Windy City Breezes

We were on whirlwind trip to the Windy City. A few good friends, and a wedding drew us towards Chicago. It was a short-trip and more focussed on visiting and spending time with friends than checking out the city. Here are our observations of Chicago.

• Bad roads.. and we thought H-town was the worst. Even tollways are like Indian roads in Chicago.
• Suburbs looked pretty! We were there the first weekend of May and Spring transformed the suburbs. The burbs looked like the typical American dream homes... white picket fences, green yards brimming with tulips .. pretty very pretty
• It was cold... it was 90+ in Houston and Chicago's 40's temp and winds did leave us longing for home
• Chicago's downtown was neat... a good mix of ancient and new buildings. The meandering river does add a romantic touch to the city while the trains underground were kind of disturbing
• Sears Tower was disappointing in a way. But it is worth taking a trip up just for the heights-of-tourism (pun intended). The views were not that great and the usual gift shops, photo before entering with backdrops of the tower views were kind of too boring. Also please change the cartoon infomercial on the lifts. The hens running around trying to pass info was horrible.
• 
• Overall, Chicago did not impress us much. But then we did not have time for more stuff. We really wanted to drive along Lake Michigan and visit some of the architecturally famed buildings. But time constraints were the biggest problem.
• Chicago is not in our must-visit-places-in-US but would love to take in some of their architecture, and enjoy on the shores of Lake Michigan a deep dish pizza!

View from top of Sears

And the reason we went to Chicago

Independence, Texas

Texas within its boundaries is home to quite a lot of history and ghost towns. A roadtrip through Texas requires not much planning - just an open mind and a friendly nature. It has long been our dream to visit small towns in Texas, soak in their hospitality and history and click pictures!

Fields of Blue

Our first destination exploring small town Texas was at the town of Independence, Texas. Situated 85 miles NW of Houston, getting to Independence is a breeze. We had visited family down in College Station and drove down to Independence from College Station - a mere 40 miles away. As we hit the freeway and moved away from the college town of College Station it was a different country. Farm lands, oil rigs in the middle of farms, narrow roads, trucks whizzing past one lane farm roads. Our first encounter with the friendly nature of Texas was quite an experience. As we whizzed past the farms, V spotted a small lake and two great blue herons (R's favorite bird to photograph) so turning on the indicator lights, we pulled on to the dirt road and the truck driver behind us also pulled over and after knowing everything was fine moved on. It is rare to find such hospitality in the big, bad city of Houston we come from. It touched us and put a smile on our face!Unfortunately for R the herons took flight and we carried on into the town of Independence.

Founded in 1838 as Cole's Settlement, Independence was once a thriving cultural and a major economic cross-road in Texas. But today it is more of a ghost town with tourists stopping for a quick course of history. In fact it was the richest town in the 1840's. The Baylor University was started in 1840's at Cole's Settlement (Independence) as a co-ed school. A few years later, the school was divided by gender and the male's Baylor moved to its current location in Waco, Texas and the female's University of Mary Haldin-Baylor moved to Belton. This moved was one of the steps in transforming Independence into the ghost town it is today. The Independence Baptist Church dating to 1839 is the oldest Baptist congregation and still continues to hold services. Today, the small town is one of the often forgotten tourist destinations in Texas.




We have lived so close to the town and never made a trip there. There are quite a few must-see places and adding it along with a wildflower hunting trip was a good decision we made. The whole trip took us around 7 hours (including travel from College Station and back to Navasota) - perfect for a spring Saturday trip.


Driving towards Independence, the first stop was the Liberty Baptist Church. A small church established in the 1860's as a "colored church". Though the current building is not the one built in the 1800's it still is a part of the history of Independence.

Liberty Baptist Church

Our next stop was Independence Baptist Church. Located amongst old trees the 1873 built stone built church (built after a fire destroyed the older building) fills one with peace. This was the church Sam Houston (ofcourse a Texas household name) was baptized.

Wish gas prices remained the same.....

