Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 293

Only The Brave, The Talented, The Foolish in the USA

Boulder Mall is a beautiful place to wander shops, taste delicious food, and be entertained by buskers. Busking is entertaining solely for tips given by spectators.

Seriously, if you want an excellent experience- stop and engage a street entertainer. Tip them well, they make their living taking you out of your world and into a place to set aside cares for a few minutes or perhaps as long as you choose to watch. You wouldn’t appreciate someone taking advantage of your work and walking away with a few words and no pay, so do not do that to them! They can’t pay bills with “thank yous” or with the old taking the wallet out and walking away so it looks like you tipped. Trust me, we aren’t impressed by that and we’ve all had it happen enough to be disappointed now and then.

Notice they and we. I storytell in a canvas dress while people paint the dress and sometimes me. I’m a street entertainer. I’m not walking a rope. I’m not juggling. I’m not playing music or doing sleight of hand. When we walked up and down the Boulder Mall we watched and listened. Danny was excited to start busking. I was torn. He does comedy and magic. Of course he fits the busking world.

It’s been a year of trials and tribulations for me. I watched a new friend do his street show. He did an excellent show. Daredevil Dan played with puns, unicycled, juggled and the laughs were surrounding him. Seriously, take a minute to look him up and catch his show in the street. Give him a tip and let him know what you liked! Walking away I thought about my character and style. Good, bad, what?

I ran into Eboshi from St. Kate’s. Eboshi greeted me with a smile and a compliment. We sat and watched people walk by in their bubble worlds, faces serious. He asked what I was thinking about, as I looked serious myself. I told him, he was a great listener. He smiled a beautiful smile that made the bright sun jealous.

He said “I am unique. What I do, I work to do. I love it and I have fun. The people love it because it is unexpected and unique. You are also unique. We do not fit with the others and that is good. There are many of them. They are good too, but they aren’t unique. Bring your dress and your paints, have fun.”

I watched Eboshi performing, he is a contortionist. He draws crowds with his skill and sweet personality. He’s been doing shows on the Boulder Mall for fourteen years, he used to travel and do shows for UNICEF representing Jamaica for crowds of up to eighty thousand people. Eboshi is unique. He is astounding. Watch him, tip him and tell your friends they should too!

I’m getting my dress and canvases ready, filling the paint bottles. We will go back. We will both busk. We’ll see how I do. I’m going to bear in mind Eboshi’s wisdom. I’m going to focus on having fun and see how it plays out. Perhaps it’s foolish, succeed or be an odd footnote- at least I’m going to give it a chance.

Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Independence Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

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Your Choice Can Save A Life: Shari Schnall

You can save someone’s life. New York is faced with a troubling statistic: the state ranks last in the country in percentage of residents registered as organ donors. With just 25% of New Yorkers enrolled on the registry, the state is well below the national average of 50%. This contributes to a troubling fact: every 18 hours a New Yorker dies waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

From Shari Schnall:  THE SIX LITTLE WORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE First published in Big City Moms

IT WAS ABOUT TWO MONTHS BEFORE MY WEDDING. I WAS LYING AWAKE IN BED. ANOTHER RESTLESS NIGHT. I TRIED TO DISTRACT MYSELF WITH THOUGHTS OF OUR UPCOMING NUPTIALS: IMAGES OF MYSELF WALKING DOWN THE AISLE TOWARD MY FIANCÉ, OUR IDYLLIC HONEYMOON IN HAWAII, THE LIFE AHEAD WE HAD ENVISIONED FOR OURSELVES, HAPPILY MARRIED, WITH CHILDREN.

Suddenly, someone shuffled the sheet around my feet, and the friendly, familiar face of one of my favorite hospital residents peered behind my curtain, “Shari, we have a liver for you.”

Having been down this road two times before, I was hesitant to get too excited. But he assured me this time was “the one” and they were going to prep me in the next hour for the grueling transplant surgery.

