The Wondering Wanderers !!!

Greenland ?? --> Know before you Go

2019-04-28T03:58:00.001-07:00

Greenland is also a destination that we would want to add on our list of "PLACES VISITED", but hard to say what all can be accomplished in this ONE limited lifetime with the loads of lifely duties one should complete :).

But for all of you who can or would like visit this largest island on earth, here are some firsthand tips by Andrew Evans on visiting Greenland.

PIC Courtesy : www.monodomo.com

So once again Happy Reading and I will see you back soon with my experience and thoughts on another place.

This is a new stop every season !

2019-04-28T01:39:00.000-07:00

The time and season are here to explore the new destinations ...

Another destination that holds beauty and serenity in itself for the nature lovers and adventurers. The Yosemite National Park.

"Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra." [Credits: www.nps.gov]

So if you love nature, Yosemite is for you !

If you love hiking, Yosemite is for you !

if you love adventure, Yosemite is for you !

Spread across almost 1200 sq miles of area, Yosemite is known for its beautiful waterfalls, ancient giant sequoias, wildlife, its beautiful views and also the granite walls that the rock climbers yearn to conquer. (We happened to catch a glimpse of a few of them during our visit :) )

PS: I lagged behind a bit (almost 2 years :P) due to some personal reasons but were able to have another visit to Yosemite in 2018 so will combine all our information here.

If you wish or want to visit then plan in advance for your stay. As we were going for the summers, we were going to camp and booked our site the day it opened for reservations, which was atlas 5 months in advance. Yes, you read it right so if you wish to camp then check the dates and availability well in advance. There are just a few campgrounds that offer the sites to be reserved BUT there are some that are first come first served as well so if you didn't get a reservation or want to try your luck, try those.

Don't get disheartened reading what I just wrote above. You have other options to look for. There are Lodges, Hotels/Motels available. In fact you can also find restaurants too.

Our trip 1 in 2017 was a camping trip and we were able to get a spot in the Upper Pines campground (thanks to my husband :) ) as we tried reserving the same time it opened on January 15th. It was a nice big corner campground with lots of a space that the kids used to have fun with their camp neighbor friends who happened to be twin boys their age. Had it for all 4 days so no moving around and camp set for the entire stay and all the time you have is to yourself worshipping the valley.

The Valley

2018 happened to be a weekend trip where we managed to reserve a tent as were not fortunate enough to get a campsite reservation. This time we learnt that you have to be surely lucky to get that one. Inspite of two of us trying to book a site none of managed to get a hold of any.

But anyways I am ready to take you on two rides with purely different experiences. Are you ?

Everything You Were Afraid to Ask About Roadkill - NatGeo

2016-08-13T23:06:00.001-07:00

We love to travel and we really love to travel :)

We travel at all times of the day may be due to different reasons. Sometimes early in the morning to beat some holiday/vacation traffic during long weekends and also during the nights which is mostly when we want to reach a destination or finishing up our trip and just reaching home.

During the nights it may happen that while in our hurry to reach we might stun a little being who may be on a prowl and just happen to hit them. If that happens on a highway we definitely cannot stop as there may be a lot of traffic behind which may lead to a mishap. So we just have to leave that poor being there and go away. But a question may always remain in our minds ...

What would have happened to that little creature ?

When we are driving early in the morning though we have just few travelers who may be just like us driving early to beat some later traffic BUT we may also find some of the little creatures who became victims of a Roadkill by some of the late travelers just like us.

So just happened to come across this article from NatGeo where they have discussed about some Roadkills and what happens to them after they are found. Hope you enjoy !!!

Have you ever been to a Rainforest ? - Part 1

2016-07-30T22:34:00.003-07:00

Since my childhood, no actually from the time I read about Rainforests in my course textbooks in school, I had always dreamed of being able to be in a rainforest sometime in my life.

Pic Courtesy: http://www.sevenwondersofwashingtonstate.com

And fortunately our #AwesomeRoadTrip gave me a chance to visit one of the very few Temperate Rainforests of the world. It was the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Forest.

Once again as were moving forward on our #AwesomeRoadTrip we had a destination to reach but did not have an accomodation. Exciting, isn't it :)

Well not too much with a toddler and an infant along, however we did not have much choice as except 3, all campgrounds in Qlympic National Forest are First come First Serve and infact Self Serve. You would ask me what is this Self Serve? You just drive to the campground and you would find a board will all the spots that are available at that campground and if there is an empty one just pick up the envelope and deposit your envelop onto the spot on the board with the fee to reserve your spot and you are done. Its that easy BUT, what if there isnt any spot left. You dont have internet or phones working deep in the forest to find a hotel, right ??

So my tip is to reach the campground latest by 5 pm and thats around the time most people are either getting back to their campsites or looking for a spot. The chances are better that you will find something rather than getting stranded late in the night.

So while getting into the Qlympic National Forest we made a stop at the Quinault Lake hoped to get a spot there but unfortunately everything was taken quiet early in the evening. So we decided to move forward towards the Kalaloch Beach Campground but we knew that our chances of finding something there are grim as this one allows you to reserve a spot online and well that happened and we were forced to look for something else. We took our chances and started heading to the forest. The next could just be the Hoh Rainforest Campground which is about 18 miles from the Highway 101 and takes about 35 minutes.

We headed deep into the woods and lucky enough to get one of the two spots that were left there and also lucky that there was enough daylight available to set ourselves up there and get some food fixed. We made sure to get two nights there so that we don't face the same situation again. With all that adventure for the day we retired and went off to sleep with the soothing sound of the Hoh River gushing besides the campground.

The next day had a new adventure in store so stay tuned for that. Till then happy reading to you.

The Scenic 101

2016-07-19T00:42:00.002-07:00

As we moved forward to our #AwesomeRoadTrip our next destination was in #TheEvergreenState that is none other than Washington. But we had miles to cover and just a few hours left to call it a day. So our stop was still in Oregon state as you all know.

The next day we started our journey towards Washington but by how spoilt we are by now by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest we couldnt resist ourselves to enjoy following the scenic routes of the coast. So we were on the Scenic 101. Just driving by the beautiful coast crossing the serene countyside and enjoying the beauty.


Fellow Travellers

So we were driving from Raymond towards Shoalwater Bay. Another small and beautiful town with some Indian Heritage still there.

Soon we crossed Aberdeen (Another small town on the scenic way) and the Hwy took us right into Quinault, where we supposedly thought will be able to camp for the night.

Towards our destination

And look we are almost there !!!

Well, do you really think so ??

Ahh what a break !!!!

2016-04-19T23:12:00.001-07:00

I am back again :) Hopefully ;)

A longg house hunting spree. ....

And then a tiring and hectic move ...

What next ????
It was a great 4 weeks trip to home to meet the family and friends.

After so much happening this winter, now I finally get a chance to get connected to The Wondering Wanderer again and move forward with our #AwesomeRoadTrip that went offroad with me being a little busy bee ;) .

So please be patient for a little bit more as I will be bringing you soon our expedition to a place I desired to be.

Till then Happy Reading !

