GUEST ARTICLE: If you’re looking for close proximity to the Rocky Mountains and a relaxed atmosphere, look no further than Boulder, Colorado aka ‘Boulderado’.

It takes about fifty minutes on the RTD bus service to reach Boulder, Colorado after the Amtrak California Zephyr pulls up at Denver Station.

The ride into Denver at night is magical as the “Mile High City” glows at night from a distance as the train steams towards the centre of town.

The Days Hotel Boulder is a comfortable, clean and well-appointed hotel for the budget conscious traveler. It is conveniently located near the Table Mesa Park n Ride bus stop, from which you’re just a short bus ride out of town. Single king rooms start from about US$55 and include free high speed WiFi, microwave, fridge and cable TV.

Eldora Ski Resort is a short bus ride away from Boulder and worth a visit if you want to hit the slopes in Colorado.

Pearl St Mall has a good mix of shops, cafes and restaurants to keep you busy for at least one afternoon.

If you have a sweet tooth, head on down to the Cheesecake Factory and dig into one of their many cheesecake specialties, you won’t be disappointed. The triple chocolate is not to be missed!

Getting to Denver International Airport couldn’t be easier aboard the RTD SkyRide bus service ($12 adult) from the Table Mesa Park n Ride.

This article has been written by Pranav Bhatt. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Sydney University. He has an interest in world travel, cricket, politics, technology and the media.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: Don’t be fooled, there’s so much more to Moab, Utah than its main street called Main Street. Untouched National Parks abound. Thousands of natural sandstone arches. The force of the Colorado River. Challenging bike tracks. All this and more is on your doorstep from Moab.

If you’re on the Amtrak California Zephyr and want to visit Moab, a little bit of pre-planning is advisable. Otherwise you might find yourself walking for 52 miles down the highway from the isolated Green River Amtrak station.

Pre-booked shuttle services such as Coyote Shuttle can help. Just be aware that some companies are reluctant to do pick ups from Green River because of the unreliability of Amtrak trains.

I was fortunate because my train was exactly on time and I’d pre-arranged a pick up with Coyote Shuttle and phoned them while I was on the train to re-assure them that I’d turn up on time.

Moab Main Street is filled wall to wall with shops, hotels, motels and adventure outfitters so finding a bed and bike rental should be no problem unless you arrive during peak season or the annual Moab Jeep Safari.

Starting at $US 39 for a single queen room, the Bowen Motel offers superb budget friendly accommodation on Main Street, within walking distance of cafes, restaurants, tour companies and the CityMarket supermarket.

Rooms are large and feature a large bed, cable TV, free WiFi, clean bathroom, and breakfast. There is a microwave and fridge at reception and the front desk staff are helpful.

The Adventure Inn is also on Main Street. Single queen rooms start from about $US 55. The owners were very friendly and helpful. The rooms are newer, compact and clean with cable TV and free WiFi, but breakfast is inadequate. Laundry facilities are provided.

Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park rank highly on the must-see list for visitors to this part of Utah.

There are plenty of tour companies (‘outfitters’) to choose from if you don’t have a car or just want to sit back and listen to an expert. The Moab Adventure Center provides a number of tours ranging from four-wheel mayhem on Hummer safaris to rafting.

The guided hike through the maze-like Fiery Furnace in Arches is excellent value at $US 77 (adult). It is one of the quieter and more mysterious areas of the park because visitor numbers are limited to preserve its unique natural beauty.

Tag-A-Long Expeditions and Navtec hold permits to enter Canyonlands National Park. Other outfitters advertise tours that include ‘Canyonlands’ but they can only drive around the general region known as Canyonlands.

Tag-a-Long’s Jet Boat / 4WD tour of the Canyonlands National Park (US $135 adult) offers the best of both worlds, providing visitors the chance to experience rugged backcountry and stunning vistas via windy dirt trails, followed by an afternoon navigating the Colorado River with time for a riverside lunch in between.

There are heaps of biking trails in and around Moab to suit most skill levels. Plenty of shops rent bikes too. Rim Cyclery offers reasonable prices and friendly service.

Many of the trails are rugged and remote. To navigate them safely, you’ll need to draw upon skills and experience you won’t have from just riding on city streets. So don’t just hop on and hope for the best.

The trail along Kane Creek is recommended for people with limited experience, but it’s wise to know how to use a puncture repair kit to patch any holes if you get stranded. If you look carefully, you’ll spot some American Indian petroglyphs on the way.

The Moab Brewery “Utah’s only microbrewery and restaurant” offers a genuine pub atmosphere and is a great place to unwind after a day of outdoor adventure.

The menu ranges from Italian, Mexican to classic burger and fries pub fare. Try some of their microbrewery varieties such as the Dead Horse Amber Ale and the Derailleur Red Ale.

Pasta Jay’s is one of the most packed restaurants on Main Street and it’s easy to see why – huge servings of American-Italian fare at decent prices.

Zax Restaurant is just off Main Street and is a top choice for a fresh burger, local beer and crispy hot chips for under US $20.

The Moab Museum provides a hands-on history of the town showcasing dinosaur bones, mineral deposits and the Hollywood films that have been shot in the area including Thelma and Louise and Mission Impossible II.

This article has been written by Pranav Bhatt. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Sydney University. He has an interest in world travel, cricket, politics, technology and the media.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: Surrounded by a ring of big and small snow capped mountains, Salt Lake City, Utah is a ski lover’s wonderland.

Disembarking the Amtrak California Zephyr at Salt Lake City railway station in the early hours of the morning isn’t for the faint hearted. Call a taxi company like Yellow Cab (801) 521-2100 or City Cab Co (801) 363-5550 or you’ll be left stranded in a desolate part of town next to the very shady looking Pioneer Park.

Entering the 800 South Guest House, amazingly enough located on 800 South (‘street’) is also an interesting proposition during the early hours of the morning.

800 South Guest House is a self-check in hostel with a cheerful yellow and blue exterior. Have the entry code handy from your internet booking to open the side door and a torch if the lights are off so you don’t have to stumble to the self check-in computer like I did.

Starting at about US $20 for a shared dormitory, the hostel provides free secure WiFi, TV, kitchen and laundry facilities. It’s cheapest to book directly online through the official secure website.

To stock up on the basics you can’t go wrong at the Walmart SuperCenter just a few TRAX stops away. If you can’t find what you want in Walmart, whether it’s a “wholesome” tube of cookie dough or “meal size maple pancakes” and sausage griddlecake, you just aren’t looking hard enough.

To hit the ski slopes, take a UTA ski bus up to Snowbird or Alta Ski Resort to experience the powder that made Salt Lake City home to the 2002 Winter Olympics. The champagne snow crumbles in your hand at the slightest touch.

Snowbird is a more commericalised, larger resort with more eateries and shops. Alta is more of a smaller, simpler family run operation. But it’s really the types of runs on offer that counts.

If you catch the TRAX light rail into town for sight seeing, be warned. There’s not too much to see by way of major tourist attractions, unless you’re interested in religious monuments and average museums.

A ring of tall and short snow capped mountains provide a sparkling backdrop to what is other wise a fairly lifeless city.

In early 2009, the city center was punctuated by construction works designed to breathe life and prosperity into the centre, its plain architecture and shady streets on its fringes.

There are some chain restaurants like Romano’s Macaroni Grill where you can get a large cheesy mushroom ravioli and a Budweiser served with a complimentary warm bread roll and oil for about $US15.

For more information about skiing and the state parks around Salt Lake City, read this other article Salt Lake City, Utah: Mormons near Mountains

This article has been written by Pranav Bhatt. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Sydney University. He has an interest in world travel, cricket, politics, technology and the media.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: With its famous street cars and endless slopes, San Francisco has the feel of a cosmopolitan European city without the congestion. You might even forget you’re in the United States with so many public transport options and the prevailing green is good mentality.

Getting from San Francisco International Airport to the middle of town couldn’t be easier using Lorries Airport Shuttle service. Just pre-book online ($US 15), let them know when your flight arrives and they’ll pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

The Fisherman’s Wharf YHA is located nearby the historic Fisherman’s Wharf precinct, a tacky tourist strip featuring a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, American fast food outlets, seafood restaurants, souvenir shops and chain hotels.

