• Day 6: Barcelona Hotel room

    August 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    2 days, staying in the bed, sleeping most of the times.

    Day 1: some coughing and sneezing, sore throat, itchy chest, feeling chills in one minute, hot flashes in the next, but never escalated to fever.

    Day 2: chills and hot flashes were gone. Itchy chest was gone as well. Only few coughing and sneezing left. Mostly feeling back to normal! A bit headache still remains though.

    Thanks to the vaccines, thanks to science, it seems my COVID 19 experience is a very mild one.

    However, this experience is reconfirmed one fact: I CAN love my husband even more!

    Trapped in a small room with me, he was patient, caring, funny and gentle. Since he continues to test negative, with mask on him at all time, he was able to go out and get food. Fresh squeezed Orange juice, yogurt, bananas, cookies and pastries. He wanted to make sure his sick wife didn’t go hungry.

    Tonight, he managed to find my favorite Chinese dish in Barcelona! Spicy fish stew. I crave this dish from time to time, especially when I am sick. He managed to track it down and went to get it for me. As he was waiting, I guess the restaurant owner, who doesn’t speak a word of English, took liking of him, gave him all kind of extra food to take back to me. Some tasty chicken legs, roasted sweet potatoes, fresh honeydew melon slices and some fresh plums. As we opened up the package, we looked at each other and confused. We definitely didn’t pay for all these things they added in here. But then…who doesn’t like Steve once you meet him!

    He was munching on other dishes I ordered, left the giant bowl of fish stew for me to consume. I looked at him, and really wanted to kiss him, but had to refrain myself. For some reason, the forbidden things are always so much more attractive. 😂

    I think I will be back to normal tomorrow, will try to head out if I can while wearing mask the whole time. I think walking around this lovely neighborhood should be a safe activity to do.
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  • Day 5: Barcelona

    August 10, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Well, not too surprised, I tested positive for COVID. We have been testing ourselves daily since we arrived, and I tested positive this morning; Steve is still negative.

    I have canceled all reservations to restaurants, and will be isolating myself for the next couple days. Since Steve is negative, he can go out and get food for us, while masked the whole time though.

    My symptoms are mild so far, no fever, can still taste and smell. A bit of cough and scratchy throat, that’s it.

    So thankful for Vaccines!! I got 2 booster shots on top of the regular ones, probably helped to keep my symptoms mild.

    I have no regrets coming to Barcelona. This city is absolutely amazing! I am fond of its people as well, so friendly and genuine. I have done most of what I wanted to do anyway, so staying in the hotel rooms for a couple days is not a problem.

    Will head back home on Saturday, and keep the mask on me the entire time!
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  • Day 4: Figueres - hometown of Dali

    August 9, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Today is all about Salvador Dali! We took a small group tour (just us and a lovely family) with a knowledgeable guide, who drove 2 hours away from Barcelona to Figueres, hometown of Salvador Dali.

    Dali has been one of my favorite artists, along with Picasso and Rodin. Years ago we went to Rodin museum in Paris and loved it. I am so glad I had the chance to learn so much about Dali today.

    Dali museum was our first stop. It’s rare for an artist to design their own museum, but Dali not only did that, but lived in the museum towards the end of his life, and finally buried in this museum. Throughout the museum, you can really peak into his mind, and discover it’s craziness and beauty. Touring his living space was kind of neat as well!

    Dali was madly in love with his wife Gala, to the extend that he bought a castle for her! The Gala castle was our second stop. As Dali’s muse, you can see Gala’s face in many of his pieces, even more so in her castle. Gala however told her husband not to come to her castle unless he received a written invitation, meanwhile took many young, handsome lovers. Dali still maintained his deep love for her to the end.

    However, Gala is buried in the castle, Dali chose to be buried in his museum.

    Our tour ended on a lovely beach of Mediterranean sea. Some cold beer for Steve and ice cream for me on a hot day was so perfect!

    Our dinner was at a restaurant specializing food on toothpicks. A smaller form of tapa dishes. The food was delicious!!
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  • Day 3: Barcelona

    August 8, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We started our day at the center of the city, the Catalonia Plaza, and started Rick Steve’s’ walking tour (his free app is fantastic to listen to while walking).

    Following his directions, we walked through La Rambla street. As Rick making a big deal on a street fountain, talking about its history and significance of it, an old woman was vigorously washing her feet and sandals in this historic fountain, making Steve and I laugh out loud. I really like the fact people here live with the history (their balconies may be decorated with statues, their doors may have some historical carvings on them, their apartments may belong to some historical figures…), they continue live their lives and kind of become part of the history, which makes the city so much more vibrant and lively. History is not some dead objects or stories here, it very much is part of the city and its culture.

    As we were heading deeper and deeper into the old city area, the winding narrow streets started showing their personalities, so much more charming than the big avenues lined with major brands. Small personal shops displaying handmade shoes, clothings, art pieces, sculptures; cafes and bars popping up at every corner and small courtyards. Families walking with their kids and dogs, young people on skateboards, old people on their walkers… they are going about their daily lives, perfectly fine with tourists passing them by. They have become part of the landscape of this city.

    People here are proud and kind, and diligent with their work. Street sweepers busy keeping the streets clean; the wait staff smile warmly and super pleasant; the huge smile on a street vendor’s face after he made a €1 sale somehow moved me greatly; the musicians playing expertly in plazas were full of energy.

    This is a great city!

    As we walked through the Gothic Quarter, the Cathedral, the palace of Catalonia Royals where they sent Columbus off and then gave him a hero’s welcome upon returning (therefore changed the history for Spain), to the headquarter of Spanish Inquisition (a surprisingly whimsical building…wished we could check out the basement), we somehow found ourselves in front of the doors of Picasso museum. Unfortunately it’s closed today. However, the Modern Art museum was right next door and was open, so we went inside and checked out some Banksy works.

    After walking for 5 hours and more than 5 miles, we were exhausted but very happy! Time to head back and have a nap!
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  • Day 2: Barcelona

    August 7, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Today’s agenda is all about Gaudi, one of the most famous architects of Spain.

    We joined a walking tour in order to gain access inside of the buildings. The first stop is Casa Batllo. This charming house has an ocean theme, everything is waving and curving; very few straight lines anywhere. Gaudi was truly creative and ahead of his time!

