Monday 23 May 2016

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." - Robert Brault _ One of my favourite moments from our #BenderGoRVing trip around Utah and Arizona... _ Watching the sunrise from our balcony at The View cabins overlooking Monument Valley on the border of Utah/Arizona. _ The quietness in that moment is hard to describe - not a single breeze or sound could be heard. Most guests were asleep, apart from a few others sitting silently on their balconies too soaking up this spectacular scenery. It felt like time was frozen. I wished that sunrise could have lasted longer. _ Anyone you want to share this sunrise with? Tag them in the comments below. 👈... _ @elmonterv @TMSfamtrav @GoRVing


"Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let's not be afraid to receive each day's surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity." - Henri Nouwen _ Look twice. _ This is something you've seen before... But not from this angle. _ Horseshoe Bend at sunrise... from above. To get a feel for the scale of this landmark, you need a microscope to see the tiny people at the bottom left of the photo at the overlook. The light coloured walking trail can be seen but die-hard photographers catching first light are almost invisible. _ There's nothing quite like flying over the Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon to give oneself a better sense of importance in the bigger picture. This planet doesn't need us, but we must look after this one-of-a-kind blue marble that we call home... It's all we've got. _ #travelstoke #BenderGoRVing @elmonterv @TMSfamtrav @GoRVing


Saturday 21 May 2016

"There is no royal road to anything. One thing at a time, all things in succession. That which grows fast, withers as rapidly. That which grows slowly, endures." - Josiah Gilbert Holland _ Scenic flight over the Grand Canyon at sunrise. _ This was one of my favourite experiences this year (so far). This flight a couple weeks ago was part of a combo tour from @viatortravel that included Antelope Canyon and a rafting tour through Glen Canyon. Ticked off 3 bucket list items in 1 day 😃✔️✔️✔️ _ #travelstoke #grandcanyon


"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at." - Stephen Hawking _ Alleyway in Placerville, CA. _ Live: tonight we're in beautiful Placerville, California. Day 3 of 6 on our Northern California road trip. _ Today we visited Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park near Coloma, CA which was the genesis of the great Gold Rush in the mid 1800s. Caused by folks with gold fever, this migration was the largest in human history! _ We tried panning for gold and even found a few flakes 🎉😀💰 I asked my son what he'd do with the money if he struck gold... And his answer: buy a sticky hand. What would you do? _ #BenderGoCali @visitcalifornia


Friday 20 May 2016

"There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder." - Ronald Reagan _ Zion National Park in Utah. _ We visited a couple weeks ago for just the afternoon - it's a very pretty region. Did you know: most times during the day you can't drive your car through and must use the free bus that stops at designated areas. That's due to over 3.6 million visitors who flock here each year. _ Distinctive layers in the Navajo Sandstone give this park a special golden glow. Even on a cloudy day. _ #utahphotographer #zionnationalpark #BenderGoRVing @elmonterv @TMSfamtrav @GoRVing


"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth." - Buddha _ Rising moon over the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas. _ What does the moon remind you of? I think about Buddha's quote, and wherever we go, the moon is always there first. _ Did you know: I receive questions every week from readers about our travels and my photography. Most of the answers can be found on the link within my bio @travelwithbender. Check it out. You might find out something new you didn't know before. 😀👈 _ A special thanks to @tepwireless who help us stay online with our portable wireless hotspot.


"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears." - Cesare Paves _ Cruising the canals. Warm and cool reflections on our gondola at @venetianvegas. Do you think this outdoors or indoors? #lasvegas


Saturday 7 May 2016

"The earth, like the sun, like the air, belongs to everyone and to no one." - Edward Abbey _ Queens Garden Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. _ This route descends 320 feet (98m) from the starting point at Sunrise Point. It was named after a rock formation that looks like Queen Victoria (I'm not sure of that's meant to be flattering). It seemed so easy as we descended... Until we had to climb back up at Sunset Point. Damn, that was hard! Especially when carrying a backpack full if photography gear and tripod. _ But the memory of the view will linger long after the sore muscles have recuperated. _ #utahphotographer #beautifuldestinations


"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - Confucius _ Cruising the scenic canals of Amsterdam. _ One of the highlights of our stay in Amsterdam in Summer 2014 was sleeping on a house boat. If you get the chance, it's the best way to get a taste of the waterways that make up this iconic city. _ Where are we now? 📌Today we arrived in Las Vegas to kick off a 7-night RV trip across Nevada, Arizona and south Utah. There'll be so many amazing places to see. I can wait to share them with you. _ If you want to catch up with us on Snapchat 👻 travelwitbender _ #iamsterdam


Friday 6 May 2016

This week is a momentous milestone... _ It's our 4th anniversary of nomadic travel. Yep, 4 years ago we stepped onto a plane in Perth, Australia heading to Bali. 68 countries, 40 US states and 7 Canadian provinces later... Here we are!... And still going. _ Thank you to all the wonderful people we've met along the way who've helped make this journey possible. And thank you for following us. 😊🙏 _ This scene is from our hike around Bryce Canyon National Park yesterday. And where are we going today?... Las Vegas! _ #anniversary #milestone


"Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else." — Lawrence Block _ Natural Bridge in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. _ We took a hike around Queen's Garden trail for a few hours today. Incredible views, but by the end of it all our legs were like jelly. By the time I caught my breath I lost it again at Natural Bridge, pictured here.


The Lazy Mom’s Guide To Dominating Universal Studios Orlando

Does the idea of taking your family to Universal Studios Orlando sound too hard? There's flights, transport, a hotel, theme park tickets, research restaurants, plus other activities in the area. Don’t get stressed, just use my ultimate guide for Universal Studios Orlando that is perfect for any mom… even if you’re super duper lazy. It includes all the essential info you need to know to make smart decisions without wasting half a day of research. Your family will think you’re a rock star. Take my word for it.
Read more at our travel blog.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Where To Eat In New Orleans – 7 Restaurants You Have To Try

3 years ago we were on culinary cloud nine. During an incredible 2-week visit, New Orleans never served up one bad meal. So we went back to this food-lovers’ paradise we had high expectations. Would The Big Easy be able to once again satisfy our avaricious appetites and delight our increasingly proficient palate?
Read more at our travel blog.