South Africa Travel Guide: Johannesburg and Safari!

Welcome to my wildly long and detailed retelling of our 2 week trip through South Africa in April of 2023. If you’re starting here, you may want to go back and read:

Days 1 - 4: Journey From Hell, But Ultimate Arrival in Cape Town
Days 5 - 5: The Wine Tram in Franschhoek and Activities in Plettenberg Bay

If you’re caught up, let’s dive back in. We arrived in Johannesburg and the next morning, I was up and anxiously awaiting “a ride” to come and get me for my Soweto tour. I knew basically no information, but as most things seemed to do in South Africa, it just worked out.

DAY ELEVEN

A TOUR OF SOWETO

A driver named Isaac picked me up from the hotel and on our drive to Soweto, told me that many South Africans were sad to learn about what R Kelly had done because they really loved him! Fun fact.

At Lebo’s, where the tour started, we kicked things off by singing The Lion Sleep’s tonight which was written in Soweto’s streets.

Touring a township was important to me, but it’s certainly a moral conundrum and ethical issue for some people. My experience with Lebo’s tour was absolutely incredible and I’m so glad I ultimately decided to go for it - but it’s a personal decision for everyone to make! Allison stayed at the hotel and lounged at the pool and that was a totally valid call on her part, too. Having a great grandmother who grew up in Johannesburg, I felt some personal responsibility to see Soweto.

Our tour guide, Linda, got us set with bikes and then took us first to Lebo’s camping grounds, whose hilltop location afforded a view over all of Soweto. 2+ million people and 41 individual areas exist within the township - the majority of people own or were given there homes. 8 Soweto citizens are white.

We saw the Orlando towers which apparently you can bungee jump from and Linda assured us there would be black people below watching white tourists do this and laughing. The towers also act as advertisement space.

Linda pointed out Orlando Stadium, which was used as the practice facility during the 2010 World Cup which is when a lot of the corruption that now persists in South African government really began. They promised they would building hospitals and employ 20 people, but then they would hire 10 people, pocket the rest of the money, and the 10 people now working there would be in a terrible, overworked position.

For the World Cup, 500 apartments were built that the community has refused to move into for the principal of it. They were supposed to be free, and then they announced that they were in fact “rent to buy” (it would take 20 years of tenting to own it). While rent to buy sounds like an amazing proposition to me personally as a New York City renter, the solidarity of the community to say “no, that is not what we were promised and we are not moving into these” is amazing to me. The private company that built them has spent 13 years paying for 24/7 security so there are no squatters.

Linda also pointed out his home down below and let us know that he’s a Pirates fan - the two major teams are the Orlando Pirates and the Kaizer Chiefs (we are talking football, or soccer, here).

We also saw the “mine piles” - dusty mountains that were blowing so much dirt into Soweto that they started planting on top of it and refer to them as “their Table Mountain.”

We stopped by some pretty down-and-out looking buildings, “hostels,” but Linda made sure to explain to us that these people aren’t necessarily poorer, they’re just in buildings that are state owned which means they can’t make improvements as easily as others. They may have a 5-10 minute walk to a community bathroom or figure out a way to run water and share with multiple families nearby. These hostels were made for mine workers and used to house 8 miners!

As we biked through Soweto, Linda told us we might be referred to as “Umlungu” - a non offensive term for a white person and that we should respond with, “yebo!” We also learned how to say hello in Zulu which is a very-fun-to-say “sanibonani!” “Shop shop” is slang for “all is good.”

We stopped at a farm stand and tried some of their popular snacks (amakipkip) and I was bummed I hadn’t bought more cash with me as part of the goodwill surrounding these tours is that it gets people into the community and buying from the various street vendors. If you visit Soweto, bring cash and support the local vendors!

Linda made a side mission to his girlfriend’s nail lady to make her an appointment - it was a tent set up amidst a ton of other “shops.”

There was absolutely no sense of pity from our tour guide. These are hard working people who are doing what they need to do to survive and it was really difficult during COVID because they weren’t supposed to be out and about and there was no one to sell to.

We started asking Linda about his girlfriend and he got into a description of “lobolo” which is a bride price, dating back to a price as it related to cows. He explained that things like a college education, or a master’s degree, was equal to “more cows.” The two families sit down to negotiate a cost AND the men are still expected to buy an engagement ring. Linda, at the time, wanted to propose to his girlfriend who he had met at university where they both studied adventure tourism.

I asked a question about bikes - we saw so many people walking, and I wondered why more people didn’t use bikes to get around. Linda explained that they’re expensive and women look at men with bikes and say, “Oh, he doesn’t own a car.”

It seemed so serendipitous that Linda had started an organization in Soweto to get kids into swimming, running and mountain biking!! I was in awe.

We stopped by a tuck shop (convenience store) and shebeen (bar) as we continued our conversations and learning.

Minibuses in South Africa use a system of hand symbols - and I thought the MTA bus system was confusing! The owner of the vehicles charges around 600 rand a week (equivalent to about 32 USD) to people who wish to be a driver. Once they pay back that 600 rand, they’re free to keep any other income (and may be given a small salary for slow weeks). There are certain owners that own certain routes, and what used to be a pretty wild-west-situation is now more regulated.

We stopped by a school and learned that while kindergarten is not free, after that, education is free. Healthcare is also free, but there can be long waits for appointments so some people opt to pay for private insurance.

There are many people living in Soweto who could leave Soweto, but they don’t. Which just goes to show how proud people are of where they come from.

We stopped by the Memorial for Hector Pieterson - a 12 year old schoolboy who was shot and killed during the Soweto uprising which was obviously a sobering stop of the tour - it reminded me of another amazing book about South Africa that I read called “Hum If You Don’t Know the Words.”

Our last stop was the only street in the world home to two Nobel Prize Winners - Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu’s houses were SO close to each other. Fun fact, Nelson Mandela’s family buried the family’s umbilical cords in the backyard!

Right in this area Linda pointed out the restaurant that his would-be girlfriend yelled his name from while he gave a tour which led to their reconnection! AW!

Overall, the tour was amazing. I asked if tours in general have support in Soweto and Linda said that tours like ours, where we are out, interacting have better response than tour buses that just drive through with people looking and pointing out windows. I can definitely see where that feels icky!

We finished with a delicious meal cooked by Andile of potjie and carrot salad and I think it might have been one of my favorite meals of the trip. I also loved watching Linda eat with his hands - far from feeling weird or rude it seemed so natural when he did it!

the apartheid museum

Isaac was waiting and brought me to the Apartheid Museum where I met up with Allison and we went through the full museum reading EVERYTHING, absolutely enthralled. It was such an amazing museum, I’m so glad we took the time to really go through everything.

I’ve never learned so much about a country while traveling - and I think South Africa was different because it’s history is so alive and so much a part of its present. Everyone has lived through so much change, conflict, reconciliation and struggle in such a condensed period of time that it feels wrong to use the word history.

Apartheid was the “perfecting” of institutionalized racism. The Afrikaner National Party drew from the Jim Crow South, Naziism and the Caste System and came up with a mega system of segregation whereby the white minority (~14%) ruled over a black majority. Black South Africans were forcibly relocated, had to carry passbooks or risk being arrested and interracial relations were made illegal.

How could a white minority enact these sweeping policies? For one - guns and money. But the most powerful tool they used was the concept of “Divide and Conquer.” There are 11 official languages in South Africa. 11 different tribal groups with different cultures, languages, history, beliefs and reasons to not get along. Afrikaners used this to their advantage to keep South Africa’s apartheid system in place for 45 years. Ultimately, Anti-Apartheid activists like Nelson Mandela, Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu, Robert Sobukwe, Steve Biko, Joe Slovo and more were successful in uniting a nation behind the common cause of true democracy and freedom for all.

On May 29, 1994, Nelson Mandela was democratically elected as the first black president of South Africa.

And that’s where the story ends in most American history books. A, “and then they lived happily ever after - black and white South Africans holding hands and skipping off into the sunset” the underlying subtext.

I can’t help but feel that when apartheid ended, what lay ahead was even more complicated - effective democracy and functioning society. And that’s never a black and white issue, it’s all about the shades of gray. It just goes to show how incredibly useless dividing people according to race is. It’s still a country with millions of unique individuals all with different ideas for South Africa’s future and the best way to get there.

Learning all this history while experiencing the reality of present-day South Africa was complicated, especially as a white woman. South African society still seems to be extremely segregated. I had to constantly reckon with the prevailing message that the “safe” areas are the white areas (because yes, there are still areas that are majority white - even in a country where only 7.7% of the population is white). I had to constantly question why all the nice houses were wrapped in barbed wire fences. Why my hotel was gated with a 24-hour guard. Why people were walking on the highways (only 30% of South Africans own cars) and why white South Africans we met were talking about their maids.

Of course, nothing is as simple as it seems. While my initial reaction was physical discomfort at the black woman working as a maid at our bed and breakfast - the reality is that South Africa has an unemployment rate of 36.8% for black South Africans. Am I meant to take the attitude of “Well at east it’s a job?” That felt icky too, especially when in comparison, the white South Africans’ unemployment rate is a much lower 7.8%. I found that I had to stop myself from feeling sorry for people multiple times. Especially during my township tour in Soweto. Yes there are corrugated tin shacks and people still using buckets as bathrooms. But after spending a day there, the overwhelming feeling that I had was that they are proud of their community. And they should be. The strides taken in 29 years are impressive. One street is home to two Nobel Prize winners (I was shocked at how close Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu’s houses were!) And most reports conclude that Soweto is safer than 97% of South African cities (this stat made more impressive by the fact that in 1976 the NYT wrote an article titled, “Crime Rate in Soweto Among World’s Highest”).

I left feeling that the people of Soweto and all of South Africa have something that I am incredibly jealous of - the ability to be happy with less. Less physical belongings, less creature comforts, less of the bullshit. They also have more in so many ways. More time with friends and family. A greater sense of community and commitment to that community.

In South Africa, children call their cousins brother and sister. Families live together, sometimes forever. They’re there for each other first and foremost.

The philosophy of ubuntu resonated with me so deeply - “I am because we are.” Life is about our relationships with others. We are human because of our relationships with other. The warmth of the ubuntu philosophy was felt throughout our travels, in all of our interactions. It makes me mad to see US politicians coopting this term in speeches when to me, it is so far from the “rugged individualism” that American thrives on.

For all that South Africa still has to overcome, their legacy of reconciliation is truly inspiring. Following apartheid, the black majority was not out for blood from their Afrikaner oppressors. Reading stories from the Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner, I was flabbergasted that politicians agreed to this. That a whole nation bought in. So many times, in museums and on tours, Allison and I just looked at each other and said, “We could never have been this forgiving.” It’s beautiful. And I also understand why it’s not for everyone. It’s reconciliation at the cost of justice. It’s complicated. Like so many things I’ve just reflected about are. This is the most complex, beautiful, compassionate, complicated country. It has so many challenges and issues, as all countries do, but I really want to see South Africa succeed. If the people we met along the way are an indication, I believe that they will. Zulu umuntu numuntu ngabantu. Recommended Reading: When Racial Progress Comes for White Liberals.

After the museum, we went to the neighborhood Parkhurst neighborhood where there was a road absolutely filled with bars and restaurants. We strolled for awhile before picking one out - which I cannot remember for the life of me, even after pouring over Google Maps. After dinner, we got ourselves some ice cream before heading back to the hotel.

We went to bed feeling like it was Christmas morning, because our SAFARI was going to start the next morning.

DAY TWELVE

THE START OF OUR SAFARI

Before we got to drive among the animals on African Safari, we had to get there. Another long travel day, but we were excited so it really didn’t seem too bad despite being a 5 hour journey.

Naledi had arranged for a company called “Swift” to handle our transport from Joburg airport to Bulela Game Reserve where Naledi is located (close to Kruger, but not technically part of it).

