Travel month Feb. 2021 - Mar.2021
Live up your dreams now!
Hey everyone! So nice you’re reading my travel blog! Let me first introduce myself before I start talking about my trip. My name is Lieke. I’m 20 years old and I’m from a little village in the south of The Netherlands. I've been living in Philadelphia (USA) as an Au Pair for 1,5 year and this blog is about my travel month in February & March when I finished my Au Pair adventure here. I left in September 2019 and came back at the end of march 2021. (My AU Pair blog link: Au Pair USA 2019-2020 (liekesaupairadventures.blogspot.com). I'm going to show you my diary from this month so you can read what I did every day! Traveling has always been something I really really love, and unfortunately due to Covid I wasn’t able to make all the trips I wanted to, but I can’t complain! I’ve seen so many wonderful places and the best are yet to come! So in this blog I’m giving you the latest updates about my travel month. I will divide all the separate trips I’m gonna make. The first stop was Alaska (Fairbanks), then I’ went to Las Vegas and the National Parks in Utah, Nevada and Arizona and this road trip will and in San Diego. After that I went on a small trip to Seattle and Portland. Next stop was one of my biggest dreams: Hawaii. I went here for a week and after this I visited California and my trip ended in New Orleans. I've had the best trip of my life so far and I met the most wonderful people! I hope you'll enjoy reading my blog and maybe get some ideas for your future trips! And not to forget- Thank you so much for reading my blog!
February 18th: Alaska here I come!
Yesterday it was finally the day my journey could begin! At noon I left to the train station and took the train to Newark airport where I met my friend Sharon. We were flying to Fairbanks together. The flight was 11 hours in total because we had one stop in Seattle, but unfortunately we had to wait an hour longer because our plane was delayed. Luckily we had our suitcases quite fast but mine was totally broken! Hopefully I’ll find a new one here soon! We were picked up from the airport with a shuttle from our hotel and we arrived at our hotel at 2:00 AM and we passed out right away... It is very cold here but because I wear layers I don’t really feel it! It’s not that the cold bothers me luckily!
Tip: Wear lighter layers first and end with one heavy layer! This way you keep yourself warm but you won't get too warm. If you're body gets overheated you'll sweat and probably take off one layer and then your body will cool off easily so in the end you will be colder if you were too many warm layers!
February 19th: first day in Alaska!
This morning I woke up very early. I was tired but because there’s 4 hours time difference I was awake at 7. Later when my friend Sharon was awake I called my host kids to say hi which was very funny! It turns out I don’t have service with the mobile carrier I have so that really sucks. But luckily I’m only here for 5 days! This morning I went out for breakfast with Sharon at a Crepery. It was delicious but I was so full! I had a caramel-banana cheesecake crepe and it was so heavy but so yummy! Then we went to some souvenir stores and bought some gifts and after that we took the shuttle back to the airport to pick up the car and our other two friends (Emily and Marissa). It was very nice to meet them! I hadn’t met them in person before but they are very nice! We went to the grocery store to get some stuff! Then we had dinner together with 2 more German Au Pairs at a Bbq restaurant which was very good and then we walked around a little bit. Then we drove to a big field and we ended up seeing the beautiful Northern Lights! I could not believe my eyes! It was so beautiful!! I am so happy we got to see them on our first day in Alaska! So excited for the rest of our trip!
Tips: Before you travel, check if your mobile carrier gives you service at your destination! I totally forgot about this but I regret not checking this! ALso- If you're staying in Fairbanks, definitely check out the Crepery and Big Daddy's Bbq! It is delicious and totally affordable! It is right in the city and it's very easy to find! The Crepery has a parking lot!
February 20th: Dogsledding!
Omg! I can’t believe I finally did this! Dogsledding was so amazing and I would definitely do it again if I could! The dogs are so sweet and beautiful! It turns out they can run 4/5 hours non stop! Unfortunately the actual place we would go dogsledding canceled because of the extremely cold weather but the one we did was so much cheaper and closer to our hotel! After dogsledding we were on our way to the North Pole, and then we got in a little car accident... Marissa couldn’t break and we got stuck in the snow. Luckily a woman saw us and called her friends with an 4x4 (car with truck) and they ended up being blue to pull us out. Luckily we paid for insurance and it was totally covered, but there were no other cars available which really sucks cause we definitely need a car! We went back to the hotel and I went for a walk with Marissa. We took some nice pictures again and we tried Japanese bread with curry which was pretty good! Then we saw the northern lights again a little bit which was great! People around here say tomorrow is gonna be the best day to see them so let’s hope we’ll get to see them again! Also I really hope we will be able to find another car somewhere to get to the Chena hot springs etc.. Let’s hope we’ll find another car!
Tips: If dogsledding also is something on your bucket list, do some research before booking one! There are many different companies that offer dogsledding, but prices vary a lot! I would really recommend 'Paws for adventure' because the people there are amazing and you can pet the dogs any time! Other companies only allow you to pet them a certain amount of time! We wanted to do the one hour option first, but I'm glad we did the shorter one (I think half an hour). Cause imagine that cause imagine being outside with -26 F for one hour! Last tip: Don't forget that if you book the one hour adventure (any company), the total experience is one hour, so not only the dogsledding itself! It also includes petting the dogs and the instructions etc.
Dogsledding was AMAZING!
February 21st: Chena Hot springs & Ice museum!
Yaasss! We finally figured a way to rent a car! We ended up with a great Jeep! We made it all the way to the hot springs (1,5 h drive) without an accident this time luckily! And the hot springs were amazing!! I wish I would have been able to stay there the whole day, but it’s so hot! And I jumped in the snow a few times (-24 F!) and that helped a bit luckily! It was amazing tho! So funny how our hair froze again! Also the ice museum was beautiful! So fascinating how all the ice sculptures are made there! It’s one of the world’s most famous ice sculpture museums apparently! We enjoyed our day at the hot springs and had dinner there which was great! Then we went back to the hotel and relaxed a bit. Tomorrow is our last full day already and then I’m going to Vegas.. I’m sad I’m leaving Alaska but I think 5 days is enough to see the things you have to see here and it’s cold so I’m excited to make the rest of my trip!
