Boat Ride on the Ganges River.

Before our trip to India I was on a call at work with a man who had spent 1 year traveling the world. We were talking about our itinerary and when I told him we were going to the city of Varanasi he just laughed and said...."Varanasi is one of the craziest places on earth." Now that I have been there I could not agree more. This ancient city is one of the oldest in the world and is built on the banks of the holy Ganges River. The architecture in this city is amazing; there are hundreds of temples (ghats) along the shore and they all vary in size, color and age. In the Hindu religion/culture this is one of the holiest cities on earth. It is considered a "pilgrimage" for a faithful Hindu believer to go to Varanasi to bath in the Ganges River. Doing this washes away a lifetime of sin. In addition, it is a preferred place to die and be cremated. If a Hindu believer is cremated and their ashes placed into the Ganges river it will break the cycle of re-incarnation. The history, architecture and people in this city combine to make it easily one of the most fascinating on earth. Walking in "old Varansi" along the banks of the river you will see people bathing, dead bodies being carried to the river, bodies being cremated on the shore, cows walking free, hundreds of colorful boats, old holy men meditating, etc, etc, etc. To be honest; it can be truly exhausting. The sights, smells (think cremation) and constant stream of people can be overwhelming. Not only is the city famous for its history and religious culture but it is also famous for its "touts." You are constantly being asked if you want to take a boat ride, want a shave, haircut, flowers, etc. After a day of working our way through all of this a local man at our guesthouse named "Papu" told us the secret...you must experience Varanasi from a boat. We took his word on this and he helped us find a very friendly local boy who was willing to take us around. This was truly an amazing experience. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the shore and seeing this amazing city from the peaceful waters of the Ganges was breathtaking. You slowly float by and watch the amazing pageantry of the city unfold. Faithful people bathing, loved ones cremating family members on the shore, water buffalo swimming, people doing laundry, young boys in fishing boats, etc. We enjoyed this experience so much that we took numerous other boat rides in the early morning, late evening, etc. Floating along this historic river and watching the beauty and uniqueness of Varanasi unfold was one of the most amazing experiences we have ever had. Whenever someone asks me about Varanasi I explain it the same way it was explained to me. I simply laugh and say..."Varanasi is one of the craziest places on earth."

Cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway:

In June of 2007 we took a trip "down south" to my old mission field in the state of North Carolina. One of the highlights of the trip was taking the famous Blue Ridge Parkway to see the incredible Smokey Mountains. We woke up early in Charlotte and made the 2 hour drive up to the funky and beautiful city of Asheville. This cozy little town has been called the "San Francisco of the east" and is famous for its gay community, hippy population, art deco architecture and stunning mountain scenery. Needless to say it is a very cool little town. We arrived just in time for breakfast and sat down at a cute restaurant that had seating out on the street. After that we explored the shops around downtown and even ran into a few missionaries. By mid-morning we were in our rental car and heading north on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The plan was to go from Asheville to Boone hitting up all the major sites like Mt. Mitchell, Lineville falls, Grandfather Mt, etc. Driving the Blue Ridge at this time of year was simply spectacular. It was a clear day with blue sky and the green mountains had a light layer of mist surrounding them. (hence the nickname "smokey mountains") We drove for hours stopping at the occasional scenic view and holding our breaths through the numerous tunnels. It had been a few years since my mission and I had almost forgotten how absolutely breathtaking the landscape in North Carolina really is. We eventually made it to Boone and spent a few hours touring around this funky mountain town. We ran into some missionaries on the street and actually went inside a store with them to chat with someone they were teaching. After Boone we drove out of the mountains and into the town of Morganton to spend the night. It was the perfect day and cruising along the Blue Ridge Parkway on that sunny summer afternoon was a memory we will never forget.

Bluff Beach All To Ourselves!

