Tag Archives: traveler

The conversation within art 

“I had to create an equivalent for what I felt about what I was looking at – not copy it.”- Georgia O’Keeffe

I personally believe the best way to appreciate art is to visit ateliers/studios, creatively inspiring me to start a recent New Mexico journey. In art history, Georgia O’Keeffe is one of the most significant Modernist artists in the United States, and one of its most celebrated icons, best known for her large format paintings of natural subjects, especially flowers and bones, and for her depictions of New York City skyscrapers and architectural and landscape forms unique to northern New Mexico. I visited Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe and witnessed her paintings and a significant archive of documents and photographs relating to her life and times, opening a wonderful “conversation” with her naturally. 

I saw the world with O’Keeffe! 

My eyes were fixed on a nature portrayal of an enlarged purple-lavender color dropping flower leaning towards the painting’s center, a sloping darker arch is slightly obscuring a similarly styled petunia. I looked closer, the subtle shades of lavender, inter-mixed with the tones of the lily-pad leaf, accentuate the maturing petunia buds on the painting’s lower-left part. My lens zooms in closer again, I could capture their frills and fleshy folds, the smallest pistils so clearly. I was transported to a natural scene, abounded in stillness and calmness. 

She depicted their natural beauty in her familiar, close-up style, painting their textures, symmetry and delicate structures in vivid detail. “Petunia No.2(1924)”.

We shared deep interest in the design of nature. I continued to “walk” in nature and take time to carefully observe each detail of natural objects – flowers, trees, leaves, water, clouds, feathers, shells, from stripes, color, shade, texture to pattern. 

The flower was a tool through which O’Keeffe could explore varying language of abstraction and representation. “Pink Ornamental Banana, 1939”. 
I was like a tree, rooted in painting, also in the nature. “Gerald’s Tree I, 1937”.
She never ceases to amaze me with her life’s work. 
“Dark and Lavender Leaves,1931”.

O’Keeffe worked mostly in charcoal, using expressive and vibrant hues that presents its artistic expression. Another painting, Anything, 1916, caught my attention, through unique framing, magnification and simplification with a new perspective, three conical green trees rise from the base of the work and extend into the central and left portions of the pieces. In the center of the painting, a rounded tree with a yellowish center emerges above the green trees. The color against the evening sky, stretching out from the tree oscillate with movement and vitality, making the object alive and unfold the meaning of life. 

She embodied her artistic skill, but her intrinsic understanding of the beauty nature possess. 

The silent artistic language built a deep and thoughtful connection between us. We kept “communicating” in the room, I found some similarities with her, our passion and spirit of independence and adventurous, making a long journey alone, we observe and immerse ourselves outside and surrounding, return home with souvenirs – an experience or inspiration as a reference record in the books. 

Maybe that was me, in another life! 

We just choose our own unique vision for ourselves, as an independent thinker, with our own aesthetic! 

I saw myself from her. 
The iconic photographs taken of O’Keeffe by her husband, Alfred Stieglitz. 

My artistic journey continued, heading to Abiquiu, to O’Keeffe’s Home and Studio, venturing a bit further afield, learning more about her. I did only one hike on this adventure –- Plaza Blanca, marveling at the massive rock towers composed of volcanic debris deposited over centuries. O’Keeffe referred it as “The White Place” due to the pastel white and grey sandstone, made even more dramatic offset against crystal clear, cobalt blue New Mexico skies. Just like her, to be hunting for something of myself out there, the wind blew, the sun was strong, I was surrounded and embraced by almost alien spires which deeply inspired me. My mind was totally freedom in the immense high desert horizons.  

In “The White Place”, she selected a view that emphasizes a deep cleft in the formation.
I hiked far out of discovering what unknown lay ahead. 

O’Keeffe lived her aesthetic. Her home and studio reflected a blend of Native American and Spanish Colonial building styles, with its natural light, open layout, midcentury modern furnishing, decorated with rocks and bones from her collection, showcased regional architectural features dating back centuries and into traditional adobe treatments.

