Driving Down Highway 101 – My Next West Coast Trip

I have spent a good amount of time in California (sepcifically San Francisco and the Bay Area), and I have gotten to visit Seattle, which was one of the US cities near the top of my bucket list. However, I have never done the storied trip down Highway 101 and seen the sights of the Pacific coast. This is a trip that I would like to make in the next few years of my life, and here are the destinations I’m looking forward to the most (assuming I start the trip near Seattle).

First stop that I think would be great is Olympic National Park in Washington. The northwesternmost tip of the continental US, the cost here looks beautiful and I would love to spend a sunset on the bluffs overlooking the ocean and taking in all the different colors.

I’ve always wanted to visit Oregon, and Astoria Oregon would be the next major stop along the way. It is a town filled with history, with it being the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. I’m excited to see all of the sites and monuments the town has to offer, and would spend at least a few days there.

In between Oregon and California, I’m not sure there is a place I have decided that I need to go to, besides Big Sur in California. This is a required stop on the trip, in my opinion. I have a few friends who have spent some days there, and they have said the mountain scenery and landscape is absolutely stunning there. It would be really cool to camp here and just hang out for a few days.

Hopefully as times gets closer to me planning this trip, I will figure out more extraordinary places to add to the trip agenda!

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MLB Baseball is back! And here are the funniest rules in place for this COVID season

Okay, so not exactly a travel blog – but I was reading the new rules the MLB has in place in order to restart the season, and here are the 5 funniest ones (in order of least ridiculous to most ridiculous):

5) “High-fives, fist bumps and hugs are not allowed. Six feet of distance must be maintained when possible.” I’d love to see how this one goes after a walk-off home run – you want to emphatically high-five and hug the boys in the dugout and you arrive to… golf claps and everyone looking at you like you have two heads.

4) “Pitchers can have a wet rag in their pocket to use instead of licking their fingers” Yeah, right. This rule will be broken during almost every game instinctually by pitchers. Those guys lick their fingers nonstop.

3) “Spitting is not allowed, including tobacco and sunflower seeds. Gum is tolerated” Another TERRIFYING rule for baseball players – I could see some guys quitting over this. This one might be the toughest to follow.

2) “Extra inning games will begin with a runner on second base in an attempt to avoid games going deep into extra innings. This rule will not extend to the playoffs” This rule is just plain exciting, and it will be hilarious to see pitchers and fielders extremely frustrated at having a runner looming at 2nd and nothing they could have done about it.

1) “A ball will be thrown out once it has been touched by multiple players” Wait, what?! Doesn’t that happen on every single pitch and play? Under this rule, the ball would have to be thrown out after every pitch. This one makes no sense, I could see it going away shortly… but the thought of it is pretty funny.

Croatian Coast: My Next Summer’s Trip

If you’ve ever seen the show Game of Thrones, then you might already recognize the picture to the left as a familiar place: King’s Landing. I was recently surprised to learn that this was a real place and not just computer-generated in the show. I was even more surprised (and delighted) to learn that this beautiful city along the coast was Dubrovnik in Croatia, a country that I’ve always wanted to visit and where my ancestors are from.

Doing a 1-2 week summer trip along the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia would be an absolute dream, but I plan on doing it next summer. The trip would start at the southern tip of the country in Dubrovnik, where I would enjoy the giant walled city and all of its history through walking tours, museums, beaches, and stunning mountaintop views.

From there, I might travel up the coast via cruise line or ferry up to Hvar, which is a renowned island just off the coast. It is an island known for its lush plant life, picturesque beaches, secluded coves, vineyards, and forests. What a relaxing time that would be.

Next, and perhaps finally, might be a boat ride back to the mainland and Split, Croatia. Split, with its beautiful seaside promenades and bustling urban vibe, is the unofficial capital of Croatia.

I’m excited to plan this trip out more and think of an itinerary – it will be great to get out of the US soon!

Southeast Asia – A Dream Vacation

Since I have committed a few years ago to take an annual destination vacation, Southeast Asia has been at the very top of the list. I plan on taking a trip to this part of the world in the next 2 years, and hopefully will find some willing travel companions to join me. From the beaches to the different islands, unique cultures, and tasty street food, there’s a lot to be excited about. Here are the places and things I am excited to do most:

In terms of places, Thailand is where I want to visist the most. I have alwats thought experiencing Bangkok’s stifling heat and amazing street food would be interesting. Additionally, the islands and beaches of Thailand look like the most incredible places on earth. My sister recently went to the region and spent some time in Phuket – her pictures from the beach there were pretty awe-inspiring.

Other things that I want to spend time doing on such a vacation are: riding a tuk tuk (why ever Uber when this option is aviable?), renting a scooter to get around, visiting an elephant sanctuary, going to an underground street fighting match, and going to a night party on the beach.

Hopefully I will get to do this trip in the winter one of the next few years when it’s cold and snowy here in Chicago (and the pandemic is over).