Maui for Christmas

This was our first trip to Hawaii post-covid, so we wanted to keep it low key and relatively less adventurous. We picked a family friendly beach (Kamaole Beach Park) and spent most of our time in a resort there. We played tennis in the morning, and boogie boarded on the beach. We also went to Iao State park, which has always been a favorite. We had surprisingly good Indian food next to the water at Monsoon Bar and Grill and of course all the tropical fruits. 

Thanksgiving in Pismo Beach

Three families went to Pismo beach for Thanksgiving break. We hung out at the beach, played sports, cards and had an amazing home cooked Thanksgiving dinner. The weather really cooperated with us and we were really grateful for the time spent with friends.

Sonoma with friends

Lake Sonoma is just 2 hours from where we live but I have never been there. It is not the most scenic lake, but with a fast boat and the chilly but inviting water, you can have a lot of fun. It was just 5 of us that went for a night to celebrate my friend's birthdays, but it was so much fun. We went to a nice winery, had an amazing Italian dinner and an equally great breakfast. All in all, a fun trip

July 4 in Pacific NorthWest

Post-pandemic, I took my first flight to the Seattle-Portland area. Anu was in India and I decided to take my second solo trip ever, after a decade. The first one was to Zion National Park. I met up with my niece Sweety in Portland after spending the day in the Mt Hood area. Kayaking in Trillium lake with a view of Mt Hood was really special, as was hanging out at the historic Timberline Lodge. Then we went to local attractions near Portland including local water falls, the famous Multnomah falls and Portland Vista House. I ate the best grape leaves and Muhammara at a Hoda's restaurant in Portland.

Next stop was Mt Rainier. Last time I was there was more than a decade ago and it was snowed out. But this time, the weather couldn't be better. I did a long arduous 5 mile hike to above Panorama point which was breathtaking every minute of the way. Another unique thing was that my lodge had no internet. So I was forced to just be one with nature, which was a very unique experience. Then I met some old friends in Seattle and headed back to the bay.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon on Memorial day

This was our first time to Sequoia and Kings Canyon and it did not disappoint! Beautiful trails, huge trees and yes, a bear sighting in its natural surroundings! 

We stayed at the John Muir Lodge which is right in the middle of the action! We saw 7-8 deers in the morning from the room window itself. This was our first time staying at a hotel post-pandemic so we were extra careful.

The day we landed, we did General Grant tree thats next to the lodge and it did not disappoint. We hadn't seen a tree this big. The trail was beautiful, but there were lots of tourists. 

Next day, we went to General Sherman tree and the Big trees trail. Sherman tree is the biggest tree in the world, and it is pretty majestic. But we loved the big trees trail, especially because we saw a bear right in the middle of the loop. The bear came up to the trail, literally 20 feet from us and that was breathtaking. 

The final day, we went to Grizzly Falls and drove through Kings Canyon. Serendipitously, we found Boyden Cavern on the way and that was an unexpected surprise. We took a tour of the cavern and walked back in shallow water in the cavern. One of the things they do in the cavern is turn off the lights for a complete blackout experience. It was the first time in years that I experienced such a blackout. Grizzly falls were beautiful and I was just looking at the waterfall for half an hour. 

All in all, a great trip!