Throwback Thursday #TTBT #1

For those of you that have Instagram or Twitter accounts, you're probably familiar with the hash tag #TBT or the tag line "ThrowbackThursday". I thoroughly enjoy reflecting, reminiscing and remembering, as well as any opportunity to show pictures of my travels. So I think every second Thursday or so, I'll have a #TTBT post (Travel Throwback Thursday) where I'll write about a specific place and use it as an excellent excuse to rifle through all my photos and chose a couple good ones. Here's to the first #TTBT!

 

Welcome to Arches National Park, Utah.  

 

I camped just outside Arches NP, in the city of Moab, Utah. After an early morning of mountain biking (for which Moab is famous worldwide), we spent the good part of a HOT day water rafting down the Colorado river and then the early evening watching the sun set behind the Arches. The views were worth the sticky heat, the small crowd of people and the hike's incline up and over the rocks to Delicate Arch. I'd advise getting there a bit earlier than 20 minutes before sun down to avoid missing out on a good spot - I'm a sucker for a good sunset but often wish there weren't random people in my photos. Spend the remaining daylight playing games or soaking up the incredible views across the rocks...there are over 2,000 different arches to be seen! If only we could have spent more time exploring the park. However, we did still manage to make time for a BBQ and some insanely amazing and clear star gazing.

Utah State Official - Check out the offical Utah National Park website for information, photos and videos on the Arches and a good general overview of the park (including entry fees, maps, weather and safety tips).

Arches NP on National Geographic - National Geographics online take on Arches NP, including interesting and detailed information, amazing photographs and links to good quality guidebooks and maps.

Moab Visitors - Pretty basic website but full of links leading to good information on weather, maps, hikes, guide books, events, trips and much more handy information. 

World's Largest Rope Swing Video - Devinsupertramp makes fun and intense videos doing all the crazy things I wish I could do. Check out the rope swing they created on one of the Arches in Moab - crazy cool.

 Take me back!

Project Yosemite

I believe you should not regret anything in life. I'd rather just have a (hopefully small) pile of bad decisions and mistakes that have formed life lessons. They might have taken me along a different pathway or caused me to diviate from the original plan but at least they are lessons learnt. One specific lesson I can pick up off the pile involves not preparing for a hike properly, leading to me not completing the trail I had been so eager to do. I don't regret my decision to turn around, I just wish I'd prepared more.

 

 Half Dome is a hike to be reckoned with. A 16 mile round trip starting out on the grassy floor of Yosemite National Park, California, winding up and over bridges, steep ledges, countless steps and stunning views, it eventually reaches the ultimate challenge - the Cables. An almost vertical half mile up the steep face of Half Dome, hauling yourself up with just the cables and chains to keep you safe, it's strenuous, dangerous, exhilarating and something I'd been dying to do since organising a trek around the US West Coast. However, due to many obstacles including waking up late, not having enough water, members in the group physically not able to handle the heat and a general concern for our overall safety, we decided to not complete the full hike, with three of us reaching the point just before the cables. It's hard not to regret the decision but I know that safety comes first. When you aren't carrying enough water and your body is crying out for a break, it's best to be level headed and sensible and start to head back. You may be feeling ok but what goes up must come down and you do not want to get stuck on the way back down after pushing too hard on the way up.

I'm forever dreaming about Yosemite and completing it's almighty Half Dome. I recently stumbled across this website Project Yosemite whilst killing time on my commute home. I then spent the next 25 minutes watching and re-watching the visually stunning time lapse videos on the opening page of the site, created by two talented men who's burning passion for Yosemite and its hauntingly beautiful scenery show through their footage and photography.

I was memorised by the vivid colours of the sunrises, the powerful shots of the seasons changing and the intensity given to such a seemly calm and peaceful valley. Visit http://www.projectyose.com/ and see what exactly I'm talking about. I literally feel that my words cannot do it justice and therefore wish to write no more. Head over and prepare to spend at least the next half an hour staring in awe and wonder - you may also feel the urge to add Yosemite to your bucket list if it isn't already near the top of it. Enjoy :)