I had an absolutely amazing time on my trip, but I thought it would be good to share some lessons learned with everyone.
1) Have a plan...and then toss it out the window when you find something cool along the way! Plans are necessary if you're on a strict timeline, but if you get to wrapped up in the "plan," you could possibly miss out on something amazing!
2) Make friends with the locals - they know all of the hidden spots that don't show up on the map! Stop by a local restaurant and sit at the bar. Bring your map inside with you if you want to ask for places to visit. People love to talk about where they live and share ideas with you. If you don't have time to grab a drink, stop by the ranger station and ask them for information. They are a wealth of information!
3) When a local tells you that a hike is "easy" and will only take you two hours...bring your walking sticks and plan for a three hour adventure!
4) If you are driving down the road and see a sign for something interesting - STOP! If you don't, you'll never know what you missed out on. If it turns out to not be as cool as advertised, oh well, no harm done.
5) Remember that no matter how awesome you are with the camera, you will never be able to truly capture the awesomeness of what you see. I wish I had half the skills of my sister, Jen, but I'll settle for the few good pictures I did get and the memories I will always have!
6) If you have the available vacation days, add 10 more than you think you need. You will be glad you did in the end. Sometimes you just want one extra day to explore something!
1) Have a plan...and then toss it out the window when you find something cool along the way! Plans are necessary if you're on a strict timeline, but if you get to wrapped up in the "plan," you could possibly miss out on something amazing!
2) Make friends with the locals - they know all of the hidden spots that don't show up on the map! Stop by a local restaurant and sit at the bar. Bring your map inside with you if you want to ask for places to visit. People love to talk about where they live and share ideas with you. If you don't have time to grab a drink, stop by the ranger station and ask them for information. They are a wealth of information!
4) If you are driving down the road and see a sign for something interesting - STOP! If you don't, you'll never know what you missed out on. If it turns out to not be as cool as advertised, oh well, no harm done.
5) Remember that no matter how awesome you are with the camera, you will never be able to truly capture the awesomeness of what you see. I wish I had half the skills of my sister, Jen, but I'll settle for the few good pictures I did get and the memories I will always have!6) If you have the available vacation days, add 10 more than you think you need. You will be glad you did in the end. Sometimes you just want one extra day to explore something!
Great tips Jess! I always say "have no expectations" and that way you will never be disappointed in your trip.
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