Today was Sunday and due toe the limitations on my Jet Blue pass I couldn't fly today so I was stuck in a NYC hotel near the airport. That turned out to be just fine because I used the time to rest for what would be very long days to wrap up my trip. The last couple of days would likely start before dawn, include hiking all day, and not getting back until way past sunset... So I spent almost the entire day in my hotel room watching football and doing some more thinking about long term career goals. I came to several conclusions about my personality that hopefully will be useful as I start my job search in a couple of weeks:
1. Thrive On Change: Repetition bores me and doing something new and different everyday is crucial. I can get bored very quickly and when that happens, I tend to check it out and become very unmotivated at work. Having a career that is somewhat unpredictable and not knowing what each day will bring is important to me.
2. Rules & Rigidity: Having worked for big companies / small companies and industries full of rules, insurance, and fewer rules, technology; rules and rigidity are the enemy for me. I understand rules are required sometimes but nothing is more frustrating than a rule or policy that makes no sense and the lack of vision of guts to break that rule when it makes sense for everyone involved.
3. Love Competition: I thrive on competition and it drives me to keep pushing to get better. That competition requires a couple of things; 1. A large group of people in the same or similar roles. 2. Metrics that those people are held accountable to. Finding a role that can leverage my competitive nature is crucial.
I'll be curious to see what happens when the job search starts in early October. As an aside, I went out for Italian food and stumbled onto Italian Cheesecake. I didn't realize that it was any different than regular cheesecake but it has the orange zest / flavor added which makes it delicious. Highly recommended if you like cheesecake and orange!
Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions /comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Day 26
Today was a travel day for me as I headed back to the states from Aruba... Normally, I don't really like flying, dealing with security, bags, rental cars, etc. but over the past few weeks I've gotten used to it and it's not such a painful experience. Good to know as I look at future careers and I'd be open to a job that required some level of travel on a routine basis. After my last breakfast at Club Arias, I grabbed my suitcase and took off in the rental car to get some last minute pictures of the island.
I decided to head down to the Southern coast of Aruba where I head there were some very nice beaches and hopefully catch some good light for photography.
Lost Seaman Memorial to commerate the people killed in shipwrecks off the coast of Aruba. Aruba is a mecca for scuba divers who want to see ship wrecks since they all around the island but I never got a good explanation of why Aruba has some many shipwrecks.
One of the many beautiful beaches in Aruba... Another person on this Jet Blue who travels a lot said he thought Aruba had the best beaches in the Carribbean and I'd have to agree, they are fantastic with white sand, crystal clear water, and great mix of beaches with calm water and big waves depending on what you are looking for.
Quick reminder if you plan on traveling here, that Aruba is a very dry climate that gets less than 20 inches of rain a year and is outside of the hurricane belt. That can be a good thing meaning predictable weather that is dry and sunny almost all of the time. However, do not expect a lush tropical environment like Hawaii or other islands in the Carribbean. You are far more likely to see Cactus and and dry sand / rocks than a tropical wonderland full of colorful flowers, fruits, and other forms of life.
How often do you see Cactus like this so close to a beach?
After shooting some last pictures in Aruba I headed to the airport and worked my way through the international process. Interesting travel note, you go through American security and customs in Aruba which means you don't have to mess with it when getting back to the US. This is the first country I've seen like this and it's interesting but took forever to get to the gate. Jet Blue advised us to get to the airport three hours early and they were not kidding with all the steps before getting on the plane.
The flight back to New York City was smooth and after landing grabbed a shuttle to my hotel near JFK Airport where I crashed after a long day. Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions /comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
I decided to head down to the Southern coast of Aruba where I head there were some very nice beaches and hopefully catch some good light for photography.
Lost Seaman Memorial to commerate the people killed in shipwrecks off the coast of Aruba. Aruba is a mecca for scuba divers who want to see ship wrecks since they all around the island but I never got a good explanation of why Aruba has some many shipwrecks.
One of the many beautiful beaches in Aruba... Another person on this Jet Blue who travels a lot said he thought Aruba had the best beaches in the Carribbean and I'd have to agree, they are fantastic with white sand, crystal clear water, and great mix of beaches with calm water and big waves depending on what you are looking for.
Quick reminder if you plan on traveling here, that Aruba is a very dry climate that gets less than 20 inches of rain a year and is outside of the hurricane belt. That can be a good thing meaning predictable weather that is dry and sunny almost all of the time. However, do not expect a lush tropical environment like Hawaii or other islands in the Carribbean. You are far more likely to see Cactus and and dry sand / rocks than a tropical wonderland full of colorful flowers, fruits, and other forms of life.
How often do you see Cactus like this so close to a beach?
After shooting some last pictures in Aruba I headed to the airport and worked my way through the international process. Interesting travel note, you go through American security and customs in Aruba which means you don't have to mess with it when getting back to the US. This is the first country I've seen like this and it's interesting but took forever to get to the gate. Jet Blue advised us to get to the airport three hours early and they were not kidding with all the steps before getting on the plane.