I was fascinated by a different kind of color from anything I’d ever seen. 

I “walked” into her each room, from the garden, the salita (the room behind the famous black patio door where she prepared her canvases), sitting room, dining room, laundry room, to her bedroom and closet, got a glimpse of her way of living. 

I loved to see the ladders in NM, evoking the way into their world. The kitten always followed us. 
Hello, O’cat ! I followed his/her adventure too. 

She created timeless and restful spaces with her heart, that was from a real artist. She took the surrounding natural geography into account and reflected on their unique setting. She used shades of local earth to complement the surrounding nature-earth tones of sand, black, browns and beige, completed with a mud plaster floor, rough-hewn beams, and rich textures. 

In the dining room, traditional touches abound, including the original rafters, a mud plaster floor and a Navajo rug. I noticed a Noguchi lamp hangs above the table, as a contrast.
I enjoyed looking out the window: surmounted only by latillas, the roofless room provides a perfect backdrop to O’Keeffe’s sculpture, Abstraction, 1946, imbued with balance and harmony.   
“Abstraction, 1946” embraces her fascination with sinuous shapes, continuity, and organic forms. It reminds me of a seashell or wind. What do you see in this piece? 
A large window, with its abundant light and sweeping views of the Chama River Valley, became the inspiration for much of O’Keeffe’s greatest work. 
O’Keeffe purchased the hand of Buddha from her Thailand travel in 1959, and it now is mounted in her bedroom in Abiquiu. 
 

In her design vision, I sense that art doesn’t have to be purchased from a gallery. Sometimes, masterpieces are made merely by keeping our eyes open to the sculpture that surrounds us and relating to the natural world with a well-deserved awe. Please give every little detail a space that foster inspiration, contemplation and artistic innovation. 

A ram’s skull is placed atop a log, a simple yet powerful pairing that somehow recalls both O’Keeffe’s southwest-inspired canvases and the kind of classical sculpture we might see in other places.
The zaguan’s eclectic décor includes a massive rack of elk antlers, an emerald-toned Mexican lebrillo, and a selection of rocks from her extensive collection. 
Something is in the air! 

“Everyone interprets art based on their own experiences. People see what they see, and I am always encouraging people to look more deeply into each piece to find their own story”. – Artist Hebe Garcia 

On this adventure, I visited artist Hebe Garcia’s studio. Even though we met each other for the first time, it felt like an old friend naturally, as she stood there to wait for me. Garcia and her husband, both originally from Puerto Rico, moved to Abiquiu in 2015, now live on a seemingly endless mesa above Abiquiu, with expansive views from the Pedernal to Taos Mountain and on up to Colorado. “Just happened at the right time,” she said.  

For a glimpse of the artist Garcia’s creative process. 

She specializes in figurative painting and ceramic sculpture, with narratives that weave mythology, feminism, culture, and history in a way that is both gentle and strong, deep and soulful. “I was born and grew up in mostly females’ family, I have three older sisters, and I have two daughters, and granddaughter as well.” Beautiful family photos hang on walls in the studio, the strong family connection is heartfelt. 

A group of four women represents herself and three sisters. 

An impressive painting drew me in, a beautiful female figure with rich texture and seriality and vivid blue-purple colors integrated on panel, like a confident lady walking under the sky, I took a glimpse to see her inner world with curiosity. Garcia explained, “There is one man hidden standing next to her in the painting”, she showed the outline of that hidden man to me, “it’s the secret of this painting”. I replied, that is strength and love reflecting an independent woman on her path. 

“And you will always be with me.” Do you see the hidden man? 

I also noticed her artworks are full of bird elements, “The birds that I saw are always rooted in my memories, and life. I embody it into the creation. I found myself using the ravens and their feathers as a symbol of my thoughts and memories,” she explained. 

The artwork unfolds her memories in varying direction. 

I saw the “evolution” of females from the painting “Dreaming of past lives”, external and internal, fills with different experiences that shape her perspective and path, a symbol of newfound sense of freedom, independence and strength to keep forward in the female growth journey.

