Sedona: Christmas with the Red Rocks

After this trip, most of our baffled friends have declared us as a completely crazy family. For a family with kids who just got back from a month long trip from India, battling jet lag, settling down, getting back to work - within a week we were back on the road braving a seven hours long drive. 😃🙈 But, then why not?! 

Sedona has long been on my DH's list ever since we started living in SoCal a year ago. He kept bringing it up and I kept shooting it down weary of the long seven hours drive. But, how does one deny during the holiday season - and there I was agreeing to his plans at 11:00 a.m. on the Friday morning and being on the road (packed, booked, showered and lunch-ed) by 1:15 p.m.

Ha!

Day 1: Sedona - here we come!

Having left post lunch, the first day was just about driving, driving and yet some more driving - and kudos, kudos and yet some more kudos to DH! Ideally we would have halted and rested twice in a seven hours journey - but, with time difference playing against us we just stopped once at Yuma. We didn't feel like anything fancy so dinner was an early one at Chipotle. Back on the road, I caught on some sleep as the kids and DH yapped and laughed about the movie, Bad Guys. 😃 Soon after it was my turn to take the yapping job as the kids feel asleep and we drove the final miles into the lit-for-the-season Sedona late into the evening. 

DH had booked us at the Los Abrigados Resort and Spa having bumped across it at a good price as last moment giveaways. It's centrally located being right next to the Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village, just a few mins drive away from the Sedona downtown and about ten mins of drive away from most of the popular red rocks. 

Day 2: Cathedrals - Nature made and Man made

Cupcakes and more! 😍

Now every family has a rooster who wakes up first, and for ours it's our 6 year old Abesh - and this morning wasn't any different. And every family has a sleeping beauty, and for ours it's our 7 year old Rupkatha - and once again, this morning wasn't any different. 😀 Whispering and giggling, sonny boy, DH and I made plans for the day. Soon we were all showered and were hop-skip-and-jumping the minute walk to the The Secret Garden Cafe for breakfast. It's highly recommended with ample seating both indoors and outdoors, laid back ambience and simple scrumptious grub. It was the first time, both my kids were ordering from themselves (bless them but, stop growing up). Rupkatha ordered the Avocado toast, Abesh the house soup of Mexican meatballs and DH and I shared the Garden's breakfast - each of them really really good. 

We decided to spend the rest of the morning tootling around the Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village. It's full of art shops, boutiques, jewelry & nick-nack stores. But, mind you they are EXPENSIVE. Choose an earring to find a $100 tag, DH said he saw a coin pouch for $625. Wow - insane! So, we settled for just window shopping, oohing and aahing at the beautiful things around. The marketplace itself was beautifully decorated with Christmas trees and lights all around - adding to our happy and chirpy moods. Foodies as we all are - we visited the Cake Couture Coffee and Desserts. The coffee there was really good (as always we shared a large Latte) and we picked their salted caramel, mango passionfruit & vanilla bean cup cakes - special mention to the vanilla bean (Abesh's pick) one. 

Finding Peace

Next day being Christmas day, we expected almost all eateries to be closed. So, we went to the local Safeway next and got some groceries. From there we drove to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. A cosy chapel built in the early 1900s atop a hillock. We parked at the bottom at the first spot we found (remember we were fighting the long weekend crowds) and walked up to the chapel. The view from there is breathtaking with columns and turrets of red rocks all around. The Chapel itself was quiet and peaceful and the exotic location just added to the serenity. The children lit prayer candles celebrating the holiday mood. 

Reflections!

Lunch was simple ham and bread on the go we'd bought from the grocery store. Next we went to the spill-over parking lot for the Cathedral Rock - probably the most popular red rock formation near Sedona. We boarded the shuttle from the parking lot to the trail head. This is something the kids always enjoy. 😊 The trail to the bottom of the Cathedral rock is very quick and easy; but, that's when the challenge begins. Initial parts call for a bit of rock climbing and scrambling, however, after a certain point it's almost next to impossible for children. So I had to put my foot down as things got too risky despite being tagged the 'worst Mom in the world'. 😃 

Tiredness was getting to us by now and we just had enough energies for the last stop for the day - Airport Mesa for seeing the sunset. One thing I really liked that despite it being fairly crowded, the insta-clickers weren't there at all which was a huge saving grace. It was bone rattling cold out there as we watched the setting sun bathe the red rocks with a palette full of colors. A musician called the Fiddler on the Rock played cheery holiday carols on his violin - adding to the magical Christmas eve! 

As the sun said good bye and Santa's reindeers started their journey, we went back to our resort. Trotted back to the Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village to dine at the Mexican eatery, El Rincon. Slightly more expensive than its usual counterparts, it's fairly popular nonetheless as the food is really good. We were lucky to get a table for four very quick and soon were seated next to a heater with warm blankets to snuggle into. Rupkatha got a cheese quesadilla kids meal, Abesh a fried chicken kids meal and DH and I decided to share their Green Chile Navajo Pizza. It was our first time trying Mexican Pizza and what a hit!  

With that we decided to call it a night and came back to our room to snuggle in! 

Day 2: It's Christmas Day! 

Red, white, green, golden
and just us!

The morning began with excited kids finding out that Mrs. & Mr. Claus were smart enough to drop their gifts in Sedona at our hotel. It was the perfect cozy Christmas morning, as I made a quick eggs and toast breakfast for everyone. Warm and fed, we decided to head to the Bell Rock early to skip the crowds that would mill in later on. Once at the Bell Rock, again it's an easy and quick hike to the bottom of the rock. And once again, that's where the challenge began. Rock climbing some, rock scrambling some we came to a point where it seemed we could go no further with the kids. We took some pics, oohed and aahed; and that's when I noticed the yearn in my kids' eyes - the yearn to go further. The pluck in me pushed me to find that path ahead and soon all four of us were climbing higher and higher. It was so much fun! The view only got better and soon we were rock scrambling next to little white beds of snowy ice. 

Their
Om Mani Padme Hung
mode! 🙏

The hike down was especially fun packed (a little panic packed for DH and me) as the kids started sliding down rocks. We stood to catch them like little balls just in case they failed to check their speeds. After that, we visited the Amithaba Stupa where stood a statue of the Buddha and stupa (a square structure considered to be the body of the Buddha). It was our first time visiting a Buddhist prayer venue in the USA. We walked around the trails to get some steps before heading back to our hotel. 

Lunch was simple home cooked pasta and ham. Post lunch, DH went out to complete the unfinished challenge at the Cathedral Rock. The kids and I set out to explore the resort and went to the park on location. The Oak Creek passes next to the resort and we walked and played at the green park next to it. In one word it was magical. Fall leaves around, children's happy laughter, sun on my shoulders - what more could I ask for. Back in our room, we waited for DH to come back. Soon he was home and we set out to explore the Sedona downtown. Of course it being Christmas day, almost all stores and eateries were closed. However as luck may have it, the Made in Arizona store was open and we stocked up on some cactus jams and jellies. Once more we soaked in the beautiful sunset and headed home for dinner of left overs and home made sandwiches. 

Day 3: Curtain Fall 

Learning history
the best way!

Showered, breakfast-ed, packed and loaded into our car - we were all set to start on the long journey home. Just this time, we halted four whole times. 😃 Our first stop was at the Montezuma Castle National Monument. Just about forty minutes away from Sedona, it's one of the must visit places in the area. Built nine hundred years ago, it is a five storeyed pueblo (native Indian village) tucked away in hidden carve under a cliff.  There is a paved path up to the view point. One cannot really go inside the pueblo. At the end of the trail, you can get close to the walls but, of course no climbing on it for sure. There is a little walk around the area and on the nice crisp sunny winter morning, it was really nice. 

Information: As of December, 2022 the entrance fee is $10 for all adults. However, it is free if you have the America the Beautiful pass.

Back again in our car, we decided to stop at the next town for lunch - New River. Craving for some Thai food, I chose Nara Thai - just a few minutes off the freeway. It wasn't really anything mind blowing, but, a quant child friendly little place where you'll find your run of the mill Thai food. Though I would mention their chicken Tom yum soup if you're a soup lover. Drove and drove some more for a gas and coffee halt at Gila Bend. And then again, drove and drove some more as we halted at the last big town before San Diego, El Centro for some dinner. We chose a Korean fried chicken joint, ChicMac - just a few minutes off the freeway. Of course, special mention to their soy fried chicken and also their spicy pork buns. Kids were happily nibbled away at their mac and cheese. 

Sometime into the final lap home, the kids fell asleep and finally we were back to our home sweet home; though secretly wishing we were still in the beautiful Sedona - until again! 😊

Antelope Canyon

 When Orange is a favorite color 😀

The Antelope Canyons had long been on top of the must-travel-to list for my DH. But, as luck may have it (or the lack of it) somehow remained jinxed and the journey just didn't happen. With some dilemma against the heat, we decided to finally cross off the one-day-we-shall-visit Antelope Canyons and adorn a very orange feather on our beaten travel cap. Living in San Diego, it is of course possible to drive down the 10 hours all the way to Page. However, we thought that would be too stretched & instead decided to fly to Las Vegas and drive the 4.5 hour to Page. And yet once more flights were booked, hotels reserved and canyon tour tickets bought! 

Happiness with happiest color, Orange

Day 1: Howdy Rainbow! 

The first day was just all about waiting to close our work laptops & flying to Vegas. We chose to drive down to the airport, park our car at a long term parking instead of Ubers back-and-forth. (simple math to find what's cheaper over all, of course measure in convenience too). For local San Diego folks, Aladdin parking has really great service with a free cafe at their lounge & frequent shuttles to & from the airport. 

Howdy Rainbow 

With ample time on our hands at the airport (something which always is a blessing), we made it to the crowded terminal for cheaper airlines. Now that we no more fly with babies, we recently started braving the cheaper airlines. For the very first time we chose Spirit. I mean I don't mind paying $3.50 for drinks if I can get the flight for quarter the price otherwise. Luckily we were all seated together. Up in the air it was a quick one hour flight to Vegas. 7 year old, Rupkatha, seated by the window spotted a beautiful rainbow right before our descent. That was certainly a first and it was quite picturesque to see the distant rains and the rainbow. Of course, we had our own share of few mins of turbulence too. But, as they say no pain no gain. 😀

Picked our rental car, dinner done - we started on our 2 hour journey to St. George, Utah - our halt for the night. Soon the kids snored & that's when ill luck hit us as we got a flat tyre on I-15. We moved to the shoulder only to realize our AAA has expired. We tried calling Thrifty, our rental & got zero help. Finally the state Troopers from calling 911 came to our rescue (shall remain forever thankful). Fortunately, the kids slept thru the entire ordeal & the drive to our hotel. We halted at the St George Inns and Suites - strongly recommend them for their 24*7 friendly staff & good filling breakfast with ample to choose from for all ages. 

Very Important: when doing road trips, AAA is a must. Also, knowing how to change tires & few other nick-nacks are an absolute life skill. Best not to venture without those. 

Day 2: From Secret Store to the Happiest Color, Orange

Sleepy head modes on, we all woke up with just half n hour to tuck in at the breakfast at the hotel. But, won't miss this for the world as my little 6 year old Abesh says this breakfast is always his favorite part. My DH found a Walmart auto center near by & soon we were speaking to their staff to help us fix the flat tire. They took a max of 30 mins to help us and let us be back on the roads. A huge of vote thanks to them! While waiting we went thru the waiting lounge at the auto center and into Walmart. Abesh was beside himself with surprise and glee thinking that this was some kind of secret store he'd got special access to. Little ones & their wild imaginations make everything so much more enjoyable. 

Soon we were speeding towards the Lower Antelope Canyon, our first destinations of the trip. We'd booked with the Dixie's Lower Antelope Canyon Tours. All canyon tours are owned by the Navajo settlement, who own the rights to these timeless canyons. 

Lunch was on the go subway sandwiches & in the case of Abesh, it was bananas and crackers. 😄 Despite all the ordeals and thanks to the time difference we reached 2 hours before our tour and the check in lady was kind enough to put us in a tour departing in 45 mins. They have a huge air conditioned lounge & a small souvenir shop. No worries if you don't have water or any drink as they sell it there as well. 

Information: these tours do not allow any kind of backpacks, bags or purses. You may carry a clear bag or clear backpack tough. So either have that or pants with pockets or simply hold hydration in your hands. We had both pants with pockets and a clear bag. Also, strongly recommend carrying Gatorade or likes of it especially during the summer months.

Ever'fall' colors

Soon we all assembled at the porch outside as our eyes and bodies got used to the heat and sun outside. Hiking hats and sunglasses are an absolute MUST. Soon we met our guide. Each group had about 10 people so it's a small group even though the canyon itself is pretty full of tourists. Before long we were all walking towards the canyon entrance. It's just about a 5 - 10 mins of walk so even with the hot Arizona sun beating down on us, it wasn't too bad is what I would say. The Canyon itself is 75 feet below the ground level and we hopped down a fair few flight of steep steps. Once inside the canyon, it was completely shaded and very pleasant down there. 

And boy oh boy, the colors - the hues of orange were simply from another planet. In many ways, it looks like a canvas where the painter had used bold strokes to paint all around him. Smooth orange walls closing in from both sides leaving orange dust on your fingers at the slightest touch. There are quite a few famous picture points - Twin Peaks, Microsoft wallpaper, Rafiki, Donut whole and so on. The guide was patient enough to take everyone's picture & tried answering all questions asked. The really interesting thing is that what exists today may not be there tomorrow. One of the spots called the Donut Whole was actually made just a month ago when a flash flood washed away the floor and made a whole to jump thru in the wall. Just a month back people used to actually walk somewhere above from where we stood - jeepers creepers! 

Oohing and aahing, we covered the 0.8 miles hike inside the canyon in a little less than an hour. Luckily the way back isn't flanked with very many steps & it's a very easy climb back to the top again. A quick 2 minutes walk back to the Visitor Center where we brushed of orangish-reddish-pinkish sand from shoes & piled back to our car. 

Information & Suggestion: tips for the tour guide are highly appreciated! 

With the heat around us, we drove straight to our hotel, La Quinta - our abode for the next two nights. We checked into our room and simply let the air conditioning cool air wash over us. Rested and relaxed, we stepped out for our dinner at the Sunset 89. It's a hidden gem tucked away solitarily on a plateau top with nothing around. It over looked the Glen Canyon Dam and the red rocky plateaus and hills around. They have both indoor & outdoor seating. What came as an absolute blessing was that we ordered white rice & some noddles from their sides menu and the two kids couldn't be any happier. We'd ordered their fried Brussels sprouts and Korean bbq pork with rice - it was all extremely tasty & handsome portions. As the sun set, it became much cooler & pleasant outside. We hung out at their picnic tables outside post dinner soaking in the dessert beauty around us. Back in our hotel & happy tired from the day's adventures - parents slept sooner than the kids. 😂

Day 3: Bend it with the X Factor! 

The next day was a lazy start with our next trip at 10 in the morning. We all woke up when we wished to and ambled down to the breakfast lounge where a breakfast fit for the kings and queens awaited. Our 7 year old decided to go on a growth spurt and gobbled enough to make our money worth and finally declared she couldn't do lunch no more. Cuteness overloaded! 😆 We all quickly showered to keep body temperatures low, grabbed as much hydration as possible and drove down to the Antelope Canyon X by Taadidiin Tours. With  no Visitor Center here, there is just a little kiosk where you can go check in & sign the waivers.  We queued along with other cars excited in anticipation of what lay ahead. 

Information: these tours do not allow any kind of backpacks, bags or purses NOT even clear bag or clear backpacks. So it is a MUST to have pants with pockets or simply hold hydration in your hands. I had pants with pockets to carry hydration. Also, strongly recommend carrying Gatorade or likes of it especially during the summer months. 

Looking for
the X factor 

Soon a pilot car pulled up at the head of the queue and an ant-line of cars drove down the dusty dirt roads. There is a big enough parking lot, where we met our guide to walk down the 5 minutes to the start of the canyon. This one too has a lot of tourists. The canyon is about 0.2 miles of hike consisting of two parts to it - North and South joined by a rocky floor under the blue sky. It's about a 1.5 hours tour including the drive. Some of the more popular spots are Pocahontas, Snake's eye, Great Bear and so on. This one too has beautiful interactions of oranges and has these little alcoves where one can stop to soak it all in. 

Information & Suggestion: tips for the tour guide are highly appreciated! 

However, in all honesty, even thought the canyon is beautiful & the tour not that expensive - it is not a have-to-do when you're in the area. It's a more like can-do-if-you-have-time kinda thing. Since, we did have extra time, we did it. 

Lunch was very quick & low-key at a Taco Bell as none of us were really very hungry. Now, what happened next was very very rare on our holidays. We actually came back to our hotel to rest and wait out the heat. I caught up on all the sleep I needed and father & kids watched a US Open match. A quick dip at the pool, we all changed back and drove to the little Page downtown for dinner. With much apprehension as my DH isn't a big chicken lover, we chose the Birdhouse. It's a busy no-nonsense place with plenty seating area and a menu which doesn't confuse you. We ordered a fried drumstick (spicy for the parents & original for the kids) each with their broccoli salad, pickled vegetables, french fries and mac-and-cheese. End results were 4 very happy tummies & 4 happy people. 😀 Even my DH became a chicken fan post this dinner.

Bend it!

Post that we drove down to the Horse-shoe Bend. And boy oh boy, is it popular or what!! Phew it was like a carnival out there with people milling in to catch a glimpse of the setting sun moment. The kids and I did a few mandatory selfies & pictures and found our way atop a rock to settle in as my poor DH scampered around for a spot to take some pictures. We hung out there till the crowd had almost thinned out giving the photographers a few moments of peace to click what they could. We walked back the 1.5 miles loop back to the parking lot as the skies turned from lightest to the deepest shades of blue. Little Abesh stopped to exclaim 'Mamma! Look so many stars' as with every passing minute more and more stars appeared in the half moon night. 

