Moab in July!? Yes it was hot and very sunny, but we still had an amazing time over the July 4th holiday out in the desert. Salt Lake City was the touchdown point and then we would start the adventure to the salt flats and then south to Moab, but first we had to find some food after the early flight. Originally we targeted a few of the popular brunch places to find a hearty breakfast before the long drive, but they all seemed to have over an hour wait... The Red Iguana popped up as nearby …
Priscilla Schmidt
Babb, Montana – A View of the Local Life Outside of Glacier National Park
Babb, Montana - A Motel, Diner and a General Store We spent most of our time inside Glacier National Park (GNP), and barely explored anywhere outside the park. Indeed, it was with regret that we ran out of time to visit the town of Whitefish. No doubt, Whitefish was the place to get souvenirs and a nice meal at the very least. With some time to spare before we had to leave, we decided we needed a diner experience. We found ourselves in Babb, right outside Many Glacier, a tiny town with barely a …
Babb, Montana – A View of the Local Life Outside of Glacier National ParkRead More
Iceberg Lake Trail Hike – Dip your toes in the ICY WATER
Hike #3: Iceberg Lake Trail - Montana Hiking in Glacier National Park Our last hike at Glacier National Park (GNP) was the Iceberg Lake trail, located in the Many Glacier area, separate from the main Going to the Sun road. Many Glacier road was off the little town of Babb, where a few homes were hiding, and the road was filled with massive potholes. This section of the GNP felt different from the popular section of the park with Logan Pass and Lake McDonald - it almost seemed much sunnier and …
Iceberg Lake Trail Hike – Dip your toes in the ICY WATERRead More
Siyeh Pass Trail – Big Sky Country Hike in Glacier National Park
Hike #2: Siyeh Pass Trail Glacier National Park Montana Siyeh Pass trail is a stretch goal for us. This could be a one way trail, starting at Siyeh Bend and ending at Sunrift Gorge, but we made it a round trip hike, turning back somewhere near the highest point. Trail started off easily enough with a gentle hike through the evergreen forest. It was a little unnerving to hike where grizzlies roamed, so we tried to make as much noise as we could. This trail also appeared to attract a more …
Siyeh Pass Trail – Big Sky Country Hike in Glacier National ParkRead More
GNP Hidden Lake Trail – Snow on an 80°F Day?!?
Hidden Lake Trail - Glacier National Park Hike #1 - Tom and Priscilla Our first hike at GNP started at Logan Pass. We snagged the last parking spot and headed straight to the visitor center to check trail conditions. It appeared that snow still covered the mountains at Logan Pass in July, despite the scorching sun. Priscilla wanted to go on the highline trail, and was sorely disappointed to learn that the trail was closed due to snow danger. Unfortunately, we visited 2 weeks too early. Feeling …
Going to the Sun Road GNP – All of the Views, None of the Sweat
Amazing Auto Tour Glacier NPS - Going to the Sun Road Going to the Sun road is easily the most scenic drive in the country. Starting from the West Glacier entrance, the road follows Lake McDonald’s length, affording views of the biggest lake in GNP and the mountains surrounding it. After Lake McDonald, the road follows a river upstream, where the water is so clean and pure that it sparkles a cool turquoise hue. Trees and mountains surround us on both sides, while far ahead snow capped mountains …
Going to the Sun Road GNP – All of the Views, None of the SweatRead More
Glacier National Park – Camping Via Plane Travel
Voyage to Glacier National Park - Camping Via Plane The trip to Montana’s Glacier National Park had been in our plans for a few years. A friend recommended the park at least 3 years ago, but somehow life kept getting in the way, as all excuses go. Eventually we ran out of excuses, and 2017 was the year to make this trip happen. We decided to camp at the park to keep cost low. There weren’t too many campsites within GNP that were available for online reservations, and those sites were filled …
San Francisco Travel Tips with Tom & Priscilla – November 2017
Fun Places to Visit When Exploring San Francisco - Tom & Priscilla San Francisco was a whirlwind of a trip. A trip revolved around food to be exact. The annual Singapore Day happened to be in San Francisco this year (2016), with the biggest highlight being the delicious Singapore street food, with cooks and ingredients brought in directly from Singapore. Just for the food alone, we impulsively bought air tickets to visit. This trip was short, really short. We arrived late Friday night …
San Francisco Travel Tips with Tom & Priscilla – November 2017Read More
Eating in San Diego – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
Dark, rainy and cold – that is not the usual description for San Diego, but unfortunately, that was how San Diego was for us. California ended its four-year drought with a rare rainy weather, meanwhile we decided to escape the Chicago winter, thinking we could use some warm weather in San Diego. So…there was no beach weather for us and we wore our sweaters and raincoats everyday. Trying Airbnb for the first time, we picked a relatively cheap lodging in the Chula Vista area, about 10 …
Eating in San Diego – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Bali, Indonesia – The Tropical Experience – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
