A couple of weeks ago I completed my first solo journey from Temecula to Denver by car. Of course, in the 21st century that isn’t a really hard or amazing feat (its no Lindbergh Flight), but that doesn’t take away from the beauty of the journey.

The road trip itself is really simple: Interstate 15 to Interstate 70. At 65 mph the trip took about 17 hours, and I spread out the drive over a two day period, spending the night in Richfield, Utah, a small town off of I-70 in Utah. Like Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit, I had to make a delivery in set a time, in this case it was Beth’s 1999 Hyundai Elantra and the recipient was her younger sister, Kate.

It was a fun drive, but I would be lying if I didn’t miss having my two co-pilots, Beth and Chachy (our dog). Prior to leaving on the trip, I got the new iPhone 4s so everything I shot came from the Hipstamatic App with the exception of the photos that I’m featured in, which I used Instagram because it can utilize the iPhone’s front facing camera.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Last week, after a two decade hiatus, I got reacquainted with some old friends from my youth. Shamu, Clyde, Seymour and I spent many a summer together. Each year, we (my mom,grandparents and I) traveled to Ohio to spend a few days camping at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Campground so we could hit up Geagua Lake and the now defunct Sea World of Ohio.

This reunion came about from a birthday request from mom. Since she had Beth and I as well as my grandparents all in one place for her birthday this year (a rarity), she decided to pull the Sea World card. And you know what I’m glad she did, everyone had a great time and we got the photos to prove it.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

I could be way off base on this–especially because I have never been to Australia–but I’ve always felt that the country’s coast today is what California was in the 1970s. Trust me, I love 21st century California. But the glow and innocence that oozes out of the photos from that decade is something I really wish I had chance to experience to firsthand.

When I see pictures (or videos like the one below) from Australia, I see the 70s technicolor California dream that I soaked up through shows like CHiPs, Three’s Company and The Fall Guy. So why don’t I just hop on a plane and go to the new promise land? Well…I’m broke and flights to Australia from the States are costly.

One day I’ll make it, and hopefully by then Australia will not have matured into the California of today. If you’ve also been yearning to make it to the Gold Coast, but can’t seem to find the funds (or if you have the funds but would prefer a free trip) then you should check out this fantastic contest hosted by Tourism Australia, which runs until Sept. 30.

*The contest is only open to legal residents of England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and legal residents of the Netherlands who are between the ages of 18 to 30 years of age at the time of entry. You can check out the official rules here.

The Prize (Ponch would approve!)

The lucky winner will pick up the following prize to help kick start their Aussie adventure:

• Return economy flights to Australia for the winner and a mate, flying in to and out of either: Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin, Perth or Hobart (winner’s choice).

• Ten nights hostel accommodation on arrival in Australia for the winner and a mate.

• A ’30 Days in Oz’ experience for the winner and a mate, depending on the city they fly into:

Brisbane – a day trip to Australia Zoo and kayak experience on the Brisbane River
Sydney – a day tour to the Blue Mountains and a learn to surf lesson on Bondi Beach
Melbourne – a two day Great Ocean Road tour
Adelaide – a two day Kangaroo Island tour
Darwin – a two day Kakadu National Park tour
Perth – a day trip to Rottnest Island and a day trip to the Pinnacles
Hobart – a day trip to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and mountain biking experience at Mt Wellington

• A 10,000 km Greyhound bus pass OR a six month Ausrail Pass for the winner and a mate to get around.

• A Sony Bloggie Touch MHS-TS20K camera for the winner and a mate to record their own ‘day in Oz’ video.

So how the heck do you enter this contest (aka the fine print)?

During the Competition Period, Facebook members may enter the Competition through the Tourism Australia application on the Facebook Platform. To enter the Competition during the Competition Period:

1) Visit www.facebook.com (the “Facebook Site”) and log into your Facebook account.

2) Visit the Tourism Australia Facebook page at www.facebook.com/australianworkingholiday

3) click on the Competition tab. You can then enter the Competition through the application located in the Competition Tab. As a part of your Entry, entrant must “Like” the Tourism Australia page, correctly answer the three trivia questions and complete the entry form with all required information which will include your Full Name, Country, email, and Age on the entry submission page, and agree to the Official Rules.