Back in our hotel, we all snuggled back into our blankets and were soon dreaming away to glory!

Day 4: Curtain Fall 

Today we had an early morning at the grandad of the canyons, the Upper Antelope Canyons. We had our tour booked with the Antelope Slot Canyon Tours company at 8:15 am. I woke up early to shower and make sure everyone was up and had enough time to tuck in at yet another grand breakfast. 

Tummies full, we drove down the very quick 5 minutes to their Page downtown office. There is a small section selling souvenirs where we bought a magnet for our over spilling board. 😎 Now, this tour added another layer of adventure as they drove the tourists in mini buses through the canyon wash, on the sandy roads and the bumpy terrain to the very mouth of the Upper canyons. Usually I don't buckle up in bus rides. But, this one called for it - it was quite the amusement park ride that one. 

Information: like its Lower cousin, these tours do not allow any kind of backpacks, bags or purses as well. You can carry a clear bag or clear backpack tough. So either have that or pants with pockets or simply hold hydration in your hands. We had both pants with pockets and a clear bag. Also, strongly recommend carrying Gatorade or likes of it especially during the summer months. 

The upper canyon stands bejeweled in its own beauty. There are quite a few famous spots here as well - The Candlestick, Abraham Lincoln, The Ear and so on. The thing to write home about were these little illuminated spots where the lights where turns an ethereal blue and funnels straight down creating a spotlight for those who might stand it in. We were lucky to come across about three spots illuminated such. The hike in itself is a short 0.6 miles round loop with hardly about 2 - 5 minutes in the sun right at the very end. But, the entire joy trip lasts about 1.5 - 2 hours, including the bus rides. We all meandered through the canyon bed listening to slightly nerve racking stories about what happens when a sudden flash flood occurs; and the fact that a massive flash flood can happen with just 5 minutes of rain. 

Illuminated
Li'l Miss! 

Again, we were blessed with a tour guide who let us amble along as much as possible taking pictures and simply wondering at the beautiful architecture nature is constantly working at. With its wall looming in on us and dimly lit trail, the kids pretend played haunted house - what a wonderfully natural and organic play pen. 

Information & Suggestion: tips for the tour guide are highly appreciated! 

Back at the trail head, we took the bus ride back to the tour company office & quickly made our way back to the hotel. It was past 10 when we got back to our room. Quick showers for the kids, suitcases packed one more & with a quick-one-last-time glance around our room we checked out of our hotel in Page. 

With ample time to spare we started the drive back to Las Vegas for our night flight. We stopped at St. George for lunch. My newly fallen in love with chicken DH had chosen Viva Chicken for our grub grab. It was a Peruvian eatery designed in a very contemporary way. We ordered the Arroz Chaufa (Peruvian Fried Rice) for the kids, Sopa De Pollo (Chicken soup with Rice) and DH chose a Quarter Pollo a la Brasa with Solterito (Peruvian rotisserie chicken with corn salad). The fact that I mention each and every item we had with description simply goes to show how good the food was. So if you're ever halting or simply passing by St. George, you now know where it eat. 😋

The last bit of the drive from St George to Las Vegas Airport came with its own big hiccup - a huge slowdown on the interstate because of lane closures on a two-lane interstate. It took us more than double the time to get to the airport & having lost an hour to time difference, we felt lucky to be on our flight home. But, cest la vie and as good things happen in our travels, so will ill fated things too. It was a very short 45 minutes flight from Vegas to San Diego. Back home, all I will say is that all's well that ends well! 

Ready. Set. Buckle up. Ride!

 

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

We had the National Park Pass & we'd visited all the National Parks nearby (some even twice) & so he convinced me that the 10 hours of loop drive was worth it....and it indeed was! 😊

The Doting Daddy

Now the company DH works for gives these extra long weekends; and of course the only way my husband can think of spending those is to travel to someplace. So a day's leave from work for me, club with the Juneteenth long weekend - it became a 4 days long long weekend - hooray! Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks had long been on DH's wish list. However, I'm always a tad weary of long drives with 'little babies'. Little do I realize now they are absolutely not little babies anymore; but, big kids of 7 & 6 years. So venturing on longer drives was certainly back on the cards. With a promise to see the giants of the tree world, drive thru one maybe and the best part of the trip...meet some friends; we set forth on yet another road trip. 😊

Day 1: Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, Bakersfield! 

It was yet another Thursday when we sat in front of laptops trying to wrap up work as fast as we could. A mild thrill hung in the air. Parts coz of the forthcoming road trip & part as this was the first time we hadn't booked a place for the night. It's always a risk with kids. Period. We hoped to drive as much as we possibly could towards Sequoia & make a stop only when we were tired enough. So, yet one more time, bags in the boot, kids in the car seats and hearts filled with excitement, we started our drive. 

What Awaited Us

Our first halt was a grub grab in LA at a place called The Dune on Glendale Blvd. In word it's unique. A few road side tables to eat at, this place is a fusion twist on Mediterranean food. Like I ordered a fried chicken shawarma sandwich for the kids (how can you possibly go wrong with friend chicken & bread & kids 😁) & DH and I shared the hummus & lamb plate. The Glendale Blvd has a great relaxed vibe with good foot traffic. Tummies full, the happy mommy awarded 5 heavenly stars to food at Dune. Little gems that make the journey worth remembering. 

My kids slept most of the way & at around 10 pm-ish we were closing in at Bakersfield, probably the last big city before Sequoia. We quickly booked a La Quinta with breakfast for the night. Little sleepy feet quickly shuffled from the car to the hotel room and with one look around were promptly sleeping again. Expecting them to wake up early, DH and I too called it a night. 

Day 2: The Brown Bodied, Green Haired Giants! 

If you happen to ask my 6 yo Abesh what his favorite part of a trip is, he would gleefully tell you it's the hotel breakfast 😀 So after spending a good part of the hour doing Abesh's favorite thing, we piled back our bags into the car and zoomed straight towards the Sequoia National Park. Being day minus one of a long weekend the crowds hadn't really started coming in. Parking remained plenty everywhere. 

Sierra Subs & Salads

Oh let me step back a few. The tiny village of Three Sisters are the gates of Sequoia National Park. We stopped at at sub & sandwich place for brunch-some-carry-some grub, Sierra Subs & Salads. The kids sandwiches were just $4, hearty & leaving some for the kids to munch on later. I'd ordered the veggie burger with bean patty - strongly recommend this one. Yes, you meat lovers take it from a meat lover. 😋 They also have beautiful outdoor seating area behind the shop, which overlooks the gurgling river and green mountains - let the seeker in you stop here awhile. 

Where the
Braves Dare

Once inside the park, our first stop was at the Tunnel Rock. It is as the name suggests a sliver of a tunnel formed by a massive rock balancing like an arch. It's a 2 mins climb to the top of it & a spot for a must have picture. The kids especially had lots of fun as they scrambled up once with their father & then again with me. Our next stop was the Hospital Rock. Not entirely sure why it's named so, this area has quite a few things to offer. Petroglyphs, ancient Indian history, river, waterfall & the cherry-on-the-cake a tad of rock climbing. An interesting learning were these deep holes that were made by native Indian women into rocks to make & bake with acorn flour. You can well imagine the different foods the kids pretend played to cook in them. Now, most people enjoyed that & the Petroglyphs & drove off. The kids coaxed us to explore beyond & soon we were rock scrambling. Once behind the rock, it actually takes you to cold waters in the Kings Wild River (or at least it was cold in mid June). With just us & nature around, it was a moment that will be remembered for long. 

Next, we stopped at the Vista Point. Amongst all the view points, this one was the most rewarding. Debating whether or not to brave the 300 steps at the Morro Rock, we drove deeper into the National Park. Abesh dozed off into this usual car slumber & I decided to keep the Morro for the 'morrow. Rupkatha & DH did the climb in a quick hour & came back red cheeked in their thick coats. It offers a bird eye view of the entire park stretching out in front of you. That done, we drove to the drive thru tree. What was once upon a time tree, now lay befallen yet providing joy to humans. 

As Rupkatha guessed...
Black tailed Deer

Next, we drove towards the Crescent Meadow. This place has a high chance of bear sighting. 🐻 No bears popped, but, we did see a small herd of black tailed deer with males carrying mighty antlers. 🦌 They were tame enough to not scuttle away with a young one even braving a closer look at us humans. The meadow itself was a bed of tiny pink flowers. 🌸 The late spring-early summer fairies had sprinkled their fairy dust & it was beautiful all around. We hiked a little thru a trail with ginormous Sequoias all around. A strange feature in their trunks were these hollow spaces which are a hide-n-seek heaven. In one word, it was all - beautiful! 

With the Maestro

Finally, the last lap as we drove to say Salut to the General Sherman, the largest tree in the world when measured by volume. We drove thru the Big Grove before we parked at the big parking lot for General Sherman. It's a quarter mile hike to the tree itself; but, with quite a few steps to cover one has to wait to catch their breath more often than not. We hiked thru the Congress Trail where you can walk thru two siamese Sequoias. There was a small line in front of General Sherman as everyone waited for their insta worthy click. So did we! 

That done we decided to call it a day & started our drive back to Three Rivers where we stopped at Casa Mendoza for dinner. They had plenty of outdoor seating & it's good ol' Mexican food. The kids meals are huge & one Burrito was more than enough for two kids. DH & I shared the enchiladas in mole sauce & the spicy tang at the end of the day was refreshing. The food to write home about was their flan, if you happen to stop here, you won't want to miss on those for sure. 

Finally we made to our hotel Western Holiday Lodge. It came with a little kids' park complete with a slide, swing and little what nots. What more could the kids have asked for. DH went to explore the river nearby, each unravelling from their day in their own way. 

Day 3: Friends & Fun! 

It was a lazy Saturday morning for us. Our friends from Bay Area were driving to join us for the trip & we were supposed to meet them no sooner than mid day. We let the kids out to play in the hotel park as we lazily ambled around checking out. We stopped at the little store to grab some lunchables & cold sandwiches, our usual go to foods. We drove back into the National Park & stopped at the Visitor Center to pick some magnets. 

Suspension Bridge

Taking the suggestion from the ranger at the visitor center, we visited the Potwisha-Middle Fork Trail. It's a 0.3 miles hike one way. Still at lower altitude, we didn't see any sequoias. There's a suspension bridge overlooking a small waterfall and my oh my, this bridge can swing when there are people crossing quick from both ends. A little rock scrambling can get you to concrete slab that steeps into the river. Bear sighting chances are high here again, but, luck wasn't with us (or was it 😉). With time to kill, we spend quite some time here exploring the area. 

Back at Three Rivers, we met with our friends & hopped over to the Casa Mendoza for lunch as everyone talked at the same time trying to catch up. Today being the first day of the Juneteenth long weekend, it was crowded at Sequoia with about a 20 mins wait time to just enter the park. We took the role of tour guides for our friends & stopped at all the places we had yesterday. Finally, back at the General Sherman, this time we chose to skip the hike & take the shuttle to a shorter trail head instead. It was fun with 9 of us chatting & laughing in a bus full of people. A few more clicks with the maestro, we decided to call it a day there. 

We'd a booked a airbnb in Visalia which was about an hour something drive away from inside the National Park (& about 45 mins from the entrance gate). To honor the kids' side of the deal, they dozed all the way home & to honor our side of the deal, we let them stay up late & simply play play play. Dinner was Chinese food from a nearby eatery - very usual & tummy filling. 

Day 3: Bow to the King

In a house with early birds for kids, even when you're slowly leaving, you leave at 9 am. 😀 Subways packed for the day, we were soon speeding towards the Kings Canyon National Park. Now, one thing I must mention is that the drive to both the national parks is thru the California countryside with nut plantations, fruit orchards and an occasional vineyard flanked on either side. Certainly an added bonus in the day time drive hours. 

