Traveler

Movin’ to Moab…Really Just College Roadtrippin’

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I went to Moab, Utah for four days with four friends and had an absolute blast hiking through Arches National Park. I had been to Moab when I was in eighth grade on a school trip where we camped in the park and learned about the ecosystem and have been yearning to go back ever since. Sometimes I forget how beautiful the USA is and this trip did more than a sufficient job of reminding me what a blessing it is to grow up and live in this country. What is particularly great about Moab (and the National Park system in general) is that you can do a lot with a limited budget and adventurous spirit.

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Ruined Forever: Colorado Roadtrip

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Amidst the rhythmic and chaotic circulation that we all sometimes find ourselves in, it eventually becomes essential to throw it all away, jump in a car and hit the road for a good old-fashioned road trip. This is exactly what I did with one tent, two friends and three days in the most beautiful state that I call home, Colorado. There is something about getting away from the city and moving into nature that allows time to slow and down and deeply moving and meaningful experiences to be felt. While I absolutely love the city life, there is nothing like being in the great outdoors. With minimum planning, we settled on a three day trip that would take us from Denver to Buena Vista, Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado Springs and back. It’s fair to say that we returned back to Denver wanting more of life on the road and inspired for the next adventure.

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Cruising Through History in Cambodia

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After some of the best days in Laos, we flew from Vientiane to  Phnom Penh, Cambodia where we immediately visited the Aspara Arts Association  for a traditional dance performance before going to our hotel for the evening. The next morning we were privileged to have Bou Meng, only one of two living survivors from the prison SJ31 where tens of thousands of people were tortured before being set to the killing fields. It was an honor to hear his story and candid remarks about his experience and how he moved on from it is educating the next generations. This man is my forever hero for overcoming the absolute worst of humanity and coming through to the other side of joy and compassion. I also purchased a few of his books for friends to read as his story completely moved me and shook me to my core. Humanity can be so cruel to each other. Bou Meng is also an artist, and this talent helped him survive in the prison until it was shut down, as he was commissioned to make paintings of the leaders.

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Rowdy and Lao-d: Laos is Amazing

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I can officially say that my favorite country in Southeast Asia besides Malaysia is Laos! This completely surprised me as I knew very little about the country and had no idea that it would blow me away as much as it did. We also had another awesome in country guide, Chermoua, to accompany our other guide Ray which added infinitely to the experience. Chermoua from the beginning, picking us up at the airport in Luang Prabang, was nothing but phenomenal.

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Weekend Roadtrip: Boulder to Albuquerque for the International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta!

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(If you want to find the video link to our road trip adventure, scroll to the bottom of the article. However…if you do you will miss out on the best part: storytelling!)

There comes a point during an given amount of time in life where it is required to pack a small bag of clothes, grab your nearest friend, a family member, some kale chips, chocolate and hop in the car and hit the road for a good ole’ American road trip adventure. It doesn’t matter the distance or destination, but the open road calls us all at some point. As humans, I believe we all have an innate need and desire to explore and go somewhere beyond the current environment we know.

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