Limit: One (1) entry per person not including BONUS entry.

Bonus entry: Earn one bonus entry for each eligible Facebook friend you invite using the “invite friends” button in the Competition Facebook application, who completes the registration process and enters the Competition. Persons associated with Emails submitted through the “invite friends” functionality must be personally known friends or family members, who are 18-30 years of age at the time of submission.

*This post is sponsored by Tourism Australia.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Somewhere In Time is a weekly photo from around the world. Enjoy!

I love Joshua Tree National Park. If you ever get the chance to visit – go!

It’s a playground for adults and children alike and is one of my favorite spots in California. The landscape is unique – part barren desert, part larger than life boulders all dotted with snarled Joshua Trees that sprout up randomly. It’s a little bit unearthly and a little bit magical at the same time. If you go, try to camp at Jumbo Rocks. It’s one of the several campgrounds within the park and looks just like it sounds. Giant boulders make up the campground and embody the perfect background for tents, campfire stories and starry nights. They also make for great climbing material. You can climb on them for hours on end – literally spending full days exploring new heights and jumping between rocks. Last year Randy and I took Chachy (our dog) to Joshua Tree and we all ran around the rocks. Chachy loves climbing rocks and he took off like a rocket as soon as we got out of the car.

It was about sundown when I spotted these two boys in the distance. They appeared to be brothers and one was showing the other something he had found. They were standing on top of a very large boulder as the sun drifted off below them. I was able to snap a few photos before they jumped off to the next spot and this one became the clear winner when I saw the curiosity between them. I love this photo because even though I don’t know who they are and I only occupied the same boulder with them for a few minutes I can understand the sense of wonder they share in this photo.

If you visit Joshua Tree I guarantee you’ll feel the same way.

Want to see more Somewhere In Time images? Visit our Somewhere In Time Travel Photo Gallery!

*This photo is part of Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox.

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers & Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

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California is America’s playground.  From the neon sex of the Sunset Strip to the knee-deep powder of the Sierra Nevadas, the Golden State offers up a smorgasbord of fun for travelers of all walks of life.  Despite California’s diverse landscape—24 climates in all—and renowned metropolises, there is one drawback to the 31st state; it’s huge, 158,706 square miles to be exact (that’s 411,048 square kilometers for the international travelers).

As the third largest state in the Union, its size can be overwhelming. The sheer size and population of the state can leave travelers looking to capture the local feel perplexed, until now. With multiple flights to Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco, you can easily pick the region you want to spend time in. Below are the to

Sunset Cliff in San Diego, California. Photo:Ginsbod

p five best kept secrets about California.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, San Diego

Picture perfect sunsets, great walking/ hiking trials and private beach coves, Sunset Cliffs is the locals reprieve from the city’s crowded summer beaches. A short drive from Ocean Beach, Sunset Cliffs offers a wonderful place for a romantic afternoon, exploring tide pools or just lazing the day away.  Ample free parking is available in the lots along Sunset Cliffs Boulevard as well as in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Labeled the “eighth wonder of the world,” the aerial tramway is a designated historic civil engineering landmark.  Renovated in 2000 to incorporate rotating tram cars, the 47-year-old tram travels more than 8,000 feet from the desert floor to the evergreens of San Jacinto State Park in about 15 minutes.  Riding the tram is a perfect afternoon activity offering travelers panoramic views of the Coachella Valley, or an excellent steeping off point for year round backpacking activities.  A rustic lodge located at the top of the mountain contains two restaurants and a lounge.

Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl

For the price of a double cheeseburger at McDonald’s, you could enjoy one of the many summer evening concerts at the world famous Hollywood Bowl. (For those of you who don’t know that is only $1.)  Set in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, the Bowl, which was built in 1919, is located only a few blocks from the bustling Hollywood Boulevard.  Concert-goers are encouraged to bring their own picnic baskets filled with their favorite bread, cheeses and wine.

