I’ve Been Traveling Full-Time For 4 Years — These Are My 12 Favorite Scenic Views

I took a short boat ride near Arenal to a bus that had us stop at this lookout point. It was the first time I’d seen the rolling hills that are part of the landscape in much of Central and South America. This was the first of many views to leave me breathless.

Taking the steam train and seeing the very bridge used in the Harry Potter films was, I thought, going to be the highlight of the ride. As we turned a corner, though, this stunning view awaited my eyes. Traveling through it, I had the thought that if God had a paintbrush, he would have painted this scene.

Seeing the northern lights for the first time was a humbling moment. I felt as if I had met God. Soft light cascaded around me, and, to this day, I feel like the sky is missing something when I look up from other places.

I did a trek to a homestay in Sa Pa, Vietnam. I didn’t understand why so many women had accompanied us, but as soon as we entered the rough terrain, I was so happy to have their help navigating it and making it up huge stone steps as we went. Along the way, we caught glimpses of the rice fields. I had never seen any before, and I found myself staring in every direction, unable to get enough photos of the tantalizing views.

I still cannot understand how nature created this convergence of three waterfalls. It is the most spectacular waterfall convergence I’ve ever seen, and worth getting wet from the violent meeting that turns water into an angry surge, then into droplets that scatter in every direction.

My trip to Argentina was the first time I saw glaciers — and began to understand the reality of the warming weather on the earth. This photo is from the beginning of my hike on the Perito Moreno Glacier. Being in the place where land ends and ice begins, knowing that I was about to walk onto that ice, was a sensory experience I’ll never forget.

I, of course, wanted to see the Moai on Easter Island, but I didn’t expect to feel so much around them. I was spellbound by this scene, watching the magical cloud on the horizon that felt like it might engulf us, and feeling like the Moai were somehow protecting us. This is an island where the sky plays as much a role in the magic as its mysterious past.

I had seen countless photos of Machu Picchu, but there is nothing that compares to being there in person. Being one of hundreds of visitors at any given moment but getting a photo that made it look like I was all alone amazed me. I was also awed that people, so long ago, had such intelligence to build structures that are still standing today despite many earthquakes.

This was such an intriguing mix of life and death in nature. The colorful sand dunes surrounding the dead acacia trees; the dead trees against the bright sand. It was like a painting where every element served to highlight the other

Before I knew I would spend 2 years in New Zealand, I took a tour out to the lighthouse that stands guard over the merging of two seas (the Pacific and the Tasman). It felt like I was standing at the edge of the world.

It's easily recognizable, but there is still magic to the experience of watching the sun rise and set around this beautiful temple.

A perfect blend of water, cliffs, and trees, Victoria Falls is an impressive convergence of sights.