    After visiting a few more houses and the Park Guell, we finally arrived at La Sagrada Familia, one of the most magnificent buildings in the world! Words cannot describe how amazing this building is. The construction of it started 1882, and still going on today. When Gaudi died in 1926 (killed by a streetcar), the building was less than a quarter completed. The Spanish Civil War caused the destruction of his blueprints and plaster models. It took 16 years to reconstruct the plaster models for the work to continue. They are hoping to complete the construction by 2026, but the pandemic delayed it yet again.

    This building is one reason I picked Barcelona to visit. My gosh! It’s so worth it!

    Dinner tonight is a restaurant known for its paella, and the beautiful view of the city. Arriving early granted us the best seats in the house, a corner table with a sweeping view of the harbor.
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  • Day 1: Barcelona

    August 7, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We originally scheduled to go to a River Cruise in Europe to celebrate our 20 year anniversary in 2020, well, that didn’t happen due to COVID. 2 years later, we have come to Barcelona for the celebration, just because I have always wanted to come here.

    The night before our travel, we got an email from American Airline, informing us our flight to Philadelphia (with 9 hr layover) has been canceled. Calling them immediately resulted us flying through Miami and then Barcelona. My plan of walking around Philadelphia for 9 hours was forced to changed to 7 hours lazy around in the Miami airport lounge, since we were exhausted after getting up at 2:30 AM to make our 5 AM flight.

    After 30 hours of traveling, we arrived in Barcelona at 9 AM. Since we were not able to check in until 3 PM, we decided to walk around the neighborhood for a while.

    Turns out our fancy hotel is located at the heart of the ritziest neighborhood in Barcelona, where a lot of architecturally significant buildings are located. Walking around here was a fantastic thing to do to see Barcelona in our first day.

    With Rick Steve’s’ audio tour (an app you can download) in our ears, we set out to see the masterpieces of Spanish architecture marvels.

    After walking almost 2 hrs, we were completely exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel. Thankfully they were able to check us in. After 36 hours of traveling, we were finally in bed.

    People in Spain like to eat late. The Michelin star restaurant we planned to eat in doesn’t open until 8 PM. But it’s so worth the wait. The restaurant is a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines, and the amazing tastes of both cultures shined through each dish. Our first meal in Barcelona is already an highlight of our trip!

    Finally, time to sleep!
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  • Day 14: Honolulu - Pearl Harbor

    June 10, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Today was the final day of our amazing Hawaii vacation, and we devoted today to Pearl Harbor.

    We visited Bowfin Submarine and USS Missouri. I tried to make reservations for Arizona Memorial, failed to secure 3 tickets fast enough before all were gone. 😔

    However, the submarine and battleship tours actually took us all day since there were so much to see! It was so impressive that Bowfin sunk 44 Japanese ships! Being on this very ship felt surreal.

    I didn’t know the official surrender of Japan happened on USS Missouri. Standing on the very spot of the signing ceremony made me emotional.

    My mother’s family had suffered a lot during WWII in the hands of Japanese army. Her father was killed by Japanese air raid early in the war. Her mother re-married a few years later and then died. Her stepfather sent her to live with her uncle. She was abused by that family, treated like a servant. When she broke a tea cup one time, they made her kneel on the broken pieces. She still has those scars more 70 years later. The uncle then sent my mom to an orphanage, where she actually was treated better. Then just before the city was liberated by the Communist army, the adults of the orphanage fled, left the entire school of kids to fend themselves. The kids were starved for 3 days before the Communists soldiers saved them, gave them candies and food. Then new Communist government sent my mother to school, gave her proper education all the way to college, where she met my father.

    War is cruel and common people suffer. I often wonder how she had survive so much sufferings and still always smiling and happy. She is the kindest and most selfless person I know (Steve is too). I don’t know why, but standing on the spot of Japan’s surrender made me miss my mother.

    The final dinner in Hawaii was at a restaurant called Aloha Table. The food was absolutely amazing!! A fitting end to our trip!

    We have to get up at 4 AM tomorrow to catch our flight. 😬
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  • Day 13: Kona to Honolulu

    June 9, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Woke up and got a text from my friend about helicopter crash in Hawaii, asking if I was still alive. Immediately found the news article, and realized we actually passed by some helicopters on our way to the mountains yesterday, wondering if we should do a tour to the volcano site. Good thing we didn’t!!

    We were traveling to Honolulu today and the flight was not eventful at all.

    This was actually the first time for us to visit Honolulu properly. Last time we completed skipped this island. Now I am here, to be honest, it’s a bit too metropolitan for me.

    After a very satisfying dinner at the famous Roy’s restaurant, we took a stroll on the Waikiki Beach, just in time for a beautiful sunset. Passed by an outdoor Luau, and stayed for a couple shows. Free Luau! 😂

    Tomorrow is our final day in Hawaii. Honestly, I am ready to go home. I miss my own bed. ☺️
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  • Day 12: The Big Island of Hawaii - Kona

    June 8, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Sea turtles! We saw a dozen sea turtles this morning in a nearby state park. We just love these gentle creatures!

    We then drove to a lovely town called Waimea and had a great lunch there. Along the way, the landscape kept changing, from volcanic wasteland with few goats, to lush English pastures with many cattle and horses, ended with rainforest jungle of Waipio Valley. I do think the big island of Hawaii is the most interesting island in Hawaii!

    After a great dinner at a fancy Japanese restaurant, we headed back to Mauna Kea mountain to look at the stars. The an hour and half drive towards the mountain was nerve racking because when we started, there was heavy rain and many clouds. I was really worried that we would waste 3 hours of back and forth driving not seeing any stars. However, there is a reason the scientists built the most cutting-edge observatories at the summit here, because this mountain top seems always above the clouds.

    As we jumped out of our car, the sky was full of stars! Unfortunately the half moon made some of them less visible, but it was still amazing!!

    We are heading back to Honolulu tomorrow.
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  • Day 11: The Big Island of Hawaii - Kona

    June 7, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Sadly we have to say goodbye to one of the best Airbnb we’ve ever stayed in. This cliff side beach house is amazing! This tiny gecko seemed visit us every morning; we named him Alfred. Bye Alfred!

