Although 2020 was a year of self-isolation, if you are an avid traveler like us, you’ll definitely want to go on a journey again. Whether you are looking for inspiration to travel within your country or you are attracted to more remote corners of the planet, we offer you to take a virtual trip along the world’s most famous roads.
With the help of the HEX Picker program and the Color Thief plugin, we’ve analyzed and compared the colors that prevail in the landscapes of the world’s famous highways – from the bright blue seas of Australia to the giant emerald mountains of Scotland. Imagine dried tobacco rocks, burnt caramel sand, mountains in the shade of moonstone, and melon sunsets. Take your travel snacks, fasten your seat belts, turn on the radio, and head for America. Our first stop is Route 66.
U.S. Route 66
The notorious highway that passes through 8 states, connecting Chicago with Los Angeles at a distance of 2,400 miles, shows you the richness of American culture. Skirting the Mojave Desert, you will discover the entire palette of Pantone colors: sepia, peach blossom, and chicory coffee. If you calculate the time correctly, you’ll be able to see how the sky turns yellow spectrum colours and takes on a citrus hue. The trip will take three weeks, so make sure you have a couple of extra batteries.
The Gobi Desert, Mongolia
The Gobi Desert begins and ends in the capital of Mongolia — Ulaanbaatar. A week-long journey through the desert is full of sand dunes, mountains, and valleys on all sides. And, of course, there is so much camel cheese that you will have enough for a lifetime. As Asia’s largest desert and a site of dinosaur remains, every Gobi desert’s inch looks like a piece of art painted in shades of moonstone, soy sprouts, turtledove wing, and calcareous tuff.
South Island Highway, New Zealand
Perhaps the perfect place for adrenaline junkies, the highway on the South Island in New Zealand is not just bungee jumping, skydiving, or canyon jumping. A trip along the roads of the South Island with its many mountains and volcanoes is a real delight for the eye. The journey can take 2-3 weeks on average. You will discover all the shades of the mountains – from light gray and black monocolor to airy gray. The twisting roads, in turn, are a mix of light gray and cardamom seed colour.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni, also known as the Bolivian Salt Flats, is the largest salt pan in the world with a length of about 4,000 miles. During a drought, the salt sheet cracks, forming a mosaic with inclusions of blue quartz, pale blue, muted purple, and bluish. In the rainy season, the salt desert becomes one endless mirror which reflects the silhouettes of people. Don’t forget to look at the sky painted in the color of banana pancake. A trip to the salt flat will be more comfortable if you choose a four-wheel drive car. Otherwise, book a tour with a local tour operator.
Iceland Ring Road
Did someone put on the song “Jaja Ding Dong”? The 825-mile road passes through fields of hardened lava, waterfalls, cascading mountains, and fjords. There is a beige and peach sky overhead, and chartreuse mountains with their deep purple and medium blue peaks are awe-inspiring. Although you can go here at any time of the year, we still recommend planning a trip for the summer.
Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway
The Atlantic Road in Norway is called “the Road in the Ocean”. And for a reason: imagine a landscape in splashes of opal, lemon yellow, methyl blue, and deep blue. Some sections of the road resemble a roller coaster, with turns and descents over the occasional oncoming waves. We advise you to cover this five-mile stretch of the road at a slow pace, making stops in specially designated places to admire the picturesque coast and get the salty air. But if that’s not enough for you, go on and head to the seven bridges.
Great Ocean Road, Australia
Say “Hello!” to the 150-mile-long sunlit beaches that border the Australian Great Ocean Road. The trip will take you only three days, and you will find yourself on the coast, lit with shades of blue, toffee and muted medium blue with hints of lemon near the Twelve Apostles stacks. If you want to stay in one of the popular coastal towns, such as Lorne and Torquay, take a surfboard (or a boogie board for beginners) to make the most of the quirky waves of these places. If you drive inland, there is a chance to see a kangaroo jumping in the dark green grass.
Badlands National Park, U.S. Route 240
And now we’re going back to the US, to Badlands National Park, to be exact. This is a short trip over a distance of 39 miles. It took 75 million years to form the current appearance of the park, so be sure to visit all 16 attractions. Rocks in the colours of ecru, curry and dried tobacco make this trip special. The national park is home to endangered species. Drive with the roof down to truly enjoy the scenery and the sky in the colour of the Baltic Sea.
North Coast 500, Scotland
If you live in the UK, you don’t need to travel far away to climb mountains or get your adrenaline rush. In five fun days, over a distance of 516 miles, you’ll find everything you need. Between trips to local distilleries, rafting on rough water, or watching puffins, you’ll weave along a patchwork with yellow-green, light gray, and gray-brown inclusions. And if you raise your head up, you can see the sky painted in dark blue with a hint of cotton candy.
Transfagarasan Highway, Romania
You may need a motion sickness wristband for this trip. The Transfagarasan Highway is a spiral road with a length of 93 miles, which winds through the giant Romanian mountains. Take a photo with a view of the highway to capture the colours of summer: jasmine, a shade of spindle tree, elven forest, and purple-blue. The road will take you very little time, however, we recommend that you stay here for a couple of days — there will be plenty to do on the way from Cartisoara to Bascov.
Want more? It’s time to make sure your car is ready for your next trip.
Published March 25, 2021 • 10m to read
