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Wednesday, 31 January 2018
"Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire." – Jennifer Lee _ Relaxing on the private balcony of my Sky Villa at @ritzcarltonbali. All that is missing is you. _ Imagine unwinding here with a friend or loved one. 🌴 👇 Tag them in the comments below. _ While in Bali I use my @tepwireless internet hotspot for fast wireless access. _ #luxuryhotelsworld
Sunday, 28 January 2018
Saturday, 27 January 2018
Thursday, 25 January 2018
"To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment." - Eckhart Tolle _ Winter sunset colours over Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, USA. _ These hoodoos took my breath away... Literally! I ran down the winding dirt path near "Sunset Point" to reach this view. I just couldn't miss the fading light. But on the walk back up, the thin air at this high altitude hit me hard. I could barely breathe as I walked up, and took a rest every 10 metres. The air temperature was below freezing. A 120-year-old probably could have walked faster than me. It was embarrassing! _ Note to self: pace yourself when you're not used to the altitude! Josh: 0, Mother Nature: 1. _ What did you learn about yourself in 2017? _ On my road trip around Utah I used my @tepwireless hotspot. 👍📱
Tuesday, 23 January 2018
"When you can't find the sunshine, be the sunshine". _ Melting warm hues and delicious contours of Upper Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona. _ I could have stayed here all day. It's a photography lover's paradise. _ The first time I visited this world famous landmark I took a regular tour, but this time embarked on a dedicated photography tour which offered more time and a slower pace. But more importantly allowed tripods to be used. _ Have you been to Arizona?
Sunday, 21 January 2018
"The Sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it's here is up to us. Journey wisely." - Alexandra Elle _ "The Organ" rock formation in Zion National Park, Utah. In the background to the left is The Great White Throne, and to the right, Angel's Landing. _ The late winter sun was setting behind The Organ and reflecting light around Big Bend creating this incredibly dreamy heavenly glow. It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. _ I drove through @zionnps during a 2 week road trip around Arizona & Utah. This capture is one of my favourite from 2017. _ #zionnationalpark
Saturday, 20 January 2018
"Over every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley." - Theodore Roethke _ Hiking into the wilderness... _ This little corner of Southern Utah is highly underrated. Only about an hour drive east from Zion National Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is a dream for ATVs and sandboarding. You can rent a sand sled for $25 from the park staff or in my case I tried to improvise by sliding down this 50-foot dune on a cardboard box. In the end the box split in the powder-soft sand and I ended up sliding on my backside and sand in every possible crevice. Hilarious! _ On this Arizona/Utah road trip I used my @tepwireless hotspot every day for Google Maps and on-the-fly accommodation bookings. _ #utahgram
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." - Eleanor Roosevelt _ Hickman Bridge in Capital Reef National Park, Utah. _ The short hike out to this beautiful rock formation is relatively easy. It is one of the most popular trails in Capital Reef National Park, one of Utah's "Big 5" parks. _ I arrived at Hickman Bridge just before sunset and the warm orange glow reflecting off the surrounding cliffs gave the scene a surreal ambiance. I love those colours! _ @visitutah
Wednesday, 17 January 2018
Making lemonade from lemons. _ At my kids' request, we took a stab at a steel wool fire long exposure shot. Sunset over tide pools provided the perfect backdrop. Unfortunately the steep wool just wouldn't light up so we improvised and did a little light painting instead. _ This image reminds me that love is rarely perfect. Yet it can be beautiful anyway. It's in those imperfections that character is developed. It's in the reflection and stillness that it's beauty is revealed. _ This shot is a little different from my usual. What do you think about it? _ Brand new on the blog: an in depth look at the @gotenna Mesh. An amazing communication device that transforms your phone into a futuristic walkie talkie. See more details in my IG stories or follow the link in my bio @travelwithbender 🔸🔸🔸
goTenna Mesh Review: Disaster-Proof Ultra-Portable Phone Network That Fits In Your Pocket
This little thumb sized travel gadget could save your life. The goTenna Mesh is one of the most impressive new travel products I’ve come across recently. It will fundamentally change the way you communicate with people that you travel with, in the best way possible.
Read more at our travel blog.
Read more at our travel blog.
Tuesday, 16 January 2018
"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow." - Leo Tolstoy _ I spotted this on scenic highway 24 near Factory Butte in southern Utah, and just had to pull through car over on the side of the road. _ The eerie ash white landscape almost looks like the moon's surface. And the low winter sunlight shone through the golden dry scrub to give it an ethereal glow, while casting long shadows on the mound. Completely surreal. _ Utah is just amazing. _ #landscape_lovers
Monday, 15 January 2018
"Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble." - Yehuda Berg _ Sunset over the famous Bell Rock in Sedona, Arizona. _ Many people believe this is one of the Vortex sites around Sedona - a heavy concentration of energy spiraling up from (or down to) the earth. It is said to have physical, emotional and spiritual healing properties. It's definitely worth visiting and feeling it for yourself. _ I stayed at the gorgeous @hiltonsedona just down the road which has a recently renovated restaurant serving scrumptious meals. Take a look at my FB (follow link in bio) for more food pics. _ #amazingplacestovisit
Saturday, 13 January 2018
"The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don't have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it." - Chris Pine _ The golden sands of Sand Hollow State Park in southern Utah. _ This shot was captured during an ATV tour with @atvtours. So much fun! One of my favourite things to do in Utah. _ A brand new product review is live on travelwithbender.com. If you have trouble sleeping on a plane (like me), I found something that might help from @seatdreamzzz. Follow the link in my bio for the latest blog articles or check out my IG stories. _ #gorgeous_shot
SeatDreamzzz Review: Nodding Off On A Plane… Without The Annoying Head-Nod
The folks at SeatDreamzzz have taken the simple eye mask and adding a little ingenuity to sold the age-old problem of head-bob while sleeping on a flight. Elegant but effective. Find out my experiences with this mask on a recent flight.
