It is said that: the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Mine began with a modestly packed suitcase and long-winded plane journey across the globe - from the Middle East to the Empire State. 10,000-odd miles between Kuwait to New York and approximately 13 hours of flight time later, an imposing, magnificent lady towering an island greeted us - The Statute of Liberty—an icon of freedom welcoming my starry eyes. New York - the first stop on our big American vacation was a reflection of the very city I belong to - Mumbai.
Staying in the heart of the city—Times Square gave us a peek at the soul of this concrete jungle. From the greens in Central Park to a walk on Brooklyn bridge, an on-foot expedition to the bustling Grand Central Station to a birds eye view of this land of dreams from The Empire State building to the top of the Rockafeller building—in our five days in New York, we took in everything this city had to offer.
Next stop—a wonder of the world. Buffalo was a green treat to eyes the very minute we got there. From our room on the 26th floor of the Senaca Niagara Casino & Hotel, we were sneakily treated to a view of Canada and a teasing spectacle of the falls. Our endeavour to devour the Niagara Falls led us to a ride on the Maid of the Mist boat that floated on the glorious waters. Right in the middle of the three falls, a rainbow kissed the misty waters and in that moment I lost my heart to the waters of the falls. After an exhilarating trek around the base of the falls in the Cave of the Winds, we came back for a mesmerizing night view of the falls as it cloaked itself in vibrant hues. The next morning, we hopped aboard a helicopter to get our final view of this marvel before we boarded a flight to a destination further west.
An 8-hour journey from New York later, we landed in the middle of a glistening dessert completely buzzing with life. Las Vegas, Nevada—Sin City. Our suite high up in the Stratosphere Casino & Tower was the very first of what this decadent place had to offer. As LED lights and music took over the ceiling of the Freemont Street and the fountains of the Bellagio danced before us to even the show at Treasure Island, we were sold! From Madame Tussauds to exploring the Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Vegas gave us more than we could have asked for. Breakfast stops at the I-Hop were only the beginning of a great morning before we’d set out to explore the casinos at The Venetian hotel and more, but there was still one more thing to do before we set out further into the desert towards The Grand Canyon, and that was to dangle above the City of Sin. The Stratosphere rides that thrust you at the edge of the 2nd tallest building in the Western hemisphere are not for the faint hearted. Thankfully for me, I survived to live and tell the tale of the night I sat on a ride (the X Scream) that lifted and plunged me off the edge of a 1,149 ft high building as the shimmering Vegas strip bustled below.
The next morning, we drove about 6 hours towards Arizona to get a viewing of the magnificent Grand Canyon and after two days of camping out there, we got our fashionable selves ready as we moved towards the entertainment capital of the world—LA.
From Disneyworld to touring the Universal Studios and experiencing everything these entertainment-filled places have to offer, we were back on the road driving to San Jose.
While one morning we drove to San Francisco to hurtle down the Crooked Street and walk on the Golden Gate Bridge, the next morning we explored the silicon valley of California as well as drove to Napa Valley, one of the top breath taking wine growing regions in the world. A wine tasting tour at the Castello di Amorosa castle worthy of your taste buds will make your spirits soar to the heavens.
As our trip drew to an end, there was still one more thing to do. Clear weather and beautiful blue skies welcomed us as we walked into the Lodi skydiving center. After filling and signing one of the scariest forms ever, I was strapped and boarding a flight, but this time the destination was an experience of a lifetime. The vessel took off and a few precautionary last words with my tandem skydiver later, I found myself on the edge of a plane, 13,000ft above ground with all of California below me. A blink of the eye later—I had jumped. Floating in mid skies, consuming everything I could, I knew that this journey was a voyage of discovery beyond compare.
I left a part of my soul somewhere between heaven and earth that day as we hopped on a flight from San Francisco back to Kuwait. This, truly was a journey of self-discovery, one that I made with a small suitcase and curious steps.