The flight back to New York City was smooth and after landing grabbed a shuttle to my hotel near JFK Airport where I crashed after a long day. Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions /comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Day 25
Today was a very early day in Aruba... I had hoped to get some great
sunrise shots in Aruba and the best place to do that was the cliffs in
Arikok National Park. The problem is that getting there is very
difficult and requires a serious off road vehicle, like the Land
Rovers used on my tour yesterday. Fortunately, my host in Aruba had
the answer in some Yamaha Rhino's which are pretty heavy duty four
wheel drive vehicles.
We arranged a sunrise tour using the Rhino's and I met my guide at
4:30 AM to start a long drive through the darkness to Arikok National
Park. My guide actually gave me the opportunity to drive the Rhino on
the city streets which was pretty cool and the Rhino is pretty fast
getting to nearly 40 MPH's. Once we hit the park I turned the keys
over to my guide since the trail is notoriously difficult to manage
during the day and I wanted no part of it in the darkness of night.
Eventually we arrived up high on the cliffs overlooking the eastern
coast of Aruba and waited for the sun to come up.
The Rhino - Our ride this morning.
Sun trying but failing to break through the heavy clouds that morning.
Unfortunately, the weather was extremely cloudy and completely
obscured the sun so any chance of decent surnise pictures was gone.
We did try to make the best of the situation with some pictures of
Arikok National Park which are below.
Cactus on a tropical island anyone?
The calm before the storm...
After spending some time up high on the cliffs of Arikok National Park
we decided to take the Rhinos down to the coast and visit Natural Pool
to see what kind of shots we could get with the soft light of mid
morning. I tried shooting for about 30 minutes but the light was just
not cooperating and we decided to hike back up to the Rhino's and head
somewhere else.
Natural Pool and the native crabs waiting for a meal.
Right when we got back to the Rhino's it started to
rain... Not just a light drizzling rain but a serious downpour rain
which is very unusual for a very dry and arid island like Aruba.
The trails quickly turned into streams or in some cases rivers with
the rain falling all around us and made getting back to Club Arias
difficult. There were a couple points we had to stop because the rain
had created huge pools or rivers of water and we were not sure if the
Rhino could make it through unscathed... The hour drive back to the
Club was brutal with sheets of ice cold rain in an open air vehicle
but eventually we made it back in one piece.
After a hot shower and snack to recover from the Rhino Tour that
morning; I headed off for my last major activity in Aruba... Scuba
Diving! This was something I had not planned on doing for a couple of
reasons: 1. I am not a very good swimmer, snorkeling in open seas is
challenge enough for me. 2. I'm not scuba certified which is a
requirement to go diving.
However, I met a very nice couple John & Heidi at Club Arias who both
are big scuba divers and had spent the last week diving all over the
island. The dive shop they have been using does an introductory dive
session where you get a brief safety lesson, give you all the required
gear, and take you out scuba diving. I had planned to do a sailing
trip that afternoon with some snorkeling but figured scuba diving
sounded like a lot of fun so I headed over to NE Fly & Dive to meet up
with John & Heidi.
After signing numerous waivers and statements of health, I was
introduced to our dive master and several other people doing an
introductory dive. We watched a 'fascinating' safety video on the
basic concepts of scuba diving and after getting all of gear in the
van, headed out to the beach for a shore dive. Once we reached the
beach, our dive master went over the gear with us and helped us put on
the 40+ lbs of stuff necessary to scuba dive.
Fully geared up we waded out into 5 feet of water and practiced some
basic scuba diving techniques with our masks, regulators, and all the
other elements I can't remember off hand. It really wasn't as
difficult as I had imagined but there were a few things that threw me
for a loop:
1. Breathing Underwater: The actual breathing part was easy...
However, the instructor talked about controlling your breath to
conserve the limited oxygen supply in your tank; to try for a 4 second
inhale and 12 second exhale. I tried that and failed miserably with
constant inhale and exhales... It's weird adjusting your breathing
patterns like that since in everyday life we have unlimited air so
there is no reason to control your breathing in such an extreme way.
The instructor said most first time divers end up breathing like Darth
Vader underwater and I was no exception.
2. Balance: All the gear you carry while scuba diving really messes
with your sense of balance and especially how you swim underwater.
The idea of leaning forward and controlling the direction you swim by
pointing your arms and only propelling yourself with your legs was a
very foreign concept to me.
Eventually I got the basics down and the dive master took me and
another first time diver down into the depths of the Caribbean Sea.
It was a really cool experience staying down that long and seeing the
coral, fish, and other forms of sea life up close and personal. We
actually swam out to a shipwreck and got to dive into the boat to see
the inside including the engine which was pretty cool. The dive
lasted about 30 minutes and I found out later we spent most of the
dive about 50 feet under the surface, which is pretty deep for a first
time dive. The experience overall was pretty cool and if you get the
chance to take an intro scuba class I would highly encourage it.