Read more at our travel blog.
Read more at our travel blog.
Friday, 12 January 2018
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust _ Exploring the Arrow Head Trail in Sedona, Arizona with @pinkjeeptours. _ This tour is consistently rated as the most popular tourism attraction in Sedona and now I see why. _ Our hilarious driver and guide traversed remote rocky terrain in a brightly coloured, heavily modified Jeep to discover breathtaking views like this one. Between the cute quips, informative stories, and steep trail descents, the entire adventure was delightful. _ While in #sedona I stayed at @hiltonsedona. In conjunction with Pink Jeep Tours, they have a convenient booth in the hotel lobby to make tour booking a snap. _ #gorgeous_shot #offroading
Thursday, 11 January 2018
"How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward." –Spanish Proverb _ The funky outdoor chillout chairs at @hiltonsedona in Sedona, Arizona, USA. _ While sitting around the fire I grabbed a guitar and strummed a few tunes. I'm a little rusty but have still got it 😄 _ These gas fireplaces are part of a recent $2 million renovation of the hotel's restaurant. One of the best designed hotel areas I've experienced across 70+ countries I've travelled to. _ #sedona
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
"The greater the contrast, the greater the potential. Great energy only comes from a correspondingly great tension of opposites." - Charles Dickens - Light and darkness in the Chapel of the the Holy Cross in Sedona. _ While in the city I stayed at @hiltonsedona for a few nights. Their restaurant recently underwent a $2 million renovation and it looks amazing. _ While in Sedona I used my trusty @tepwireless internet hotspot. If you're leaving the country I recommend hiring one of these little gadgets. _ #beautifuldestinations #sedona
Monday, 8 January 2018
"Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer." - William S. Burroughs. _ Time to put your feet up. _ At @redmtnresort near St George, Utah. _ The views are spellbinding. The connection with nature unmistakable. A perfect stop on any Utah road trip. _ #luxuryhotelsworld
Sunday, 7 January 2018
"You have to stand for what you believe in and sometimes you have to stand alone." - Queen Latifah _ Flying over Canyonlands National Park with @moabadventurecenter. Our pilot, Larry, had been a park ranger for 37 years with 7 of those as chief ranger at Canyonlands. There's no one better to share the wonders of Canyonlands than Larry. _ Truly witnessing the sheer scale of this massive park is only possible from the air. But from the ground it's stunning too. _ #canyonlands
Saturday, 6 January 2018
"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." - John Muir _ This was a rare event... _ Driving through Zion National Park's scenic drive. _ Since 2000 the only way to see this road has been via a public shuttle. Cars were no longer allowed. However in winter 2017/18 maintenance is being done to the shuttles so the road had been reopened to the public. _ It's an absolutely spectacular drive. _ #zionnationalpark
"People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates." - Thomas Szasz _ The Labyrinth at @redmtnresort near St George, Utah. _ This luxury adventure, health & wellness resort has everything you could want to unwind and relax - gorgeous views, amazing healthy onsite restaurant, guided hikes, personal discovery exercises, free bike hire, fitness classes... The list goes on. _ If you're planning a trip to Utah in 2018 I can recommend this resort as your base and place of discovery. But my tip is to allow at least 3-4 days (or more) here to get the most out of all the onsite activities on offer. You will not leave the same. _ #luxuryhotelsworld
Friday, 5 January 2018
"I think I will be able to, in the end, rise above the clouds and climb the stairs to Heaven, and I will look down on my beautiful life." - Yayoi Kusama _ Looking over the stunning landscape 1000 feet below near the border of Nevada, Arizona and Utah. _ Sand Hollow State Park is one of the most underrated areas of Southern Utah. And the best way to see it is with an ATV tour. I chose @atvtours and highly recommended them. If you're thinking about visiting Zion National Park in 2018, then don't miss this nearby location. You'll thank me later. _ #naturelovers
Wednesday, 3 January 2018
"Rare is the union of beauty and purity." - Juvenal _ Flying over Canyonlands National Park in Utah with @moabadventurecenter. _ The winding Colorado River contrasts beautifully against the surrounding rose and burnt orange buttes. Some parts of the national park can only be reached by hiking for 16+ miles (each way). As such, very few people get the rare privilege to witness the full beauty of this national park. Would you rather hike for 32 miles or fly? _ Even from this altitude I had strong reception on my @tepwireless Internet hotspot. One of my most essential travel tools. _ #canyonlands
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