Carlsbad Cavern

Got up early and drove to Carlsbad Caverns, the #1 on Nicole's list. One of the towns we drove through was an oil town with a refinery right off the main rode, across the street from the McDonald's and just out of town there were oil derricks and off in the distance flaming plumes, it was all very surreal. When we got the park they told us you could either take the elevator down or hike which we did.

The hike just doubled down on an already surreal day. It was dream-like, you're instructed not to speak above a whisper and most of the visitors oped for the elevator so we were virtually alone walking down.

Descending into the dark surrounded by these huge monolithic formations. It was awe-inspiring.

 Once you get to the bottom there's a loop of the main chamber which was much more populated, still very cool and beautiful, but nothing like the eerie transportive feeling I got on the way down.

Any phrase that is used enough to become a platitude has a tendency to lose meaning but visiting the caverns was and definitely felt like a "once in a lifetime" experience.