Below are a few pictures from the experience:
That night I enjoyed a relaxing dinner at Club Arias, made plans for
the last few days of my trip, and packed for my flight the following
morning. Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions /
comments please post below or email me at
chris@pricelessperspectives.com
sunrise shots in Aruba and the best place to do that was the cliffs in
Arikok National Park. The problem is that getting there is very
difficult and requires a serious off road vehicle, like the Land
Rovers used on my tour yesterday. Fortunately, my host in Aruba had
the answer in some Yamaha Rhino's which are pretty heavy duty four
wheel drive vehicles.
We arranged a sunrise tour using the Rhino's and I met my guide at
4:30 AM to start a long drive through the darkness to Arikok National
Park. My guide actually gave me the opportunity to drive the Rhino on
the city streets which was pretty cool and the Rhino is pretty fast
getting to nearly 40 MPH's. Once we hit the park I turned the keys
over to my guide since the trail is notoriously difficult to manage
during the day and I wanted no part of it in the darkness of night.
Eventually we arrived up high on the cliffs overlooking the eastern
coast of Aruba and waited for the sun to come up.
The Rhino - Our ride this morning.
Sun trying but failing to break through the heavy clouds that morning.
Unfortunately, the weather was extremely cloudy and completely
obscured the sun so any chance of decent surnise pictures was gone.
We did try to make the best of the situation with some pictures of
Arikok National Park which are below.
Cactus on a tropical island anyone?
The calm before the storm...
After spending some time up high on the cliffs of Arikok National Park
we decided to take the Rhinos down to the coast and visit Natural Pool
to see what kind of shots we could get with the soft light of mid
morning. I tried shooting for about 30 minutes but the light was just
not cooperating and we decided to hike back up to the Rhino's and head
somewhere else.
Natural Pool and the native crabs waiting for a meal.
Right when we got back to the Rhino's it started to
rain... Not just a light drizzling rain but a serious downpour rain
which is very unusual for a very dry and arid island like Aruba.
The trails quickly turned into streams or in some cases rivers with
the rain falling all around us and made getting back to Club Arias
difficult. There were a couple points we had to stop because the rain
had created huge pools or rivers of water and we were not sure if the
Rhino could make it through unscathed... The hour drive back to the
Club was brutal with sheets of ice cold rain in an open air vehicle
but eventually we made it back in one piece.
After a hot shower and snack to recover from the Rhino Tour that
morning; I headed off for my last major activity in Aruba... Scuba
Diving! This was something I had not planned on doing for a couple of
reasons: 1. I am not a very good swimmer, snorkeling in open seas is
challenge enough for me. 2. I'm not scuba certified which is a
requirement to go diving.
However, I met a very nice couple John & Heidi at Club Arias who both
are big scuba divers and had spent the last week diving all over the
island. The dive shop they have been using does an introductory dive
session where you get a brief safety lesson, give you all the required
gear, and take you out scuba diving. I had planned to do a sailing
trip that afternoon with some snorkeling but figured scuba diving
sounded like a lot of fun so I headed over to NE Fly & Dive to meet up
with John & Heidi.
After signing numerous waivers and statements of health, I was
introduced to our dive master and several other people doing an
introductory dive. We watched a 'fascinating' safety video on the
basic concepts of scuba diving and after getting all of gear in the
van, headed out to the beach for a shore dive. Once we reached the
beach, our dive master went over the gear with us and helped us put on
the 40+ lbs of stuff necessary to scuba dive.
Fully geared up we waded out into 5 feet of water and practiced some
basic scuba diving techniques with our masks, regulators, and all the
other elements I can't remember off hand. It really wasn't as
difficult as I had imagined but there were a few things that threw me
for a loop:
1. Breathing Underwater: The actual breathing part was easy...
However, the instructor talked about controlling your breath to
conserve the limited oxygen supply in your tank; to try for a 4 second
inhale and 12 second exhale. I tried that and failed miserably with
constant inhale and exhales... It's weird adjusting your breathing
patterns like that since in everyday life we have unlimited air so
there is no reason to control your breathing in such an extreme way.
The instructor said most first time divers end up breathing like Darth
Vader underwater and I was no exception.
2. Balance: All the gear you carry while scuba diving really messes
with your sense of balance and especially how you swim underwater.
The idea of leaning forward and controlling the direction you swim by
pointing your arms and only propelling yourself with your legs was a
very foreign concept to me.
Eventually I got the basics down and the dive master took me and
another first time diver down into the depths of the Caribbean Sea.
It was a really cool experience staying down that long and seeing the
coral, fish, and other forms of sea life up close and personal. We
actually swam out to a shipwreck and got to dive into the boat to see
the inside including the engine which was pretty cool. The dive
lasted about 30 minutes and I found out later we spent most of the
dive about 50 feet under the surface, which is pretty deep for a first
time dive. The experience overall was pretty cool and if you get the
chance to take an intro scuba class I would highly encourage it.
Below are a few pictures from the experience:
That night I enjoyed a relaxing dinner at Club Arias, made plans for
the last few days of my trip, and packed for my flight the following
morning. Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions /
comments please post below or email me at
chris@pricelessperspectives.