    We decided to drive the shorter route to Kona through the inland highway. As we were admiring the Mauna Kea mountain in the horizon, I realized we would’ve arrived in Kona too early for the check in time, so I said since it’s such a beautiful sunny day, why not go to the mountains!

    So we set our new destination to the mountain peak, and made the right turn. The higher the car climbed, the better the view. Pretty soon the clouds were under us. By the time we made to the visitor center, we could see the entire half of the island. We decided not to drive to the summit since our rental car was struggling to reach here already.

    A short walk into the garden area, we passed a group of ladies who were looking for Silver Sword Plant, telling us it’s endangered species. Sure enough we found 3 of them in various stage of growth. Turns out this type of plant only grow on Mauna Kea Mountain in Hawaii, and only 40 of them left in the world right now.

    Hiking on the mountain wasn’t easy due to its high altitude, but we made it to the top of the hill. The view at every direction was breathtaking!

    We will be back here tomorrow night for star gazing.

    We usually have a rule when we are traveling: eat local food as much as possible. So we almost never eat at chain restaurants or fast food places. However, we had to make an exception for dinner today. We needed to make our Manta Ray Viewing at Night tour by 6:45, as we headed out for dinner, many places were already closed. The couple places were open all claimed they were short staffed, so the wait would be long. Therefore, for the first time in years, we went to McDonalds. We made it just in time before they were closed. For a touristy area, they sure close early here.

    Now, I have to describe what’s like to see those Manta Rays since I don’t have any photos to show you. First of all, the background story. 50 years ago, a hotel nearby lighted up the ocean water, which attracted the planktons. The planktons then attracted the Manta Rays. So the tourist companies started a unique way to allow us to see the rays up close. They use the custom built boards with lights underneath, so the planktons would be grouped around it. The boards have railings around them so we could hold on to them. With our faces underwater with snorkeling masks on, we could see the rays coming up feeding on the planktons.

    What a magical experience!! The Manta Rays came up close to us, really close to us! So close that they bumped into us. I don’t think I’ve ever be this close to so many wild animals before! They were so elegant and graceful! With their mouths open, they we’re gliding and swallowing planktons right underneath us. A Ray named Amanda was especially friendly(or just hungry), she came up to us over and over, bumped into Evan’s shoulder, brushed my fingers. It was great!!

    Really have to thank my friend Christine for recommending this tour to me. Otherwise I would’ve missed this once in lifetime experience!!
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  • Day 10: The Big Island of Hawaii - Hilo

    June 6, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Evan turned 17 today! Happy birthday to our amazing son! He has brought nothing but joy in the past 17 years, being an intelligent and considerate boy. We are lucky to have him as our son; and he often says we are the best parents in the world! ☺️

    When asked what he wanted for his birthday breakfast, he said baked potatoes. Realizing he wasn’t joking, we bought potatoes from the store and baked them this morning. He was very happy eating his potatoes and cupcakes as his first meal as a 17 year old.

    Today’s main event was a 4 hour visit in the longest and deepest lava tube in the world. The Kazumura Lava Tube is 40 miles long and 3,461 feet deep and is also one of the longest caves in the world. The only way to see it is to purchase a tour from Harry.

    Harry bought a property near the cave in 1990s. During the land survey, they told him of an entrance of this cave is on his property, therefore allowed some ownership to him according to some Hawaii law. For the next 20 years, he made this cave his life’s mission. He explored and studied the cave, learning everything he could about lava and volcano, working with other scientists in the world, coming up with scientific explanations for the formations of many structures in the cave, and then started giving tours to people. He is extremely serious about keeping the cave exactly as it was, only giving tours to very small groups and making sure no one touches the walls or otherwise affect the cave’s natural environment in any way.

    We hiked into the cave for about 1.5 miles, going up and down ladders, and climbing over many piles of breakdown. The cave was completely dark with our flashlights as the only light source. Besides a tiny, almost translucent cave cricket we saw, the cave seemed lifeless and completely silent. Harry stopped often to show us all the interesting things in the cave. He asked us if he was giving us too much information. I assured him that we loved learning new things. I told him I called Steve “a know it all” guy, and Evan “a know it more” guy. Neither one of them knew much about lava tube so they were happily soaking in all the new knowledge about it for 4 hours!

    I also told Harry how much I appreciated his efforts to keep this cave as natural as possible. He successfully foiled a neighbor’s attempt to expand the tourism of the cave, thereby preventing bus loads of people from coming in. He told us that many years ago, a guy who didn’t speak any English wiped some crystallized minerals from the wall, erased 500 years of growth! He still sounded pained when he talked about it.

    We walked deeper and deeper into the cave, and saw many interesting lava formations. At one point, Harry told us to walk forward one by one, and we would see something unusual. Sure enough, we saw a large hole in the ground. I could imagine how scary it must’ve been for Harry when he saw it for the first time 20 years ago. Fortunately the hole wasn’t deep. He called this room the Pit Room. To continue exploration would require rock climbing skills to scale a tall lava fall. Since we don’t have such a skill, here was our turnaround point. Harry asked if we want to experience total darkness, and we said yes. So all lights were off, and we stood in total darkness and silence. The last time we experienced something like this was in Australia Outback. But here, being so deep underground and miles away from civilization, the void was more complete…like death?

    The hiking back to the entrance took about an hour. To my surprise, exited into the sunlight wasn’t too shocking to our sense, thanks to the lush vegetations by the entrance.

    We skipped lunch today since we were deep underground at the time. It was already 3 pm by the time we got back to our Airbnb. After a bit break, we headed out to dinner at a local restaurant famous for its Laulau, a dish involving wrapping some proteins in taro leafs. It was delicious!

    Tonight’s moon was only half full; few clouds in the sky allowed us to see more stars.

    We are heading to Kona tomorrow.
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  • Day 9: Big Island of Hawaii - Hilo

    June 5, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    22 years ago, Steve and I almost died on this island. OK, maybe I am being a bit dramatic, but it’s absolutely true.

