2013 was a whirlwind year for us. When I sit down and look over everything we’ve fit into 365 days, it’s hard to believe what we have done. It almost seems impossible, like I’m watching a TV show about someone else. But when you’re living the dream, I guess that is how life feels – like a dream.
As we travel the world I love taking photos. You may have noticed if you’ve been reading our blog for a while. They somehow capture the moment in a way that lives forever in your mind. They’re timeless. They not only capture a scene, but they capture emotion, feelings and energy. They tell a story without saying a word. They are a reflection of the amazing beauty in the world around us.
And as a reader of our blog, I hope that these inspire you and encourage you to look outside and the see the beauty that is around you every day.
From the 25,585 photos captured I’d like to share my favourites of 2013.
- Josh Bender
#7 - Skellig Ring, County Kerry, Ireland
The Ring of Kerry features the most beautiful natural panoramas we’ve ever seen. On our Irish road trip we explored the beautiful Emerald Isle and discovered the hidden magic of this enchanting island.
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#6 - Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel
It’s not very often we are so shocked by our own misconceptions of a town. Clearly, we didn’t know about the surprise that awaited us in Nazareth.
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#5 - Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Our last day in Panajachel we hired a boat & captain to take us to two of the towns located around the silky waters of the majestic and beautiful Lake Atitlán, widely considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
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#4 - Arabian Desert, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
We couldn't leave Dubai without experiencing the Arabian Desert. So we discovered the amazing desert sunset, crazy 4x4 trek, camel rides, food and belly dancing, all in 1 crazy night.
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#3 - Positano, Italy
Stunning views of Positano and the beauty of Praiano drew us in like moths to a flame. Little did we know what adventure was waiting for us. If a death-defying bus ride from hell sounds interesting, keep reading.
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#2 - Crater Lake, Oregon, USA
Our epic journey from San Francisco to Seattle and back again took us through some of the most beautiful locations on Earth. Without planning, our timing was perfect. The roads around Crater Lake were just re-opened after the winter season, and snow was still strewn around, melting in the warm spring sunshine. I will never forget the surreal sensation of gazing over the incandesently blue, mirror-like waters of this caldera.
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#1 - Love Valley, Cappadocia, Turkey
All I could hear was the gentle breeze softly whispering past the hot air balloon and the occasional woosh of the flame filling the balloon, as we soared on smooth streams of air. The warm sun breached the nearby plateau casting a warm, encompassing glow over the insanely picturesque valley below. Holy cow!
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Tell us which is your favourite?
And if you want more, check out the next installment in the series:
Top Photos Of 2013: Central America & The Caribbean
Reader Comments...
"I respond to every comment by direct private email. I look forward to your feedback" - Josh BenderNice, really nice... Geez, it would take me decades to pull out my best photos from 2013; I have enough trouble picking the ones from each month hehe... Congrats on doing this.
#1 and #3 are my favorites.
Beautiful photos especially the Irish lake
Stunning photos! I especially loved Lake Atitlan and the Arabian desert!
Wow wow wow!! What wonderful beauty you've captured! I love them all!
Beautiful photos Josh! I love the one from Lake Atitlan especially. Haunting!
These are wonderful photos. Crater Lake is my favorite of this collection.
Woweeeee! Completely amazing. What a great collection. I can only imagine the 25,877 of them.
These photographs are amazing. One of the big highlights of Travel with Bender is the quality and range of photos you post, and these are spectacular examples of Josh's work. The Love Valley, Crater Lake and Nazareth shots stand out to me, especially. Well done Josh!
They are all beautiful! My favourite is of Positano. What a view!!
WOWee, you guys have had the most incredible year haven't you?! I have to agree, my fav is your #1 choice too!
Love them all! How did you pick just 7?? I can never get it down under 20:)
Lots of good shots here, but I think the Arabian Desert is my favorite. Brings back memories of a particularly crazy 4X4 ride through the desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan with a Bedouin guide who blasted Arabic music while fishtailing and catching air off the dunes. Good times....
Thanks for the wonderful feedback guys. Since there were so many beautiful photos (and it took a long time to go through the 25,000+ photos I will make the most of my research and put together some more top lists by region). Keep an eye out for these over the next few days. :-)
I can't pick! It's either the Arabian Desert in Dubai or Love Valley in Turkey. All excellent shots though!
Great photos! I love them all, but I think the one from the Arabian Desert is my favorite! Looks like a great 2013 :)
Amazing pictures Erin, really great catches!
Wow these are some beautiful photos! I can't wait to make my way up the West Coast on a road trip. Crater Lake is definitely on my list! :-D
Seriously stunning photos guys! I love the hot air ballooning over Turkey - that's incredibly high on my bucket list!
I love the way you've linked each photo to a story, I could get lost in your posts. Thanks for sharing your amazing travels.
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