Oregon's Mount Hood, Timberline Lodge & Mirror Lake

2015-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Really wanted to share this video. This is somehow exactly how we travelled the Mount Hood Area of the Scenic Loop and the trail we took.

A nice compilation of the Mount Hood, Mirror Lake and Timberline Lodge Area. Enjoy this beauty ...

`

Video Courtesy :

Another part of The Mt Hood Scenic Loop

2015-12-02T10:19:00.002-08:00

Till now we had just travelled one side of the loop and it was time now to explore the other side of it. One side where we saw the vastness and high reach of the mountains and the beautiful valley, on the other side we were going to see something different but surely full of beauty.

So what do you think lies on the other side ??

Pic Courtesy : www.mikeputnamphoto.com

Yeah !!! The very gorgeous Columbia River flowing with so much elegance and its serene beauty glistening through the Columbia River Gorge. This Gorge is the largest National Scenic Area in the US and spans about 80 miles and about 4000 feet deep as the river flows westwards through the Cascade Range.The river also forms the boundary between the Washington and Oregon states.

Hood River Bridge

We headed North towards the river via Hwy 35 and crossed the Columbia River. All the beautiful waterfalls lie on the Oregon side of the but we decided to cross the river so that we get to drive along the scenic highway along the river.

It was an awesome drive. Enjoyed driving in the rains. Then crossed the famous Bridge of the Gods.

There are quiet a few scenic points that can be visited in this area but definitely there can be a lot of factors that can limit your visit and view as well. As it was a very cloudy and rainy day and luckily we were able to visit the beautiful water falls along the Gorge amidst the mist that engulfed the gorge.

There are several waterfalls on the scenic byway off the Interstate Hwy 84. We took the byway to enjoy the three beautiful ones. They are also connected via trails and you can spend a day of hiking and enjoying the various other fall in the vicinity. It was not our day for hiking due to the rains and kids :D . So here are the gorgeous ones ...

Horsetail Falls

This was the first one and the Horsetail Fall Loop hike also begins here that would lead you to the other falls that we visited.

Multnomah Falls

The most beautiful of all the three these are about 611 feet high. You can hike to reach the Benson bridge (built in 1914) that gives more scenic views of the river flowing through the gorge and also the complete upper part of the fall that is about 542 feet. Another 1 mile hike takes you up to the top of the falls. This would definitely give you some breath-taking views of the gorge.

A different trail also connects you to this waterfall if you started your hike from the Horsetail Falls.

Multnomah Lodge

The historic Multnomah Falls Lodge ( built in 1925 ) that is located right at the base of the waterfall, offers some great dining options and a great gift shop too. After enjoying this beautiful place we moved to the next waterfall.

Wahkeena Falls

This 242 feet waterfall is not tall as Multnomah Falls but cascading flow of water. Also connected to Horsetail and Multnomah falls by a trail, this is another spot the tourists love to stop by and enjoy.

Wahkeena Falls

Apart from the beautiful waterfalls, if you would like to adore the beauty of the Gorge, you can visit the Crown Point. It offers you immensely beautiful views of the gorge. The historical Vista House also can be visited, which is an observatory at the Crown Point. It was built in 1916.

Vista House at Crown Point

Pic Courtesy : www.oregonstateparks.org

This was a great day of our #AwesomeRoadTrip. We moved towards our stop for the night that was in Vancouver, Washington. But before that we were lucky enough to take a peek at the sunset :) on the Columbia River. Not a full view but yeah whatever the clouds permitted.

With a new day we will start a new exploration of a new place. Till then Happy Reading ...

An Inspirational Road Trip !!!

2015-11-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

Who loves Road Trips. We surely do....

Even you will be inspired by this Indian family of four taking their 111 days #AwesomeRoadTrip across 11 countries.

Can't stop without sharing this one. Kudos to this awesome family !!!
Posted by The Wondering Wanderers on Thursday, November 12, 2015

Essentials of a camping trip

2015-11-06T09:54:00.001-08:00

Be it your first camping trip or may be you are a regular camper, you always want to be sure that you have packed everything that you will need during your stay. So I came up with this list that has most of the items listed. You might find some items unnecessary as per your needs or you may want to add some items to your list. It solely depends on your needs. But as I said the list just helps you to be better prepared for your trip so that you enjoy better.

So you can go ahead and use it for your reference. You can also find a printer friendly version here.

The Camping Checklist

For setting up the shelter

Tent

Hammer

Extra stakes

Sleeping bags OR Air mattress

Air Pump

Car Voltage inverter

Sheets and pillows

Warm Blankets

Foot Mat

For your campsite

Extra shade for food and sitting area

Clothesline and clothespins

Folding chairs

For Cooking

Water Container / Jug

Ice Cooler

Propane Fuel and burner

Match Sticks and lighter

Tablecovers (One from Dollar Store works perfectly)

Disposable Plates & bowls and glasses

Paper towels

Trash bags

Dish soap and Scrub pad

Containers for food storage

Frying pan and pot, preferably with lids

Spatula and cooking spoon

Knives and peelers

Cutting board

Cooking oil

Seasonings, salt, pepper and spices

Tea Bags /Coffee

Bottle opener

Ziplock bags

Charcoal and firewood if you plan for a campfire

Spare newspaper or fire starters

If you grill then :

Tongs

Skewers/grill forks

Campfire grill/BBQ grill

Additional Items

Head lights

LED Lantern

First Aid Kit

Mosquito Repellant

Creams, Sunscreen lotion and Moisturisers

Small backpack (Useful for carrying stuff while hiking)

Towels

Hand Wash, shampoo and Shower soap

Extra clothes (Whatever you can manage to carry without getting bulky)

Warm and weather appropriate jackets.

Rain Gear

Hats

Sun glasses

So here we are. The list may not be complete but forms a good reference point for planning and preparation. You may let me know any items that I may have missed out and are important and I will be glad to add them to the list.

And ... Don'tforget to pack the food :)

Must take road trips in US

2015-11-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

Thats worth taking a look at....
Posted by The Wondering Wanderers on Monday, November 2, 2015

Nice article thats worth taking a look at. Will try to take a couple of them or all if we can.

The gorgeous Mt Hood and its Scenic Loop

2015-10-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

We love to follow schedules and so had most of the things scheduled for our trip. Like the next destination of our #AwesomeRoadTrip. But the schedules always don't work in life with kids and nature on its fury. We were to reach our campgrounds by the evening of Aug 12th. It was about 250 miles for our next destination. After taking a detour via the North entrance of Crater Lake National Park, we reached Bend and took our first break. Possibly just a short coffee break as we were running late due to the road closures. But we still had ample time to reach our destination before the sun goes down.

The beauty of road trips is that you get to enjoy your surroundings even when you are moving towards reaching your destination. We were getting hungry too as it was going to be evening so we decided to take a break at one of the picnic areas and have food. Fortunately we were to pass a beautiful gorge on the way and took a quick stop for some sight seeing.

Take a break ... Oh no make a stop !!!

As I was talking about schedules. Even though running late we thought we would manage to reach our next stop but what you thinkmight not work out always and so that was going to happen with us just in a short while from now. We were just going to cross a city named Madras ( Can all my Asian Indian friends relate to it ?? :) ). Yeah can you imagine what happened ? There was another wildfire that was showing its wild form. The impact was such that there was smoke all around making it a little hard to breath and the temperatures of the area were soaring high like it was a summer afternoon with sun just on top of your head or may be around an oven. Unfortunately as the highway were closed beyond Madras we had to make a halt there and thus putting us behind our schedule but the good part was that we were just 1.5 hours away from our destination. Hoping the situation to get better soon we retired for the day.

Luckily the morning brought good news about the opening of the highways and we could follow the route that we were supposed to. We crossed the beautiful Warm Springs Indian Reservation but could see the brutal impact of the wildfire with some smoke still live in some parts.

The very famous Mt Hood

Standing tall at 11,245 feet, Mount Hood is one of the very famous mountains of the world. We were amazed to learn that it is also the second most climbed mountains in the world. It is also a part of the Cascade Mountain Range and is an active Stratovolcano apart from being the highest mountain in Oregon. It provides ample hiking opportunities offering mesmerizing views and for those with limitations can enjoy the Mt Hood scenic loop. The scenic loop is about a 146 miles loop around Mt Hood that contains in itself the intense beauty of nature. So we will be at one of the parts of the loop today and would travel along it the next day.

Soon after following the Hwy 26 / Mt Hood Hwy, we were near the Mount Hood and then our camp at Mount Hood Village Resort. We setup our camp and were soon ready to start our exploration.

Our first stop for the day was the Mt Hood Adventure Park. It had quiet to offer like mountain biking, tubing, chair car lift etc which also turns into a ski resort in the winters. It was a great fun park for both kids and adults with all different kinds of activities.

I would say its worth a visit, be it summers or winters.

Mirror mirror in the Lake, who is the beauty around here...

After some nice tubing and chair lift experience in the Alpines, our next stop was a hike to the Mirror Lake. The lake gets its name after the mirror reflection of Mt Hood that can been in it on calm days. Yeah as the slightest of winds would prevent from viewing a clear reflection. Unfortunately we didn't get to see one either. But yeah the hike was fun and we got some nice views of the Mountain. It is a moderate hike with an elevation of about 700 feet. The round trip is about 2.1 miles approximately, moderately difficult hike. Also it is important to note that a valid Recreation Pass is required to access the trail and it is open only in summers (May 15th - Oct 1st). The Mirror Lake also leads to another 1.8 miles of trail to Tom Dick and Harry Mt.

After the hike we went back to the resort for the evening. This was our first camping experience at any Resort. It is a nice concept as you get all facilities (shower, laundry, pool, spa and even internet ;)) inside the resort. Nice for people who want to get that experience of outdoor living but still be connected to the world. Some people also use such facilities as vacation getaways or for family/ friends reunions. Ultimately the goal is to have some quality time. So guess its a nice place to visit.

The next day again didn't look that clear and we had our plans for the Timberline Lodge. After bidding goodbye to this Thousand Trails Resort, we mover towards Timberline Lodge to at least get a glimpse of the Historical Monument. It is one of the topmost attractions of the Mt Hood vicinity. Timberline lodge stands on the Southern slope of Mt Hood at an elevation of 6000 feet. It is regarded as the historical landmark and it also operates as a hotel and has a museum inside it. In the winters it provides skiing facilities while summers attraction includes the Magic Mile chair car lift that would take you up at 7000th feet of the mountain providing spectacular views. But alas, as I mentioned the day didn't look good and the visibility was too bad to see the building, leave alone traveling the Magic mile :( .

Really can't see anything :(

So disappointed we moved towards the next stop of our ride which would also be a part of the Mt Hood Scenic Loop. Some more beauty still left to be explored before we move to Washington. Be on the lookout for it in my article next week.

Did you know ?

There is something called "Seven Wonders of Oregon". And Mt Hood is a part of those 7 wonders, also including the Crater Lake, our first destination of the #AwesomeRoadTrip ?

It is a campaign that was launched last year basically to boost the exploration of natural beauty in Oregon.

Hope you all enjoy until I bring you more from Oregon. Another part of the Mt Hood Scenic Loop, another part of Oregon, another part of nature's beauty that we explored.

The Wheels on the car go round and round ;)

2015-10-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

The beginning of the #AwesomeRoadTrip

The world is such a beautiful place. Nature has so much to offer if you are ready to accept it and admire it. As the saying goes, "the beauty lies in eyes of the beholder" so it up to us humans how we perceive the beauty in the nature. We as a family had been enchanted by nature, so we keep returning back to it again and again in whatever way we can.

This time we were ready to roll the wheels for a good two weeks exploring the north-west.

So all packed up with our two little ones we started our journey. Our first stop was at a 6 hour drive, the crater lake. We took to the road
however early in the morning that we could manage.

After one stop for food and rest we managed to reach our destination, our campsite. We were camping at the Farewell Bend campground, just adjacent to Rogue river, which falls under Prospect, Oregon. This was about 12 miles from Mazama Village, the entrance point to Crater Lake. A very beautiful serene place with lots of greenery. This was possibly the closest campground that we could afford to get. As I have mentioned in the past, plan ahead. Even though this was planned about 1.5 months in advance, possibly was not early enough.

We were set up for three days there. First day mostly included reaching and setting ourselves up there and enjoy the evening. The campground was very quiet and beautiful and the sound of the river gushing by the side created a soothing effect on the souls. Being in the wild you ought to experience the wilderness and that is the best part of the visit. We shared the space with very friendly but creepy and chirpy chipmunks and had to be very careful about our food. But the kids definitely had a good time with them.

Our second day started early and we were soon setup to explore the area. Rogue river itself gave a few options of exploration. We were able to visit the Rogue river gorge and the Mill Creek Falls. Getting to the Gorge was easy as it was very near to the campground but reaching the falls was a little challenging as with no network around you need to rely just on what the signboards say. But finally after some search and a little hike we could reach them.

Mill Creek Falls (Abt 75 ft high)

Local Vegetation

There were a few other waterfalls in the area that could be explored but they can be reached after atleast some hike. Another one on our list were about 200 ft high but had to return even before we could start our hike due to #WesternWildFires.

Lava tubes at rogue river gorge

The Gorge

After a great day we got to enjoy the evening at our awesome campsite with some awesome food and retired for the night.

Oh how beautiful is this place ...

Crater Lake National Park

Next morning, our day 2 was bright and beautiful. We had our plans to explore the Crater Lake National Park. So we started our journey as soon as we could ;) . There are two main entrances to the park, the West and the North entrance. We were near the west entrance and so used the one and thats where the Mazama Village is located.

As the name suggests the Crater Lake is in the crater of an extinct volcano formed after its collapse after the eruption about 7700 years ago on Mount Mazama. Another eruption later also formed the Wizard Island inside the late. So it is a volcano inside a volcano. It also forms a part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc in the north-western US extending upto British Columbia.

