When we headed to West Virginia, I thought we were just going to do the New River Gorge Bridge Walk.  I had no idea that there were other surprises along the way.  One of those surprises were the Lost World Caverns in Lewsiburg, West Virgina.

First off, before I explain how impactful this place is, you need the jacket.  I'll post over and over again how much I love this jacket.  I'm always cold, and the cool and wet of the cave was surprisingly comfortable.  Don't go without a jacket.  Click the button below to get it!

The pictures do not even begin to capture the incredible feel of these caverns.  The entire time you feel that you're in a movie set, not 12 stories below the earth's surface.  We went when they first opened, and there were only a few of us there.  Everyone spoke in hushed tones, creating a personal atmosphere of discovery.

And as I continued to walk through, I did a lot of quiet reflection.  There are so many things undiscovered in the world, lying just below the surface.  How many of these places are there we haven't even found yet?

Better yet...how much do I still have to discover about myself.

So many times in life there are moments that you need to stop and think..

How did I get HERE?

And it doesn't have to be a place you travel, although that's why we're here.  So much of our life moves quickly.  The up's, the down's, the good the bad.  You are constantly changing.  Much like the Caverns that are continually forming under the surface as water moves stone and creates new formations.  That's you.  That's me.  That's all of us.

That's the reality. No matter what path or road you're traveling, you might get a little lost along the way.  You may go off the road, find a difficult route, travel uphill way more than you would like.  It's a struggle, and it might go on for years.

Until one day, it doesn't. 

You'll find yourself deep under the surface.  You'll look and the changes and realize they've created amazing change and formation in your life.  And you won't want to be anywhere but exactly where you are.

The lost part of you is magnificent.

And until you find that moment, find your way to the Lost World Caverns, early in the morning, to find a little peace along the way.
(And seriously - look at those jackets.  They are so worth it!)

In April, we took a road trip to West Virginia.  It's about an eight hour drive (or 12 if you stop along the way to see more like we did.)  The trip was incredible, and more posts will come, but the focus for going was The New Rive Gorge Bridge Walk.

The Bridge Walk is located just outside the New River Gorge National Park.  The site was easy to use and we booked our trip in advance for 1:00 PM.  The staff was organized and friendly, keeping us updated on when our group would head out.  

TJ was our guide and he did an amazing job!  His quick-witted humor and extensive background knowledge of the area and it's people kept us engaged the entire trip across.  He made sure we caught the small details of the bridge, as well as the white water rafters below.  His ability to weave in the history of the local area with the historical impact the bridge has had on the area brought West Virginia and the Fayatte area to life.  

A tip for the Bridge Walk!
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The day we went the weather fluctuated a lot.  By time we entered the catwalk it was sunny, but definitely cooler under the bridge.  The staff leaves a sign up behind the counter to let you know how cold it's going to be.

GET A GOOD JACKET.  This one.  Specifically.

You'll see these jackets in more posts.  We tested them out for our upcoming trip to Scotland.  I'm always cold, and on a day the bridge said it was about 40 degrees F, I was incredibly comfortable.  I did dress in layers, just because I am cold.

It is lightweight, has great pockets, is waterproof, and extremely durable.  I'm tough on clothes, and after using it all weekend it still looks great.  We highly recommend them.  Click the button above to find them in our recommendations. (We are Amazon Affiliates and we do earn small compensation from qualifying purchases.)

Many thanks to the team at Bridge Walk!  

I love backpacking.  

When I graduated college I spent a month with friends backpacking through five countries.  Living out of a bag, doing laundry as needed, packing, repacking, and hauling your life with you in not only freeing, but teaches you to SIMPLIFY.

But for a short trip across the pond, a standard backpacking pack was going to be too big. 

​And then DC added in something I had never done before.

​We were only doing carry-on.

I'm an over packer by nature.  But the thought of doing carry-on terrified me.  How was I going to pack for 8 days in a standard carry-on luggage?

No way.  No how.

So I searched the internet.  I watched videos.  I researched. 

​And I found it.

This bag has it all.

It had so many pockets.  It converts to be a bag you can wear on your shoulder, or as a backpack.  It has handles.  And did I mention the pockets?

This was my bag and I on day 8 of our trip.  We were about to start the trek to the airport.  It's packed with clothes, souvenirs, and dirty laundry (Which, I will do another post on how and what to pack for these bags.)

But I can't recommend the bag enough.

It's durable, stood up through the rain, didn't tear when caught in trains and seats.

Not only does not checking luggage save you money, we got cheaper tickets by just having a carry-on, it saved us so much time.  There was no worry about not having luggage arrive or sitting for an hour while planes unloaded.  We grabbed our bags and were on our way.

So, keep checking back as we get closer to our next trip.  I'll teach you what I'm packing, how I'm packing it, and why again, I love it so much.

Want the bag?  Find it under INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER!