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Balabanova All Over

#TakeYourTimeOff

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5 Essentials for a Long Haul Flight
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6 Perfect Days in Bryce and Zion National Parks
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It's official! It's been one year since I've been

It's official! It's been one year since I've been on an airplane! I asked on stories if you've traveled during COVID. I posted the final results there. ⁠
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We flew to El Paso and visited 3 national parks during the long MLK weekend. Here's out itinerary (SAVE THIS POST) or click on the link in bio for full details. ⁠
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Day 1: Travel to Carlsbad, NM. When we did this, we flew to El Paso and drove the 3 hrs to Carlsbad.⁠
Day 2: Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe national parks. They're 30 min away from each other although one is in New Mexico and the other in Texas, so totally doable in one day. ⁠
Day 3: Drive to White Sands National Park. White Sands is small and you only need a couple of hours for a good visit! You can then fly out/drive out or spend the night in El Paso before departing. ⁠
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Guided ranger tours at Carlsbad caverns are currently suspended but you can still access them on your own with a timed entry ticket. ⁠
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#ourplanetdaily #best_worldplaces #travelingthroughtheworld #passionpassport #travelwithmoon #realtravelseekers⁠
#inspireadventure #starttheadventure #adventureenthusiasts #outdoorbella #hikingtheglobe #earthroamers ⁠
#np10K #nationalparkgeek #nationalparkservice #nationalparks #nationalparklife #goparks #exploreamerica #usparksandmonuments #parkroamers #nationalparkobsessed #iflnps⁠
@usparksandmonuments @nationalparkgeek⁠
#travelnewmexico #travelnm #newmexicotrue #nmtrue #landofenchantment #carlsbadcaverns

SHORT VERSIONS OF ZION'S ICONIC HIKES (SAVE THIS P

SHORT VERSIONS OF ZION'S ICONIC HIKES (SAVE THIS POST):⁠
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Here are two ways to experience Observation Point, the trail to Zion's tallest point, without having to climb all the way up.⁠
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1) Ascend the first set of switchbacks and stop there. Do this early in the morning and you'll have a nice perch from which to watch the first sun rays light up the rocks on the opposite side of the canyon. This will be ~1.5 miles total. ⁠
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2) Continue to Echo Canyon, which is actually my favorite part of this hike. There are plenty of nooks and crannies to explore in this fantastic slot canyon. Distance is ~2.5 miles total. ⁠
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More info on the blog - LINK IN BIO!⁠ Also, double-check that the trail is open on Zion's official NPS website. A large rockfall closed the trail in Aug 2019. ⁠
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On an unrelated note - if you are in need of a great quarantine hobby, check out my stories! ⁠
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#travelingthroughtheworld #travelwithmoon #matadornetwork⁠
#inspireadventure #starttheadventure #adventureenthusiasts #earthroamers⁠
#np10K #nationalparkgeek #findyourpark #nationalparkservice #nationalparks #nationalparklife #goparks #exploreamerica #usparksandmonuments #parkroamers #nationalparkobsessed #iflnps⁠
@usparksandmonuments @nationalparkgeek⁠
#UtahTrails #WeRUtah #HikeUtah #WowUtah #UtahIsRad #ExploreUtah #UtahGram #IGSouthWest #YesVisitUtah @visitutah #zionnationalpark #zionnps

Politics have shaped my life in profound ways. ⁠

Politics have shaped my life in profound ways. ⁠
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In 1989, the iron curtain fell and with it, the border controls that previously kept all but the most connected Bulgarians inside the country. Ultimately, the fall of the iron curtain is what made it possible for me to emigrate to the US. And in 2007, Bulgaria joined the EU. Thanks to those 2 huge political events, I am now able to carry 2 of the most powerful passports in the world. Obviously, hard work on my part went into this, but that would have mattered very little had these events not happened. My ability to travel and post on this platform about it is directly related to all of this. ⁠
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It's easy to ignore this connection because it's not always obvious and, if you're in a position of privilege, the impacts you feel may only be positive. You can choose to be engaged in that process and help shape it, or you can choose to stay silent, but the impact will be there no matter what. Don't wait until something you care about is threatened to start paying attention - by then, it will likely be too late. Democracy depends on us - on all of us - being informed, engaged and discerning based on facts. ⁠
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📸: my naturalization ceremony some years ago. ⁠
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#vip_world_photo #best_worldplaces #travelingthroughtheworld #cntraveler #bbctravel #cnntravel #lpfanphoto #travelwithmoon #realtravelseekers #matadornetwork⁠
#wildcalifornia #visitcalifornia #conquer_ca #caligrammers #californiathroughmylens #unlimited_california⁠
#losangelesworld #losangeles_city #conquer_la #losangelesgrammers #cityofangels #discoverla #ilovela #socalliving #igerslosangeles #savedemocracy