Dream within a dream.

Each sculpture piece is made using slabs and coils of mid-fire red sculptural clay with engobe, oxide, glaze and some with gold luster, the artistic expression speaks volumes in its subtle way: it displays different facial expression, the loudest with their own narratives I could hear. A lively golden sun reflects on an innocent child’s face and eyes, the flowers are on the head, the ladybugs on the nose, drawing on memory to capture moments of celebration, joy and a meaningful bond. Garcia said the inspiration comes from her memory of her daughter’s face and those pollinators from her garden. 

She told me an interesting story. 
Her pieces hang here and there, seemingly in dialogue with one another, also with audience. I “talked” with each one, to discover their emotions, desires and fantasies. 

“Your eyes and minds are open,” she continued, “You are seeing the things, but you’re not just seeing the things you are in. My mind keeps working on other things, you’re seeing where you are going, and you are in another place”. I replied, same, that is creativity and juxtaposition. We connected and smiled at the same time. 

I captured her “Viajeros”(Travelers) series, reflecting our human journey naturally. We are all traveling through life, by self-discovery and searching for betterment, we are always curious to see where our journeys take us, like “Viajeros”, always ready for their new journeys and adventures, of course, new homes.

The tiny homes evoked my emotional instinct, it is about the hope, love, renewal, security. 
We had a profound conversation, exchanged the views of life, culture, family, adventure and art. 

We always have lots of conversations in life, with ourselves or others, with voices or without words. Perhaps the art and soul are holding it all together for us, speak of stories untold waiting to be drawn out by the innermost fancy of the observer, it is the relationship I find interesting and soulful. For a glimpse inside artists’ ever-curious minds, reveals evocative points of connection and dialogue; the artworks, even silence, but are the loudest and most powerful of our heart. I am fortunate enough to have both meaningful conversations with art and artist! 

Sleeping Beauty and Time

Time does not wait for anyone, but you always have to wait for time.

The Horsetail Fall (called the “Firefall”) in Yosemite National Park transforms into a stream of fire when the sunset hits the water just right, occurring in mid-late February annually. It needs several factors to converge to trigger the effect: sufficient snowpack, warm temperatures and a clear sky at sunset. If conditions are just right, the Firefall will light up but last only ten minutes.

I sensed this could be an adventure, so I decided to travel to Yosemite to witness this incredible natural wonder. However, due to my recent work situation change, I only had the weekend free, only 48 hours, a very short time to travel there and back. I still took this chance to have a special adventure, enjoying to the fullest this place in this brief time.

This adventure was totally different from my past ones, a new and special experience for me: it started and ended on midnight from Feb. 20 to Feb. 22, 2022, completing all in just 48 hours. I drove to Yosemite National Park from Los Angeles, California, completely in the dark, stopping to take a breaks every few hours, then hit the road again. I gazed from the car window, the dawn and the first ray of sunrise appearing in the sky, especially layers of pink colors reflected off the mountains.

This special adventure started and ended on midnight.

In the early morning of the first 24 hours, I drove along the Wawona Road (Highway 41) to Yosemite Valley. In winter, most trees there are bare and snow covered both sides of the road. I wondered when it would end and I could see Tunnel View, my first stop, one of the famous views of Yosemite Valley. Because I had driven a long time, since midnight, I was a little bit rushed. I arrived at the entrance to Wawona Tunnel, the longest in California at just under a mile. I drove through it, all in the dark, music playing in my car, the entire time being in this tunnel, until the blue sky appeared slowly at the end of the tunnel.

Driving through the Wawona Tunnel is an enjoyable experience.

I was greeted by the Tunnel View and stood there to witness the scene a while: the Bridalveil Falls on the right, El Capitan on the left and half Dome further in the distance. My hands were numb due to the low temperature. The most interesting thing for me was the presence of so many photographers there to capture every moment and angles of the scene together, talking and sharing photos, like a gathering of souls.

