Hi everyone! I’m so happy to be back on Heart Shaped Glasses! I love this month’s theme! Huge thanks to all the gals and especially to Bethanne for inviting me here today.
~*~ Treasured Places ~*~
I love to travel. Actually, I take that back. I love being in new and/or favorite places. The getting there is often hard for this motion sickness afflicted girl. Not that I’m going to let that stop me! I have plans. Big plans. Plans that involve a tower in Paris and a coast in Amalfi and a few places in between.
Until then (cross your fingers everyone!), I do have a few favorite places here in the states. Places my family and I have traveled to that have been the perfect setting for fun, adventure, and lasting memories.
The first time I saw the Grand Canyon, my breath literally caught. I was in total awe. Pictures just don’t do its grandness justice. While there, we got to experience beautiful blue sky and snow. It was magical both ways and the only time I wished I could blink and be back in our cabin was when my then eleven-year-old thought it would be funny to get waaay too close to the edge of the trail we were hiking on. Talk about my heart dropping to my feet. In my newest release, Risky Surrender, the setting is Arizona and there’s a scene at the canyon’s El Tovar Hotel Dining Room. We had dinner there one night and the view of the rim was amazing.
Besides Europe, my travel bucket list includes as many national parks as I can get to. We’re fortunate to live within a half-day’s drive to Yosemite and once again, we were in awe of the natural beauty surrounding us. We hiked and went river rafting. Laughed and wondered how we’d react if we saw a bear. (We didn’t.)
Our most favorite spot so far, though, is Hawaii. We love Maui and Kauai and have been fortunate to visit a few times. We love going on adventures in between lying out by the pool and spending time at the beach, and these pictures are from our last trip to Kauai. We took a hike to Hanakapi’ai Falls along the Na Pali Coast. That first picture is the easy part of our trail. As we got closer to the falls, the terrain grew rugged and slippery and we pretty much had to follow a stream to the waterfall since there was no obvious path. The trail ends at the foot of the waterfall (picture #2) and it’s spectacular. We jumped in despite the water being freezing cold and then hiked our way back. The hike took most of the day and I’ll always remember it.
(You guys! In the middle of writing this, I took a quick break to eat dinner. Chinese take-out. And guess what my fortune said? You will discover an unexpected treasure. I thought that tied in nicely with my title of this post and had to share. J)
Okay, so lastly we recently decided to play tourist in our own backyard and hike to the Hollywood sign. We brought our dog, Harry, and we trekked up the wide-open trail. A far cry from Hanakapi’ai. And I loved this little sign! Especially because really, anyone could get to that point. Our little Harry (he’s a mini labradoodle) was barely out of breath.
So tell me, where’s the one place you’ve visited that you’ll treasure forever? Leave me a comment and you’ll be entered to win a digital copy of the first book in my Risk It series, Worth the Risk.
About Risky Surrender…
She was in search of an ancient treasure…and stole his heart instead.
Archeologist Lucy Davenport made a promise to retrieve an elusive piece of history buried in the walls of an iconic Indian village. But when she draws unwanted attention that interferes with her secret plans, she’s forced to risk it all with a man who threatens not only her goal, but the walls she’s carefully constructed around her heart.
Keats McCall is an environmental preservationist navigating the globe on behalf of heritage protection. When he catches Lucy at his latest project, he suspects she’s up to something. She’s secretive, sexy as hell—and has trouble written all over her. He devises a plan to keep her close so he can keep an eye on her. But what he isn’t prepared for is just how close he wants to get.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Risky-Surrender-Entangled-After-ebook/dp/B00EGJE3MC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_1
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/risky-surrender-robin-bielman/1116394349?ean=9781622662395
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/risky-surrender/id687063778?mt=11
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/risky-surrender
About Robin Bielman…
Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and crazy-cute mini labradoodle, Harry. When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also loves to run, hike, and dip her toes in the ocean. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real.
She is also the author of Kissing the Maid of Honor and Worth the Risk and Yours At Midnight from Entangled’s Ever After line. She loves to connect with readers. Visit her online:
http://robinbielman.com
Twitter @RobinBielman
http://facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter
http://goodreads.com/robinbielman
Happy Friday everyone! Thanks again for having me here today, Bethanne!
So glad you could make it, Robin! 😀
OMG, I had to do math to post this reply! Lucky my computer has a calculator function. 😉
Great post! So, I’m going to recommend everyone add “Las Vegas with Robin Bielman” to their travel bucket list. And then, just for me, I’ll say I really want to go back to my over-water-bungalow in Moorea. In my heart, I’ve never really left. 🙂
LOL Sam! I missed the math problem the first time I tried to comment and then had to stop and think for a second. Yes, I am a math wiz. Not!
Oh, I would love to stay in a bungalow over water some day! That would be heaven. Thank you so much for stopping by!
I think I’m still waiting for that “treasured” spot. I’ve been around, to many places, but nothing stands out to me as being extra special…a place I share with my husband, a place where I’ve come to new insights. Do you think that place exists for everyone? Maybe I’ve never had a turning point like that in my life??? I don’t know!! …but I am going to Vegas next year with my husband for our 15th anniversary. So, maybe there? LOL 😀
Hmm… I hope you find that special place, Bethanne. Maybe you should renew your vows in Vegas in a fun little chapel and yep, it could be there! (I think you should! And take pictures. And then post them so we can all share in that special day.) 🙂
oh yes! that would be a great idea. 😀
I LOVE Yosemite! Haven’t been there in ages.
Yes, I love vacationing to different places too. It’s the actual “travel” that is the pits. LOL
I love going to Yellowstone and Glacier when I go to Montana. The mountains and scenery are incredible.
Hi Jennifer! Oh, I so want to see both those parks!
Treasured place…has to Tybee Island! What a special little beach. It has all the bases covered: perfect for a weekend getaway with the girls, a long summer vacation with the family, or a quick romantic rendezvous with the hubs. Plus, it’s dog friendly…top dog’s last big trip was there.
Okay, the math just got harder. LOL
Hi Lindsey! Where is Tybee Island? It sounds right up my alley!
Great post, Robin. I’d love to visit Hawaii sometime.
We used to travel a lot when we were younger. I think one place that stands out as very special is Victoria Falls in Zambia (Or Musi-o-tunya as it’s called locally – the Smoke that Thunders.) We went white water rafting in the rapids beneath the falls it was a fabulous experience.
Hi Nina! That sounds like a wonderful trip! I’ve only been river rafting once – in the Truckee River – and the water was really mellow. I wanted more action!
I love Hawaii. We went there on our honeymoon and for our 10-year anniversary, and it was wonderful. Next time I visit, I want to visit a different island.