The Wonderful Sights of the World

Hey everyone!

Hope you’re having a fantastic Tuesday. I ended up watching the first episode of Wheel of Time the other day with a large group of my friends and all I have to say is wow. I really was not impressed with what I saw. We did find it fun listening to one of our friends who did read the series getting upset with all the deviations from the source material. The effects were lackluster, there was even a scene that we started laughing at the poor CGI and someone made a joke “I thought this was an Amazon series not CW.” Talk about shots fired. It’s a shame too because there are several actors in the show that I know are good at what they do like Rosamund Pike and Michael McElhatton and a few others that I was able to make out from the rest of the cast. My friend group has recently come to the conclusion that if we’re going to watch any more of the series then we’re going to make it into a drinking game. As someone who experienced the disappointment of the last seasons of Game of Thrones, I want to offer my condolences to the fans of the Wheel of Time book series. If they end up making a second season, I hope they listen to book fans and fix the problems pointed out to them. If this is what Amazon passes for a fantasy series, then I’m afraid to see what they do with their Lord of the Rings series. But enough about bad series, let’s get on with the post!

Do many of you travel? I’ve lightly touch on the subject in a previous post, but I haven’t really traveled much although it is something that I really enjoy and want to do more of in the future. This past summer and spring I traveled around seeing more of my state than I have in the past. I never would have guessed so much could be squeezed into such a small area. I’ve got a few more spots I want to check out around Rhode Island but I’m going to make a few trips around New England. I’m not a city person but I think I owe Boston a trip and I’ve been wanting to check out Salem for a few years now. I want to explore the sights in Maine and Vermont once it's warm out again. No better time to enjoy nature than when it's green and full of life if you ask me. Is there anywhere you would recommend I travel to? Let me know in a comment! I’ve seen some incredible pictures from various areas partly in thanks to Windows 10 showing a new picture when I turn my PC on and pictures people share on social media. However incredible these images are, they can’t compare to seeing them with your own eyes. There really is something special about experiencing the view as opposed to simply observing it.

I was lucky enough to have gone to Disney for the first time in my life this year with four of my friends. This was the first time I had been on a plane in almost twenty years. I'd like to make note that I love aviation, it’s something that I must have inherited from my father who was a pilot for a while. So being able to fly on a plane was something that I was really excited about and probably the only person on the flight that had any enthusiasm about it. For everyone else it just seemed like a regular thing and that they just wanted to reach Orlando. Sadly, I didn’t get a window seat like I was hoping, in fact I was in the aisle seat for both flights, but I was still able to get some great views. I think I prefer day flights, there’s just a lot more that you’re able to look at and it seems people aren't as grumpy during the day. However, seeing a city lit up at night from the sky is without a doubt breathtaking. Disney is its own story that I will save for another post, but I will name off a few of the amazing views that have stuck with me. At Downtown Disney the Rainforest Café’s fire spewing volcano is a real head turner. Seeing Cinderella’s Castle put a smile on my face, it looked amazing with the 50th anniversary décor and don’t even get me started on the Happily Ever After event. Disney knows how to put on a show. The color change of the castle leading up to the event which made it look like a fresh coat of paint just appeared the walls got a good cheer from the sea of people clogging the area. The animations playing on the front of the castle showcasing characters like Mulan, Simba, Tarzan and many others, the lights, and the fireworks mix to create something truly spectacular. The Tree of Life and Pandora in Animal Kingdom look fantastic and if you’re a Star Wars fan you’ll find Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios to be the greatest place on earth. They really nailed the Star Wars aesthetic, and models of the ships like the Millennium Falcon, and X-wing make the whole place complete. And yes, I built a lightsaber. I would have been crazy not to.

It’s about time to wrap this post up. I can't wait to see more of the world, but all good things come in time, right? Hope you find the chance to travel, see, and experience new and exciting things in 2022. What are some of your favorite travel stories? Was there a view that took your breath away? Let me know in a comment! Stay healthy and stay happy everyone. Thanks for reading and have a great one!

Best,

Aaron Kirby