It was stressful because we were at a bus hub at the airport with tons of different shuttles and buses constantly pulling up and we had no idea what company we were supposed to be looking for. I called Kjell the Naledi owner and he answered right away and we found our little bus/van thing.

The shuttle was 6 hours and packed with people but we had a rest stop every 2 hours (we continued to be in awe at how clean the rest stops were).

When we finally go to the Naledi gate after dropping off people at various other stops, our guide Vuyanni was there waiting for us! He brought us the remaining 15 minutes through the reserve to the lodge and on that drive we saw an ELEPHANT spraying himself with water. We were off to a GREAT start and then it got better because we dropped our stuff and sat down for lunch surrounded by the sassiest monkeys trying to steal our food and they said they aren’t there every day so I know they were visiting especially for me!

Lunch was a crispy chicken sandwich with potato wedges and a LUNCH DESSERT. I love lunch dessert.

Then we got dressed and it was time for our first game drive! Ah!

The evening game drives definitely ended up being my favorite and we saw water buffalo and SO MANY LIONS. They were walking right in front of us and I don’t think I ever expected to be that close to a lion in my entire life. I never realized on safari you are THAT FUCKING CLOSE to the animals!

As it got darker our tracker Sydwell even somehow managed to spot a chameleon in a tree…in the dark! I think my favorite though might have been the frog hopping alongside us that for some reason cracked me up beyond belief. The way his legs were sprawling behind him with every leap - how embarrassing if you had to hop around like a frog?!

It’s cool how the tracker looks around, looks for tracks, and listens for signs like bird calls and other animals’ behavior to figure out what animals might be in the area.

Sundowners that night was near a little structure fairly close to Naledi. “Sundowners” is a chance to stretch your legs and enjoy a gin & tonic, jerky, dried fruits, nuts, chips, chocolate. We talked a lot about COVID which Vuyanni joked was a “rich person disease.”

Then we went back to the lodge to a beautiful dinner spread which our guide joined us for. The white South African couple we were with talked a LOT about all of their safari experiences which was cool because they clearly were passionate about it but I also was loling because she kept repeating herself, “we don’t chase the animals,” and saying her son’s name (Sean Douglas) over and over again - two simple words that will now cause Allison and I to crack up if we text each other.

Then the chef came out to explain our meal to us - pork loin with corn bread and maize - and introduced herself as Chef DooDoo and I felt so immature but I was physically biting my lips to stop from laughing.

That night we were also joined by a black South African family - a woman with her daughter and parents. We stayed and talked for awhile and got to bed probably around 11. The next morning we were up with a knock on our door at 5:00 AM!

DAY TWELVE

FULL SAFARI DAY!

After at 5:00 AM wake-up-knock at our door, we were into the main building by 5:15 AM for some coffee and rusks (South African breakfast cookies that I loved) before heading out for our morning game drive.

The morning drive didn’t prove to be too great for us - we saw lots of impala and spent a lotttt of time looking for the wild dogs which we had learned about at dinner the night before and were apparently very rare!

We did see a hippo walk into the water though!

We had an amazing breakfast buffet when we got back - complete with curious little monkeys. The spread included fruit, muffins, toast, juices, yogurt, and an omelet with sausage.

After breakfast we had the option of chilling, going on a game walk or doing a bush hide and chose the hide. Essentially, they drove us out into the bush, left us in a tall wooden tower structure, told us to come down and pee if we needed to, left us with a walkie talkie and said - SEE YA IN A FEW HOURS! We hung out with our binoculars hoping something came around to the water hole below us. We saw some cool birds (one that I named the worm bird, it was wild) and saw lots of elephants parading around off in the distance! And obviously did a photo shoot. It was so cool and a little scary being out there alone, listening to the sounds, and knowing there were literally lions, leopards, rhinos, etc. out there.

Then we had only a little time to relax and I REALLY wish we had had an extra day. I would have loved the next day to not do a hide or a walk and just sit at the pool (even though the pool wasn’t thatttt appealing looking - I would say that was my only complaint because otherwise, the grounds at Naledi were amazing. We had to keep pinching ourselves that we got such a personalized, beautiful experience for such an affordable price!)

Soon enough it was time for lunch on the upper deck and we were joined with lots of elephants at the water hole including BABIES!! It was surreal eating lunch with elephants so close by.

The game drive on night two would prove to be the highlight FOR SURE.

The first exciting thing was Allison spotting the silhouette of a REALLY TALL giraffe. I felt like I was getting a glimpse of the Loch Ness Monster! As we got a little closer the sun hit it’s patterned fur and I honestly teared up a little it was so majestic. We couldn’t get that close, but as we drove we came across two smaller giraffes chilling with some zebras! The zebras are smart and hang out with the giraffes, who can see predators coming due to their height. Or, their heads’ height!

We continued on and not much was happening other than STUNNING views of the Olifant river at sundown with hippos playing in the water below. The sun set and we stopped for sundowners, which made me sad because it meant we were going to turn around and head back to the lodge afterwards and our last evening game drive would be over.

I saw something walking in the distance and Allison and I both tried getting the guides’ attention as they set up the snack table but no one seemed concerned. Then we heard things and I don’t know, the vibes were off. Then our fellow safari goer had walked off to pee and when he came back, he was making eyes with the guides and whispering. We were joking if there was a lion out there, we would run into the truck but then ultimately…we started hearing low lions roar and the guides admitted that a male lion had literally walked right past us on his way to the water. HOLY SHIT. They casually said OK now that we are done get in the car and we will go see him…

We drove a bit, not that far, but far enough where I felt at least a LITTLE better about the fact that I was just standing there in the dark drinking a gin and tonic as Mufasa strolled by.

The closeness we got to this male lion was honestly terrifying. I couldn’t breathe. And them shining the lights in his eyes was making me sad and I felt like this is unnatural, that this lion is just laying here. I had tears in my eyes from awe and fear and a little bit of overwhelm, like, should this be happening?

Then the lion started roaring and there were literally vibrations. It didn’t seem real, I immediately thought of Disney animatronics. I still can’t believe the whole thing happened. And then, he just got up and walked away.

WOW. That had certainly put the cherry on top of the evening game drive! But it wasn’t over yet…

Because as we got about 10 minutes back in the direction of Naledi Lodge, our guides got a radio call that there was a leopard and without thinking about the time, we turned around and rushed towards the location.

It was really awesome seeing how all of the guides from various lodges work together and are in constant communication via radio out in the bush. They follow strict rules, like not allowing more than 2 or 3 trucks up close to a certain animal at any given time, and take turn so that everyone has their opportunity. I really appreciated how the guides always seemed just as excited as the guests about spottings!

We waited a bit for our turn up close with the leopard, and when it came we approached pretty quickly which caused the leopard to get up and walk away. I thought, “Oh well, at least I got a glimpse!” But Vuyanni was determined to find him again and we did some extreme off-roading for a good amount of time bit it paid off and we found the leopard sleeping and got to watch for a few minutes. The leopard laying with it’s eyes closed totally chill while we sat there with a light on it made me feel a little better about them saying the animals really don’t mind the trucks.

Then it really was time to head back (we came SO close to a hippo butt on the side of the path) and Allison and I were high on life and could not stop laughing when we got back which was awkward because everyone was seated around a fire waiting for our return so they could eat and we strolled up so loud and excited and they probably were like omg these obnoxious American girls!

Dinner was so delicious and TK talked about the different languages, different Xhosa clicks, poijke, etc. and even performed Pata Pata for us.

DAY THIRTEEN

GOODBYE SAFARI, BACK TO JOBURG

The next morning was our final game drive…so sad! We started out with BABY ELEPHANTS up close and I was squealing I couldn’t help it. Their little trunks!!!! I could have sat there all day watching.

But we started looking for a rhino, the last of our big five that we were missing. Sadly, no rhinos were spotted but again the chase of the wild dogs was on. I didn’t care about them that much and the new couple that had joined us were pissed we weren’t stopping to look at birds. But we did end up finding the wild dogs after lots of chaotic, fast driving that kind of went against the whole “we don’t chase animals” but…there are only about 500 wild dogs (not hyenas) left in the wild and they’re one of the world’s most endangered mammals so it was a big win especially to find them staying still for a bit!

On the way in to the lodge we were stopped by a BABY ELLIE and protective, trumpeting mom. Didn’t love that eventually, Vuyanni drove past the mom even though she was clearly agitated.

When we got back they had our breakfast out quickly because we had to check out and get driven to the gate by 9:40 to be picked up by the shuttle. Our second breakfast was fruit, rolls, toast, juices, yogurt and eggs with bacon, beans, etc.

Then we were told, “Oh actually you were supposed to be at the gate at 9:40…oops!” Luckily, they held the shuttle for us!

The safari was a once in a lifetime experience, but I would gladly do it again!

We absolutely loved our time at Naledi, though we obviously can’t compare it to anywhere else. We learned that guides and trackers typically work 24 days on and then have a week off - it can take them up to 5 hours to make it home for that week off because they don’t have cars and need to wait for mini buses to be full to take them where they’re going!

Make sure to tip your trackers and guides! (20 USD per couple per day to your guide and 15 USD per couple per day to your tracker!)

Our daily schedule while ~on safari was:

• 5:00 AM - Wake up to a knock on our door

• 5:15 AM - Meet in the dining area for coffee and rusks

• 5:30 AM - 8:30 AM - Morning game drive with a stop for coffee/Amarula (like Bailey’s) and more rusks

• 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - Freshen up

• 9:00 AM - Breakfast - a huge spread. Our first breakfast included fruit, muffins, toast, juices, yogurt, and an omelet with sausage.

• 10:30 AM - Leisure time - we chose to go on a game hide

• 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM - Poolside reading

• 2:00 PM - Lunch

• 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM - Evening Game Drive with a stop for “sundowners” (gin & tonic, jerky, dried fruits, nuts, chips, chocolate) and a chance to stretch our legs.

• 8:00 PM - Dinner with the other guests at the lodge (and on night one our guide joined us!) We seriously ate each more other than breakfast in a different spot on the property which was so fun and added a nice touch!

The shuttle journey back to Johannesburg was uneventful and we got back to our hotel, ate dinner at the hotel restaurant, and went to bed.

DAY FOURTEEN

CONSTITUTION HILL

Our final day in Johannesburg we went to a guided tour of Constitution Hill where I learned a ton about the South African government.

Then, we spent the rest of our time before our late night flight shopping and haggling at a local craft market and enjoying one final meal in the Rosebank area.

Luckily, our journey home was a lot less eventful than our journey TO South Africa.

reflecting

What an incredible trip. I came to South African excited to see animals and stunning landscapes and to eat new foods and drink cheap wine. But those are not the things that I will remember most.

I’ll remember Bongani from South Africa Airways who took it upon himself to help us for 5+ hours finding our lost luggage and getting it on a plane from Johannesburg to Cape Town and not leaving the airport until he saw it in our hands.

I’ll remember Andile from Local Knowledge Travel who made our one day in Cape Town absolutely perfection from start to finish. Sure there were the sea lions and the Cape of Good Hope and the sundowners at Chapman’s Peak but what will stick with me are the open, candid conversations about everything from LGBTQUA issues to abortion.

I’ll remember Vinthi from Nothando Backpackers in Plett who worked all day on a literal feast for us and the Belgian group staying there. We talked for hours about everything under the sun and her parting words of “stay left and drive left” were perfection.

I’ll remember Romeo and Franco from Untouched Adventures whistling Christmas songs, flipping our lilos and asking if Florida is really that weird (yes).

And I will never forget Linda who shared his city in a way that truly cannot be expressed. I won’t forget the excitement in his eyes talking about his girlfriend and wanting to propose…showing us where they reconnected after college. Joking about ice hockey players being crazy. And feeling comfortable enough to ask, “how do people really feel about us being here and taking tours?”