    From May to November of 2000, the lava from the Hawaii volcano flowed into the ocean. When we were here in September, we were told we could hike to the lava flow site which was 3 miles from where we were. Not knowing what did it mean to hike 3 miles one way in 90 degrees weather under the sun and walking on uneven lava field, with one bottle of water, we set off.

    The hike was treacherous because the lava field was very hard to walk on. But we made it to the flow of lava, it was indeed very cool to see up close. I didn’t think I ever got close to something hotter than this over 2,000 degrees lava before. It was thick and bright red, like a river of red molasses, flowing slowly towards the sea. I felt so hot standing near it that my inside was heating up.

    Then a park ranger walked towards us, told us:”you have 15 minutes to get out.” Confused and alarmed, we asked what’s that mean. She said there was another flow of lava coming down towards the ocean behind us, we had 15 minutes to race it so we wouldn’t be cut off from exit and be trapped. She then turned around and started to hike back herself.

    I remembered there was a Japanese couple ahead of us when we hiked. Realizing the park ranger didn’t know about them, I frantically started looking for them. Then I saw them and started screaming “hello” at them. They finally turned around and looked at me. I waved “coming back this way” at them over and over. They hesitated and then stated to walk back towards us. To this day, I bet they had no idea I save their lives.

    We walked as fast as we could and reached a safer area. I wanted to see the spectacular scene of lava hitting the ocean water. So I stepped on a rock and leaned over towards the ocean. Sure enough, when fire met water, it was so cool! I turned around and told Steve to come see as well. Then I noticed how pale his face was. I had never seen him looking so scared before. I asked what’s wrong. He was clearly trying to remain calm and he whispered:”get back here.” I was confused but complied. He held my hand and walked away from where I stood as fast as he could.

    “So what’s that about?” I demanded to know.

    “Well, I didn’t want to tell you then so you don’t panic. Where you stood on was a splinter of dried lava that’s already leaning towards the ocean. It could break off any second!”

    So yeah, I was at the brink of death at that moment.

    Last night, Steve found this recording of the event we experienced. https://volcano.si.edu/ShowReport.cfm?doi=10.54…

    It’s unnerving to read about the 2 bodies they found weeks later around this area. It could be us!

    Alright, story time is over and on to my travel journal for today.

    We reached the Hawaii Volcano Park in the rain. Most times it was just misty, but sometimes there were big rain drops. I was actually kind of glad that it wasn’t another hot day like last time.

    Kilauea lki trail is a 3 mile hike through a large crater that was erupted in 1959. It’s surreal to hike on a crater with a landscape seems so alien and out worldly. We had a great time hiking all the way to the other side of the crater. We also checked out a lava tube along the way. A bit shorter than we expected. We have arranged a tour to visit a much longer one tomorrow.

    Lunch was at a restaurant called The Rim. We ate here 22 years ago and the food was fancier and better back then.

    After lunch, Steve and I were excited to see the lava flow again! So we drove and hiked to the viewing location. Instead of uneven lava field we walked on paved road; Instead seeing the lava close we were viewing the eruption site from 2 miles away. Needless to say, we were a bit disappointed. We had no idea how lucky we were to be allowed to see the lava up close!

    We then drove down Chains of Craters road towards the ocean, finally saw some sunshine when we reached the Sea Arch site.

    Dinner was at a restaurant called the Pesto. I really enjoyed the local specialty called Loco Moco. After hiking about 7 miles today, we definitely need some quality calories.
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  • Day 8: Kauai to Big Island of Hawaii

    June 4, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Travel day today! Nothing was remarkable of the trip except my lunch at Honolulu airport: the $15 turkey sandwich was the worst sandwich I’ve ever had!

    Of all the Airbnb I booked, I looked forward to this one the most. A gay couple bought this property and made the guest house on the cliff an Airbnb, while they live on the main house with their 2 dogs.

    The guest house was right by the water, and it’s amazing!! Everything inside was perfectly decorated and had the quietest AC in all AirB&Bs we stayed. All the amenities were in 5 star hotel standards. The comfy chairs on the massive deck will be utilized to their full potentials in the coming days!

    After the terrible airport lunch, we went to a fantastic Japanese restaurant for dinner. To our delight, Evan started to enjoying raw fish, so we ordered rolls and sushi. I was so happy to see how much he enjoyed the food!

    We are heading to the Volcano National Park tomorrow!
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  • Day 7: Kauai - Koloa

    June 3, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    22 years ago, when Steve and I were in our honeymoon, we went on this kayaking/hiking/swimming tour to the Secret Falls of Kauai. This trip has left an almost mythical impression on my mind that the river we kayaked on has been my “happy place” for over 20 years! Many years ago I experienced a severe case of insomnia that I had to see a psychiatrist for it. He told me to close my eyes, go to the most peaceful and happy place in my mind. So I came here, on this river in Kauai. Early morning mist hovering the water, red flowers falling on the surface, so quiet that the only sound I heard was our paddles. With the psychiatrist’s guidance, I fell into slumber for the first time for a long time.

    When we were deciding which islands to visit, I insisted coming to Kauai, because I wanted to visit this river again.

    So this morning, that’s what we did. We went on the exact same tour as before. Kayaking/hiking/swimming to the Secret Falls. Except the falls are no longer a secret. By the time we got into our kayak, there were many people already on the river. It was hard to re-live my memory, so I was a bit disappointed. Knowing my desire, Steve paddled hard so we were ahead of our group. At one turn, we didn’t see anyone ahead, and we were far enough from others. For a brief moment, we were alone on a stretch of quiet river, with only red flowers on the water around us.

    Something has changed from before. A board walk has been added to the hiking section of the trip; there were way more people all around. Something has not changed, the turkey sandwich the tour company provided was exactly same as I remembered; the trip was still amazing and the falls was still magnificent.

    Having Evan with us this time also made the tour special. This is still my “happy place”!

    Dinner today was at a restaurant called Merriman. They had specialized Hawaii regional cuisine for many decades. Happy to say everything we had here was fantastic!

    After dinner, we played some games at the courtyard. Steve and Evan engaged fierce battles of Connect Four with them each winning one game. Steve however lost the game of Jenga. A stroll by the ocean one more time allowed us to say goodbye to Kauai.

    We are heading to the Big Island of Hawaii tomorrow.
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  • Day 6: Kauai - Koloa

    June 2, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Woke up to a beautiful sunny day! The waves seemed calmer as well.

