To celebrate my 200th post, wohoo(!) I’ve looked back on some of my most magical travel moments.
‘Jaw Dropping’ is used to describe those stunning places you can only dream of; the type of place with water clearer than you knew existed, colours so vibrant you feel like you’ve stepped inside a painting or views that take your breath away.
I’ve had a few of those moments which really stand out in my mind because I believe that my jaw literally did drop open. They were…
2008: Seeing The Taj Mahal, India.
We arrived in Agra in darkness the night before and decided to go to see the Taj the following afternoon. I knew it’d be good, I mean it’s famous for a reason. But I kind of thought, well I’ve seen so many photographs of it… can it really be that amazing? It was. I walked through the arch and there it was. Something so grand and so very beautiful. I find it hard to describe just why it is so beautiful, but it felt magical in every way.
2008: A View of The Himalayas, Nepal.
We got home from the school where I was volunteering in Chitwan, Nepal. We were staying with a local family and one of my co-volunteers shouted “Quickly! Come upstairs, come now!” So, I sprinted up to the rooftop, and these beautiful views were waiting for us. We hadn’t seen them for the first week we were staying there and we only saw them so vividly this time in our total of five weeks. This can be pinpointed as the moment I fell in love with mountains!
2010: Experiencing Carnival, Rio, Brazil.
I had dreamt about Carnival since 2001/2002, when I was in school we had some Geography lessons on Brazil and I knew there and then that I wanted to go. I was 14 at the time so there was no way I was going then… but that didn’t stop me from reading about it, dreaming of it and eventually starting my 5-month backpacking trip there. Experiencing Carnival in Rio, and staying with local Couchsurfers was everything I imagined, and more. A dream come true. Scenes like this were all I had dreamt of for so long.
Which moments have made your jaw drop open?
Marcella xx
WhatAWonderfulWorld 
I love this. My jaw dropping moments are Machu Picchu after doing the Inca trail, Angkor Wat (way back when there were few tourists), wildlife in Namibia and the Taj; just as you mentioned. Happy travels, Cheryl
Thanks for stopping by, Cheryl 🙂 I loved the Machu Picchu view too – it was incredible that it was so hidden until the very end of the trail too. I bet it must have been amazing to see Angkor Wat without so many people as I went a couple of years ago and it certainly was busy!
Such a tough question! Every single time I saw Sydney Harbour bridge for 3 years for sure; Torres del Paine in Chile and the Ciudad Perdida in Colombia. Can’t wait to do Carnival!!
Amazing! I can’t imagine how amazing it must be to see Torres del Paine, it’s going to happen soon for me too! 🙂
Gorgeous photos and moments- what a fun idea for a post (happy 200)! Carnival looks like a TOTAL blast. ❤
Thanks Ashley! Carnival was an amazing week long adventure – my dancing feet hurt a lot by the end 😉
Love your post! I can’t wait to see the Taj mahal myself in a couple of months 🙂
Thanks Tisha! That’s so exciting – you are going to love it 🙂 Have s great time!
How amazing that you go to experience Carnival in Rio! That must have been so much fun! And you got some gorgeous shots of the Taj Mahal! Would love to see that in person one day!
It really was amazing, Christine! Unforgettable. I hope you manage to get to see the wonderful Taj Mahal 🙂
What an awesome post! And happy 200! The Taj Mahal really look like it would be an incredible sight! I would love to see it one day.
Thanks Sara 🙂 It was really incredible, I can vividly remember the feeling of seeing it even all these years later.
These are all jaw-dropping moments indeed! Seeing the Taj Mahal, the Himalayas, and experiencing Carnaval in Rio are all on my bucket list. No wonder they were such awe-inspiring moments for you 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration as always, Marcella!!
Aww, such kind words – thank you! 🙂
You’ve seen some such incredible things! I admit I kinda wonder… Is the Taj Mahal really that different in person from the pictures? It must be so special to be on this list! I would love to see it someday! And Carnival sounds like it’s be SO fun to attend!! We recently attended Singapore’s version of Carnival and it was amazing! One jaw dropping moment for me is seeing Saint Chapelle cathedral in Paris. I don’t like Paris, but oh man, that cathedral was magical.
Happy 200th post! That’s a huge accomplishment!! xx
I so thought that and just thought that having seen something so so many times in pictures would spoil it, but real life wins! Oohh and Singapore Carnival sounds very nice indeed!
Thanks, I can’t believe it’s been 200… Time flies when you’re having fun! 🙂
One of these days I’ll make it out to India…..so gorgeous and full of culture! (not to mention the food!!)
-Natalia
glitterandpassport.blogspot.com
The food is a wonder in itself! My favourite food of them all 🙂 Yummm.
Seeing Table Mt. Cape Town always takes my breathe away!
Oh wow, I can only imagine!
Oh definitely amazing! I think it always happens when you don’t think you’ll be surprised! Like me with the eiffel tower! I definitely think I would have been in awe in front of the Taj Mahal!
Yes, which makes it even more jaw dropping 🙂
I’m so jealous you got to see the Taj Mahal! I’ve always wanted to go and see it for as long as I can remember. My jaw dropping moment was probably when I saw the Eiffel Tower in Paris a few years ago. Paris was a place I’d dreamed of visiting since I was a child, so to finally see in it in person was amazing.
I can imagine – it’s so special when you have dreamt of somewhere for so many years 🙂
Happy 200th post! Wow you’ve had some really incredible travel moments. I think my big jaw-droppers so far have been Sacre Coeur in Paris, the first morning I woke up on the boat and looked outside to the most incredible waters in Greece, and the ENTIRE hot-air balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkey – that really was breathtaking!
Thanks Jessi! They all sound like amazing moments 🙂 The hot air balloon ride must have been really incredible, what a great experience to have!