I’ll remember the way every single person we passed in Soweto had a greeting (sunabonani), a smile or a wave when they could have way more easily had suspicion or anger.

Alongside memories or close encounters with lions and elephants and giraffes I will remember Vuyani’s nonstop laughter and shared excitement at every animal spotting - even after 15 years as a safari guide.

Up until our final Uber ride, where our driver answered our long list of questions abut load shedding as he navigated Joburg’s stoplightless streets.

As cliche as it sounds - South Africa changed me. I wish everyone had these opportunities. And I’m so grateful!

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South Africa Travel Guide: Franschhoek Wine Tram and Plettenberg Bay

If you missed the first installation of our South Africa travel adventures - you can read about days 1-4 here. Spoiler alert - the first three days of the trip were spent in various airports.

When I left off we had finally had an amazing day exploring Cape Town and managed to make it to Franschhoek via Uber at around 10 PM.

Having found no restaurants open for dinner, we enjoyed a gourmet meal of snacks purchased at the Atlanta airport.

DAY FIVE

FRANSCHHOEK WINE TRAM

We woke up in our adorable bed and breakfast and were treated to an amazing spread complete with fresh eggs cooked to order.

Everything was looking up, despite the fact that it was torrentially downpouring and incredibly windy. It calmed down outside by the time we had to leave to walk to the wine tram so I rolled up my pants (because the world’s worst feeling is wet pant bottoms) and we took in the adorable town - fully realizing that we were in South Africa’s fall season and all of the trees were changing colors!

I had done a ton of research into which Wine Tram line to take, and I’m sure it was overkill considering any of the vineyards in this area are a delight. The options are Blue, Orange, Red and Navy and we ended up booking the Red Line, mainly because I wanted to do one of the picnics at Holden Manz. Unfortunately, with the weather, our picnic did not happen.

Our first stop was Le Lude, whose bubbly brut was a perfect way to start the day, especially considering it was 9:52 AM (this should give you some indication of how the day would turn out for me, after having been living the alcohol-free life for 7 months). We told ourselves it was basically a mimosa and the day was officially underway!

It stayed rainy on and off throughout the day, but it didn’t stop us from visiting 5 vineyards.

After Le Lude, we went to Maison Estate which had such a nice backyard/outdoor area with chickens running around. We sat inside though, and enjoyed a flight. It was wild how quick the staff are when you walk in the door, knowing that people want to get through a flight in the hour they have before the tram comes back to take them to the next place.

Stop #3 was Lynx. I liked this one because we were greeted with a glass of red wine as we stepped off the tram! This is also the stop where we got fancy and paired our wine with some oysters and other light bites. They took Allison’s food allergies very seriously and had her write them all down - you love to see it!

The tram-rides between vineyards had jaw-dropping views of mountains in the distance and at one point we were even treated to a rainbow!

Stop #4 is where things went off the rails a bit for me - I ordered like $300 worth of wine and had it shipped back to Long Island so I guess I was really feeling the grapes at Grand Provence! Our waiter was great at his job, clearly! (I would spend weeks wondering if, in my drunkeness, I had even provided the right address and if i would ever see any of that wine. It did eventually arrive!)

At that point it would have been wise to call things quits but we soldiered on to the final spot - Rickety Bridge. I don’t remember much from this stop if we are being honest other than the fact that we had struck up conversation with some fellow drunk travelers (also American, shocker!)

The price of each of the flights varies from vineyard to vineyard, but I don’t think we ever paid more than $15. The conversion rate was seriously insane.

Such a lovely way to spend the day, and if I ever go back I will know to take things wayyyy easier.

We ended the day with a pizza from some place in town and then I zombie walked my way back to the bed and breakfast with a quick stop at the grocery store for supplies for the morning. When I say I zombie walked, what I mean is Allison sherpa-ed my drunk ass and got me back safely. Lucky for me the night was still young so I had plenty of time to drink water.

DAY SIX

BUS TO PLETTENBERG BAY

Thank God we had started drinking wine so early in the morning - it meant that despite overdoing it, I got plenty of sleep because the next days logistics were again not super easy.

I had done so much work on this itinerary in 2019 - knowing that we wanted to deal with a rental car as little as possible (the whole driving on the other side of the road thing coupled with high rates of car jacking being a bit of a deterrent). It wasn’t necessarily simple and I definitely had some anxiety surrounding this next bit of transportation in particular. We were setting off from Franschhoek and headed along what is known as the “Garden Route” to Plettenberg Bay.

Before we left on our wine tram, we had pre-arranged for a car service to bring us from our bed and breakfast to the Intercape bus stop bright and early (like 5:30 AM early).

Our driver was there right on time and just as friendly as everyone else we had encountered up until that point.

Then, a small mini van with a trailer hitched to it pulled up and were like “Uhh…is this what we are on for 8 hours?” they explained that this van was taking us to another bus stop (Paarl) where we would link up with the full size coach bus to Plett.

We didn’t really have a choice so we gave them our suitcases (still feeling very sensitive about letting them out of our sight…) and off we went!

We stopped at a gas station/bus stop and the driver was really nice since we were clearly the out-of-place tourists. He told us to hang tight and he would let us know when our bus was there.

Right on time it pulled up and we were off on our journey. We were amazed at how well everything ran - right on time and all of the rest stops were absolutely pristine. I-95 could never.

I wasn’t expecting the ride to be so beautiful - I wanted to read but the views were just too good (I did manage to finish Young Mungo though). It was calling for a ~listen to music, look out the window, have a main character moment which is what I did between naps (again…very hungover but surprisingly functional).

We went from mountains to ultimately driving along the coast with the ocean on our right hand side as we went further south. After about 8 hours we arrived in Plettenberg Bay but the travel logistics weren’t quite done yet. There was no Uber in Plettenberg Bay so we were calling various cab companies as we stood at a gas station. Someone picked up and said someone would be there soon (thanks Charlton!) and it was a quick wait and we were on our way to Beacon Isle Resort where we picked up our rental car. They were SO thorough in checking it and recording any marks.

Finally it was time for Allison to shine - getting in the car and driving on the opposite side of the road. The moment she had been waiting for. (AKA dreading). YIKES. I’m sure it was terrifying as the driver but it wasn’t sunshine and rainbows as the passenger either!

We checked into Nothando Backpackers and couldn’t believe how well things had gone (we really did have PTSD from the beginning of the trip and were just waiting for more things to go wrong!) We got settled and spoke with the owner to make sure it was safe to walk around (he assured us it was). We walked towards the water to a beachfront restaurant (Lookout Deck) and enjoyed a decent meal with a more than decent view of the ocean! (There was a “matric” dance happening in the main part of the restaurant which we came to find out is what they call their prom!)

We were in early and both started reading Born a Crime which I had already read most of before, but being in South Africa and reading it was an entirely different, incredible, amazing experience. I didn’t want to put it down and it was making SO MANY THINGS click that we had seen and experienced thus far.

DAY SEVEN

SNORKELING WITH SEALS

In the morning we woke up to chilly and rainy weather but headed into town for breakfast at Le Fournil. I got sourdough with ricotta and figs and honey and it was delicious (and $6!). Cannot go wrong with that combination!

Then we walked to the beach for snorkeling with seals through Offshore Adventures. We were greeted by a man that guessed our US shoe size perfectly but was keeled over in excruciating stomach pain and we felt so bad for him! He let us know he had called in for backup but got us all situated with wetsuits, flippers, etc. Our new tour guide Red arrived and took us and 5 other swimmers/3 observers out with skipper Jared on a zodiac that was launched into the water by…tractor.

The way that the boat was launched was wild, basically a tractor ramming us into the waves as they broke. Allison got drenched! We were told all about the fact that spotters are constantly on the lookout for sharks at this particular beach which kind of put our minds at ease but also just reminded us of how common sharks are in the waters that we were about to swim in full of their favorite snack - Cape fur seals.

As we approached Roberg Peninsula we saw HUNDREDS of little cape fur seals on the rocks and in the water. There are 8,000 as part of the Robberg peninsula colony but the smaller groups are called rafts. They have four layers of fur - 3 to keep warm and the fourth is a waterproof layer to keep dry. 2,000 hairs per cubic…something?

After a bumpy ride out to the seal colony, there wasn’t much of a safety of instructional spiel. We pretty much plopped ourselves over the side of the boat without much fan fair! The water didn’t feel as cold as I thought it would - it actually felt way worse when it was time to come out of the water and ride back in the wind while soaking wet.

The seals were SO CUTE - essentially little puppies in the water! I gotta say snorkeling is still not my favorite activity and I mainly stayed above water looking at them. There were even babies still learning how to swim!

They couldn’t have been less bothered by us swimming around with them - we were in the water for about 30 minutes and I feel like towards the end they were starting to think of us as friends and were coming closer and acting more playful.

It was a cold, rainy ride back to the beach full of bumps and shivering - but hot showers awaited us and I am so glad I decided to do this despite my reservations. I can confirm that I still don’t LOVE snorkeling, but it was way better (and warmer) than expected and the seals were so cool (and noisy!)

After snorkeling with seals the plan was to head to Robberg to hike, but the weather really wasn’t cooperating so instead, after we showered and changed we went back to Le Fournil to try their almond croissants. WOWOWOW. Holy hell, they were out of this world. Truly no need to go to Paris, I know they won’t compare.

We walked and shopped around town and eventually headed back to the hostel, changed, and went to Old Nick Village where I got too many textiles from the Mungo Mill - a really sustainable working mill that makes incredibly beautiful things. In retrospect, totally worth the money as the pillowcase on my couch is a daily reminder of this magical trip and I know my parents still have the hand towels I got them out in their kitchen. Old Nick Village also had a nursery, flower shop, clothing store and a few other places that we checked out.

Back at the hostel I did a workout, showered and relaxed before dinner at The Fat Fish. This was one of our nicer meals of the trip and despite drinks, appetizers, entrees and dessert we struggled to spend $50 total for the two of us. Fat Fish was also packed with…white people. Again, so jarring.

Allison and I had so many conversations during this trip as we learned more and more about South Africa, through books we were reading or conversations we were having. So many terrible things we came to realize - mainly, that the Dutch actively studied racism and segregation in other countries to figure out what worked “best” and then came back to make the most racist system of all racist systems - apartheid. Black people in South Africa couldn’t live anywhere but homelands and townships and the Bantu education system kept Black South Africans from learning English.

Our hostel owner tonight told us that 54% of people voted to end apartheid, which means that the other 48% wanted to uphold it (this is in 1990, remember).

I was wondering why the people I’ve met in my travels so often make me feel like, “Where are all the right wing awful people? I have this false sense that everyone thinks like me!” But it’s because we are making friends with the waitress Donna and the Indian hostel owner Vinthi - not the Afrikaaner eating dinner next to us (we would have our interactions with this group later on in the trip…)

Vinthi, the sweetest woman, was saying that she has mixed opinions on America based on who has stayed at the hostel, to which I said: “We have mixed opinions about American too!” hahah

DAY EIGHT

ROBBERG PENINSULA AND WALKING WITH ELEPHANTS

This day felt like it couldn’t possibly be real. I got to go on one of the most beautiful hikes of my life AND feed and walk with elephants.

We started with a leisurely breakfast at Le Fournil (again, duh) and then went and did the 6ish mile hike at Robberg Peninsula. I would plan on arriving early for parking.

The first half was deceptively easy - the return was a lot of navigating rocks and not the easiest to follow the trail across sandy beaches with no trail markers.

It got super sunny and warm for us and the views were amazing - 360 degrees the entire way! We felt like we walked through 5 different landscapes and we even saw a seal snorkel trip down below (the same we had been on the day before).