But don’t let this put you off. The hostel is situated in the Fort Mason Reserve, a quiet parkland with spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island just a stones throw away.

If you’re a backpacker looking for a quiet hostel close to the Bay and amenities like a Safeway Supermarket, the F-line street car and some restaurants, then this is the place.

Dormitory beds start from $US 26. Dorms are very simple and rustic, featuring old wooden bunks, large under bed lockers and old wooden windows.

The price includes: a basic waffle/bagel and juice breakfast at the in house Café Franco, lockers, WiFi, parking, linen and a comprehensive walking tour led by a keen and informative local. Guests can also make use of the large kitchen and dining area, lounge room, games room and laundry facilities.

A highlight on the Fisherman’s Wharf strip is the Boudin Bakery where you can sample some original San Francisco sourdough with a view of the waterfront.

Kids will lap up the activities and shops that surround the city’s premier tourist attraction, the heavily touristy Pier 39. Adults might want to swing by the Hard Rock Café.

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge if you want to save yourself about US$30 hiring a bike from popular local operators such as Blazing Saddles or Bay City Bike.

Walking allows you to pause and snap away from all the different angles possible without having to jump off a bike every few minutes. Make sure you visit the North and South viewing points on either side of the bridge to get the best views.

Just note that if you’d like to visit the quaint town of Sausalito across the bridge, cycle or drive as a road replaces the footpath beyond the North viewing point.

If your stomach is rumbling by the time you reach Sausalito, head over to the Sausalito Bakery & Café (571 Bridgeway, Sausalito) or Giovanni’s Pizza‎ (629 Bridgeway, Sausalito) for a tasty budget bite.

If you’ve walked the bridge and want to save your legs while treating your eyes to amazing views across the Bay, hop aboard the Golden Gate Ferry, voted one of the worlds’s leading ferry trips.

Alcatraz Cruises offers a great service to and from Alcatraz Island. The Early Bird cruise (US$26 adult) includes a brilliant self-guided audio tour narrated by former prisoners and wardens enabling you to re-live the trials and torment of inmates without the crowds.

You can easily spend up to 4 hours exploring the island and taking in the sweeping views of the Bay that the prisoners could never enjoy. If you’re lucky, you might also catch a guided tour of parts of the island open to the public.

Night cruises are also available. If you visit the island during the day it is advisable to take some food and drink with you.

If you’ve booked a ticket aboard Amtrak’s California Zephyr train service and haven’t picked up your tickets, you can do so at the Ferry Building Bus Station, located on 101 The Embarcadero.

From here, an Amtrak connecting bus can take you across the Bay Bridge to nearby Emeryville station where you can begin your rail journey.

This article has been written by Pranav Bhatt. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Sydney University. He has an interest in world travel, cricket, politics, technology and the media.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: Catch the Amtrak California Zephyr train service and experience a cross section of the real America without being stuck behind the wheel or up in the clouds for hours on end.

Flying across America is fast and cheap, but what do you actually see apart from runways and clouds? Driving isn’t for everyone either, particularly solo travelers on a tight budget and those that get freaked out by left hand drive automobiles.

This is where the Amtrak California Zephyr train service comes in.

Mention Amtrak to most Americans and they’ll either laugh or apologise profusely. It happened to me every time.

Amtrak runs a number of train services across America. Many are crippled by chronic under investment and lengthy delays. The California Zephyr is different.

Sure, it isn’t always on time as it shares the track with freight trains but any delays are more than made up for by the views. Check out Amtrak Delays to find out more about train reliability.

The California Zephyr cuts through the heart of the Rocky Mountains, follows the Colorado River and climbs through the Sierra Nevada, making the ride from San Francisco to Denver the scenic highlight of the journey.

Scenic highlights along the journey to Denver include:

• Lake Tahoe emerging through the woods on the border of California and Nevada
• Vast red earth and rock formations of Utah
• Mountains, canyons and rivers alongside Glenwood Springs
• Approach from the 6.2 mile Moffat tunnel into Denver, “the Mile High City” lit up at night at an elevation of over 9000 feet

Depending on your ticket, you can break your journey in a number of places such as Reno, Nevada (known as “The Biggest Little City in the World”) for some action on the roulette tables or hit the ski resorts in Salt Lake City for some world class skiing.