Morning at Tunnel View. Yosemite lasts forever.
This gathering of like-minded people is as impressive as the view itself.

I saw sections of open meadows with rippling rivers and others of thick forests with only peepholes of the surrounding monoliths. This is one special part of Yosemite Valley, different from the rest of the valley.

The air smelled like a mix of vegetation, moisture and soil. All I could hear was the soft white noise of Bridalveil falls.

I stopped my car at the side of road, then walked on the heavy snow, using my hands to claw the branches, and a new picturesque scene appeared: the reflection of El Capitan and bare trees, the sound of the river flowing attracted me deeply. I got closer to the river, looked at the surroundings, a whole white color played on the deep snow. It is another beautiful and special place for Yosemite, like a Sleeping Beauty: she is waiting something to happen quietly, maybe the right time to awaken.

I gave you a special name: Sleeping Beauty.

Nothing shows nature’s transition from winter like the streams flowing over steep, rocky cliffs and no place in California boasts more magnificent waterfalls than Yosemite. I chased the waterfall endlessly, like a kid running into the barren grasses, far from the people who crowded on the bridge to take the photo of the waterfall. Everyone seemed to forget about their numb hands and faces, just listened to the powerful sound of streams flowing, looking like big ice drops from the air.

My eyes stayed to see this big ice drop show.

I hiked and climbed up to Lower Yosemite Falls. As the sun warms the rock, the ice melts and makes water flow, the sound echoing throughout the valley, the sheer force of the waterfall spraying mist on my face, the noise deafening. I am awakening.

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

In a flash, my spirit left the cage of my body and soared high, much higher than any waterfall in the world, making circles in the sky. Maybe this is one reason why I always chase waterfalls. Sleeping Beauty seems to find the passion in her heart.

At that moment, Sleeping Beauty’s world and my world were not very different. 
I immersed myself in these bare and dark forests, and in this sleeping world I find myself.

I sat on the wood quietly, the sunlight reflected on my face, a little warmth in the winter air. I took time to observe my surroundings. I waited three hours to witness how the colors of the waterfall slightly changed until the water appeared a fiery orange color falling off the mountain. I was not concerned with time at all. It seemed to slow down a bit, allowing me to reflect upon the moment. Even at the end, though the Firefall was perhaps not as incredible as in previous years due to a lack of water, it indeed looked like a real massive lava flow.

The most inspiring part of the experience, beyond the Firefall itself, was waiting for the right time and conditions to witness it.
I “found” the Firefall. Mission completed!
Waiting and seeing this natural wonder is an incredible adventure.

After the Firefall show, I returned slowly, in no rush, and another beautiful moment unfolded: an amazing alpenglow on the mountains and reflection on the Merced River. I stood there awhile to appreciate it. Sleeping Beauty is using her way to amaze us.

Who needs the Firefall when you have this amazing alpenglow?

Over the following 24 hours, I traveled to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. Along the way, the black, dark and dead dry trees gave the impression of a sleeping world, and a sense they are waiting the time to be reborn.

I entered a whole sleeping world.

I arrived at the Giant Forest, home to the world’s biggest tree (by volume). Nature has a way of being awe-inspiring, and it was here: I was very impressed by the tree’s magnificent roots, wondering how long it took to grow into the most massive single-stem tree on Earth. Viewing from the side, it looked like one huge tree, but these trees actually were twins, hugging each other, their trunks scarred by a fire long ago, my love in the foreground, awed by its presence.

Wisdom came from time: it is old, wise and resilient.

I was very tiny standing next to these gentle giants. I looked up at the blue sky and bare trees, rays of sunshine reflecting off the ice entering my eyes, the winter air and scene glowing. It is silent but full of mysterious power — time. 

My first time to hike on the snow and sleepy ice. What fun!
You are really big, I am really tiny. I seem to find the power of time from these giants.