In northern Panama there is a set of islands called Bocas Del Toro. The most developed island in this archipelago is called Isla Colon and Lindsay and I spent about 3 days in this amazing place. The island has a town called "Bocas" but we stayed a few miles up the coast in a little guesthouse called Hotel La Corolina. In my research I had read about an incredible beach called Playa Bluff on the north eastern side of the Island. Upon arrival at the guesthouse the owner told us it was only about a 15 minute walk up the road. The next day we grabbed our swimsuits, towels and some borrowed chairs and umbrellas and headed off to the beach. The walk takes you along a dirt road that hugs the coast. You pass a few humble farmhouses, some chickens, a garbage landfill and numerous local kids before you finally stumble on one of the most amazing beaches in the world. Bluff beach is full of golden sands and bright blue water and stretches for well over a mile. We were shocked to see that we literally had the entire beach to ourselves. We set up the beach chairs, umbrellas and towels and settled in for a day of doing nothing! We would read or listen to our music on the beach and then head down to the water to swim, snorkel and play. We were constantly scared of Jelly Fish so I would put on the snorkel mask and go on "Jelly Fish Patrol" before Lindsay would get in the water. Although we were the only humans on the beach a number of local dogs, including "sugar" and "Lola" from the guesthouse, had joined us. They would play with us on the beach then disappear for a few hours and come back ready to play again. After a few hours of chillin we decided to take a walk down the beach with our doggie friends. We did run into one lady but that was literally the only other person we saw the entire time. To this day Lindsay considers Bluff Beach her all-time favorite and it certainly tops my list as well. The day we spent together on this beautiful and secluded beach will be a memory we will cherish forever.

Paris In Late Fall.

In November of 2009 Lindsay and I spent 2 wonderful days in the one of the greatest cities in the world...Paris, France. We managed to find an incredibly cute hotel right in the Latin Quarter of the city. Upon arrival the sweet french women at the front desk said that she liked my email so much that she was upgrading us to a room with a balcony. (before our arrival I sent an email asking if we could be upgraded but told them if they couldn't do this it was no problem at all...she must have liked that) The "upgrade" she was referring to was a top floor room with a small balcony that overlooked a church and the cobblestone streets of the Latin Quarter...we were simply amazed! The hotel was also incredible because of its location. It was literally a 5 minute walk to cathedral Notre Dame and less than 1 minute to the Saint Michelle metro station. Everyday we grabbed an "all day metro card" and took the train everywhere. We saw the Eiffel Tower numerous times both day and night and hit up other famous sights like the Arc De Triumph, Sacre Coeur Basilica, etc, etc. We were especially impressed with the cobblestone streets and cafes of the Montmartre village (this is the old bohemian area of Paris). Because we were traveling on a budget street food was what we ate. A baguette sandwich, coke and Nutella crepe was our staple meal. We found one particular corner bakery in the Latin quarter that made incredible crepes right out on the street. We loved to get the crepes and go back to our little hotel room to eat them on our balcony and watch Paris from above. We eventually said goodbye to Paris by catching the TGV out of the Paris EST station to Munich Germany. Although it is not the most exotic destination; Paris is one of the most magical and unforgettable cities on Earth!

Chicago in January....BRRRRR!

In January of 2009 Lindsay and I were feeling the travelers itch. We didn't have a lot of time and our budget was small. I went online and of course found some great deals to Chicago...because who wants to go to Chicago in January. Anyway, we booked the tickets, grabbed a funky new hotel on Hotwire.com and were on our way. We arrived at O'Hare at took the "Blue line" train right into the city "the loop." Nothing would have prepared us for how it felt when we stepped out of the subway station. Chicago was going through an exceptional cold spell and it was about 7 degrees with a cold breeze coming off the lake. We immediately b-lined it for our hotel and couldn't help but notice that the Chicago River had COMPLETELY frozen over. Once we got to our hotel we immediately went and found a "deep dish pizza" joint to chow and get warmed up. Our hotel was right off Michigan Avenue (The Miracle Mile) so we spent the next few days just shopping like crazy. We also enjoyed as much of the architecture of Chicago as possible by walking the streets and even going up to the amazing observation deck of the John Hancock Tower. We were there on a Sunday afternoon and had managed to score tickets to the last showing of Wicked in Chicago (at least for a few years) and absolutely loved the show. Before we left we also hit up the Shed Aquarium, almost froze our fingers off helping a lady load a file cabinet in her minivan and purchased some Obama memorabilia! our last night we found an English pub to relax and reminisce about the last few days. Although it was freezing cold we absolutely loved our long weekend in Chicago in the middle of January!