Alternatively, if you want to take in the entire experience, from the comfort of your seat, compartment, the sightseer lounge/café car or the dining car, you can book a ticket that takes you from San Francisco’s Emeryville station to Chicago Union station – all possible in about 60 hours, or 2 1/2 days.

The “sightseer lounge” features large panoramic windows and some seats that spin 360 degrees. This allows you to take in the view from both sides of the track.

You’ll be able to take plenty of good photos as the train ambles along at a leisurely pace.

To optimize your shots, find a clean window and wipe the glass down with a clean cloth to remove smears. Turn the camera flash off, select a fast shutter speed and keep your lens on or as close to the window as possible. Use a polarizing filter to eliminate any remaining glare and reflections.

You’re bound to run out of snacks as your eyes and camera are fixed on the natural scenery outside the window, so put your name down early to reserve a spot in the dining car or head down to the café car.

The Dining Car Steward will allocate a seat for you, which makes sure you mingle with other passengers. You’ll end up meeting a good mix of locals from many parts of the States, many eager to share their story.

Many passengers I spoke to had never known that their country was so beautiful, as their previous trips were confined to endless stretches of tarmac or clouds in the sky.

If you want some privacy and a bit of comfort, book a Superliner Roomette. It includes two seats, two pillows, a flip out table and a mini coat cupboard. It is a very small compartment but breakfast, lunch and dinner served in the dining car are included in the ticket price.

The Sleeping Car Attendant will convert your seat into a full-length flat bed in the evening and will assist in making your journey comfortable. Don’t forget to leave them a small tip to show your appreciation (at least US$ 5).

Find out how you too can Get on board the Amtrak California Zephyr train.

This article has been written by Pranav Bhatt. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Sydney University. He has an interest in world travel, cricket, politics, technology and the media.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: When we arrived in Las Vegas we were greeted with the same fantastic energy that just is Las Vegas. There is no other place in the world like it. Arriving at night is pretty spectacular, the light display is incredible, and I can’t even imagine what their power bill must be like, yikes! Being December the weather was much cooler than normal, freezing actually, I knew I should have packed that sweater!

Las Vegas
photo credit: stuckincustoms

The numerous attractions in Vegas are never ending and it can be quite a task trying to figure out what you want to see and do while most importantly trying not to go broke, something very easily done in Vegas!

We heard stories of people actually walking to the airport with luggage in tow because they didn’t even have enough money for a taxi.

Roulette Gambling
photo credit: discopalace

The majority of the shows sport some pretty hefty prices but there are also some pretty good shows at reasonable prices, just be sure to check out the reviews before taking the leap.

A good hypnotist show is always a winner (as long as you’re part of the audience!) and if you’re willing to go through one of the ‘many’ annoying time share scams you can score some free tickets, although that’s something I wouldn’t recommend wasting your time with.

Also never forget the golden rule – you get nothing for nothing in America.

Las Vegas Clubs
photo credit: roadsidepictures

As for the food, there’s really there’s nothing much to say about it, you’re in America! Let’s just say you certainly won’t starve, there’s nothing quite like American sized portions – dig in!

One day we rented a car and drove to a place just outside of Vegas called Red Rock Canyon, imagine our surprise when we came upon what is usually a very hot rich red canyon covered in a light blanket of snow!? Snow in the middle of the desert we thought? Strange but very beautiful!

We didn’t actually realize the full impact the snow had on the city until we got stuck in a major blizzard later that day while heading back to our hotel on the strip. Since it hadn’t snowed like that in Vegas since 1979 the traffic was chaotic. It was incredible! The airport was also shut down along with a few major freeways, causing even more problems.

Fortunately we made it back without any fender benders but with frozen feet due to the thick wet slush covering the ground. The strange thing about all of this was that by the next morning there was hardly even a flake to be found.

This time we went to check out downtown Las Vegas. The buildings were obviously much older but there was a very cool authentic feel about that area, especially Freemont Street which has a massive pedestrian mall with the biggest big screen canopying the street – very cool.

Well we enjoyed ourselves in Vegas as usual but I think we might stick to their summers in the future! Next stop Dallas … Giddy up!

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution