It has been over 2 years since I have been to a plane! The last blog, "When in Iceland," was it! I am pretty sure you can take a guess why it has been that long. Besides being really focused on growing Lauren Simone Publishing House, I haven't traveled due to several natural disasters: the first, the global pandemic known as COVID-19 that had us all quarantined since March 2019 and the second, a volcanic eruption, occurred at my anticipated destination, St Vincent. This volcano erupted for the first time since 1979! Prayers for all the people of that island. It is my husband's homeland.
I have witnessed friends traveling during the pandemic and to be honest, I was quite afraid. In addition, only 25 states of the 50 states mandated the wearing of a mask. Now that more people are taking the vaccine and realizing the seriousness of the virus, I feel a little more confident traveling. Although many states are opening up, institutions are still practicing hygiene for their own safety as well as their customers. CDC still recommends even vaccinated persons to 1. wear a mask over your nose and mouth; 2. Stay 6 feet from others and avoid crowds; and 3. Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
So, for Mother's Day, I wanted a get away. I needed a get away. Mothers work so hard and rarely take the time they need for themselves. After dinner with the family, Olivia Lauren (the crotched character from the Olivia Lauren book series) and I jumped on a plane to Nevada to visit friends.
Photo caption: Mother's day dinner with my mom, husband and daughter Alyssa Simone and Olivia Lauren
Look how much they have grown since we started our business, Lauren Simone Publishing House.
Las Vegas, officially the City of Las Vegas and often known simply as Vegas, is the 28th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County.
No lines at Bradley airport
JetBlue our preferred airline of travel
We had the whole row to ourselves!
Welcome to Las Vegas!
I didn't care to visit the Casinos or the famous strip. This wasn't my first time in Las Vegas. I am a nature girl, so our friends, Sonji and Ren took Olivia Lauren and I visited Red Rock Canyon. Red Rock Canyon was designated as Nevada's first National Conservation Area. Red Rock Canyon is located 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip on Charleston Boulevard/State Route 159. The area is visited by more than two million people each year. In marked contrast to a town geared to entertainment and gaming, Red Rock offers enticements of a different nature including a 13-mile scenic drive, miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, picnic areas, nature observing and visitor center with indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a book store. We certainly found the views absolutely majestic!
Thanks for reading! Enjoy your travel and be safe!