Our first stop was at the General Grant Trail. This is packed with fun stuff. You can actually walk thru the hollow trunk of a befallen Sequoia, starting from the roots coming out at the top of the trunk. Justly named the Fallen Monarch, it's such a strange & interesting experience. Trudge along to say hello to the General Grant itself, famous to be the Nation's Christmas Tree. Now Kings Canyon is not as popular or populated as its twin, Sequoia and gives much more space for exploring around. The 3 kids jumped on rocks, ran around & laughed as we did the 0.8 miles hike loop back to the parking lot. 

A very favorite
click of mine!

Next, we took a detour & decided to check out the Panoramic Point. These roads don't hear the tires as much and the beauty around was a stunning pristine, green & wild flowers freckled the face of the earth. At the point itself, it's kind of park where you can and a small uphill hike from the parking lot. The view is nothing short of breathtaking. Valleys & mountains winking back at you with the  glistening blue Hume Lake like the twinkle in the eye. The grandparents sat, the parents stood & the kids jumped on rocks absorbing the beauty that has been, is & will be there in times to come. Soon, we made it back to the parking lot & the subway sandwiches made it to our tummies, refueling us for the quite some more time.

My little Abesh was a tad under the weather and dozed off at the back as we made our way back to civilization. We stopped at two waterfalls: the Grizzly Falls and Roaring River Falls. I almost missed the Grizzly Falls as Abesh slept but, opened his eyes right in time. Carrying the baby as quick as I could, we were soon at the cascading waters. Coming from a very dry So-Cal, it's just plain pleasure to see so much natural water around one. Next, was the Roaring River and it's a very easy 3 - 4 mins of walk to the the lookout point. For reasons best known to us, we had initially decided to walk thru the overgrowth & jump over rocks, won't really suggest it. Just stick to the paved trail. This one is torrential with water raging down to the calm pond beneath it. 

Rivers & Waterfalls

Tired but, yet not ready to call it a day; we started a detour to the Hume Lake. Being more on the tired side I remained vocally sceptic about this detour but, I kind of had to eat my words later as it would have been a bad miss otherwise. We visited on a Sunday when lots (and I seriously mean lots) of teenagers were on a summer camp there and it was absolutely wonderful to see all the young energy buzzing around. A few moments & clicks next to the Hume Lake, we decided to have dinner at the Pondy Pizza & Pizzookie there over looking the lake and the mountains. Our friend quickly grabbed some much needed coffees & teas from the Hume & Beans. But, nothing compared to the spotlessly marvelous time the 3 children were having - running around, playing the silliest games, eating pizza, devouring pizzookies & you know just being children. 

With that, we started our journey home to the last night of the trip. The kids honored & honored very seriously their part of the deal as they dozed off only to wake up the next day morning. Bless them little ones! 💙💜

Information: the Hume Lake area is actually a privately owned land and dedicated to Christianity. However, one can visit it with the same pass as the National Park. It has a few restaurants, gift stores, loop trail around the lake & field next to the lake.

Hume Lake

Day 5: Curtain Fall 

With zero plans for the day apart from just getting home at the end of the day, it was a morning of lazy packing & chatter. Having slept early enough & for long enough, all 3 kids woke up early & played till the very last goodbye. Close to noon we started our 5 hours long journey home. The kids stormed thru book after book & our car mile after mile. We stopped at our good ol' LA's Glendale Blvd again, this time for supper. DH craving for some pho led us to the Indochine Vien - a laidback little Vietnamese getaway. We shared a Pho Ga (pho with steamed chicken) & the kids shared a Ga Nuong (Grilled chicken with rice) - it was all very delicious & cooked to perfection. 

With the wish that if only we could stay out one more night, loose ourselves on one more hike, find a local eatery just more time - we reached home to find it what we travel the world to find. 

Big Island, Hawaii

Why Hawaii you ask? Coz post Covid, flying to Hawaii was the popular way to remember what flying felt like! 😀

It took life after Covid to make me realize what Shakespeare truly meant when he penned the heavily used line, to be or not to be. Only now it was to fly or not to fly. 😀 My DH & I were plain overwhelmed by the worries yet excitement, fear yet anticipation of flying after-somewhat during Covid. But, being avid travelers, it has been just way too long we hadn't felt the thrill a simple boarding pass can actually bring. With that, we slowly started exploring ticket prices, options and inched our way to booking our flight to Hawaii or as our 5 year ol' Abesh was promptly calling it. H-oo-wa-yee. My father, who we were meeting after three whole years was also a part of the pack this time. 

Due to all the uncertainty that surrounds us in this new found normal, we kept it as a surprise for the kids to save them the heart break in a just-in-case scenario. Luckily, none of us had to a go thru a heart break and before long we were sending emails to their teachers about excusing them for two days. 

Day 1: Wings to Hawaii   

To Fly or Not To Fly

The first day always means the first journey of the adventure. The kids were simply overjoyed and of course over excited that we would be back in skies after 3.something long years. Luggages checked in & boarding passes in hand, we couldn't stop smiling all the way to our gate. I might be over explaining a very simple everyday emotion here, but, the thrill was such that I simply can't help myself as I think back. 

My DH has come up with these pesto-cheese-tomatoe-ham sandwiches which work like a charm on everyone, including over excited hungry kids. They're so our to go food now for picnics, flights, journeys. Sleeping some, playing some, chatting some, munching some, soon we were flying over the blue waters & palm tree specked beaches of Big Island, H-oo-wa-yee. Vaccination proof submitted, we passed the Covid check post. Expect like a 10 - 20 mins of wait time in the line there. The quaint huts that actually are the airport inject the laid back emotion from the moment you land there. 

Oh Hi, Big Turtle!