The sound of a rippling stream echoed around me, and wondering where it came, I followed the sound, walking far from the original trailhead, and came to the river covered in white snow. I felt life running through my veins, I seemed to see Sleeping Beauty awaken, welcomed the new day, the snowing melting into the water then flowing far away, creating a new chapter in her life.

The mysteries and stories they hold…
The small river flowing in the middle of white snow and giant trees, Sleeping Beauty knows to wait for time.
Nature’s window, the view to look far back in time.
I stood there to see you, my dear mountain, you remind me again, I am an adventurer, also I am a mountaineer, always brave enough to pursue your feet and accept any challenge!

When I got back to the airport, I felt exhausted but fulfilled and profoundly spiritual. For a brief time, I forgot about myself and came face to face with the majestic beauty of nature. I became all eyes, and my souls vibrated from the energy radiating from the landscape. I was not obsessed with time. I enjoyed the wait for the Firefall, I slowed down a bit to appreciate the mountains, rivers, waterfalls and people’s reactions.

I found new wisdom through you—Sleeping Beauty. Your power and beauty unfolds slowly, your time will come, the snow will give way, bare and dead trees will be lush and the rivers and falls will be filled with movement and life. They would be in the right time. You and I learn to wait for the time, witness and understand the power of time, meet love, happiness and wisdom. “Slow down, wait for the right time” is the best lesson I learned and can pass onto others from this special adventure.

It was midnight, 48 hours had passed, and my adventure ended. I closed my eyes, and a picture slowly emerged: I could see all those happy faces again, cheering for me.

I was finally home. Or that is how I felt at that time.

Be a traveler, not a tourist.

Chapter 4: You never know what you might discover until you open your eyes.

“Why do you want to see ‘The Wave’ so strongly?“

The question was posed to me by a nice old man who I had met in Kanab, Utah. The Wave is a beautiful sandstone formation at the border of southern Utah and northern Arizona. A natural wonder, it is one of the most photographed locations in the West, but it requires a permit to visit, accessible only by lottery.

Full of naivete, I stared at the elderly gentleman, and answered, “I have tried for a few years through the online lottery but haven’t got in. Now that I am in town, I went to the visitor center to try the walk-in lottery. I know the odds are low to win the lottery, but I don’t want to have any regrets.“

He laughed, said “The Wave in southern Utah is like the Mona Lisa or the Banks of the Seine in Paris. Everyone who visits Paris, their first thought is to go to see the Mona Lisa and take photos to prove you saw it. I have lived in southern Utah almost my whole life. I love this area, and I can tell you, southern Utah is not just about The Wave, which is actually just one rock formation. If you win the lottery, it’s good to go, but if not, maybe that means it is not meant to be. Don’t be disappointed, Stephy. Open your eyes and let them guide you. There are many hidden gems worth exploring.”

His words stay in my mind, even as I half-doubt myself, deciding to leave town instead of waiting for the lottery that day, and head to White Pocket, Arizona.

White Pocket is situated on the remote and rugged Paria Plateau in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona, close to the Utah border. But to get there, a 4WD vehicle with good ground clearance and off-road tires is a must to pass unmaintained roads of deep sand with rocky sections. When I first arrived, I felt I was on another planet. White pocket showed me nature is an amazing “artist” itself: it has twists, multi-color striations of white, yellow, red, orange and pink, pock marks and pools that sometimes fill with water, strange bulges look like human brains, polygonal fracturing and wave-like features. Unlike The Wave, White Pocket does not require a permit. Despite its wonder, this is another place people ignore as an alternative to The Wave.  

I let my eyes guide me. In this unbelievable playground, I immersed myself by walking around and standing in what looks like giant brain texture. It is as if I am on an alien world; it’s really a thrill.

When I saw this texture, pattern and color, I appreciated nature as an amazing artist.
I looked up to see the tree stands on the “brain” texture, quietly expressing beauty of Earth.
I stood on the top of a “brain,” looking so tiny in this alien landscape.
Everyone will discover a different wonder through their own eyes. I saw ice-cream cake.
Nature never ceases to amaze and inspire us.
It has its own mystery and is unique, no less impressive than The Wave. Why do we need to be so focused on The Wave?

