Three days in paradise
Since I started travelling I think part of me has secretly been keeping one eye open for places I could potentially settle down in the future.
I’ve lived in London for 13 years and I’ve absolutely loved it. I loved the hustle and bustle of the city, the fact that everything is pretty much on your doorstep and that there is an endless amount of things to do there. As a child I was brought up in Newcastle in the north of England and I also loved that.
Since being ill however, I found that my love for city life has diminished somewhat. In Central and South America the only thing I looked forward to when going to a city was the chance that there might a Starbucks and an English speaking cinema there. In the states those things are everywhere so the only things I really enjoyed about the cities I visited were the people I met.
During my treatment I was lucky enough to live in a place called Richmond in the South west of London. It’s almost like living in the countryside there, It’s so beautiful. I lived near the river and lots of beautiful parks. Richmond is almost like living in the countryside. I used to walk by the river when I felt my worst and it always made me feel better. I found being around nature so revitalising and healing. I would sit there and smell the trees and listen to the sound of the River Thames rushing by. My living room looked out onto a huge private garden which had loads of trees and even a foxes den. I would sit there for hours staring into the garden. When the wind blowed it sounded like the grandest of storms but it was just the wind blowing through the leaves. I absolutely loved it but it was still quite a busy place with lots of cars and people around.
I’ve just spent the last three days in what I can only describe as my dream home. A small cottage in the hills of upstate New York complete with hammock, a record player and it’s very own vegetable garden. Much like the barn in Idaho the windows in the bedroom had no curtains so you wake up with the sun and when you turn your head slightly you are looking out over the beautiful hills of New York State.
I absolutely loved the fact I could pick my own veggies for dinner. Only picking what I needed for that meal and knowing it was all organic without any of the rubbish sprayed all over it.
The sunset last night was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen and seemed to last forever. The weather is not the best here at the moment but once the sun sunk beneath the clouds it lit up the sky and looked like a Monet painting.
I think the main reason I want this kind of life now is because it makes me feel healthy. I imagine the clean air going into my lungs, I look at how green and healthy the trees and plants are and just listening to the birds and the wind makes it difficult to feel stressed about anything at all. Pure bliss.
As much as I love London I’m not sure I see myself going back there after this trip. There’s a family ‘Von Trout’ cottage out there somewhere and hopefully one day I’ll be able to unpack my bag there for good and feel healthy every day.
X
I’m coming home
…but just for a short while
On the 29th July, after 13 months and 12 days on the road I will be heading back to the UK for a month or so.
My plan was to be away for the entire two years I gave myself to travel but I have had the honour of being asked to be the best man at my friend’s wedding and also to be the godfather to two wonderful children. I can’t pass these things up and there is nothing that would give me more joy than to stand by my best friend on his wedding day and to tell Eleanor and Hattie in person that I’ll always be there for them whenever they need me.
Since I’ve been gone my group of friends have had six children between them. That’s six kids in the gang that I’ve never met. I was fortunate enough to see my mum and brother when they came over to support me during Angelride but I haven’t given my dad a hug in over a year now. I miss my family and my friends terribly and to keep on travelling without stopping would be to miss out on those life affirming experiences that money can’t buy.
So the plan is to come home and spend some good quality time with my mum and dad, try and be funny in my best man’s speech and hold some babies without dropping them! 🙂
It will also be lovely to have a rest. I can imagine you might think this has been one big holiday for me which if I’m honest is what I thought it would be as well!:) The truth is I’m absolutely exhausted now. The endless moving on, bus rides, packing and re-packing every two or three days, meeting new people every day and not to mention the treks and carrying a big back pack around. It all definitely takes out of you.
I’ve already organised hospital appointments to have a quick once over and make sure everything is working as it should be. Although I feel great, sometimes its also nice to have a doctor to tell you that all is looking good. This will also mean I get to have my four year all clear in the hospital that saved my life.
