Late Summer Road Trip 2019- Death Valley National Park

Growing up in Southern California, Death Valley National Park always seemed like a place that was so close, yet so far away. I’ve driven past the turn off a million times while on the road to Las Vegas. I was always curious about Death Valley National Park, but the siren call of the Vegas Strip was always too strong and I kept driving.

Knowing that we were likely moving out of state ( which happened just a few months later), Dan and I decided to combine a business trip with a vacation by taking a road trip from Big Bear Lake, California to Portland, Oregon. This time, we would skip Vegas and enjoy nature centric attractions.

Our trip started on Labor Day weekend, which we underestimated how much crowds would impact our trip. Luckily, crowds were not an issue in Death Valley, likely because of the intense heat. Although it might be exciting for some tourists to experience incredible heat, I don’t think it is the peak time of the year for the park. The heat made it difficult to truly enjoy Death Valley.

On the drive to Death Valley, we marveled at the straight, empty roads.

Meet our beloved Ram truck, which we affectionately named Buttercup. Sadly, Buttercup didn’t fit with our suburban Colorado lifestyle and we swapped her for a Subaru a few months later. She did have the opportunity to go on some epic trips with us! We miss her!

We stopped at Dumont Dunes to experience the incredible sand dunes. It was early morning and the light was bouncing off of the soft sand. The pictures do not do justice to the beautiful shapes and textures of the dunes.

Nearly to Death Valley and more straight road pictures. We can’t get enough of these!

And we arrived!

We paid thirty dollars for a vehicle day pass and entered the park. It was really, really hot. I can’t remember the exact temperature, but somewhere in the 115-120 Fahrenheit range. We actually like the intense heat, but we prefer it when we are in a swimming pool. The Death Valley heat really dictated our visit, as we only jumped out of the car for a few pictures and scenic spots. You can hike and camp, but I can’t imagine too many people do those activities during the summer.

We parked at Dantes View to see the basin and learn about the geography of the area.

Most of Death Valley National Park felt like other parts of the California and Nevada desert. I’m not disappointed that we visited, but I also didn’t feel that we saw anything truly spectacular, leaving me to believe that we may have missed some key areas of the park or perhaps that the magic happens when you visit during the cooler months and can get outside.

We stopped at the Furnace Creek Visitors Center, which had some nice displays, adorable stuffed animals, and most important, clean toilets. The toilets were outside and did not have air-conditioning. They were sweltering. I had a difficult time even touching the door handle.

We stocked up on Death Valley branded water. It is absolutely vital that you come to Death Valley with water in your vehicle. It can be dangerous if you don’t come prepared and every single park ranger asked us about water and suggested that we not attempt hiking.

At the general store we bought enormous milk shakes to fortify ourselves until lunch.

Our final stop was Padre Crowley Point. This is a scenic overlook of a canyon where fighter jets often practice and apparently Star Wars was filmed. I’m not a big enough fan to recognize anything from Star Wars, but it was a beautiful view.

Death Valley National Park is worth the visit if you have never been. I think it would be a unique experience for visitors who don’t live in the desert, however, Joshua Tree National Park is only a few hours south and it is a far more interesting. Death Valley has all of the other parks beat for sheer audacity of extreme weather conditions, but it is lacking in the “wow” factor that many other National Parks offer. That said, I appreciate the National Park service and think that the parks are the treasurers that should be supported.

Jane Austen's Chawton House

In 2019, I was able to fulfill one of my bucket-list destinations, a trip to famed author Jane Austen’s former home in Chawton Hampshire. It was a bittersweet experience, as it occurred during an emergency trip to England because of the passing of my mother-in-law. Extra bittersweet, because on the previous visit, I had made plans with my mother-in-law to tour some of the Jane Austen locations together, specifically in Bath, but she had not felt well enough to make the trip. I connected with my mother-in-law over many things, including a shared love of books, so she would have been the perfect companion for the Jane Austen sites.

Noticing that we were near Chawton after visiting relatives, my husband kindly offered to make a detour to visit Jane Austen’s Chawton House. We were feeling blue with grief, but it was a nice distraction to tour this lovely and historic home. We also visited on a quiet weekday afternoon and practically had the entire museum to ourselves, which is always nice when visiting tourist destinations.

Jane Austen’s Chawton House is part of the “Jane Austen Trail,” a collection of buildings in the village of Chawton that were significant in Austen’s time. We only had time to visit her home, where the writer lived with her mother and sister from 1809-1817. At Chawton House, Austen wrote many of her beloved novels, including Emma, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park. She also completed drafts of Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, and my personal favorite, Sense and Sensibility. She was very prolific during her short time in Chawton. Austen grew ill and died in the town of Winchester, where she is buried, in the summer of 1817.