After I explored and witnessed this fantasy landscape, I realized that the world is so big and has infinite opportunities to discover all its natural workmanship, so why do I need to only focus on seeing The Wave? Although I cannot compare both personally, I’m not sure if White Pocket is better than the wave or not. But it is not important. I believe White Pocket is no less impressive, and I enjoyed a great bond with nature there. I realize I should remain open to other ideas and ways to allow beauty to enter my life. When I returned to the town after my visit, I made a spontaneous decision: I gave up my last chance at The Wave walk-in lottery the next day. At that moment, I felt it did not matter whether or not I would win the lottery. I put it out of my mind. I had already packed my mood to go to my next destination.

I continued exploring other hidden gems near Kanab, Utah the next day: I stopped at the Toadstool while I drove on U.S-89, hiked and got to what seemed like another planet: “mushroom” sandstones and rocks. With the white color covering the rocks, from some angles they look like snowmen, and from some angles they look like ghosts. At that moment, I thought that if I were at the Kanab visitor center at that time, I would have missed these unique landscapes that I had stumbled upon randomly as I traveled.

The highway roadside has its hidden planet–Toadstool Hoodoos. I explore without regret as I get to see so many different things.
Is it a snowman? A Ghost? Let your eyes find its own answer.

I put The Wave regrets out of my mind and take an open-minded heart to continue my journey. I visited the Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, with crazy high winds and sand, but I made a connection with what seemed like Mars here again with its unique, strange hoodoos and mushroom-shaped rock pinnacles. I stood and walked around this magical land and enjoyed the brilliant light of afternoon reflected on my face.

The cute yurt lives on what seems like Mars.
Endless “mushrooms” amazed me no matter the crazy strong wind and blowing sand here.

When I drove to the Mystic Hot Springs from the Goblin Valley State Park, I experienced four seasons along the road: sunshine-rain with sun-rain-snow-sunshine, and suddenly the mountains covered in snow appeared before me. I enjoyed the fast-changing weather so much, just me and the road, deeply. This is one interesting thing when you are traveling, not just touring, because you can immerse yourself totally on the way.

I soaked in the hot spring with chilled temperature outside the tub–and saw the sunset.

I visited Sedona, Arizona, “climbed” to the Cathedral Rock to witness those endless red rocks. I also hiked to the Devils Bridge and birthing cave, experiencing big snowfall on the trails. It gave me a different feeling to experience Sedona. Maybe it is not what you picture when you think of Sedona: maybe it is Snowdona? But Snowdona has its beauty, when we are willing to open hearts to feel it.

The Earth is big, and I am so tiny, but I made a deep connection with the environment and nature.
When you travel, stay curious, ask questions, see inside yourself as much as outside.
I climbed to the birthing cave to see “Snowdona”, the grey and clouds, as it was snowing, cover all the red rocks far away. It gave me a completely different perspective of Sedona.

I also visited Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, and Joshua Tree National Park, California to surround and embrace those beautiful things in nature that speak to me and provide me solace.

I drove one of the coolest roads in the U.S. twice through the park, just wanting to enjoy all the simple things it gave me.

My perspective changed during this trip, I learned that if you focus too much on one thing, you probably will miss other things in life. In fact, life need not only be about routines or patterns; it can be a lot of different things, and give us alternatives, so we should be open to different ideas and ways of life, and embrace them in our life, and accept any possibilities. They are here to take you on a spiritual journey and turn you into a mystic who disappears from this world and reappears in another.  

Traveling is as much about seeing inside yourself as it is about seeing outside. Nature, I came to explore you, but you held a giant mirror in front of me. I absorbed the landscape, reflections of my past, thinking about the world from a new perspective, learning life lessons. I returned as a different person. I did not just tour; I traveled.

I hope the same for you, as you travel, to find more than just being a tourist and taking lots of photos. I hope you see and feel and learn the full measure of it.  