    Today’s main event is our helicopter tour of the island. 22 years ago, Steve and I took a helicopter tour. Our first time being on a helicopter and the experience wasn’t exactly pleasant for me. Since I got motion sickness easily, and they assigned me a middle seat. Our pilot was a Vietnam veteran, and he flew the helicopter like a stunt job. Even though we did get very close to some waterfalls, his twists and turns made my inside upside down. I tried very hard not to throwing up.

    So this time, I did hesitate to book this tour. The price has increased substantially as well. Considering this will be Evan’s first helicopter ride, I went ahead and booked it.

    The difference was night and day! Our pilot was Kate, and she made the ride as smoothly as possible! I hardly felt any rocking! Unlike the last time, we were actually given some safety training. The entire operation was very streamlined and professional. All the staff was very pleasant as well.

    I asked and granted a window seat. Evan got the chance to sit right next to the pilot, so he was very happy. Steve, always the most considerate one, got the middle seat of the flight. While the older couple we flew with both got window seats.

    With the absence of dizziness, I enjoyed this flight so much more! The stunning beauty of Kauai couldn’t be described properly with words. The towering mountains, born in volcano shaped by water, are magnificent and elegant. Waterfalls were thin and long, like white ribbons flowing down the mountain goddess’ green dress; and the white sand beaches, dotted along the coast, are the raffles at the bottom of the dress. Yes! I think Kauai is the most beautiful goddess on earth!

    After lunch, we went on a short hike on Maha’ulepu trail. The trail follows the coast line and passes a golf course. I did read a one star review of the trail when the woman’s husband got hit by a golf ball. Not sure the trail deserves the one star review though… I think this trail deserves a solid 5 star! Probably one the most beautiful trail I’ve ever hiked on.

    The Thai food we had for dinner however only deserves 3 stars.
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  • Day 5: Kauai - Koloa

    June 1, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    After 2 beautiful sunny days, our luck has run out. Rain has arrived in Kauai. Although the mist on the water has its own charm.

    We were traveling to the south side of the island today. It took more than 2 hours to drive from Princeville to Waimea Canyon State park. Along the way, we passed Tree Tunnel, a lone stretch of road covered by towering trees.

    When Steve and I were here 22 years ago on our honeymoon, we really enjoyed our trip to the Waimea Canyon. I was so happy to be back here with Evan! Unfortunately our planned hike was cut short by a downpour, and the rain had shrouded the canyon in thick fog. We had to leave the canyon earlier than planned.

    Seeking lunch options, we went to a nice little historical town called Hanapepe. The plaques on buildings often told the stories of Chinese immigrants contributions to this area. It was so nice to read them and feeling proud. There were many art studios in this town with some very cool and unique art pieces.

    It’s finally the time to check into our new Airbnb. I thought the last place was close to ocean, this place is even closer! LOL! This side of the island was experiencing some high waves. Some waves were so high that I thought I could taste the water from the balcony!

    Dinner was at a fancy restaurant called Red Salt. The dishes were really well made and decorated beautifully. It was cool to see the sunset and sea turtles on our walk back to our apartment.
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  • Day 4: Kauai - Princeville

    May 31, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Woke up this morning feeling momentarily disoriented, not sure where I was. Looking out of the window, seeing the endless blue water extending to the horizon, I finally remembered I was on Kauai island north side. I had been experiencing some insomnia issues for over a year now, had been taking a bit sleeping pill to help me sleep. Thinking back, I was so tired every night since I came to Hawaii, I didn’t need sleeping pills for the a couple nights now, and have been getting at least 8 hour sleeps. Apparently Hawaii can cure insomnia!!

    Due to Evan’s injuries, we were taking it easy today. Simply drove up along the coast and admired the scenic views. Kauai is so breathtaking that every turn we made awarded us a gorgeous viewpoint. We met a kind woman by the roadside who insisted leading us down to a path, to a beach seemed favored by the locals, which was one of the best beaches we’ve been to. Thank you, kind stranger!

    We found that the local people here were generally very kind and courteous. There were several one lane bridges on route. At first we were very surprised to see there was no traffic lights for these bridges. The order of crossing was entirely depended on the decency of the drivers. Each direction should only have 5-7 cars cross at the time. As we drove up and down this road several times, only once there were more than 7 cars crossed from one direction.

    Lunch was at a little tourist town crowded with people. Unfortunately since there were very few dinning options here, and many places closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, we didn’t have other choice. However, Chicken in a Barrel had some fantastic BBQ dishes! Especially the BBQ chicken, seasoned perfectly, and cooked in a way that maintained the juiciness of the meat. Yum!

    We decided to head back to our little piece of heaven by the ocean for a bit, before heading out again towards south. But instead going out again, we took a very long nap. By the time we woke up, it was already 4 pm! LOL! Well, I blame the delicious lunch in our stomachs and the gentle waves outside. We were simply too relaxed and comfortable.

    There were signs all over our parking lot warning nonresidents not to park here to go to Turtle Cave. So I checked for Turtle Cave on Google map, didn’t find such a location. But on our way to our car, we noticed a small path going down towards the ocean. Well, let’s see where it goes. So we started on this trail, very narrow and steep, many inclines were almost vertical. One spot even had a rope, seemed to expect people to rappel down. Fortunately for us, the weather god has granted us a couple days of beautiful sunny weather, the path was dry, so we were able to walk down without the rope. Once we finally reached the sea, sure enough, there were turtles in the water, and there was a cave on the side. I guess we have found the Turtle Cave, a place so local that even Google map doesn’t know about it. Climbing back up the trail was easier than going down.

    Felt like we didn’t do as much today than planned, but no one said we have to do too much when vacationing. An easy day is a good day too! Although out little trip to Turtle Cave certainly wasn’t easy!
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  • Day 3: Oahu to Kauai

    May 30, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Travel day today, flying from Oahu to Kauai. We divided our trip to Kauai into 2 parts: north side and south side. North side of Kauai is known for having the heaviest rainfall in the world, lucky for us, it’s a beautiful sunny day today, and we will be here for the next 2 days.