Our next destination was the Antique Rose Emporium. In today's world of hybrids and cross-breeds Antique Rose Emproium showcases the best old garden roses. The emporium gardens are free and it was amazing roaming around them and smelling the roses. Roses I buy at the store don't have the smell anymore. These roses smelt like roses.. the strong aroma! We just wished we had packed a picnic lunch to enjoy there. Wildflowers were also abundant in the gardens making it perfect for a lazy spring afternoon. On the other side, the garden sales area was crowded and quite noisy. The antique rose plants sell for around $20 each.

Pot art at the Rose Emporium

Pure and sweet smelling the way they should be!

Bottle Art

In a town with 140 people residing there are no Walmarts or Whole Foods not even a MacDonald's. Lueckemeyer General Store is their all-in-all store. From deli meat to spa products the store carries them all. It is smaller than many of the gas station stores in Houston and is served by a happy couple and their big shaggy dog. A happy Texan family dishing out everything from fresh pizzas to gas. We stopped for some icecream (yeah April is hot in Texas). I cannot imagine a life in such a small town. How different is it from Houston life!


Our next destination was the Baylor University ruins and on the way we passed through the Town Square, the old Sam Houston House (looks right at home in this ghost town...). The old Baylor park holds the 4 columns from the main building and some remains of the kitchen from those days. The university was established in 1845 and then separated in 1855 by President Graves. The male and female divisions operated in Independence for 20 more years before the male division moved to Waco and merged with the Waco University. The old Baylor park is now a picnic site and a park teaming with wildflowers during Spring. We missed the bluebonnet season but there was an abundance of Indian paint brushes and the yellow flowers making the sight worth remembering. Along the old Baylor park are few ruins from the good ole days of Independence...

The Baylor cloumns

Wildflowers waving under the blue sky

The magnificent old oak trees, the ruins of an historic university, churches that have been around for centuries, roses that smell the way they ought to, a general store that spreads out cheer, friendliness that Southerners take pride in, oil rigs and ranches, great blue herons and blue bonnets, Independence offers them all.


Independence is indeed what the term "deep in the heart of Texas" means!

Ford is the best in Texas

Winding roads, Spring days

R has more pictures here

Aloha!

And yes we are heading off to the Aloha land. To the warm tropical waters, ripe pineapples, the volcanoes and the coral reefs. To Hawaii we go. Our trip is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of deal and we all pulling all stops to have a full adventure.

The Plan:

It was tough making a decision, every island in Hawaii is so unique and special and we wanted it all. Greedy of us and we found the best way to do it. We are cruising in Hawaii. Cruise is a totally different form of travel and it suits some. We have cruised before and loved it. And we are glad we can do it again in Hawaii. Another great thing about this trip is our travel companion, baby bro KA. It sure is going to be merry sailing.

Blogging from the ship is going to be impossible as it is exorbitant. And we have quite a lot of plans for each of the islands but I know we are being ambitious. I sure will have a detailed day to day account once we are back and more about our trip coming up soon.

Oh yes we are off in less than a couple of weeks!

Pictures from the trip

Pastoral Vermont, green and beautiful

Somewhere along the road, colors as far as the eye can see

Scenic drive along Castle on Clouds. Seems like an SUV ad

Day Four - Road Trip

After a quick breakfast at the Atlantic Birches Inn we headed out to Boston. We chose the scenic route along the coastal holiday towns. Past the summer season most of these towns bore a deserted look as we zipped past them. A quick stop for some retail therapy at the Kittery outlet malls and we were all set to head back to H-town. Crossing the state lines of Maine into New Hampshire and finally into Massachusetts!

The four hour flight was boring and too long and we were more than happy to be home!

The photos will be up soon!

Day Three - Roadtrip 2

Small town, USA

We are logging in from Old Orchard Beach, Maine and tonight is the last night out of our trip. We fly back to Houston tomorrow.

It was a road day and we spent most of the time on road today admiring scenic beauty all around. The day started out with a wonderful breakfast served by our hosts at the Applebutter Inn. Scrumptious baked apples, whole grain pancakes, apple butter, vermont maple syrup! Yum!

