I love any chance that I get to explore somewhere new, and this last trip was no different. An 8 hour drive through Utah and Arizona may not sound terribly exciting, but it was some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever witnessed. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from traveling more often is that it doesn’t necessarily matter how far you travel, it just matters what you make of it. While there are so many places on the other side of the world that I can’t wait to explore, there are also amazing sights to be seen close by. Don’t wait for a long-term vacation from work to get out there, just pick a spot and go. I’ve lived on both coasts, driven across the country and I can confidently say that whether it be a day trip to an hour from where you live that you’ve never been before or a long drive somewhere completely random, there are crazy cool things to find anywhere if you just take the chance and do it!
Our drive took us from a short-lived stop in Las Vegas, back and forth through Utah and Arizona to Monument Valley. As most travels go, ours didn’t go exactly according to plan. We missed the sunset in Monument Valley, but ended up seeing some amazing sights under the stars in the freezing cold.
We stayed the night in Page, Arizona where we got a feel for the incredible charm and hospitality of the locals. One bar patron offered us a ride home from his son picking him up, while later on a Pizza Hut employee graciously unlocked their doors to make us an after hour meal because everything else in town was shut down.
The sunset filled drive back from Arizona to Nevada was breathtaking with every turn leading us to stop along the road for pictures. Sitting in a car for hours can seem daunting, but I’ve learned that my saving grace other than staring in awe out the window is podcasts. We just about finished the entire series of “Up and Vanished” on our drive. I’m a sucker for anything true crime so leave me a comment if you’ve got any good ones!