For the ultra budget traveler, daytime concert rehearsals for the summer series are free to the public.  Additionally, the Hollywood Bowl and its grounds are open to the public at no charge during the daytime.

Specs Twelve Adler Museum Cafe, San Francisco

A hold over from the blue collar, bohemian days of San Francisco, Specs, as one regular and poet described it, is an “easy, funky place.”  Located down a short alley in North Beach at 12 William Saroyan Place, Specs offers cheap drinks as well as crackers and cheese—sliced directly from wheel—for about $3.  The walls are plastered with photos, maritime memorabilia, and other eclectic pieces gathered throughout the bars storied 32 year history.

 

Bridgette & Mike wandering at the Sugarloaf campground in Sonoma.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Sonoma

Weekend wine tasting getaways are fun, but accommodations, even at the chain motels, can be costly.  Car camping in Sonoma’s wine country offers a great way to experience the lush valley without the financial hangover.  Sugarloaf Ridge State Park offers campsites for $30 a night.  The campground is a short drive to downtown Sonoma and the surrounding wineries.

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

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Somewhere In Time is a weekly photo from around the world. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago I was visiting my cousin in Oakland while getting ready to shoot a wedding in the Bay area. I peeked out her kitchen window and found this amazing view of the Hill Castle Apartment complex. I loved the sign and the urban look of the entire scene so I took a few pictures and decided to run the HDR treatment on them. The noisy pattern on the photo (you can see it best in the sky) comes from her kitchen screen which I could not get out of the window for the picture. In the end, it actually turned out pretty cool and the noise from the screen added to the final product. Oakland is an interesting place. Known by most as crime ridden and grungy, it has a thriving indie scene and a large amount of community based activism. It also has a LOT of really cool, 20′s style art deco signs. I think my cousin said it had the 3rd largest amount of art deco in the entire U.S. Pretty cool and definitely unexpected.

To see more Somewhere In Time photos click here.

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

If Carlsbad State Beach and San Elijo State Beach were sisters, San Elijo would definitely be the social butterfly, party girl, straight C (maybe B’s) sister.

Don’t get me wrong I actually really like this campground, in fact it may be my favorite one in this region. For starters I LOVE the layout. Instead of the one straight, boring road that is the Carlsbad campground, San Elijo winds around a bit giving it more of a real camping feel. You can turn a corner and find an absolutely awesome spot and camp right under a palm tree – like we did last week. That was cool.

The downside to the layout is that you have less privacy but it adds to the sociable feel of the place.

This campground is also great because it not only has a store, surfboard rentals and a surf school, it also has a taco shop! I haven’t tried out the taco’s yet but you can bet I will be soon. It has a cute little picnic area that overlooks the water.

Another perk is that there is a commercial area right across the street. There’s a pizza place, a Subway, numerous coffee shops, a couple bars & restaurants, a 7-11, a surf shop, etc, etc. This is pretty nice if you want to go pick up a snack or simply want to take a stroll to somewhere besides the beach. Carlsbad is surrounded by residential neighborhoods – you can walk around but there isn’t really anywhere to go so it’s nice that in San Elijo you can walk to a bunch of a different areas. One thing to note though is that the commercial area brings in more traffic which makes this campground a bit noisier.

Traveling with your dog? There is a bar right outside the campground called The Office. It doesn’t bear any resemblance to the show but it is 100% dog friendly. You can bring your dog inside and have a couple drinks or watch the game. There are bound to be plenty of other dogs in there and from what I saw everyone got along just fine.

This campground is also situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean and is perfect for swimming, surfing or just walking on the beach.

The major downside to this campground? It’s proximity to the commuter train. The train runs up the coast and runs by both Carlsbad & San Elijo campgrounds however it is loud and clear in San Elijo and I have never even heard the train at the Carlsbad campground. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t annoying. It is most definitely annoying. It goes until about 1am every night and because it passes through a commercial/residential area it announces it’s arrival by sounding off a huge horn as it passes by. The crashing waves help to muffle it a bit, but not much.

