2007 December

December 31, 2007

The Top 10 Experiences of 2007

When I was in Canada a few weeks back my Australian friends Benny, Billy, and I started talking about all of the things that we had seen through our travels in 2007. After reminiscing, we each made a list. I decided to include my list here in the blog. It seems like a good way to recap my experiences.When compiling the list so many memories came rushing back. There is no doubt in my mind that 2007 has been the best year of my life. I have made so many new friends and been a part of so many life changing experiences. I literally had to take a minute to reflect and just say ” Wow”!

My Top 10 Experiences of 2007

Tied at 10. The Salt Flats, in southern Bolivia is simply the weirdest place I have ever been: Miles and miles of salt that you can see from space, red lagoons, and rock formations that look like they were dropped by aliens litter the surrounding desert. Plus, when in the salt you are able to shrink down to the size of a “tiny person” as seen in the picture here with me standing in Benny’s hand.

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December 23, 2007

Day 21, 22, 23 (Final Cross Country Post): Magic in the Grand Canyon

We hiked 8 miles into the depths of a massive hole in the ground and fell in love with what we discovered. A vast, open, beautiful new world lie in the depths of the Grand Canyon. We saw new animals, met new friends, and liked it so much that we decided to stay longer than we originally planned. We stayed at the lone cabin system in the Canyon. The Phantom Ranch is usually only available if you book 1 full year in advance. Our motley crew rocked up and got a cabin to ourself. There was a water main break and many of the people with reservations had canceled at the last minute. We got very lucky. This luck gave birth to some of the “highlight moments” of our entire trip.

While in the Grand Canyon it felt was like we were on another planet. We were so removed from everything and everyone. It is a place where one can achieve the inner peace that so many of us are looking for by simply hiking around.

For me, I was able to reflect and personalize my experiences of the last year. I thought quite a bit about what the future will bring and how I have come to this point in my life.

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December 18, 2007

Days 19 and 20: Monument Valley,Utah

(Pictured: Gooseneck State Park, Southern Utah)We pulled out of Lisa and Joe’s humble abode in Pagosa Springs, Colorado on Sunday morning awaiting a solid drive back into New Mexico to pick up our broken down station wagon. The wagon was located about an hour east of Albuquerque at a remote service station in “Wagon Wheel”, New Mexico. From my guess, the only thing in Wagon Wheel was that lonesome service station. We quickly snatched the car up from our very friendly mechanic (he did not screw us, which was nice). From there our goal was to shoot north west to the Four Corners region where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona meet. This part of the country is smack dab in the middle of “Navajo Nation”.

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December 14, 2007

Days 15-18: Pagosa Springs Colorado

Pictured: The Hot Springs in the town center. There are 18 pools with temperatures ranging from 101 to 112 degrees. Ahh, Pagosa Springs Colorado. What? You have never heard of it? Well, none of us had heard of it either before this trip. Friends of mine from back home in Baltimore, Lisa and Joe, decided to move their lives to the south west and stumbled on this quaint little town (population 6000) while exploring the area. What they discovered is nothing short of a diamond in the rough.

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December 11, 2007

Days 12, 13, and 14: Carlsbad Caverns, Rozwell, and the White Sands of New Mexico

Pictured: in the Hills of New Mexico

From Austin we took off west towards Carlsbad Caverns in southeast New Mexico. It took us about 9ish hours if I do remember correctly.

Carlsbad Caverns are very old, very deep, and very cave like. Yes, that is right I said cave like while describing caverns. In truth, I guess I am not all that into caves. Stalagmites and stalactites just do not do it for me. We arrived too late in the season to see the nightly bat migration (2 million bats fly out of the caverns every evening). Unfortunately, the bats leave for Mexico at the end of October. While I am at it, bats suck as well. Especially, when they leave a few weeks too soon for me to see them fly out of a big boring cave.