    We arrived at our Airbnb at Princeville and stunned by the location of this lovely apartment! There are places claiming to be oceanfront as long as you can see the water. This apartment however, is truly oceanfront! Any further we would’ve dropped into the ocean! The entire apartment is decorated very tastefully, making us feel right at home.

    After a bit of rest in the afternoon, we headed out for dinner. Tahiti Nui restaurant is the local iconic place, known for its food, drinks and live music. Sure enough, everything we ate here was delicious! The singer’s traditional Hawaii songs were pleasant to our ears too.

    After dinner, Steve decided we should take a walk to the beach nearby, and watch the sunset. So we walked somewhat slowly to the beach since Evan is limping from his injuries. We made just in time for a magnificent sunset! Life can’t be more perfect to watch a beautiful sunset on a beach of one of the most beautiful places on earth!
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  • Day 2 - Oahu North Shore

    May 29, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    One big advantage of renting an Airbnb is the fact you can make breakfast at home. A well stocked kitchen and a quick trip to the nearest grocery store get you all set for a delicious meal. Steve’s egg bacon croissant sandwich was fantastic this morning!

    Not too far from our place in Turtle Bay was a cove called Shark’s Cove, one of the best snorkeling spots on the island. Since we didn’t bring our own snorkeling gear this time we had to rent some this morning. One of the guys at the surf shop went out of his way to help us. Upon learning how anxious I was about getting in the ocean water, he showed us the exact route to get to the best spot to see fish safely. I rented a life jacket and also a pool noodle since I am not a good swimmer. He also told us how sharp the volcanic rocks were, warning us not to get too close to them even though they were everywhere!

    As we waded out into the ocean water my anxiety rose to a dangerous level! I couldn’t breathe and felt lightheaded. I wasn’t like this before, and had had no problem snorkeling when we went to FL just last November but for some reason I developed a phobia against the ocean water in the past few months! Evan urged me to put my face into the water and I mentally and physically rejected the idea instinctively. Steve told Evan to stop telling me that, since I was having a panic attack!

    Then, a father of a young boy who swam near us shouted at us with excitement:”there is a huge sea turtle right here!” He pointed towards just few feet from us. Evan immediately put his face in the water and swam towards the spot. Then he raised his head and said:”yeah, right here!”

    Steve held my hand and gave me an encouraging nod. Reluctantly I put my face in the water. Sure enough, a huge sea turtle swam gracefully around us. I was delighted and started swam towards it like an anxious moth drawn to a calm light. Steve also put his face into the water, swam closely to me, still holding my hand tightly. Between Steve’s caring gesture and the gentleness of the sea turtle I was finally able to calm down. The world suddenly became quieter; the clear water rippled gentle waves around me, so many different fish with different colors burst into my sight. My breath slowed down, my head was less muddled, and my body moved with the waves. Finally, I was able to snorkel.

    I let go of Steve’s hand. He asked if I was sure. I said yes. He was relieved and started diving into the water like a fish. I chased the sea turtle a bit until I lost sight of it. Steve stayed close to me, pointing towards different schools of fish to me. I was enjoying myself!

    Evan and Steve were talking about going further away into the ocean. Knowing I was at my limit, I told them to bring me back to shore. As soon as I stood up, the world started spinning! I was so nauseous and dizzy that I almost fall into the water. Steve came over immediately and held me up. I limped against him and coughed, seeing stars behind my eyelids. What was wrong with me?! Since when had I became so fragile in ocean water?! Steve and Evan helped me back to solid ground. I told them to leave me and go back snorkeling. As I sat in the car waiting for their return, I was both disappointed and proud of myself. Despite of the bizarre phobia, I was able to see the sea turtle and so many tropical fish. Thank you, kind stranger, for showing us the sea turtle!

    I booked a private surfing lesson for Evan this afternoon. So we met the instructor on the beach of Chun’s Reef. Several years ago during our trip to Costa Rica, Evan and I took a surfing lesson together. I couldn’t deal with the ocean waves so I ended the lesson almost immediately once we got into the water. Evan, however, was able stand on the board and surfed as soon as the instructor told him to. The guy was so surprised he turned to me and ask:”is this really his first time surfing?” I said:”absolutely!” That’s Evan, he is so natural when comes body coordination challenges. His mind is so fast at understanding physical elements of movements, and calculating the precise body positions, surfing was easy for him. So today was no different. He stood on the board, and surfed the first wave all the way close to the shore. This, turned out to be a dangerous thing to do. After he surfed for a hour and rode several more waves with the instructor, Evan ended the lesson early and came back to shore. I ran to him and asked if he was ok, he said he was tired. When we looked down, his feet were bleeding! It seems that the long ride he took was too close to the shore, and the sharp volcanic rocks dotting the shore made cuts into the bottom of his left foot, and the heel of his right foot. Poor Evan was surfing with a couple injuries on him. It’s crazy he stayed and surfed for an hour!

    So we ended today earlier than expected and went back to our condo to deal with Evan’s injuries.

    Tomorrow, we are flying to Kauai. Any planned hikes will have to wait until we see how much Evan can handle. Knowing him, I am confident he will bounce back in no time.
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  • Day 1 - Oahu North Shore

    May 28, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Hawaii, here we come again! Last time we were here, Steve and I were on our honeymoon, 22 years ago!

    After arriving at our AirB&B, a nice condo within the Turtle Bay of North Shore, late last night, we headed directly to bed. This morning, feeling refreshed and excited, we started our official first day of our visit.

    Breakfast was at a fantastic local restaurant called Ted’s Bakery. Besides freshly made pies and donuts, they also serve delicious breakfast sandwiches and skillets. We definitely enjoyed our breakfast here. So since the donuts were so airy, it was like eating nothing, right? …right?

    The hiking trail from Turtle Bay to Kahaku Point, the northern most point of Oahu island, is only a couple miles long. We walked along the ocean, on the beaches, or on the volcanic rocks by the water. Many juicy looking crabs hurried away from us, making me pondering what I would want to eat for dinner…

    The temperature couldn’t be more perfect for a nice walk. The endless blue ocean met the blue sky at the horizon. Few clouds dotted overhead. The air was mixed with the smells of ocean and wild flowers. We only met few tourists along the way, which made our walk even better.