We picked our rental car (which are killer expensive in these post covid shortage era). But, no, we did not make our way to our abode for the night. Instead we went straight to the Alula Beach. Many also call it the Turtle Beach and rightfully so. It's a small 5 mins hike from the parking to the beach itself thru shady trees and sand. The fears, the worries, the panic all left us as we finally dipped our feet into the waters there in H-oo-wa-yee. Some sunk into the sands, some strode into the waters, some jumped on the lava rocks - each letting it all go in that one moment. Soon the kids & DH had found a few green turtles swimming, honestly more like floating, in the water. We all went over to say our hellos.

Finally, we were able to drag the kids away from the beach, and back in the cars it was dinner time. Not wanting anything fancy, we actually decided to tuck in at the L&L Hawaiian barbecue. Later, we found they are actually a local chain. Chain or not, I would recommend this place. Good food for your money's worth. The kids had their usual mixed fried rice & my DH tried a loco moco, which is a local speciality. All good & recommended. 

Fed, watered, tired yet happy we started the drive towards our airbnb at Hilo. It was about an hour or so drive away from the Kona airport/Alula Beach. But, night just didn't end there. Once at our airbnb, we were welcomed by the call of some bird maybe, or at least I'd thought it was a bird. It went like cau-ckee. Soon, we learnt that they were actually coqui frogs who decide to sing thru the night. It was quite the lullaby to fall asleep to. 😊

Information: if you're into resorts & shopping - I would suggest staying at Kona. And if you're into farmer markets, slightly popular beaches and laid back life - I would suggest staying at Hilo & Naalehu. 

Day 2:  Mangoes, Honey-combs & H-oo-wa-yee eggs

Yummy in my tummy

The good thing about traveling in Hawaii is that the jetlag works in one's favor. Like island life, we would too wake up at 6 in the morning ready to take on the day. The kids of course spent a good part of an hour exploring the airbnb, its nooks and crannies, its books and games. That done, we let my old man unwind & the four of us set out to the local market. The Hilo Farmers' Market is an absolute must - souvenirs, hats, clothes and what nots - and remember bargain a little. Also, cash is preferred & aids get a better bargain. Been there done that! 😊 Shopping bags heavier, we hopped over to the Fruit Market right next to it. Mangoes, papayas, lychees, avocados - I know you've had them all, but, they don't taste no nothing like they do in Hawaii. Fresh from the gardens, sweet & the textures perfect. Even my li'l Abesh who ate nothing but, strawberries & oranges, started loving all fruits. What a whopping win for the mommy! 

On our way back, we caught a little drizzle as my DH scuttled away for some eggs & bread. Even those were fresh from the farm and he sneaked in a real honey comb which my li'l Rupkatha (7 yo) and DH enjoyed with their buttered toast. 

No Falling at the
Akaka State Falls 😀

It was time to kick start the day & we drove out to the Akaka Falls State Park. It's a little 0.4 miles loop hike which goes up and down the roughly built stairs and a trail. The path is as enjoyable as is the dainty tall waterfall at the end of the trail. One can't really get to the waterfall, but, there is a lookout point with seats for pictures or simply just soaking the placing in. When I was little I read about baby ferns which the gnomes would roll to keep them warm as the dew settled. Well, I could see the gnomes worked hard here and we saw lots of little rolled ferns along the trail. The forestry around is dense, green and a plain eye soother. 

Information: as of 2022 there is a $10 parking fee & a $5+tax entry fee per person with children < 4 free. 

Next we drove to Waipo Valley. It's street parking as the parking lot is really small. Don't miss the beautiful colorful flowers that dot the road side as they overflow from the gardens of the homes alongside the road. Maybe having travelled in spring had it's own floral benefits. We didn't do the long hike down to the valley itself but, hung out at the look point. 

Next, we drove to quaint little town of Honoka and decide to grab our midday grub at the Grandma's Kitchen. A Portugese eatery with a good varied menu. We settled for some classics like fish-n-chips, french toast and bean soup. It was all delicious and soulful. It had a kid friendly environment, the lady even offered the little ones some on the house juice. Post that we ambled down the main street of Honoka and stopped at a store to pick some Hula figurines and Tiki Gods. 

Splashes at the
Laupahoehoe Beach

The drive back to Hilo was lovely as the road meandered though dark lava rocks, green hills and an occasional glimpse of the blue ocean. En route home, we just picked a beach from all the road signs and stretched our legs one more time. The Laupahoehoe beach is rocky and pebbly. The added bonus being a big stretch of green field for the kids to run around. Even my father ran around with them. What a marvelous afternoon well spent with all those who matter the most to me! 💛 This is when the mother in me decided that my kids were tired and I decided to call it a day. We returned home and ordered some Thai food from a local eatery, Naung Mai Thai Kitchen. And when in Hawaii seldom can you go wrong with Thai food. 

With a some sort of a game of scrabble, the kids and my father called it a day and DH went out to explore Hilo more. He stumbled upon a Japanese garden and a little creek finally meeting the ocean waters. 

Day 3: Fissures, smoke and rains! 

Breakfast was again mangoes, papaya and lychees and of course honey combs and H-oo-wa-yee eggs. 😀 To complete the Hawaiian touch, the home owners even had pineapple, guava and mango flavored tea bags. Bless them! Soon it was time to bid adieu to our dear li'l home in Hilo and set out for the day. We visited the Farmers' market again to stock up on fruit. We picked up some Lilikoi drinks to go - do try Lilikoi when in Big Island, a close cousin to passion fruit. Even the kids enjoyed it and squabbled over who took the bigger sip as we drove away from Hilo. 

A rare 'our' pic at the
Lava Tree State Park

Our first stop of the day was the Lava Tree State Park. For an island as popular as Big Island, this state park strangely empty. There were hardly two cars in the parking lot when we pulled in. There's a small loop hike of about 20 mins which brings you back to the parking lot. You can walk next to the lava trees. Strange tall structures formed due to hot lava consuming big tree and then forming rocks around the tree trunks. Honestly, it's not like a must do but, a sure can do if you have an hour to spare. 

