When I heard my next destination was experiencing a major flood, I did a quick search for a destination with a cheap last minute flight. The answer was Singapore! I hadn't done any research on this tiny country, but wikitravel helped me pick out some sights and have a fantastic time. It started with splendor and awe... I made it to the Bayfront on time for the light show. It exceeded my expectations! (Way more impressive than the Bellagio in Vegas) The fountains light up in various …
Discovering Brunei
As the plane descends to land at Brunei International Airport, an automated voice announces that the country has a mandatory death penalty for anyone caught smuggling drugs. I've certainly never considered smuggling drugs anywhere... but following this announcement I felt a bit compelled to check my bag, just in case someone snuck something in there during the flight. They did not. I knew about this prior to planning my trip, but hearing the announcement was still a bit unexpected. Entering …
One Day in Death Valley
Want to check out Death Valley but short on time? Although the park is huge... You can still see a variety of highlights with one day in Death Valley. Be sure to check average temperatures before planning your visit, it is extremely hot during the summer! And bring LOTS of water. The night before: Spend the night inside or close to the national park. We stayed at Panamint Springs Campground, located on the western edge of Death Valley National Park. They have a bar …
Ever Touched a Whale?
Floating in a small boat, we hoped one of the whales would feel compelled to check us out. An adult female gray whale approached our vessel, with a calf just behind her. She surfaced within feet of us. Lifting her head out within arms reach of the boat bow, she allowed the first of us to touch her. While she was saying hello, her baby rolled onto his side. He peaked above the water surface with the right side of his face and looked right at us. 3 different mom and calf pairs visited us …
New Zealand’s North Island: A Geothermic Wonderland
New Zealand's North Island is a wondrous destination. It offers glowworms, volcanoes, steaming pools, rumbling craters, and colored lakes. Waitomo Caves Our first destination was the Waitomo Caves. We explored 3 different caves throughout the day starting with Waitomo Glowworm Cave. If you only see one, this is the one! Clusters of glowworms cling to the walls around you while walking through the cave, but the best part is the boat ride on the river within. The boat glides out through the …
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Racing Through New Zealand’s South Island in 7 Days
My mom and I had 13 days available to explore New Zealand. Two islands (North and South) make up the country and we wanted to see both. The South holds so many amazing destinations and we had only 7 days here… so we found ourselves racing through New Zealand’s South Island. Was it fast paced? Yes. A bit exhausting? Absolutely…. But I’m thankful we didn’t skip any of it! Day 1: We arrived at Christchurch airport in the middle of the night, caught a cab and crashed at our Airbnb. When we …
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