with other strangers hundreds of miles apart. They plan to install more portals as well. I'm all for a project that connects human beings instead of dividing them!
The World's Deserts
After spending plenty of time in the desert this past week, I started looking up all kinds of desert destinations. And these gorgeous deserts certainly make desert-hopping a very appealing activity! The 5 Minute Foundation
Started by Carolina Sevilla in 2016, the 5 Minute Foundation aims to eliminate plastic pollution in the world's oceans. They organize beach cleanups and educational programs for students and they also work within the tourism industry to help reduce its negative impact. You can actually create and host your own beach cleanup event as well, with their support. |
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