Redwood Canopy Ziplining Tour

Ziplining in the Redwoods is an amazing experience. It was on my to-do list for a long time so when Anne mentioned she is interested in trying it out, I jumped at the opportunity right away. We picked a weekend and booked the tour. Did not regret it at all.

This activity is arranged by Mt Hermon Adventures in Santa Cruz. They have 3 different activities The one we chose was called Redwood canopy tour in which we zipline through 6 lines and cross two aerial bridges. Its a 2 hour activity and can accommodate up to 8 people at a time. They have several slots available so it should be fairly easy to get a booking. It costs $89-$99 per head depending on the time of the year. It is pricey and there are no discounts available as far as I searched. I would say it is totally worth the price as the activity is conducted in a very organized manner with detailed instructions from experienced and friendly guides.

Anne, Nush and I in our gear

At our allocated time, Anne, Nush and I arrived and were introduced to the two guides for the day. They helped with with the harness, gloves and helmet. All of them were super smelly so you will need to go home and shower! We practiced ziplining on a mini line just to get a feel of it and also to go over the basic safety protocols. Nothing too complicated.

Our awesome guide Mitch

The first one was very daunting. Walking across the aerial bridge onto the platform built on the tree was scary enough but from the platform when I looked down below it made me very nervous. At that point we were only 35 ft above the ground! I took a deep breath and without looking down, crossed my first line. When I reached the other end, I realized it was so simple and not at all scary. All the following ones felt easy and I actually looked around the trees and at the creek below. It was as if I was flying. A very exhilarating experience!

Walking across the aerial bridge

The highest one was 150 ft above the ground. The guides talked a little about the redwoods and the forest. They even kept throwing a challenge at each level like standing at the edge of the platform and leaning back which I was too chicken to try. They were nice enough to capture pictures for us as well. The last course does have a camera that automatically clicks pictures which you can purchase at the end of the tour.

It was time well spent and an activity that I enjoyed. They do have another tour which is like an obstacle course which looks very challenging as well as fun. That one's for another day!

What: Ziplining
Where: Mt Hermon Adventures, 17 Conference Dr, Felton CA 95018
When: Throughout the year
Cost: $89-$99

Hot Air Balloon Ride in Sonoma

As mentioned in my post on our recent trip to Sonoma, we checked off one more item on our bucket list-Hot Air Balloon Ride. I was super excited about the ride and the thought of flying and floating in the air with views of the wine country made me jump with joy. 

When ever I can, I look for deals so I don't have to pay full price. Luckily, I found a good one for Sonoma Valley Balloon on Groupon. On the day of our flight, we were asked to meet at a Starbucks parking lot on Airport Boulevard at 6.30am. Yes, that early! The reason is that the hot air balloons can only fly when the winds are calm and cool which happens only during the mornings. Depending on the wind direction and other conditions for flight, the pilot will choose the launch site. From the parking lot, a shuttle took us to the launch site for the day. 

It was interesting to watch the crew attach the balloon to the basket (also known as the gondola) and inflate it. The baskets vary in size and can hold anywhere from 4-20 passengers. Our basket was one of the larger ones and could hold around 16 people. The crew lay the basket on its side, spread out the balloon and attached it. A fan was turned on that inflated the balloon. Once there was enough air inside the balloon, the crew blasted a burner flame inside it. This heated the air, building pressure until the balloon inflated completely and started to lift. The basket was attached to the ground vehicle, at the same time crew members held the basket down until the pilot was ready to fly. 

When it was time to fly, the pilot released a steady stream of hot flame which heated up the balloon and lifted it off the ground. It was beautiful to watch the entire process. 

Depending on the wind direction and current, the balloon floats in the air and moves while the ground crew follow the balloon in their vehicle to assist with the landing. The experience of flying was incredible. It wasn't a scary one at all. In fact, I did not feel the wind or any movement at all as we were moving at the speed of the currents. The lush green valley was a beautiful sight to look at. The only trouble was the hot sun. So make sure you have your hat and sunscreen to protect you. The flight lasted for an hour and then the pilot found a good place to land. 

Post the landing, we were taken to a restaurant for a champagne toast and socializing. The whole experience was a lot of fun. I must admit that since there was no adrenaline rush but a rather passive activity, I would not do this again. Nevertheless, I recommend everyone have this experience at least once in their life.

Stanford University Tour

Stanford, one of the most prestigious universities in the world, conducts walking tours of their campus for the public throughout the year. I had attended one such tour a few years ago. Since I didn't have a blog at the time, I missed documenting it. Last week, I decided to go on the tour again. It was just as fun as the last time.

Hoover's Tower

Led by students, the tour is a 70 min walk around the campus. It provides the history of the University and helps you get a peek at the culture, campus life and academics. Stanford University was started by Leland Stanford-one of the wealthiest men in America at the time. It was built in memory of his only son who died at the age of 15.

The campus is massive-one that can accommodate 96 Disneylands! It was buzzing with activity as prospective students were visiting the campus along with parents in addition to the regular students. I learned about the various clubs and extra curricular activities that students participate in.

David Packard Electrical Engineering

The tour covers the main areas of the campus including the Main Quad, Memorial Church, Engineering Quad and White Plaza. One can also go to the top of Hoover's Tower to get a view of the Bay Area but we were too tired to walk back to it after the tour ended.

My favorite was the Memorial Church with its beautiful stain glass paintings inside.  Take a look at these pictures to see the insides of this wonderful Italian style Church.

This tour is a great way for the public to get a feel for the university. There were many parents who had brought their pre-teen and teenage children on the tour hoping to inspire them. There is a lot of walking involved so bring a hat and water bottle to keep yourself hydrated.

No reservations are required. All you have to do is show up at the Stanford Visitor Center at the time of the tour. The best part is that it is free. While you're on the campus, do take some time out to visit the Cantor Arts Center and the Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden.

My friend & I after the tour

What: Stanford University Walking Tour
When: 11am and 3.15pm 7 days a week
Where: Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford CA 94305
Fee: Free

Castello Di Amorosa

It has been a while since I updated this blog and that was due to my two month long vacation in India. Now that I'm back, I plan to blog more often. Before our vacation, we went to Sonoma for a weekend visit. We had a very definite itinerary. Reach Sonoma, visit Castello Di Amorosa and the next day take the Hot Air Balloon ride (yes, we did it and I will write a whole separate post on it!).

Me with Castello Di Amorosa in the background

Castello Di Amorosa is a 13th century style Tuscan castle and winery built by wine maker Dario Sattui. He wanted to combine two of his greatest passions in life-wine and architecture which resulted in him building this magnificent castle that is a fully functioning winery. We took a guided tour of the castle which helped us get information about the castle and its history. The tour is an hour long after which there is a 45 min wine tasting. You can upgrade to a chocolate pairing with the wine as well.

Great Hall with marvelous paintings

Wine fermentation process

The castle has 107 rooms and a total of 8 levels above and below the ground. The chapel, a torture chamber, hall, dining area, courtyard and the wine cellar were some of the rooms we visited. The rooms were decorated with frescos, paintings, furniture that transports one to the 13th century. The torture chamber even has an authentic 300-year old iron maiden brought from Italy. After the walk through the castle, the tasting session was a welcome break.

Our tour guide Rachel

Wine barrels

Wine tasting

I loved this place and especially liked their delicious wines. I highly recommend visiting this winery for a taste of ancient architecture as well as wine.

What: Castello Di Amorosa
Where: 4045 Saint Helena Highway, Calistoga CA 9415
When: 9:30 am-5:00 pm (Nov-Feb) and 9:30 am-6:00 pm (Mar-Oct)
Fee: Varies depending on options

Lake Tahoe Winter Trip

Squaw Valley Resort

I recently took a day trip to Tahoe on Christmas Day along with family. Since it snows in Tahoe, we were not too keen on driving so instead we took a bus tour that picked us up at 4am from Sunnyvale and brought us back the same day at 9pm.

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the US and is located along the border  between California and Nevada. During summer, it is a popular tourist spot for people interested in water sports. Skiing and snowboarding are significant activities in winter. 

We took the trip with Bayareaskibus.com. The bus dropped us at the Squaw Valley resort at 9am and we had until 3.30pm to go ski, snow board or just hang out at the resort. Since none of us were keen on skiing, we decided to take the aerial tram up to the High Camp. The tram ride was fun and I could see a jaw dropping aerial view of Squaw valley. At High Camp, there is a restaurant, a bar, the Olympic Museum and an ice skating rink. 

At High Camp, Squaw Valley

The temperature was below zero and too much for us to handle so we spent most of the time at the restaurant which gave us a wonderful view of the snow outside without having to brave the cold. The Olympic Museum would be interesting for sports enthusiasts but I did not spend too much time there. I simply enjoyed watching the snow and hearing the wind roar. After a light snack, we took the tram back down to the resort. 

Olympic Rings at High Camp

View from the aerial tram

I had already bought tickets for snow tubing in the morning. So after the tram, we took the free Squaw valley shuttle to 'SnoVentures' which is an area for snow tubing and skiing for beginners as well as kids. Snow tubing is a fun activity wherein you sit in an inflated tube and are pushed down a gradual slope of ice and the tube slides down. It is a lot of fun and is perfect for those who want to experience the snow without the training or skill required for skiing.  After a few rounds of tubing, we were too tired and cold so we walked around the gift stores before heading back to the bus which promptly started at 4.30pm. 

Posing in the snow

It was an exciting day as it was the first time I saw snowfall. The tiny snowflakes were beautiful. Of course, I wished I was better prepared for the harsh weather. The next time around, I plan to go to another resort, probably Heavenly and try snow mobiling and perhaps skiing if I feel brave enough.

Snow Tubing

Snow Tubing

Christmas Lights in San Francisco

Christmas is the time for lights, decorations and above all celebration. This year, thanks to a friend,  I spent a day in San Francisco taking in the spirit of the holiday season. 

