Africa, Morocco
Jonathan Jung
THE SAHARA

September 27, 2017

Today was a looooong drive from Fes to the Sahara just outside of the city of Merzouga. A friend of a friend runs the Sahara Garden. Brahim coordinated everything for us and welcomed us upon our arrival with open arms. Truly an amazing human being. We were welcomed with dinner and singing and dancing around a bonfire.

THE SAHARA
Africa, Morocco
Jonathan Jung
CHEFCHAOUEN

September 24, 2017

Our second stop in Morocco was the blue city of Chefchaoen. A small city located up on a hill, wandering thru the medina surrounded by so many shades of blue was quite a different experience from Tangier. We stayed at Casa Perleta, a small bed and breakfast recommended by our friend. It was perfectly located within the upper hill area of the medina. The blue hues of the walls of Chefchaoen are believed to have originated when the Jews came while escaping Hilter in the 1930s. The blue is said to serve as a reminder to lead a spiritual life while symbolizing the sky and heaven.

CHEFCHAOUEN
Europe, Iceland
Jonathan Jung
ICELAND - CHASING THE AURORA BOREALIS

September 11 - 15, 2017

Enroute to our close friends' wedding in Greece we found a cheap flight to Paris via Reykjavik, Iceland and decided to take advantage and do a little stopover in an effort to (fingers crossed) see the northern lights. We decided to restrict our few days to just the southern highlights along the coast. The first thing we noticed was that even though it was supposedly shoulder/low season in Iceland there were significantly more people than when we came the year before in August.

ICELAND - CHASING THE AURORA BOREALIS

gopro

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GRAND CANYON DAY 10

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GRAND CANYON DAY 10

Time for some AWESOME day hikes. Just below Olo is Matkatamiba Canyon. A short scramble up a very narrow slot canyon takes you to a wide side canyon with clear pools and streams a side cavern and large courtyard. Best of all it’s in the shade! A little bit further down the river is Havasu Creek. The clear waters of Havasu Creek mix with the Colorado at its entrance. The difference in clarity and temperature creates a very cool mixing effect. We spent a few hours swimming upstream and floating back down Havasu Creek. What an amazing place, a true oasis almost of another world somehow just off the side of the muddy waters of the Colorado River. Insane. We pulled in to camp at Tuckup around mile 164. Tomorrow morning we will raft the biggest rapid of the Grand Canyon, Lava Falls.

- Allie and Jonathan

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GRAND CANYON DAY 7

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GRAND CANYON DAY 7

Deeper into the Granite Gorge, Day 7 was filled with rapids from Mile 95 thru 109. Vishnu Schist, millions of years old, formed by high pressure and heat invade the canyon walls. This area of the canyon differs dramatically from the upper canyon’s clear layers, almost feels like we’re somewhere in middle earth in Lord of the Rings. When we woke up in the morning the color of the river was a deep reddish brown, likely from all the flash flooding of the side canyons and streams pushing more debris and sediment into the Colorado River. This video is of Granite Rapid, rated a 7-8 and dropping 18 feet in total, the first rapid of the day. Today we cruised thru Granite (7-8), Hermit (7-8), Boucher (4-5), Crystal (7-10), Tuna Creek (5-7), Lower Tuna (4), Sapphire (6), Turquoise (2-4), 104 Mile (5), Ruby (4-5), Serpentine (6) and Bass (3) before setting up camp at Bass. Lucky for us it was a hot day and being wet was a welcome feeling to cool us down in the heat.

- Allie and Jonathan 

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GRAND CANYON DAY 4

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GRAND CANYON DAY 4

Every morning we wake up bright and early to the announcement of “HOTTTT COFFEEEEE” at around 6AM. Breakfast shortly follows and we’re packed up and on the river by 8AM. The toilet (only used for #2 in the morning and at night) is named Oscar after someone who was apparently annoying enough to have the shitter named after them. As Jeff, our lead guide said, “there’s one in every group, so look around and if you don’t see them it might just be you.”

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GRAND CANYON DAY 1

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GRAND CANYON DAY 1

One of the first rapids from Day 1, I believe this is Soap Creek, rated a 5-6. Typically rapids are rated on a 1-6 scale, with 6 being basically impossible and 1 being easy. However, the Grand Canyon is rated on a 1-10 scale. The backdrop looks fake, like it's a painting. This place is insane.

- Allie and Jonathan