activities
Whether you're a sight-seer, thrill seeker or beach lounger, activities to satisfy bucket lists of all kinds.
Heiwajima
It's 10 PM on a Wednesday night and I'm again walking the streets of Tokyo. A steady rain pours down on the road and the drops are light and more like a spray than a rain. As usual, I have my guitar in one hand and a pack on my back. It seems too much, but I feel like I'm missing something when I leave the house without the guitar and so it's there like an extension of myself. The train that was supposed to come never came and so I struck off on the road and now my feet feel the pavement and slowly I'm starting to regret the decision. Overhead a train passes over me, its pale yellow lights putting yellow sparkles onto a road, the pavement drenched in the spray that has been slowly accumulating. Even the streets somehow seem soaked to the bone. Then as if the passing train signals a transition in time, almost as though there was a check point to be passed, I see the sign for Heiwajima Train Station glow overhead. I had been looking for a hot spring in Tokyo City for some time and a place to stay that was cheap. There are the international hostels of Tokyo, which house the foreign night owl, but I wanted to find something more local and preferably something with hot water. When I had conducted the search online Heiwajima Onsen had popped up and so here I was answering the call at 10 PM at night. The station "Heiwajima" translates to "Peace Island" in English. I had walked across the sea of buildings and had arrived!
By Sound And The Messenger9 years ago in Wander
Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park (Erie, Pennsylvania) Review
A condensed but fun water park. Friendliness\Helpfulness of Staff The staff overall was friendly and would answer questions when needed but considering this is an indoor water park they were focused on maintaining safety. While staffing the rides they would not look at you directly when answering questions. Lifeguards would do the same thing but this is expected. When not maintaining the rides they were far friendlier and would do their best to be helpful in pointing you in the right direction. Another thing to note here is the inconsistency the ones manning the rides had in enforcing particular policies whether or not they are actually written down. Most ride staff didn't seem to mind if you wore a shirt when you went down some of the water slides, but others would not allow you to ride. This could lead to an inconsistent experience. Another small note is that I called the night before to find out pricing. The person who I spoke with did not seem to be aware of their after 4 PM pricing.
By Relaxed Tourist9 years ago in Wander
Arizona Bound
Growing up, I never believed in ghosts or hauntings, until my adult years in Arizona when I decided to make a career for myself in the healthcare industry and when both my parents became ill and passed away. When skeptics say, "I have to see it to believe it," I get it. I was one of those skeptics who had to see it to believe it.
By Kate Adams9 years ago in Wander
Why Not Stay in America's Oldest Inn?
We used to go to Rhinebeck when I was a child—my grandparents had friends in the area and we always stayed in their old historical home, which came with an old fashioned red barn, that was also stained and came in a myriad of textures. Cows would be in the pastures and they had a horse, a rabbit and some chickens in the back. It was glorious and all of my memories of those visits were magical.
By Renee Blodgett9 years ago in Wander
Paradise: Papua New Guinea
Somewhere along the South-Western part of the Pacific you may find yourself at a loss of everything you thought held dear. The island of Papua New Guinea is as entrancing as it is a mirage of serenity bathed in un-spoilt ideals, where gazing too long can thrust you into its multifaceted allure that has taken so many to the highest peaks of pure exploration—through a twist of bright encounters with traditional tribes, off-the-beaten-track adventure in wildlife-rich jungles, and adrenaline fuelled surfing meters from the pristinus of shores.
By Uly Spitts9 years ago in Wander
Why the Yukon is Your Next Travel Stop
Yukon is a well-kept secret in the middle of fucking nowhere, Canada. As one of its 3 territories, it has a small population leaving wide expanses of untouched nature. And when I say small population, I mean less than 0.08 people per square kilometre. Since there are so few people, the majority of the environment has been undeveloped making it the perfect place for those looking to connect with nature.
By Alissa Budzinski9 years ago in Wander
Everything About the Finnish Sauna Culture
As the destination of my first ever Erasmus experience, I chose Finland. I was aware of all the stereotypes about Finns and the country in general. The stereotype of the people being cold and not so talkative, the world-famous Finnish humor, and I was even warned not to sit down on the bus next to anyone if it is possible to avoid that as Finns might feel annoyed by sitting next to a stranger. These are, of course, only stereotypes. The locals I got to know are the most welcoming and warm-hearted people I have ever met—altough there is something to the point that they are usually not that chit-chatting type of guys when they meet strangers. But what I did not know is that all those ideas I gained about Finnish people go totally invalid when it’s sauna time.
By Noémi Árki9 years ago in Wander
Climbing
So I guess I’m selling out, or giving in, whichever is less pathetic. Starting a blog; I think I’ve fought it for a good while. I’m not sure why I decided to make one. I honestly don’t believe many people will read, so this can’t lead anywhere significant, and maybe I just don’t think I’m talented enough to put my writing out into the world. But I guess I decided to quote Josh Ramsay, singer and songwriter of the band Marianas Trench: “Hey, might as well say fuck it”. So that’s what I’m doing, I’m saying fuck it.
By Anna Eisenberg9 years ago in Wander