Day 24
Today was going to be a crazy day in Aruba! Since yesterday was a day of rest and relaxation, I had to make up for lost time with lots of sightseeing. The easiest way to see the major sites in Aruba was a group tour and the best reviewed company was ABC Tours. They offer a full day tour which seemed like the perfect way to fill a day and hopefully get some amazing pictures at the same time. After a quick breakfast at Club Arias I drove to a major hotel in town and waited for the tour company to pick me up.
I was slightly surprised to see the vehicles that picked mu up were these custom Land Rovers with bench seats in the back. Considering most of the island I had seen to date was flat with paved roads, why would we need such a heavy duty off road vehicle? The guide assured me that it was necessary and I would see why later that afternoon.
An interesting note on this tour… We took three Land Rovers and only had one guide which means they asked for volunteers to drive! I thought about volunteering but decided against it since I wanted to have my hands free to take pictures at any time, which proved to be a good decision later that day. Our first stop was the California Lighthouse which is up high on the northwestern corner of Aruba. The lighthouse was built in 1910 and was named after the US ship that sank of the coast of Aruba a few years before the lighthouse was completed. The lighthouse was a okay but I hoped to see much better ones on a future stop in Maine later in the trip.
Our next stop was a small church called to ‘Chapel of Alto Vista’ which is a Catholic chapel originally built in 1750 but was abandoned in 1816 and left to deteriorate… Eventually during World War II when the Germans attacked Aruba the decision was made to build a chapel where the original chapel once stood and here is what they built. It’s really beautiful little church with a great view of the island.
Our next stop was the coast line of Aruba and the natural bridge which used to be one of Aruba’s most famous destinations for tourists. Unforutnately the original “Natural Bridge” collapsed in 2005 but a smaller version next to it still remains and is really cool. The bridge is actually coral limestone that has been cut away by pounding waves and wind over thousands of years to create this bridge that spans a section of the Carribean. This new bridge is much smaller than the original but still probably 60 feet long and maybe 15-20 feet tall. It’s amazing to think of the power of the surf hitting these rocks over thousands of years to actually strip away / destroy the coral limestone and create this natural feature in the rock.
The remnants of the old Natural Bridge that collapsed.
Next stop was the Bushiribana Ruins which was the old and crumbling remains of a gold smelting operation in Aruba. The building was constructed out of natural stone in 1825 and operated through most of the 19th century. Over the 90 years the facility was in use it is said they produced 3 million pounds of gold which seemed like an impressive total to me. Also, the facade had these huge windows which was to create the illusion this was a fort equipped with large cannons for passing ships. They didn’t want pirates or foreign armies to be tipped off about all the gold contained behind the walls.
View from the top of the ruins, overlooking the beach.
After a busy morning we stopped for lunch at a local Ostrich Farm where Ostrich wasn’t on the menu and instead had some delicious BBQ ribs. Afterward we were given a tour of the farm and it’s nearly 60 ostriches and emus where we learned some pretty interesting facts.
1. Ostriches are the largest and heaviest birds in the world and Aruba is the perfect climate for them to live.
2. They are the fastest-running birds, reaching speeds of up to 43 mph. At this speed, they are the only animals that can outrun leopards!
3. The amazing speed of the ostrich is helpful in outrunning predators, but the ostrich can also use its powerful legs to kick like a kangaroo. In fact, its kick is strong enough to kill a lion. Ostriches can also defend themselves with a 4-inch claw on each foot.
4. Ostrich brains are as big as a walnut and smaller than their eyes. They are not particularly intelligent, but with the largest eyeball of any bird, they can see as far as 2.2 miles. It has been discovered that the cornea of the ostrich eye can be used to replace the human cornea.
We got a chance to interact with the ostriches as well which resulted in some pretty interesting pictures!
After the Ostrich Farm we headed to Arikok National Park and specifically the Natural Pool inside the park. On the way, the tour guide informed our driver on the four wheel drive capabilities of the Land Rover and some other tips about how to traverse the terrain we would be hitting shortly. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect as we embarked down the paved roads toward the national park but when we hit the actual trail, it was an interesting experience to say the least. As we turned off the paved road and onto the dirt roads of Arikok National Park the ride was rough going. These ‘roads’ if you can call them that were very poor with huge holes, divots, and drops around every corner and as passengers in the back of the Land Rover we were bounced all over the place… Some people have described the landscape what they imagine the moon to be like with no roads and incredibly rough / rugged terrain and I thought that was an apt comparison. I found out later from our guide that these trails do such a number of the Land Rovers that they have to replace the entire suspension setup in the trucks every 12 months!!! The driver of our vehicle was a tourist and from NYC but has some significant off roading experience with his Jeep and it became a running joke in our vehicle every time he said “Oh S*&^$” as we approached a new section of the trail… I lost count after probably a dozen times!