It is fed by rain and snow and is the deepest lake in the United States (592 meters / 1943 feet). It is supposed to be the cleanest large water body and is known for the exceptional blue color and clarity. The rim of the lake spans about 33 miles and is divided into North, south, west and east rims. There is abundant to explore. Be it hiking, camping, swimming, picnicking or even star gazing, you can do it all here.

Don't forget to touch the water !!!

We had already booked the 2 hour boat ride tickets for a tour around the lake. The boats are boarded after about 30-45 minutes strenuous hike down the rim at the Cleetwood Cove. So all excited and backpacking our little ones, we just managed to reach the boarding point but alas we were not allowed to board. The situation made us all furious but apparently they do not allow kids below 3 years to board the boat due to safety reasons. Its difficult to get the help down there in case of a mishappening. Totally understandable but yeah wish they told us earlier. The older one was too much heart broken. A little sad ourselves too, we decided to still enjoy the location and in the end were glad we hiked down there. Would not have got to touch the waters otherwise.

Were very amazed to see how some brave hearts were taking a plunge into the lake to enjoy the waters, however cold it may be. Some others just getting near the water while some others taking a safe dip :) and some others just enjoying the scenic beauty.

After spending some quality time we were ready to hike back up. A bigger challenge than coming down especially on a bright sunny hot day. But yeah "we did it", thats what our kiddo told us at the end of it :) .

After some rest we began to explore the rim and the surrounding areas. Some of the points we explored were the Discovery Point, The Cloud Cap overlook, watchman overlook, Phantom ship overlook and the Videa Falls. Also got a glance at the impact the #WesternWildFires were having. The are more than 30 pullout available across the rim that offers beautiful views of the lake. A few other nice points of interests are available at some hikes but we were done for the day with just one ;).

The Phanton Ship as seen from Sun Notch

Volcano inside a volcano (The Wizard Island)

We were racing with time as the sun was about to set and as told by the ranger station that best views of the sunset are at the Discovery point which was about 30 mins drive from where we were. Somehow we just managed to reach and discovered at the discovery point that it was at the West Rim (oops, sunset from the west direction, what can we manage to capture..). These are a few shots that we managed to get.

As soon as the sun went down, we just had one more hour left to be ready for our next activity. Can you guess what could it be after sunset ?? So we rushed to get some food as we needed to be back to the Discovery Point for it. While getting our food ready, we met some fellow hikers and campers who unfortunately had to descend back from their hike due to the smoke. That was the impact of the #WesternWildFires.

Clouds setting into the lake (Effect of Wildfires)

Some of you might have got it as I gave you a hint earlier. Luckily there was a star party being hosted by the rangers that night and it was one of the nights for the Perseid meteor shower. Though it was not at its peak but could we could witness a few strikes. The star parties are a very attractive events at the national parks and do offer some great learning experiences. All done for the day headed for our campsite that seemed too far away that night and we wished we got something nearer.

Time to move ahead.

The next morning came a little late after the obvious late night. We decided to enjoy the river then pack up to move towards our next destination.

It was already the third day of our trip and at this point. By this time fires were taking a toll upon the forest and as a result our main route Hwy 230 was shut. So we had to detour via Bend and so we decided to take another look at the lake while passing. This way we took an exit from the North entrance of the park and got a glance of the Pumice desert as well.

Pumice Desert

The North Entrance

By this time we had realized the true ability of Nature in both its ferocious and tender forms and hoped to see more of its beauty in true form. So we were already moving ahead in our journey and were bound north to reach Mount Hood by evening, our next destination.

Stay tuned for our experiences further and happy reading !!!

PS: You can also get to know all about Crater Lake and what it offers in my future post dedicated to it.

Wonderful Wonder of the World - Part 2

2015-10-02T09:37:00.002-07:00

The Grand Canyon - South Rim

I know that some of you might have been waiting for this post. Ahh the last month was so very busy. But yes, I am back on track and soon will bring you all the wonderful experiences that we had during our trips.

So here I am with the second part about the Wonderful wonder of the world. After our visit to the West Rim, we were scheduled to stay at Flagstaff, AZ so that we save sometime the next morning as its much nearer to the Southern rim.

The day didn't look that beautiful and it was raining. So we had very little hopes of getting good views that day. Once at the park entrance we got our tickets and were ready to park. :) I say ready to park
so you must have got what I want to say. Though there is plenty of parking space available but again its hard to get one as its summers and it is busy with school closed. Luckily all of our trip was during the weekdays so we could miss the real weekend crowd.

One thing that I liked about the place was the entrance fee was per vehicle and not per person as at the West Rim. The second thing that I liked was that there are bus services that take you to the various points of interest so you don't have to waste your time looking for parking spaces at every point and the third thing was that they shared a map with you. Very simple and detailed map telling you what points you will see and the distance between them and most importantly what color route you will be on. There are 4 color routes, the blue, red, orange and purple. When you arrive at the visitor center, you are located in between the blue and the orange.

Lets take a walk or umm.. a hike ??

The complete South Rim of the canyon spans about 13 miles. If you have the time and the spirit for it, you can enjoy the view walking too.

Interestingly, the most sought out points are located on the red route. Mostly everyone starts from the visitor center and then first visit the Mather Point which though on the orange route, is just a few minutes walk from there so no shuttles needed. We started our tour from that point too. But as I said the rain God had been very generous that day so we could hardly see anything except the clouds at that point :) .

Mather Point

From there we headed to the shuttle stop. So we had already decided to take the blue route that further connects to the Red as most of the points are located on these two routes. The shuttle service is free means all inclusive in the park entrance fee. Only problem is for the people traveling with small children, like we did. Every time we get on the bus, we need to fold and store the strollers up. Understandable as they get crowded...

So we were soon on the Blue shuttle and then at our first stop , Bright Angels Lodge :) . From here we were able to take our first breath taking view of the Canyon as the sky was getting clearer by now. I cannot forget to mention the Ice-cream shop at this point that offers a great variety and you can obviously have one while enjoying the views.

This point offers various trails of different levels for those wishing to touch the canyon beyond the rim or may be up to the Colorado river. You should definitely be well prepared if planning to go for a moderate to difficult level of hike and should be ready to camp down as some of them cannot be (and also not advisable) completed in a day. Hikes are definitely strenuous at the Canyon so be aware of what you are going for. And as the rangers say it very well,"going down is optional but coming up is mandatory".

So if you are ready, there are camping facilities available so no worries. But be sure to get your Backcountry camping permits before you head for it. We being on a short trip were not lucky enough to experience this aspect of the for the Grand Canyon but surely wish to do that in future :).

Enjoying the view along the way we reached the bus stop for the Village Route Transfer

where we had to board the Red Route going towards Hermits Rest. Around here are located some of the lodges and a food court where you can enjoy a good meal. So did we. No food is available at the Red Route until Hermits Rest so it is advisable to have it here unless you are carrying your own.

Hermit Road

This is the longest route of the South rim and has nine view points. With the shuttle it takes about 80 minutes round trip. Though the bus stops at every point while going towards Hermits Rest, it is not the same while coming back. So don't ride to the last point and then plan to stop at every point :D. We planned it that way but realized it very soon and got down at Hopi Point. This way just missed 3 points on the route :( .