Observing the events of that last 4 years, particu

Observing the events of that last 4 years, particularly the last 2 months and especially yesterday, I wonder - is this what the gradual decline of a civilization feels like? Is this what Rome's decline felt like? The Weimar Republic's? It is so gradual and the events so unimaginable that you think, you are sure, that certainly, this is it. This is when everyone wakes up and stops believing conspiracy theories and comes to their senses, and finally admits that the Emperor's New Clothes were never there after all. ⁠
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I don't know what needs to happen for those 74+ million people to wake up. I am not sure there is anything that can wake them up. ⁠
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And that is f%*$&% scary. ⁠
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#vip_world_photo #best_worldplaces #travelingthroughtheworld #cntraveler #bbctravel #cnntravel #lpfanphoto #travelwithmoon #realtravelseekers #matadornetwork⁠
#theprettycities #citybestpics #bestcitybreaks⁠
#MyDCcool #washmagphoto #dcchasers #dctography #exposeddc #dc_eyes #weclickdc #dcspot #ilovedc ⁠
#loveva #uscapitol #capitolhill #capitolhilldc #savedemocracy

View of Walter's Wiggles at Angel's Landing Trail

View of Walter's Wiggles at Angel's Landing Trail from the top! The 21 switchbacks are named after Walter Ruesch, the first superintendent of Zion and were constructed in 1926.⁠
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Angel's Landing is the quintessential Zion trail. Don't get deterred by the scary chain section. That's in the last half-mile and you can just skip it! There is plenty of gorgeous scenery along the way. Here are 4 good stopping points if you don't want to do the whole hike (SAVE THIS POST): ⁠
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1) Beginning of Angel's Landing Trail along the river ⁠(~1 mile total)⁠
2) First set of switchbacks ⁠(~2 miles total)⁠
3) Refrigerator Canyon⁠ (~3.5 miles total)⁠
4) Walter's Wiggles (pictured,~4 miles total) ⁠
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More info on the blog - LINK IN BIO!⁠
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#travelingthroughtheworld #travelwithmoon #matadornetwork⁠
#inspireadventure #starttheadventure #adventureenthusiasts #earthroamers⁠
#np10K #nationalparkgeek #findyourpark #nationalparkservice #nationalparks #nationalparklife #goparks #exploreamerica #usparksandmonuments #parkroamers #nationalparkobsessed #iflnps⁠
@usparksandmonuments @nationalparkgeek⁠
#UtahTrails #WeRUtah #HikeUtah #WowUtah #UtahIsRad #ExploreUtah #UtahGram #IGSouthWest #YesVisitUtah @visitutah #zionnationalpark #zionnps

Angel's Landing and Observation Point are Zion's i

Angel's Landing and Observation Point are Zion's iconic hikes, but you don't have to go the full distance to get a great experience. Here are 4 options to shorten Angel's Landing (SAVE THIS POST). These 4 options all avoid the scary chain section at the end. Full details ON THE BLOG (LINK IN BIO). ⁠
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1) Beginning of Angel's Landing Trail along the river ⁠
2) First set of switchbacks ⁠(pictured)
3) Refrigerator Canyon⁠
4) Second set of switchbacks (Walter's Wiggles) ⁠
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#travelingthroughtheworld #travelwithmoon #matadornetwork⁠
#inspireadventure #starttheadventure #adventureenthusiasts #earthroamers⁠
#np10K #nationalparkgeek #findyourpark #nationalparkservice #nationalparks #nationalparklife #goparks #exploreamerica #usparksandmonuments #parkroamers #nationalparkobsessed #iflnps⁠
@usparksandmonuments @nationalparkgeek⁠
#UtahTrails #WeRUtah #HikeUtah #WowUtah #UtahIsRad #ExploreUtah #UtahGram #IGSouthWest #YesVisitUtah @visitutah #zionnationalpark #zionnps

