“I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life -- and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.”Georgia O” Keefe
As I mentioned in my previous post I have found myself randomly obsessed with New Mexico recently. It started like 6 months ago. I honestly can't remember what the spark was but ever since I see hints of it everywhere I look, in books, movies, websites, etc. I have talked Mike into vacationing there in June for a week to 10 days. No, I don't think we will be moving there anytime soon but I told Mike yesterday that I thought we should retire there. He gave me a really strange look like he was wondering what I had been smoking.
This afternoon I was playing travel agent for Tif and Chris and looking for an all inclusive package somewhere sunny for their honeymoon. If you are looking for a similar trip let me recommend the Dominican Republic. There are some amazing deals there right now. I don't know if it's because of the earthquake but the prices were even tempting to me on some of the resorts I was looking at.
But back to New Mexico. I've been trying to get my head around our itinerary. I know that we will be flying into Albuquerque since that is the only major airport but I don't think we'll spend more than a day there. From there we will head to Santa Fe for at least 3 days. There are lots of cultural things to do here and beautiful scenery for golfing/hiking for Mike, as well as Los Alamos which as a physics teacher he is already nerding out about.
From there I am determined to head up to Taos via the high road which supposedly has views out of this world (This is the area that Georgia O'Keeffe made famous). I want to hit as many galleries and studios that I can as this is one of the most artistic communities in the world. I don't think there will be as much for Mike to do here so I probably won't be able to get him to stay more than 2 days. We'll stay at a local B & B here which I always love to do when traveling.
Here is where I get fuzzy in my planning. I want to get the full experience and I don't think the trip would be complete without heading southeast to Roswell and the White Sands. I just don't know how many extra days that would add to the trip. I know that it is going to be a half days drive to get there. I think it would be worth it but I also know that Mike isn't the best traveler and I wonder if we might be better served sticking to the Northern territory and really doing it right.
My family took a trip to the Southwest when I was really young. I think I have a memory of the White Sands but Mom doesn't think so since we were there for less than an hour and I would have just been 3 or 4 years old. I have a feeling associated with it of wonder as I felt the sand in my toes, but it could be a created memory from the pictures I've seen from the trip. I would love to see it again if it is possible. I really think I need some wonder in my life after the year I've had.
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7 comments:
My mom has a similar preoccupation with Arizona, my parents have gone there for vacations several times in the last few years. :-)
I've been wondering about the Dominican Republic, with all the news about the devastation in Haiti you'd think they would have been mentioned too. They're on the same island, I'd be amazed if they didn't have earthquake damage as well.
Oh, that sounds like a fun trip! And those white sands......
It's great that you have the time to research your trip while you are recovering. Nice to dream about far away places, I bet. ;) Hang in there, Paige.
White Sands IS amazing...we had a blast there. Roswell is very kitschy and if time pressed not really worth visiting. I was disappointed for all the hype around it.
I am not a fan of the Southwest. Too hot, dry, dusty, sandy, windy...
The last time we drove through there, it was in the springtime, and the windstorms were so fierce that the roads were closed and we were forced to get a hotel for the night.
There is beauty there in some of the rock and sand formations, but I would never want to spend any more than a few days there.
My mom, on the other hand, would love to relocate there to live forever. Isn't it funny how people have such vastly different preferences?
Sounds like a fun trip and it also sounds like you're having just as much fun planning it
I grew up in Roswell, It's a nice little town, but not tons worth seeing there except my Alma Mater New Mexico Military Institute. However you can get a quick glimpse of it on your way to Carlsbad Caverns. That is one awesome spot to visit. And you can make a loop over to White Sands from there. As for travel time. Getting to Carlsbad from Albuquerque will take closer to 8 hours just drive time. and to be honest there is not tons to see in between. If you stick to a Northern NM tour, you can do tons of Day trips or two day trips from the Albuquerque area. Santa Fe is an hour North of ABQ and with the Rail Runner, you don't even have to drive much if you don't want to. The lava flows are about an hour West of ABQ. There is also Inscription Rock (AKA El Morro National Monument) where Spanish and early American explorers carved their names in the rock cliffs. Anyway have fun on your trip.
I hope you have a great trip! And have you seen the Georgia OKeefe movie? Joan Allen played her. Must see before your trip!
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