Hopping on and off the shuttle we reached our last point, the Hermits Rest. As our shuttle driver and Guide told us, "Do pose for a picture under the bell at the view point, it brings good luck if you are going to Vegas after Grand Canyon ;) " , lol, we made sure we did it, just in case :P .

And Finally the Sun goes down

I somehow have a fascination for sunsets. If time permits, I try to capture the sun setting at every place we visit. Though the conditions are not that favorable a lot of times but mostly it had been possible.

So we decided to find out the best view point for sunset beforehand. Our experienced

shuttle drivers and guides told us that Hopi Point and Pima points are good sunset points but Pima is most sought after, so we were there without any doubts. Luckily the shuttle stops at Pima point on its way from Hermits Rest. But but but.... the last shuttle leaves at about 30 minutes after sunset so don't miss it or you will have to walk back :( .

All set with the gear, I was ready but looks like the cloud God wasn't and so it wasn't that "hit" for us. We did managed to get some pictures of ourselves with the sun behind the clouds to be satisfied.

All set we boarded the last shuttle and were soon back at the Village to drive back to Flagstaff with some fond memories meeting some fellow travelers and hikers from far far away. And thinking about tomorrow when we were going to be in the land of glamour and entertainment, "The Sin City".

Stay tuned for more information on Grand Canyon. Its great view points, distances, what all to do and what not to do. Where to camp and the trail informations. All that coming soon in my future dedicated post.

The wildness of the wilderness...

2015-08-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

What would one think about before stepping into someone else's territory ? Well the answer is obvious, would I have to pay for trespassing or would I get prosecuted ? But since our creation, we humans have always been doing so, without thinking about anything and are never too scared to do so.

I think we try to do the same when we go camping too. But yeah like some of you, I do have contradicting thoughts about that :) . We do go to the wilderness, that is someone else's territory but
at the same time we keep some safe distance. There are rules that we are supposed to follow and that applies to backpackers too. We know that there are animals there and they might get upset if we don't follow the rules.

Our 16 day #AwesomeRoadTrip included about 12 days of camping at some beautiful yet wild locations in some great national parks of Oregon and Washington. I will be writing more about that in my future posts but the point here is that as beautiful those places were, so wild was their wilderness. 95% of those places had bear sightings and 80% had cougars around and 100% had other animals like deers, elks, raccoons etc.

The chirpy chipmunks are never afraid

As scared some of us might be to encounter some of these animals, so would be wishful to get a glimpse of them. The same applied to us, so what would we do to see some of them ? Well nothing, just wish for it :). Don't break the rules as that might mean a mishap. That is very important especially with kids. So if you are lucky you might just get to see some of them. And we were lucky enough to sight a few. No no... Don't get those wild thoughts running on your minds ;) . No bears or cougars but just Elks, Deers, Chipmunks and a bunny too thats it :) .

As we know that deers are very common to sight here but luckily a Bull Elk wandered to our campsite early one morning while grazing. And I didn't leave the chance to get a few pictures of it.

Then the next morning there was a mother deer with her fawns at our campsite and amazingly the same evening we sighted more deers high on top of the mountain while we went sightseeing.

And you wouldn't believe we had a deer wander to our tent site just the next night. So it was a hat trick.

So to wrap it up, I would like to say that we humans are a part of nature so being close to nature wouldn't hurt until we follow the rules. Enjoy the wilderness but give the animals some space. Don't step into their space and they wouldn't step into yours.

Hope you enjoyed and I will come up with more of our exciting experience soon.

What do these Wildfires Cost ??

2015-08-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

This is my first post about our #AwesomeRoadTrip that lasted 16 days and about what I was so eager to share.

This is something not very awesome that I am sharing. Just after seeing a news footage of how fast the fires are spreading, this morning, I had some thoughts running in my mind that I wanted to share.

We experienced 2 wildfires just a few miles from our first stop and even had to change our course of travel because of the impact those Wildfires were making in the forests in Oregon near Crater Lake.
The Highway was closed for two days in a row that we were there. Not sure how much longer that would have stayed like that.

We could hear the helicopters hover over us trying to capture those fires. The officials on duty told us that there were around 400 firefighters inside the forest too, that were working on it.

Pictures taken from top of mountain near Crater Lake.
The fire is miles away from us.

The Day 1 that we got know about them they measured about 400 acres and 200 acres respectively, which kept increasing day by day and believe me these were not the only ones we came across. The amount of smoke they created made some of the fellow campers and backpackers that were hiking towards the mountains, get back down as they were not able to breath properly.

Just after driving through a different route to reach our second stop, we had to make a night stop at a hotel just because the highway was closed due to a wildfire very close to the highway. Fortunately they were able to get it under control in a couple of hours and the highway was open by the morning. We could definitely see the impact around us.

There were numerous others that we came across.

In another experience the San Juan and Orca Islands were all covered with haze due to the smoke from wildfire. To top everything, it made it difficult to breath even inside the car as there was so much smoke around and this continued almost all through our 200 - 250 miles drive through Oregon on our way back.

Smoke is visible on the trees in the pictures but it was everywhere

But the real question is what does it take and cost the government to get rid of any such fire when it happens ? With so many evacuations taking place due to the fires, what does it cost the people living around ? Can these be prevented ? What do you say ?

Wonderful Wonder of the world

2015-08-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Grand Canyon - The West Rim

This is one of our trips that I had been eagerly waiting to share with all of you. Thats our trip to one of the seven natural wonders of the world, "The Grand Canyon".

It is huge.... and rich too

The Grand Canyon spans about 277 miles and would be difficult to explore if not properly planned. It has been divided in the 4 directional rims, North, South, East and West. Due to the time limitations and another one (traveling with kids), we had the west and the south rim on our schedule.

Along with the richness of the natural beauty of the canyon you
can also experience some culture of the Native American tribes that exist around the Grand Canyon. They are Hualapai, Havasupai, Navajo, Kaibab and the Hopi tribes. The West Rim is owned and governed by the Hualapai tribe.

Each trip gives us more insight on how we should travel, what we should carry and take care of etc. But one thing that we have learnt is that ALWAYS plan your trips very well in advance so that you have ample choices for boarding and lodging and of course you will be well aware of what and where to be for sightseeing and other activities. Ours being a short notice trip and that too in summers with the schools closed, gave us no choice except affordable hotels at about 1.5 hrs drive from the Canyon. Beautiful campsites and other lodging options are available at the South rim but as I mentioned, plan your trips well in advance.

The journey begins

It was a five day long trip divided to explore the West and South rims of Grand Canyon along with 2 nights at Las Vegas, Nevada with an en route visit to the historical Hoover dam. We along with our friends (a family of three) started our journey towards the West Rim of the Canyon. After about 8.5 hours of driving and 2 hrs of stopping for food and rest we made our stop at the city of Kingman, AZ right on Historic Route 66. The West Rim is about 1.5 - 2 hrs drive from here. All excited for the next days adventure we just crashed on the beds.