Remote places I slept

Chapter 3: I am prepared for real life.

A bold idea came to my mind: I wanted to experience spontaneous things to maximize adventure in my life, to see where I would end up without planning it all out. So I decided not to book any places to sleep to start my recent adventure. The unknown and uncertainty of where I would be spending the night on my trip did not scare me at all; it made it more exciting. I was curious to see what life would give me, without a specific destination after I carried 30 pounds of backpack with gear, hiking from my rental car. I only had my adventurous spirit to guide me. Although some people thought I was crazy, to travel solo and into so many unknown and remote places without an overnight plan for every night, I think sometimes we need to be more adventurous, open minded, flexible and go with the flow. We can learn so much by simply enjoying what life chooses to give us.

To start this backpacking adventure, I traveled only with myself, my gears, a rental car and an adventurous spirit.

In fact, I made an excellent decision: during the final 9 days and 8 nights of my backpacking adventure, I spent numerous nights in the wilderness, camping in different places, experiencing amazing and tough things, high and lows – all exciting – and it was difficult, worrisome, scary, fearful, exhausting and heartbreaking, but it also was transformative, and it all gave me a reborn feeling, and revealed to me completely so much about myself and life. I found I am stronger and braver than I thought myself in the past.

Now I am happy to present to you some sleeping locations from Nevada, Utah, Arizona and California.

Night 1 (March 17th): Slept in a RV Park in Kanab, Utah

I drove to Kanab, Utah from Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada. When I arrived, it was dark already. I found an RV Park (Hitch-N-Post RV Park) randomly and parked my car there. All places nearby were closed, so I decided to sleep in my car. For me, a RV Park for one night was ideal, as at least it was a safe area. I ate simple freeze-dried food that night. It was my first time to sleep in a car, but I slept like a baby, as I was so tired, and looked forward to new adventures the next day.  

First time in my life to sleep in a car, alone, but I was still brave to face it, although it was a little bit of a struggle.

Night 2 (March 18th): Slept on Lone Rock Beach, Utah

After my White Pocket, Arizona tour, I made a spontaneous decision: I gave up my last chance for the wave walk-in lottery the next day, and instead drove to the lone rock beach to see the view of Lake Powell. The lone rock is one of the few spots where you can drive directly to the water’s edge and camp on the shoreline. When I got there it was dark already: I could not see anything, I only knew that I was at the beach. I set up my tent in the dark, and slept on the beach under the stars. I woke the next morning to see golden and red light illuminating Lone Rock at sunrise. Wow! I was glad that I made this spontaneous decision: it was one of the amazing places I have ever slept.

Until the sun appeared with its light, I did not know the exact surroundings of where I had just spent the night.
This will forever go down as one of my favorite places I’ve slept.

Night 3 (March 19th): Slept on the cliff at Alstrom Point, Utah

I camped and slept in my tent on the cliff at Alstrom Point (Utah), facing an unreal view there, but this time I was not alone. I was with my new adventurous friends I had just met. I rolled in my sleeping bag to see endless stars, and although it was windy overnight, I still felt happy because so many magical things happened there. I could not ask for more. My birthday was celebrated there. Although I did not sleep very deeply that night, I had a special feeling there. I awoke to see one of most stunning sunrises in my life.

The journey getting here was an amazing trail, but camping here and seeing this view on my birthday was absolutely incredible.

Night 4 (March 20th): Slept in a car outside Goblin Valley State Park, Utah with wild wind and sand

I arrived at Goblin Valley State Park in the afternoon. At first, I thought I could find a perfect spot to camp on my official birthday night. However, the most unexpected thing was how crazy and wild the wind became, blowing hard with so much sand, like a sandstorm, so strong it could almost blow me over and I could not set up the tent. At the end, I decided to sleep in my car again. Even in my car, I could still feel how crazy windy it was outside with so much blowing sand. The sound was very loud, the first time I slept outside with such intense windy and sandy conditions. I was still brave to face it and slept in my car alone until the next day.