The future of 101 things
I also want to have some time to have a real sit down and plan the next year of my trip. I want to get in touch with more cancer charities abroad and organise volunteer work and also set myself new challenges which will help raise money and awareness for various charities. My greatest joy from the last year has been the charity work I’ve done and I want to see if I can now take that to the next level and achieve my dream of becoming a professional fundraiser.
I have got some great things in the pipeline but not confirmed yet so I’ll tell you all when I know for sure.
I want 101 Things to Do When You Survive to be something that encapsulates everything that survivorship stands for. I want people to know that the there is a way through the dark times and that the night really is darkest just before the dawn. If we can also raise some money and awareness for a few charities along the way then life is very good indeed!
I will be setting off again in mid September and my first stop will be the beautiful land down under… Australia!
My tour of the Americas will end with a weeks volunteering at the amazing Hole In The Wall Gang Camp next week which I can’t wait to experience and tell you wonderful people all about it.
Canada, I will be back for you one day!
X
Washington DC
I’ve just spent the past week in the beautiful city of Washington DC. I must admit I had no plans to go to Washington but an old friend of mine, Arin, told me she was living there so I’d thought I’d go and visit for a few days.
If like me you don’t know what the ‘DC’ part stands for, it actually means District of Columbia. Columbia was a poetic name for the United States at the time and the area was especially chosen for the ‘Capitol’ to be built on.
I really liked DC. The only things I really knew about the city were that the White House is there, that it was once the murder capital of the US. It’s far from that now, and that that the long reflecting pool is where Jenny jumps in to meet Forest in Forest Gump. All these things I deemed essential knowledge before actually going to the city.
The city is packed with beautiful iconic buildings such as the domed US Capitol Building, the beautiful library of congress, the Supreme Court building and the towering Washington Monument.
The White House wasn’t as impressive as I thought it would be but it was still quite cool to see it in real life. It looks bigger on TV! 🙂
The National Holocaust Memorial Museum
Something I was told was a must see was the National Holocaust memorial Museum. I think it’s fair to say that we all have a pretty good understanding of what happened during the holocaust so I won’t go into detail but it was a horrific time not only for Jewish people but also for humanity as a whole.
The museum ‘uses the history of genocide as a model of how society can break down, and emphasises how current and future generations must carefully examine and learn from these tragedies’.
The things you see and learn in the centre are unimaginable and at times it was hard to believe that humans did these awful things to other human beings.
There was a lovely story at the end of the tour where a holocaust survivor is telling the story of when the Americans liberated her camp. She said, “a young man came over with tears in his eyes and asked if I was ok. He then asked if there were other ladies with me and if I could lead him to them. He held the door open for me and I walked through. It had been six years since I had received such respect where I was called a lady and having a door opened for me. That man went onto become my husband”.
Despite seeing all the horror that is displayed throughout the centre it was this story that had me welling up. A story of how love came out of the darkness of a living hell.
Memorials
All the memorial buildings are stunning but it was The Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King memorial which really caught my eye. The Lincoln memorial for its beautiful architecture and the speeches inscribed into its walls and the Martin Luther King memorial for its beautifully displayed quotes about humanity and hope. Incredible monuments for incredible people.
4th July
I spent the 4th July in DC but didn’t get a very good view of the big firework display unfortunately so no pics. On the way home Arin and I walked through her neighbourhood and all the houses were out on the streets having their own firework display. It was so lovely seeing everyone sitting there watching the fireworks and wishing us a happy 4th July as we walked through. Love the sense of community there.
I also got to watch my very first football match of the World Cup. USA v Belgium. Great match! I was watching it in a bar with my red 101 t-shirt on when a girl came over and asked if my name was Greig Trout. Her name was Marta and she was a friend of my cousin, Alexa, who lives in Malaysia. She only recognised me because of my t- shirt as she follows my page on Facebook. What a small amazing world. Thanks so much for saying hello Marta (see photo).
I’m now back in New York for a few days before heading north and back to where my American adventure began and will unfortunately end, the beautiful land of Connecticut.
