This is "home" in San Diego, California. From here, it takes 4 1/2 hours to get to Las Vegas Strip, Nevada via Interstate-15. That's around 329 miles or 540 km. I researched and according to Google maps, my house in Quezon City to Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte is around 567 km. Kaya ata ilagay sa loob ng California at Nevada ang buong Pilipinas. Haha! Tinatamad lang ako i-search.
Since this is a "road trip," let's choose a song that we'll listen on loop until it feels like torture.
For California - Nevada, I choose "Are you gonna be my girl?" by Jet. Why? This is one of the songs I remember from the movie, " What Happens in Vegas" hahahaha e syempre kasi excited ako kaya nanood ako ng movies na na-shoot sa Vegas dati tas ito 'yung isa sa tumatak sa isip ko.
Pag naririnig ko 'to at naalala ko 'yung Primm, feels like Las Vegas 2016 all over again. Lam mo 'yon. hahahahahahahahaha. Muntanga, noh? I associate songs to places I've gone to. Parang nasa music video.😂 And for this particular song, those are funny memories kaya hahahahahahahahahaha. 🤭
Going back to the road trip...
Las Vegas Strip is just a small part of the state of Nevada but it's the most famous resort area there. There are other Resort Areas and National Parks that can be of interest though such as Reno, Laughlin, Lake Tahoe and many more. Most of the places I've gone to in 2016 are indexed in the link above, while most of the places I visited in 2019 are yet to find their way to this blog. Sipag yern? HAHAHA
There are three stop over options (that I know of) that you'll be passing through along the Interstate 15 on the way to Vegas.
Barstow - this was the stop over we frequented mainly because there's a Walmart and we buy food there on the way to California.
Baker - I have a photo of the world's largest thermometer in this area but I haven't stopped there yet.
Primm - This area is where I lived. This was home to me but a stop-over for most people since there's a mall, gasoline station, three hotels in the area aside from our apartment complex. It takes around an hour to get to the town from here.
Death Valley National Park is located both in California and Nevada (along the stateline). There's an access road along this highway (I-15) but the one we drove through when we went there was the one in Pahrump cause we wanted to see the road that leads to Lake Tahoe.
Death Valley National Park
#1: Twenty Mule Team Canyon Outlook
#2: Zabriskie Point
#3: Badwater Basin/ Lowest Point in North America
#4: Dante's View and Artist Drive
#5: Sandstorm/ Haboob at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
#1: Twenty Mule Team Canyon Outlook
#2: Zabriskie Point
#3: Badwater Basin/ Lowest Point in North America
#4: Dante's View and Artist Drive
#5: Sandstorm/ Haboob at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
[Klook Link] Death Valley Small Group Day Tour from Las Vegas
This is the largest thermometer in the world in Baker, California. It can get really hot in Vegas since it's in the middle of the desert and there's not a lot of vegetation so I think, this thermometer is a great addition just so you'd have an idea about what kind of heat you're getting yourself into that day.
In the movie "A Walk to Remember," one of Jamie's bucket list is to be in two places at once. This place, btw, is one of the borders of Nevada and California. During my first few days in the States last 2016, I met a friend who taught me that the interstate line is somewhere here.
After singing "Someday We'll Know" I was told, "You're now in two places at once."
After singing "Someday We'll Know" I was told, "You're now in two places at once."
Lottery is not legal in Nevada but just walk across that line to California and there's a Lotto Outlet. Tuwang tuwa na ko sa little discovery ko that time. Na ganon lang pala 'yung interstate borders. HAHAHA!
Home.
No matter how much time passes
That's what you will always be to me
Home. ❤️
I'll be back for you someday. ❤️
After our Las Vegas adventures.
We drove back to San Diego
I've yet to post the other places I've visited in LV. Soon, soon. I don't know lang how soon.
Road back to California
This road (interstate highway) is visible from the laundry room in my apartment complex before and this looks so beautiful at night. The mountains are dark with lights from passing cars. I've always wondered what it felt like to drive out of there and now, look, I don't even remember how many times I passed through the highway.
I wrote these articles and while I was reading them, it was as if they were written by two different persons. I've already made a post about this when I posted my solo travel in Busan photodump but the difference between 2016 and 2019 was obtained through growth and acceptance. I wanted to cling to whatever was there in 2016 that's why it pained me terribly that I were to leave. During 2019, I've accepted that Las Vegas is "my home" and it will always be but then it's not someplace that I were to stay at for long. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to be able to travel back there but no more tears were shed upon departure. Just a heart that's looking forward to visiting there again someday.
I want to repost a part of my Busan photodump, "I realized that I didn't cry 'cause I didn't want to leave. I cried for the freedom and strength I thought I was losing once I go back to the Philippines. I didn't realize immediately that the independence and strength were with me all along since then - they became part of my identity."
I hope you're doing well. 😊
Everything, in time. 💖
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