USA Archives - Books And Travel

Death Valley, California, USA

In November 2024, I visited Death Valley, California, on a day trip from Las Vegas, USA as part of book research for my next thriller. Here are some of the interesting aspects and my pictures.

The first stop was one of the most breathtaking panoramas in the park, Dante’s View. It provides an incredible vantage point, offering sweeping views of the valley floor.

JFPenn at Dantes View Death Valley, CA, USA, Nov 2024

Zabriskie Point is known for its eroded badlands, formed from sediments of the ancient Furnace Creek Lake, which dried up around five million years ago. The result is a striking, otherworldly landscape of ridges, gullies, and vibrant colours.

Zabriskie Point Death Valley Photo by JFPenn — Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, Nov 2024. Panoramic photo by JFPenn

Classical Architecture, Angels Unawares, And A Surprise Gutenberg Bible. A Long Weekend In Washington DC, USA

Weekend Trips

I’ve always wanted to visit Washington, D.C. as it features in so many films and TV shows. I set a scene in my thriller, Ark of Blood, at the George Washington monument (they have a replica Ark), but I had never visited — until now.

On this long weekend, I enjoyed the classical architecture of the government buildings, the ecclesiastical grandeur of the Basilica and the cathedral, and discovered the beautiful Library of Congress. This trip ended up inspiring Spear of Destiny, which features the library and the Capitol.

JFPenn at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, Feb 2023 — it was very, very cold!

In February 2023, I managed a long weekend before speaking at a conference in Colorado Springs. It was an unseasonal cold snap, so I was freezing but the sky was blue, and I spent days walking the city, which was really empty as it was off-season. Here are some of the places I visited and would recommend to others.

Thoughts On Traveling To The USA Again Post Pandemic And Differences Between The US And UK Cultures

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I’ve been traveling to the USA regularly since the mid-90s, for family trips and then business conferences and book research. The pandemic years meant a long hiatus (for us all!) but recently I went back to the US for my first trip in a long time and it felt quite foreign in many ways. I’d forgotten so much about how our cultures differ, and I thought it might be interesting to record my thoughts before I get used to it all again.

Context and my history with the USA
Flying again post-pandemic
Arriving in Phoenix, Arizona, and some immediate differences
Visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, and a day trip to Sedona
Other things I’d forgotten about the USA

I’d love to know what you think about our cultural differences, so please leave a comment, or tweet me @thecreativepenn or contact me here.

The Unexpected Road To An Unconventional Life With Brianna Madia

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How can we step away from the established patterns of life and choose a path that makes us truly happy? How can we redefine travel to find it in our own country, and choose a home in a place that calls to our soul?

Brianna Madia talks about her unexpected road to an unconventional life in the desert of Moab with her four dogs.

Brianna Madia is the author of Nowhere For Very Long: The Unexpected Road to an Unconventional Life.

Show notes

Questioning the established patterns of life — even when that’s hard
The freedom and challenges of #vanlife
Travel as an attitude, even without your own country
Highlights of the desert in Utah
The power of feeling insignificant in the face of natural beauty and how it helps to find perspective
Traveling with four dogs — and redefining happiness
Recommended travel books

You can find Brianna Madia at BriannaMadia.com and on Instagram @briannamadia

Open Road: A Midlife Journey Through The US National Parks With Toby Neal

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How can travel help us as we search for a new direction in mid-life? Why does nature offer us insight into ourselves and experiences that go far beyond the physical? Toby Neal talks about her experience of the US National Parks.

Toby Neal is an award-winning USA Today best-selling author of mysteries, thrillers, and romance, as well as travel memoir under T. W. Neal. She’s also a mental health therapist and the author of Open Road: A Midlife Memoir of Travel Through the National Parks of the USA.

Show notes

Why mid-life is a time to reassess what you want to do with your life — and how travel can be a catalyst for change
Some of the beautiful places in the US National Parks
Spiritual aspects of being in nature when the veil is thin
The physical and mental challenges of travel — and dealing with fear and anxiety along the way
The comfort of the familiar when traveling
Recommended travel books

You can find Toby Neal at TobyNeal.net and on Instagram @authortobyneal

You can also listen to our discussion about Wild and Beautiful Hawaii in episode 11.

Travel That Changes The Way You Think About The World With Pam Mandel

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“We’re all so far downstream from who we used to be.” Pam Mandel

We all have ideas about places that are far away from us, but when you talk to real people who live there, it’s hard to hold on to your preconceived notions. Those encounters can remain with you in memory even as you change and the place you left changes too.

Pam Mandel is an award-winning freelance travel writer and co-founder of The Statesider, a newsletter of U.S. travel stories. Her latest book is The Same River Twice: A Memoir of Dirtbag Backpackers, Bomb Shelters, and Bad Travel.

Show notes

When travel changes the way you think about the world
“It’s complicated.” Thoughts on Israel
Tapping into memory when writing
How to explore an unknown place — when to branch out of your comfort zone, and when it’s a good idea to retreat to the ‘known’
Making more of traveling in the USA
Is there such a thing as bad travel?
Travel book recommendations

You can find Pam Mandel at NerdsEyeView.com and The Statesider.

Header photo: Seattle by Luca Micheli on Unsplash

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