This campground also has electricity at some of the sites. It does cost $20/day, which I think is really expensive but if you need electricity it is there. I am thinking of hijacking an unused electric site tomorrow simply to see how long I can work until they tell me to move. Maybe the park guides won’t care – I won’t know until I try it though!

(The campground store & taco shop.)

Is this the right campground for you?

This is a great place to camp if you want to hang out, meet people and maybe have a BBQ with your neighbor. People seem to be younger and much more social here.  I see small groups always gathering by the taco shop or by the bathrooms. There also seem to be more kids & young families. If you’re looking for a bit more relaxation you will probably want to head to Carlsbad instead. There are families there but mainly I see a lot of retired people just enjoying the view. Carlsbad feels more private and it is definitely a lot quieter.

Know before you go:

If you book online and want a $35 site, try to get a middle site rather than one in the back of the campground. Those sites directly abut a very busy road and the train. Being in the middle will buffer a bit of the sound and give you a more camp like experience.

This campground fills up fast! If you’re going to camp here in the summer make sure to make your reservation 48 hrs in advance. If you drive in, you will most likely not get a site. To read more tips on getting a good site read our other post about saving $$ on your camping site. To read our review of the Carlsbad campground please click here.

$35/ inland site  $50/ocean site  $20/day for electricity $12/day for an additional car (yes a trailer is a car), showers $1 for 3 minutes

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

A couple days ago I did a review on the campground at Anza Borrego Desert and how you can camp for free. To read that review, click here.

We also did an amazing hike when we were out there. I highly recommend doing this hike if you are in the area. I love the desert but I have never actually been on a desert hike where I came across a small river and a huge canyon of palm trees!

It was unbelievable to see all of this life flourishing under the hot desert sun. It was magical really. Around every corner there were different plants, animals and then finally the canyon filled with palm trees. It was really unique.

The hike was called the Palm Canyon Hike and was about 6.5 miles R/T. It is worth it but make sure you bring a ton of water with you! It can get very, very hot. Take extra precautions if you are headed out any time during the summer.

Here are some photos from the hike.

(Someone decided to start the trail off with a smiley face!)

(This picture may not seem like much but remember these plants are blooming under the hot, arid desert sun – it’s amazing!)

(Part of the hiking path.)

(A beautiful, blooming Octillo cactus.)

(Water in the desert! What??!!)(The really cool palm canyon. Looks like it should be on a scene in Lost.)

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

A few weeks ago we took a hike through the Anza Borrego desert. We ended up there by accident but it was awesome because it was right during the blooming of the desert wild flowers. I have always wanted to see the desert flowers and I was not disappointed!

We took a day hike called the Palm Canyon Hike (6.5 miles R/T) through the desert which led to a huge canyon filled with palm trees.

Palm trees, flowers and a flowing riving in the middle of the dry, arid desert! It was awesome.

I love the desert and this state park was really beautiful!

However one thing that makes it even better – is that you can Camp for free!

We did camp here and I actually forgot to take pictures in order to do a proper review but I’ve included some basic info below:

We found out about the free sites after we already paid which was a bummer! Here’s the brief rundown on the spot we camped at:

The site was $25/night, showers were about $2 and the campground was the beginning of the Palm Canyon Hike, which was really convenient. Overall, it was a really nice spot.

BUT,

if you visit the park I recommend stopping in the visitors center and asking them where the free campgrounds are. Some of them sounded quite nice and I remember one in particular was just right across the street from a paid, private campground and I was told you could go over and use their showers. I think the name of that one was Yaqui Well but I am not 100% sure. The free sites are primitive and I don’t think they have water but I believe they have chemical toilets. If you want to have a fire you have to have a metal container that you bring with you. I was told that most people use the top of a tin trash can for their fire. Again, the visitors center will be able to tell you exactly what to expect and where to go.

We had planned to head back another time and take advantage of the free camping sites (and take pics for a review) but we simply haven’t had the time to get back out there.

The other thing I want to note is that besides the designated free camping sites you can actually camp for free anywhere in Anza Borrego state park.