I was stressed about the time which sucked and in an ideal world that would have been the only thing to do that day and we could have brought lunch and books and bathing suits and swam on the secret, stunning beach but we had to get back and go to Knysna Elephant Park!!

Sadly there were no babies, but we got to do the feeding experience AND walk with them and learned a lot. It felt a little tainted after the fact, now that we have heard from some locals that they don’t love the place, but to an obvious outside it seemed well-run. I didn’t love that the guides had sticks to direct the elephants- the elephants must know those mean something…

But walking so close to an elephant was incredible and their trunks were seriously like a whole separate animal! I watched Keisha’s trunk as much as a watched her head!

Elephants have no predators and my favorite fact was they are known to knock down trees to help other animals get to them to eat! They can live to 80 and usually die from old age because they lose their teeth. Female elephants carry babies for 22 MONTHS! African ellies have five front toes and four back toes and two little grabbers on their trunk which distinguish them from Asian elephants. Today, their trunks are genetically smaller because of poaching.

I wish my mom could have been there!

After our amazing two activities, we came back to the hostel and the owner, who used to be the owner of a Indian restaurant, cooked us a true feast! We met all of the people on the Belgium tour group who were also staying at the hostel and watched a hysterical YouTube video about how confusing the Belgian government is.

Then we learned all about Vinthi’s life - she was a riot. She had some hot takes, telling us that South Africa exports all of their best products and the people that live there get stuck with the rest. I also love what she said about being a mom, “I asked my daughter to be naughty. You only have one life. Be naughty, but don’t be rude!”

DAY NINE

Tsitsikamma National Park

Day nine we went on a 4 hour adventure in Tsitsikamma National Park with Untouched Adventures where we got to kayak, lilo, canyon, cliff jump, anvil and swim! Multisport! It was similar, but way more low-key, than the crazy canyoning adventure we went on in Croatia.

Our guides for the day were Romeo and Franko and it was just the four of us which was awesome just getting to talk to them the whole time.

At the end of the trip when we were onto the cliff-jumping portion (I did it!) we met up with another guide who just had one solo female traveler on his tour - very brave! We ended up driving her to the trailhead she was looking for when we got back to the car because we saw her walking on the side of the road.

The National Park was beautiful, and even if you aren’t down for swimming, kayaking, etc. there are some beautiful trails in the park.

Post adventure we went to Surf Cafe and got enchiladas and margaritas that were really good and then just relaxed and read for our last night in Plett! We had a few hours of loadshedding where we had to read by headlamp, but for the most part it hadn’t had a huge impact on us.

DAY TEN

TRAVEL DAY! PLETTENBERG BAY TO PORT ELIZABETH TO JOBURG

This was a full travel day - Allison was a rock star and got us from Plettenberg Bay all the way to the airport in Port Elizabeth, about 150 mile ride that luckily went off without a hitch. Even saw some more wild baboons in the streets which, I know are slightly terrifying, but also SO CUTE! The babies!!

We were truly terrified of checking our bags and flying again, but didn’t have much of a choice! We both loaded whatever we could think of into our carry ons, wore many layers of clothes - we were taking no chances.

The Port Elizabeth airport was not the most comfortable, it was crowded and hot and we had obviously gotten there very early, not knowing how the drive there would go. Luckily we were still both so into our books (after Born a Crime we moved on to “We Are Not Such Things”) that the wait for our flight went pretty quickly.

We were pleasantly surprised when our flight took off exactly on time - though we were starting to realize that things in South Africa really did run smoothly, and we needed to stop being shocked every time something worked out.

The drive from Joburg airport to our hotel was slightly terrifying because the sun was setting and loadshedding was in full effect, meaning even the traffic lights were out as we drove through some neighborhoods that most Americans would find “sketchy.”

It was nice being in a huge, modern hotel room. We got changed and took ourselves out to a nice dinner at Proud Mary in the Rosebank neighborhood of Johannesburg which was really fancy and built up with a ton of restaurants and shops.

The following day I would be going on a tour of Soweto - a city who, in 1976, had a New York Time’s article written about it titled, “Crime Rate in Soweto Among World’s Highest.”

Check back for more!

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Croatia - Dubrovnik to Zagreb - The Perfect Itinerary

Before I jump into my Croatia trip recap - which tends to be very long and very detailed - I’m going to post the general itinerary. A 50,000 day-by-day journal isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

For my friends and I, Croatia in the off-season was a dream. The places that are overflowing with tourists in July and August we had almost entirely to ourselves. That being said - if you’re looking to go enjoy Croatia’s beaches, swim in the blue waters, and party with the yacht week clientele - April is probably going to be a bit of a bummer for you.

Two Nights in Dubrovnik

Accommodations: Old Town Airbnb

Two bedroom, three bed, one bath. The highlight of this Airbnb was the fact that it was located right in Old Town - in fact, we had to walk up the famous Game of Thrones “Shame” stairs to get to our Airbnb!

Dubrovnik Must Do’s:

Old Town Walking Tour

We booked a historic walking tour through Viator, but there is also a huge selection of Game of Thrones specific tours.

Walk the City Walls

This was one of the coolest things I have ever done. It’s mind blowing to think that these walls have been standing since the 13th Century. This is one of the things that probably wouldn’t have been as enjoyable in July/August.

A ticket to walk the city walls costs 250 kuna (around $35 USD). Check this website for hours. The main entrance to the walls is at Pile Gate - but there are also entrances at Ploce gate and St. John’s Fortress. Everyone must walk in one direction on the walls.

Picnic of Your Dreams!

We ordered a picnic with Piknic Dubrovnik and it was one of the most special travel experiences I’ve had. Alex, the creator & founder, was absolutely amazing to work with. We decided last minute to change the day of our picnic - because the bora (crazy Croatian winds off of the Adriatic) were not cooperating. Alex was flexible and in fact, willing to let us cancel up until the morning of. I’ll go in to more detail in my day-by-day recap of the trip - but trust me, you’ll want to book one of these!

Holy Burek!

This may seem like an odd food recommendation - but these were the perfect affordable lunch to grab while walking around Old Town. The line outside and the intoxicating smell lured us in and we were very happy about it.

Hole in the Wall Bars

These cliffside bars would definitely be a scene in the summertime (and a good spot for a swim), but we still enjoyed their views and a solitary sunset. Buza Bar is likely the most well-known (and most Instagrammed) but check out Beach Bar Dodo too!

Hike Mt. Srd

We were shocked to find that this hike to overlook the city was mercifully absent of the crazy winds we had been experiencing in the Old Town. Granted, once we got to the very top lookout, we almost blew away, but the rest of the 3.1 miles was the perfect bit of exercise and the views were amazing for just a 3.1 mile out and back trail.

Two Nights on Mljet Island

Transportation: Krilo Ferry

Make sure you know where your ferry is going - Mljet has multiple ferry ports - Pomena and Polace are closest to the National Park while the Sobra ferry port allows you to drive on cars but is further east of the National Park.

Accommodation: Guesthouse Matana Pomena

Two bedroom, two bath apartment less than a 5 minute walk off of the ferry. It was a good sign that almost everyone that got off the ferry was checking into the same place as us! Since we were there in the off season and the market wasn’t open, we opted for the breakfast provided by the family who owns the guesthouses. It was about 30 kuna per person .

Mljet Must-Do’s:

Rent Bikes

This was by far the best way to get around the island. We were staying in Pomena - but there are a number of other small towns around the island. It’s such a stunning bike ride and any cyclist will find what they’re looking for - whether it’s the well-paved, flat path around the lakes, mountain biking trails, or hilly roads to climb. Our host arranged our bikes for us - but there are places all over where you can rent bikes.

Hike to Mt. Montokuc

The highest viewpoint in the park - it will feel like complete inception. You’re on an island, but then there are lakes, with other islands in them - it’s a stunning 360 degree view and worth the uphill climb.

Visit the Islet of St. Mary for Lunch

Your National Park entry ticket gives you one round-trip ride on the ferry to St. Mary where you can explore an old monastery and enjoy lunch with hypnotizing views. The ferry schedules are posted around the park - but pro tip - from the mainland to the west of the island - looking at Restaurant Melita - there’s a flag. Wave that flag, and restaurant staff will give you a personal boat ride over. No ferry schedule needed!

Eat the Freshest Seafood While Watching the Sunset

Granted, there were only two restaurant options available to us when we stayed in Pomena in April, but both nights we ate at Konoba Nine we thoroughly enjoyed. Order the fried calamari. And try a shot of rakija. Try to time your dinner with the sunset - because the views are absolutely unreal.

Two Nights in Split

Transportation: Krilo Ferry

Very easy and affordable ferry from Mljet to Split.

Accommodation: this fun & convenient airbnb

Two bedroom, one bath apartment about a 10 minute walk off of the ferry. Very close to everything we wanted/needed to do in Split including picking up our rental car from around the corner!

SPLIT Must-Do’s:

TAKE A DAY TRIP TO THE CETINA RIVER

We booked this absolutely incredible (and insane) full day tour with Iris Adventures that had us sliding and rappelling our way through the Cetina River gorge. The area, about an hour outside of the city, is absolutely beautiful.

TRY A LOCAL BEER FROM little beer shop

It just so happened that this beer shop I had written down was right around the corner from our Airbnb! The man working was really nice and gave us a bunch of local beers to try.

Get Bagels from Brooklyn Bagel Co.

I know, you probably think I’ve lost it. But honestly - this was the best bacon egg and cheese I’ve ever had outside of NY!

MORE TIME?

I think we would all agree that one more day in Split would have been nice - we didn’t have much time to explore the Old Town streets or take a walking tour which I think we all would have enjoyed!

The National Parks & A Night in Slunj

TRANSPORTATION: CAR RENTAL

We were lucky that my friend knows how to drive stick-shift and therefore renting a car in Croatia was pretty affordable. It gave us the opportunity to adventure off the beat path a bit on our route from Split to the capital city of Zagreb - stopping at Krka National Park, Bibich Winery, Slunj and Plitvice National Park.

ACCOMMODATION: THIS BEAUTIFUL AIRBNB CABIN

Must Do’s:

KRKA NATIONAL PARK

We rented a car in Split and stopped at Krka on our way to our next destination, but Split is the perfect city for a day trip to Krka (there are also tours you can book if you don’t want to rent a car!) It’s a popular destination, but thanks to a mix of a bad forecast and it being mid-week during the off-season, we really lucked out and there was barely anyone there.

You can pre-book tickets online, though it definitely wasn’t necessary when we went. Note that there are different entrances to the park - the closest en route from Split are Skradin and Lozovac.

BIBICH WINERY

If you have a car and are able to make it to BIBICh - you won’t regret it! This ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip. Again, we found ourselves essentially alone and therefore, had a private wine tasting experience with the incredibly lovely staff. The wine was great, we learned a ton, and the sandwich was the best thing I ate on the entire trip. No debate. You can make reservations on their website!

PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK

We based ourselves out of Slunj, a small town extremely close to Plitvice Lakes National Park - so we could get up and out to to the park. Plitvice is a much larger park than Krka, and in our experience, much more crowded. The nice think about Plitvice is that there’s the ability to get off the beaten path a bit - though you’ll be fighting the crowds anytime you get up close and personal with the waterfalls. If you want to spend a full day walking - Plitvice has you covered. We walked a solid 10 miles during our visit. Again - there are multiple entrances so if you’re purchasing in advance, make sure you know which one you’re looking for!

MORE TIME?

People also recommend spending some time in the town of Šibenik - about 15 minutes outside of Krka National Park.

Two Nights in Zagreb

TRANSPORTATION: CAR RENTAL

When we had visited Krka, stayed a night in the sleepy town of Slunj and explored Plitvice Lakes - it was time to trade trees for city streets as we headed to our final destination - the capital city of Zagreb. Upon arrival we ditched the rental car - Zagreb is a very walking friendly city.