We visited in the spring of 2019, but current admission prices as of April 2021 are ten pounds for adults and a very long list of discounted prices for a variety of situations. I was quite surprised by the list, as it had some nice and unusual accommodations for visitors. Check it out. Also to note, the museum currently appears to be closed due to covid restrictions, hopefully to reopening in the near future.

We couldn’t find Marmite!

We started in the carriage house to see the donkey carriage and the adorable wicker birds.

Next, we headed inside to see the kitchen. Built in the late 1700’s, the house was originally a pub before being transformed into a private residence. The kitchen gives a glimpse into food preparation of the past and even if you’re not at all interested in Austen’s life, it is a fascinating look at a historic property.

To really get in the mood, we discovered a bunch of regency era costumes to play dress-up. I think the hat rather suits my dashing husband!

Heading to the living room we found antique furniture, letters, and other possessions belonging to Austen.

The most exciting artifact in the museum was Austen’s writing desk. I should never complain about the many plush options and multiple desks in which I have at my disposal to work on my novel. Maybe discomfort is the key to getting the job done?

The library contains various editions of Austen’s works.

This is the bedroom that Austen shared with her sister, Cassandra.

Austen’s two story house was relatively modest in size, but it was filled with artifacts. We spent about an hour visiting. Here are more pictures from the museum.

I don’t have a green thumb and I don’t enjoy gardening, but I do love admiring a stunning garden. Austen’s garden was filled with brightly colored spring blooms. I grew up in the California desert, so English gardens are quite magical to me. My sister-in-law is a landscape designer and her garden is magnificent. It is one of my favorite places in England, especially to spend time with family on a warm summer day and having cocktails. She is also talented in the cocktail making department!

After leaving the museum, we took some pictures of the Chawton village. Chawton is the quintessential English village that Americans imagine when they think of England outside of London. Some of the homes were even sporting thatched roofs.

Jane Austen’s Chawton House is a must-do pilgrimage for Austen fans. As a huge fan, who has read all of her novels multiple times, seen every film version, a few plays, et…being there gave me chills. That said, it’s a bit off-the-beaten-path for non-British tourists. It’s about an hour south of London and difficult to access unless you hire a car. I highly recommend a visit if you are able. I’ve been to many places in England, but the Jane Austen Chawton House was a favorite experience.

Book Review- Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever's World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide

Thank you to Ecco for providing me with a copy of Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever’s World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide, in exchange for an honest review.

World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide is a compilation of Anthony Bourdain’s travel advice and reflections, including his favorite local eats and bits of tourism. It turns out that Bourdain really loved quirky museums, independent bookstores, and lavish hotels.

Tragically, Bourdain died during the early stages of planning World Traveler, in fact, his co-author, Laurie Woolever, only had one in-person meeting to plan the book prior to his passing. Naturally, this changed the tone of the book a bit, turning the focus towards collecting memories from people who knew Bourdain. The most poignant were the essays from his younger brother, Christopher. Christopher recounts their childhood travels to France and the joy he experienced from traveling with his brother as adults, including taking part in a few episodes of Bourdain’s various tv series. Christopher’s love for his brother and the way he cherished their travels together is moving.

Bourdain was passionate and outspoken. He had a unique way of expressing himself through his words, both written and spoken, that was a kick to experience through his quotes in World Traveler. His voice is irreplacable. Woolever definitely honors Bourdain’s spirit and life in this guide book. His energy oozes on every page.

That said, under different circumstances (not reading for a review) I would have enjoyed World Traveler in a different way. It is the sort of book that you have on a coffee table for perusing at leisure or perhaps keep on a shelf as a reference for planning travels, not the sort of book that you race through start to finish. I say this, because a large chunk of World Traveler is practical travel advice, such as airport information or the best way to tour a city. It was a bit tedious to read quickly and clearly not intended for that sort of reading experience.

As far as the recommendations, I was pleased to discover a few that I have experienced (St. John in London, Din Tai Fung, and Voodoo Donuts) and to add many more to my list that I hope to try on future travels. I always loved that Bourdain was game to try the range of establishments, from dive to fine dining, all of which are included in his recommendations. He was unapologetically enthusiastic about his love for food and the people who create it.

World Traveler: An Irreverent Guide is a book that I intend to purchase for my permanent collection and one that I imagine will be a great inspiration for my future travels. It is also the ideal book for this moment, when many of us are feeling a deep longing towards travel and planning our post-covid adventures.