Old Delhi, India

The capital city of India is called Delhi. This large and crazy city is made up of 2 different areas: Old and New. The New area was designed and built by the British when they occupied the country. It has large organized avenues with parks, impressive government buildings, etc. The other part of the city is called "Old Delhi" and is the ancient center of the city. There is no doubting which section of the city you are in as each of them have a VERY different look and feel. We arrived in Delhi via the train station and stayed at a great hotel right next door. After checking in we were excited to see the city so walked out and caught an "auto-rickshaw" (motorcycle taxi) to the Red Fort which is right in the heart of the old city. The intense ride through traffic in the rickshaw was a great taste of what we were about to see. When we were dropped off and started exploring we began to experience the chaos that is Old Delhi! We walked down the main street which is called Chandni Chowk. This large street is packed with people, rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, animals, food stals, small shops and almost everything else you can imagine. You dont "walk" down this street but instead you work through the crowds of thousands of other people!...it is overwhelming to say the least. :) Off of Chandni Chowk there are hundreds of little alleyways that turn into very colorful markets and bazaars. We wondered this area for hours just trying to take it all in. The sights, smells and sounds can only be described in one word...INDIA. Just walking the streets of India is an experience in and of itself and Old Delhi is as good as it gets. We continued to wonder and got so deep into the alleyways and markets that we had to take a rickshaw to get out. :) In the middle of all this it is easy to get exhausted, however, now that we are home I catch myself dreaming about wondering the chaotic and colorful streets of Old Delhi.

The Great Pyramids of Giza!

On our Middle Eastern trek in 2008 Lindsay and I spent a few days in Cairo, Egypt. Of course one of the biggest draws of this place is the incredible and iconic Pyramids of Giza. On about our second day we decided to make the trek over to the Pyramids. They are only a few minutes outside of Cairo in the city of Giza which looks/feels alot like Cairo. We walked from our cute little guesthouse to one of the Hilton's along the Nile. We liked going there for the Air Conditioning and the ATM. :) Walking out we found a very nice taxi driver so we decided to ask him if he could take us to the Pyramids. He of course almost jumped for joy at the chance to take two westerners out to the countries most iconic monuments. The drive was quick and painless and actually very enjoyable. Riding in taxi's and getting to see the day to day routine of the locals at street level is one of my favorite traveling activities. About 5 minutes before getting to the Pyramids our taxi driver stopped at what he called "a museum." We were aware that this is a very common scam in Egypt so kindly refused and said "only Pyramids please." After a minute of trying to convince us he finally kept going. We eventually spotted the Pyramids and it was almost a "surreal" experience seeing these structures in person. One of the things that struck us the most is how close they are to the city. One minute you are in a crazy Egyptian city and the next you are staring at the Pyramids. As the cab driver stopped we knew we were in for another scam. He pulled behind his "friends house" and we could see numerous camel and horse touts (men trying to sell you a ride) waiting for us. We immediately jumped out of the cab, paid our driver as fast as possible and literally ran away from the touts. All the while they were yelling "you need ride?", "Camel?", "tickets," etc, etc. We eventually found the small entry gate and began our approach. The first structure we saw was the amazing Sphinx (large statue with Pharaoh face and tiger body). It was smaller then we thought it was going to be but it was just as beautiful as we imagined. We then spent the rest of the day exploring the 3 giant pyramid structures. We walked around all 3 and even went inside one of them. Going inside was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of our lives! :) You have to crouch down as you walk through these incredibly tight tunnels. It eventually opens up into a "tomb room" which was completely empty but very cool. We could not wait to get out of there as it was INCREDIBLY hot and we were getting very claustrophobic. We came out of that Pyramid just dripping and purchased a warm coke and water from one of the millions of young Egyptians selling them. We noticed that there was a hill off in the distance and we knew if we could get out there than we would have an amazing view. Dipite Lindsay getting a little frustrated with the walk we made our trek through the sandy desert and after about 15minutes we were on the hill and were treated with a view that can only be described in one word...BREATHTAKING! The 3 pyramids stood tall and strong in the distance and the blue Egyptian sky was the perfect backdrop. We literally burned through our camera memory card and eventually made our way back to the main tourist area. Towards the end of the day we were so hot and tired that we paid the extra money to go into a building that displayed an ancient boat that had been discovered a few years ago. Although this was cool to see we were mostly excited about the AC and sat next to it for a good 20 minutes! :)

The worst part about seeing the pyramids are the "touts." These are men, and sometimes women, who want to sell you something. Whether it is postcards, camel ride or cheap souvenirs they will simply not leave you alone. Numerous times our patience was tested to the end as they would follow us around saying "good price," "you need a ride," etc, etc. This mixed with the heat got so frustrating that both of us would get very angry and say in our meanest voice things like: "No", "Never", "I don't want it", Etc. On our short walk out to the "hill with a view" we were followed by a camel tout the entire way! We also saw one elderly tourist women who stepped off the bus and was so annoyed and uncomfortable from the touts that she just got right back on. Although this was incredibly annoying we were able to laugh about it once the whole experience was over.

