Getting my kicks, on Route 66

Without a doubt, the most famous highway in the US – if not the world – is Route 66. No other stretch of asphalt has been eulogised so frequently and fervently by movies, songs, books and television shows. In fact, Route 66 has been mentioned in so many songs it has earned the nicknamed the 'Rock 'n Roll Highway'. Almost 4000km long, America's 'Mother Road' starts in Chicago in Illinois crossing the country through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before ending at the beaches of Santa Monica in Los Angeles, California. Fortunately, part of my epic roadtrip across the US took in part of this legendary road. So I thought I'd share some of the pictures I took along the way.

Roadside America

Anyone who has read my blog regularly will know I hold a somewhat bizarre fascination with offbeat attractions. But, when it comes to the weird, wacky, and wonderful, no one does it better than the U.S. From giant dinosaurs and whole miniature towns to the world's largest ball of twine, America's two-lane highways and winding back roads are dotted with all kinds of oddities. Call them tacky or call them kitsch, but without these weird and wondrous sights to break the monotony of the long "are we there yet?" roadtrip, in my opinion, getting there wouldn't be half the fun it is.

One of the quintessential icons of roadside America is the classic diner. In the mid-twentieth century as cars began to be mass-produced, so too were these fabulous aluminium gems, whose metal bodies and neon signs quickly became a symbol of modernity. Fortunately, as I discovered, the diner of popular imagination can still be found – even in the form of a thoroughly retro Denny's Diner (pictured above). These catching eateries are the place to stop when you're craving a cholesterol-laden hearty American breakfast. Not only are they cheap places to refuel, but decked out in over-the-top retro style with everything from vintage gas pumps to classic Coca Cola paraphernalia they are loads of fun.

Then when it's time to rest your head, you needn't confine yourself to a boring hotel bed. Lining the roads around countryside America is a plethora of weird and wonderful motels. A throw back to glory days of 1950s when taking a drive was still in style, these cool motels use gimmicky architecture to lure customers. For the ultimate in kitsch you can even try bedding down Fred Flintstone-style in Bedrock City Campground on the Grand Canyon Highway in Arizona. Sadly, I didn't get to personally try this out, but this slice of Americana is worth sleeping in just for bragging rights alone. As Fred would say "Yabba Dabba Doo!"

Turned to stone: Petrified Forest National Park

At long last, I have finally handed in my update for the new Bradt travel guidebook to Tanzania and am taking a well-deserved weekend off! So before I get back to work again, I thought I'd share some more pictures and notes from my recent Southwest USA Road Trip.

Southeast of the Grand Canyon between Holbrook and Navajo in Arizona is the bizarre, yet hauntingly beautiful, Petrified Forest National Park. Just don't expect to see any lush green trees in this forest. A wonderland of spectacular desolation, it is home to the world's largest and most colourful concentrations of petrified wood. The park's appeal is heightened by the sprawling badlands of the Painted Desert, which changes hue as the sun moves across the sky. Watching the variegated lunar landscape, transform in a kaleidoscope of psychedelic pinks, reds and oranges as the sun sets really is an extraordinary sight.
All images copyright Kim Wildman

Like sands through the hour glass

I'm now back home in Australia, busily writing day and night racing to meet my deadline for the Tanzania guidebook update – 15 days and counting! I promise I'll emerge from my self-induced writing exile soon and start paying more attention to my blog (not to mention my friends and family whom I'm currently ignoring – sorry everyone!). In the meantime, though, I thought I'd share some more of my photographs and musings from my road trip across Southwest USA starting with White Sands National Monument. Enjoy!

In stark contrast to the ragged, red rocks and dull, dusty deserts, the gleaming snow-white dunes of White Sands National Monument rise like a mirage from the plains of southeast New Mexico. No, it's not a mirage. But you'll still need to wipe your eyes, as what on first look appears to be giant glistening mountains of snow, is in fact the world's largest gypsum dune field. Blanketing 275 square miles of desert, these great undulating dunes of gypsum continually change and advance engulfing everything in their path. Yet while the plants and animals have had to adapt and evolve in unique and unusual ways to survive, the lusciously luminous dunes provide us humans with the perfect playground. Just looking at the towering dunes makes you want to grab a toboggan. In fact it's encouraged. What could be better? It's all the fun of the snow without the cold and ice!
All images copyright Kim Wildman

