Estes Park: Travel guide, prices and free housing · 2026

DMDastan Maratovdastan_uk · Nov 28, 2015Read

When we felt a bit sad that it was time to go home and everything was coming to an end, a spontaneous idea popped into our heads: to visit the Grand Canyon. It was just on our way, and to check off another spot on our bucket list, we decided to head there on a whim. The road was long, the weather was scorching, but it was worth it! The beauty of the canyon cannot be described in words; you really have to see it. Even in the most professional photos, it doesn't look like it does in real life. It is vast, deep, and aesthetic. I felt like I was inside a painting by some famous artist. But the artist of this masterpiece is Mother Nature. Every rock or crevice looked exactly as it was meant to be. I was drowning in this beauty, I felt free, I breathed with my full lungs. I'm writing this now and remembering, and I still get goosebumps; the Grand Canyon inspired me so much. Desert Arizona is just as impressive as fertile California. Soon we were on our way home to Estes Park. The next day we arrived at Denver airport. We had our Denver-New York ticket in our hands... I realized the end was inevitable. I spent 3.5 months here, I learned so much, I saw more than I had seen in 20 years of living in Kazakhstan. At that very moment, my eyes automatically welled up, and tears streamed down my cheeks one after another. I know, "boys don't cry, it's not cool," but I couldn't control myself; it was beyond my strength. I felt like I was leaving a huge piece of my soul here and now, but there was no turning back. Arriving in New York as completely new people, we were no longer those three students with fear in our eyes and uncertainty in our souls; we had become much more experienced, mature, and confident. It took us exactly 2 days to buy gifts for our family and friends. I proudly spent the money I had earned myself and was happy that I could bring small pieces of my dream home. Shopping was tiring, of course, but it didn't take away the enthusiasm to walk the streets and avenues of New York again and again. September 20th, night. I am on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building, looking at New York at night, and I can't get enough of it. I turned 21 and I'm on the roof of the tallest building in New York; tell me, what could be better? Did I ever dream of spending my birthday in the USA? The answer is, of course, YES! Did I think it could happen? The answer is, the chances were not great. But reality proves otherwise—there is always a chance! In the end, I want to wish everyone kindness and advise you to dream, dream big, and turn your dreams into reality. I succeeded, and you undoubtedly will too! SUMMARY: 6 states, 8 cities, and 0 regrets. I don't regret anything; I believe everything was meant to happen this way!

DMDastan Maratovdastan_uk · Nov 27, 2015Read

I spent the next three months working in the small town of Estes Park, Colorado, famous for Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and the Stanley Hotel, which gained fame thanks to Stephen King, who wrote the book "The Shining," with the main action taking place in that very hotel. Rumor has it that souls and ghosts dwell there, and you can feel a shiver in your body when entering, but unfortunately, I didn't feel anything of the sort. The national park is incredibly beautiful; it's like combining our Borovoe and the mountains of Almaty into one. The story of the word "village" began back in Kazakhstan. When I first saw pictures of the town where I would live and work for 3 months, I was a bit disappointed. I really thought it was a village, that I would be bored there, etc. But over these three very cool months, I realized that there couldn't be a town closer to my heart, that it's not quite a village, but a very beautiful town that gave me huge work experience, experience in communicating with foreigners, and gave me many acquaintances and friends who are dear to me now. Honestly, this was my very first work experience; there were firings, misunderstandings with the employer, and some conflicts with colleagues, but the huge mass of positive emotions simply crushes this pathetic, pea-sized negativity. Working in a restaurant exclusively with Americans, my first stereotype about the USA was broken. "All Americans are stupid" is a very silly stereotype; working with my peers and older people, it was clear that they are very erudite and quite well-read. I was struck by one American woman, Laura, who started a dialogue with me about the Aral Sea problem; I was ashamed that a person living across the ocean was more informed about this problem of our country than I was. Americans may be fake, but they are absolutely not a lazy people; they start earning from an early age, which teaches them responsibility and the value of money. I gained a lot and realized a lot for myself; I started looking at things more simply and learned to be polite in any situation. Having honestly worked for 3 months, at the beginning of September we were already preparing for a grand trip across the American West. It wasn't easy to part with the routine I had gotten used to, with the people I had grown to love in my own way, and of course with our beloved "village" - Estes Park!

DMDastan Maratovdastan_uk · Nov 27, 2015Read

We started our journey on September 8th by car, driven by our mutual friend Andre, whom we met in Estes Park. A road trip has huge advantages, not only in terms of saving money but also spiritually; it brings us all closer and makes our friendship even stronger. The drive along PERFECT roads to Las Vegas took over 12 hours, crossing the states of Utah and Arizona. 3 AM, the lights of Vegas are shimmering ahead, and it was very stuffy even at night. We stayed at the Flamingo hotel; to our surprise, a luxurious suite was very cheap, only 40 dollars a night. The hotel business is simply thriving and flourishing day by day. Las Vegas surprised me more than any other city with its concept. Walking through the City of Sin, you can easily find yourself in London, New York, Paris, Disneyland, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It is simply an incredible city design that attracts millions of tourists from all over the world. Casinos are a separate topic. Casinos are everywhere; I won't hide it, despite being underage at the time, I tried my luck by playing slots a few times. Result: I lost everything and discovered a new character trait called "gambling addiction." Losing money could have continued until security kicked me out after checking my passport. This situation didn't upset me at all, as that night we were waiting for a concert show by Miss Britney Spears herself. The Princess of Pop has been holding her residency in Vegas for two years now, and her performances are named the most profitable and best shows of the year. The show was top-notch, a storm of emotions overwhelmed me, as I had never seen performances of such scale in my life, and the fact that I saw a real star so close that I could see her in detail was already a huge, fat plus. In the 2 days spent there, I realized that I am in love with this city completely and utterly. Las Vegas is total freedom, night walks, luxurious hotels, a center of entertainment, the good life, beautiful people, a volcano of positivity, and the epicenter of all my surprises and spiritual pleasure.