The next morning was bright and sunny and we started our journey right after breakfast towards the West Rim of the canyon. The ride to the canyon was so scenic that it made us fall in love with the beauty and we ended up spending some time on the way too.

We finally reached the visitor center and took our West Rim tickets for the tour and were ready to board the shuttle bus. The service of the shuttle is awesome and is available every 10 - 15 mins.

The West Rim tour

Our first stop was the Hualapai Ranch. Though we were not much fascinated by this point but it is a good place for the kids with some attractions like rounding up the bulls, rodeo, wagon rides, magic show, a cafeteria serving food, etc. Unfortunately a lot of it was closed too, not sure why, may be for lunch or something else, I don't know :( . After paying the hefty fee for entering the park anyone would get mad if this what they get, But anyways nothing could be done about it...

We soon headed to our next point, which was the Eagle Point and the Skywalk. By the time we were there hunger had taken its toll upon us. We crashed on the food and fortunately it was something that we could munch on.

Without wasting much time we headed for the skywalk. The tickets were already included in our passes so not much hassle. They had provided free lockers for everyone to keep their stuff as nothing except yourselves is allowed on the skywalk, not even the cameras, another bummer. They have their reasons for it and I agree. But no worries they have quiet a few photographers on the glass walk who can take your pictures and you can get them for an additional cost. We did and here are a few for you to enjoy...

The experience ...

Something we had been waiting for. Something worth experiencing. The walk on the glass bridge, the Skywalk. After some hesitation we all were standing on it. Our hearts were bumping standing 4000 feet above the Colorado river.

On the Skywalk

Innocence can do it well. You can see all the adults trying to gather some courage to walk there while the kids do it so easily, without any fear. That's what we imagined we would feel but it was a bit of disappointing. Well, atleast we enjoyed the view from there, tried to see the Colorado river which looked like just a rope lying there and then got our pictures taken. After that we tried to take a walk around the glass bridge and were out through the gift shop which is the usual way at any attractions you visit. After coming out we enjoyed the view of the Eagle Point and were ready for our next stop. Honestly speaking it was not worth the amount that we paid to get there.

The weather there was extremely HOT and dry. But one thing that was good was that cold water was available at every place provided to you free of cost.

The Final Stop

The shuttle was soon there and we reached Guano Point which is named after the guano mining that was carried out here in the Bat Cave. I love the way there is some history behind the names that are given to places. This was it. This was the final stop of the day and also the most interesting one (atleast for me after paying so much of money :D ).

Guano Point Peak

It had beautiful scenic views of the Canyon and the Colorado river and offered an interesting hike to the Guano Point peak, that can hardly be resisted. Here are some of the views from the Guano Point.

On Top of Guano Peak

Some views from top of the Guano Point peak.

There are several other tours and activities available here, like the Helicopter tour and White Water Rafting in the Colorado river. You can find some packages and information here.

All in all it was an okay day. Leaving apart the rip off for the entrance fee and skywalk, it offered some great views of the Canyon. We started our journey towards our next shelter for the night, which was in Flagstaff, AZ, another stop about 1.5 hrs from our next days destination, The South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Hope you enjoyed reading. Stay tuned for my next post on this Wonderful Wonder and our experience at the South Rim.

PS : Did you know ?

There is no specific address for the West Rim Visitor center. If using a GPS or Maps on smart phone use the GCW Airport (Grand Canyon West Airport) as the end point and the visitor center is right there.

Address for the GCW Airport:

Grand Canyon West Airport (GCW),
5001 Diamond Bar Road

Peach Springs, AZ 86434

Another trip is on the cards :)

2015-07-30T23:18:00.004-07:00

With the summers still on and mood still on, we are ready to roll our wheels again. This time for a good two weeks. And this is going to happen in less than two weeks now :)

This time the North-West is on the cards. NOT complete but yes we plan to drive through a major part of it. Here is a highlight ->

Image Source : www.craterlakenational.com

Starting from Oregon
we are going to go up to the northern border of United States or Washington and you are absolutely right, we will go just up to Canada. Will go on to San Juan and Orca islands, not getting into Canada though. Have heard a lot about Oregon, specially seaside camping in Oregon. Plan to visit some lakes, beaches and the caverns too.

Image Source: wikipedia.org

With a yearn to enjoy some natural beauty, we are all excited about the prospects of the Olympic National Park in Washington and not to mention, the rainforests and waterfalls that exist there.

Image Source: www.boomsbeat.com

Hope this trip has bundles in store for us. So all excited about it can't wait to bring to you the best of it.

Ride 630 feet high in the city of St. Louis

2015-07-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

Here I bring you another amazing experience from some place very beautiful and serene with something spectacular to see and experience for your lifetime. It was a trip to the city of St. Louis, MO. Specifically it was our visit to the Gateway Arch situated on the banks of the great Mississippi river in Thomas Jefferson memorial park.

St. Louis had been in the news lately but for a sad reason though. But otherwise if we open up history,
St. Louis has a major role in the history of US.

We along with a couple of friends decided to take a road trip to St. Louis on a regular weekend as it was about a 6 hour ride, we started early morning and planned to stop overnight somewhere close to St Louis so as to visit the Gateway Arch early next morning.

Before making the night stop we decided to visit some place on the route. As Springfield was a city almost mid the route we wished if we could get to do something around there when we make our stop for lunch. And thanks to the hoardings that would give you so many choices along with the advertisements that they do :) .

Here was our Stop !!

We stopped at the Fantastic Caverns. As the name suggests, they were fantastic :) . They are supposedly the only caves in North America that offer a Ride- thru tour. They take you in a jeep driven tram for an hour long tour in the caves and guide you along with the history of the caves, how it was found and explored.

It is said to have been explored by a group of 12 women in 1867 and they carved their names too.

Name Carvings of first explorers

Hall of Giants Stalagmites

Could refresh some of the old school memories when we got to see some Stalactites and stalagmites. We even got to touch some of the stalactites which are considered dead now.It was an amazing tour and we also got to see a small waterfall inside that cave that was remaining from the old river that flowed through the cave once.

After the cave tour we took a tour around the cave area which was maintained as a small park on he banks of the Little Sac river.

Oh That was fun and memorable !

We took a walk going round behind where the caves entrance is and there it was .... An opportunity that we couldn't resist to explore. Beautiful wide Little Sac river flowing by. As we weren't prepared to be wet so we had to have fun without risking ourselves in water. A huge tree had fallen down and that was our chance. Got on top of it, touched the water.

Little Sac River

Climbed the rocks besides the river, which also was the back side of the caves and enjoying the water stream that flowed out of the cave. I think that was from the water fall that we saw inside the cave.

We had a couple of hours of fun and then moved on with our drive to checkin into a hotel somewhere near St. Louis.

Ready to Ride high !!

Soon after the breakfast we headed straight to our destination. There it was standing high. Very amazed to see the gorgeous 630 feet high structure.

As we speak of the history about the Arch, it depicts the westward expansion of the United States as the Arch stands on the west bank of the river and Thomas Jefferson's role in the expansion.