We left Woodstock around 10am and headed towards Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. You might think we had seen all possible fall colors yesterday but this morning we fell in love with New England's famed fall foliage all over again. The beauty is just breathtaking! We stopped along the Quechee Gorge before heading into New Hampshire. We decided to take the scenic drive offered by the Castle in the Clouds and enjoy fall foliage. And it was beautiful. The trees were just showcasing their peak colors. The reflections of the colors on the lake was just amazing.

From there our plans were simply to reach our final destination Old Orchard Beach in coastal Maine driving through the famed Kancamagus Highway (Rte 112). And what a ride it was! The foliage was the best at lower elevations and we did find mostly bare trees atop the Rte 112. We did stop at a few pullout points along the route but it wasn't just the best we had seen.

Our drive today took us through small town, USA established in the late 1870's with its 25 mph speed limits, volunteer fire stations, antique stores, rundown gas stations, a country store, a few homes, inns/bed&breakfasts, the must-have farm equipment store! We were in rural USA and believe there was not even a Golden Arch in those areas! Boy! It was comforting the see the first Starbucks in days at Portland, Maine! No we are not Starbucks regular customers, it has been months since we stepped inside one.. but just the sight of the familiar chain restaurants and stores are comforting after days in small town, USA!

We are done with the leaves and spending the night at Atlantic Birches Inn at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Our plans for morrow are to drive through coastal Maine and reach Boston to catch our flight home....Cya in Houston!

Day Two - Road trip 2

Leaf Peeping...

Day two of our trip and after breakfast we decided to change our plans and head towards Provincetown before heading to Vermont. Provincetown, the tip of Cape Cod is mostly a protected reserve. Marshes, fingers of water, tidal flats and sand dunes dot the landscape and the town itself is filled with holidaymakers walking along the narrow, crowded roads. Bed and breakfasts and art galleries are found in abundance here. A good drive and we were glad we did it.

And from there we started our 4 hour journey towards Brattleboro, Vermont. As we drove towards Vermont on I-91 we could see reds and yellows along with the greens. We had previously read that along Route 100 (off I-91) the fall colors were at the peak and we planned to head out to Route 100. And of course no roadtrip will be complete without getting lost! We got lost and went to the nearest gas station and it seems that most tourists get lost there. They knew exactly what we would ask and had mini-map handouts ready for lost souls like us.

Back on track, we were off the freeway and into rural Vermont, with white clapboard houses, farms and bales of hay, the village square with the courthouses and churches, winding rivers accompanying us, mountains towering all around and trees changing colors. We drove through the small towns of Newfane, Townshend, Jamaica, Ludlow, Weston, Plymouth, Bridgewater before reaching our destination for the night - Woodstock.

It is tough to put into words or use any other media to express the beauty that lay in front of us. We were lucky to be in the area when the colors were at their peak. Yes it is just some leaves turning colors and falling down, but it is a sight to be seen and treasured for ever. The whole area was a riot of colors and every direction was a beauty by itself. Nature at its best.

Yes of course we did see a few of Vermont's famed covered bridges! and no photos for the day as we cannot find the USB cord to transfer the photos!

Tonight we are at another historic and charming bed and breakfast, Applebutter Inn!
Our plan for tomorrow is to drive through the scenic and beautiful Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire into southern coastal Maine. And that would be our last destination before we head back to H-town!

More from the road morrow if we get wi-fi access!

Day one - Roadtrip 2

On the Pilgrims trail...

First day on road and it was quite a ride. We started off in the morning and headed out to downtown Boston, to check out the sights. Though a historic town, Boston does have a modern look to it. We loved the bridges and hated the cold weather! We visited the old State house and the the famous Quincy market. Nothing much to be said about those places.



Heading out of Boston towards Cape Cod, our first stop was at Plymouth. The drive to Plymouth was short and had some real pretty fall colors. Though the peak season was not yet there, it still was a sight to savor. The touristy Plymouth Rock, a reproduction of the Mayflower 2, perfectly blue seas doted with white yachts and eclectic stores made this an amazing place to stop for lunch. After a quick dose of history and a hearty lunch at an off-beat tavern at the Jenney Grist Mill we hit the road again.

