“We must take adventures to know where we truly belong.”

I had heard the quote many times, but could never really relate until we made the move to Colorado. When we visited our friend in Boulder a few years ago, Matthew and I both knew that we would eventually live somewhere in Colorado. We loved it too much not to make it our home some day. The move just came a lot quicker than we had expected.
Now that we’re here, in a completely different world from Atlanta, and absolutely loving our city and its surrounding towns, we’re ever more interested in exploring what else the west has to offer ~ not just to experience new places, but to find out where we want to be ~ in a way, to find where we truly belong.

So, the other week, we took a weekend trip to Utah & quickly decided that’s not where we belong.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some unique aspects of Utah that we haven’t experienced in Colorado.

The 8 hour drive from Denver to Salt Lake City was anything but boring. Jagged mountain rocks and plateaus met our eyes around every corner and along each straightaway. We even stopped for a short hike to our first hot springs – Fifth Water Hot Springs – which was absolutely beautiful, and the hike to get there presented distinctive woodland scenery that we haven’t seen in Colorado.

In Salt Lake City, we were able to stroll around the extremely clean city and immerse ourselves in the Mormon culture, as we visited the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Temple Square, and all of the buildings representative of the religion. I was even able to catch up with an old high school friend and his fiance while in the city!

Our Airbnb experience was nothing out of the ordinary (especially for $39), as we stayed in the basement of a family’s home right on the outskirts of the city.

One of my absolute favorite parts of the trip was seeing the Great Salt Lake, where we were able to see BISON up close and personal.

But the barrenness of the lake was definitely a terrain I had never experienced before, and honestly, one that I was not all too excited about.

We were also able to walk around Park City, which had completely different vibes than all of the other ski towns we’ve been to in Colorado.

The ride home was a long one though, as we drove through Wyoming, and endured one of the flattest, darkest (night fell by 5PM) rides I’d ever experienced.
[the photo clearly shows the beginning of our drive during the lights hours]

All in all, it was quite an adventure, and I do believe the trip was worth it.
But, we probably won’t go back. Although we were only there for 2 days, and even though Utah seems to be exceptionally blessed with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets (thanks to the close proximity of the mountains), we know it isn’t the place for us.

Now, I am looking forward to our future journeys to the numerous western states.
But at the same time, I’m just as excited to further explore our current home city.
And that’s the key, I think – to be constantly excited about your city – that is what signifies where you truly belong. At least, for now.