    After a short stop back at our condo for water refills, we decided to skip lunch (our breakfast was huge), and to seek Hawaii shaved ice instead. The food trucks near the Three Tables Beach were all smelling delicious! Glad to see them doing good business with many customers lining up. Our shaved ice was exactly what we needed. The wild chicken pecking around our feet were disappointed we didn’t have much to share though.

    Fortunately the public beach was not too crowded, we easily found a shaded area to set up our camp, and enjoyed a nice relaxing afternoon. After a couple hour however, a family with a pickup truck decided to share their music with everyone right beside us, destroying our quiet beach time. But it was time for us to leave anyway so it was ok.

    Dinner was at a restaurant located inside the famous Turtle Bay Resort. The outdoor seating of this restaurant probably has the best view of the island. All dishes are locally sourced, so we of course ordered seafood. Everything about our meal was absolutely perfect!! Therefore concluded our perfect first day in Hawaii.
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  • Grand Teton National Park: Day 2 (final

    July 23, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    First stop today was Jenny Lake. Queuing for the boat ride took a while but the ride was worth it. So glad for wearing our jackets and long pants since it was cold on the lake in the morning.

    A short easy hike later we arrived at Hidden Falls; a much longer and uphill climbing at the edge of cliff later, we arrived at Inspiration Point, a beautiful vista hilltop that overlooks Jenny Lake. Saw a very unhappy woman going downhill on this dangerous hike in her flip flops. She was so nervous her legs were shaking. Don’t recommend doing that!

    Jenny lake is gorgeous from any angle, but from the Inspiration Point under the morning sunshine, it was very tranquil. The boat on the water left a golden wake behind it, creating the only waves on the calm lake.

    The trail by the lake is 2.5 miles, I was surprised to see many young kids walking on it. There were 2 girls, who were about 5 years old, left impressions on me. One girl was walking with extreme confidence, calm and determined, eyes straight ahead. Her mother was trying to catch up to her, with a big smile on her face. Then there was another girl, walking with a frown on her face. Her mother said encouragingly:”you are such a good hiker!” The girl immediately screamed:” I AM NOT A GOOD HIKER!” Proceed with loud sobbing. The poor mother… she has a long road ahead of her!

    Almost at the end of our hike, I noticed a small trail led to a tiny rocky beach by the lake. We decided this was our final picnic spot. The gentle waves rippled on the rocks, the imposing mountains casted long reflections on the water surface, kayaks dotted on the lake. What a perfect spot for us to have … instant ramen noodles 😂. One kayaker who passed our spot said to her partner:” Hey, the noodles look good!” LOL!

    We then drove to the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive, and noticed the Full sign by the road for the picnic area, we patted ourselves on the back for making the right decision picking a much better place to eat.

    After a few more stops in the park, we drove back to Jackson Hole, therefore concluded our amazing trip to the National Parks.

    We had such a good time on this trip!!
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  • Grand Teton National Park: Day 1

    July 22, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We drove through Yellowstone National Park for the last time in the trip, said goodbye to this magnificent place on earth, heading to Grand Teton National Park.

    2 and half hour later, we arrived The Mural Room at Jackson Hole Lodge for lunch. For the first time during this trip, we were eating our lunch indoors. The restaurant has an amazing view of the Grand Teton Mountain, and the food was fantastic as well!

    On our way to Jackson Hole, we stopped at a beach area right by Jackson Lake. Steve and Evan built the strangest cairn rock art. While others built theirs as a single column to show their rock balancing skills, these two built theirs with 2 columns, with rock bridges between them. I guess you can say it showed their rock bridging skills. LOL! People tend to leave others’ rock arts alone, I wonder if their creation can withstand storms, and stand there for some times to come. By the way, the view of the mountains across the lake was breathtaking!

    On our way to Signal Mountain peak, a coyote ran towards us on the road. We stopped our car to gave it space to pass us, but this guy had a different idea about how to handle this encounter. In order to establish its dominance, or maybe it just really had to go, it looked us right in our eyes, squat down, and pooped!! We were shocked and started laughing. It finished its business, stood up and ran away. We decided to call it Joe.

    As we continue to drive towards Jackson Hole, a sudden rain shower arrived but the sun was still in the sky. The already magnificent mountain peaks were covered with golden mist. We were thinking the Misty Mountains of Lord of Rings must’ve looked like this.

    Jackson Hole is very touristy! The streets were full of people and the restaurants were packed! It’s clear the tourism in America has made its comeback.
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  • Yellowstone National Park: Day 5

    July 21, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    A heavy fog covered the entire park this morning, and gave it a mysterious feel to it.

    Instead of heading directly to a major destination, we were hitting all the places we skipped for the last 4 days this morning. There were waterfalls and more interesting geysers. This park is full of beautiful places!!

    The main attraction today is the Prismatic geyser. Based on its name, we waited until the fog was lifted before we went there. We were hoping the sunlight would gave it a colorful hue we saw in photos. However, due to the mist steaming from the geyser, we couldn’t see it very well. It’s still stunning beautiful nevertheless!

    As we were leaving this places, we saw how packed the parking lot had become. Cars were parked at least half a mile away, and many were lining up to try to park. As we were driving north, the traffic towards south almost at standstill! Once again, we were thankful how much we were rewarded for getting into the park early.

    One good thing about the Yellowstone National Park, it’s the fact many attractions were close to their parking lots, so people don’t have to walk far to see the beautiful sites. However, I think the best way to see the park is going for a nature hike, not only we can see more beauty of the nature, but we can avoid crowds.

    Once again, we went to our picnic lunch early at 11 AM, and found the best spot for the entire trip so far. The table was hidden between trees, and right by Gibbon River, it’s a quiet and beautiful spot! We enjoyed our lunch with a lurking raven. We couldn’t help ourselves but to gave it some fresh cherries. The raven took out the pits very efficiently before eating them, and then stashed some cherries in its hiding place out of sight. What a smart animal!!

    We ended our trip to Yellowstone Park with a bit splash in a clear stream in the woods. The water was shockingly cold, but felt so refreshing!

    We have to say goodbye to this park now, and heading to Grand Teton National Park tomorrow!
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  • Yellowstone National Park: Day 4 (a clos

    July 20, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Every time we passed by Norris Geyser area, it was always super crowded, so today we went there the first thing in the morning, and enjoyed this site with far fewer tourists.

