Lawayn Next

A travel journal enriched with travel stories, tips and photos

Category: STORIES

  • Yes of course, Universal Florida!

    Yes of course, Universal Florida!

    A little shopping never hurt anyone The first night we arrived in Orlando, we decided to go shopping at the Outlet Mall and actually, it wasn’t a bad idea. We got a few things for ourselves and some gifts for our dear family and friends. And guess what our plan was for the next day…Yes…

  • Daytona Beach

    Daytona Beach

    Sun, sand and beer After celebrating Chantal’s birthday in Jacksonville, the next day, we took off in the morning and headed to the notorious Daytona Beach where we spent our day relaxing on the sand and enjoying what Florida had to offer. Finally, sunshine, hot weather and salt water! We had a delicious lunch at…

  • Jacksonville, a Destination and a Birthday

    Jacksonville, a Destination and a Birthday

    Here comes the rain again June 27. It was The Day. Chantal’s birthday! Almost five hours away from Panama City, our ride wasn’t as smooth as we expected. Being in Florida at the end of June, we expected dry weather and moderate temperatures. We miscalculated. Our worst fears manifested themselves in reality; here comes the…

  • Through Rain and Sunshine, from Houston to New Orleans

    Through Rain and Sunshine, from Houston to New Orleans

    Flood Alert! Well there was a choice, of course, but we decided to risk it. We had our bikes packed, and we took off at 8:30 am from Houston heading to New Orleans. Half an hour later, we found ourselves in the middle of a rainstorm that flooded the highway. The traffic was put on halt by the police…

  • San Antonio, Half-way point in our ride from Las Vegas to Miami

    San Antonio, Half-way point in our ride from Las Vegas to Miami

    … 4 am San Antonio, here we come!! I am not normally a morning person but considering the eight-hour non-stop ride ahead of us, as per Google’s estimations, I had my coffee in hand and was ready to hit the road at 4 am. The Ride before Sunrise With the cool morning breeze blowing in…

  • Daydreaming on Texas roads

    Daydreaming on Texas roads

    Straight Ride to El Paso The next morning, we took our rides around the charming city of Santa Fe and visited some of its oldest churches and shops. We even came across the oldest house in the U.S. which they had converted into an Indian arts and crafts gallery. Unfortunately, it was closed at the…

  • Route 66 Mysterious Way

    Route 66 Mysterious Way

    Quenching our thirst at Santa Fe The next morning, we took the famous Route 66 and headed towards Santa Fe, the capital of the state of New Mexico. After a short ride, we stopped by the famous “El Rancho Hotel” the National Historic Hotel built by the brother of film director D.W. Griffith. It is located on…

  • On Steel Horses We Rode…

    On Steel Horses We Rode…

    Exploring the Monument Valley National Reserve and heading up to Gallup New Mexico On the next day, we woke up early, energized and ready for another day of adventure. Before leaving, we took a guided tour of the Monument Valley National Reserve. Our local guide was a Native American who took us in his pickup…

  • Nevada! you’re really hot and dry!

    Nevada! you’re really hot and dry!

    Across the Nevada On twin shiny Electra Glides (2014 model) with Chantal as my pillion and Ronnie as my buddy riding the other motorcycle, we set off on a journey of freedom, adventure, and most of all, fun! Our first day ride started later than planned. We hit the road at noon, in the midst…

  • A Motorcycle Ride Across the Southern United States

    A Motorcycle Ride Across the Southern United States

    Landing in Las Vegas On June 15, 2017, my wife Chantal and I, accompanied by my cousin Ronnie, took off on a plane from Beirut (Middle East) to Las Vegas, Nevada with one goal in mind – to ride across the southern United States from Las Vegas to Miami, Florida.  It was to be an…

  • THE TRUE ESSENCE OF KOH TAO

    THE TRUE ESSENCE OF KOH TAO

    The next morning, we decided to relish ourselves with a traditional Thai massage at the resort. For 90 minutes we were gently and professionally squeezed, pushed and pulled until every muscle and bone of our bodies was relieved. With all the sensual oils and Thai essence on our skin we headed to the InSea Beach Bar…

  • KOH SAMUI LITTLE SISTER ISLAND KHO TAO

    KOH SAMUI LITTLE SISTER ISLAND KHO TAO

    Leaving Koh Samui Towards Koh Tao After spending a laid-back morning at the beach while we had our breakfast, we had our bags packed and ready to leave Koh Samui towards Koh Tao which was our last stop for this trip. We got so attached to Koh Samui that we didn’t want to leave to…

  • A DAY WELL SPENT AT MU KOH ANG THONG NATIONAL PARK ISLANDS

    A DAY WELL SPENT AT MU KOH ANG THONG NATIONAL PARK ISLANDS

    Another island-hopping day! Early in the morning we were picked up by a bus from our hotel, and we were transported to one of Koh Samui Marina port. From there we took a boat for almost 1 hour to a floating deck near to the what seems deserted Koh phi where we had to switch…

  • KOH SAMUI AND THE “TREASURE ISLAND MAP”

    KOH SAMUI AND THE “TREASURE ISLAND MAP”

    Enough romance! We had a mission to accomplish! We had a “Treasure Island Map”, a scooter and some snacks. All we needed was a SIM card to activate the internet on our mobile so that we could follow along the App. Finding a SIM card was easy, but activating that SIM was somehow a pain….

  • KOH SAMUI: SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE

    KOH SAMUI: SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE

    Koh Samui Airport From Phuket, we took a plane to Koh Samui. What a delightful experience landing in the exotic Koh Samui airport. Designed to blend in the beautiful natural surroundings of the Island, this airport welcomes its visitors in a relaxed, stress free and environmentally friendly ambiance. At the exit we were welcomed by…