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Good people and ‘muddin’
I have now visited 13 countries in the past 12 months and each one has made me love the world and it’s people more and more. This is a lovely feeling to have as a couple of years ago I wasn’t the biggest fan of the world I was living in.
I have met some pretty amazing people on my trip so far but the welcome and generosity I have experienced in the states has been unbelievable. I thought I’d share a couple of stories from my time in Idaho which made me very sad to leave on Monday.
I went for a haircut in the town near where I was staying the other day (my first since my head shave in March…scary) and I was chatting to the hairdresser about what I was doing and why and she told me that her husband had gone through prostrate cancer a few years ago. Thankfully he survived and I could tell how much she loved him by the way she spoke of him. It was so lovely to hear. When I went to pay she told me not to worry about it and that I should use the money for something else on my list. I was really overwhelmed by this gesture and even more overwhelmed when I got home and received an email about how our little conversation had inspired her.
I was then invited to a BBQ by a friend of the people who own the barn I was staying at. A wonderful guy called Tim had asked me round to eat with him and his family. What lovely people. Straight away they made me feel like I was one of the family. We ate and chatted and then went out to their garden that they had made on the hill and played Croquet. This little garden is surrounded by miles and miles of fields and is just absolutely beautiful. They literary live in the middle of nowhere. I loved it!
Before I knew it Tim’s step daughter Emily and her friend Bea announced they were taking me ‘muddin’. I had no idea what muddin was but apparently it’s a redneck tradition and today I was honorary redneck so it had to be done. Basically ‘muddin’ is when you take your truck and drive through mud and puddles with the aim of getting your truck as dirty as possible. What they didn’t tell me was that it would involve skidding and swerving along public dirt roads whilst they were screaming their heads off. To say I was scared was an understatement! Here I was, someone who’d fought and survived cancer twice about to die from….. ‘muddin’! Afterwards it was the best thing ever of course but at the time I questioned the sanity of everyone in that truck including my own!:) I wished I had taken my camera now. You guys would have loved it…especially me screaming. Such fun! Afterwards Emily and Bea took me to watch without doubt the best firework show I’ve ever seen. A free show organised by a billionaire who has also opened up a free centre for people with cancer.
The following day Tim and his family, invited me out on their boat and we lazed around the lake all day in the sun whilst I tried to perfect my redneck accent for when I officially live there. (The secret is to take the ‘g’ of everything…muddin, huntin, runnin).
Tim and his family also gave me some cash to help me on my way. I honestly didn’t know what to say when they gave me it. I told them I didn’t want it and that they should put it towards something they want to do but they insisted and said they loved what i was doing and that I could put it towards petrol to get me to where I needed to go next. They told me that I was now family and that they hope I come back to visit them one day. I left after lots of hugs wondering what I had done to deserve all the good fortune that has come my way.
When we were playing croquet on the hill I was smiling to myself thinking isn’t life crazy. How on earth did I end up here? I’m in the middle of Idaho, with these wonderful people and playing croquet on a hill. If someone had told a couple of years ago when I was consumed by fear and sadness that life would not only lead me here to these fine people but that I would once again find myself loving life as much as I do, I’m not sure I would have believed them. I’m so glad I took a chance and made this trip trip happen.
Thank you to Nicole (the hairdresser), Tim and his amazing family and Brian and Chaleen whom by letting me use their barn made it possible to visit this wonderful town and it’s people.
I’m now back East and in the nations capital, Washington DC for a few days. Two more weeks until I volunteer at the Hole in the wall gang camp!!!!
I wonder if Barack is free for a cuppa? I’ll give him a knock!:)
X
Thing #19 – See and hear the geyers explode in Yellowstone
Ever since watching the BBC documentary series ‘Yellowstone’ I’ve wanted to visit Yellowstone National Park.
When I watch these shows occasionally there is a part of me that wonders if these places are truly that colour, truly that vast and truly that beautiful. Yellowstone is everything you’ve seen on TV and in magazines.
The trees go on forever, the waterfalls thunder down into epic canyons, the bison roam the planes as free as a bird and the Old Faithful Geyser is ready to make the crowds ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ by firing water and steam high up into the beautiful sky very 90 minutes.
There was still snow on the ground when I visited. Look out for the photo of the big lump of snow with people on a viewing platform above it. That’s how deep the snow gets in the winter! Yikes!
I managed to spend two days there thinking that would be enough but I was completely wrong. This place is MASSIVE! Covering an area of almost 3500 square miles and stretching into three states it is something that would take months to explore properly.
Founded in 1872, Yellowstone is the world’s first ever national park and the idea of protecting our natural environment spread around the world. There are now almost 7000 national parks around the world.
I didn’t do any hiking when I was there but I now really want to come back and trek and camp for a week or so. I only really saw the places you can get to via road so next time I plan to go deep into the wilderness and hopefully see a bear or two!
Yellowstone is regarded as a super volcano and is centred over the Yellowstone Caldera which consists of hot molten rock which rises to the surface. When the pressure gets too much the geysers erupt shooting steam and hot water high into the air. The Old Faithful geyser is the parks most famous due to its predictability as it erupts every 90 minutes. This was the thing I wanted to see the most and I wasn’t disappointed.
Myself and my American friend Dia watched Old Faithful erupt at sunset and it was truly amazing. I would definitely recommend seeing the geyser at sunset when the air is cooler, the light dimmer and the crowds far fewer.
As the we drove out of the park with just a bit of light left in the sky we could see the geysers for miles around steaming in the distance. This was probably my most favourite part of the visit. No cars, no other tourists, a beautiful sunset and the realisation that I had just visited one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Definitely one for your lists!
(The last four pictures were taken in and near The Grand Teton National Park and the amazing place I was generously given to stay in for the past 10 days by my friends Brain and Chaleen. The picture of me underneath the antler arch was taken in a place called Jackson Hole. Each spring the Elk shed their antlers and some of them were used to make these amazing arches).
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A memorable night in Vegas
My last night in Vegas was spent with two of the most wonderful people I have ever met. My good friend Terolyn and her 9 year old son Kody.
I hadn’t seen Terolyn for over 14 years. We met when we both volunteered at a performing arts camp in upstate New York in 1999 and thanks to the power of Facebook we got back in touch a few years ago. Terolyn is a single mum who has brought up Kody to be a very inspiring person.
On my final night in Vegas I met up with Terolyn and Kody and we hit the strip. We started off our night going on the big wheel which was so much fun. We were all dancing away in the pod. The people we were with in the pod must have thought we were crazy!:)
We then went to a themed restaurant called Margaritaville which was a pretty crazy place with people on stilts and a woman sliding down the side of a volcano and in to a big glass of Margarita! Only in America!:)
On the table next to us were a group of young guys all with lots of coloured bracelets on. We ended up chatting to them and found out they were from Canada and going to a rave called the Electric Daisy Carnival. The idea behind the bracelets is to exchange them with the people you meet. You do this by doing a special hand shake which signifies:- peace, love, friendship and respect. Terolyn told them about 101 Things and one of the guys came over and crouched next to me and told me his uncle had died of cancer that very day. He was a big burly ice hockey player and he broke down in whilst telling me. We connected instantly and chatted for a while and I gave him a big hug. He then gave me one of his bracelets and thanked me for what I was doing and we shared a moment that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It was so lovely of him to thank me for what I was doing. My heart breaks when people tell me they have lost loved ones to cancer. I often feel uncomfortable talking about 101 Things after hearing such news so it was lovely that he understood why I was doing it.
The three of us then went to watch the fountains at the Belagio which was Kody’s first ever time seeing them and then to the Mirage hotel to see the volcano show. We also walked around the fountains of Caesars Palace and we all threw in pennies and made two wishes each.
Kody and I got on like a house on fire. He is the most amazing kid. Such a smart, selfless and caring person. He gave a child on the street his balloon hat, he wants to do charity work to help the homeless and I could see in his mums eyes just how proud he makes her. They have such a close bond which reminded me of me and my mum. There are a handful of people I look up to in life and I found myself looking at Kody thinking how honoured I was to have met him.
