Last week I took some time with family to visit Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. One of Utah’s five national parks (Utah has the 3rd highest number of national parks in the US after Alaska and California), Arches features some very unique geological formations not found anywhere else on earth. Arches National Park offers amazing scenery, hiking, camping, climbing, and other recreation opportunities.
(Continued from Sydney: In a Class of Its Own)
If you are just joining in, this is part of a series of blog entries about a trip I took in March. The trip was a challenge I gave myself to cover as many miles that I could and visit as many places that I could in a two week time frame while still being able to see beautiful places and landmarks and gaining an appreciation of those places. So far I have covered my stays on the South Island of New Zealand and Sydney, Australia.
When I started planning this trip last year I started researching ways I could get the most bang for my buck in seeing as many different places I could. I consider myself an air travel guru and pretty knowledgeable about airline routings and ticketing procedures. When I was in college I worked for an airline and was able to do a lot of traveling for free. Of course, this was space-available travel and sometimes I had to be really creative on how I got from A to B. All my experience played a part in arranging my itinerary.
Continued from Sydney Part 1: A Way to Start a G'Day
In an attempt to summarize what Sydney was like to family and friends back home, I tried to compare it to other cities they might have been to themselves. Walking around the central business district felt like walking in other large cities I have visited. Certain neighborhoods reminded me of New York City, particularly in the historical areas like The Rocks. George Street reminded me of parts of Broadway, albeit on a smaller scale. The city as a whole reminded me of Seattle or San Francisco with the numerous waterfronts, an iconic bridge, and landmarks. To me, it had more American characteristics than European. But Sydney is quite diverse and has people from many backgrounds and nationalities. As I spent more time here, Sydney began to show me its own vibe and turned out to be a city quite different than anywhere else I had been before.
(continued from New Zealand part 3)
If you are just joining in, this is part of a series of blog entries about my trip last month that first took me to New Zealand and continued on to three other countries. The trip was a challenge I gave myself to cover as many miles that I could and visit as many places that I could in a two week time frame while still being able to see beautiful places and landmarks while gaining an appreciation of these places. It picks up leaving the South Island of New Zealand…
(Continued from New Zealand Part 1)
I woke up early. It was going to be a long day ahead. One of the biggest priorities I had for my visit here was to see Milford Sound, one of New Zealand’s most popular attractions and widely considered one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. Technically speaking, Milford Sound is not a sound at all but a fjord. It was incorrectly named (they are already aware, I checked). Milford Sound is a narrow inlet from the Tasman Sea which was formed by glaciers. It is home to an abundant assortment of flora and fauna, Mitre Peak, countless waterfalls, and stunning scenery.
Lake Wakatipu at Dawn
Nearly a week ago I returned from an extensive trip which took me to four countries, two continents (not including my home continent), and both hemispheres. It was quite a journey but an experience I will never forget.
Let me first lay out a few things about this trip first because you will probably think I am a little crazy by the end of it. The challenge I set for myself for this trip was to cover as many miles and see as many places I could in a two week time frame. If you choose to continue reading my posts about my trip in the weeks to come, you will see both the challenges this trip presented me and the choices that had to be made, but also the excitement and appreciation I gained from it. It was not a leisurely trip by any means, nor was I expecting it to be. But it was my goal and challenge to show that preparation and efficiency can get you to a lot of neat places in a short time frame. Okay I admit, The Amazing Race played a part in inspiring me to do this.
A Long Way From Home