Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Wander.
How It Feels to Be A Foreigner In A Japanese Bathhouse
I emerged from the subway station in Ueno with a throbbing headache. Desperate for a nap, I asked around for a cheap hotel. A group of Japanese teenagers was kind enough to lead me to a building that I wouldn't have guessed was a hotel. They told me it was nice and cheap, and that was what I needed. I waved goodbye to them and headed inside.
By Chad Verzosa5 years ago in Wander
Lock up?
Freedom is. We don't have a pandemic here in Aotearoa (New Zealand). And our only lockdown (level four) was March last year. Auckland, our biggest city did go into level 3 a few times over the the year because of a couple of community outbreaks but they were only a hand full of people with COVID. And they were contained pretty quickly and efficiently. So although we have been really lucky as a country, it wasn't luck that spared us. It was following good advice that saved us from COVID spreading into the community.
By Himiona Grace5 years ago in Wander
Road Trip on Swan – East Texas
Swan is my best road trip buddy. This Harley has taken me to some of the most exciting places in Texas. There is a rich history throughout Texas for State Parks, small towns, friendly people, and miles of country roads. I pack her up with a tent, sleeping bag, food, and enough film to capture the wonders of my birth state.
By Breakfield and Burkey5 years ago in Wander
Write A New Chapter in Your Story About a Happy Life Here in Costa Rica!
Do you live here in Costa Rica already? Are you settled in? Is everything going well for you so far? Better than expected? Have you learned all about the "Pura Vida" lifestyle and how it is so very magical? Making some great friends? Comfortable in the situation in which you live? Do you miss your old life? Are you mad at yourself for not doing all of this sooner?
By William "Skip" Licht5 years ago in Wander
Quiz — Which of These Top Three South East Asian Places Should You go as a Digital Nomad?
Southeast Asia is renowned as a hotspot for remote working, but how do you choose where to go? We’ve picked three of the top hotspots and created a little quiz to help. I hope you find this fun and learn a bit about yourself and what you’re looking for in a place to live.
By Sh*t Happens - Lost Girl Travel5 years ago in Wander
The Crazy Lady in the Polka Dot Tie
The Drink Shop hid on the corner of two remote streets of Old Town Alexandria, its worn, painted brick often going by unnoticed. Its wooden door displayed a little sign reading ‘OPEN’, barely hiding the peeling lavender paint underneath. A message was painted on the window outside, artfully curled on the tail of each letter: There’s a story in every bottle.
By Tyler Means5 years ago in Wander
Experiencing the sweaty, tear-filled Mayan Medicine that is the Temazcal
If the Native Americans have sweat lodges, the pre-hispanic Mayans of Mexico had the temazcal. "Temazcal is an ancient ceremony similar to the sweat lodge ceremonies of other cultures and was practiced by many Mesoamerican cultures. The word comes from the Nahuatl language and translates as 'house of heat.' Mayans used temazcal to treat illness, aid in childbirth, purification... This spiritual renewal in the Mayan tradition is often connected to the goddess Ixchel." (From 'Mayan Temazcal Ceremony' by The Working Grillos at yucatanliving.com)
By Celesdina Devi5 years ago in Wander
Freckles Abroad
My Lenten promise this year has been to go for a walk outdoors every day. Walking around parkland areas so often this year has taught me how much I love being in nature and how much it helps to center me in the moment and help me to understand what's going on in my head and emotions. Most of the time it's a wonderful, calming, peaceful feeling. However, a few days ago, a close family friend passed away. I still love my outdoors walks, but I don't love the feelings of pain and grief that I recognize in myself when I take them. I know, of course, how important it is to let myself grieve and feel this pain, logically, but I also have always hated discomfort of any kind. I feel like Willow in the “Something Blue” episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – I wish I could will my pain to end.
By Gabrielle R. Lamontagne5 years ago in Wander
Getting evicted in the Wild, Wild West that is the Mexican Jungle
My partner and I believe in community. To us, it's the most intelligent and compassionate way forward and it's our intention to get a headstart on creating what we believe everyone will eventually be looking for soon - a village, a family, a sanctuary. We arrived at our AirBNB in Puerto Morelos, Mexico and we said, "This could be it!" My partner saying that explicitly, and me saying it quietly to myself. We were wrong, and we were right.
By Celesdina Devi5 years ago in Wander
Dartmouth Castle, Devon
The south-west peninsula of England is well-known for its flooded river estuaries that provide sheltered moorings for shipping of a reasonable size; at least, what would have been considered reasonable in past centuries. These estuaries needed protection from incursions by foreign warships, and there are several castles that perform this function. The River Dart, in Devon, was guarded by two castles near its mouth, Kingswear on the eastern shore and Dartmouth on the west.
By John Welford5 years ago in Wander
