A little Downtime Up North in Michigan, USA

Wanderlust is like a drug.Once you've had it, you can't get enough. And while on this 'trip' I've undertaken a little adventure to see this wonderful country I now have chosen to call home.

The adventure being, to experience United States in all its natural glory; to visit every one of the fifty states and territories of the USA. Detours, drive-throughs and layovers are to be stricken from record. So far my travels have brought me to a grand number of seventeen. And with this last visit, I have officially made it to my Eighteenth state: Michigan.

The trip to Michigan came about due to a number of factors. T started his journey in the US here, old friends who are very dear to us for fabulous company, and the lure of a very popular destination four hours drive north of Detroit: Mackinac Island.

WHEN TO GO:

Early September around Labor day is a fabulous time to visit Mackinac Island. The summer sun is still out, warm enough for one to enjoy it but not hot enough to burn you. The evenings are pleasantly cool and thoroughly enjoyable.

HOW TO GET THERE:

One must ensure to have enough of good music and fabulous company for the journey North from Detroit, because one simply zooms up 75 all the way through, so the journey can get a little monotonous for the lack of former.Plenty of  pit stop options along the way. The most interesting aspect of Mackinac island is of course, despite the existence of a bridge, there are no automobiles allowed on the islands.

Charming ferries have frequent runs from Mackinac City (Where one parks the motor vehicles) to the island. they also have a convenient Valet park service .The moment you step off the ferry of course, you step into a different era, untouched by modern transportation. Mackinac welcomes you to a world of horse-drawn carriages, bicycles , charming inns and lilacs.

WHERE TO STAY:

The advice is to book early, especially if visiting on a long weekend, because the inns and B&Bs get sold out pretty quickly. I would recommend staying in a charming old inn , although the option of a few hotels is also available, the Grand hotel for one, with its charming architecture and grand views. The inns are fairly comfortable and affordable, and equipped with most of the  modern amenities. True, you sometimes feel like you may have landed up in your grandma's house with pink paint or floral wallpaper, but that's a part of the charm of this island. Most of the inns are crowded around the Main street and Market street, minutes from the ferry dock.

WHAT TO DO:

1. Bike  or hike the island!:

The entire island is only 8.2 miles all the way around and a bicycle is the best way to get around. Affordable bikes with handy baskets are easily available all around Main street. Most places also hand out bike trail maps and a bottle or two of water. Experience a 50's Hollywood moment as you ride along the island coast, wind in your hair, sweet smell of lilacs. The coast is a also a wonderful place to demonstrate your skill will stone cairns.The adventurous might also want to see the island on foot.

2. See the sights

This isn't really an island to do a whole lot of site-seeing , but there are a few spots one could visit: St. Anne's church, the butterfly farm (nothing as spectacular as the one I saw in Penang, Malaysia, but its nice), the natural limestone formations like Arch rock (a natural formation shaped like an Arch), Skull rock or Sugar Loaf, or the old fort.

3. Go equestrian!

Consider yourself a rider? Go horseback riding..there are riding stables with some beautiful stallions and offer guided tours in the island's wooded areas. The romantics have an option of taking a midnight horse-drawn carriage ride. One might also want to get a buggy ride or a guided horse carriage tour of the small island which gets one acquainted with the history. 

4. Become a fudge-a-holic!

Fudge is an integral part of the Mackinac Island history. The recipe originates here and is so famous, they even have an annual Fudge festival. So indulge a little, get lost in the creamy deliciousness and always remember..there is no such thing such as too much fudge :)

5. Wind Down, relax, soak in the culture.

The island sets the tempo for a Victorian era, and the idea is to wind down. Read a book by the shore, take a moonlit walk near the boardwalk, enjoy a picnic on the fort grounds, enjoy some Jazz at the Grand Hotel. When the moon comes up, the water looks like a sheet of shimmering gold.It's almost breathtaking..

The home of the Ojibwa Native Indians, settled by the French in the 1600s, Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) island offers a wonderful getaway from the everyday hustle bustle, to an era bygone..where one always has time to stop and smell the lilacs...

The Red Rock Wonder: Antelope Canyon, AZ, USA

“We are so made that we can derive intense enjoyment from a contrast and very little from a state of things.”

Sigmund Freud  knew what he was talking about. After our last highly relaxing getaway, we decided it was time  for a change of scenery. From the mountains and the snow in Shasta to the hot, yet beautiful, desert in Arizona.

The Journey:

We flew into Phoenix on Friday evening and drove immediately to Flagstaff to save us some time in the days to follow.Good thing too..Phoenix was sweltering at a 108 deg F that night !

Day 1:  Drive from Flagstaff to Page

This journey, if made at the right time, is a beautiful one..one often sees this vision in movies and posters but it is another thing to see it in real life; where you can see the road ahead for miles together, the technicolor play on the red rock and air so clear, that you can see the shadows of the clouds passing on the hills.

It is time to put your feet up and simply enjoy the show.

The drive to Page is a beautiful two hours, if you don't stop too often on the way to enjoy the vast expanses. Mile after mile of the rising red rock and clear blue skies. 

Just after you enter the Page city limits, watch out for signs to the Horseshoe bend. This a gorgeous vista where the canyon has formed into a horseshoe shaped gorge allowing the beautiful river to flow into it. Quite a gorgeous view as can be seen

The Horseshoe bend entails about a mile's hike and if you are unfortunate, like us, to face some of nature's wrath. The dessert is a merciless and cruel teacher. we learnt quite a few lessons at Horseshoe bend.

LESSON 1: EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

We just couldn't contain our delight at the beautiful day and we were thankful for the breeze which made the heat, and eventually us, ..less miserable. And then came the contrast..the gentle breeze suddenly whipped up into a full blown windstorm, leaving us in the middle of the hike, with nowhere to hide.

LESSON 2: RESPECT THE DESERT

A windstorm in the desert is not just dangerous, it is quite literally painful. The wind whips up the loose rubble and carries them with such gusto that they feel like actual whips on you arms, legs and face.Covering yourself and crouching might be the only way to protect your vitals.

LESSON 3: BE PREPARED

Don't take anything for granted, including weather reports. Be prepared. strong jackets, scarves, sunglasses, strong shoes, the works. Dress in layers. you can always shed the layers if it gets hot as hell. Also remember to keep with you a handy fan available at local Drug stores for a buck or two.

What the desert eventually serves up, is perspective on a platter. We were so grateful to be out of the windstorm and so delighted to get some good pics in spite of it, that we almost forgot to feel miserable that our 6 hour rafting trip down the river had been cancelled. Instead, I think all I really wanted then was a nice , long, warm shower and a really comfy bed to crash on.

I did eventually get my warm shower and comfy bed..and after a wonderful siesta, we got some even better food at Fiesta Mexicana. The comfy food hit the spot and I fell in love with the strawberry Margarita.

One can never be a true traveler if one isn't adaptable. With our rafting trip suddenly cancelled due to high winds, T and I found ourselves with way too much time in the middle of nowhere. Adaptability was suddenly looking difficult. We decided to make the best of it though, and went for a nice walk to Lake Powell. Also discovered that evening, a lovely place called Canyon King Pizzeria, with good pizzas and even better beer. A lively conversation with the owner brought Day 1 to an end. 

Day 2: Antelope Canyon and drive back to Flagstaff

Day 2 dawned a beautiful day. The air was crisp;it wasn't too hot. I was absolutely ready to finally see what I had traveled all the way for. Smart folks would do good to book their tours way in advance for the Upper antelope canyon..where all the coloring magic happens. Antelope canyon is a part of the Navajo Nation territory which does not permit any private vehicles, only guided tours. These get sold out quickly and ad hoc  planning does not work well. 

The Memorial day weekend is also a very popular time to visit the canyon for the best colors and contrasts. The place is bustling with photographers, tourists, curious souls, wannabe photographers like me and other random folks. I bid adieu to the waiting folks as the open van chugged far into the desert to our destination. What awaited us was an hour for pure joy as far as I was concerned. I had landed in a trigger happy, camera-ready universe. I will let the pics do the talking for me

Let's just say Mother nature is one hellava artist, and isn't afraid to use bold colors.

In the afternoon we drove back to Flagstaff enjoying yet another great road trip. Spent a wonderful evening just chilling and enjoying the local flavors. 

Day 3: Coconino National Forest, Mormon lake, Horseback riding and the journey back to Phoenix.

Contrast was the calling of the day.After two days of staring at vast expanses and red rock everywhere, we were absolutely ready to embrace some contrast, which brought us to the pine tree Coconino national forest.

One would find it very hard to imagine lush green pine trees , and a whole forest of them, to be in the middle of desert land, but there it was..staring back at us, full of joy that we paid it a visit. It is one of the lesser known gems in Arizona.

An hour long drive brought us to Mormon Lake Lodge. Their homemade chili was just about perfect as we gazed at all the John Wayne posters around us. We were in the Wild Wild West indeed. It just had flavors, quite unknown to most. 

Lots of chili and some cowboy hats later, we found ourselves mounting a coupla big horses ready for an hour long trot into the forest. Its wonderful really, going horseback into the forest, learning about the Spaniards and the native Indians, the gold rush and enjoying the scent of the wild flowers along the way. Almost takes you back in the day.

Sadly we had to go from horseback to back in the car if we hoped to make our flight back in time. So we bid a sad farewell to the friendly horses and the friendlier wrangler.

The cacti along the sides of the road would be the final memories of the Desert for the time being.

Until we long for the technicolor play again...

"The Desert, when the sun comes up ..I couldn't tell where the earth stopped and the heaven began"

-Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump

Discover California Series:The Romantic Retreat : Mt. Shasta, CA, USA

When T and I got engaged, we made an unofficial vow never to lose our sense of adventure and the love for travel. The problem, of course, was we both have extremely contradictory ideas about travel and adventure. I, am a explorer by nature , and love to plan my adventures. I love research, details, precision, maps. T on the other hand, believes in letting the experience seep in, letting the adventure find you. He absolutely hates planning anything. so as a compromise, we both agreed that we both get to make at least one trip in our own little way.

This is his way..

This year my Valentine's Day gift for T was a weekend package to Mount Shasta, designed for the peak of winter.Going by the principle of never planning however, we ended up celebrating Valentine's weekend exactly two months later, completely off season and in the peak of spring. Hate to admit it, but the off-season retreat is probably just what I needed.

The Journey:

Mount Shasta is an easy 4 hours drive from San Francisco. Word of caution to the new comer: Time your exit from San Fran or you are in for a bad bout with the traffic stretching those 4 hours to 6 or 7 hours.. I would recommend leaving early afternoon-ish on a Friday. I would also carry sustenance in abundance. The road to Shasta is definitely one less traveled, so not too many towns and joints on the way to stop and grab food.

On the way, one could always stop on the shoulders for the gorgeous vistas of Lake Shasta. Breathtakingly beautiful, I think they just about make up for the lack of pit stops.

The Dwelling:

Mount Shasta Resort Chalets.We were absolutely thrilled with the Lakeside Chalets. Fully equipped kitchen, hardwood floors, crockery, cutlery, dining room, comfy bedroom with a king size bed, with TVs, free wi-fi, living room with pull out beds, an amazing fireplace and most importantly, the view from the porch. Nestled on the banks of  Lake Siskiyou, the untouched beauty is enough to make one want to cry.

Our vacation package included discounts for food and the Spa.Nothing like a couple's tension tamer therapy to get one in the relaxed mood for the weekend.I wasn't too thrilled with the food discount. I am guessing there was a reason they could afford to include that in the package :). This is the kinda place where you would do good to carry your own stuff or do grocery and make your own in the aforementioned fully equipped kitchen.

Mount Shasta is a small town with limited number of food options. So for the picky eaters, please carry or make your own!

The Experience:

This off season spring experience is a sublime experience for anyone who really wants to "get away". The Mountain tops are still snow capped, but the grass is fresh and green, the lake is bright blue with the freshly melted snow water . It is a time to sleep in, snuggle , relax with a book, just wander about with no agenda or plan, enjoy the ultra-small downtown, chat with the locals.

It was a surprising discovery that Mount Shasta was a highly spiritual town. I could see an over-indulgence in all religions including Hinduism and Buddhism. Being a Hindu myself, I was supremely surprised to find a rather rare statue of Lord Ganesh, which we immediately bagged. It can be attributed to the nearby Mount Lassen. Locals speculate that a lot of people are drawn to the power of the volcano and associate it with the higher spirituality plane of Hindu and Buddhist religions.

A lot of local bands play in the town if one wants to enjoy some hot cocoa, and listen to some country rock.

It is nice to see a place where people still smile at each other and perform solely for charity. My motto  is: Sip a little coffee, do a little good.

I highly recommend a four wheel drive to just drive up the snow capped mountains for the spectacular views. While this would also enable you to go higher up, it would be safer to traverse the snow covered roads. It is a tremendous feeling ; driving through a wall of piled up whipped cream.

For the more active folks, there is a ski park nearby and a hill where one could go tobogganing or sledging. A little more into Spring and Mount Shasta Resort offers a nine-hole course for golfing, tennis courts and boating on lake Siskiyou.

Our objective though was to do just about nothing but laze. Though there are fabulous walks in the evening which we did choose to take. There a couple of paths leading down to the banks of the lake, for taking photographs, to breathe in the fresh, pristine air, or to get a little exercise.

There are so many more places to go to, so many things to see. Maybe in another time, in another place. But for this visit, I was perfectly content sipping on my drink, cuddling in front of the fireplace, and staring out at Lake Siskiyou.

A weekend wasted isn't a weekend wasted

I wander ..therefore I am

They say dreams are secret motivations more than manifestations. I always dreamed in technicolor..sprawling vistas, mansions, backpacks, cameras and food, food, food. Somewhere, whilst chugging down the long dusty road of life, I buried these dreams. A few years back though, sense found me and I decided to embrace these long lost loves of mine.

I decided to breathe the fresh air, jump from airplanes, go on food crawls and go everywhere that my heart desires, see everything, meet interesting people, do stuff, folks might think is crazy. And today I decided to find a way to share this with the rest of the world. So here's embarking on a documentation of what I hope is a fabulous journey and a great adventure all rolled in one meaty package and somewhere along this path of enlightenment and sharing, I learn to really live again.

Not all those who wander are lost

-J.R.R Tolkien