Eventually we reached the trailhead and after hiking down a couple hundred steps we reached the coast line and ‘Natural Pool’ . The Aruba coastline here is very rocky and full of volcanic rock peaking out of the crystal clear water every way you looked. The natural pool or Conchi as it is called by the locals is a surreal and very calm pool that is surrounded on all sides by the volcanic rock. It’s crazy swimming in this very calm water and on all sides are these huge waves crashing into the volcanic rock that provides a protective barrier to the pool. The pool itself was filled with lots of tropical life including fish, crabs, and a small squid that we had the opportunity to swim with and get a clear view of with our snorkel gear.
View as we hiked down to the pool.
The violent seas just outside the pool, we were protected by this volcanic rock.
After leaving Natural Pool we headed to Guadirikiri Caves where we got a chance to explore the cave and some of the art inside that was created by island Natives many years ago, this place was okay but if you ever come to Aruba I would skip it to spend more time other places.
Our last stop of the day was Baby Beach which is one of the best beaches in Aruba but not very crowded since it’s far away from the tourist hubs; probably a 45 minute plus drive if you know exactly how to get there… Which is tough since most of the streets in Aruba are not labeled! Fortunately our tour guide took us right there and we found a beautiful beach with excellent snorkeling. The reason it’s called Baby Beach is two fold:
1. The water is very shallow, probably 150 feet offshore it was maybe 4 feet deep and so it’s very safe for kids who can go pretty far out with no danger of the water being over their heads.
2. No waves… The water here is very flat more like a very calm lake then what you would expect in the ocean but again it makes it ideal for kids and also snorkeling since there are no waves to bounce you around or throw water in your snorkel.
On the downside there is a Valero refinery plant on Aruba and it’s clearly visible for Baby Beach on the far left side but for most people, me included didn’t spoil the beauty and tranquility of the beach in the slightest. Some pictures of Baby Beach are below.
That was the last stop on the ABC Tour of Aruba and headed back to Club Arias for the evening. After a quick shower and nap, it was dinner time and fortunately those plans were taken care of us by my host Arias. Everyone staying at the bed and breakfast including his family went out to a Lebanese / Middle Eastern restaurant where they served great food family style to the 12 of us there. It was just another example of Arias and his staff going above and beyond to setup a great dinner like that and get a chance to know some of the other guests and make some fun plans for the following day, which I did.
Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions / comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
I was slightly surprised to see the vehicles that picked mu up were these custom Land Rovers with bench seats in the back. Considering most of the island I had seen to date was flat with paved roads, why would we need such a heavy duty off road vehicle? The guide assured me that it was necessary and I would see why later that afternoon.
An interesting note on this tour… We took three Land Rovers and only had one guide which means they asked for volunteers to drive! I thought about volunteering but decided against it since I wanted to have my hands free to take pictures at any time, which proved to be a good decision later that day. Our first stop was the California Lighthouse which is up high on the northwestern corner of Aruba. The lighthouse was built in 1910 and was named after the US ship that sank of the coast of Aruba a few years before the lighthouse was completed. The lighthouse was a okay but I hoped to see much better ones on a future stop in Maine later in the trip.
Our next stop was a small church called to ‘Chapel of Alto Vista’ which is a Catholic chapel originally built in 1750 but was abandoned in 1816 and left to deteriorate… Eventually during World War II when the Germans attacked Aruba the decision was made to build a chapel where the original chapel once stood and here is what they built. It’s really beautiful little church with a great view of the island.
Our next stop was the coast line of Aruba and the natural bridge which used to be one of Aruba’s most famous destinations for tourists. Unforutnately the original “Natural Bridge” collapsed in 2005 but a smaller version next to it still remains and is really cool. The bridge is actually coral limestone that has been cut away by pounding waves and wind over thousands of years to create this bridge that spans a section of the Carribean. This new bridge is much smaller than the original but still probably 60 feet long and maybe 15-20 feet tall. It’s amazing to think of the power of the surf hitting these rocks over thousands of years to actually strip away / destroy the coral limestone and create this natural feature in the rock.
The remnants of the old Natural Bridge that collapsed.
Next stop was the Bushiribana Ruins which was the old and crumbling remains of a gold smelting operation in Aruba. The building was constructed out of natural stone in 1825 and operated through most of the 19th century. Over the 90 years the facility was in use it is said they produced 3 million pounds of gold which seemed like an impressive total to me. Also, the facade had these huge windows which was to create the illusion this was a fort equipped with large cannons for passing ships. They didn’t want pirates or foreign armies to be tipped off about all the gold contained behind the walls.
View from the top of the ruins, overlooking the beach.
After a busy morning we stopped for lunch at a local Ostrich Farm where Ostrich wasn’t on the menu and instead had some delicious BBQ ribs. Afterward we were given a tour of the farm and it’s nearly 60 ostriches and emus where we learned some pretty interesting facts.
1. Ostriches are the largest and heaviest birds in the world and Aruba is the perfect climate for them to live.
2. They are the fastest-running birds, reaching speeds of up to 43 mph. At this speed, they are the only animals that can outrun leopards!
