"There's an art to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." - The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy _ Landed in the moon-like surface of the Meade Glacier in Skagway, Alaska. The only way to get here is by helicopter (unless you're Bear Grylls). _ One of the beautiful landscapes I've ever witnessed. And seeing it by air was the icing on the cake. _ #alaska #helicopter @halcruises #hollandamerica

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Glacial superhighway. _ Meade Glacier, Alaska from above. _ The brown stripes are created by the slow-moving river of ice carving up adjacent mountains. While these look like pebbles from above, once we were on the ground, I realised these were actually boulders! _ The barren landscape skews it's sense of proportion. Distances are hard to fathom. Huge mountains in the distance look small. We were fortunate to visit on a perfect day - clear, bright skies, (relatively) warm weather, and unbeatable visibility. _ A dream come true. _ #alaska #glacier @halcruises

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Ready for take-off. 🚁 _ Kicking off one of the best experiences we've had in the last 3.5 years of full-time travel... Helicopter tour to Meade Glacier in Skagway, Alaska. _ #halcruise #hollandamerica #alaskacruise @halcruises

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Into the white wilderness. _ "Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper in sinks into the mind." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge _ Exploring the countryside outside Skagway, Alaska. This vast wilderness captivates the imagination and the soul. _ Thoroughly enjoyed this photography tour as part of our 7-night @halcruises cruise from Vancouver to Alaska... The last one of the season. If you haven't been yet, hopefully more of my upcoming photos will convince you for next season 😊 _ #alaska #beautifuldestinations #hollandamerica #halcruise

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V. Breaking the mirror flat water in Juneau, Alaska on the Gastineau Channel. One letter says it all... _ "There is no new wave, only the sea." - Claude Chabrol _ #alaska #landscape @halcruises #hollandamerica

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"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." - William Shakespeare _ On a photography tour outside Skagway, Alaska and discovered this waterfall. It doesn't have a name, sign or marker... Just a beautiful slice of nature. _ Getting a taste of Alaska via cruise makes one thing clear... I must come back! #waterfall @halcruises #halcruise #hollandamerica #alaska

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So that's what it feels like to hold 1 million dollars. _ At AJ Mine in Juneau, Alaska. This historic gold mine offers interesting tours and we even got to pan for our own gold. I'm not saying she's a gold digger... 😉 #alaskacruise #millionaire @halcruises #halcruise #hollandamerica

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"It is not necessary for eagles to be crows." - Sitting Bull _ Eagle eyes. _ Admiring this beautiful creature at the top of Goldbelt Mt Roberts Tramway in Juneau, Alaska. It was rescued and unable to be released back into the wild. But unlike most eagles, this one is very fond of humans. An utterly gorgeous bird of prey. _ #eagle #wildlife @halcruises #halcruise #hollandamerica #alaska

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Cannonball! _ So what do you do when you're cruising in Glacier Bay, Alaska? You guessed it! The Polar Bear Plunge. Jump in the outdoor pool and brave the chilled breeze by standing at the back of the ship for a whole 60 seconds. Only the toughest survive. I've even got a certificate to prove it 😉 Thanks to Erin for capturing my stupidity. _ #hollandamerica #alaskacruise @halcruises #halcruise #cruisin

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City of gold. _ Looking over Alaska's capital, Juneau, from the top of the Goldbelt Mt Roberts Tramway. _ Over 1800 feet above the city, this is the best view in Juneau that doesn't require a plane ticket. _ The city may have originated in the 1800's when gold was discovered in the nearby creek, but to me the golden sunsets are much more priceless. _ #sunset #juneau @halcruises #halcruise #hollandamerica #alaska

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The Inside Passage. _ Cruising on Holland America's ship, Noordam, from Vancouver to Alaska. A beautiful view of the outdoor pool overlooking the narrow, scenic pass along the west coast of Canada and Alaska. _ Absolutely stunning! _ #beautifuldestinations @halcruises #halcruise #hollandamerica #alaskacruise

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"Ships are expendable; the whales are not." - Paul Watson _ Explored the Salish Sea off the coast of Vancouver, Canada and discovered some of the most beautiful creatures in the world... Killer Whales. _ So majestic and graceful. A must-see on anyone's bucket list. #Vancouver @viatortravel #travelwithaninsider #killerwhale

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"It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." - Abraham Lincoln _ Looking over Diablo Lake in the Northern Cascades, Washington, USA. _ The brilliant colours are amazing, even on a dull, cold day. It reminds me there's always brilliance in ever day when you look for it. #washingtonstate #northcascadesnationalpark

