Flying to into the Amazon Rainforest

On April 12, 2021April 12, 2021 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn South AmericaLeave a comment

When we were in Ecuador, we had to take a flight from Quito to Coca, which is a small town in the jungle. The tour company booked our flight for us, so we really knew nothing about it until we reached the airport. We knew that our flight was on a local airline and that it would take a little over 30 minutes to reach Coca, but that was all that we knew. In general, flying does not make us nervous, but this was not necessarily a typical flight.

Once the announcement occurred that it was time for us to board our flight, we walked out onto the tarmac to head towards our plane. It wasn’t a tiny plane, but it was small enough that we consider it to be a “puddle jumper”. Being in a small plane wasn’t a concern as we have flown in them many times in the past, but we immediately knew that the flight would likely be more bumpy as that is often the case in smaller planes.

The flight itself was over some interesting terrain as we had to fly over the Andes Mountains and then eventually over the Amazon Rainforest. Again, we’ve flown over mountains and forests in the past, but being in a smaller plane also meant that we would be flying at a lower altitude. While that would give us great views of the mountains and jungle, it also meant that we would be closer to the mountain peaks than we would have preferred.

In general, the flight was fine, but we definitely experienced quite a bit of turbulence. As we neared Coca, it became evident that it was a much smaller town than what we were expecting. It also made it clear why we needed to be in a smaller plane as the airport and runway were very small. It was really more of a clearing in the jungle with a small building than a traditional airport.

The Top Things to Do When Visiting Colorado Springs

On March 4, 2021March 4, 2021 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Colorado4 Comments

We are fortunate to live in Colorado Springs, Colorado and enjoy taking advantage of all of the unique places to see in the area. Even though these are all popular sites for tourists to visit, they are also things that locals enjoy as well. In addition to those things in the city itself, we’ve also included a couple of day trip locations as well. Even though Denver is about an hour north of Colorado Springs, we did not include any locations there as they are worthy of their own list. No matter what you do when coming to Colorado, making sure to get out and enjoy nature is certainly the highlight of any trip to this wonderful state. Here are our recommendations, in no particular order.

IMGP4902 — Pikes Peak from Garden of the Gods

Pikes Peak – Whether driving to the top of Pikes Peak, taking the Cog Railway (when it is open), our even hiking to the top of the mountain, it is certainly a must do activity in Colorado Springs. Known as “America’s Mountain” for it being the inspiration to America the Beautiful, the views are absolutely stunning. With an elevation that is over 14,000 feet (4,250 meters), it is important to be aware of the effects of the altitude and people need to be sure to hydrate.
Behind Kissing Camels in Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods – Walking or driving through this geological wonder is one of the most popular things to do when visiting Colorado Springs. To say that Garden of the Gods is truly beautiful would be an extreme understatement. With various rock formations such as balancing rock, steamboat rock, and kissing camels, there is a lot to see when visiting the park.
Cadet Chapel at the Airforce Academy
The United States Air Force Academy – Located on the northern end of Colorado Springs, visiting this military campus is certainly worth the time. With many different statues depicting various aircraft and a chapel that is truly unique, it is worth going into the academy grounds and not just stopping at the viewing area that is located off of the highway. It is important to remember that this is an active military base, so there are times that it is closed to the public and you will have to show id upon reaching the gates.
View from a Hike in Mueller State Park
Mueller State Park – We love hiking in this state park throughout the year, but it is definitely our favorite place to go when the leaves change in autumn. It is about an hour drive from Colorado Springs, but it is worth getting into the Rocky Mountains when coming to Colorado. There is also an opportunity to see a variety of wildlife in the park, so be sure to visit the visitor center and speak to the rangers to see where animals might be active.
Downtown Shops in Manitou Springs
Historic Manitou Springs – Sitting on the outskirts of town, between Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak is Manitou Springs with its western charm. Many people choose to stay in Manitou Springs when coming to Colorado Springs, but even if you don’t stay there, it is worth visiting. There are many different shops, restaurants, and interesting buildings to see in this small town.
Seven Falls from Eagles Nest
Seven Falls – Visiting this waterfall in the southern part of Colorado Springs is a popular attraction. It gives you a chance to get into the mountains without having to drive out of the city. It is a steep climb to the top of the falls, but it is certainly worth it to see the amazing views. If you even more adventurous, you can zip line in Seven Falls, but just walking through the park and eating at the restaurant at the base of the falls is worth the visit.
Colorado Springs Zoo
The Colorado Springs Zoo – Although almost every city has a zoo, but the Colorado Springs Zoo is definitely different than any other zoo you may have been to. The zoo is the only mountain side zoo in America and has wonderful views of the city, especially if you go to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. Make sure that you wear comfortable shoes as you will be doing a lot of walking along paths that take you higher and higher through the exhibits.
Royal Gorge Railway
The Royal Gorge Train – Going to Canon City, located about an hour outside of Colorado Springs, is worth the drive just to see the amazing canyon. For really adventurous people, you can go whitewater rafting through the gorge, but for a more relaxing time, we’d recommend taking the historic railway along the river at the base of the canyon walls.
Main Street in Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek – If you want to do a little gambling while enjoying some beautiful scenery, then a drive to Cripple Creek trip for you. It is about an hour and a half outside of Colorado Springs and is an easy day trip, but there are hotels if you would prefer. Since Mueller State Park is on the way to Cripple Creek, it can certainly be combined into a single visit.

There are a few other places that are often on people’s itineraries including the Cave of the Winds and the North Pole, but we found the above listed places to be some of the best of Colorado Springs. It is certainly a beautiful area and we would definitely recommend dedicated at least three days to the Colorado Springs area if you are planning a visit.

Variations of a Colorado Sunset

On February 4, 2021February 4, 2021 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Colorado7 Comments

We love the sunsets that we get to see over the mountains of Colorado, they are especially vibrant during winter. As we watch the sun make its way toward the horizon, the skyline changes almost second by second. Just when we think that it can’t get any more spectacular, a minute later we are even more amazed. One of the places that we visit quite often has wonderful views of the mountains and we watched a couple of different sunsets over a two week period. After the sun made its way below the horizon, the sky turned to such a deep red in different ways on both occasions. We didn’t have our camera with us, so these photographs were taken with our phone. We have provided each sunset here in chronological order, so you’ll have to imagine enjoying a nice glass of wine and watching these beautiful sunsets.