Anywhere.

You can simply pull off the side of the road and camp. It is the only state park in California that allows this. It’s pretty old school and kind of cool if you think about it.

If you’ve read my other posts about the high costs associated with camping in California state parks, you’ll know this is pretty amazing!

I definitely recommend checking out Anza Borrego. It is a beautiful spot and it’s only about 2 hours from San Diego. It’s also a perfect stopover if you are on the way to Joshua Tree since it is just about halfway.

I will have some photos of our hike that I will post in the next day or so and that will give you an idea of just how beautiful the area is.

I also posted some photos of desert flowers last week you can look at but for now I will leave you with these funny pictures of Randy strutting his stuff on the hike.

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Disclaimer: A couple people have written to me thinking that I am mad at my mother. This is meant to be a funny story. I am not mad at my mom in any way and she is the best mom anyone could ever ask for. I have already asked her what she thought of me posting this story (to add some history to the post) and she said that she didn’t mind. Tomorrow is her birthday and I wanted to send her some flower pictures. Please don’t think I am mad at my mother or that I dislike her in any way. She is awesome!

Many moons ago when I was a photo student I was thinking of transferring colleges. I had an interview at another school and was asked to bring my best photography portfolio. At the time my portfolio was REALLY dark. I don’t mean the colors but the theme was dark. I was struggling with change, growing up and all the emotions that go along with that ball of wax. I was inspired by the likes of Sally Mann, Cindy Sherman, Julia Margaret Cameron and Joel-Peter Witkin to name a few.  My images weren’t happy ones but they were very real to me. I was really proud of my portfolio. My teachers and classmates liked it and I loved it. However my mother HATED it.

Anyway, she always used to bug me to take pictures of “something nice, like flowers” instead. This was something she asked me to do over and over again. So much so that now it is a joke between us. No way! I was an artist, I wasn’t about to spend my hard earned angst on freaking flowers! Gross.

Well she and my father drove me to my interview (at the new school) and I had all of my photos in a large envelope without matting, as requested by the school. I fell asleep in the back seat and my mother was holding the envelope, which I didn’t think twice about.

Until I got into the interview.

I went in and met with the Dean of the college prepared to show him my best work. After I described my portfolio I started taking out the accompanying photos. Imagine my complete surprise when I saw that, while I was sleeping, my mother had taken out ALL of the photos that I thought were the best. All of the ones with the darkest undertones. All of the ones she hated the most.

All that was left was random filler crap. I was speechless. It made me look like an idiot and it made me look like I didn’t prepare at all for the interview. Now at this point I didn’t realize this was my mother’s doing, I was thinking that maybe I actually forgot to bring the right pictures. I was totally dumbfounded and my interview was a total bomb because of it.

I walked out back into the car where my parents were waiting and surprise, surprise what was in there – my missing photos! My mom decided (although she has absolutely no background in art) that she was going to help me out by removing the photos she didn’t like. She assumed that a highly ranked photography only art school wouldn’t like them either.  What?!!?? I was so pissed, as anyone would be. I mean can you even imagine! My blood, sweat & tears removed just like that. She really thought at the bottom of her heart though that she was doing the right thing and that she was helping me out.

Well long story short, because of my bombed interview and ridiculous photo presentation I didn’t get into that school. Which was probably a blessing in disguise. Instead I made the best friends a person could ask for at UMass Dartmouth and had an absolute blast in their art department. So it’s a long time coming but -

Thanks mom for bombing my interview! I made amazing friends who I still know today and you saved me thousands of dollars in student loan debt that I would’ve acquired at the private art school! In the end it was for the best – so thank you!!

Since tomorrow is your birthday and I’m not there in person I wanted to send you this little photo collection I made just for you. It took about 15 years for but here it is -

Flowers! Flowers! Flowers!

I still don’t like shooting them but I have come to peace with it since I love you so much! Plus the desert wildflowers are pretty nice aren’t they?

Wish I was there but I will see you in about a month. I Love You – Happy Birthday!!!!

Love,

Your flower-shooting daughter

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!