The 630 feet high beauty

We were soon in the Visitor Center and then in the queue for our turn to ride the tram to go up to the Observation deck of the arch.

In queue for the chain tram

It was our chance and we got into the chain tram. Each compartment was made to climb up like it would climb the stairs. Once up in the observation deck we admired the city and the view from up there and then were back down to visit the museum in the visitor center. It provided great information about the history and physics and mathematics involved in the building up of the Arch.

The Observation deck windows on top

The Arch also happens to be 630 feet wide at the North and South legs. Once done touring the Arch we walked through the streets to see the city, saw the Old Courthouse which happened to be closed that day so missed out on that :( .

Old Courthouse

Old Courthouse view from Gateway Arch

All set we had lunch in one of the restaurants besides the river and took a ride back home.

All in all It was an awesome short trip which was full of knowledge and had a lot to remember and admire.

Keep checking back for more information about destinations, soon to be added on my blog.

Till then happy traveling with Sapna !!! :)

Will soon be here : Las Vegas & Grand Canyon

2015-07-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

All excited about the soon to come trip to the two awesome destinations, Las Vegas and Grand canyon. Being close to each other it makes it easy to plan a trip for visiting both places together.

Picture Courtesy: www.crystalinks.com

Did some research about it online to find out what all adventure is available there. Grand Canyon has been one of my dream destinations since childhood when I first read about it in text books. And one things that I had wanted to do was to skydive in the canyon. But unfortunately thats not allowed :( .

Have some things planned though I would leave the excitement for you to read about it until I get back from my trip and post about it here :) .

Vegas is again a dream destination for a lot of people but I had wished to visit the city atlas once. See the night life there and enjoy it.

Picture Courtesy: www.tinaalberino.com

Las vegas as lot of you know is a city full of resorts providing lots of entertainment for everyone. Its famous Vegas Strip, Casinos, Dancing Fountains and Beautiful themed hotels.

So all excited about this trip, which is coming soon this july for us. Will see you back with loads to share with you. But would love to get inputs from any of my readers who have already been there.

Fun & Adventure @ City of Branson, MO

2015-07-01T11:00:00.004-07:00

Branson is a small beautiful city situated in the Ozark Mountains in the state of Missouri. This small city is full of life and energy. It has something for everyone and individuals of all ages.

We decided to visit Branson to celebrate my birthday in 2009 over the weekend, which was a couple of days in advance though :). But we never thought what life has in store for us over the next 3 days. It was lots of fun, adventure and excitement that we felt. This was one experience that we will never forget for sure.

Those days our ride used to be a luxurious 1996 Camry EX which also happened to be our first car in US. It was an awesome car that took us long and far in hard and happy times. It again gave us a great ride upto Branson and we reached there in time, but being a long weekend the exits were all jammed. We kept crawling with the traffic not realizing what our dashboard indicators were trying to tell us. It took us about an hour to reach from the highway to the signal that takes us to the city. We were finally at the signal and were first on in the queue. So as soon as the signal turns green we will get the chance to go... . And now it turned green and we gave some gas and we were just in the center of the crossing and there we were sitting inside the car with clouds of smoke from the hood and fountains of hot water bursting out. Couldn't believe what was happening.

Luckily the police car was readily there and they helped us clear the crossing and push our car to the nearby motel parking. Hmm what next ?

Wouldn't hesitate to say that however unlucky anyone can call us when the trip seemed to be ruined just when it was about to begin, we would say that we were extremely lucky to be there and being helped by such awesome people at an equally awesome place.

The motel owner helped us cool down the car and help us find out what happened to our car (The thermostat was gone as the car heated up). Seemed he had some experience with cars :) which happened to be helpful for us. As it was a long weekend and that too around 6 in the evening there were less than scarce chances of us getting a mechanic. So as the car would take sometime before it heats up again, we headed to our hotel by making small stops to keep the car temperature down. Where there was all the excitement of spending the weekend here, there were worries as to how are we going to commute. The car rentals were closed too. Luckily with the help of the motel owner we could schedule a local mechanic for the next morning, who agreed to come and check the car.

With a little ray of hope for the next day, we decided to spend the evening walking through the streets and grabbed some food. The next beautiful morning was lucky and the mechanic was able to fix our car after getting the thermostat from O'Reilly which happened to be open when all other stores were closed.

But finally we were ready to Rock & Roll and have fun.

Our day 1 was scheduled for exploring the city. Visit the very famous "76 Country Boulevard" where the museums and theaters are lined up. Visit a couple of museums there and enjoy the evening on the showboat. Branson has a great collection of museums, all in one place. We visited the Titanic Museum and Butterfly Palace.

Most amazing thing about it is that it has been shaped like the bow of the Titanic and beautifully displayed with an iceberg as if it is in a sea.

The Titanic Museum is an awesome collection of artifacts and some great activities too. I loved how they gave us the Titanic Ticket at the entry. The Grand Stairway and the sunken ship display. It was great learning experience for us and we are sure going to return to it sometime with our kids.

After the museums we walked around the city as our showboat boarding was not until 7 p.m, enjoying the scenic beauty.

On showboat Belle

Belle is traditional wheel paddle boat and it cruises in the Table Rock Lake. This ride was going to be special as we would be able to view the Labor Day fireworks onboard.

Finally it was time and we boarded Belle, the showboat. It was all in one experience. We boarded, got our pictures taken and were guided to settle down on our pre-allotted seats. As soon as everyone was settled and the cruise started, drinks were served and so began the entertainment. There was the comedy show, dance, music and interesting facts and stories about Belle were shared with the travelers. After the meal we went upto the decks as it was time for the fireworks. It was a privilege for us. Entertainment continued after we returned to our seats.

After the cruise we wound up our day getting back to our hotel room to get refreshed for the next day.

Next morning was beautiful and we were ready for our final days itinerary. After the breakfast we started off to the street of the museums where we dearly wished to visit the Hollywood Wax museum. We had heard many great things about the Hollywood Wax museum and the visit was upto our expectations. Beautiful setups and figurines were all there.

The museum visit ended and we were set for our last attraction of the city which was the Table Rock Dam and lake. Table Rock Dam was built on the White river in 1958 and is also managed by the US Army. There is a fish hatchery at the dam and we decided to see the same too.

And with this our exciting trip came to an end and we started our journey back home with a helpful of memories and a hope to return here someday again and add a new chapter.

Goodbye Branson and see you soon !!!

And look what we spotted on the way back home :) .

Innovation.

Camping @ Door County, WI

2015-06-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

Peninsula State Park, Wisconsin

Door County is one of the most popular camping spots in the mid-west US. It is one of the most sought after places to visit during the fall season. Even though we couldn't manage our fall camp trip but here is our camp trip during the summers in 2013. It was awesome.

We camped at the Peninsula State Park. Peninsula state park is covered with white Cedar wood trees and has abundant natural beauty. The facilities were great and it was well maintained. We were able to get a walk-in campsite but had to switch the next day as it was only available for a night.