The Jenney Grist Mill in Plymouth

Entering Cape Cod, we decided to the take the scenic Old King's Highway Route 6A and drive around. The drive through the Route takes you through the small, quaint towns called Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster. These towns seem so different from the run-of-the-mill towns seen else where. Pretty old mansions teaming with flowers, grandmothers lovingly watering their gardens, lovely churches, old court houses, bed and breakfasts and some assorted small businesses here and there make these places special. With the leaves changing colors it was a wonderful sight as we drove along the winding roads!



Driving along Cape Cod, we reached our final destination for the night, Chatham. Located on the southern edge of the Middle Cape, Chatham is another quaint town filled with boutiques and inns. We are spending the night at the historic Nantucket House. We spent the evening watching the sunset at Chatham beach and it was a beauty. The setting sun set forth a riot of colors and it was just picture perfect!

A couple enjoying the sunset at Chatham beach

Tomorrow is another day as we head towards Vermont! We hope we can get wi-fi access there to update the blog!

Brrrrr... it is cold

We are in Boston and it is cold! The current temperature is around 46F. We really don't have any first impressions of Boston, it is hard to see anything when you arrive at 11.30pm. We were pleasantly surprised to see the extremely friendly people at the Enterprise car rental! It sure must have been a long day for them also! Oh they upgraded our compact car to a SUV! So we are all set to explore the place morrow!

Road trip - 2 - THE PLAN

If there is one thing we both enjoy doing together on a vacation, it is to explore amazing sights, nature awes us. Give us the trees, the mountains, the rivers and anything else we'll take it. We love the mysteries nature offers. And this time we are off to the East Coast of US to explore some amazing sights and a bit history thrown in.

There is bound to be a crispness in the air (should I say cold compared to the 95+ Houston temps?), leaves changing colors, hues of yellow and red, apples and cranberries and pumpkins and corns symbolizing fall. We are waiting for it!

Duration : 4 nights and 4 days

Location : New England, US covering the states of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine

Travelers: V and R

Mode of transport : Continental Airlines flight to Boston and then a Enterprise car rental

The plan:

Fly into Boston late Friday night, check out the sights of Boston and then head out for our road trip. We plan to drive along the historic towns and head to Cape Cod. And then drive from there to Vermont. And then via New Hampshire to the Southern coasts of Maine. From where we plan to get back to Boston.

We do have some timings planned out but we are just going to take things as it comes.


The major idea of this trip is to take in the back-roads showcasing the best Fall colors. And that is bound to be the best part of the trip. Colors and more colors. We do plan to break for nights at quaint bed and breakfasts along the way.

Seaside charm, historic towns, mountains and gorges, lakes and farms. Seems to be the perfect vacation plan!

We are planning to have fun and we hope we to update this blog as we are on road atleast this time.

Ha! There you go, our scary-on now includes a laptop and all the assorted accessories it comes with.

Look for your updates from the road starting October 12th.

Roadtrip - 2

Plans for the next road trip are on!

A season for change, a season to say bye to the old and embrace the new, a season for celebrations, a season for color, and a place that offers all of it!

New England here we come!

Leaf-peeping, photos, off-the-beaten path and everything we want it to be....

More about the trip in a couple of weeks!

Day Four - Roadtrip 1

The end of the trip! We woke up to a foggy and rainy last day. The famed Seattle weather! We really did not have time to linger around, a few photos of the foggy seas and sea birds we were off. It was a good 100 mile drive to Seattle along with the rush hour traffic, construction and the persistent drizzle. We made it in good time for our mid-day flight to Houston.

Houston's famed thunderstorms resulted in some flight delays but we were home in good time with amazing memories and great pictures. And that was our Seattle road trip!

Read all our trip here

The plan
Day Zero
Day One
Day Two
Day Three

Day Three - Roadtrip 1

We rise with the birds and it was the same on day 3 of our trip. We headed out early to check out the island bathing in the morning light. The weather was chilly and air clear. Our first stop was at the Deception Pass State Park, probably the most photographed place in the island. It is a sight to take in, pristine waters, tall trees and the hanging bridge.