I told Terolyn what an amazing job she had done bringing up Kody. I feed off good energy and being around them both was like being hit by a thunderbolt of amazing good energy. I can see Kody going on to help a lot of people in the future.
At the end of the night Kody asked if I was ever coming back to see them. I said of course I would and he replied “that’s good because that’s what I wished for, both times”. Upon hearing this my heart instantly melted and I started to well up. Even as I type this I have tears in my eyes. I’m not sure anyone has ever used their wishes so that they could see me again. It was one of the loveliest things anyone has ever said to me.
Terolyn emailed me the other day telling me how Kody was really inspired by me and that he is now talking about how he make the world a better place. To say I was overwhelmed was an understatement. At such a young age I think it’s just incredible how much he wants to help others.
One of my favourite quotes is “Be the change you want to see in the world” by Gandhi. Something tells me that Kody is going to do just that and inspire a lot of people in the process.
At this very moment I am the master of making my own wishes and dreams come true and I promise you this Kody….I will be back to see you both very very soon. You’ve both captured my heart and when you meet people that do that you keep them in your life forever.
Thank you both for a truly amazing night in Vegas.
X
A barn with a view
After the bright lights of Las Vegas I decided to rent a car of my own and drive 700 miles north to the beautiful state of Idaho. The wonderful people who put me up when I travelled to the states for Angelride told me they had a barn in Idaho that I could use if I planned to go to Yellowstone National Park.
Brian and Chaleen had let me live in their home for the week before the ride so I could do some last minute training. They didn’t have a clue who I was, only that there was some crazy British guy who was going to do the ride with a weeks training. They were so generous and kind to me and we got on like a house on fire. Such lovely, caring and generous people. They had recently lost their son in a car accident and we chatted about life, loss, fear and hope. I felt an instant connection with them and when I left it was like saying goodbye to family.
They told me that their barn was remote but I had no idea how remote. My idea of a barn is also a lot different to theirs!:)
I arrived here just after 11pm on Friday night after a 12 hour drive and couldn’t see a thing. This place is in the middle of nowhere but luckily their next door neighbour (who lives about a mile away) was still awake so I stopped in and asked if I was in the right place.
This place is just stunning and feel like I’m living the dream right now. I couldn’t see the view until I woke up the next morning as there are no street lights nearby but when I did I just couldn’t believe it. The balcony faces the beautiful Grand Teton mountain range and it is from this balcony that I write this update (that’s my dinner in the photo).
There is an outside shower at the side of the barn (bottom left of third photo) so you can look at the mountains as you wash your hair. There is no screen or door and no one around for miles so no one can see you. It’s amazing!
There are no curtains in my room so each morning I wake up to the sun streaming through the window.
I got up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night yesterday and I could see these glowing things on the window. They looked so bright and beautiful. When I looked more closely I realised they were stars. I went out in the balcony and looked up and it seemed like I could see the entire universe. There we’re literally millions of stars shining so bright I couldn’t believe it. I could see the Milky Way in all it’s glory. Even at the observatory I visited in Chile I didn’t see stars like this.
Apart from a trip to the supermarket the first two days were spent sleeping. I was so tired. I haven’t really stopped since the bike ride and this was the perfect escape. I’m here for ten days which is the longest I’ve stayed in one place for a while so I even unpacked my bag.
I then went to the Grand Teton national park and have just spent the past two days seeing the wondrous Yellowstone National Park. Photos and video to follow soon.
Brian and I would often chat about how we believe many things happen for a reason. Coming to the states has led to many magical meetings and adventures which I could never have even dreamed of.
On the first day I set off for Yellowstone I put the address for the park into my GPS and when I got to the end of the driveway I looked down to see how many miles it was and I couldn’t quite believe it…. 101 miles to Yellowstone! Maybe I was meant to come here all along!