Bali Indonesia Adventure with Tom & Priscilla Bali was a short getaway from the city of Singapore, where we escaped the concrete jungle for a little oasis of greenery on the Indian Ocean. It is one of thousands of islands that make up Indonesia, where it had for years, attracted a low-key group of tourists who came for the surf and unique Balinese culture. Priscilla visited years ago with one of her good friends and had a blast – surfing in the morning, relaxing by the pool in the …
Bali, Indonesia – The Tropical Experience – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Santa Fe – Part 5 of 5 New Mexico – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
Santa Fe - Artsy City Adventure - Tom and Priscilla Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. At 7,198′, it is at a higher altitude than Albuquerque, and is the highest capital city in the US. Recent travel literature on Santa Fe had been pretty negative, with grumbles about the high concentration of retirees from all over that made the city a staid place for the young, and the authentic cultural experience that had since turned into a kitschy tourist destination. But was that true? We were going …
Santa Fe – Part 5 of 5 New Mexico – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Ghost Ranch – Part 4 of 5 New Mexico – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
Tom and Priscilla Explore the Mysterious Ghost Ranch Ghost Ranch was located in Abiquiu, and was owned by the Presbyterian Church who ran it as an education and retreat center. We had chanced upon this obscure place while looking into popular hiking trails in the state. Interestingly, Georgia O’Keefe had lived here, and the beautiful layered rocky canyon had inspired and influenced her art. There was barely anyone around when we arrived at the ranch, and it appeared mostly deserted, if not …
Ghost Ranch – Part 4 of 5 New Mexico – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Bandelier National Monument – New Mexico 3 of 5 – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
Day 3 in New Mexico - Bandelier National Monument Bandelier National Monument was about an hour drive away from Santa Fe, and was highly ranked on the list of places to visit in New Mexico. It was an ancient site dating back over 11,000 years, where the Ancestral Pueblo people carved dwellings into the rocky canyon and lived there for about 400 years. Just ten miles short of Bandelier, signs abound at the town of White Rock to inform visitors that the monument could only be accessed via …
Bandelier National Monument – New Mexico 3 of 5 – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Tent Rocks National Monument – New Mexico 2 of 5 – Travel with Tom and Priscilla Schmidt
Tent Rocks National Monument - New Mexico Hiking with Tom and Priscilla Tent Rocks was a national monument with unique conical rock formations. We saw pictures online that piqued our curiosity, and right away, we knew we had to hike the trails no matter how tough it was going to be. Tent Rocks was also conveniently located between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, making it a good detour as we headed towards Santa Fe. Hiking Trail at Tent Rocks National Monument [x_gap size="1.313em"] The …
Tent Rocks National Monument – New Mexico 2 of 5 – Travel with Tom and Priscilla SchmidtRead More
Pondicherry India – City of Amazing Colors – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
We had an amazing afternoon in Pondicherry as our final stop on our voyage South in India. The city has a uniquely European and cosmopolitan feel with an abundance of history tucked in every corner. Take a walk through the town with us as we explore Pondicherry! Travel with Tom and Priscilla to Pondicherry India …
Pondicherry India – City of Amazing Colors – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
A Night at the Dune Eco Village Resort near Pondicherry – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
Priscilla had found the Eco Village Resort as a pretty well rated place to stay, but at $40 bucks a night, I was let's just say a bit skeptical... Wow was I wrong! This is true paradise that feels as if you have been dropped onto another planet of beauty and lifestyle. To find the Eco Village, you turn off the paved highway to a pothole ridden dirt road passing by a few less attractive residences... Then you pass through a large gate to circle drive and gravel parking lot to check in. At this …
A Night at the Dune Eco Village Resort near Pondicherry – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Mahabalipuram Underwater City, India – Travel with Tom and Priscilla
Driving in India is always an adventure and the first few minutes in the car will surely confirm that you are not in Illinois anymore. Our friends Anusha and Barath had arranged for a driver for us and for good reason, because the Indian style of driving is absolutely best left to the professionals. Once out the city and on the Indian "highway" you will notice that no one drives on their side of the road because there is always a need to pass something or other. Maybe because the roads are …
Mahabalipuram Underwater City, India – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Chennai, India Street Photos and Videos- Travel with Tom and Priscilla
We went to the faraway place called India... It is a completely different world for this Midwestern boy. We visited in 2015 to attend a friend's wedding in Chennai and then had a few days for exploring. The weather proved to be quite challenging during our visit with torrential downpours and flooding. When Chennai floods, it really floods! Then the clouds parted for some amazing blue sky as we began our voyage south. Check out a few images and videos from our first day around Chennai! Tom and …
Chennai, India Street Photos and Videos- Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More