The 22 days preceding this one had been unthinkably harrowing for me and those around me. What was meant to be the most joyous time of my life turned out to be the most traumatic: one day, I had been on an amazing career trajectory and planning for my wedding. The next, my family was told I needed an emergency liver transplant within a week or I would die. Quickly, my body shut down and I lost almost all physical and psychological functioning. The nurses bathed me while feeding and oxygen tubes helped sustain me.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON BIG CITY MOMS

SHARI SCHNALL IS A VOLUNTEER WITH LIVEONNY.ORG. TO REGISTER TO BECOME A DONOR OR A VOLUNTEER VISIT THE LINK HERE

VIDEO: Shari Schnall 10 year Liver-versary on Television

 

 

To help move New York out of last place, LiveOnNY is launching the first-ever Organ Donor Enrollment Day. This inaugural event is being executed with one goal in mind: enroll as many willing New Yorkers as possible as organ donors in a single day.

Studies show that 9 out of 10 of New Yorkers support organ donation, but only 25% are registered. Organ Donor Enrollment Day presents New Yorkers with the opportunity to rally together and save lives. One organ donor can save up to eight lives. Find out how you can be a part of this life-saving day at www.EnrollmentDay.org.

About LiveOnNY

LiveOnNY, formerly New York Organ Donor Network, is the nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) for the greater New York Metropolitan area. Established in 1978, LiveOnNY is the second largest OPO in the United States, serving a culturally and ethnically diverse population of 13 million residents in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. Working closely with transplant centers and hospitals, we coordinate organ, eye, and tissue donation for transplant in the New York region, educate the public and health care professionals about donation and transplantation, and promote the importance of signing up on the New York State Donate Life Registry. We work closely with 9 transplant centers, 98 hospitals, and several tissue and eye banks.

LiveOnNY is accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) and a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which oversees the organ transplant waiting list in the U.S.

Become an Organ Donor: More information from LiveOnNY

Did you know?

One organ donor can save up to eight lives.


New York is 50th out of 50 states with regard to the percentage of residents

registered as organ donors.

Research shows 9 out of 10 New Yorkers support organ donation, but only 25

percent are registered.

There are over 120,000 people on the national waiting list and over 10,000 of

those are right here in New York.

Due in part to the long waiting list and low registration, every 18 hours a New

Yorker dies waiting for an organ.

Debunking the Myths:

Doctors WILL do everything in their power to save you. Organ donation only

occurs after a patient is declared dead/deceased by a physician not affiliated with

donation.

 It is NOT against your religion. Most major religions actively support organ

donation including Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism, and more.

For more information about Organ Donor Enrollment Day, visit www.EnrollmentDay.org

The post Your Choice Can Save A Life: Shari Schnall appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Zipkick Bloggers: Carolann & Macrae One Modern Couple

 

 

 

 

Zipkick Bloggers:  Carolann Hughes & Macrae Sutton from One Modern Couple

Where was the first place that you traveled that made you think WOW—travel is amazing (think history book come to life or …..)

Macrae: For me, it was Newfoundland. It is absolutely beautiful and something I had never seen before. The cliffs, the ocean, whale-watching and the exposure to a different culture and a different way of living, even in my own country, was an incredible experience.

Carolann: I’d always gone on vacations with my family as a child but my first time overseas, to Spain, had me falling absolutely in love with travel. I realized during my week in Spain, and one day in Morocco, that there is so much to see and experience in the world and I decided I wanted to see it all!

If you had unlimited resources, where would you go and what would you do?

Unlimited resources would mean unlimited travel. We would continue what we do now, but perhaps we’d be able to explore even more, travel more comfortably at times and definitely move up to first class on all our flights! It would also mean we could see as much of the world as possible and fly over friends and family for some of our destinations!

What were you afraid to do and how did you find the courage to overcome it?

We always say that quitting our jobs, selling our stuff and taking off to travel was a pretty scary thing. We had steady and decent jobs and a great community of friends and family and we were going to leave it all behind. We found the courage to overcome the fear because we wanted to challenge ourselves. We wanted to grow, step outside our comfort zones and become stronger people. We were going for our dream and that in itself gave us the courage to keep moving forward each step of the way!

What apps do you use regularly that make your life easier?

Google maps has definitely made our lives easier and helped us navigate to many a place, even without WiFi. We also reference our TripAdvisor app whenever we’re finalizing our travel plans and of course, would be lost without social media apps to stay in touch with people back home and post about our travels.

What place do you wish more people have seen?

Taiwan! We hadn’t heard too much about the country on “the travel circuit” and most people we talked to knew very little but we fell in love with the country, the people, the food and the culture. We wish more people could see and experience the beauty of the country… but then we also hope they don’t so it doesn’t become too touristy! It’s a double-edged sword when endorsing your favourite destinations!