ACCOMMODATION: Zagreb 17 Apartment & Rooms

Cannot recommend this spot more highly. The owner was SO enthusiastic about making sure we had the best time in Zagreb - and the rooms were really nice and so centrally located! Just note that payment is cash only.

ZAGREB MUST DO’S:

free historic walking tour

We learned so much during our walking tour of Zagreb - did you know the tie originated in Croatia as part of their military uniform (cravat stems from Croat!). We got to see the canon go off at Lotrscak Tower, and our guide gave us so many recommendations for places to eat and drink around town. And it was all free! They do ask that you register in advance. And don’t forget to tip your tour guide!

bar street

Ok, it’s actually called Ivana Tkalčića Street but even the locals refer to this pedestrian-only street filled with restaurants, bars and cafes as “bar street.” No trip to Zagreb is complete without at least a few beverages sitting out on the bar street.

walk the GREEN HORSESHOE

7 parks and squares make up Lenuc’s Green Horseshoe which you should definitely walk through. Another green space worthy of a visit is Park Ribnjak behind the Zagreb Cathedral.

mix with fellow travels at swanky monkey garden

This bar is attached to the The Swanky Mint Hostel - and it was BUMPIN’! It was a really cool space with friendly people and good vibes.

eat at la struk

Wow - if you’re going to eat one thing in Zagreb, it should be this cheese-y dish called strukli which La Struk specializes in. In fact, it’s all that they serve, which is how you know it’s going to be good! Strukli is kinda of like lasagna, but with a dough that’s a bit softer and chewier than pasta. I’m doing a bad job of explaining it - but go get it when you’re in Zagreb. Strukli takes 20 minutes to prepare*

MUSEUM OF BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS

Everyone said to go here, and I think Callie and I were a little skeptical at first. But it really is worth a visit! I loved reading about the various objects collected by the museum - some were heartbreaking, some were funny, some were bizarre.

Croatia was an incredible trip - the people were so welcoming and the country is absolutely stunning - with fascinating history. Have any questions or recommendations for readers? Drop a comment below :)

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Solo Senorita in New Mexico: Truth or Consequences to Santa Fe

Day Two: Truth or Consequences to Santa Fe

Miles Driven:

• 230 Miles

• This was big for me! I also filled the car up with gas for the first time- everything was fine except that the rental car’s gas door was broken so when I popped it, it just flew completely off.

Miles Run/Hiked/Walked:

• 7.3 Miles

• Dale Ball Trails North

• I absolutely LOVED the trails at Dale Ball - close to the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, these were fun rolling hills and there were so many options - I could have stayed running there forever. There were a decent amount of people around and you’re never really too far from the parking lot so I felt super self being on my own. It was also a bonus that it’s really close to the downtown area, so I had cell service pretty much the entire time I was out there.

Elevation Gained:

• 659 Feet

Accommodations:

• $68.30 per night to stay at the Santa Fe Treehouse Camp - my first experience booking through Hip Camp (think Airbnb for tents and treehouses and trailers and yurts!)

• This was a bare bones treehouse/hut about 20-25 miles outside of Santa Fe .

• I borrowed bedding for $25 – one of the sheets looked like it had been attacked in a knife fight, but the down blanket kept me comfy and cozy up in the mountains where temps dropped to around 40 over night!

• The came had sufficient WiFi and cell service so that my family knew I was alive at all times, but spotty enough to not make it worth it to spend much time on your phone! Disconnect, baby!

• I had no issues with my rental car getting to the treehouses despite a long stretch of unpaved, hilly roads. I would plan on having four-wheel drive if there’s been rain or snow!

• Usually I’m all about a central location, within walking distance or all the shops and restaurants, but I have to say, driving 20 minutes to my secluded little tree house at the end of each day was relaxing and refreshing and even if I could have afforded a fancy hotel room in Santa Fe Plaza, I think I would have chosen my treehouse.

• I had one lightbulb (prepare to read by headlamp) and one outlet (reserved for Garmin charging, obviously!)

• There was an amazing outdoor communal kitchen with truly anything you could want/need

• Communal firepits - but be sure fires are allowed depending on the time of year.

• Friendly owners – Brad greeted me when I arrived and gave me the full tour. He also offers activities during the week for added costs like tomahawk throwing and archery.

• Private access to hiking trails (I am sad I didn’t get to summit Shaggy Peak!)

• Stargazing galore

• Hot showers and warm bathrooms

Highlights:

• I started day two with a soak session in a private hot spring at Riverbend Hot Springs - a short walk from my glamping tent in Truth or Consequences. For around $40 I had 50 minutes to soak - but I have to be honest - it wasn’t my favorite thing ever. I’m just very terrible at sitting still, plus it was a little too warm out for me to enjoy the 90 degree water. My favorite part was being able to pull a string and have freezing cold water rain down on me. Another bummer - the river was incredibly low and muddy, which detracted from what could have been an incredible view.

• I will admit when I first saw my treehouse in comparison to my glamping tent I was a little horrified. It was a big change from my glamping tent! But you know what? It ended up being my favorite part of the trip. I got the best nights sleep of my life, somehow! 4 hours and 45 minutes of deep sleep. HIYAHHHH.

Accomplishments:

I was really proud of how quickly I was able to turn my, “Oh my god I’m supposed to sleep here?” attitude into, “This is just like backpacking! It’s going to be great!”

Hours of Sleep:

• 9 Hours 58 Minutes!!!!

Solo Senorita in New Mexico: El Paso to Truth or Consequences

The time finally came for me to take my first solo trip - and a road trip, nonetheless. As someone who isn’t a HUGE fan of driving, a road trip through New Mexico wouldn’t have been my first choice for a solitary adventure - but when a work trip brought me to El Paso, Texas, right on the border of New Mexico, I couldn’t resist heading for the desert landscapes, art galleries and hot springs.

Day One: El Paso — Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks — Truth or Consequences

Miles Driven:

• 158 Miles

• El Paso to Las Cruces to Truth or Consequences

• Fun fact - while driving through New Mexico you won’t have to worry about paying for tolls!

• Rental car pick up was pretty smooth - other than the fact that once I added coverage to the reservation it costs me over $500 for the week from a rental company called Payless. False advertising. I got my GPS mount set up, my Bluetooth connected and Armchair Expert playing and set out for Las Cruces, New Mexico - a quick hour drive from El Paso.

Miles Run/Hiked/Walked:

• 8.8 Miles

• Pine Tree Trail

• The drive to the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument was actually not bad at all - and I feel very comfortable in my little Hyundai Range rental. Eventually I drove through a mountain pass and found myself fully in the mountains. I turned down the 6 mile winding road to Aguirre Spring Recreation Area and had stunning views of the eastern side of the Organ Mountains. The range really reminded me of the Superstition Mountains in Arizona.

  When I made it to the campground and parking area - I realized I had given my last $5 to the hotel shuttle driver for helping me with my luggage and I wouldn’t be able to pay the permit fee (I understand people that work for the parks departments are typically crunchy granola back-to-basics people but can we get with the 21st century on things like your websites and permits? Can I Venmo you my parking fee?).

  I decided to risk it - and ripped off the parking permit portion without actually paying and stuck it in my windshield - I felt bad, and I would have been happy to pay, I just physically had no money (and uhm, who travels with their check book?)

  I found the start of the Pine Tree Trail and set off for a trail run! The up hills were steeper than anticipated and I did a decent amount of hiking as opposed to running but the views were stunning and there were so many butterflies! There were also a LOT of dinosaur-sized crickets hopping all over.

• The second half was a fun downhill and though I saw a snake tail slithering away at one point - overall it was a great time. Looking at Strava afterwards, it seems like a lot of trail runners combine this 4 mile loop (that was actually more like 5 for me) with the Baylor Canyon Pass trail I had also considered doing for a total of 15 miles.

• I wrapped up with some running around the campground road for a total of 6 miles and hopped back in the car to check out another trail. I was looking for the Tortugas Mountain Trail but after driving up a dirt road for a bit, I came across a big “CLOSED” gate and had to turn around. I was pretty tired and hungry at that point anyway, so it was fine.

• I stopped at a state park in Radium Springs - Leasburg Dam State Park - and had some carrots, hummus and apple on a picnic table before continuing my journey to the town of Truth or Consequences.

  Biggest observance on my drive? There are bugs so large I can see them cross the street. This is horrifying to me.

Elevation Gained:

• 1,250 Feet

Accommodations:

• $126.60 for a night at the Hot Springs Glamp Camp in Truth or Consequences

• Truth or Consequences, what a name, right? T or C (TorC) for short - earned its name thanks to a radio show contest (kind of like when my town asked a bunch of school kids to name the new park and we landed on The Wedge).

  The town is known for its natural hot springs - and I arrived at the Hot Springs Glamp Camp and was immediately in love with my trendy little glamping tent with string lights, a fridge (“swamp box”), fans, French press, and heated mattress.

• The best part about the Glamp Camp? 4 private hot springs open 24/7. The camp host greeted me and gave me a quick tour (he and his wife got here two weeks ago from Brooklyn) and I headed out on foot to check out the town and grab some groceries.

• Sadly, it was a Tuesday and nearly everything was closed but there was such a cute downtown street with a coffee shop, second hand store, book store, and a ton of other places I would have loved to check out.

• I bought a premade salad at the grocery store and a few other things and made a pit stop at the only other place that was open - T or C Brewery! I asked for the haziest IPA and bought a crowler to bring back with me to my tent.

• Back at the ranch, I was greeted by some people sitting out in the communal area with their dogs and said a quick hello before changing into my bathing suit and filling up one of the private tubs. It filled up pretty quickly and was the absolute perfect temperature. I obviously captured some #content as best I could without a tripod and then soaked and read on and off for about an hour.

  The rest of the night was spent reading, blogging and - if we are being honest - catching up on Bachelor in Paradise. I didn’t manage to shower, oops.

• Why I’d recommend the Hot Springs Glamp Camp:

  • Idyllic canvas tent with a seating area, bed (with heated mattress), coffee station, swamp box and fans – true aesthetic GOALS.

  • Communal bathrooms – super clean, with showers

  • Communal outdoor space with fire pit, grills, and seating

  • Private hot spring-fed tubs to soak in!

Highlights:

• I started the morning with one of my favorite things - a breakfast buffet.

• I had a weird but wonderful experience of three separate people reading my mind/knowing what I wanted before I even knew I wanted it.

  • The first was when I asked for a bellman to help me down to the lobby with my luggage - not something I ever request, but I had a ton of stuff with me and couldn’t really manage it all. When he loaded up the cart I said I would be down in a few minutes to get an Uber to the airport and he goes, “we have a shuttle, do you want a ride?” Uh - YES - had no idea they had a shuttle.

  • The second was when I was seated and ordered a water and the waitress goes - “do you want ice in that?” and I was like you know what - wow, I don’t want ice - no one ever asks that!

  • Last was when I was getting ready to leave and the waiter goes, “do you want a coffee to go?” and I said uhm, yep - that would actually be amazing.

• First solo trail run and escaping without a parking ticket

• Hazy IPA from the Truth or Consequences Brewery

Accomplishments:

• Driving!

• I found two MASSIVE black beetles I found scurrying around my tent - only to realize the bottom zipper hadn’t been sealed all day! EEEEEEK. I chased them down and crushed them with my “Wild” book only to Google them and realize they apparently can release a noxious smell when threatened - double EEEEK! So far, not smelling the remains of their crushed carcasses but who know what the morning will bring!

Hours of Sleep:

• 9 Hours 41 Minutes - can you tell I was coming out of a work event? Wowza!

Corsica's the Next Big Thing: Under the Radar Travel Destinations

On my desk there is a very tall tower of travel magazines. After flipping through them, I almost always have a new destination to add to my bucket list - a place I’ve either never heard of or never wanted to visit until an article or a picture captured my imagination.