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Thank you! _ Big hugs to all my Instagram followers. Today I'll pass the 10,000 follower milestone. Please continue to like and tag your IG friends. And I look forward to continuing to share scenes from our nomadic travels around the world. _ This image is from the North Cascades National Park along state highway 20 in Washington state. An incredibly scenic drive that was recommended by our Facebook followers. _ Please connect with us on FB, Twitter, Pinterest and Snapchat (if you haven't already). See link in bio. #northcascades #motherofallroadtrips

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Oasis in the desert. _ The juxtaposition of the Palouse Falls against the arid desert landscape creates a visual harmony, and refreshes the soul. _ Seemed to be in the middle of nowhere in eastern Washington state, but glad we made the time to visit. _ #waterfall #motherofallroadtrips

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"Every big castle was once started with a single block; despise no small beginnings. A little step taken every day builds up the hope of greater accomplishments. Do something every day!" - Israelmore Ayivor _ Here's something you don't see everyday... A secret castle in Spokane, Washington. _ And it belongs to our good friends @captainandclark. An amazing couple - check out their IG pics. _ #castle #washingtonstate #motherofallroadtrips

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"True courage is like a kite; a contrary wind raises it higher." - John Petit-Senn _ Chasing twisters in eastern Washington. _ These little ones aren't particularly dangerous but I had never seen a twister up close and was so fascinated I had to pull the car over on the side of the road and get closer. The power of nature never ceases to amaze. #twister #washingtonstate

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"May what I do flow from me like a river, no forcing and no holding back, the way it is with children." - Rainer Maria Rilke _ Watching valiant salmon swim upstream against the flow, and jump through these challenging cascades. _ At Salmon Cascades, Olympic National Park, Washington. #waterfall #motherofallroadtrips

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American Tourister Luggage Review: Duralite 360 3 Piece Spinner Set

Choosing luggage can be a daunting task when you take the occasional vacation. But even more so for our family who travels the world full-time. Find out what we think about the American Tourister Duralite 360 3 Piece Spinner Set.
Read more at our travel blog.

Spookiest beach in the world... According to me. _ The salty sea evaporated in front of our eyes and morphed into low lying clouds. The eerie dense forest combined with dead, dry trunks scattered like toothpicks, created a surreal spooky scene. _ At Rialto Beach, La Push, Washington. #beautifuldestinations #nature_perfection

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Afternoon on Rialto Beach in La Push, Washington. _ Yes, the same setting as #Twilight. #beachlife #washingtonstate #usa

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Happy anniversary Twilight! _ This week marks 10 years since the launch of the first book in the best-selling Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. _ We didn't realise that in advance when we visited Forks and La Push, Washington which are the settings in the book/movie. But good timing as usual 😉 _ Although we didn't spot any vampires or werewolves, there were a few tell-tale signs they were around... _ #twilightsaga #forkswashington

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Marymere Falls in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA. _ #waterfall #motherofallroadtrips

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Erin here. Taking over Instagram (and the camera) just this once to capture the man behind the camera. This is Josh. He takes all the photos for Travel With Bender and is the one that fills your Instagram feed with the amazing World photos you like and comment on. Can you give Josh a like? #photographer #keepexploring #theglobewanderer #nomad

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"Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life." - Hermann Hesse _ Hiking through the forest near Marymere Falls in Olympic National Park in Washington, USA. _ #washingtonstate #tree_captures

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Quiet. _ No sound on Lake Crescent... Apart from the clouds skirting over the mountains. Olympic National Park is nothing except magical. _ #lake #naturelovers

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"The road to success is always under construction." _ Ruby Beach, Washington state. Spent the last few days exploring Olympic National Park. Absolutely beautiful! _ #beach #rockformation

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Breakfast In The Sky At Willis Tower

I could have been the Queen. Or Beyonce. I might have been a rich mafia alpha male or married to a professional sports star. But I was just me. 103 floors above the streets of Chicago, alone in my all-encompassing panorama made for royalty.
Read more at our travel blog.