The famous Deception pass bridge that connects Fidalgo and Whidbey islands

As we drove around the island, we realized that most of the island is mountainous and the vegetation is far from the tropical beachy island types. The coniferous and ferns doted the area making it feel like those summer destinations of Ooty and Kodaikanal which we used to frequent as kids.

We were back at the Heron House for breakfast and the it was a view to take in. Its located along the western side of the island and is on the water. The foggy water with herons, gulls, ducks, loons and geese dotting the water, it was just awesome. A wonderful breakfast and we were off.

Early morning view from our Bed and Breakfast

Our plan for the day, was to head to the Olympic Peninsula and take in as much as we can. It was a big plan as the only way to reach the Olympic Peninsula was by means of the ferry. A good 60 minute drive along the Fidalogo and Whidbey Islands to Keystone for the ferry, 30 minutes on the ferry, another 1 1/2 hours drive to reach Port Angeles - the closest town to the Olympic National Park and back by nightfall to Heron House.

The drive along the islands to Keystone starts along the western coast of the Fidalgo island and then crosses over the Deception pass bridge into the Whidbey island as we head south on Hwy 20. Whidbey island in contrast to the Fidalgo island is considerably flatter, with a more rolling terrain and agrarian land. The main town on this island, Oak Harbor seems more like a regular suburban town than the touristy Anacortes. After an hour long drive, we finally arrived at the Ferry station. A short wait later, the ferry arrives and we are loaded in. Parking the car, we climbed up to the passenger deck to take in the views of the strait as ferry pulled away.

Climbing aboard the ferry to the Olympic peninsula

In about half an hour, we had reached Port Townsend on the Olympic peninsula and were quickly back on the road towards Port Angeles. The nearly 50 mile drive took about an hour and a half due to the twisting and turning road. The strait runs on one side of the road, and the lush hills adorn the other side all along. There are numerous lavender farms and wildlife viewing areas along the way, but we kept going as time was limited this trip. At Port Angeles, we turn towards the mountains and get on the road to Hurricane Ridge.

The Olympic National forest is known for it interesting mix of ecosystems, with rainforests, beaches and high mountains thrown in. Our first destination was the mountains. Climbing the road to hurricane ridge, we first pass through miles of lush forest and as we ascend, the vegetation changes to conifers and lush grassland with a lot of wildflowers.

Conifers and grassland on the climb to Hurrican Ridge

As we reach the top, at about 5500 ft above seal level, the fog was thick, visibility was really short and the brisk wind is chilly. Shortly, however the fog lifts ever so slightly to reveal a beautiful vista of meadows and peaks. On a clear day, we should be able to spot Mt. Rainier, but the fog is thick enough to deny us that sight.

The fog rises ever so slightly to reveal beautiful meadows and peaks

A few photographs and a hot cocoa at the Hurricane ridge visitor center later, we are back on our way down. Back at Port Angeles, we grab a quick lunch and decide that we need to head back to Port Townsend to catch a timely ferry back to Anacortes. We missed the rain forests and famed beaches of the Olympic Peninsula but there is always the next time. We make it in good time for the ferry and trace our way back to our B&B. This is when the realization strikes that the trip is coming to an end and we are to fly back to Houston the next day!

A relaxing dinner and packing of our suitcases we were all set for the next day.

Day 3 ends and H-town here we come!

Day Two - Roadtrip1

Waking up on day 2, we were refreshed and raring to continue on our way around the Cascade Loop. But first, there was breakfast. After devouring the fresh breakfast served by our hostess, we spent some time photographing from the porch and then we were off.

The plan for the day was to reach Anacortes by nightfall, stopping along the way at the many quaint towns and scenic viewpoints that dot the loop. The first thing we noticed was the landscape had changed dramatically from the first day. The mountains were as massive as behind us, but now apparently on the leeward side, the land was noticeably drier and pines had given way to shrubs. The stream still flowed by the roadside and it was contrasting to note the flowing water on one side and dry land on the other. Our first stop was barely 20 minutes from Leavenworth. The small town of Cashmere is apparently named after Kashmir, due to its beauty! The town is known for its special candy made from apples and apricots, called applets and cotlets. Driving around, the town felt like it was from a wild west movie.