Brain and Chaleen, thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for me and for everything you have taught me. I feel truly blessed to have met you.
X
American Road Trip – Part 5 – Las Vegas
They say ‘what goes on in Vegas… stays in Vegas’ but I’m going to tell you everything!:)….sorry, no ‘The Hangover’ type tales to tell you all.
What an amazing way to finish a memorable three weeks on the road with my two amazing friends Jim and Dave.
Vegas is one of these places that has to be seen to be believed. Even if you think Vegas is not your thing I would definitely recommend spending a couple of days there. There are no clocks in this town and the hotels pump oxygen into the casinos so you don’t know what time it is and you never get tired! Sneaky!
I’ve actually been to Vegas before and I loved it otherwise it would have been on my list. It’s like nowhere else in the world. This time round was a bit more low key than the previous time I was there. I’ll tell you about that experience when I know my mums not reading!:)
There is so much to do and see and it’s not all drinking and gambling. I only gambled once and that was only $1 on a slot machine. I won and then I lost and then it quickly occurred to me that this how Vegas makes its money! Vegas made something like $6 billion last year alone.
I must admit I did toy with the idea of putting all my remaining money on red. If I won I would double my money and continue this amazing trip for a wee but longer. It was then pointed out to me that if I lost I would be going home….immediately!
Whilst there I didn’t see any shows as I was just happy walking around the amazing hotels like Caesars palace, the famous fountains of the Belagio, The canals of The Venetian and the Eiffel Tower of Paris. The guys went to see the cirque de solei show ‘O’ and said it was out of this world. By the way they buzzing afterwards I would say it is definitely one for your lists.
We went to the famous ‘Old Vegas’ and watched a Bon Jovi concert on a screen which hangs over the length of the street. AMAZING!
My most favourite thing in Vegas has to be the fountains of the Belagio. I must have seen them about 10 times on this visit. Watching these fountains light up at night whilst listening to Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ will light up your heart. It’s just beautiful and you can’t stop smiling.
I also gave a talk at school which was fantastic. When I asked the kids what would be top of their lists many of them said Legoland. The question of the day had to be one of the kids asking me “why are you in all of the pictures?” Ha! Love it.
On the way to Vegas we stopped off at the incredible Hoover Dam. I wasn’t too bothered about seeing this at first but it is truly a sight to behold.
My wonderful friends treated me to a helicopter ride into the Grand Canyon which was unbelievable and then spoiling me even more to dinner at the revolving restaurant on top of the Stratosphere tower. Like many of the days it was like a dream.
We ate at the Bubba Gump restaurant which was another highlight (as you may know I’m a big fan of the film Forest Gump) and I had my picture taken on the forest Gump bench!
Being invited on this road trip was like going on a dream holiday. As we sat having our final meal together we all couldn’t believe the things we’d see and done. This was Jim and Dave’s holiday and they kindly invited me to share this amazing experience with them. I can’t even begin to find the words to describe their generosity and how grateful I am. Thank you from the bottom of my heart guys.
Jim and Dave flew home on the 19th and I spent the evening with my good friend Terolyn and her amazing son Kody before driving north on the 20th. This last night in Vegas turned out to be one of the most memorable nights of my life and one which I’ll share in a separate post as there is so much to tell you all.
I’m now on my own again in the beautiful state of Idaho and I write this overlooking the beautiful Grand Teton mountain range. Next thing to tick off the list…the worlds very first National Park…the awesome Yellowstone!
Video coming for road trip coming soon!
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American Road Trip – Part 4 – Monument Valley and The Grand Canyon
Monument valley is probably one of the most recognised landscapes in the world. For years it’s been used in movies such as Easy Rider, Forest Gump and pretty much every Wild West movie ever made.
These massive rock formations known as known as ‘buttes’ and ‘mesas’ are the result of millions of years of geological uplift which were then eroded and shaped by wind and water.