Seeing the Pyramids is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is not just the structures themselves. You have to experience the heat, touts and overall feeling of exhaustion that inevitably accompanies this experience. All in all we thought it was one of the most amazing travel experiences we will ever have.

Night Train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai:

During out trip to Thailand Lindsay and I had one of the most amazing train rides ever! There are numerous ways to get from Bangkok Thailand to the northern city of Chiang Mai. However, after doing research on the website seat61.com (the most amazing train travel site on the web) we decided to take a night train. We took a taxi and arrived at the colorful and crazy central station in Bangkok called Hua Lampong. Upon arrival into the station we were shocked by how many people were sitting on the floor waiting for their trains. There were a few benches scattered around but most families chose to simply sit right square in the middle of the station on the floor. It was loud, crowded and a little bit dirty but we were loving the experience. We spent a moment just cruising the crowd and "people watching"...we even saw a sick Thai boy throw up all over his family and the floor! :) We found a nice place to sit on the second level and just watched the amazing scene that was the inside of this station. Eventually as night fell are train arrived and we were able to board. When we first stepped on the train we were not sure that it was a night train. Their were seats as far as the eye could see! However, a few minutes into the journey the staff came by and turned the 2 rows of seats into an amazing collection of beds (bunk style with one on top of the other) with privacy curtains! Lindsay took the top bunk and I took the bottom and our faces were glued to the windows. It was a hot/humid night in Bangkok and we were amazed at the urban scenery as we pulled out of this amazing metropolis. We eventually went to bed and to this day it is probably the best I have ever slept on a night train. When we woke up we were simply blown away and what we saw out our window. Gone were the wild and crazy streets of Bangkok and what we saw were the green jungles and crop fields of Northern Thailand. Lindsay had joined me on my bunk and we were falling in love with the countryside as we experienced it from our train window. Lindsay had always wanted to go to Thailand and the countryside was what she was most excited to see. It was such a fun experience watching her face as she saw this country that she had dreamed of. Every once in awhile the train would pass a dirt road crossing and we would get to see the local Thai people with their smiling faces, scooters, etc. Eventually we pulled into Chiang Mai and began that part of our trip. Going to bed in crazy Bangkok and waking up in the tranquil and beautiful countryside of Northern Thailand made this a night train we will always remember!

Maine Coast

In 2009 Lindsay met me on the east coast after a business trip. We spent a few days touring around Washington DC and Boston. On one of the days in Boston we rented a car and went and explored the beautiful coast of Maine. We woke up early in downtown Boston and walked to South Station to catch the Bus Rapid Transit line to the airport. After reaching Logan Airport we got our rental car squared away and were shocked when we were given a black Ford Edge (we have always wanted one). After getting stuck in Boston traffic we eventually made it to I-95 which is a straight shot up into Maine. We drove all the way to the incredibly charming seaside village of Camden. Once in Camden the first thing we did was drive to the top of Mount Battie for an incredible view of the landscape. The drive up did not follow the coast as much as we thought it would so we were very anxious to see the ocean. We were absolutely blown away by what we saw. Blue water, green islands and the cute little town of Camden spread out below us. We hiked around for awhile and then made our way down to the city center. We found a place to park and strolled along the cute downtown which is right along the harbor. There were antique shops, lobster shacks, fishing boats, etc, etc....it was the perfect Maine "small town." As we both had never tried lobster we were excited to get some "authentic local food." We decided on a lobster shack that had a deck overlooking the water and sat down to chow! We LOVED the lobster roll but the "lobster claws" were a little much for us. After Camden we drove down and walked the old cobblestone streets of Portland. We then continued on to check out the famous lighthouses of Maine. Our first stop was the Portland Head lighthouse. This is one of the most famous light houses in Maine and we quickly saw why. It was a bright white and red structure surrounded by beautiful gardens and was perched right at the edge of the rock. After burning up the memory card there we continue to cruise the Maine Coast on Highway 1. The little beach towns were simply amazing and we especially loved Old Orchad Beach with its little amusement park and large sandy beach. We were loosing day light but after getting a little lost we were able to see the often photographed Cape Neddick lighthouse called "The Nubble." We admired the sunset and lighthouse and eventually had to say goodbye to Maine. We started back down to Boston but when we got to the city we missed our exit. The Boston freeway system is made up of Tunnels and Bridges so if you miss an exit it is NOT EASY to correct! :) However, after a few swear words and u-turns we finally returned the car and made it back to the hotel. Driving the coast of Maine is an experience we will never forget.

