LAKE LOUISE - BANFF, CANADA
Yes, the water really is that blue. The trip up to the top of the mountains graces you with streams of that color to stare at along the way. The air is crisp and fresh and the mountains are magnificent! The hotel at the base of the Lake has a European feel to it - inviting and timeless.
MACKINAC ISLAND - MICHIGAN
This magical little island is the spot where the movie Somewhere in Time was filmed (it's old school, but a good movie). No cars are allowed on the Island so you can only travel via bicycle or by horse, thus adding to the charm of the Island. The Island is only accessible via a ferry ride, which takes you past a beautiful bridge and many lighthouses. Fudge is made by many little shops on the island, which makes the whole place smell of fudge! The local people have been nicknamed "fudgies" because of it. There's a lot of hiking you can do on the Island and much wildlife to see. The Grand Hotel, where the movie was filmed, is still as beautiful and upscale as ever. One word to describe this place would be - charm.
PETRA - JORDAN
Please tell me that you have seen Indiana Jones. Everyone living has seen it, right? I think Petra was in the third Indie movie. The temple below really exists and it is really carved out of the side of the mountain. The ancient homes of the temple goers are just around the corner from this temple and are just as unique and amazing. Do you remember when Indie rides through the valley to get to the temple? Well, that's really what you have to do to access this spectacular site. When I was riding my way down to the temple, the local tour guide begged me to have his children. Seriously, he did. Tempting... Sometimes I still have dreams about this place. It's just such an awesome experience. I always tell my dad that someday he and I will take this adventure together. He'd love it.
THE SEA OF GALILEE - ISRAEL
Yes, this is another one of my favorite places on earth. Who wouldn't want to walk where the Savior once walked and taught and loved and inspired mankind? I felt Him there in deeper sense than normal. I know He loved Galilee, as He was sometimes referred to as the Man from Galilee. The sunsets there are breathtaking. The water is warm and the fishing is great. Beautiful fuchsia flowers bloom along the shore side. The mount of Be Attitudes is not far away. The stars at night blanket the sky.
ST. ANDREWS - SCOTLAND
These ruins are on a peninsula on the Eastern Coast of Scotland, right next to the home of Golf and the old school of St. Andrews, where Prince William attended school for a year or two. St. Andrews is just beautiful. You have to drive a few hours to get there, but even the drive which is full of rolling hills of lavender, is so very picturesque. Someday I am going to learn how to golf and will return to hit a round of golf at that awesome golf course. If the sights weren't enough, you could also find joy in the fresh fish and the ice cream double cones (allowing for two scoops to sit side-by-side on a cone... what a dream).
SERENGETI - KENYA
And lets not forget the Safari in Kenya. This adventure most definitely was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life, especially in part because I saw my life flash before my eyes more times during this trip than ever before. Everyone, including you, needs to experience an African Safari sometime in your lifetime. Promise me you will! Do you remember when you were a kid and you played in the bathtub and you got those little capsules that you put in the water and they turned into a sponge or a wash cloth? Well regular animals are like the capsules and the Safari animals are like the finished product (hopefully that makes sense... it does in my head). Can I just tell you that I stood for 12 hours straight in our jeep watching animals zoom past me on the Safari? By the time I was done with the safari I was COVERED in dirt. It was hard to even shut my eyes because they were so caked. We slept in the wild and were surrounded at night by a heard of elephants. If you need to check the working capacity of your heart, this environment would be a perfect place to give it a solid test run in. The five girls I was in a tent with during the night ended up stacked on top of each other. Why? Because elephants make a purrrrr sound similar to a lion's roar. This I do not joke about. We thought we were about to be a late night snack. I think a few of us may have needed diapers. Our native tribal tour guides laughed and laughed at us when we screamed for help. But... we know we weren't nuts... they sound like lions! What great endless adventures. Please do me a favor and take this trip someday. I beg of you.
