The last year has been a huge change for me. Shifting from India to US, starting our first year of marriage, leaving my job... there has been so much happening in life. The year had a lot of great experiences and some not so good ones but the best part of it was all the new places I got to visit thanks to my husband Ashish. He is a reluctant traveler but I always manage to convince him for the next great adventure. So here are a few places we were lucky enough to see this year:
- Sun & Sand - So this year I moved all the way from India to the sunshine state Florida on the east coast of North America. Florida is the place of perpetual vacation with countless beaches, palm trees all around and the beautiful blue waters surrounding it. Being a person who loves the seaside, it seemed like my dream state! The place we stay, Palm Beach Gardens, is a vacation spot in itself with greenery all around and vibrant beaches just miles away.
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| Our society... Isn't it gorgeous! |
The first half of the year was spent visiting popular tourist spots in Florida and every place we went had a charm and specialty of its own. First on the list was the party city of Miami which was bustling with life. From the lovely restaurants on the sidewalk to the crowded beaches, South Beach in Miami is always throbbing with energy. And since it was Valentines' Day, it was extra decked up!
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| Restaurants on the street... |
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| Striking a pose for V-Day |
The next place we visited was the city of Tampa located on the west coast of Florida. It was a trip covering the gorgeous beaches and the huge amusement park Busch Gardens. We spent a day on the beautiful beaches of Sarasota and Clearwater... playing in the waves and watching the sunset. The next day was reserved for enjoying the thrilling rides of Busch Gardens and I had my fill of exciting free-falls and roller-coasters.
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| Soaking in the sunset at Clearwater beach |
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| Our group together at Busch Gardens |
The next vacation was one with water sports and trying new activities. This time we took a trip to Keywest, the southernmost tip of Florida. We were booked with an adventure company for a day of water sports in the middle of the ocean. It was during snorkeling that I panicked (not knowing how to swim) and for a few terrifying moments, felt I would drown! After that not-so-good experience, the rest of the day turned out to be a lot of fun with Parasailing and riding a Water Jet.
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| Parasailing was fun! |
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| Touching the southernmost point of the country |
- I <3 NYC... New York City... where dreams come true! A trip to the Big Apple was something I was waiting for my whole adult life. Ever since I watched the first episode of F.R,I.E.N.D.S. and ever since Carrie Bradshaw strutted down 5th Avenue, I have been dreaming of going to New York. The trip had everything I could have asked for and the cherry on the cake was that my sister and brother-in-law came down from Canada to make this trip even more memorable. The bustling vibrancy of Times Square, the serenity of Central Park, the first time we see the Statue of Liberty, the breathtaking view from the top of Empire State Building... each moment is something I will never forget.
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| Times Square buzzing with life... |
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| With my family at the Statue of Liberty |
- Fall Colors... After braving months of hot summer and loads of rainfall, the autumn Gods smiled upon us as we geared up for a trip to see the famous Smoky Mountains in all its grandeur. The trick to visit the Smokys is in the dates... too soon and all the colors would not be visible... too late and the colors would be fading into browns. Thankfully, we were able to catch the mountains in their full bloom and it was a masterpiece of Nature. It was like someone had painted the mountains in vibrant reds, oranges and golds. I could spend hours just soaking in the beauty of it all.
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| Colors of fall... |
A trip to the mountains also meant some adventure sports and we all tried out Ziplining for the first time. The rush of exhilaration that you feel when zooming through the mountains is indescribable. Make sure you keep your eyes open and take in the entire panoramic view!
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| Flying through the mountains |
- Anni-Vegas-sary... We rounded off 2015 in style by a short trip to the Sin City... the city that never sleeps. Since it was our first anniversary, Ashish and I decided to visit Las Vegas and Grand Canyon to celebrate our one year of memories. Vegas is a city perpetually in motion... wherever you look... everyone is having fun. Walking down the famous Vegas strip, watching the dancing fountains of Bellagio... everything in Vegas is done in style.
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| Varied sights on the Vegas strip |
The trip also had a one day visit to the Grand Canyon, one of the world's greatest natural wonders. In a stark contrast to the greenery of Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon is like raw splendor... pure and unyielding. The beauty of the Canyons is in the deep chasms, the variation of the colors on its rocky face and absence of any greenery.
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| The beautiful Grand Canyon |
I count myself lucky that we were able to visit all these beautiful places this year. Ultimately all a traveler is left with are memories and over the last year we have made some wonderful memories. The experience of traveling and seeing new places is something that excites me more than anything else. Hope the next year brings more reasons to pack our bags and more memories to make!
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| Collections from our travels... |
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