In this new weekly series, I’ll share some of the lesser known destinations that have tickled my fancy in the recent months!

I’m always looking for under the radar travel destinations that have a lot to offer but aren’t yet “all the rage.” Imagine being one of the tourists who visited Iceland prior to 2016? Before the “Blue Lagoon” was featured in every twenty-somethings dating profile? That’s always my goal - to find the latest up and coming travel-worthy countries before they’re overrun with Instagram influencers.

So here’s week one of “Under the Radar Travel Destinations” - we’re kicking off with a popular destination among French travelers, but lesser known by Americans.

FRANCE - CORSICA

instead of paris or nice, consider a vacation to france’s mountainous mediterranean island

language: french

population: 330,455

inspiration: this article in national geographic

when to visit: may - september

where to stay: hotel napoleon in Ajaccio, the capital city

what to do:

• You’ll likely arrive in Corsica’s main port town, Bastia. Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables, once lived here. Stop by the Mattei Concept Store and pick up a bottle of Cap Corse, a wine infused with orange and other local fruits.

• Make your way from Bastia to the capital city of Ajaccio (where Napoleon was born) via train. Once you arrive and check-in, walk down the bustling Roi de Rome and stop for a drink or meal at popular places like Le 20123, L’8 Dicembri and Bar a Vin 1755 (temporarily closed due to COVID).

• Be sure to take a walk to Pointe de la Parata at sunset to see Illes Sanguinaires (“The Blood Islands”) which turn a stunning red hue at the end of the day.

• Plaza Foch is an open air food market worth a visit - keep an eye out for local specialties like clementines (November - January) and chestnuts (canistrelli biscuits are a biscotti-looking treat made from chestnut flour). If you’re craving something more savory, opt for a beignet au brocciu - a pastry with cheese in the middle.

• Head to the town of Banifaio for a day relaxing at Plage de Sutta Rocca and take in the limestone cliffs.

• Other places on the island worth a visit include the fishing village of Erbalunga, the resort town of Porticcio and another sea-side stop, Tiuccia.

kick it up a notch:

• If you’re really up for an adventure on this mountain island, you could set out to complete the GR20 - a 112 mile backpacking trip that travels north to south down the center of Corsica.

can’t get there right now? Read this: The house at zarzona by vanessa couchman

AmAZing Arizona: Flagstaff, Sedona & More

Recently, I took two weeks to go on a road trip through the state of Arizona.

Traveling, or not traveling, right now is a very personal decision and one that I did not take lightly. My friend and I agreed on some important things ahead of time - we would not be doing any indoor dining, museums, bars, etc.

Some nights, eating outside in November was more comfortable than others (plot twist: Arizona isn’t always warm). Some nights we cooked in our Airbnbs. If we encountered people without masks, even outdoors, we distanced ourselves from the situation.

I will mention things throughout these Arizona city guides in regards to how certain areas, restaurants, etc. handled coronavirus protocols.

But our overall goal for the trip was to hike, run, and generally spend time outside - alone. This was not the trip for trying all of Arizona’s restaurants and bars and museums and this guide reflects that.

You can read about our first stop, Phoenix & The Superstition Mountains here!

You can read about our second stop, Tucson & Saguaro National Park here!

You can read about our third stop, Williams & The Grand Canyon here!

You can read about our fourth stop, Page & The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area here!

Our next stop was Flagstaff, Arizona!

FLAGSTAFF

WHERE WE STAYED

Another city, another Airbnb! Our Flagstaff Airbnb was an apartment located beneath a family’s house - they have two Airbnb units each with their own outdoor area on the deck. We had two bedrooms, one bathroom, access to laundry, and a cute little kitchen and living room area.

We were in Flagstaff for a little longer than our other spots, so I really settled into my King-sized bed!

Flagstaff is a great spot to base yourself on an Arizona trip - it’s about 90 minutes to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim entrance and under an hour to Sedona’s Red Rocks. In 2 and a half hours you can even reach Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Phoenix.

Flagstaff itself is a city surrounded by everything from mountains, to deserts to ponderosa pine forests. In the winter, it’s a ski destination (the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort) and it’s also a destination for athletes to train at altitude. We saw so many runners!

Flagstaff is also home to Northern Arizona University, a college with nearly 30,000 students. It definitely felt like a college town.

WHAT TO EAT (AND DRINK!)

TOASTED OWL - WEST FLAGSTAFF
12 S. MIKES PIKE STREET | FLAGSTAFF, AZ

I would go out on a limb and say this was our most enjoyable meal of the trip - both because of the food and the atmosphere.

The Toasted Owl had a huge outdoor seating area and the sun was shining. We had run 10 miles before leaving Page and were ready for some brunch! But first, we started with a mason jar mimosa - for just $6!

Then, we split the Snowbowl Fiesta Plate (scrambled eggs topped with cheddar cheese, onions and green chile with (corn!) tortillas and potatoes. Then, we ordered two buttermilk pancakes - because you always need to order table pancakes.

Little did we know, the pancakes were the size of a dinner plate.

Nothing is more rewarding than being told by the waitress that they’re impressed with how much you ate…we came pretty close to finishing our monstrous pancakes!

LUMBERYARD BREWING COMPANY
5 SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ

Once we had finished our brunch we decided to explore the area and look for some breweries with outdoor seating.

Downtown Flagstaff has no shortage of craft breweries, in the area around the Toasted Owl we found no less than 6 in a half mile radius.

Lumberyard Brewing Company was our first stop - with a big patio, heat lamps and entirely digital ordering experience to limit the amount of time you’re in contact with waitstaff.

We got a flight and watched so many runners go by.

MOTHER ROAD BREWING COMPANY
7 S. MIKES PIKE ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ

Right across from Toasted Owl was Mother Road Brewing Company and we were so upset to see that it was closed on Mondays. I’m including it on the list anyway - because their Station Tower IPA is one of the most popular Arizona pours! We were able to pick it up at a bodega in lieu of visiting the tap room.

The Station Tower’s description hits all my favorites - unfiltered, grapefruit peel and pine!

PIZZICLETTA AT DARK SKY BREWING
117 N BEAVER ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ

Our next brewery stop was to Dark Sky Brewing where we had to wait a little bit for an out door seat - only to find out that their heaters were out of propane.

We survived, though, with lots of layers - and enjoyed beers and even more so, pizza, from the breweries food partner, Pizzicletta.

We absolutely loved the “Bee’s Knees” - mozzarella, mascarpone, sausage, sage (<3) and local honey.

BEAVER STREET BREWERY
11 S. BEAVER STREET | FLAGSTAFF, AZ

After our attempted hike to the top of Humphrey’s Peak (more on that later), we ordered delivery from Beaver Street Brewery - not only were we able to get burgers and fries, we were able to get a growler of one of their hazy IPAs.

The only disappointment was their corn bread. Otherwise, five stars for post-hike calories.

MORE TIME?

If you have the time (and tolerance) to fit in a few more breweries, these are all within walking distance of the previously mentioned spots:

HISTORIC BREWING BARREL + BOTTLE HOUSE
110 S SAN FRANCISCO ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ

FLAGSTAFF BREWING COMPANY
16 W HISTORIC ROUTE 66 | FLAGSTAFF, AZ

And do me a favor, go pick up some donuts from Macy’s and let me know how they are since I never made it!

macy’s european Coffeehouse and bakery
14 s. beaver st. | flagstaff, az

what to do

hike humphreys peak - the tallest point in arizona

After my trip to New Hampshire this fall, an idea entered my brain that I should try to climb the tallest peak in each state (New Hampshire’s being Mount Washington). I was excited to see that Arizona’s highest point was in Flagstaff - Humphreys Peak in the San Francisco Peaks and part of the Kachina Wilderness.

Being November, we knew that the trail would have snow in places but we thought we would give it a go - and set out one morning to hike the 10.4 mile trail that climbs 3,343 feet to Humphreys Peak at 12,633 feet.

It was a short drive from our Airbnb to the trailhead and we left before sunrise with the goal of finishing in time for one last brunch at toasted owl. Pretty quickly we realized the trail was almost 100% snow packed, and fairly icy, and we were without microspikes. We relied heavily on our poles and rocks peaking out from the snow to gain our footing and it was slow going. At one point we ran into two guys coming down and asking if they had made it to the top - they told us they had turned around because it got too icy. Most people, understandably, would have turned around at that point.

But we forged ahead and eventually broke the treeline where we were greeted with WIND. a lot of wind. We then started what can only be described as a slow, terrifying struggle along the rocky ridge of a mountain. At many points we were legitimately crawling on our hands and knees fighting against the gusts. I had my poles under my arms because if I tried to use them, they just blew around in the wind.

I had read an AllTrails review that mentioned two false summits so I should have been mentally prepared but damn the summit actually seemed like it kept getting further and further away.

Ultimately, we called it short of the summit - it was getting too scary and miserable and turning around seemed like the smarter choice. We were both close to tears and we weren’t having an semblance of a good time.

Heading back down was equally scary, parts of my backpack were whipping me in the face, my poles were somehow making balancing harder, the trail was impossible to follow.

When we finally got back into the trees and the wind subsided a little, I finally felt like I could breathe. We started running into people who asked if we had made it to the top and we had to tell them no, but at that point I didn't even care I was so happy to be out of that situation.

The journey down was its own adventure - each step was a steep, slippery trap and I spent a lot of time on my butt. at one point Callie was laughing and crying simultaneously as we wondered how many hours this was going to take us to get back to the car.

We had considered not packing sandwiches but THANK GOD we did because eating them in a patch of sun really helped our spirits. That and me singing a lot of random songs including “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” from Annie.

I was actually really proud of us - despite the awful conditions we didn't get too sad or mad or discouraged and by the end we found we were still happy to have spent 7 hours in the woods on our final day in Flagstaff.

My plan to hike the tallest peak in each state isn't off to a great start, and we missed brunch at Toasted Owl, but a growler and burgers from Beaver Street Brewery delivered to our Airbnb wasn't a bad way to end the day.

hike fatman’s loop TRAIL

Right outside of Flagstaff we found this easy little loop that we did at sunset. There were some really awesome looking trees and rocks along the way.

It’s a quick 2.4 miles with only 561 feet of gain - perfect if you’re looking for something quick and close.

go shopping downtown

While waiting for our table at Dark Sky Brewing Co., we walked around downtown Flagstaff which was full of cute stores. We didn’t stop in many, but we did check out Mountain Sports Flagstaff (obsessed with these mugs!) and Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters.

take a day trip to the pertrified forest national park

A little over 90 minutes from downtown Flagstaff is one of the lesser known National Parks - Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.

If you’re a fan of long day hikes, you may not love this National Park. But if you’re looking for a place you can drive through and see some awesome scenery, this would be a worthwhile day trip from Flagstaff!

The petrified wood is really awesome (we checked it out by walking the Long Logs and Agate House trails) and we loved getting to see the petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock. We did the Blue Mesa Trail (.9 miles) which was probably our favorite - the bluish bentonite clay looked like elephant skin!

My personal favorite part of the day was getting to introduce Callie to Jimmy John’s - and eating it overlooking the Painted Desert.

To be honest, the only reason I’m glad we went is because it’s a check off the list of National Parks (I hope to one day visit all 62). I think we would have had a better time doing something in Flagstaff that day.

take a day trip to sedona

This could be it’s own entire blog post, because Sedona is truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been! While we went as a day trip from Flagstaff, it’s definitely a place that could be a stop on your road trip for a full 1-3 days.

That being said - we fit in a good amount of Sedona sightseeing and I didn’t feel like I wasn’t ready to leave at the end of the day.

We left Flagstaff early, just as the sun was rising. We wanted to be sure we could take in the views as we drove the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Byway (89A). The 24-mile road winds it way down 4,500 feet through a series of scenic switchbacks through Oak Creek Canyon.

