Tag: traveling

The Tale of the Quick Moving Ocean

Traveling Truths about Iceland

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE traveling. The truth is though, traveling can be tough and isn’t always glamorous. Iceland was a magical and gorgeous place to explore but it did come with a slew of unexpected challenges.

 

The Tale of the Quick Moving Ocean

On the first full day in Iceland, our group traveled to the Snaefellness Peninsula to see some seals. After a long drive from Husafell, tired and excited, we walked out to the beach and moved quickly toward the seals lounging on the rocks. I had dreamed about this moment for a long time and couldn’t believe I was seeing these seals for the first time!! I spot three seals laying on rocks not too far from some rocks that jet out into the water. Wanting to see them up close and spotting a prime location for an Insta pic, I make my way out onto the rocks. I dragged my boyfriend along with me to see the seals. On our journey, we started crossing some rocks with crunchy seaweed and then through an inch of water left over from the tide.

As we made our way out, we started crossing over some slippery seaweed on top of the rocks so we had to be careful not to slip. Once we got all the way out to the edge, we were able to see the seals perfectly! I even had my boyfriend take a killer picture of me for Instagram! We could see my family looking at another seal far off in the distance. After a few minutes, we wanted to head where they were so we began to make our way back to the shore. As we made our way back, we noticed that the path we originally took was no longer the path back. In the 5 – 10 minutes we were out on the rocks, the tide had risen. As we started looking for a new path to take, we realized that the water had risen to over knee deep. Slightly panicked, my boyfriend and I took off our boots and rolled up our pants and waded through the knee-deep water.

Luckily, we made it through the water with only our pants wet. Had we been out on the rocks for even 2 more minutes, we might have been chest deep in cold Atlantic ocean water. When researching about traveling to Iceland, I had read a lot about tourists getting caught in waves that come up on the beaches rather quick. I had read many articles about the water being unpredictable on beaches in Iceland. Even though I did my homework, the excitement about the trip got the best of me on that first day and I almost ended up in a ton of trouble because of it.

Traveling can be wild, amazing, and awe-inspiring. When traveling, please keep in mind that cautions that come along with it. Listen to people who have traveled to the locations you are traveling to. Stay safe and keep on traveling!

 

3 Days in LA

Hey Everyone!

This past June I went to Anaheim to present at a conference. I knew I was going to be there for only a few short days but I wanted to see as much of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas that I could! In three days I did more than I could have ever imagined! I stayed in Anaheim so I had to figure out how to get around without a car. I am going to give you some travel tips and then a break down of each day and how you can maximize your next trip to LA!

LA Trip Tip #1
What people say about LA traffic is true! It takes an hour to an hour and a half to travel thirty miles.

LA Trip Tip #2
If you hike the Hollywood sign, bring plenty of water! I was not use to hiking in such a dry climate!

LA Trip Tip #3
I heard about the June gloom in LA. I really didn’t experience it the few days I was there. the skies were clear and it was sunny and warm!

LA Trip Tip #4
My long (1-1.5 hour) Uber rides were around $50 each so be prepared for that cost if you are using Uber.

 

Day 1 

After my workshops on my first full day in LA, I took an uber to the Fullerton train station. I took a double-decker train to Union Station in LA. The train ride was beautiful! during the ride, you could see the San Gabriel mountains that paralleled the train. I met one of my friends at Union station and we drove to Santa Monica.

My friend and I parked in one of the parking lots for the Santa Monica beach along the Pacific Coast Highway. From there we were able to take a walk on the beach and down to Venice. It’s not too far of a walk but I must say I definitely got a lot of steps in that day.

On our walk back to Santa Monica a parade of colorful LED-lit bicycles rode up and down the bike paths. Once on the Santa Monica pier, we rode the Ferris wheel and got great ice cream sundaes. My friend brought me back to Union Station where I took an Uber back to Anaheim.

Day 2

After my presentation on the second day, my one friend who attended the conference with me rented a car. ( I could have also taken an Uber)

With his other two friends, we all drove up to the parking area for the hike to the Hollywood sign. The directions I found online were easy to follow and took us all the way up behind the Hollywood sign with various in front of the sign shots along the way. Since I went in June, I would really suggest bringing a pick me up snack and plenty of water. Being from the humid Northeast, hiking in the dryer climate made me very thirsty!  There were not many people behind the sign and we were able to get some great pictures. The view was great from the top too! On our way down, we went the same direction as another hiker and did not return the way we came. DO NOT DO THIS! we ended up with a great view of the sign but wound up in a residential section nowhere near our car. Also, there are gates where the parking lot is and it closes promptly at sundown. So make sure you are out of there before the sun goes down!

If you are looking for directions on how to get there use this link:
https://www.hikespeak.com/california/la/griffith-park-hollywood-sign-hikes/

It has the most up to date directions because some easier/quicker routes have been closed in the past few years.

After hiking, my friend from the first day picked me up and we ate dinner at the Hard rock cafe at University City Walk. There are so many stores, restaurants, and cool pieces of art. It is definitely a must-see.


Day 3

This last day of the conference I did not have anything going on until the evening so I woke up and decided I wanted to do something fun! I found a great deal on Groupon for a Hollywood Tour through Hollywood Tours LA. So, I got up and left right away! I took an Uber up to Hollywood and made it just in time for my tour! The tour was fantastic. We drove along Mullhonad drive and saw so many famous people’s houses and cool famous spots. I even requested to drive by Richard Simons and the tour guide took us there without hesitation. The tour guide I had used to be a drive for celebrities so he was full of information!

After the tour, I just walked around Hollywood Blvd. I grabbed some pressed juice at Rise and Grind. It was great! The place had a cool vibe and the juice was delicious. After walking around a bit more, I took an Uber back to Anaheim to get ready for an event at the conference. After the event, I grabbed a drink at the hotel bar and took a dip in the swimming pool.

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I could not believe how much I was able to see in just three short days! If you are visiting LA and the surrounding areas and are looking for some cool places don’t hesitate to ask for help!

What are some of your favorite places to visit when you’re in LA??