Casco Viejo, Panama

Panama City, Panama is a sprawling metropolis that has a very "concret jungle feel." It is a very "vertical city" with tall buildings all over the place. However, nestled away just outside of the city center is the incredibly charming area of Casco Viejo. Panama city officially has two "old towns" and this one was the second. The area is full of cobblestone streets, old cathedrals and an incredible mix of architectural styles including Caribbean, French, and Colonial. Our first morning in Panama City we took a cab to this area and at first it was VERY intimidating. Casco Viejo is currently going through a "rebirth" but much of the area is still very poor. Driving through these narrow streets and seeing the poverty our first morning was quite intense. Lindsay gave me that look that says "we are not getting out of this cab" :). The driver eventually stopped at Plaza De Francia and we jumped out to begin our exploration. We were absolutely AMAZED at what we found. This little area had more charm and character then just about any place I have ever been. We wandered the narrow streets of cobblestone and admired the brightly painted colonial/french houses that always had 1 or 2 smiling kids smiling at you. Around every corner were little parks and city squares were you could sit and be surrounded by the incredible flowers and plants of Central America. I was in college at the time studying Urban Planning so I was completely blown away at what I saw. We spent the better part of the day exploring the area and loved it so much that we came back numerous times during the trip. The colorful houses, streets, restaurants, people, nearby ocean all combined to make this an incredible place. Furthermore, it was completely "untouched" by tourism. We only saw 2 other travelers the entire time we were there. The main square of Casco Viejo is called Plaza De La Independencia and is a large square with a very old church as the main focal point. We spent a good couple of hours just people watching in this area. Children were playing, old men talking and street vendors were selling ice cream....it was perfect. We felt so lucky that we were able to experience the undiscovered gem that is Casco Viejo, Panama!!

Taxi from Syria to Jordan:

While traveling in the Middle east in 2008 Lindsay and I needed to get from Damascus Syria to Amman Jordan. There are numerous ways to do this including flying, buses and even an old train (although last we heard this was not working). We decided to take a shared taxi both for the experience and the speed. In order to do this you have to go to a particular bus station/taxi stand to find drivers willing to make this long trip. We were not quite sure where this was but luckily the night before we left we meet an Englishman that was living in Syria and he told us exactly how to get there. We woke in the morning and took a taxi to the correct bus station/taxi stand. Arrival at a Middle Eastern taxi stand can be a very intimidating experience. You have about 15 drivers surround you yelling out different destinations and pricing..."Beirut!", "Amman!",etc. I am sure there is a method for picking the best driver but we just found one that had a decent price and said "O.K." Upon this agreement he immediately grabbed our passports and led us to his car. There was another older middle eastern women sitting in the car and we were all very confused. Here we were sitting with this women in a taxi with no driver. Furthermore, the driver had been gone about 30 minutes and had our passports! It turns out they will not leave until they have a full car. Thus, the driver was out finding one more passenger heading from Damascus to Amman. He finally found another person and off we went. It was two Syrian men in the front seat (the driver and one passenger) and me, Lindsay and an old Muslim women in the back seat. The drive is pretty uneventful as most of the scenery is desert and rocks. However, the highlights were stopping at the various stands along the way, the incredibly nice guards at the Jordan border and the occasional conversation in our "car full of strangers." Not only was this a very fast way to get between Damascus and Amman (about 4 hours) but it was a great experience as well.

Neuschwanstein castle, Autobahn and Rothenburg.

In Fall of 2009 we took a short trip over Thanksgiving to France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. In Germany we decided to stay in Bavaria making Munich our home base. Early one morning we caught the U-Bahn out to the suburbs of Munich to rent a car for a day trip around Bavaria. Everything about the car rental went smooth until I tried to pull out of the parking garage. Just imagine a steep incline, narrow ramp and nervous driver in a gutless Peugeot (that experience could be an entire blog post). After narrowly wrecking the car getting out the garage we finally made it out of Munich and before we knew it we were heading southwest through the countryside of Bavaria. It was November but the valleys were still very green and beautiful and the Alps in the distance had snow on them. About 2 hours outside of Munich we eventually made our way to Neuschwanstein castle (the white castle built by king Ludwig which was the inspiration for Walt Disney's castle). It was the low season so we were able to walk up and tour the castle with very little crowds. After marveling at one of the most incredible castles in the world we made our way down to the charming (and touristy) town of Fussen. With only a few hours of daylight but a full day of rental car time we decided to drive all the way up to a village called Rothenburg. After winding our way throughout the countryside we finally made it to Rothenburg and were blown away by the charm. The village literally looks like it has not been touched since the middle ages. Perfect German houses with amazing churches, cobblestone streets, fountains, etc, etc. To make things even that much more amazing the town was getting ready for the annual "Christmas market" which gave the whole area a "magical feel." Shops were full of Christmas decor, trees were on every corner and bakeries were turning out pastry after pastry. After walking through Rothenburg we made our way back to Munich taking advantage of the incredible Autobahn. We really pushed the limits of our little Peugeot by cruising at around 105 mpg....you gotta love Germany!