It was only about a 45 minute drive until we arrived at Midgley Bridge, where we parked for a short walk to the incredible scenic views of Oak Creek Canyon and the surrounding red rock formations.

Next up was the Little Horse Trail - a 4.3 mile hike with 564 feet of elevation - nothing crazy, but with really great views. Once we got to Chicken Point Lookout, we continued on a little bit up the Broken Arrow Trail. The views were really beautiful and we didn’t see many other hikers. Unfortunately, the peaceful morning was made slightly less serene by the Pink Jeep Tours. But, c’est la vie.

After our first hike we headed to Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village to look for some Christmas gifts for friends and family. There were some really beautiful home goods and jewelry stores but I couldn’t settle on any of the big ticket items and walked away with just a cactus Christmas ornament.

What I really fell in love with were these mountain sculptures - which I might need to buy for myself when I move to a new apartment!

After some shopping we drove to the downtown area of Sedona and picked up sandwiches from Sedona Memories Bakery Cafe (both of the employees were not wearing masks, which we obviously didn’t appreciate as they made our food). I had read that their sandwiches were incredible and made on fresh-baked bread - but I guess I missed the memo that they were absolutely GIANT!

I also took some time to get my aura read - it seemed like a very Sedona thing to do. You’ll find a ton of places that offer aura readings, psychic readings, information on vortexes and other ~spiritual things. I was sad that I didn’t get a print out of my pictures, and I’m not sure I would do it again, but it was something different to try!

We took our sandwiches and headed to hike #2 - the Brins Mesa Trail (4.5 miles, 951 feet of elevation).

First of all, the sandwiches were amazing. The bread had great flavor and I am now a convert to putting cream chees on my turkey sandwiches. It was an odd assortment of ingredients (turkey, provolone cheese, cream cheese, sprouts, sunflower seeds, avocado, lettuce and cranberry sauce) but we were feeling it.

The hike had a few steep parts, we took a wrong turn, and then we wondered if there was going to be any real end point with a view but we stuck with it and the end was a really scenic spot. The wind had really picked up so we didn’t stay perched on our rock for too long, but we did spend a few minutes taking in the 360 degree red rock views and eating a little bit more of our massive sandwiches.

We returned to the car and headed to the Bell Rock trailhead lot, but followed these instructions to climb Baby Bell Rock for a stunning Sedona sunset.

With beer in hand, we scrambled to the top of the rock where we had our own private viewing (a very drunk group climbed up for about 2 minutes but quickly disappeared) as the rocks changed colors all around us. I even Facetimed my parents to let them see it!

After falling to get a table at Sedona’s most famous restaurant - Elote - we opted for dinner back at Tlaquepaque purely because El Rincon Mexican Restaurant appeared in the Google results for “best margaritas Sedona.”

We got a table right away at their outdoor patio and enjoyed some margs and Mexican - I only wish the meal hadn’t seemed so rushed.

And then it was time to say farewell to Sedona. We drove back along 89A and at one point, pulled over to take in the absolutely stunning sky full of stars. Leaning back on the hood of the car and looking up in the pitch black, it was nuts.

trail run to the crack swimming hole

No trip to Arizona is complete without a visit to a hidden swimming hole (there are many to choose from). We did a trail run “The Crack” at Wet Beaver Creek on one of our driving days (between Tucson and Williams) to break up the hours in the car - but it’s about 50 minutes outside of Flagstaff.

The trail was a great run (7 miles, 500 feet of elevation gain and well-maintained) and our first taste of red rock scenery - much different than Tucson's saguaros.

When we made it to the swim hole, there were only two other people there, who had already taken the plunge! With their encouragement, Callie and I decided to jump in - from a much lower ledge.

Obviously before jumping into water, you should be sure of the depth, make sure you can see the bottom so you know nothing is below the jump area, etc.

It was FRIGID but fun and after drying a little on a sunny rock, we ran back to the car.

MORE TIME?

cycling

There are tons of options for gravel and road cycling in the Flagstaff area and had it been a little warmer, I probably would have chosen one of these rides over our trip to the Petrified Forest National Park.

Lake Mary Road - 62 Miles

Sinclair Wash - 5.7 Miles

Fort Valley Road - 14 Miles

Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop - 60 Miles

Snowbowl Road - 6 Miles

more hiking

There’s tons of hiking in the Flagstaff area. One of the others I had bookmarked was:

Little Bear to Sunset Loop
7.4 Miles | 1335 Feet of Elevation

trail running

As I mentioned, the Flagstaff area is known as a place where professional runners go for altitude training. There’s tons of great runs in the area.

slide rock

A crowded but awesome Arizona favorite - I luckily got to go here on my first trip to Sedona when I was about 13! It was tons of fun - but November was a little too cold to enjoy the nature-made water slides.

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AmAZing Arizona: Page & The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Recently, I took two weeks to go on a road trip through the state of Arizona.

Traveling, or not traveling, right now is a very personal decision and one that I did not take lightly. My friend and I agreed on some important things ahead of time - we would not be doing any indoor dining, museums, bars, etc.

Some nights, eating outside in November was more comfortable than others (plot twist: Arizona isn’t always warm). Some nights we cooked in our Airbnbs. If we encountered people without masks, even outdoors, we distanced ourselves from the situation.

I will mention things throughout these Arizona city guides in regards to how certain areas, restaurants, etc. handled coronavirus protocols.

But our overall goal for the trip was to hike, run, and generally spend time outside - alone. This was not the trip for trying all of Arizona’s restaurants and bars and museums and this guide reflects that.

You can read about our first stop, Phoenix & The Superstition Mountains here!

You can read about our second stop, Tucson & Saguaro National Park here!

You can read about our third stop, Williams & The Grand Canyon here!

Our next stop was Page, Arizona!

PAGE

WHERE WE STAYED

Page is a small city of just over 7,000 people located on the border of Norther Arizona and Southern Utah. It’s smaller than the town I grew up in, yet it’s most popular local attractions, Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, have begun to attract millions of visitors per year. That’s right - MILLIONS.

We opted for an Airbnb in town, and we absolutely loved it. I’ve never had a rental kitchen with more cooking gear! We were in heaven as we drank red wine, listened to music, and cooked ourselves a salad with roasted cauliflower, eggplant, sundried tomatoes, couscous and more.

After a stay in an Airstream, a tiny home, and a motel/trail with no electricity - we really felt like we were living large in our two bedroom, two bathroom house in Page.

WHAT to eat

We were so smitten with our kitchen, that we ate dinner both nights at our Airbnb. We didn’t make it out once while we were in Page, other than to stop at the grocery store.

Each morning of the trip we made oatmeal and coffee for breakfast and packed sandwiches to eat while we were out and about during the day - it helped save us a lot of money and most importantly limited the amount of contact with other humans!

While we were on our kayaking tour, however, a few places were recommended to us which I’ll list below (keep in mind I can’t personally vouch for any of these, but our local tour guide said they were his favorites!)

STATE 48 FOR BEER & BURGERS
614 N. NAVAJO DRIVE | PAGE, AZ

BLUE BUDDHA SUSHI LOUNGE FOR THE VOLCANO ROLL
644 N. NAVAJO DRIVE | PAGE, AZ

NEW YORK TERIYAKI FOR JAPANESE
663 S. LAKE POWELL BLVD | PAGE, AZ

what to do

The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has so much more to offer than photography tours of Antelope Canyon and selfies at Horseshoe Bend. I’ll include details on those, because they’re not to be missed if you’re in Page, but I’m going to start this section with the less popular picks.

hike the Lee’s ferry and spencer trail lookout

I’ll give you a heads up - this hike isn’t a walk in the park. But if you’re looking for a challenge or looking to work up a sweat, with the promise of some incredibly rewarding views - this trail is a must-do! We were feeling a little cocky post Grand Canyon hike, but the Spencer Trail’s 1500+ feet of elevation over a short 1.5 miles had my legs and lungs SCREAMING!

The switchbacks are bountiful and the space between you and the side of the sizable drop-off isn’t immense - I don’t know that anyone with a fear of heights would be a big fan of this hike.

When we reached the summit (after a lot of whining from me including, “WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?”) we had the entire place to ourselves and the view was stunning. A private Horseshoe Bend, totally work the sore legs. We took a good long break at the top to sit out in the sun and take in the views.

You’ll want to bring poles - it made the descent much more enjoyable. When we made it back to the parking lot, we found ourselves a patch of sand down by the Colorado River and enjoyed (another) turkey sandwich with a view.

go adventuring in cathedral wash 

I’m so glad our tour guide recommended checking out Cathedral Wash, a slot canyon blissfully free of Antelope Canyon’s crowds and though very different, stunning in it’s own right!

This 3.3 mile “hike” is more of a rock climbing/scrambling puzzle for your body and brain - but it was so different and so much fun.

There were parts where we were pretty scared and our adrenaline was definitely pumping, but looking back it was all fairly doable if you pick the right spots to go down further into the canyon.

Unfortunately, we didn’t start early enough and had to turn around before we made it to the end for fear of finding ourselves in the clot canyon after sunset. But if you make it to the end - you’ll find yourself at the Colorado River.

sunset over marble canyon on navajo bridge

This was my favorite sunset of the entire trip, there I said it! (We had a LOT of sunset stops). My only wish is that we’d had a beer.

Again, the Navajo Bridge was recommended to us by our kayaking tour guide, who mentioned it as a place we might find some condors. While we didn’t see any massive birds (which was actually perfectly fine by me!) we did have the entire bridge to ourselves.

Looking out into the Colorado River and Marble Canyon, seeing red rocks and the horizon stretching out as far as I could see, just absolutely and entirely surrounded by nature…I get chills just thinking about how amazing it was. We really felt like something must be wrong, had everyone else in the world disappeared and we were the only ones left? Surely that’s the only reason we could be completely alone with such an epic view while hundreds of people with selfie sticks stood at Horseshoe Bend.

I can’t promise you an entirely similar experience when you visit, but I can tell you that a sunset on the Navajo Bridge is breathtakingly beautiful and absolutely worth a stop.

Oh, and there a Glen Canyon National Recreation Area gift shop!

RUN THE PAGE RIMVIEW TRAIL

This 9.8 mile trail, let’s just call it 10, winds it way around Page with views of Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon area. The elevation wasn’t bad at all (just 433 feet) but we had some tired legs and this was a struggggle. Even though it wasn’t a great run, it was an awesome, well marked, well-maintained trail for a sunrise run!

VISIT ANTELOPE CANYON

Due to COVID-19, the typical Antelope Canyon tours, which explore the upper canyons, were all shut down. Navajo Nation is closed to tourism, and you need to entre Navajo lands in order to get to the upper canyons.

Luckily, the lower portion of Antelope Canyon was still accessible, and we were able to book a tour through Lake Powell Adventure Co. - we got to kayak to the entrance to the lower canyons and then hike a mile or so in.

We started at 10 am, and by the time we came out of the canyon, there were a LOT of kayaks and jet skis pulled up to shore. But while we explored, it was fairly uncrowded. There were a few girls clearly getting their Instagram on, and they were a little sassy with our tour guide, but nothing too annoying.

My favorite part of this excursion was getting to meet some new people - I didn’t realize how much I missed talking with strangers! Leave it to a global pandemic to make you realize maybe you don’t hate small talk as much as you thought you did.

Our tour guide was full of interesting information and stories and we happily chatted and paddled the whole trip. He also knew all the best spots for pictures.

The canyon itself was really beautiful - the rock is so smooth, I couldn’t stop touching it! At one point, it was a straight up zig zag of rock formations that we had to navigate through. Very cool.

While I enjoyed the tour experience, and I’m really glad we did it, it’s also possible to kayak, jet ski or rent a boat and go to the lower canyon on your own.