Through the looking glass. _ Ruby Beach, Washington state. _ #beach #landscape_lovers

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"Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all things on earth." — Heinrich Zimmer _ Walking along Ruby Beach in Washington state. Eerie and surreal. The rocky beach is littered with dried out tree trunks, smoothed by the moving sea. Almost like Nature's toothpicks. Feels like another world. _ #beautifuldestinations #washingtonstate

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"When the fishbowl gets too small, it's time to pack up and leave and jump into the lake or ocean." - Travie McCoy _ Crater Lake, Oregon, USA. _ Shot on my @vanguard_world Alta Pro tripod. _ #craterlake #naturelovers

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Chicago Pizza Tour: Why I’ll Never Eat Pizza Again

What better way to discover the pizza scene in Chicago than by gouging on over 2.5 pounds of the savory delight over a 3 hour period. We visited 4 of the best rated pizza joints, not only in the city, but the country as well. Find out what we devoured and where we went.
Read more at our travel blog.

"Expect problems... and eat them for breakfast." - Alfred A. Montapert _ Meeting a new friend at a lookout over Crater Lake... Mr Chipmunk! So adorable, especially when he's eating crackers. I just wanted to squeeze those chubby cheeks. _ On our #motherofallroadtrips across the US & Canada. #chipmunk #cuteanimals #craterlake

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Living The Dream: When Your Life Is Better Than A Rockstar's

Carole from California spends more time at home than on the road, but that doesn't mean she is any less of a travel addict then our other guests. In fact she is the Northern California travel expert here to tell us why she is Living The Dream.
Read more at our travel blog.

Bluer than blue. _ On our 2nd visit to Crater Lake, Oregon & confirmed its the most naturally beautiful spot on earth. _ The water clarity here is amongst the best in the world due to its complete purity. All water here originates from snowmelt, not rivers. _ But just over 7,000 years ago this was the most inhospitable place on earth with the violent volcanic eruption that formed this very caldera. _ Amazed how something so gorgeous can come from something so brutal. The power of life. _ #craterlake #earth_expo #beautifulplanett

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Walking with giants. _ "I am a poor student sitting at the feet of giants, yearning for their wisdom and begging for lessons that might one day make me a complete artist, so that if all goes well, I may one day sit beside them." - Rod Taylor _ Strolling through the magical Redwoods. Recent fires in Oregon have cast a thick blanket of smoke across the forest. But nothing can dampen their beauty. _ #naturegram #forest #northerncalifornia

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"There's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away." - Sarah Kay _ White driftwood. _ Nearby trees have tumbled down a cliff and are worn by the forces of the sea. _ #driftwood #oregon #beachlife

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Fallen giant. _ Hiking through the Redwoods, Northern California, admiring the power of nature. _ #motherofallroadtrips #redwoods #naturegram

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"As the ocean is never full of water, so is the heart never full of love." - Unknown _ Discovering the hidden beaches of Oregon. _ Gorgeous! #beach #oregon

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11 Reasons Why You Should NOT Visit Niagara Falls

You’ve always wanted to go. Niagara Falls has been a life-long bucket list destination. And then your favourite family travel blogger comes out with an article like this. Boooooo!
Read more at our travel blog.

"Chaos was the law of nature, Order was the dream of man." _ Walking through the beautiful Redwoods in northern California and came across this. _ It reminds me we are never alone. _ #northerncalifornia #redwoods #nature

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Solo sunset. _ Secret Beach, Brookings, Oregon. _ #sunset #oregon

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Fairmont Château Laurier: Where Fairytales Do Come True

For the most part, my life has been a fairytale. I’ve worn princess dresses at balls and weddings, and found Prince Charming. But I was missing the ever-elusive castle… until now! Find out what it was like staying in Ottawa’s very own fairytale castle.
Read more at our travel blog.

Majestic Redwoods. _ Nothing makes one feel smaller than standing in the shadow of these giants, towering up to 379 feet (115.5 m). _ Absolutely stunning! _ #northerncalifornia #redwoods #nature

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Secret Beach, Brookings, Oregon. _ One of the most gorgeous beaches in the US as voted by me. #oregon #sunset

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Carousel at Navy Pier. _ On Chicago's most popular tourism destination, this freely accessible pier has a bunch of fun things to do for youngsters and the young at heart. _ 🚩 Follow us on snapchat too! Our username: travelwitbender (yes, without the "h"). 😎 _ #carousel #chicagoepic @choosechicago

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Shiny. _ Did you know the phrase "in the loop" originated in Chicago and literally meant that you were located in the area of central Chicago called "the loop". _ The architecture around Chicago is so varied and unique, everywhere I turned was another work of art scraping the sky. _ #chicagoepic @choosechicago #architecture

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A side of beans... _ The famous "bean" shaped sculpture, Cloud Gate, in Chicago. From the side it looks like a giant drop of water, don't you think? _ #cloudporn #chicagoepic @choosechicago

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