Tip: If you like to go to the hot springs, buy the combination ticket for only $15! (if the prices didn't change). For this price you can go to the Ice museum and to the hot springs. It is a day ticket which should mean that you can also go to the hot springs multiple times for example! You could go back at night time to check the Northern lights! It's also definitely worth it to check out the restaurant there! It is beautiful and they serve good food!
February 22nd: North Pole & Santa’s House!
Omg, already my last day in Alaska! I can’t believe it! Today we went to the North Pole and to Santa’s House which was amazing! I finally got to meet Santa and sit in his chair! And I saw real reindeers! It was -26 F ( -35 degrees Celcius)! So cold! But perfect Alaska weather! Now I finally know what the word ‘cold’ really means! I’m so happy I got the chance to live in Alaska for a few days!! I bought some souvenirs at Santa’s house and we drank something there! Then we walked to the Antler Academy (Reindeer farm) and this was very nice! I think I’ve never seen such beautiful reindeers before! Such huge animals! And we learned a lot about them from the locals there! The people here are so kind and helpful! I’m gonna miss that so much! Everyone around here wants to talk with you and get to know you better! When we got back to the hotel we ordered Thai food and this was delicious! I packed my stuff and we relaxed a bit cause tonight at 2:30 AM I am gonna fly to Las Vegas with my Dutch friend Sharon. So it’s gonna be a long night..
Alaska, you were beautiful! Can’t wait to see you again! Thanks for the amazing Aurora we got to see 3 times in a row, thanks for the amazing hot springs and ice museum and thanks for Santa’s house. But especially thanks to the girls I could spend my time here with! You are amazing!
Tip: Wear lighter layers first and end with one heavy layer! This way you keep yourself warm but you won't get too warm. If you're body gets overheated you'll sweat and probably take off one layer and then your body will cool off easily so in the end you will be colder if you were too many warm layers!
2nd stop: Las Vegas
February 23rd: Welcome to Vegas!
Yeehoo! Vegas here I am! I flew to Vegas from Fairbanks very early in the morning together with my friend Sharon. I was very excited to finally meet my travel buddy for the next coming weeks. Her name is Giorgia and she’s 26 and from Italy. She will travel most of my travel month with me and then with some different people every separate trip. Sharon met her travel buddy and then we went to the city with the 4 of us. We picked up the car for today and drove to our hotel. We stayed in Strat hotel, at the end of the strip. And Wowww! It’s so beautiful everywhere here! Everything is huge and fancy like in the movies! I love it! It was a little weird to go from -35 C to + 20C but it felt great to be in the warmth again! I explored the city by going for a run! In my opinion, this is still the very best way to get to know a place fast! I love it! After that I got changed and we had dinner at zin-N-Out. A burger place Sharon really wanted to try. I didn’t like it as I don’t like burgers, but it was ok to try it! Then I went to some souvenir shops whereas the other girls wanted to sleep. It was so nice! Tomorrow another busy day, so goodnight!
Tip: If you like burgers, don't forget to check out In-'n-out! I did not like it because I'm not a burger person, but my friends loved it! I would also recommend to stay in one of the hotels on the strip if you only stay for a few nights. It might be a little more expensive, but you'll probably only go to Vegas once in your life and it's so worth it! The hotels are huge and so beautiful! Strat is one of the cheaper ones!
February 24th: Vegas Day 2!
Today I woke up early to go for a run again and check the beautiful hotels on the strip from the outside. It was warm and I enjoyed my run and took a lot of pictures. I also bought an iced coffee when I almost got back to the hotel. Then we drove to my travel buddy Vikkie at Paris hotel and then we did some groceries and picked up our last friend for our road trip, named Julia. Now our crew is complete! Together with the 4 of us, we drove to the Vegas Sign and then to the Seven magic mountains. This was very nice! We went to our hotel and got ready to go out. We spend some time in the Bellagio Hotel, Caesar Palace and my favorite: the Venetian hotel! It’s all so pretty! I love Las Vegas! Wish we would be here a little longer but tomorrow our amazing road trip is gonna start! I am so excited!! The girls are amazing! We had pizza at a restaurant on Fremont Street experiences and this was the best pizza I’ve ever had! Omg! So good! Then we went to our hotel and checked the casino which was great!
Tip: Definitely check out the Venetian Hotel, Bellagio and Paris Hotel! You'll admire all the beautiful lights, casino's, decoration, and rooms. Don't forget to get lost in Caesar Palace! I got lost so many times because it is so huge! If you've time, go to Fremont Street experience and have dinner there! It's a little like Time Square but then in Vegas!
February 25th: Road trip day 2!
YAASS! Finally it’s time for my first real road trip! National parks, here we comeeee! All very excited, we left our beautiful hotel in Vegas early in the morning to drive to Valley of Fire. The drive there was great and we laughed sooo much on the way! I love all these girls and it’s just the perfect road trip crew! All a little crazy and good vibes only! We did a nice hike at Valley of Fire in Nevada and then we drove to Sand Hollow State park in Utah. On the way we passed the Utah and Arizona state park sign where we obviously stopped for a picture! Sand Hollow was amazing! It was so peaceful with the lake in the middle and all the national parks around it! I loved it! Everyone took her moment to breath and relax. After this we drove to our hotel close to Zion because we will go there tomorrow! Can’t wait for the rest of the trip! First day of my road trip was amazing!