HORSESHOE BEND

We opted to head to Horseshoe Bend at sunset - and were confused by the crowds leaving 10 minutes before sunset.

Anyway - entry fee is $10 - which I’m happy to support the local area - but it’s also slightly annoying that they don’t accept National Parks passes or Glen Canyon parking passes.

If you’re someone who isn’t into the touristy spots, and likes hiking- you can really skip this stop, in my opinion. It’s a boring 1 mile walk to a lookout with tons of people taking pictures. The fact that they give you a brochure about the “hike” and packing water is…ugh.

BUT I’m not here to judge - if you want a $10 Instagram picture for minimal physical effort (hey, it’s vacation, after all) then by all means make sure this is on your itinerary.

We scoped out a rock and sat and drank a prickly pear sour beer which made the experience much more enjoyable! And the sunset WAS really beautiful.

MORE TIME?

There’s SO much to do from Page. I definitely think people underestimate the area. Here are a few more ideas in case you decide to stay long (a decision I support!)

BUCKSKIN GULCH

The only reason we ultimately decided against this hike is that it requires driving down a fairly long dirt road - and with our rental, we didn’t want to risk it. It probably would have been fine, but 4-wheel drive would be ideal.

The trailhead of Wire Pass is in Kanab, Utah and meets up with the Buckskin Gulch Slot Canyon within Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness.

VISIT “THE WAVE” - IF YOU’RE LUCKY & PLAN FAR IN ADVANCE!

The Wire Pass trailhead is actually the way you would navigate to the insta-famous “The Wave” rock formation that’s part of the Coyotte Buttes (North). But in order to do so, you’ll need a permit (awarded via lottery) as only 20 people are permitted to hike the Coyote Buttes (North and South) each day.

Ultimately, I’m really glad we found out about Cathedral Wash!

COYOTE GULCH HIKE

An arch rock and a waterfall are the draws to this 10.6 mile hike!

SPEND A DAY ON LAKE POWELL

Whether you choose to rent a houseboat, a motorboat, a jet ski, a kayak or a standup paddle board - if I were here in the summer I would 100% spend more time on the water! There are SO many local tour companies. It’s a big party, from what I hear!

DAY TRIP TO UTAH

The Glen Canyon area has plenty to offer - but if you’re in Page for a longer amount of time and feel like crossing the border into Utah - there are a ton of options there as well. Within driving distance are some of Utah’s Greatest Hits including Bryce Canyon National Park (2.5 hours), Zion National Park (1 hour 45 minutes) and parts of Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument (varying distances).

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AmAZing Arizona: Williams & The Grand Canyon

Recently, I took two weeks to go on a road trip through the state of Arizona.

Traveling, or not traveling, right now is a very personal decision and one that I did not take lightly. My friend and I agreed on some important things ahead of time - we would not be doing any indoor dining, museums, bars, etc.

Some nights, eating outside in November was more comfortable than others (plot twist: Arizona isn’t always warm). Some nights we cooked in our Airbnbs. If we encountered people without masks, even outdoors, we distanced ourselves from the situation.

I will mention things throughout these Arizona city guides in regards to how certain areas, restaurants, etc. handled coronavirus protocols.

But our overall goal for the trip was to hike, run, and generally spend time outside - alone. This was not the trip for trying all of Arizona’s restaurants and bars and museums and this guide reflects that.

You can read about our first stop, Phoenix & The Superstition Mountains here!

You can read about our second stop, Tucson and Saguaro National Park here!

Stop #3 was Williams - “Gateway to the Grand Canyon.”

WILLIAMS

WHERE WE STAYED

To say we stayed in Williams would be a little misleading. Yes, the address of our Airbnb was Williams, AZ - but our trailer/motel was really in the middle of nowhere - a 40 minute drive to downtown Williams’ restaurants and stores and a 30 minute drive to the south gate of the Grand Canyon.

Seeing as the hotels and lodges within the Grand Canyon need to be booked about a year in advance, we were lucky to be within 30 minutes of the entrance. But we felt very much in the middle of nowhere - and our second night we returned to find no power and no flushing toilet.

While I wouldn’t return to this particular Airbnb, it did make it possible to arrive at the Backcountry Visitor Center by 5:15 AM. Had we been coming from Flagstaff (the closest major city to the South Rim), the 90 minute drive may have deterred us from our full-day hiking plans.

WHAT TO EAT

HISTORIC BREWING BARREL + BOTTLE HOUSE
141 W RAILROAD AVE | WILLIAMS, AZ

The friendly staff at this brewery (with another location in Flagstaff) accommodated our (somewhat crazy) request to eat outdoors on a 30 degree night - dragging heat lamps over and serving up cold beers and warm mac & cheese, burgers and fries. After a 15 hour day and 19 mile hike - it might have been the happiest meal ever.

PINE COUNTRY RESTAURANT
107 N GRAND CANYON BOULEVARD | WILLIAMS, AZ

This was nothing to write home about, especially seeing as we took it to go and ate it in a motel room with plastic cutlery - but it was something easy to pick up as we passed through Williams on the way to our Airbnb.

ROCK SPRINGS CAFE
35900 OLD BLACK CANYON HIGHWAY | BLACK CANYON CITY, AZ

Speaking of passing through - if you find yourself driving between Flagstaff and Phoenix - you’ll want to plan on a pit stop at Rock Springs Cafe for some roadside pie! Yep, you read that right. This popular highway stop is equipped with gift shops, a restaurant, a gas station and really really popular pie. We popped in quickly (masks didn’t seem to be popular in Black Canyon City) and bought a slice of rhubarb and a slice of banana cream, both of which were delicious.

WHAT TO DO

SUNRISE TO SUNSET AT (AND IN) THE GRAND CANYON

I am so glad that Callie was so enthusiastic about the rim to rim Grand Canyon hike - it was 100% without a doubt one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. If you only have one day to experience the Grand Canyon - this is how you should experience it.

It took some time to figure out the logistics, but I’ll try to simplify it here for you.

THE TRAIL

While hiking a true rim to rim path (or running it) is definitely an adventure - the drive between the North & South rims is approximately 5 hours. To avoid that logistical nightmare, many people opt to hike down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon via the South Kaibab trail and back up along the slightly longer and less steep Bright Angel Trail.

According to AllTrails, this route is 17.5 miles and 4,845 feet of elevation. My Garmin recording came in at 18.25 miles and 6,130 feet of elevation. Our moving time was 6 hours and 55 minutes and start to finish, with lunch and bathroom and photo breaks, we were in the canyon for 8 hours and 45 minutes.

THE LOGISTICS

We arrived at 5:15 AM at the Backcountry Information Center (1 Backcountry Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023). Don’t dilly dally in the car like we did - get out into the cold and stand in line for the 6 AM Hikers’ Express Shuttle (there are also shuttles at 7 AM, 8 AM and 9 AM). We nearly didn’t get a seat on the bus, which is operating at limited capacity (just 15 passengers each hour) due to COVID-19.

And yes - Arizona gets COLD. When we started our hike in November, it was about 20 degrees outside.

The shuttle (masks mandatory) will bring you to the South Kaibab Trailhead. When you finish the hike at the Bright Angel Trailhead, you’ll be about a 10 minute walk from your car at the Backcountry Information Center.

In November, some restrooms were open at points along the way (Cedar Ridge, Indian Garden) but most water was shut off for the season. You could filter from the creek, but with lower temperatures, carrying 4 liters each was plenty.

THE JOURNEY

We started off cold, with headlamps on, and nerves high. The beginning of the South Kaibab trail was icy and we were very focused on our feet and not slipping. I had to stop for a minute and look to my left - reminding myself that I was about to walk down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I could faintly make out the outlines of the canyon and said to Callie, “Callie - it’s the GRAND CANYON!”

As the sun started to illuminate the sky, we made it to the aptly named Ooh Aah Point, a little less than a mile into the canyon. Obviously, we stopped for some pictures (and for some oohing and aahing).

Before we knew it, we were taking off a layer or two and putting our headlamps away.

The trip down was made a LOT easier with trekking poles, I shudder to think what my knees would have felt like without them! There were some very cool parts where it seemed we were walking out into the middle of nothing before the path would take another curve. Cedar Ridge was one of my favorite bits of the South Kaibab Trail.

Excitement levels escalated as we got our first glimpse of the Colorado River’s blue water below. But it still looked so far away!

Eventually, we made it to the first of two suspension bridges we would cross - the Black Bridge (built in 1928). Unlike to the Capilano or Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridges in Vancouver - filled with wannabe Instagram influencers - we had the entire Black Bridge to OURSELVES. We got to cross the Colorado in complete solitude (and didn’t feel rushed when we obviously had our own photoshoot).

After we crossed the bridge it wasn’t long until we were at the canyon’s floor, right up close and personal with the Colorado River. Unfortunately, Phantom Ranch was closed for the season, but we still took a walk around to check it out.

Overall, the hike down was great! The sunrise, adrenaline, the sense of awe - time passed pretty quickly. South Kaibab is a trail used by the Grand Canyon mules (as is Bright Angel) so don’t be surprised if you have to wait for a pack to pass you by or if parts of the trail are, well, poopy.

By the time we reached Phantom Ranch (about 7 miles in) I was actually VERY excited to start walking UP instead of down. I hoped I wouldn’t soon regret that wish!

Pretty quickly we crossed back over the Colorado River (this time on the Silver Bridge - another suspension bridge), and started our hike to the next main rest area - Indian Garden where we figured we would stop for lunch.

The first 6 or so miles up the Bright Angel trail were so scenic and so not what I expected to find in the Grand Canyon - lush, green areas made me feel like I was in the middle of the Amazon rainforest! Bright Angel was definitely more crowded (and would become even more so the further up we got) but there were only a few times where we felt uncomfortably sandwiched between other groups of hikers.

It honestly didn’t feel too challenging between Phantom Ranch and Indian Garden - we were definitely going up, but it was gradual and beautiful and we had turkey sandwiches to look forward to. When we reached Indian Garden we found a picnic table in the creek and had the most scenic lunch I’ll probably ever experience. I never wanted to leave!

From Indian Garden we knew we only had about 4 miles left in our journey - we marveled at the fact that we felt great, but knew that people said the last 3-4 miles were the real slog.

For us, we never felt that any part of this was a slog. Just an absolutely perfect day. Ew, I sound so annoying don’t I? But seriously, I couldn’t get over how lucky I was to spend 8 hours exploring such an iconic natural wonder.

Towards the top of Bright Angel, things got slippery and icy again, but before we knew it, we had reached the end. I couldn’t help but be sad it was over. On our walk back to the car we joked, “we could totally go and do that again right now, I’m not tired at all!”

Once we sat down in the car, took our hiking boots off, and broke into the trail mix, however, the adrenaline subsided and the sleepiness hit HARD. We drove over to Mather Point and split a beer while waiting for sunset time - scrolling through our pictures and reminiscing about our favorite parts of the day.

We dragged ourselves out of the car eventually and walked over to the gift store where we couldn’t help but buy ourselves matching long sleeve t-shirts to mark the day (my longest hike ever!).

Mather Point was crowded for sunset, but not even the crowds took away from the beauty that is Grand Canyon at sunset.

WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENTLY?

In a perfect world, we would have stayed right within the Grand Canyon and we wouldn’t have showered by headlamp in a cold trailer after a 15 hour day…but other than that, I honestly wouldn’t change much. We’re already talking about wanting to run rim to rim to rim in a day - just a casual 40+ mile run.

For anyone who has ever considered a hike like this and has been deterred by the distance and the elevation - don’t underestimate yourself and the inspiration that the Grand Canyon can give you. And go in November…I promise you it’s a lot nicer hiking 18 miles in 40 degrees as opposed to 112.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE GRAND CANYON? WOULD YOU TRY THIS HIKE?

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