Travel Challenge: My 10 favourite photos

Thank you again to Angela at Suitcase Travel for inviting me to participate in the Travel Challenge, where I shared 10 of my favourite photos from around the world, over the course of 10 days. Many readers successfully identified the featured destinations, while a few were more obscure. Here’s a recap!


Jump ahead…

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10


Day 1 – Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

This view of Alcatraz Island, set on a backdrop of the San Francisco coast, was captured on our boat tour to the infamous island best known for housing a federal prison from 1934 until 1963. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the audio tour of Alcatraz, and would recommend it for your itinerary if you ever find yourself in the Bay Area.

Day 2 – Maras Salineras, Sacred Valley

These striking salt ponds are set in Maras, a town north of Cusco, which we visited during our tour through the Sacred Valley in Peru. Past visitors were able to walk right onto the ponds, but they have now been barricaded off — leaving only a small viewing platform as the vantage point for those coveted Instagram photos.

Day 3 – Roman Forum, Rome

This one was easy to identify — a literal piece of history set in central Rome, none other than the Roman Forum as seen from Palatine Hill. We were able to visit on our first day in the Italian capital, as we had landed right on time for Free Sunday, when cultural sites run by the state offer complimentary admission.

Day 4 – Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda

Set in southwestern Uganda near its border with Rwanda, Lake Bunyonyi is a gorgeous freshwater lake that we had the chance to admire while staying at Arcadia Lodges. This was a much appreciated reprieve following our treacherous gorilla trekking excursion in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Day 5 – Byodo-In Temple, Honolulu

It looks like a scene in Japan, but this photo was taken in O’ahu, Hawaii. The Byodo-In Temple is a replica of a 900 year old Buddhist temple in Uji, Japan, located in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park and dedicated in 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants arriving in Hawaii.

Day 6 – Yoho National Park, British Columbia

This epic view was found while hiking the Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park, featuring dramatic vistas over Yoho Valley and a stretch that runs alongside Emerald Glacier. While Banff gets a lot of attention, Yoho in neighbouring British Columbia is a lesser known gem that is well worth the visit.

Day 7 – Trang An, Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh, Vietnam was the last place we travelled internationally pre-pandemic. I still dream about our day riding a rowboat through Trang An, a scenic landscape complex made up of a wide river surrounded by massive limestone karsts and evergreen jungles. This photo highlights “Skull Island” as shown in the 2017 reboot of the King Kong movie franchise.

Day 8 – Magnificent Mile, Chicago

This view of the nicest street in the Windy City was seen from the Riverwalk while we waited to board a Chicago Architecture Cruise. Magnificent Mile is the upscale section of Michigan Avenue, extending from Chicago River to Oak Street in the Near North Side, dotted with grand skyscrapers including many of the city’s greatest architectural landmarks.

Day 9 – Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai

We met Lucky and her mahout at Elephant Nature Park located just outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Lucky is one of the older females in the sanctuary, brought there after being rescued from the circus industry where she had been abused for years and eventually became blind. Elephant Nature Park, along with its partners via the Saddle Off program, continues to care for over 80 rescued Asian elephants from around Thailand.

Day 10 – Barcelona, Spain

This sweeping view overlooking the city of Barcelona was seen from atop the towers at La Sagrada Familia. In the distance, you can spot Montjuïc Castle, an old military fortress dating back to 1640. Also visible is the Montjuïc Communications Tower, which was built for the Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica to transmit coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.


Coincidentally, the conclusion of my Travel Challenge lands on New Year Day. Happy 2021! Here’s hoping that we will all have 10 new travel photos to share at the end of this year. 🥂

29 responses to “Travel Challenge: My 10 favourite photos”

  1. All beautiful photos, Jess, well done!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. jasonlikestotravel Avatar
    jasonlikestotravel

    Wonderful photos, no need to reply on my Alcatraz question now either haha. That audio tour was really good, I don’t normally bother with audio tours either so I was impressed.

    Definitely wouldn’t have guessed some of these!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, that Alcatraz audio tour is the only one I can think of that I actually enjoyed. Thanks for reading!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. A great mix of photos. I like this recap at the end. I may copy that. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you! You should definitely do a recap with all the answers, I don’t think I’ve been able to ID most of your picks!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. By the way, I think you’ll get Day 7… you’ve been there.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Beautiful photos. The one from Uganda is particularly gorgeous. Happy new year!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The photo from Uganda is one of my top favourites too. Thanks for reading and happy new year!

      Like

  5. Nice photo gallery with souvenirs attached which gives them more value. There is hope for 2021, but we now know that there are also great discoveries to be made at home. Happy Travel Year!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m sure I’ll still be mostly homebound for this first half of 2021 so more local discoveries to come, but hopefully travel will happen again in the near future. Happy new year!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. You’ve been to so many unique places on this Earth! I hope to be able to travel again to hit such spots; you’re an inspiration!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ve been called up to receive my Covid vaccine tomorrow, so I’m hoping that this is a sign of more good things to come. I miss travel so much. Happy new year Rebecca!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. I loved these photos. Thanks.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you for following my travel challenge!

      Like

  8. Somehow i missed the Uganda photo. Its stunning wish id been there!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Have you had the chance to visit any East African countries yet? Uganda is beautiful!

      Like

  9. Some Stunning Photos! Have A Number Of Places You’ve Listed To Visit Yet. All The Best To You In 2021. Robert 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you! Happy new year to you, Robert!

      Like

  10. I am fascinated by Alcatraz Island photos, not sure why though! Your photo of Uganda is inspiring and just love the clouds and depth.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I highly recommend seeing both places, although Alcatraz is probably much more accessible for most travellers!

      Like

  11. thethoroughtripper Avatar
    thethoroughtripper

    I’ve been to the temple in Uji. At quick glance they really are identical, but the hilly backdrop in Hawaii is prettier. It was nice to tour the world with you through your photos 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I just looked up photos of the original temple in Uji, and I agree that the setting in Hawaii is more picturesque. Thanks for reading!

      Like

  12. Great photos! So hard to pick a fave

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks! These photos make me miss travel so much more.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I can totally relate!

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Hi Jess! Hope you are doing well!
    I really like your blog and your stories. I’ve nominated you for Outstanding Blogger Award.
    I hope you will accept it and have a time to participate.
    Please find the rules in my post:

    https://travelworldsuitcase.com/2021/02/02/outstanding-blogger-award/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much! I will take a look at your post when I get some free time. 😁

      Liked by 1 person

      1. No worries. There no due date, so anytime.🙂👍

        Liked by 1 person

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