Air Buddha...flight over Mt Everest.

During our India/Nepal trip in 2009 we had a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the "top of the world." We were staying in Kathmandu which due to distance and the summer haze made it almost impossible to see the Himalayas. Although the surrounding local mountains in Kathmandu were beautiful we really wanted to see the world famous snow capped peaks! We discovered that a small local airline called Air Buddha offered a "mountain flight." During this hour long flight they would take you up in a small prop jet and flight you right over the Himalayas. Without hesitation we decided to do it. We took a taxi to the Local domestic airport in Kathmandu which was a small chaotic mess. Within a few minutes we were being loaded into a bus and shuttled to a small 2 engine prop jet out on the runway. We boarded the flight and the adventure began. Just flying out of Kathmandu was amazing. This is a dense and colorful city of 1.5 million people and seeing it from above was fascinating. Within 10 minutes of take-off we began to see the bright white snow capped mountains of the Himalayas. They looked almost fake as they rose above the summer haze of Nepal. Before we knew it we were flying closer and closer until eventually we were right above these incredible and majestic peaks. I personally expected MT. Everest to stick out like a sore thumb but being surrounded by so many other tall peaks it would have been easy to miss. Eventually we were told we were flying right next to Mt. Everest and at that point they allowed us to come up into the cock-pit (one by one)for a panoramic view. There is only one word to describe what we saw....BREATHTAKING. After taking our seats again we spent the rest of the flight (about 45 minutes) simply starring out the windows in awe. We flew over incredible peaks, amazing glaciers and even the Mt. Everest base camp trial. There is no feeling in the world like flying above "the worlds rooftop."

First Married Road-Trip....Jackson Hole, WY

The first summer Lindsay and I were married we were living in Montana and working at the Horse Prairie Ranch. The ranch manager had a few horses that needed to be sent back to Afton Wyoming (5 hour drive). We were given the assignment and started getting ready to go. The first thing we did was reserve a cheap room at an old dirty motel that allowed dogs (we were taking my Chocolate Lab Bailey). After the accommodations were all set we loaded up the old white Ford pick-up with a horse trailer, horses and bags to start our first road-trip. The drive from the Horse Prairie Valley to Afton Wyoming is beautiful! You pass through the great divide in Montana then through the gorgeous Swan Valley in ID and eventually into the beautiful valley around Afton, Wyoming. This was early summer so the valleys were green and the mountains white with snow. After we dropped off the horses we drove the old truck over the pass into charming old Jackson Hole. We spent the night walking the old town and then grabbed a burger and fries at a local diner. The next morning we drove out to see the breathtaking Teton Mountains. The scenery was spectacular! The valley was filled with green grass and yellow wildflowers and the Tetons were capped with bright white snow. We spent the rest of the morning playing around and enjoying the entire area! Eventually we started heading home to Montana to get back to work. Although short; this was one of the funnest road trips we ever had and helped spark our love affair with traveling!

Hidden Beach in Mexico

Lindsay and I went on our honeymoon to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico (Riviera Maya). This is a total tourist town full of resorts and very developed beaches. However, it is easily some of the prettiest beach scenery we have ever seen. Anyway, we stayed at a resort called El Dorado Seaside Suites which was absolutely beautiful. It was tucked away in the middle of nowhere outside Playa Del Carmen. After our first few days we decided to do some exploring. The best beach area was immediately in front of the hotel but we found a trial that lead out towards a rocky shore away from the main resort. We were quickly joined by a cute stray dog and began our exploration. About 10 minutes in we stumbled upon a completely hidden and beautiful beach. It had beautiful blue water and bright white sand. The area around it was full of lush green palm trees and it was totally secluded. We spent every evening the rest of our trip walking down to this beach to swim, body surf and just take in the beauty of the Rivera Maya Mexico.