UBC January 2024 - The 10 coolest Places I've visited

I had a super busy day at work, which didn't leave any time or leisure to think about today's post, even though I immediately decided on a topic as Paul's e-mail arrived:

The 10 coolest Places I've visited

Trouble is, even though I'm allowed to list 10, it'll still be hard to choose from so many incredible locations I've been fortunate to travel.

We're traveling northwest from South East Asia, which means we start in Sydney, Australia, one of our all time travel highlights. Hubby and I spent almost five weeks in Australia, it was our honeymoon. Here's a post talking more about this trip 

Read if if you want to find out why the immigration officer warned us not to drink the tap water, or if you want to see pictures of cute koalas, colourful birds and scary crocodiles. 

Not only was it easy to get around, there was so much to see and do in and around Sydney. The very best part of our Down Under experience were the people. 95% of the mates, as we called them, were super friendly, and a genuine way of friendly. 

Mohlabetsi and Cape Town, South Africa  are my next two top destinations I would love to go back rather sooner than later. 

Mohlabetsi is a privately owned park within the gigantic Kruger Park. We got to ride an open vehicle with an experienced guide. There's a usually an early morning and a sunset game drive. These times of day offer the best chance of spotting the desired animals. Count yourself lucky if you encounter not only the Big Five (lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos and elephants), but also the Ugly Five (wildebeests, warthogs, vultures, hyenas and marabou storks).

This lion cub and its siblings were patiently waiting for Mom to come back from the grocery store. I was very impressed that they didn't run away and got themselves into trouble. Goes to prove that animals are smarter than (most) humans. 

After spending a few days in the bush, it feels unreal to come back to a city. Fortunately Cape Town is quite laid back. I love the contrast of surf and turf if you will -  the Waterfront and the Table Mountain, as well as the influence of British, Dutch and African culture. 

In just an hour's drive you can reach Cape of Good Hope, or in 2.5 hours you'll get to Agulhas. This little fishing village is not very famous as in known or fancy, but it is super charming, plus it's the southernmost point of Africa and dividing point between Indian and Atlantic Oceans. As it's pretty remote, there's no light pollution, and it gets pitch black at night. Until you discover the starry sky. A magical and unforgettable sight!

From the sandy beach to the snowy mountains in my home country, Switzerland. I want to take you to Zermatt, known for the iconic Matterhorn, and also home to our company's newest project.

During winter the entire area offers a variety of ski slopes; even in April and May people still come here to ski on the glacier.

If you want the mountain experience without skis, plus you have a little time and money (OK, a somewhat large-ish amount of money) you will take the Gornergrat cog railroad that takes you up to 10,285 feet. 

The view is so worth the trip! Look at them mountains!

While in Europe you don't want to miss Paris of course. I don't know anyone who is indifferent towards the French capital. That's why I called a post I wrote Reasons to love and / or hate PARIS. 

Here's my main travel tip if you consider visiting Paris: Save your time and money, and do without the Eiffel Tower experience. There are better, cheaper and quicker ways to get an overview of the city! Like going up the Montparnasse Tower. From there you can even view the Eiffel Tower!

Same goes for Mona Lisa at the Louvre. The painting is smaller than you think, it's tucked away behind thick glass, and a ton of broad shouldered tourists will stand in your way. I talk about other artsy experiences in the post I mentioned. 

Interestingly I don't feel about the CN tower the same way I do about the Eiffel tower, even though the waiting time may be just as long, and admission is more than double. Oh, did I mention, we have arrived in Toronto, Canada?

The entire tower is 553 meters tall, but the top floor with the observation deck only 446 meters (1,465 feet).  If you're not a fan of heights just don't put your feet on the glass floor!

For us as a hockey family, Toronto is a special treat. Not only is it home to the Maple Leafs, it's also where the International Hockey Hall of Fame is located. The jerseys or skates of famous players you'll see! It's not only a museum for gear though, it's pretty interactive, and you get to shoot on a goalie!

In order to stick to ten locations, may I bundle the National Parks? Grand, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches and Yellowstone, just to name some of my favourites. 

Today I want to show you one that isn't even a National Park as far as I know. It's called Horseshoe Bend, and unlike many of the popular parks,  it involves a bit of a hike, but you'll get rewarded by a spectacular view!

Now it's time for a change of scenery. After all the post is supposed to be talking about cool places, and we can't leave out Las Vegas, Nevada. We just can't! 

I am not a gambler, and I think it's disgusting that guests get to smoke in the casinos, but I love, love, love the overall atmosphere! It's a fairy tale city with all the glitter and lights at night! The erupting volcano at the Mirage, the water/music show at "Lake Como" at the Bellagio, even the fake Eiffel Tower, I just enjoy it! Don't tell anyone, but I actually prefer "New York, New York" in Las Vegas over the grumpy old original. This has entirely to do with the fact that the real NYC was raining down on me for four straight days...

It never rains in California - or does it? I got poured on in Los Angeles one time, and that's why this city doesn't stand a chance to end up in my top ten cooles places ;-)))

We're moving on to San Francisco and put some flowers in our hair!

When I was here for the very first time in 1999, I was overwhelmed by this breathtaking view. I distinctly remember thinking "this is worth all the hassle commuting, working long hours while going to school to obtain my HR diploma and more - the money I made brought me here to this very place, and I feel so privileged!"

When I was living in CA back in 2001 I thought it was a good idea to have breakfast in San Francisco with a friend and drive back to San Diego where I had to be in class at 7pm on the same day. The things you'll do when you're young and dumb. Did I mention my car didn't have a navigation system... You can only imagine the traffic that hit me in the greater L.A. area. Another reason we're not mentioning Los Angeles in this top ten post! 

Last but not least - and I promised we were going northwest from South East Asia, we end up in Seattle, Washington. One of my second homes, due to the fact that this is where my former employer is located, and I got to spend some time there learning about coffee and corporate culture. 

When you hear SBUX, you may think Howard Schultz, and you're not wrong. However, the real founders were called Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl.

It all started at Pike Place...

Another reason to love Seattle is the Meg Ryan & Tom Hanks movie, and - if you're a football fan - the Seahawks. 

I could go on for hours, but I have to go and pick up Colin from practice. 

Did you enjoy traveling with me? Any favorite location?