Our long journey from Portland to Badlands National Park saw us make a day trip to Yellowstone National Park.

The main reason why we decided to prolong our stay in Portland was that it offered the best of both worlds — it's a buzzing city known for its creative culture, but within just an hour's drive, you can quickly find yourself amid beautiful open spaces with views of Mount Hood at every turn.

We had only intended on staying a couple of days, but we quickly came to love Portland so much that we decided to plant our roots here for an entire week. it offered us a welcomed metropolis break and we made a point to take full advantage of all that it had to offer.

Driving through many winding roads, I held my breath with anticipation as we drew closer and closer to the scene. As we arrived, the desert put on a colourful show, catching my first glimpse of the surrounding hills with streaks of reds, oranges, and yellows.

A long drive inland had us arrive at Crater Lake; a deep lake formed from the volcanic eruption of Mount Mazama. As we snaked our way to the top of the crater rim, the view was utterly striking. Quickly we parked our motorhome atop the viewing platform and jumped out to take a closer look.

Let me put this out there from the beginning, Fern Canyon may just be the most magical mile I've ever walked. It's a hidden paradise of lush green ferns lining a deep narrow gorge, which has been carved out by a creek. It takes a bit of work to arrive at this gem, but those who do make it are well rewarded.

The Redwood trees are remarkable, not just for their size, but also for their resilience; their bark is tough, spongy, and so thick it acts like armour, allowing the trees to survive wildfires and their lifespan to soar up to 2,000 years.

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamt about visiting the home of Frida Kahlo; the pre-eminent Mexican painter who I've held very close to my heart since studying her works in high-school, to later learning more about the strong and eccentric woman she was in the years that would follow.

After a week spent along Tulum's bright-white beaches, it was time for an alternative proposition, and so we made our way to Mérida — the capital of Yucatán boasting with Mexico's cultural highlights.

With that, our next chapter would take us to the picture-perfect paradise that is Tulum, Mexico. When it came to planning this particular part of our travels, I wanted to choose an extra special location, after all, it would be where I would come to celebrate my 30th birthday.

Before arriving in New York, we had decided early on that much of our time would be spent in parks; they're a great retreat from the at times anxiety inducing streets of the city, they're free, and of course, they're beautiful.