A little late in posting this one (okay, very late), but better late than never. Last March we ventured to Bears Ears and its vicinity to camp, hike, and photograph.

We spent one evening in Monument Valley, which was just a short distance from our camping location at Goosenecks State Park. We then spent a couple days around Bears Ears including a night out at Natural Bridges National Monument.

The weather was not very cooperative, between recent snow and more rain during our trip, which prevented us from getting down some roads and on some trails. On the plus side, however, the crowds were nonexistent.

These two countries may not often be considered a likely combo for a trip, but while looking at airfare options it quickly became a winning combo for us. On the airfare front, we redeemed points to fly QSuites on Qatar Airways meaning we had to fly through Doha. I had never visited the middle east and a short stop over in Doha seemed like a great first experience.

We spent about 2 days in Doha then flew back to Marrakech via Casablanca. From there, we explored the country in a counter-clockwise direction, first spending a few days in Marrakech, followed by Ouarzazate (with stops in between), Middle Atlas region, Dades Valley, Todga Gorge, High Atlas, Sahara desert, Fez, Volubilis, Chefchaouen (i.e. the Blue City), and finally Casablanca.

While we explored Marrakech and Casablanca on our own, we hired a guide through Desert Majesty for the rest of our adventure. Ali, our guide, was great and he certainly showed us more than we would have seen on our own. And having someone else drive and navigate allowed for more time to stare out the windows, not to mention less time getting lost. The whole experience with Desert Majesty was great and we wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.

Cuba is rich in color, contrast, and history - often all at the same time - providing endless opportunities for photography.