Merry Christmas! This year didn't go according to

Merry Christmas! This year didn't go according to plan for anyone I feel hopeful for 2021! ⁠
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#vip_world_photo #best_worldplaces #travelingthroughtheworld #cntraveler #bbctravel #cnntravel #lpfanphoto #travelwithmoon #matadornetwork⁠
#inspireadventure #starttheadventure #adventureenthusiasts #outdoorbella #hikingtheglobe #earthroamers⁠
#wildcalifornia #visitcalifornia #conquer_ca #caligrammers #californiathroughmylens #unlimited_california⁠
#losangelesworld #losangeles_city #conquer_la #losangelesgrammers #cityofangels #discoverla #ilovela #socalliving #igerslosangeles

TELL ME: Are you traveling for the holidays or are

TELL ME: Are you traveling for the holidays or are you staying put? ⁠
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We had tix to go to Florida. We got them at the end of February for a really good price, thinking we had plenty of time to get this COVID-19 thing under control... how silly that seems now! ⁠
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For the first time in my life, I am not taking advantage of these days off at the end of the year to travel. It will be my first Christmas in LA, even though I've lived here for 11 years. Surprisingly, I look forward to it! I plan on more sunset walks on the beach, puzzling thanks to @seriousshops and @completingthepuzzleofficial, working on my German with @duolingo and planning my 2021 with @brightbeta.co's planner. ⁠
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What are your filling your time with if you're not traveling to see family? ⁠
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#vip_world_photo #best_worldplaces #travelingthroughtheworld #cntraveler #bbctravel #lpfanphoto #travelwithmoon #matadornetwork #inspireadventure #starttheadventure #adventureenthusiasts #earthroamers #wildcalifornia #visitcalifornia #conquer_ca #caligrammers #californiathroughmylens #unlimited_california #losangelesworld #losangeles_city #conquer_la #losangelesgrammers #cityofangels #discoverla #ilovela #socalliving #igerslosangeles #quarantinechristmas #covidchristmas #stayhomesavelives

Feeling nostalgic today as around this time I head

Feeling nostalgic today as around this time I head to Europe to see my family if I am spending Christmas there that year. I try to go to Bulgaria every 8-9 months and every a couple of years it falls during Christmas. ⁠
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On this day last year, I was flying to Belgium, then Luxembourg and Bulgaria for what would become my last international pre-COVID trip. And 8 years ago today I got "stuck" in Paris because I missed my connection to Sofia and @Airfrance could not get me out until the next day. That unexpected stop in Paris, which I'd never been to before or since, is one of my most cherished travel memories. ⁠See more snaps in stories! ⁠
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#vip_world_photo #best_worldplaces #travelingthroughtheworld #cntraveler #bbctravel #lpfanphoto #travelwithmoon #matadornetwork⁠
#theprettycities #citybestpics #bestcitybreaks⁠
#europeancapitals #discovereurope #europepics #besteuropepics #besteuropephotos #livingeurope #european #europestyle #yallerseurope #europeantour #europevacation #parisatnight #paristravel #louvremuseum #louvrepyarmid #architecturedose #architecture_greatshots #architecture_hunter #architecture_view⁠

You can see the best of Sequoia and Kings Canyon i

You can see the best of Sequoia and Kings Canyon in a couple of days, but you can always find more things to see if you have the time! Here are some ideas for your third day in these two sister parks (SAVE THIS POST): ⁠
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1) Kings Canyon: Panoramic Point, then Park Ridge Fire lookout trail, which starts at Panoramic point. It's a two-fer! ⁠
2) Kings Canyon: Buena Vista Peak trail ⁠
3) Sequoia: for a challenging day hike that takes you into the Sierra Nevada, do the Heather Lakes trail via Watchtower⁠
4) Sequoia: starting and ending at the Giants Forest Museum, take Bear Hill trail out and Soldier trail back in. This loop has an added benefit if taking you to Moro Rock without having to use the seasonal shuttle or angle for parking in the tiny parking lot at the Moro Rock trailhead. ⁠
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#travelingthroughtheworld #travelwithmoon #matadornetwork⁠
#inspireadventure #starttheadventure #adventureenthusiasts #outdoorbella #hikingtheglobe #earthroamers⁠
#np10K #nationalparkgeek #nationalparkservice #nationalparks #nationalparklife #goparks #exploreamerica #usparksandmonuments #parkroamers #nationalparkobsessed #iflnps⁠
@usparksandmonuments @nationalparkgeek⁠
#wildcalifornia #visitcalifornia #conquer_ca #caligrammers #californiathroughmylens #unlimited_california⁠
#sequoianationalpark #sequoia #kingscanyon #sequoiakingsnps

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