Tip:: If you're also driving to the National Parks from Vegas, don't forget to make stops at other state parks on the way! There are many cool places to see on the way, and the idea of a road trip is to make stops on the way too! Check out the Valley of fire ($10 per car)! You could also check out the Hoover Dam, but we didn't do this because it is not in the same direction. Sand Hollow State park is very beautiful, but it's not very big. It is a beautiful lake within the mountains ($20 per car).
February 26th: Zion, here we come!
Today we went to Zion! All very excited we left around 8 in the morning, got some breakfast and then we went to the visitor center. We bought some souvenirs and then we were ready to go hiking. Unfortunately there was no parking available anymore at the hike we wanted to do so we drove back to the visitor center and had to walk to the beginning of our hike. We ended up walking 5 km to the Emerald Pools trail and then we did our hike. We brought water but no food cause we didn’t count on hiking these 5km extra and also 5 back of course but luckily we found a lodge with a restaurant on the way! Then we walked back. Our hike was amazing tho! It was a 4 hour hike and the weather was perfect! A little chilly but so sunny! I loved it and can’t wait to see the Bryce Canyon tomorrow!!
Tip: If you go to Zion, check if there are free parking spots! Otherwise you have to walk to the hike first like we had and then you won't do the long hike probably! Also don't forget some hikes will be slippery during winter times! Make sure you're prepared for this! Also bring enough water and food of course!
Zion, you were AMAZING!!
Road trip day 4: Bryce Canyon & Page
Today was one of the best and most beautiful days in my life I think! We left early in the morning to go to Bryce Canyon and this was a 2,5 hour drive from our stay in Zion. We arrived around 9:30 and bought some souvenirs in the Visitor Center. Then we drove to the Agua Canyon view point and the Natural Bridge and then back to the Sunrise point where our hike was gonna start. We did the Navajo loop & Queens garden trail which was only about 3 miles in total but very icy and slippery so we all fell at least once... But the view.. It was breath taking! It’s one of the best views I’ve ever had in my life! And then we drove to Page (AZ) and settled down in our hotel room which was awesome! Then we had the most wonderful night we could have wished for in this pandemic.. We went to a western country restaurant and this was so much fun! There weren’t many people but there was a cowboy band and they made us go on stage with cowboy hats! It was amazing and I’ll never forget this night! We all wore masks but it still felt like Covid did not exist for a second! Tomorrow we are going to the Horseshoe bend which is right next to our hotel! Excited to see that view!
Tip: Bryce Canyon has a lot of ice on the trails during Winter so bring good shoes and be careful! Place your feet sideways when going down! This way you avoid slipping better! Also check out the view points (Sunrise and Sunset point, Natural Bridge and Aqua Canyon point). If you're staying in Page, AZ, go to the Gone West Restaurant. You'll have the best night of your life if you like to experience the cowboy culture!
An unforgettable country night in Page, (AZ)!
February 28th: Day 5, Horseshoe Bend!
Today we had a relaxing morning so I decided to go for a run in Page. It was so pretty and I loved this run! I ran to the Glen Canyon Dam which was cool to see. Then we had a nice breakfast in our hotel and then we left to the Horseshoe Bend. This was so pretty! It was a little chilly but we still took some nice pictures! Then we drove to Flagstaff where we will spend one night and tomorrow we’re going to the Grand Canyon. I’m so excited for this! Can’t wait to see it!
Tip: Page is such a beautiful place to stay! We stayed in Super 8 hotel, right next to the Horseshoe Bend and it was amazing! We got a nice breakfast too! Don't forget that the Horseshoe Bend is not a National Park so your park pass won't work. The fee is $10. The Glen canyon Dam is also cool to check out!
Horseshoe Bend!
March 1st: Day 6, Grand Canyon!!
Omg it’s March already! I can’t believe it! In just 6 days I’m going to Hawaii! I’m so excited for this! But I’m also so sad my road trip though the National Parks is almost over already... It was so amazing! I loved everything! Tomorrow we’ll go to Joshua tree and San Diego and then we drop off the car and I’m staying in San Diego with Giorgia for 2 nights. Today we finally went to the Grand Canyon and it was so AMAZING! No words for what my eyes saw today! This view was just incredibly beautiful! I don’t know how else to describe it! So beautiful! I could stay here for hours and never get tired of it! We did a 5 mile hike and the way down was easy and fast, but the reason why we did 5 miles is because we had to walk all the way back up again which was pretty steep. It was a good workout though and I loved it! Could do this every single day!! Grand Canyon, you were AWESOME! Can’t wait to see you again!
Tip:s: If you go to the Grand Canyon, park at the Visitor Center and then take the free shuttle to the hike. we did the South-Kaibab hike and it was beautiful! You can go all the way down the Canyon, but don't forget- Going down means you'll have to go all the way back up on which will take you longer! In Summer definitely bring enough water!
Grand Canyon!!
March 2nd: Joshua Tree & San Diego
Can’t believe it! It’s already the last day of our road trip together. Our last national park: Joshua Tree. Early in the morning we left on our way to Joshua tree. When we got there we walked around for a bit and it was pretty warm which was nice! We made a stop at a nice hotel where we drank something and then we left to San Diego. The total drive today was 6,5 hours... But we made it! So proud of Gio and Vikkie, our amazing drivers!! When we got to San Diego we went to the La Jolla swing which has an amazing view all over the city! It was an amazing view. Later we dropped off the car and we went to our stay and then we went ot for dinner in a very nice Italian restaurant. Our last dinner together... Can’t believe it!
Tip: If you're driving to Joshua Tree, make sure you get enough gas before driving there because it is a desert and there won't be gas stations or at least not many on the way. Make sure to bring enough water and food too! We didn't really hike in Joshua Tree cause it was too hot. So check the weather before going there!
Joshua Tree & La Jolla, San Diego!
March 3rd: last day San Diego
Today was the last day in San Diego for all of us and my friends Vikkie and Julia would fly home tonight. Gio and I are staying till tomorrow and our flight to Seattle is tomorrow morning... So sad to leave San Diego because it’s so pretty here and I love it! But I’m also excited for the trip in Seattle and Portland! Can’t wait to see the Twilight movie spots!! I went for a long run this morning as it was beautiful outside and I ran through the whole city basically (Balboa park, Waterfront Park, the Harbor etc) and it was amazing. But, when I got back, it started pouring outside.. Non stop.. In San Diego! Locals told us that this is really rare here.. Obviously when we are here it has to be this weather... ugh.. I still really enjoyed the day at a shopping mall with Gio! We ended the day in the hot tub at our AirBnb which was amazing!!
Tip: If you're also staying in San Diego definitely check out La Jolla beach area and the swing. Don't forget to go to the Waterfront Park and check out the boat right across from there. The boat is also a restaurant. Balboa Park is beautiful and definitely worth checking out too! San Diego also ahs a nice Harbor you might like. We had dinner at an amazing (and totally affordable) Italian restaurant. The name is 'Solunto Baking Co and my Italian friend Gio even said it was the best pizza she had ever had! So definitely check it out if you're in the mood for Italian food! It's in Little Italy.
Last day San Diego..
4th stop: Road trip Seattle & Portland
March 4th: Seattle, here we come!
This morning Gio and I left to the airport early in the morning to fly to Seattle. The flight was only 3 hours and it was totally fine and I slept a bit. When we got there we were pretty stressed cause we reserved a Covid test from Hawaiian Airlines for our trip to Hawaii, but we only had 30 mins left to get there and we had to walk to the bus stop. Luckily there was a very nice woman who walked us there. I really hope we will get the results tomorrow! After the test we picked up our rental car and met our travel buddy Julie. Together we drove to the grocery store and then to our hotel. We stayed in Hotel Nexus which is really nice and close to center city. It was one of the only hotels that were affordable. Seattle is very expensive! I'm so excited for our Twilight tour tomorrow!
Tip: If you're staying in Seattle, take some time to do some research for hotels or AirBnb's. Seattle is an expensive city and hotels are in general quite expensive. (Or at least for students or Au Pairs).. Hotel Nexus is cool and totally affordable!
What a beautiful sunset in Seattle!
March 5th: TWILIGHT TOUR!
YAAAS! Tested Negative! So Hawaii here I come in only 2 more days!! Gio also got tested Negative luckily and our other two travel buddies too! Today we left early in the morning to make Julie’s dream come true: visiting the places from the Twilight movies. We watched the first movie one more time yesterday so we know what to see today. It was so cool to see all the places! We went to Stone Cliff inn (the scene in the forest), Carver Café (café scenes), Bella’s house, the Cullen’s house and the high school. Some houses even had signs in front of them for twilight fans. So funny!! Our day ended with a beautiful sunset over Seattle which we watched from Kerry Park! It was so gorgeous and I think it was one of the best sunsets ever! Then we picked up our friend Julia from the airport. She’ll join us tonight and tomorrow in Seattle and then fly to Hawaii with Giorgia and me. Excited!
Tip:s: If you like Twilight, definitely check out the Cullen's house, Bella swan's house, the Carver Café and the Stone Cliff! It is really cool to see it! It rains a lot in Seattle and Portland so bring an Umbrella! We didn't have one and that really sucked! For the sunset you should check out Kerry Park. It's totally free and close to the city!
Twilight tour!!
March 6th: Last Day Seattle!
Today I woke up early again to go to the gym at the hotel. I really love to make use of the gym whenever possible and I still try to workout every day. After that we got ready to explore Seattle. We went to the University of Washington, the Fremont Troll, the Gum Wall, Pike’s Public Market and Pier 55. All these things were awesome! Got some souvenirs and we sat somewhere in a coffee shop which was nice. Later we went to the Space Needle and then we drove to a spot to see the skyline. Then we went back to the hotel and got ready for tomorrow. Hawaii, here we come!
Tip: If you've some time to check out Seattle definitely go to the Pier! Also Pike's Public Market is fun to see and the gum wall is really gross but worth checking out! I didn't go up the space needle cause I've been to several observation decks, but if you've not, I've heard it's cool! The Fremont Troll was funny, but nothing special in my opinion. Washington University is also cool to see if you've time left!
Exploring the rest of beautiful Seattle!
March 7th: HONOLULU HERE WE ARE!
Cant believe it! I really flew to Honolulu today. One of my dreams came true! I still don’t realize I’m here and it’s so beautiful! When we got here we had to wait for the screening (Covid test screening) and then we picked up our car. We drove to the grocery store quick and then went to our stay to drop the stuff. The other girls wanted to drive to the beach (5mins drive) but I preferred to go for a run and explore the area as usually. I loved it so much! The beaches are all so gorgeous, the city Honolulu is beautiful and the palm trees make everything even better! I met the other 3 girls at Waikiki beach which was very nice and the sunset was beautiful! So I had an amazing first day in the paradise!
Tips:: I know Walmart is usually one of the cheaper grocery stores in the US with quite good quality, but don't go here in Hawaii please! We did it on the first day and won't ever go there again! The quality of fresh products is so bad and everything is so much more expensive than in other states! So you better go to other local grocery stores and maybe pay a little more for better quality. In the end you'll throw out the food from Walmart anyways and that's just a waste.
Welcome to Paradise!
March 8th: the craziest hike ever!
Today my friend Palma and I decided to wake up early to go for a nice hike. We wanted to do the Ka’au Crater trail. A hard hike in the rainforest. Both of us were very excited! When we left it was a little rainy but that didn’t keep us from going. When we got there we saw beautiful small waterfalls! No words how to describe the view we saw 3 hours later. Our legs were totally red from all the scratches and scars the plants gave us. We were totally muddy and felt so gross. I still can’t believe we were actually on top of a crater. It was so high! And we had to use old and dirty ropes to climb up.. nobody else was there and to be honest I was so scared! I’ve never been so scared to die! One wrong step and you’re just dead.. But it was so worth it! Thanks to Palma we didn’t die and we made it back in 7 hours! The longest and hardest hike ever! (Probably that’s why it’s for advanced bikers..) This is gonna be something I would never forget! A story I want to share! Later the other girls picked us up and we were so excited to jump in the shower! And then we went out for dinner at Tiki Bar! It was amazing with the view!!
Tip:s: Never do an advanced hike without a tour guide. We did it and it was so dangerous! Also cause there is no service in most hiking areas and if something happens in the rainforest, it will take a long time for someone to get there and help you. Make sure you're not alone! It was such a beautiful and so exciting hike, but I don't know if I would do it again... 7 hours in the wilderness without any other people besides us!
Risking our lives at Ka’au Crater!
March 9th: East Coast tour!
Today I woke up early again to do a workout before we would start the day. I couldn’t go for a run unfortunately because it was raining.. After this I went out for a little walk cause it stopped raining and I called my family. When we were all ready to go at 9:30 we left to Waimanalo beach. It was very windy there so we didn’t stay here for long. Then we went to 3 beautiful look out points (Makapu’u Lookout, Halona Blowhole and Lanai lookout) where we took some pictures and explored the area there. It was amazing!! After this we went to Ala Moana mall and had lunch there. I tried a corndog for the first time in my life. It was a little weird because it had beef in it and the outside was corn dough and caramel but it was not bad! I Facetimed my host kids which was fun! I miss them so much! After this we went to a few shops and went to Magic Island beach which was beautiful! In the evening I called with my best friend in the Netherlands which was very nice!
Tips: If it's raining on Hawaii, it usually doesn't last for long. Also, if it's raining on one side of the island, the opposite side usually has less or no rain. So, just drive to the other side of the island! Oahu is small and it won't take you too long to drive to the other side of the island. Mostly about an hour. When you're staying in Honolulu, Oahu, it's very easy to drive around the island. When driving to the east coast, definitely check out Makapu'u Lookout and Halona Blowhole Lookout!
Had a lovely east coast tour!
March 10th: Crazy day!
Today I was supposed to go skydiving, but unfortunately that got canceled last night already due to bad weather expectations.. But, this morning none of those expectations seemed to be right.. it was totally sunny and I went for a nice run. Tried if it was still possible to go skydiving but unfortunately not... Then the other girls and I decided to go to Lanikai Beach. This is definitely the prettiest beach I’ve been to so far! I loved it! The water was so blue and clear! We wanted to go snorkeling but that didn’t work out either because of the ‘bad weather’. We went to another beach later when it started raining at Lanikai beach and then we went to the grocery store. When we got back we found out everyone had a pretty bad sun burn. My whole back is red (from head to feet...) Then we wanted to go to some souvenir shops and I wanted to try driving. When we forming the car it started pouring outside. The weather got worse and worse and when we were on our way home there was a lot of thunder and lightning and the electricity fell out everywhere so I could not really see where I was driving or where I had to go. Pretty scary! I’ve never drivin in this weather before and definitely not in Hawaii, but it was also kinda exciting and challenging for myself cause I stayed calm surprisingly! 2 hours later we finally got electricity in our stay again luckily! Let’s hope tomorrow won’t be as crazy as today..
Tip: If You're in Oahu, go to Lanikai Beach! This is definitely my favorite beach till now! The water is so blue and clear and the beach is wonderful! If skydiving is something on your bucket list as well, I would recommend making a reservation at Pacific skydive before flying to Hawaii. They won't charge you anything before you jump, as long as you don't cancel less than 48 hours before. If the weather turns out to be bad, they'll contact you and will give you the opportunity to reschedule your jump. If this doesn't work out for you, you won't be charged anything! So don't cancel by yourself!
Prettiest beach ever!
March 11th: Botanical Garden, Byodo-in Temple and Beach!
Today it was ‘supposed’ to rain again all day but it NOT at all! Only at night time it started to rain! So we really enjoyed our day and did a lot! We first went to a beautiful lookout point, named Nu’uanu Pali Lookout. This view was incredible! You could see a huge part of the island which was amazing! Then we went to the Botanical Garden which was absolutely beautiful too! So many wonderful trees, plants and flowers everywhere! I loved it! Later we went to the Byodo-in Temple and this was such a peaceful place! I loved it so much!! After all this we were pretty tired and decided to go back to Honolulu and chill at the beach. It was so sunny today so it was perfect to go to the beach! Later we went to some souvenir shops and then we went to our stay and I cooked pasta pesto for everyone!
Tips: Definitely check out the Byodo-in Temple if you're on Oahu! It is one of y favorite places on Hawaii for sure! It is such a lovely and peaceful place to be! And it's only $5! Don't forget you'll need to take of your shoes and need to be respectful once you enter the temple itself. The Nu'uanu Pali Lookout is one of the best lookouts I've ever seen! You can see a huge part of Oahu and all the surrounding nature! The Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden is completely free and definitely worth visiting! You'll need a car to drive to the different parts of the garden!
Love all these wonderful places!!
March 12th: Beach Day & Pearl Harbor!
Today was the last chance for me to go skydiving because we were gonna return our car tonight. I was so excited. The weather was perfect, everyone woke up early for me and I was ready to go. And then... I got a call that it got canceled again... Due to the wind... I totally broke.. I know most people wouldn’t care too much probably, but for me it has always been a dream to go skydiving on a beautiful island like Hawaii.. Luckily we still had a nice day at Laniakea Beach (Turtle beach) and then Waimea Bay. On our way back I really wanted to stop at the Pearl Harbor memorial. My dad is totally into everything that has to do with World War 1 & 2 so I couldn’t skip going there. It was so cool to see the submarine and read about it! Then we went to the international Marketplace in Waikiki and ate something there and then we dropped the car at the airport. Can’t believe my time in Hawaii is almost over already! So sad to leave on Sunday...:(
Tips: If you want to see the turtles, make sure you go on a (preferable) sunny day and be at any beach on the North Shore (Like Laniakea, North beach etc) between 11 AM and 1 PM. These times you have the biggest chances to spot a turtle cause they'll come out of the sea to eat or relax. Another beautiful beach to check out is Waimea Bay, close to the Turtle beach! On the way back to Honolulu it is worth to stop at the Pearl Harbor memorial. You can enter the park for free. You only pay once you want to enter the museum.
Beach Day & Pearl Harbor!
March 13th: Last day in Hawaii!!;(
Today was our last day in Hawaii already! I can’t believe it! Time flies when you’re having fun! I still woke up early today and the weather was so nice that I decided to go for a run again. This time I ran to the Diamond Head trail and did the hike there. It was not a very hard or long hike, but it was pretty steep! I like hikes that are more challenging though! After the hike two girls went to the beach already and the other girl waited for me to go together. We brought some post cards to the post office and then walked to the beach. We spent our last day at Waikiki Beach and the weather was absolutely beautiful! We met 2 amazing guys and had so much fun with them! They have such a good sense of humor and we laughed so much! We all had the best time of our trip tonight I think! We went out for dinner with them and it was so much fun! Especially because they drank a ‘little’ too much of course.. Unfortunately the night didn’t and as fun as the rest of our day.. I tripped the last minute before we got home.. The skin of my knee(s) peeled of and I even heard something cracking. I was so scared. Luckily it all turned out to be ok! But not the best ending of my trip in Hawaii, and definitely not a good start of my trip in Cali..
Tips: One of the easier and very nice hikes is the Diamond Head trail. It's about a 3 hour hike in total if you take your time. I did it a little faster cause I went there alone and I like to walk faster. Don't forget to bring $5 cash because they don't accept card!
6th stop: California
March 14th: San Francisco here we come!
Today I left to San Francisco with Gio and Palma (tow of the girls I traveled through Hawaii with). We arrived here pretty late because the flight was 5 hours and the time difference (2 hours later than on Hawaii). My knee hurt so much from my accident from yesterday... and I had to sit still which made it so much worse. I could barely walk and luckily my friends helped me with my suitcase! Our hotel was in the middle of downtown and just 15 mins walk from the palace of fine arts and it’s on Lombard street! So cool! Excited for tomorrow!
Tip: If you're staying in San Francisco, take some time to figure out where to stay, cause Hotels are in general pretty expensive. We stayed in Travel Inn hotel, but I won't really recommend it because this was more like a motel and it was not very clean... The good thing was the location tho! The area seemed to be pretty safe and there are lots of nice restaurants here!
March 15th: Let’s explore San Francisco!
Today my day started at the Walgreens. My knee was still so bad and the wound was still bleeding a bit.. Unfortunately they couldn’t really help me there and I had to buy some things to clean the wound and let it heal better. Then I walked to Fisherman’s Ward with Gio and on our way we walked over Lombard street which was quite a hill! We had breakfast at the Boudin Bakery (a very famous bakery) and this was delicious! With a lot of pain and effort I walked around San Francisco the whole day with Palma. Gio met with one of her Italian friends and they went their own way. Palma and I went to Pier 39 where we saw the seals! So cute! Then we walked to Chinatown and Union Square which was nice. We sat down there for a while cause I couldn’t walk anymore with my hurting knee. Then we took the bus to the Painted Ladies and there was a cool view over the city. Then we had dinner at Roma Antica (an Italian restaurant) which was very yummy!
Tip: Always bring Band aids with you! Especially if you're a little clumsy like me sometimes! And about one of my favorite places in San Francisco- Go to pier 39 and watch the Seals there! Chinatown is nice to check out too and Union Square is a perfect park for a little break. The Painted ladies is not that special in my opinion cause it's just a few houses that are colored.. So if you don't have a car, it's not that worth it to put in a lot of effort to get there as it's a little out of the city.
16th: Golden Gate State Park & more!
Today we woke up and walked to the Palace of fine arts. This is a beautiful temple close to the Golden Gate Bridge. Then we had breakfast at the Twisted café and we walked to Crissy Field where we could see the bridge. It was kind of disappointing to me cause there was nothing really special about this bridge in my opinion.. People always talk about it but I don’t really get it why.. Then we went to the Sutro Baths where we met my Dutch friend Dara, who lives here in SF as an Au Pair since half a year. She led us to the Dutch windmill in the Golden gate Park and I really loved this place! All the colorful tulips! Like I was home already! Then we went to Strawberry Hill (waterfall there) and we walked along the Japanese Tea Garden. Then we went to adopted Park to have a great view over the city. It was beautiful and we said and talked there for a while! After this we went back and we tried the Clam Chowder at the Boudin Bakery. It was very good but not my favorite for sure.. not that found of the sourdough bread.. but it was worth trying! Later we had ice cream from the loving cup which was amazing!
Tips: Definitely try the Clam Chowder from the Boudin Bakery and eat this at the pier (it's about 7 mins walk) for example. I don't like clams but I still gave it a chance because it was made in a creamy soup with sourdough bread used as the bowl for the soup. It was actually pretty good! And if you decide to go to the Golden Gate State park, definitely walk to the Dutch Wind Mill and the strawberry hill! Those are one of my favorite spots in Francisco, together with pier 39 and the palace of fine arts!
March 17th: Welcome to LA!!
On Wednesday I continued my trip to LA! Together with my friend Palma. I was so excited to go here and see my friend Aaliyah! In the morning I called with a friend from the Netherlands and this was really nice and then we left to the airport. It literally took us 5 mins again to check in my luggage and get through the security. When we got to LA Palma went home and I went to my AirBnb. It was so beautiful! Then I got changed and met with my friend Aaliyah and together we walked over Melrose Avenue, and then we walked to the Urban lights. This was really cool to see! Over 200 street lights all put together! Then we walked to the Grove and this was beautiful! We ended up with a pizza from Papa John’s because everything else was closed but it was pretty good!
Tips: If you want to go out for dinner, make a reservation! We forgot to do this and ended up with pizza because there were no tables left and restaurants closed at 9:00 pm due to Covid-19. Also- Don't walk around alone in LA with night time. There are so many homeless people and some of them are quite scary when they talk to you or follow you a bit. I was continuously with a friend but sometimes had to walk a few blocks and that was not the best idea! The Urban Lights is a cool spot to check out and definitely go to the Grove and the Farmers Market there if you have time!
Welcome to LA!
March 18th: Hollywood Sign Hike & Beverly Hills
Today I woke up early to go for a run. I took it easy cause my knee was not totally healed yet but I ran to the Hollywood Bowl, Walk of Fame, Chinese theater and then to the Runyon Canyon. From there I had a beautiful view over the huge city! It was gorgeous with the sunrise! After my run I took a shower and then I took the bus to Beverly Hills. So cool to walk around there! I felt like a super star cause there were so many expensive stores and people all look pretty fancy there! I walked to Rodeo Drive and this was cool too! Then I walked to O’Neil’s house and this house is crazy! It reminds me of Greek styled houses. The rest of the street had beautiful houses too! I loved it! After this I met with Aaliyah again and we went to the Hollywood sign Hike. Palma joined us too and one of her friends and I invited a guy I met at my AirBnb. We ended up splitting up cause we had to wait for him. Aaliyah, the other guy and I hiked for literally 5 hours! It was a beautiful hike! Not hard but a little up hill and it was hot! It was so cool to walk behind the sign! And the view was breathtaking! After this Aaliyah and I went out for dinner at the grove at Marmalade and this was amazing!!
Tips: If you're a morning person like me, and if you have some time, go to the Runyon Canyon for the sunrise! It's such a beautiful spot and the hike is not that hard! The view is amazing! If you decide to do the Hollywood sign, check which route you are doing, cause there are more different hikes and we messed up by taking the wrong way once and that's why we hiked 5 hours in total.. The hike is not hard but you'll have to walk up and it's one way so not really a loop. That means if you take the wrong way, you have to go all the way back... Like we had..
Hollywood Hike & Beverly Hills!
March 19th: Happy 20th Birthday to me!
Yeehooo! Finally not a teenager anymore! Getting ‘old’! Today it was my 20th birthday! Can’t believe I’m in LA on my birthday! My friend Marlou called me exactly at 12:00 AM US pacific time. The reason for this was because she wanted to sing for me and she had a very nice message.. a video from all my friends saying something lovely to me! I was almost crying when I watched it and it turned out she recorded my reaction!! Also my Au Pair friends from Philly made a cute video for me! I miss everyone so much!! My parents also called me obviously and they sang for me too! Can’t believe I’m gonna see them in just 9 more days! After I slept I got dressed and I met with Aaliyah at IHOP to have breakfast there. We shared blue berry pancakes and a mushroom omelet and this was good but so much! Then we left to Venice Beach! I was so excited to celebrate my birthday there with her! I loved the beach and the vibes there! The skaters are such cool people to watch! All the people there actually! We took many Nice pictures today and walked to Santa Monica and walked around there for a bit. Then we went back to Venice Beach and had some ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s and then we watched the beautiful sunset. We went to a restaurant and had amazing nachos there and then we were tired and took the bus back home. It was a wonderful day, and the best birthday I could have ever wished for Thanks to Aaliyah! I’m gonna miss her so much! We always had so much fun together! Thanks for everything girl! See you soon!
Tips: If you're in LA, it's a MUST to check out Venice & Santa Monica. Especially Venice has so many different cultures and it's amazing to see all those different cultures together! If you go to the skatepark you'll see lots of those different people too. It's so fun to see people skating of all different ages and different skills! If you walk over Venice beach there are lots of stores, restaurants and people who are performing! Santa Monica tends to be a little less crowded but it's also very nice! The Harbor walk is cool to check out and most people like the sunsets better at Santa Monica than at Venice Beach.
Best birthday I could have wished for!
7th & Last stop: New Orleans
March 20th: Bonjour New Orleans!
This morning it was time to leave LA already unfortunately! I really wished I could stay here longer! I loved the beach and the parks so much!! But it was time to go to New Orleans and I was also very excited to see this great city! I met with Palma at the airport in LA and together we flew there. We arrived around 4 and took an Uber to our Hotel. It was a very dance hotel where we could stay 4 nights for free because Palma’s host mom is the owner of it! So cool! It was a huge hotel room and very luxe! We went out for a walk around French Quarter and we had dinner at the Crescent City Brewery which was nice! After this we walked around and we walked over Bourbon Street. It was totally crazy here! Like Covid doesn’t exist here! We were literally the only people wearing masks! All bars were totally full and people were crazy so we left pretty fast. But the atmosphere was so fun! Like Carnaval in the Netherlands! But in this pandemic it’s just dumb.. We went back to our hotel and I went to the gym for a bit. So happy I could go to a gym again!
Tips: If you get the chance to go to New Orleans, take it and go there! It's a wonderful city and I really love the French-styled houses! It really feels like you're in France sometimes! Bourbon Street is a cool street to check out some bars but I won't really recommend going there if you're taking Covid serious (which I hope you do!). We only walked through the street quick and were the only ones wearing a mask...