3. The amazing speed of the ostrich is helpful in outrunning predators, but the ostrich can also use its powerful legs to kick like a kangaroo. In fact, its kick is strong enough to kill a lion. Ostriches can also defend themselves with a 4-inch claw on each foot.
4. Ostrich brains are as big as a walnut and smaller than their eyes. They are not particularly intelligent, but with the largest eyeball of any bird, they can see as far as 2.2 miles. It has been discovered that the cornea of the ostrich eye can be used to replace the human cornea.
We got a chance to interact with the ostriches as well which resulted in some pretty interesting pictures!
After the Ostrich Farm we headed to Arikok National Park and specifically the Natural Pool inside the park. On the way, the tour guide informed our driver on the four wheel drive capabilities of the Land Rover and some other tips about how to traverse the terrain we would be hitting shortly. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect as we embarked down the paved roads toward the national park but when we hit the actual trail, it was an interesting experience to say the least. As we turned off the paved road and onto the dirt roads of Arikok National Park the ride was rough going. These ‘roads’ if you can call them that were very poor with huge holes, divots, and drops around every corner and as passengers in the back of the Land Rover we were bounced all over the place… Some people have described the landscape what they imagine the moon to be like with no roads and incredibly rough / rugged terrain and I thought that was an apt comparison. I found out later from our guide that these trails do such a number of the Land Rovers that they have to replace the entire suspension setup in the trucks every 12 months!!! The driver of our vehicle was a tourist and from NYC but has some significant off roading experience with his Jeep and it became a running joke in our vehicle every time he said “Oh S*&^$” as we approached a new section of the trail… I lost count after probably a dozen times!
Eventually we reached the trailhead and after hiking down a couple hundred steps we reached the coast line and ‘Natural Pool’ . The Aruba coastline here is very rocky and full of volcanic rock peaking out of the crystal clear water every way you looked. The natural pool or Conchi as it is called by the locals is a surreal and very calm pool that is surrounded on all sides by the volcanic rock. It’s crazy swimming in this very calm water and on all sides are these huge waves crashing into the volcanic rock that provides a protective barrier to the pool. The pool itself was filled with lots of tropical life including fish, crabs, and a small squid that we had the opportunity to swim with and get a clear view of with our snorkel gear.
View as we hiked down to the pool.
The violent seas just outside the pool, we were protected by this volcanic rock.
After leaving Natural Pool we headed to Guadirikiri Caves where we got a chance to explore the cave and some of the art inside that was created by island Natives many years ago, this place was okay but if you ever come to Aruba I would skip it to spend more time other places.
Our last stop of the day was Baby Beach which is one of the best beaches in Aruba but not very crowded since it’s far away from the tourist hubs; probably a 45 minute plus drive if you know exactly how to get there… Which is tough since most of the streets in Aruba are not labeled! Fortunately our tour guide took us right there and we found a beautiful beach with excellent snorkeling. The reason it’s called Baby Beach is two fold:
1. The water is very shallow, probably 150 feet offshore it was maybe 4 feet deep and so it’s very safe for kids who can go pretty far out with no danger of the water being over their heads.
2. No waves… The water here is very flat more like a very calm lake then what you would expect in the ocean but again it makes it ideal for kids and also snorkeling since there are no waves to bounce you around or throw water in your snorkel.
On the downside there is a Valero refinery plant on Aruba and it’s clearly visible for Baby Beach on the far left side but for most people, me included didn’t spoil the beauty and tranquility of the beach in the slightest. Some pictures of Baby Beach are below.
That was the last stop on the ABC Tour of Aruba and headed back to Club Arias for the evening. After a quick shower and nap, it was dinner time and fortunately those plans were taken care of us by my host Arias. Everyone staying at the bed and breakfast including his family went out to a Lebanese / Middle Eastern restaurant where they served great food family style to the 12 of us there. It was just another example of Arias and his staff going above and beyond to setup a great dinner like that and get a chance to know some of the other guests and make some fun plans for the following day, which I did.
Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions / comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Day 23
This was the first day on my trip with no specific plans which is really unusual for me... Normally I have been flying from destination to destination and activity to activity which is great but has been draining over the last several weeks. Therefore I decided to embrace a day of rest and relaxation at Club Arias and do nothing but RELAX.
My day started with the 'breakfast' part of the bed and breakfast at Club Arias; they have a Cordon Blue trained chef on full time staff who cooks a delicious breakfast to order every morning. French toast, eggs, turkey bacon, and orange juice was just what I needed to start my day off right. Club Arias is not on the beach but has beautiful grounds which I spent all day enjoying and relaxing. Couple pictures of the ground are below:
Shallow pool with lounge chairs built in, perfect for reading a book and letting the water cool you off. Notice the swim up bar in the back stocked with cold lemonade all day.
Deeper pool for swimming with lounge chairs to relax and read.
Need shade? Club Arias has got you covered.