Next we started driving towards the Volcano National Park. We stopped for lunch at the Tuk-Tuk Thai food truck. As luck may have it, we were met with torrential rains right then and it was a little tight eating inside the car. On any other day, you can just eat standing out. But, the food was worth writing home about with a strongly recommend on their pumpkin curry & pad thai noodles (the latter being an absolute hit with the kids). 

Suggestion: when traveling with kids and choosing a meal for them, always try to have a carb in it. Kids enjoy it, it fills their little tummies and gives them energy for longer. 

Blown away
in the Lava Tube

Little DH wanted to play, but the rain rain quite didn't go away after all that day. Nonetheless, we first visited the Lava tubes. Long tunnels formed by rivers of lava and gusts of winds within to form the hollow space enough to make a giant happy. It's dimly lit so hold onto those little impish hands there. 

Suggestion: of course you will pack flip flops. swim wear and sunglasses for Hawaii. But, don't forget hiking shoes, rain coats and a light jacket either. 

Next we stopped at different points within the Volcano National Park. One mentionable point were these lava fields. You can walk, jump, run on them depending on your age bracket. 😉 You can observe the air bubbles that formed the top layer of the lava rocks and different colors in them coz of the different minerals. 

We especially my DH drove around to get a glimpse of any lava activity but, the rains kind of dampened those. It might be a good idea to check the weather and move plans around if you have enough days in hand. But, we did see some fissures which were emitting smoke indicating that there was ongoing volcanic activity somewhere right beneath our feet. Phew..what a feeling! 

With that we bid adieu to all the smoke and lava rocks and drove the hour towards our home for the next two night, Naalehu. We reached home just as the sun was going to bed for the day and it was such a beautiful airbnb. The owners had set up these lovely cottages in their huge yard giving lots of running space to the little ones. They even had a little coop of hens and chicks and that of course simply fascinated the kids. 

We ordered from a local Chinese eatery which wasn't much to write home about. Kids in bed, beer in hand we grown ups settled in to enjoy the night. DH popped out for something and soon was calling outside. I stepped out to what felt like a zillion fairy light shining down on me. This was something we hadn't even expected and was probably the best hidden surprise. Naalehu is a far away from the maddening crowd kinda tourist spot with no mall or resort lights over powering the night sky. We could see the milky way clearly and sky was dotted with never ending stars. We spent quite sometime identifying constellations and just being reminded of our mere negligible existence in the larger scheme of things. 

Day 4: Sweet Sweet Bread! 

Now this was a day we'd been looking forward to for quite a while now. Yes, we were to go snorkeling today. We'd stopped at the local gas station store & got some of the famous (we found later they were famous though) Punalu bake shop bread & short bread cookies. Of course Lilikoi flavored - and boy oh boy, weren't they delicious! Bellied filled with bread, eggs and fruits - we set out for the day all dressed in our new Hawaiian clothes. 

The Island Kids!

Little did we know that we were just a minute worth of drive away from Punalu Bake Shop. Of course, we stopped there and picked up some fresh coffee and some of their famous malasadas - traditional, lilikoi, guava, mango - all scrumptous! They would make the perfect breakfast just for anyone. Next stop was the Black Sand Beach where the we once again said good morning to the green turtles, dipped our toes in the cool water and kids played away to glory with their beach toys in the black sand. With ample parking spots and picnic tables to choose from, it's a great beach to spend the day or just a little while. 

On our way back, we picked musubi lunch from the local gas station store for just $2 each and believe it or not, they were great! Quickly made our way back home, packed all our stuff and headed straight towards the adventure of the trip - snorkeling. When booking we were debating for long between Fair Winds and Sea Paradise - the former being almost double to price of the latter. A little nervous coz we have 2 kids and a parent in tow, we decided to save some money and settled to do the tour with Sea Paradise. And the decision completely paid off. It was a 3 hours long tour with an hour of going, an hour of snorkeling and hour of coming back with endless fruit, soda and chips to snack on. They even had a (paid) open bar while returning. The sea life was gracious and we saw a whale blowing and diving in and out of the water with its little one; and flying dolphins which spin out of the water and go back looking as though dancing. Actually a huge school of those flying dolphins accompanied us for the better half of our return journey. The snorkeling itself was fun too - the corals sadly are mostly bleached but, there were some colorful fish down there. 5 year ol' Abesh didn't like the feeling of not being able to feel the end of the water, so he simply hung out with his grandfather on the boat while 7 year ol' Rupkatha, DH and I enjoyed in the water. 

Bliss!

Suggestion: Snorkeling is for everyone. I can't swim at all and with a life jacket and pool noodle, I was good to go. Also, most times, kids under 6, 7 years of age panic when snorkeling so best to let them be on the boat. 

Exhausted yet excited, we stepped down from our ferry and started our journey home towards the last night to be spent in Hawaii. On our way back, we stopped at the South Point, which is the southern most point of USA. Back home we had a quick dinner of left overs, musubi and bread. As promised to the kids, we waited till it was dark. We took them out to see the beautiful night sky outside as they fumbled and stared wide eyed at the sky above. Once again, kids in bed, beer in hand, the grown ups settled in to enjoy the night. 

Day 5: Curtain Fall 

Home away from Home

This day is never the happiest day! Nonetheless, all goods things must come to an end and so would this one too. It was a slow day as we really didn't have anything planned for the day and our flight was much later in the afternoon. Hung out at the cottage for most of the morning and visited the Punalu Bake Shop once more to stock up on their short bread cookies - lilikoi, guava and coffee flavored one. I'll never forget how gorgeous the coffee flavored ones were. Stopped quick at the Black Sand Beach one more time before heading out to Kona. 

We stopped at the Magic Sand Beach (I guess it's also known as the White Sand Beach) and flopped beneath a palm tree chatting, playing and simply doing nothing. We got a humungous snow cone for the kids and yes, as you can guess it was Lilikoi flavored. We did go a li'l overboard with Lilikoi there if you ask me. 😀 

Back at the airport, we had lunch at the only restaurant there where the kids had ramen and the grown ups filled on some sandwiches. With that and an absolute promise to be back and to be back for longer we walked down the sunny path to our airplane to fly back from to San Diego. 

Oh you beauties!