Best advice you have been given and by whom?

Macrae: Travel writer Joe Cummings once told me his best travel advice would be to always bring ear plugs. After a year of travel, I’d have to agree!

Carolann: Macrae actually gave me the best travel advice: Look both ways before you cross the street. As someone who is always distracted by what’s around me, I can’t count how many times it’s saved me – especially when I forget what side of the road people drive on!

When were you surprised by the kindness of strangers on a trip?

Probably the entire first month we were travelling through Thailand had us blinking in surprise at the random acts of kindness we’d encounter. We learned pretty quickly that people are genuinely good and willing to help. Since then we’ve come across the kindness of strangers wherever we go but it surprises us less each time.

What inspired you to travel for extended periods of time or live in a new country?

We both love travel and have always wanted to see the world. When we finally realized we didn’t want to live the 9-5 lifestyle and we didn’t want to experience Canadian winter after Canadian winter, we decided to do something about it and follow our dreams of seeing more of the world. In a way, we inspired each other with our passion for travel and our desire to make our respective dreams come true.

I am a zipkick blogger because….

We love the idea of a community of like-minded people working together to help each other and those wanting to travel. We are also always looking for great apps and sites and love being a part of something like ZipKick that will help others, and ourselves, travel better and easier.

Blog // Twitter // Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest

Bio: Carolann & Macrae are a Canadian couple showing the world through their eyes and sharing their passion for travel. They share stories about culture, food, travel and life in general, as they inspire and motivate others to live their own lives without limits.

 

The post Zipkick Bloggers: Carolann & Macrae One Modern Couple appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Day Trip To Sintra, Portugal – Discover The Enchantment

As originally featured on the website Hilton Mom Voyage By Lisa Grabelle

The culture! The history! The beauty! The excitement that is Lisbon makes Portugal a favorite destination of tourists worldwide. True…BUT a short train ride away from the bustling capital city transports those in-the-know travelers to a magical, fairytale world of storybook adventures — the enchanted city of Sintra! With castles, palaces, moats and transfixing beauty, a visit to Sintra is the “must do” day trip from Lisbon.

My multi-generational family of six (my husband, our two girls then ages 8 and 11, my parents in their 60s, and I) made sure to dedicate one day of our two-week trip to Portugal, Spain and Morocco to discovering the magic of medieval Sintra. It was a day that will surely remain etched in our memories forever.

TOP FOUR THINGS TO DO ON A DAY TRIP TO SINTRA, PORTUGAL
1. NATIONAL PALACE OF SINTRA

I can describe this palace in one word: Breathtaking!

This national treasure was everything we’d ever imagined a palace would be. Originally built to be the Moorish sultan’s summer palace, it became a Portuguese royal summer retreat until 1910. We began our majestic visit by strolling the magnificent walkway to the Palace. Lush, dreamlike flowers and plants and fascinating art installations had us all reaching for our cameras.

Entering the dramatic Palace itself, we were dazzled by the combination of Gothic, Moorish and Manueline architectural features. The highlight for the girls was the uniquely themed rooms: The Swan Room, The Stag Room, and The Siren/Mermaid Room. We all loved discovering and comparing the intricate colorful azulejos, decorative painted and glazed tiles, that decorated the ceilings and walls of the castle.

The National Palace is a family-friendly “must do” when visiting Sintra.

2. Sampling Sintra’s Succulent Sweets

As a family of obsessed foodies, we developed an immediate craving for two of Sintra’s most famous delights, queijadas de Sintra (custard-like cheesecakes) and travesseiros (“pillows” of almond pastry).

These delicious treats can be found up a hill, steps away from the National Palace, where quaint shops and restaurants will tempt you. Our favorites: Piriquita has plenty of reasonably priced lunch choices and world famous pastries, including those warm travesseiros. For the dainty and delectable queijadas, we favored the famous Sapa Bakery, which is just a few minutes walk from the train station. Stop here on your way into or out of town…or, like us, both!

Try the tasty local sweets called queijadas de Sintra (custard-like cheesecakes).

 

3. The Castle of the Moors

Adventure time! I’m not sure if my kids or their grandfather were more excited for this stop. We were all thrilled to be scaling the walls of this medieval fort built between the 8th and 9th centuries located high among the mountains.