I slept, alone, in my sleeping bag in my car with crazy high winds, hearing only the scary sound of wind and blowing sand.

When I woke up, I saw the sun appear on the horizon, but this experience I will never forget. This was one of the first times to really know myself, to know I can be very brave even in a rough situation.

It was a frustrating night, but to see the sunrise after crazy wind and blowing sand, I realized I am braver than I knew.

Night 5 (March 21st): Slept on the grass around cool old buses and falling snow

A cool and authentic place I found has different colorful old buses. I decided to camp nearby, on the grass under a tree, with these old buses around me. But it was snowing and freezing, around 18 degrees. I boiled water with my portable stove to keep warm, rolled up in my sleeping bag. When I woke the next morning, snow covered my tent. In freezing temperatures, I packed up my tent. My hands were totally numb from the cold.   

I felt so cool and excited to camp near these unique colorful old buses.
Life is not perfect: I experienced this spot with chilly temperatures and snow on the ground.

Night 6 (March 22nd): Slept in a car in a restaurant parking lot in Sedona, Arizona

I arrived in Sedona (Arizona) in the afternoon. I thought I could find BLM land or an outdoor campground to camp, however, I drove back and forth around Sedona until it was dark and could not find a place, the worst-case scenario. I decided to park my car outside of a local restaurant and slept there, in downtown Sedona, overnight. During the night, I woke up many times, worried my car was going to be towed or something might happen. This was the worst night of my trip because I was so worried and exhausted, sleeping in a parking lot alone. But I told myself that I would face and overcome this problem, and although worried and afraid, my heart beat with a secret promise to myself. The next day, I left all these worries behind like the dust, and I was back on the road again.

Night 7 (March 23rd): Slept in a desert around Superstition Mountain and Cactus, Arizona

I made a spontaneous decision again, leaving Sedona earlier than planned, and I went to Superstition Mountain, Arizona, instead. Here, there were different types of cactus and mountains quietly around me. I slept with heavy rain and the sound of rain. But I witnessed the sunrise reflected on the mountain and cactus, giving me a feeling of being reborn.

After a heavy rain overnight, I opened my tent, and I saw the mountain and Saguaro cactus, waiting with me as the sunrise came. We were reborn after the rain.
I enjoyed being alone with my gear and good company with cute cactus.

Night 8 (March 24th): Slept in BLM land outside of Joshua Tree National Park, California

The last night of this trip, I sat in my tent under a tree and saw the soft sun set quietly until all of it had gone down. I looked back on these eight nights I had experienced, and I felt I had gone through a long journey in my life, but it gave me a special experience and life lesson: I am actually braver than I thought, and I can face difficult situations alone, too.

The last night of my trip, it was only me and gear, simple freeze-dried food and my rental car again. People thought I might be lonely, but my passion and dream took me on this journey.

Far from home, these unusual places became my home for a night. I’ve come to realize that no matter where I fall asleep, my passion is still there completely. I am on my own journey with my inner voice leading me, no matter how broken I am at the end of the day, no matter if I can find a perfect place to camp and sleep, no matter if I have a fancy meal, or stay in a fancy hotel or resort, I am reborn the next morning. I set up again, I run again, I move forward to meet the next opportunity and start a new adventure again.

It is similar to life. Life is not always prefect, and good things do not always happen, things do not always go according to plan. You have to rough it a little. This is real life, and we should accept good things, but at the same time we should allow and accept the worst things can happen too, as high and lows are all part of life. 

While I drove to the airport to return home, I thought back on these eight locations where I spent each night. I want to say to myself: thanks for these incredible experiences, as they showed myself that I am braver than I knew, and they helped me to build character and prepare me for anything that life will throw at me in the future. Thanks to this trip, I know I can face different situations alone. I can tell myself, “Stephy, you are very confident and strong, you saw real life: it is not always a fairy tale, you should allow and face good things and bad things. I know you can do it: you are prepared for a real life, Dear Stephy.”

Now, I bring this wisdom and courage to fly and start my next adventure!