Cashmere, WA - the apple town. Notice the dry mountains in the picture below. We were in the leeward side now. The River Wentachee flows along.
It joins the River Columbia at Wentachee, a few miles from Cashmere.

Our next stop was at the town of Wenatchee, specifically the famed Ohme gardens. This private garden has a beautiful landscaped and paved area with many small pools and awesome views all around. It is filled with conifers and it stood out in the dry scrub landscape all around it.

Ohme gardens, rugged landscape turned green

Leaving Wenatchee we took Hwy Alt-97 towards Lake Chelan. There are so many scenic vistas on the way, with the Columbia river flowing by the roadside. The Columbia is a massive river and it flows all the way into the Pacific Ocean near Portland, Or. We saw a couple of dams to harness the river and the large reservoirs they formed were the hub of water sports and activities.

Views along the road, dry mountains and dammed water.

We arrived at the town of Chelan, on the southern tip of Lake Chelan just in time for lunch. After a quick bite at a Thai/Italian(!!) restaurant, we took a walk by the waterside. Lake Chelan is a huge lake actually the third deepest one in the US and the town itself is similar to any typical American town on the lake. It thrives on touristy activities like water sports and rentals, waterfront shops and restaurants.

Lake Chelan

The drive from Chelan to the North Cascades National Forest is dotted with small cowboy towns like Pateros, Methow, Twisp, Winthrop and Mazama and along the way, we got on Hwy 20 West. Upon crossing Mazama, we entered the 70 mile stretch of the North Cascade national forest. This is a gorgeous stretch as the landscape changes to magnificent peaks with ice at the top and coniferous vegetation start to appear. Along the way are two glacial lakes, Ross Lake and Diablo Lake. The distinctive color of each lake (Ross is teal, Diablo is jade) is caused by finely ground rock dust suspended in the water and reflecting the green of the forest and the blue of the sky. Beyond the lakes, the road descends fast, and there are a couple of waterfalls as we head out of the national forest. There are numerous hiking trails and if you have sometime hit the trails.

The Cascades. Amazing views and a wonderful drive

The Diablo Lake with its amazing jade color.

The teal colored Ross Lake

Outside the national forest, it was more rural landscape that we sped through to reach our destination. The landscape had quickly changed to flat land and we crossed the bridge into Fidalgo island where Anacortes is situated. Islands always remind you flat lands with pretty beaches all around and palm trees swaying but Anacortes is not the flat beach side we expected. Ups and downs, narrow roads, mountains on one side, sea on the other, it was a sight! We quickly found our destination, Heron House Guest Suites and checked in. Too tired to do anything else, we hit the sack.

And that was day 2.

Day One - Roadtrip 1

Day One of our trip was something unlike the typical rainy days Seattle is know for. It was bright, sunny and wonderful outside. It was a photographer's dream day with clear skies and bright light. Our hosts gave us a whirlwind tour of Seattle's best spots to enjoy times together and capture memories. We first headed out for a walk along the Olympic Sculpture Park. The ambiance and the art were an added bonus to the spectacular downtown and bay views.

A view of the Elliot's bay from the Olympic Sculptures Park

Kerry Park was our next destination. It is a photographer's spot, with views of the city and the bay and Mt.Rainier as a backdrop it is picture perfect. Mt.Rainier was not really clear but it still was a good place to sit, soak up the sun and enjoy those rare moments we get to spend with friends.

A view from Kerry's Park, can you make out Mt. Rainier at a distance?

Our final destination was Seattle's very own Pike Place Market.The energy of this place is amazing. The colors, the exotic scents, the blooms are a sight by itself. It was just a cleaner version of the Indian markets and you need to be there to experience it. Since we were on a trip we really could not shop there and a few pictures later we were off. A laid back lunch and it was time for us to get on the road.

Sights from Pike Market, fresh produce (above) and colorful chili strands (below)

Our plan was to reach Leavenworth by nightfall. And along the way stop at anything that catches our eye. We headed out of Seattle on WA-522 and hit the Stevens Pass Highway/US-2 at Monroe. Nothing spectacular to write about the drive and Monroe was just another town. We stocked up on good eats and water at the local Fred Meyers and headed on towards parts unknown.