Our Campsite

This trip had to offer a lot. Some activities that can be enjoyed are biking, hiking and water sports like kayaking, board surfing and speed boats.

Day 1 involved reaching the campsite and setting it up. After the setup we spent time taking a stroll in the beautiful small city of Fish Creek and enjoyed what it had to offer. As it got dark we reached back to our camp along with some firewood.

We were ready for the day 2 early as the sun came up. Picked up the bikes and took to the trails to enjoy nature. One thing that we had already learned from our biking experience was to keep the local map handy and that definitely helped us on our way back.

On our way back we stopped at the small beach. it required us to climb down the rocks and spent some time there to enjoy the water and view.

After spending our morning at the beach and the bike trails in the state park, we decided to do some site seeing and exploring the area. So started our motors on Hwy 42 and headed north upto NorthPort and took a car ferry ride to Detroit harbor on Washington Island.

It is a small beautiful island in the Michigan lake and even though we were still in the central somehow our phone clocks changed the timezones :) . Probably we were just at the border.

Washington island very small island and the strait between the Door County Peninsula and the island connects Green Bay and Lake Michigan. It runs just about 5-6 miles in length and width. The island also has certain beautiful spots to be seen. Due to the tight time schedule we just visited a couple. One of them being the beautiful and serene School House Beach.

The other one was the Mountain Park Steps and the Lookout Tower. The Tower is on top of a hill and we need to climb 186 steps to get the top view of the island. It provides a great view of the island and the waters surrounding it.

The Lookout Tower

We began our journey back to our camp where we got some great views of the sun going down and the water. After reaching the campsite enjoyed the barbecue and at night had a great campfire.

Day 3 again came early with lots of energy. We decided to enjoy some water again at the Nicolet Bay by renting out some kayaks and went out into the deep waters of the bay.

Enjoying the water with our little one

Soon after that we had our lunch and started our drive back home. The journey came to am end with a load full of memories created to be cherished forever. This was one great experience especially with a little 16 month old along with us in the woods.

Keep enjoying with us on our trips. Will share more with you soon.

On our drive back home !!!

Twin Lakes State Beach, Santa Cruz, California

2015-06-24T11:14:00.005-07:00

The Twin Lakes State Beaches are a few of the great swimming beaches in California and is located in the Santa Cruz County. We chose to go to the Sea Bright Beach as it is a little quieter and can see more birds. Its was about an hour drive for us so was fun for a one day getaway.

Its easy to get there but can be difficult to find a parking spot on holidays and weekends. We being early risers were first to arrive at the beach. A beautiful sunny day by the water. The area provides activities like hiking and biking but we preferred to stay at the beach and enjoy the sun and water on the lovely white sand.

The kids could enjoy playing with the sand and water and we had a wonderful barbecue along with taking turns to get into the water.

Portola Redwood State Park, California

2015-06-24T11:04:00.001-07:00

Portola Redwood State Park is one of the many great and awesome state parks in California. It is located in the San Mateo County and covered with tall redwood trees that stretch upto 300 feet high. The vegetation also includes Douglas fir and Oak.

It offers an amazing hiking trails which is almost 18 miles of stretch. It is a combination of various smaller trails that are interconnected. Two beautiful creeks, Fall creek and Pescadera creek are main water sources in the state park.

Scenic view of the Redwoods

We camped for two nights here and had some great time. Day 1 just involved checking in and setting up our campsite and the real fun was day 2. We again had to change the site ... A bummer we couldn't manage to get a site for 2 nights.

All packed in we went ahead for our hike the next morning. Picked up the Old Tree Trail and then the Slate Creek trail upto Page Mill and then back via the summit trail. Had some great hike up and down of about 5.5 miles.

All drained by the end of the day, we were again setup for the night. Kids were down soon after the tiring day and we had a relaxing campfire.

Next morning came up with great sunshine and after a hearty breakfast we were ready to roll back home. Some awesome time we had that weekend.

Welcome !!!

2015-06-19T15:26:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my travel blog. Here I will take you on a tour to all my travel destinations and may be some that will travel to.

So come on and enjoy the trip with me.

The Latest one is the Camp @ Portola State Park just 2 weeks back. You can enjoy the experience in my next post.

The Wondering Wanderers !!!

Greenland ?? --> Know before you Go

This is a new stop every season !

Everything You Were Afraid to Ask About Roadkill - NatGeo

Have you ever been to a Rainforest ? - Part 1

The Scenic 101

Ahh what a break !!!!

Oregon's Mount Hood, Timberline Lodge & Mirror Lake

Another part of The Mt Hood Scenic Loop

Horsetail Falls

Multnomah Falls

Wahkeena Falls

An Inspirational Road Trip !!!

Essentials of a camping trip

The Camping Checklist

For setting up the shelter

Tent Hammer Extra stakes Sleeping bags OR Air mattress Air Pump Car Voltage inverter Sheets and pillows Warm Blankets Foot Mat

For your campsite

Extra shade for food and sitting area Clothesline and clothespins Folding chairs

For Cooking

If you grill then :

Tongs Skewers/grill forks Campfire grill/BBQ grill

Additional Items

So here we are. The list may not be complete but forms a good reference point for planning and preparation. You may let me know any items that I may have missed out and are important and I will be glad to add them to the list. And ... Don'tforget to pack the food :)

Must take road trips in US

The gorgeous Mt Hood and its Scenic Loop

Take a break ... Oh no make a stop !!!

The very famous Mt Hood

Mirror mirror in the Lake, who is the beauty around here...

Did you know ?

The Wheels on the car go round and round ;)

The beginning of the #AwesomeRoadTrip

Oh how beautiful is this place ...

Crater Lake National Park

Don't forget to touch the water !!!

Time to move ahead.

Wonderful Wonder of the World - Part 2

The Grand Canyon - South Rim

Lets take a walk or umm.. a hike ??

Hermit Road

And Finally the Sun goes down

The wildness of the wilderness...

What do these Wildfires Cost ??

Wonderful Wonder of the world

Grand Canyon - The West Rim

It is huge.... and rich too

The journey begins

The West Rim tour

The experience ...

The Final Stop

PS : Did you know ?

Another trip is on the cards :)

Ride 630 feet high in the city of St. Louis

Here was our Stop !!

Oh That was fun and memorable !

Ready to Ride high !!

Will soon be here : Las Vegas & Grand Canyon

Fun & Adventure @ City of Branson, MO

Camping @ Door County, WI

Peninsula State Park, Wisconsin

Twin Lakes State Beach, Santa Cruz, California

Portola Redwood State Park, California

Welcome !!!

Tent

Hammer

Extra stakes

Sleeping bags OR Air mattress

Air Pump

Car Voltage inverter

Sheets and pillows

Warm Blankets

Foot Mat

Extra shade for food and sitting area

Clothesline and clothespins

Folding chairs

Tongs

Skewers/grill forks

Campfire grill/BBQ grill

So here we are. The list may not be complete but forms a good reference point for planning and preparation. You may let me know any items that I may have missed out and are important and I will be glad to add them to the list.

And ... Don'tforget to pack the food :)