We were lucky enough to stay the night inside the valley and got to see the beautiful sunset with a huge moon rising over the valley and then the following day we watched the sunrise above the famous ‘mittens’ rock formations (named so because they look like mittens). I can’t even describe how beautiful it was and this had led me to add it to my list of things to do when you survive. Thing #68 – Watch the sunrise over Monument Valley.
Even though I still have many more things to add to my list before I reach 101 I’m still being quite selective but this is a must for anyone. My only suggestion would be to stay for two nights at the Park. That way you can have one morning for photos and then the next just to take it all in. I sometimes feel like I miss something when seeing these wonderful things because I’m always photographing and filming. I think I need to make more time just to view these things with nothing more than my own eyes. It’s difficult with sunsets and sunrises as they just keep getting better and better!
I also got to run down the Forest Gump Road which unleashed the inner geek in me. Love that film! (I didn’t have time to grow the big beard though).
The mighty Grand Canyon was next up on this road trip of a lifetime and it did not disappoint. This massive canyon is 277 miles long and up to 18 miles wide! For millions of years the Colorado river has cut through these layers of rocks to form the canyon as it is today.
I don’t think my pictures do the the Grand Canyon justice unfortunately. The place is so big I just didn’t know how to capture it. There was a haze over the valley which also made it hard to see it’s true colours but if you look at the background closely you can see how huge it is.
Jim and I sat and ate our sandwiches on the edge of the canyon today, no cameras or videos just a view and a good chat. I loved it. It was probably the most impressive place I’ve ever eaten my lunch.
Feeling like the luckiest person on the planet at the moment.
Next and final stop are the bright lights of Las Vegas baby!
X
American Road Trip – Part 3 – Death Valley…
… And Valley of Fire, Zion National Park, Antelope Canyon and Horse Shoe Bend
My thirst for travelling and seeing new things has always been fuelled by the images I’ve seen in magazines and on television documentaries. I’ve always wondered if these places are really are as beautiful in real life as they are in the photographs. The answer is a big fat yes! They are incredible.
After you see the photographs in this Album you will no doubt be updating your lists to include these wonderful places.
Death Valley National Park
So after visiting the wondrous Yosemite Park the lads and I drove to the hottest place on Earth, Death Valley National Park. The day we visited it was 117*F (47*C). I’ve never experienced heat like it. As much as I love the sun and warmth even this was far too much for me. I thought Death Valley would be quite a miserable place but it was actually really beautiful with sweeping landscapes, stunning sand dunes and a still silence that I’ve never experienced before.
Valley of Fire
Next up was the red sandstone formations of the amazing Valley of Fire which consists of great sand dunes frozen in time from the dinosaur period.
Zion National Park
We then headed to Zion National Park which I must admit I’d never heard of. My friends organised this trip so I’m just tagging along but this place was unbelievable. Huge mountains surrounding a beautiful green valley. Wow!
The first pictures in this album are of the awe inspiring (I like that term) Horse Shoe Bend on the Colorado river and of Antelope Canyon in Arizona. As you walk up to horse show bend you can’t see anything and then suddenly BOOM! There it is. The most beautiful view of the river bend from up on the surrounding cliffs. It’s just breathtaking.
Antelope canyon is known as a photographers Mecca. This beautiful slot canyon formed by flash flood erosion illuminates light from above which results in stunning beams of light reflecting off the air born sand.
As you will see in this album of 17 photographs I appear in a lot of them. The reason for this is so I could give the landscape some kind of scale and I also that every shot was a 101 ‘I’m embracing life’ arms up in the air moment so I couldn’t help myself!:)
The second shot in the album which is me watching the sunset over the horse show bend was actually a complete accident. I had my camera on a time lapse setting so I could capture the ever changing sunset. I set the camera to take a picture every 30 seconds but I forgot to turn the wide frame setting off. I then went and sat right in the picture without knowing it. I’m so glad I did now as it’s turned out to be one of my favourite pictures.
Coming to the states has turned out to be best short notice decision I’ve ever made. What an unbelievable place. Every view is one that I will cherish forever. Next stop is the iconic Monument valley.
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