Our drive lead us through the small towns of Sultan, Gold Bar, Index and Coles Corner, these towns are small and I mean really small. But the views are amazing. Green rolling fields, evergreens, winding roads, mountains in the horizon, in short picture perfect.

A roadside park pullout point near Goldbar

We made a few interesting stops in this area, one at a state salmon hatchery and another at the Wallace Falls Park. We did trek for an hour but as we had to reach Leavenworth before dark, we cut short our hike and were back on the road.

Sights as we trekked in Wallace Falls State Park

The golden rule about roadtrips is to pullout as often as possible and this highway has amazing view points and pull out points all through. Just off the highway is the amazing deception falls and it is worth stopping there.

The deception falls, right off the highway. Amazing

Highway 2 to Leavenworth passes along the regions that offer some of the best outdoor activities. The slopes are famed ski areas and the ofcourse you can do anything from rock climbing to rafting rapids in the area.

Somewhere along the drive, River Wentachee flowing along the highway

And our final destination for the day, Leavenworth, a slice of Germany in the US. It is a reproduction of a small Bavarian town. It is quaint, cute and pretty. But as we have already visited Bavaria and enjoyed the Bavarian hospitality, this kind of felt flaky and over-the-top. But ofcourse it is one of the most romantic towns and is real nice place. It sits 8000feet above sea level and is surrounded by orchards of pears and apples. It is a fruit lovers haven.

We spent the night at the amazing Cottonwood Shores B&B, just a few miles out of Leavenworth and on the banks of the River Wenatachee. If you are ever in the area you should stay there. Absolutely stunning views, wonderful rooms and exceptionally friendly hosts. The hot tub is just another bonus.

And that was day 1!

Day Zero - roadtrip 1

Traveling from Houston to our base Seattle, WA is a journey in itself. A four hour flight on the Friday before Labor Day means, long lines and confusion all around. We were lucky, we really did not have any major hitches and as we approached Seattle, the views were spectacular. There was light for us to make out Mt.Rainer and enjoy its majestic glory before we got off the clouds.

Once in Seattle-Tacoma airport, confusion prevailed. There were delays with the baggage, long lines at the Hertz rental, all attributed to the long weekend. It was dark by the time we hit the roads on our rental Chevy Cobalt. In the darkness, the sights of Seattle was similar to any city in US, construction all around on the freeways, a few cranes doting the downtown skyline, the usual. But Seattle had a lot more ups and downs than flat Houston, making the drive a good one.

We spent the night with friends and it was a fun time. Good food, better company, late night talks and that in short is life.

This was Day Zero of our trip!

Road trip -1a

We are off-the beaten path people and we love nature and anything worth a click! And we are heading out to the Pacific Northwestern part of the USA this weekend. Pacific Northwestern part of the US includes the states of Oregon and Washington. This area is one of the most diverse regions you can set foot on, towering mountain ranges, amazing rain forests, beaches, swamps, skiing, farming, spas, wineries, coffee shops, Boeing factory and software industries.. water and mountains an amazing combination! A treat for our eyes and our lenses and am sure we'll bring back memories and pictures to last forever.

Duration : 4 nights and 4 days

Location : Pacific Northwest - Washington State, US

Travelers: V and R

Mode of transport : Continental Airlines flight to Seattle and then a Hertz compact car rental

The plan:

Fly into Seattle, visit friends and then head out for our road trip. We plan to drive the 440-mile cascade loop covering some of the best scenic places Washington State has to offer. A road trip offers us the opportunity to takes things at our own pace and spend time doing what we enjoy the most clicking photos and admiring views. We do have some timings planned out but we are just going to take things as it comes.


The major places we plan to visit include the parts of the North Cascade National Park, parts of the San Juan Islands, parts of the Olympic National Park.

The best part is that this region is filled with spectacular waterfalls, diverse climates, and quaint towns with homely bed and breakfasts, spectacular wildlife. We are planning to have fun and we hope we to update this blog as we are on road. Ha! There you go, our scary-on now includes a laptop and all the assorted accessories it comes with.

Look for your updates from the road starting September 1st.