    As soon as you walked in, with all the smoke coming from many geysers, it looked like a battle field to me. It’s such a unique and interesting site!!

    As we were leaving, the parking lot started to fill up, and a car was waiting for us to leave. Under the pressure to leave as soon as possible, Steve decided we were going to Lamar Valley. It turned out to be an excellent decision!

    After another lovely lunch at the most scenic picnic table, we headed into the valley.

    First of all, I have to say the this northeast quadrant of the park is very beautiful! The rolling mountains under the blue sky in the distance, the streams and rivers snaking through the vast plains, the wild flowers covering the the grassy landscape. Just WOW!

    And the vast amount of animals!! I think we saw about 800 to 1000 bisons!! Herds of bisons were everywhere! A huge herd of bisons were migrating to the river area of the valley, so they were constantly crossing the road, causing traffic jams. The amount of baby bisons we saw assured us that the bison population here was very healthy!

    As we were returning to the west side of the park, we noticed some cars were parked by the roadside, and a crowd was looking at something. So we asked a guy, he said:”a black bear!”

    So we parked our car and running towards the crowd, sure enough, a black bear was under the bridge, and enjoying some shade.

    Steve said:”Great! A bear at a safe distance.” Just as he said that, the bear started to move, and it climbed up towards to bridge, and getting closer and closer to us. Some people ran to the other side of the road, suddenly the bear was directly in front of me, about 20 feet away! I ran to the other side of road, just as the park ranger screaming:”everyone across the road!”

    Well, apparently the bear liked to follow the order too… the bear crossed the road as well. 😳. Fortunately with the park ranger around, we didn’t feel particularly threatened.

    Being this close to a bear in the wild was certainly the highlight of the trip!!
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  • Yellowstone Narional Park Day 2

    July 18, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We had one goal for today before we set out this morning: we want to see wild animals! And the goal was immediately reached as we were driving towards Mammoth Spring: a lone bison was casually walking on the road right next to us. We had to drive on the other lane to avoid him. Having a huge animal walking right next to me was so interesting!

    Other animals we saw today are a family of elks, a herd of bison in a distance and some deers. Not bad at all!

    Mammoth Spring was a very interesting geographic location. Although we had seen a much bigger site of this phenomenon in Sichuan, China a couple years ago. The unique formation was created as hot water from the spring cooled and deposited calcium carbonate. We enjoyed the walk nevertheless.

    Next site was Artist Paintpot. We still haven’t got tired of seeing all those colorful geysers yet, but the most interesting things we saw were the mud pots. Basically they were pots of boiling bubbling mud, fascinating and a bit disgusting to look at.

    Lunch was at a beautiful picnic spot right by the Madison river. Getting there early afforded us some peace and quiet moments before other families showed up.

    We then stopped at a tranquil lake by the road. There was no official trail by the lake, so we had to create one on our own. The water was so calm and clear, the hill next to it made a perfect reflection on its surface.

    Trying to go to Norris Geyser area but was deterred by a huge line of cars going to the same place, so we went to Yellowstone Grand Canyon area. Once again the crowds held us back from going into it further, so we decided to come back here first thing in the morning tomorrow.

    We had brought bear spray with us on this trip; when we decided to go on a backcountry hike, we could finally carry it with us. The trail we chose had almost no one on it, which was perfect since we wanted some solitude. Unfortunately… or fortunately, we didn’t see any bears on this hike, just a quiet trail with a view of a beautiful meadow. 4 miles of hiking later, it’s time to exit the park!

    It’s only the second day, but for some reason, days during a trip seem longer than when we are home, doing routine things.
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  • Yellowstone National Park Day 1

    July 17, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Not sure how to feel about this, but the pandemic has stopped people from other countries to visit our national parks, so we didn’t see any tour buses, which means even Old Faithful was not that crowded.

    We made sure to leave early from our hotel from Yellowstone West, a tourist town right outside the park’s west entrance. The morning temperature was about 40 F, I was so glad I did my research before coming here and we were fully prepared for 40 F morning and 85 F afternoon. What we did was: wearing a pair of long pants over our shorts, and wear a light winter jacket on top of a T-shirt. As we were walking around comfortably in our cold-resistance attire, people in shorts were shivering around us. 😉🥶

    We waited about 30 minutes for the Old Faithful to erupt, but it was so worth it!! The power of nature was truly a magic sight! And then we climbed a hill next to the Old Faithful (climbing on a 8,000 feet altitude hill is no joke!), and watched it erupt again!

    Can I offer another suggestion here? Go to the picnic area before noon! Since I like to do my research thoroughly before I visit anywhere, I took an excellent suggestion from an article that suggested we pack our own lunch in order to avoid crowds in the few restaurants in the park, and it worked out great! Seeing all those people waiting outside of the restaurants proved we did the right thing. However, another great thing we did was to reach a picnic area around 11:30 AM, so we were able to eat our lunch in a quiet forest settings, before the crowds showed up around noon.

    After lunch, we head to Yellowstone Lake. The lake is 136 square miles, a huge body of water inside of the park. The geyser area the lake is called West Thumb, because the section of the lake looks like a thumb of the lake (and it’s on the west).

    we then went to Biscuit Basin that’s also covered with many unique geysers, and 2 of them erupted right in front of us. It was awesome!! At the end of the boardwalk, was a a very lovely hiking trail to Mystic Falls. Almost the entire hike was accompanied by a crystal clear river, with beautiful wild flowers on the banks. A nice water fall at the end of the trail rewarded us even more beauty of the nature.

    The best thing about going to the park early was how much crowds we had avoided. On the way out of the park, we had seen so many overflown parking lots, and the road to Old Faithful was completely jammed!

    Since we have 5 days in Yellowstone National Park so we will have plenty of time doing many things, we left the park around 3:30 PM when the park was super crowded.

    After a bit of rest in our hotel room, we went out for Chinese food! I’ve decided to try a restaurant called Red Lotus, and was very surprised how good the food was! Even to my very picky Chinese taste buds, the food exceeded my expectations! Highly recommended!

    A successful first day!
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