For dinner, I stayed at the Club where Gabriel the chef was doing unusual pizzas from scratch which were very good but the highlight was his dessert pizza which had a chocolate / cinnamon base with nuts for the topping. Never expected to enjoy a sweet dessert pizza but it was delicious and one of the best things I've eaten so far on this trip. Today was a really nice day of relaxing and doing nothing but it was short lived; tomorrow has a jam packed agenda! Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions / comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
Day 22
I started Day 22 at the Salt Lake City airport and that evening / early morning boarded a red eye flight to New York City. I've never had much success trying to sleep on airplanes in the past so trying to sleep for 4-5 hours on a cross country flight was a challenge... However, Jet Blue did a nice job of trying to make everyone comfortable with free sleeping masks / ear plugs to try and shut all the sights and sounds out. It worked okay for me and got a few hours of sleep before they greeted everyone with coffee and a hot towel as we landed in New York City.
I had a couple hours to kill into my next flight and took some time to enjoy Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Having seen my fair share of airports over the last several years; I have to say this terminal is among the best I have ever seen. This terminal is purely for Jet Blue and there are several things that I really like about it:
Wi-Fi / Charging Stations: The entire terminal is covered with free and very fast Wi-Fi which is much better than most airports that charge a ridiculous rate for 24 hours of access. In addition, there are these bars with stools all over the terminal with dozens of outlets for charging cell phones, ipods, laptops, etc. Super convenient place to charge devices and browse the internet.
Tons of great restaurants / food options in the terminal that are 'reasonably' priced for airport food anyway. Full sushi bar, breakfast options, sit down restaurants, and more are all available. At the aforementioned charging stations, each seat has a touchscreen that links to a restaurant where you can order food, pay for it with a credit card swipe, and have it delivered to you.
'Ask Us' Desks: There are several of these stations in each wing of the terminal staffed with Jet Blue representatives whose sole job is to help with whatever you need. I had to get assistance with a couple issues during my trip and every time found these people exceedingly friendly and helpful. With some many big companies providing abhorrent customer service it was a pleasure dealing with Jet Blue at JFK.
Later that morning I boarded my flight to another Caribbean destination, this time the Dutch island of Aruba. This trip was not part of my original agenda but after a hiccup trying to get to Costa Rica and rave reviews from another person on this Jet Blue pass I booked the flights. Aruba is down on the very southern edge of the Caribbean maybe 20 miles off the coast of South America and has a very different feel from what most people thing of as 'The Caribbean' which you will hear about later.
After a nearly five hour flight we hit Aruba and after I grabbed a taxi to Club Arias my hotel for the next several days. This was a bed and breakfast that has absolutely rave reviews on Trip Advisor and something off the beaten path. I wanted to stay away from the big chain resorts and get something a little quieter with a little more character. This place was everything I hope it would be and more with beautiful grounds, comfortable rooms, and a fantastic staff truly dedicated to making sure everything was perfect.
Shortly after checking in, the owner of the hotel Arias came by my room and we talked for an hour about my trip and what I would like to do in Aruba. He also shared with me his story as a stock broker in New York and after doing very well in the early 2000's decided to quit and build houses / apartments which he enjoyed doing. Over time he got sick of dealing with tenants in the states, fell in love with the island of Aruba, and decided to build a Bed & Breakfast over a several year period.
I couldn't imaging moving thousands of miles away to start a business in a foreign country in an area he didn't have much experience in.... However, in talking to him you can tell he genuinely loves what he is doing and that kind of passion is truly fantastic. How can you not be inspired by someone who takes risks, chases their dreams, and enjoys the results when those dreams come true! After chatting with Arias he made a restaurant recommendation for dinner; 'The Flying Fishbone' which was supposed to be a unique restaurant, with delicious food, and great sunset views. A reservation was made for 6 PM and after getting settled in my room; headed off for dinner.
'The Flying Fishbone' was a seafood restaurant right on the beach overlooking the western Caribbean. What made it particularly unique was most of the tables are actually on the beach with the first couple rows of tables actually in the water... So you sit down and let the cool blue water of wash over your feet / legs depending on the tide levels at the time. I heard stories of people who would have tropical fish and other forms of sea life tickling their feet while enjoying fresh seafood and a the beautiful view. A few pictures from the evening are below:
View from my table at the restaurant; the empty tables are for low tide. Right now the water would be up to most people's waist.
Sunset that night, little too cloudy for a great sunset but wanted to try,.
After a delicious dinner of a fresh seafood curry I went back to Club Arias, enjoyed the hammock looking over the pool while reading a good book, and eventually hit my bed for a restful night of sleep. Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions / comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Day 21
I woke up this morning feeling much better and was ready to hit Zion National Park for a very specific reason... To hike the Zion Narrows! That night I had a red eye flight from Salt Lake City to New York so had to pack up everything in my car and be prepared to leave Zion immediately after the hike and drive to the airport. 