Bonjour New Orleans!
March 21st: New Orleans Day 2!
Today I finally slept in a little bit longer! I woke up at 8:20 and I went for a run to City Park (4,3 miles further). This was a very nice park with a lake in the middle. I loved it! Then I went back to the hotel to take a quick shower and then I met with Palma at Jackson Square where she was with a friend who also was in New Orleans for a few days. Together we walked around the whole day. We went to Magazine Avenue, tried the Beignets of Café du Monde. They were delicious by the way and they tasted exactly like Dutch Oliebollen! We went to the French Market and the Riverwalk and for dinner we went to Bywater American Bistro and the food was delicious! I loved it! I ordered coconut rice and vegetables and it was so good! After this we went to a wine garden which was really cute! Obviously I couldn’t have wine because I was 20 but I didn’t really care that much cause it was a nice garden!
Tips: If you have extra time, definitely check out City Park and do a picnic here for example. It's a very nice spot with a lake! Jackson square is nice too and it's in the middle of the French Quarter. If you also want to try those famous and very yummy beignets from Café du Monde, but you don't want to wait in line for more than an hour, I would recommend to go to one of there other locations in the shopping mall for example. It's not that crowded there and you'll save plenty of time to do other things.
Exploring New Orleans!
March 22nd: Day 3, Garden District
Today I started the day at the gym in our hotel. It was a nice little gym and I was happy to use it. After that I took a shower and met with Palma and her friend Marina. We walked to Garden District. This is a very cute little area just outside of the city and they have lots of nice restaurants, bars and stores so we walked around a bit. We checked out Commander’s Palace which is a nice and fancy restaurant and it looked cool! We had some nachos at a café and it was a lovely sunny day again. When we walked back to the city we stopped by the hotel to get changed and then we went out for dinner at Oceana Grill. This is a nice seafood restaurant and I tried the Louisiana Gumbo! It was very good! We shared the fried seafood platter and I liked the shrimp and catfish but for the oysters were not my thing. It tastes too ‘fishy’ in my opinion. After dinner the other girls went to a bar and I went back to the hotel cause I was so exhausted. Then I called with the new Au Pair for my host family and this was really nice! We wanted to call for a few mins but of course we ended up calling for almost 2,5 hours! It was very nice though, and I can’t wait to meet her on Wednesday!
Tips: The Garden District is a nice area to check out. It's about 30 mins walk from downtown New Orleans and it has cute bars, shops and restaurants! Oceana Grill is one of the best and most famous restaurants in New Orleans. I would recommend trying Gumbo there because it's typical food from New Orleans! I wasn't sure whether I would like it or not, but it was pretty good! It is like a thicker soup with some vegetables in it and cooked shrimp and then it has some rice in it and a bun on the side.
Another lovely day in New Orleans!
March 23rd: Last day in New Orleans!
Today I went to the gym again when I woke up. I struggled a lot with finding a place for my 24-hour rapid PCR test for flying to the Netherlands on Saturday and it was so stressful, but I ended up booking the one at JFK. $200... But no other options I guess as I called almost all day to find something else yesterday.. Then I took a shower and met with Palma, Marina and a new girl who stayed in the same AirBnb as Marina. Her name was Marissa and she’s 30 and from Pennsylvania too! I was talking to her for a while and she seems so nice and she’s also traveling around with her car! So cool! Later Marissa and I went to a café together because she picked me up with her car as was soaking because it was raining outside. I went to Luna botanicals by myself and when I walked outside it was pouring and I had to run 2 blocks for a hiding spot so I got soaking wet... Luna Botanicals is a cool workspace with plants all over the walls and everywhere in the rooms and I went to check it out. A woman who worked there showed me around which was so nice! The café Marissa and I went to turned out to be a gay bar so that was really funny but I never went into those bars before so it was a cool experience too! And there weren’t many people due to the weather I guess. Later Marissa dropped me at the hotel I stayed and then my friends Palma and Marina came too. They went out for dinner and I packed my stuff and joined them for a bit later in the evening. Then it was time for me to try to sleep at 8:00 PM cause tomorrow my alarm will go off at 4:00 AM to get an Uber to the airport...
Tips:: Especially on a rainy day, it's good to check out things to do inside. We didn't think about this but if we would have thought about what to do, we could've gotten tickets for the World war II museum for example. Also I really wanted to go to the Rampart Treehouse (a very cute decorated bar) but when we drove there it turned out to be closed.. So don't always trust on what google mas says or what you see on the internet about the opening hours!
Rainy day today unfortunately!
March 24th: Flight back to Philly!
Omg. I can’t believe it! Yesterday was the last day in New Orleans already which means I’m flying to Philly today AND MY TRAVELMONTH IS ENDING! I can’t believe it! 5 weeks flew by! Wish I could travel forever! It’s literally the best thing I’ve ever done and will never stop doing! These past 5 weeks have been insane, beautiful, breathtaking, overwhelming and any other words you can describe it with! I’ve learned so much about the different places I’ve been to, the different landscapes, different cultures and history. But mostly, I learned so much about myself, and who I really am and what I want. Traveling gives me so much energy and excitement! I’m so happy I met all my wonderful travel buddies! All different kinds of people I traveled with, all different norms, cultures, opinions etc. But it all made me stronger and I’ve learned a lot from all the people I’ve met to. Thanks for everything guys and thanks for making my trip so wonderful! It was the best trip I’ve ever made and probably also the most exciting trip I will ever make in my life!
And thank you! Yeah, I’m talking about you as in the person who’s reading this.. Thank you for reading my blog and showing you’re interest in my travel stories! Hope it was nice and helpful reading my blog and maybe it will ever help you when you’re excited to travel within the US!
Thanks so much for reading my blog and showing your interest in my story!
Comments
Post a Comment