Big sights drew us in, but the small moments did the heavy lifting. Across seven weeks we threaded a tight Tokyo layover, San Francisco’s storied streets, the bright blur of Las Vegas, sweeping Texas plains and the deep hush of New Mexico caverns, collecting memories and lessons that linger.
From Alcatraz after dark and the Golden Gate’s twin vantage points to a misty walk in Muir Woods and a driverless Waymo ride, we balanced iconic landmarks with intentional pacing and small-group tours that kept our nervous systems calm and our curiosity high.
In Nevada, the sensory crush of F1 weekend forced honest boundaries. We found calm by day and wonder at night with Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson One, then reset in the desert at Seven Magic Mountains, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon’s humbling edge.
Texas brought belonging and breadth, a veteran’s plaque on a wall of remembrance, the charm of prairie dogs & museum hits and misses and a behind-the-scenes tour of Texas Tech’s Jones Stadium that showcased the scale and pride of college sport. We slowed right down in Ransom Canyon, off-roading with family and watching the lake catch sunset, then chased texture with day trips through oil country, Route 66 nostalgia in Amarillo and spray cans at Cadillac Ranch. Waco’s Magnolia delivered a design-lover’s dream, balanced by the Texas Ranger Museum, Topgolf laughs and a Dr Pepper history fix.
Not everything went to plan. A delayed domestic flight, non-linked bookings, and limited insurance coverage cost us $5,000 and a 36-hour slog home. The takeaways are practical and clear, book true connecting flights on one record, read your insurance fine print and assume delays. Yet the trip still gave us what we needed, gratitude, resilience and the reminder that meaning often shows up between the big moments.
If you’re planning a long-haul adventure, you’ll walk away with smarter travel tactics and a fresh lens for finding joy on the road. If this story resonated, follow the show, leave a quick review and share it with a friend who loves purposeful travel. Tell us your best travel hack or small moment that changed a trip, we’d love to hear it.
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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.