Our steep climb rewarded us with spectacular panoramic views of the lush countryside, stunning architecture and the vast ocean. The drama and thrill of this Moorish castle brought back my personal memories of walking the Great Wall of China, one of my favorite travel experiences of all time.

Note: Please use good judgment when deciding if your child is mature enough for the climb. The steps have no railings and potentially severe drops, so caution should be used. As we climbed up to the tower, there was a lot of tight hand-holding!

Visit the Castle of the Moors on your Sintra day trip. Your family will love exploring the castle’s walls and taking in the panoramic view.

4. Pena Palace (Feather Palace)

This castle delivered us right into a fairy tale! Exploring and playing in a real castle is every child’s dream. Even higher than the Castle of the Moors and nestled in Sintra’s verdant hills, the iconic Palace of Pena rises from within its exquisite park, the product of King Ferdinand II’s romantic vision that revitalized the palace from its original design.

To get to Pena Palace, we took an adorable tramcar to the entrance. This dreamlike castle is set amongst a picturesque forest, one that could have come right out of a Disney movie, filled with hundreds of species of trees from all over the world.

Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, we all were blown away by the sumptuously decorated rooms in late Victorian and Edwardian style (helpful placards explain each room). But the real highlight for my girls happened when they got to cross the dramatic drawbridge, climb the ramparts, and “stand guard” in the watchtowers. We saw gargoyles everywhere we looked! I could almost visualize the stories building in my children’s imaginations.

We were impressed to learn that the Palace is an UNESCO world heritage site and one of the seven Portuguese wonders.

Pena Palace is a real fairytale castle perfect for children to explore.

Traveling To Sintra

The very inexpensive and short train ride from Lisbon easily transports you from the city to Sintra. A cheap and easy-to-use bus system loops around from the train station to all the suggested sights. The Parques de Sintra’s website explains the various options for purchasing tickets and has information about all the above visited sights.

To Make Our Sintra Day Trip Even More Special

I created a scavenger hunt challenging my girls to see how many different animal paintings or sculptures they could find. They are EVERYWHERE in Sintra. I also had them take pictures of all the dazzling glazed tiles on the insides of the castle walls. Once home, we made a collage of their favorites.

And When You Are In Lisbon…

A convenient and delightful place to stay is Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Lisbon – Fontana Park. Also, within a few minutes walk from Lisbon’s Rossio station is the kid-friendly Hard Rock Cafe, a great place to rest your feet and recount your day of adventure.

Beguiling Sintra cast its magical spell on every member of our family. All three generations ranked our day in Sintra among the top of our two-week tour. Do NOT miss out! Allocate one day from your Lisbon trip to visit this town full of beauty, castles and adventure. Experience this amazing city…and be back in Lisbon in time for dinner and to take in the drama of seeing Rossio Square at night!

You may also enjoy:

Favorite Portugal Attractions in Vilamoura and Algarve

Algarve, Portugal Tour: PortiTours Jeep Safari

Best Family Resort in Portugal – Hilton Vilamoura Review

The post Day Trip To Sintra, Portugal – Discover The Enchantment appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Adventure Day in Desert Springs

Start your day in Desert Springs by checking into the JW Marriott. Grab a Starbucks in the lobby and plan your day of adventure!

The JW Marriott Amenities- With 5 pools, 2 Ted Robinson 18 hole golf courses, and plenty of tennis courts, you’ll never be bored. You can even play miniature golf on a course designed after the full size hotel golf courses. If you are feeling like a day by one of the many pools, you don’t even need to get up for lunch! They’ll grill you up some tacos poolside! But if staying around the hotel isn’t your style, you can rent a Harley motorcycle and head out to Joshua Tree.

A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on Jun 6, 2015 at 7:11pm PDT

Desert Adventures Tour: San Andreas Fault- Wonder why California is famous for earthquakes? Jim, the Red Jeep Adventures‘ guide, will tell you all about it as he drives you out to walk along the San Andreas Fault. When two tectonic plates slide past, over or rub together, it creates an earthquake.

The trip also focuses on Native American history, with a visit to Matate Ranch to see recreations of traditional Native American Kish homes. After driving through the beautiful desert, Lisa walked along the San Andreas which is a continental transform fault, where you can simultaneously touch two plates:  the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.