We took the caltrain at mid day and headed up to the city. Union Square was our first stop. The giant christmas tree with the beautiful and colorful decorations was a sight to behold. Union Square also has an ice-skating rink where people had a fun time.

In Union Square, the 'Heart Sculpture' is a very popular tourist spot. Each year, new heart sculptures are installed after the old ones are auctioned off for charity. 

Union Square Heats of San Francisco Sculpture 

After a uphill walk, we then reached the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill. The hotel lobby had a spectacular decorations. A giant tree, lights, gingerbread cookie house and an area for kids to write letters to Santa. I was impressed by the fact that it was open to public. 

A short bus ride took us to Ghirardelli square where we grabbed some chocolate-y drinks and walked across the street to the marina to enjoy the view of the ocean. 

As we walked along the pier, we made the terrible mistake of trying out the 'SF Dungeon'. This is a rip off in the name of entertainment. Stay away from this place. I do not want to go into the details of how horrible the place was. 

The big tree near Fisherman's Wharf was gorgeous. Have a look.

Pier 39 Christmas Tree

My favorite decoration however was the one in Hyatt Regency near Union Square. The 300,000 cascading lights were stunning. And so was the christmas village set up. It was so detailed and well made. Unfortunately, I do not have a very good picture for this. 

The christmas music on the streets and stores along with all the decorations lifted my spirits and I was so glad I got to spend a fun day in SF.

Death Valley National Park

Thanksgiving is time for our travel. This year we headed to the Death Valley National Park which is around 500 miles from Sunnyvale. We started the day before Thanksgiving, encountered heavy traffic, stopped overnight at Bakersfield and continued the next day until we finally reached the park.

Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel

It is the largest national park in the US and is also the hottest and driest place in North America. The park is located in the valley between several mountains. Winter is the best time to visit as the temperatures are bearable and not too harsh. The hottest month is July where temperatures can rise up to a sizzling 47 degrees Celsius! During the day the sun heats up the land and the air and at night, the mountains recirculate the hot air as a result, temperatures do not drop much at night unlike most deserts. 

Death Valley is the size of Connecticut so you can imagine how many points of interest there must be. A lot of the sites do require a vehicle with 4 wheel drive and high clearance as they are accessed only by unpaved roads. This meant that our sports car will not be able to take it so we stuck to the sites with easy access. Over three days, we covered quite a few places. Here is is list of places we visited:

Badwater Basin: This is the lowest place in North America-about 500 ft below sea level. The basin is in the valley between the Black Mountains and the Panamint Mountain ranges. Erosion from the mountains causes minerals to be deposited in the basin as a result there is a crust of salt crystals on the basin. There is a small pool of undrinkable water in the basin but it doesn't last long due to the high rate of evaporation due to the extreme heat. It is said that the mountains continue to rise at the same rate as the basin continues to sink each year. However, the erosion of soil from the mountains into the basin offsets this change.

Badwater Basin

Salt from Badwater Basin

Devil's Golf course: These badlands have such a rugged topography that only the devil could play golf on it :)

Devil's Golf Course

Artists Drive and Palette: This is a wonderful loop through which you can drive to see some really beautiful vistas. The rocks on the mountains are colored due to the presence of minerals in them. It actually looks like someone has sprinkled color powder on them-like an artist's palette.

Artist's Palette

Golden Canyon: This is one of the many canyons in the park. A short hike through it leads to the views of the Red Cathedral rocks. Water once flowed through this canyon and into the valley. Observing the rocks provides indication of this. Now, it is barren, hot and dry.

Inside the Golden canyon

Dante's view: This was my favorite place in the park simply because of the breath-taking view. It is located about 5485 ft above sea level and gives you a view of the valley. It was very windy, cold as well as closer to sunset which meant no proper pictures. If I were to pick one place to visit in Death Valley, this would be it.

Dante's View

Zabriskie Point: One of the most popular spots of the park, this has some stunning view of erosional landscape. It is composed of sediments from an ancient lake which dried up millions of years ago. We visited it at both sunrise and sunset-both absolutely gorgeous.

Zabriskie Point

Ubehebe Crater: This crater is relatively newer (that is a few thousand years old as opposed to millions of years old) and was formed due to volcanic eruption. It is half a mile wide and about 500 ft deep. One can see black soil and rocks all around the crater which is proof of the eruption. One of the Native American tribal legend has it that this was the place where humanity crawled out of the earth and spread in all four directions. Best time to visit this crater is when the sun is directly overhead so as to get the best lighting for photographs.

Ubehebe Crater

Mesquite Sand dunes: These were located about a mile away from our hotel and are quite popular (read crowded) due to the proximity. These are pretty to look at but was difficult on my injured knee. So I did not walk all the way. Both sunset and sunrise are good times for some beautiful pictures.

Mesquite Sand Dunes

Owen's Lake: On the way out of the park, we saw this lake which was dried up but gave the illusion of having water due to the high quantity of salt accumulation. The area is extremely windy and we had difficulty even open the car door due to the wind. The view was gorgeous.

Owen's lake

It was a very hectic trip mainly due to the long driving distance but I would say it was worth all the effort as the vistas and the landscape stole my heart.