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The lighthouse on the Dungeness Spit is really neat, and a great hike. There is also a campgrounds there.

We stayed at the Divi all-inclusive on the beach. It was great! You can hit the buffet for meals, or relax at the pizza bar for a snack, there are bars at both ends with all kinds of drink specials. The desk can hook you up with all kinds of adventures or rent a car for a DIY day. We drove from the lighthouse up North all the way to Arikok National Park to enjoy this bizarre seaside desert with volcanic rock and caves. There are snazzy lizards running around everywhere (but they never bother you or come too close). The beaches are great. We snorkelled at Baby Beach for around 3 hours until we were too beat to see anymore. Did the dives at Malmok Reef, Pedernales Wreck and Antilla Wreck – super cool! We also wandered around various parts of the islands checking out the local sites. Downtown Oranjestad has an Indian restaurant called Taj Mahal that we become rather fond of. Riding the bus was cheap and easy. You will never need a cab here. Twice, people saw us walking and were kind enough to pick us up and let us ride along to our destination. There are also little golf cart-like shuttles that run around to various places. Most expeditions will come pick you up from your hotel for free and return you.

The catamaran cruises looked like fun, full of happy people getting off, but we aren’t boat people.

Baby Beach is a must-do for snorkellers. Kids can swim there in the powder soft sand lined shallow waters.

Arikok National Park is HOT. Bring tons of water, a good hat, sunblock, and rent an A/C car for sure. There is a decent eatery on the coast inside the park where you can pick up more water and a good hot or cold meal.

I love Aruba. I almost cried when we had to leave. I hope to return here someday, maybe for Carnival!

Tip: Even though the prices here rival buying things in the states, the amazing friendly locals working hard to keep you happy there are not being paid exorbitant salaries, so tip well! They deserve it!

Tip2: Drink lots of Belashi, the local beer. It’s good!

Lake Powell is an oasis in the desert. The canyons are amazing and the water is beautiful and warm. Sunsets were the best, where the huge desert sky was lit with vibrant colors that reflected off the canyon walls.

I got engaged on the lake, so this spot will always be a very special one for us and I hope we can return and explore more of the area someday.

If you go there, take a jetski through some of the winding canyons. This place is too beautiful too miss.

Death Valley is anything but dead – it’s one of the neatest places on earth. Also check out Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve. The deserts and mountains are a beautiful contrast.

You climb up the west side of the mountain, across dramatic rockslide areas, with a view of jagged peaks rising up around you. The final leg of the trip is a decent into the snow covered basin of the lake. It’s a beautiful alpine setting with lots of flowers and scenery to take in. This hike is well worth it.

There’s also a geocache up above the lake, overlooking the basin.

I’m going here in September and hoping to do some hiking and geocaching in the area. It looks beautiful!

We barely escaped the onslaught of snow with our tiny car. If you visit in winter, be prepared for the possibility of getting snowed in from time to time. We didn’t really get to see much of the town and area since it was all closed up and under snow during a holiday.

Their baristas are true coffee artists. You won’t be disappointed.

I grew up in this dump. The only good thing about it is that you can stop for gas and groceries on the way to Glacier Park. The only thing to do here is work at the lumber or aluminum plants and grow old and miserable. No art, no culture, no reason to be there. Don’t bother visiting, just drive straight through to Glacier Park, which is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

We had a one day layover here on the way to India. Bangkok is amazing! We took tuk-tuks, taxi, sky train, subway and one crazy long overloaded boat around the city and saw some of the city and two of the Buddhist temples, which were absolutely AMAZING. Half the photos I took on my 3 week trip were of the temples we saw that day. They’re so undescribably beautiful and ornate, covered in gold mosaic, handmade glass tiles, watched over by giant statues and magic spirits.

We had an awesome day in Bangkok and I can’t wait to go back and see more of Thailand!