Zion National Park at some level reminds me of Yosemite but on a smaller scale and with far fewer people. There are beautiful canyons, cliffs, waterfalls, and a river flowing through the middle of a canyon that forms the heart of the park. My destination today was the Zion Narrows and would be an all day endeavor. Some background on the “Narrows” courtesy of Wikipedia:
The Narrows in Zion National Park, (near Springdale, Utah) is a section of canyon on the North Fork of the Virgin River. The hike of The Narrows is one of the premier hikes on the Colorado Plateau. The term The Narrows refers to both the through-hike of The Narrows, and to The Narrows themselves, especially the 3.6 mile (6 km) long section of canyon between the end of the Riverside Walk Trail and Big Springs. The Narrows lies north of, and upstream of, the main Zion Canyon. Hiking the Narrows was rated # 5 in the National Geographic ranking of America's Best 100 Adventures.
The Narrows is one of the most unusual hikes on the Colorado Plateau. Hiking is done largely in the river, as for a third of the route, the river runs canyon wall to canyon wall. The walls are vertical and sheer, and often red in color. While water levels change from season to season, most hikers will wade at least waist-deep, and many will swim a few short sections.
The Narrows can be hiked either as a through-hike from Chamberlain Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava; or as an up-and-back hike from the Temple of Sinawava. The through-hike can be done in a day or as a two-day backpack trip. Chamberlain Ranch is accessed by the dirt North Fork Road east of the Park, and is situated in a rolling forest of aspen and scrub oak. No sign of the spectacular gorge ahead can be seen from the ranch. The hiker proceeds down the river and into an ever-deepening gorge, eventually getting to The Narrows and ending at the Temple of Sinawava. The hike is 16 miles (26 km) long and is very tiring because it is in the river itself. Permits are required before hiking the Narrows from the top and can be obtained at the Zion National Park Backcountry Desk.
The Narrows can also be explored from the bottom up, and the best places visited with less effort. The farther one goes upstream, the less crowded the canyon becomes.
Hiking in the river is strenuous. The water is often murky and the bottom of the river is covered with round, basalt rocks about the size of bowling balls. This makes foot protection and use of trekking poles or a walking stick essential. In the spring, The Narrows might be closed due to flooding while the snow melts off the upland areas to the north if the flow rate is higher than 120 cubic feet per second. During the summer, thunderstorms can cause The Narrows to flash flood. Rain showers upriver can cause flash floods in the canyon without it raining over the canyon itself. Hikers should exercise caution when hiking The Narrows during rainy periods, as the winding canyon and sheer walls make approaching flash floods all the more sudden and difficult to evade.
When I was planning out my trip and read this exact article on Wikipedia, this immediately became a must do on my journey. Just outside the park, I stopped at a local outfitter for special shoes, neoprene socks, and a hiking staff to give myself the best chance of staying upright on the hike. Hiking through a moving river where the bottom is smooth and slippery rocks could mean bad news, especially since I was carrying all of my photography gear in a regular backpack. One slip could mean disaster for my gear and a very sad Chris for the rest of the trip...
After parking at the Zion Visitor Center; I grabbed the shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava which is the end of Zion Canyon and the start of the trail. The first mile or so of the trail is a paved path which runs along the Virgin River and as you hike down the trail you can slowly see the canyon getting narrower and deeper. Eventually the trail just ends and if you want to continue hiking you have no choice but to start walking the Virgin River.
Brief notes about this hike in case you decide to do it:
Make sure you get the correct gear for the hike; the water is cold and having the neoprene covering your feet or higher depending on water level makes a big difference in staying warm.
Take your time as the hike can be very slippery walking over “bowling ball” size river rocks that are smooth, wet, and in some cases covered with algae making them like walking on ice. The right shoes and a walking stick or two are crucial for not taking a face first dive into the Virgin River.
Depending on the season, you don't spend the entire hike in the river... The water was lower in September and I spent probably 50% of the hike in the river and the rest of the time on shores that would periodically be in available. The water in September wasn't really deep and it got up to my waist at a couple points, nothing higher...
With all those things in mind, this hike was truly spectacular being in a narrow canyon in some cases 20-30 feet wide with gorgeous sandstone cliffs rising hundreds or in some cases thousands of feet above you on both sides. It's difficult to describe but there is a reason that National Geographic ranked it 5th of the best adventures in America. I'll let the pictures do the talking:
The hike was truly spectacular and as a result I lost track of time and didn't make it back to my car until nearly 6 PM which was a problem... It's a 5 hour drive to Salt Lake City and my flight took off at 11:30 meaning I had 30 minutes to drop my rental car off, get through security, and make it to the gate... Plus I would have to stop for gas at least twice or pay the 9 dollars a gallon or whatever insane rate the rental car companies charge for gas! I had a lead foot on my way back to Salt Lake City and fortunately didn't meet any nice state partrol officers and hit the airport rental car desk 40 minutes before my flight. Luckily the airport was deserted and I was through security and at the gate in less than 5 minutes with time to grab a quick snack before my red eye flight to NYC.
My blog and journey will continue with Day 22 in Aruba! Thanks for reading my blog and as always any questions / comments please post below or email me at chris@pricelessperspectives.com
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