Picture of the Week: The grand view

Just so you don't think that I was totally unimpressed by the Grand Canyon, I thought I'd share this picture that I took as the sun was setting on the canyon's Southern Rim. I have to admit, it really is an awe-inspiring sight. (Mind you, I still favour Monument Valley!).
All images copyright Kim Wildman

Of monuments and men: Searching for the "Duke"

When it comes to iconic American landscapes, in my opinion Monument Valley beats the Grand Canyon hands down. Located on the border between southern Utah and northern Arizona, the towering flame-red rocks have served as the backdrop for more than 50 Hollywood films, including Easy Rider and Back to the Future III, not to mention dozens of video film clips and television advertisements. Though it is perhaps most famous as the techniclor cinematic setting for director John Ford's classic American westerns such as Stage Coach and The Searchers starring the "Duke", John Wayne. It would be an understatement to say that my father - the greatest John Wayne fan ever - was more than a little impressed. But then again, so was I. Here are just a sample of the more than 200 odd photographs I took.

All images copyright Kim Wildman

The truth is out there...or is it?

Today we visited Roswell in New Mexico. I have to admit that in spite of my expectations, I was really disappointed. Perhaps it was because I had built up the town in my mind over the years – I was totally engrossed by the late 90s TV show, Roswell, and watched every episode of the X-Files – but it really was one of the biggest let-downs of any town I've ever visited. For the uninitiated of you, Roswell's greatest claim to fame is that a UFO reportedly crashed in a field near the town in 1947. While investigating officials originally reported that they'd discovered a "flying disk" at the scene, within hours they'd changed their story claiming that it was in fact a weather balloon not a UFO. This of course led to claims of a government cover-up and so until this day the mystery surrounding the Roswell "incident" continues to be debated. In my opinion, the real mystery is why anyone would ever come here. It truly is the most boring, uninteresting and lifeless town I've ever visited... I think the aliens sucked all the life out of the town when they left!

On the road - again!

Hi everyone! Sorry it has been a little while since I last posted. Things have been a little hectic to say the least. Mostly with work, but I've also just hit the road again. In fact, I'm currently in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where I've just spent the weekend hanging with two of my dear travel writing friends, Becca and Aaron, attending their wedding as a bridesmaid. The weekend has been fabulous – in my opinion Santa Fe has to be one the US's most unique and interesting towns – though I'm really looking forward to taking off tomorrow for a 10 day cross-country road trip across Southwest USA. Oddly enough, after all my taking up of joys of travelling solo, I'm actually being accompanied on this trip by my parents (they were also invited to the wedding). Since I haven't travelled anywhere with them since I was eight years old, we could be in for one heck of a wild ride - I'm crossing my fingers that my mother and I don't end up driving each other off the edge of the Grand Canyon Thelma-and-Louise-style!

Wish me luck!!

Tales from the road: My latest travel articles in print and online

I know many of you think that my recent round-world adventure was all fun and games, but it spite of how it may have seemed my trip was definitely all about work. (Okay, with a little game viewing on the side). Not only was I helping author Philip Briggs update the new edition of the Bradt travel guide to Tanzania, I also researched and wrote a number of travel articles that were published while I was on the road.

Oddly enough, even though I was travelling around Tanzania and Kenya, I had several articles published on other destinations, most notably on Australia for Ninemsn Travel. I even managed to crack a couple of new markets with a blog style travel article on going in search of Count Dracula in Romania's Transylvania published in Australian Women's Health as well as a new destination guide on Queenstown, New Zealand, for Fastcheck AB. But, my biggest coup, of course, was scoring an interview with Terri and Bindi Irwin.

Meanwhile for MSN Travel NZ I wrote two pieces on my travels in Kenya - An elephant tale and the Get out of Africa at the Giraffe Manor - as well as a series of travel advice articles including How to travel for free, The dos and don’ts of haggling, How to waste time in an airport and How to save money on holiday costs.

Yet no matter how often I am published, I must admit that I still get a thrill out of seeing my words in print whether it is online or in glossy magazine or book. I suppose that is why I continue to be Wild About Travel + Writing!