A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on Jun 7, 2015 at 8:54pm PDT

 

 

 

The Rockwood Grill– If you’ve worked up an appetite on your day in the desert, head to the Rockwood Grill for some adventurous eats. The memorable avocado margarita is a must have cocktail. Sample the catch of the day or some short ribs, but don’t miss out on the beignets and a date shake for dessert!

A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on Jun 7, 2015 at 9:51pm PDT

 

An Evening Adventure at the JW Marriot- After dinner, head to the L Bar for live music. If you’re in the mood for peace and quiet, relax on your balcony or take a gondola ride through the property! Spot the Australian black swans and Chilean flamingos from your boat!

A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on Jun 5, 2015 at 9:25pm PDT

 

 

More of Lisa Niver‘s adventures in Desert Springs:

Destination Relaxation
Hot Spots Desert Springs
Adventure Day in Desert Springs

The post Adventure Day in Desert Springs appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Zipkick Blogger: Christina Leigh Morgan

 

 

 

 

Zipkick Bloggers:  Christina Leigh Morgan from Currently Exploring

 

Where was the first place that you traveled that made you think WOW—travel is amazing (think history book come to life or …..)

The first trip after I left my sales job to pursue travel was to meet a friend in Aruba, and while she was in meetings I took a horseback tour to Conchi, a natural pool. Everyone was shocked I was there alone, and instantly opened their groups to chat with me along the way. When we arrived, I first sat on the rim, and watching the sheer joy in people’s faces as they jumped off natural volcanic rocks into this beautiful body of water under the Caribbean sun — the genuine, true, laughter, bliss and camaraderie among this group of strangers, sharing this experience together — was moving.

Of the many inherent traits people lose sight of in the bustle of societies, community is the most important. Aruba is a lush example, but travel helps bring that back.

If you had unlimited resources, where would you go and what would you do?

All of the things! I’ve always dreamed of owning a little shop in retirement, where I’d curate artisanal goods from local communities I’d connected with around the world, sharing the stories with people who came through, and donating back to support the needs of the makers. Then I wondered why I was waiting, so I’m putting the wheels motion to add that to my blog now. I’d do everything I needed to build that in a sustainable way, because I have new ideas all the time, and then I’d have means to support them too.

What were you afraid to do and how did you find the courage to overcome it?

I was terrified of leaving the stability of the corporate world, I was terrified of stepping onto foreign grounds solo for the first time, I was terrified of jumping off a cliff tied to nothing but a jerry-rigged hook 3,000 feet up Half Dome. This entire past year, I’ve been terrified in my new and unfamiliar territory as a “travel blogger.”

There are no secrets to finding courage. You just have to come to confidence that the choice you’re making is worth the risk, and leap!

What apps do you use regularly that make your life easier?
Foursquare, Hey Let’s, Lyft (not Uber), TripIt, Camp & RV, Rome2Rio, Skyscanner, Google Flights. Oh, and PlayMemories Mobile, the app that connects my phone to my camera. Critical.

What place do you wish more people have seen?
Specifically for Americans: Kyoto. The discipline, respect and incredible thoughtfulness of Japanese culture permeates the entire country, but is hardest to ignore in Kyoto. We could stand to learn a lot from Japan.

Best advice you have been given and by whom?
Don’t ever give up on a dream because of the time it will take to achieve it. The time will pass anyway.

When were you surprised by the kindness of strangers on a trip?
When I made the move to San Francisco, I arrived with two suitcases, no job, big dreams and plans to pay half of my friend’s rent in her community house for a month while I figured the rest out. The morning after I arrived, when I first met one of her many roommates in the kitchen, I learned she hadn’t shared a lick of this with them. To keep it brief, they weren’t on good terms. It was a house of some pretty alternative lifestyles, and I was an alien to them in every way… but they completely took me in and let me stay. It changed my life. 

What inspired you to travel for extended periods of time or live in a new country?
I’ve always been antsy to go, see, do, explore, but living in San Francisco, diversity was quickly woven deep into the fabric of my day-to-day. Especially through my Aussie roommates and the business world, I became acutely aware of the limits of my perspective, and needed to upgrade as soon as possible! The free-wheeling energy of the city was everything I never knew I needed. 

I am a Zipkick blogger because….
Passion and connection are all it takes, and these guys aren’t going to accept mediocrity. The Zipkick community is already so much more than a booking engine, I’m excited to be a part of it!

Christina Leigh Morgan is a San Francisco-based travel blogger, view chaser and digital strategist. Find her exploring, snapping and freelancing her way to the next adventure at currentlyexploring.com.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Foursquare | Pinterest

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Graceful in New York City: #ShareHumanity

Outside the United Nations Building in NYC, photo by Lisa Niver

On September 11, 2015, I was in New York City. I walked around the city and remembered how I had been in NYC on September 11, 2001. I was grateful that my family and I were okay on that day years ago and now.

The travel company I was working for in 2001 went bankrupt within two weeks of September 11 and while I lost my job, I was grateful as things could have been worse.

As I begin the ninth travel writing contest on We Said Go Travel, I am truly grateful for all the amazing support for the website and for me. Thank you for your support and participation. It has been truly a gift.

I hope you will consider sharing one of your stories in the current contest. In honor of September 11, I want to share about an incredible story that happened that day and about people who share hope all year long and were recognized on World Humanitarian Day.

Columbus Circle, New York City September 11, 2015

10,500 passengers from diverted flights were in Gander, Canada on September 11, 2001. One flight decided to honor how they had been cared for by the people of Gander and started a “trust fund now at more than $1.5 million and has assisted 134 students in college education…I just wanted to share this story because we need good stories right now. It gives me a little bit of hope to know that some people in a faraway place were kind to some strangers who literally dropped in on them. It reminds me how much good there is in the world.”

View of Central Park from the Mandarin Oriental September 11, 2015

World Humanitarian Day  is a day to recognize the work done by humanitarian workers around the world and an opportunity to remember those who have given their lives in the service of humanitarian causes. #ShareHumanity is a global digital storytelling campaign designed by the United Nations and partners to mark World Humanitarian Day 2015. See some of the tweets by United Nations as well as Richard Branson,  Cody Simpson and Shay Mitchell.

“We’re calling on the young and digitally-connected to help us push out these compelling stories and give a voice to the voiceless,” said Stephen O’Brien, UN Humanitarian Chief. “Young people often ask me what they can do to help and I believe we have a shared responsibility to raise awareness and help to inspire humanity on these global issues.”

The #ShareHumanity campaign hopes to build momentum towards the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit, set to take place in Istanbul next May, where heads of state, business leaders, civil society representatives, humanitarian workers and ordinary people will set in motion an agenda to better respond to and reach the tens of millions of people around the world facing life-threatening crises.

United Nations, September 11, 2015

August 19 marks the anniversary of the 2003 United Nations Headquarters bombing in Baghdad that claimed the lives of 22 people. In an effort to raise awareness of humanitarian assistance worldwide – and the people who risk their lives to provide it – the United Nations General Assembly in 2008 designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day.

United Nations and partners reported that more than half a billion Facebook and Twitter feeds participated in this show of support. “On this World Humanitarian Day, I urge everyone to show solidarity as global citizens by signing up to the #ShareHumanity campaign,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, at a special event on the eve of World Humanitarian Day. “By donating your social media feeds for just one day you can promote humanitarian action and help to give a voice to the voiceless by sharing their stories of crisis, hope and resilience.”

Choose to share your story. One person can make a difference and start a scholarship in Gander or tweet about World Humanitarian Day or enter the Gratitude Travel Writing Contest. Just begin today.

 

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Can’t Miss Hot Spots in Desert Springs

On Lisa Niver‘s trip to Desert Springs, she discovered a few local hot spots! Don’t miss out on these fun adventures for your own Desert Springs trip.

La Quinta Brewery

While La Quinta is a new brewery, Scott Stokes, the founder of La Quinta, knows what he is doing. He started in his garage in 2013, but now has extensive facilities to make his delicious brews. La Quinta offers many award winning beers, but Lisa recommends trying the Poolside!

A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on Jun 6, 2015 at 4:16pm PDT

 

VIDEO: La Quinta Brewing Company

Costas Lounge

Black Crystal Wolf Kids performed at Costas Lounge, as Lisa enjoyed the VIP section. It’s a can’t miss spot for your own evening out in Desert Springs! It has been completely redesigned, but remains the desert’s nightclub destination.

A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on Jun 6, 2015 at 10:55pm PDT

 

VIDEO: Costas Lounge

Mikado Desert Springs

Head over to this destination restaurant for creative cocktails and a unique, hibachi experience. The Hibachi Chef, Mike, was talented at both grilling dinner and putting on a show! Whether banging out a tune with his knives, cracking jokes or making an onion spout fire like a volcano, the chefs at Mikado know what they’re doing!

 

VIDEO: Mikado Restaurant

 

Lisa had a blast in Desert Springs. Don’t forget to check out these hot spots on your own trip! And stay tuned for more Desert Springs destinations!

Where to Stay: Lisa loved the JW Marriot in Desert Springs and should be your destination for ultimate relaxation!

Read more about Desert Springs in Destination Relaxation.

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Picture Perfect Australia

Picture Perfect Australia

Two months. Two whole months just for me and my surroundings. Had I done the right thing, leaving all behind and going off on my own?

I arrived at Perth Airport utterly hassled by the overrated busyness of an everyday life everybody seems to live these days. After a couple of days exploring Perth by bike, my mind settled and started to get used to the idea of those two months ahead of me. 

I picked up my rental jeep: A sturdy looking Toyota, fortunately not too big, Women seem to have difficulty in parking, even in a vast country as Australia although I dare to disagree. Figuring out the workings of the car (remember, I am still a woman) it struck me that I had completely forgotten to look at a map. Where was I actually going? I decided to just keep going and ten minutes later I hit a junction: Left or right? Right would take me to the coast, left would take me inland which probably meant: mountains.

Mountains it had to be, of course. Mountains are majestic, they trigger awe and respect; they reach up to the stars in heaven and make you aware of the world you live in. I breathe in mountains, they are the thing I so sorely miss in my flat home country. So, Stirling Range turned out to be the choice for the day. 

The trip took a considerable amount of time as I had some stocking up to do first: wine, water, coffee not necessarily in that order but all vital things to have.  Following the sun slowly turning its eternal path to the west I drove into the quiet nature reserve Stirling Range Park, skirting around quite a large snake on the dirt road. Australia: one of the most beautiful countries containing also the most deadly species of spiders and snakes. I am scared out of my wits for both.

Without any warning, the road stopped.  No sign, no explanation, nothing. The lady at the Stirling Range Retreat had said to call if I was in any trouble or needed directions. She warned me to be sure to arrive before nightfall. Seeing the sun setting rapidly, I decided not to be the tough, cool one and just call. Besides, females understand each other perfectly when they are lost.

Arriving at the Retreat the camp was almost deserted except for two campers parked with their noses to the sunset I just missed. She happily offered me to crash anywhere I liked: sleep in my car, pitch a tent or treat myself and take a small cabin, bare but with a shower. I took the latter and after a glass of fine Australian Pinot Noir accompanied by a turkey sandwich, I dreamt of into the Dreamland I was in.

The next day Bluff Knoll had to be climbed. Its rugged summit dominated the view from the retreat and I started off early in the morning to avoid the heat. This is what I came for wasn’t it?

The climb was a good one, not too difficult or exhausting although trying to stay in shape back home, does help. On my way up I reminded myself to renew my subscription to the tennis club back home. Oversized black lizards lazily turned their eyes on me when passing and colorful birds accompanied me along the way. After two hours I reached the top and was rewarded with a stunning view, silencing my thoughts to cherish the here and now: free to do as I pleased in an oversized country full of exquisite nature for the coming two months. On that summit I realised the Irish poet Yeats was right: “the world is indeed full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper”. 

After returning, the afternoon was a lazy one: pouring over my guidebooks, looking at road maps and just gazing at my surroundings. Nobody to answer to, nobody to worry about and a phone utterly out of reach.     

The sunset I missed the day before, was one I had never experienced and maybe never will. It was picture perfect, fit for a postcard nobody would believe to be real. I made around twenty pictures to be sure I had not dreamt it all.  The night fell quickly and turned into a carpet with thousands of stars winking at me, saying: you came to the right place. Gazing at this otherworldly sky I remembered another line of Yeats: “When one gets quiet, then something wakes up inside one, something happy and quiet like the stars.”  It did. The road took me to the right place.

About the author ​Cécile Riphagen

As General Manager of an international non-profit organisation for international taxation with members across the globe, I have to travel extensively which I consider one of the most beautiful gifts I could get in a job. It has brought me to several places I visited again at leisure. It has also taught me to use my time wisely: Travelers have a prioritized agenda to work on in the event of an unscheduled disruption. For the real traveller there is no such thing as dead time. That is how the writing of stories began.

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Wharton

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