Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Wander.
Yamagata
What I remember about Yamagata Prefecture the first time I drove into it was its striking resemblance to the appearance of its sister city of Boulder, Colorado in the USA. I knew Boulder well as it was where I went to college. It was while visiting Boulder three months previous to when I first peered into the valley of Yamagata that I first learned about Yamagata's relationship with Boulder. It was the late summer of 2011 when I drove my Daihatsu Move into the valley of Yamagata City. It had been a whirlwind of a summer. Just five months previous to that moment I had realized that my teaching time in Fukushima Prefecture was over. A nearby melted nuclear plant had sealed that fate. It had been triggered by a wave. It was a wave that took out one-third of the town where I had been teaching in the small coastal, countryside town of Naraha. Luckily, Naraha was a small little town and the third of the town that was removed that day was mostly farming fields. Some houses were lost and some lives were lost, but they were small in comparison to further north. I already wrote about this day. It's in one of those previous writings. So you can find it there. Life is so short and fragile, I learned that day.
By Sound And The Messenger7 years ago in Wander
Swanage - Dorset - England
Swanage town is located on Britain's south coast and has been building its reputation as a traditional British seaside town since the era of the Victorians in the 19th century. Its unique position gives the visitor access to award an award winning sandy beach, the stunning Purbecks, the South West Coastal Path, and the world famous Jurassic Coast line.
By Alan Russell7 years ago in Wander
Fika, Lagom, & Hygge
Denmark and Sweden both have very rich and overlapping histories. As countries, when you take a look at them from the outside it would seem that they are similar. Both Scandanavian and neighbors, maybe Vikings pop into your head. The views we have can be very skewed until we have our boots on the ground.
By Steven Altman7 years ago in Wander
Do You Know Where Calgary Is?
When I travel, meeting people is inevitable. The conversation is usually broken up into little pieces to get to know each other and find some common ground. It is fun to hear where they are from, the country they grew up in, and how life can be a little different yet stay the same as we wander around this globe.
By Steven Altman7 years ago in Wander
A Love Note to Philadelphia
Have you ever visited a city for the first time and just felt this click? I'm not trying to make it sound overly dramatic but there is this magical moment where you just know that you were meant to be there. For me, that city has always been Philadelphia. It is a city that is constantly changing and growing. It embraces the passions of its people and appreciates the art and culture that have shaped it throughout history. Our love affair began a long time ago but grows stronger every year.
By Kaitlyn Smith7 years ago in Wander
Travel Gear
It has been almost a decade since I've had the pleasure to look out across my former backyard and watch the rolling hills sprawl across the Alberta prairie. In that time I have spent my life playing a sport I love, hiking and traveling in Europe and the USA. Wherever I go to play I make a strong effort to really explore the sites around me, the city and all its wonderful weirdness. In this article I will be focusing on the gear I take with me that always seems to do the trick.
By Steven Altman7 years ago in Wander
Airline Loyalty, Worth More Than Ever
Vacations are something we all look forward to. Since the airlines started charging for everything from baggage to where you sit, the cost of travel has been increasing for many travelers. This has made it more difficult to plan a trip and led some to even eliminate the number of getaways they take.
By Marcia Frost7 years ago in Wander
Minimalist, Ok?
I would like to tell you that I was a minimalist before it was cool. That this has been a massive part of my life and always will be. I can't, it wouldn't be the right thing to do. I will keep it simple and to the point as I type this out on my phone, sitting on a makeshift bed in a living room in my new temporary home.
By Steven Altman7 years ago in Wander
The First Backpacking Trip: What I Should Have Done. Top Story - September 2018.
In May this year I embarked on my first ever backpacking adventure. In fact it was my first time leaving Europe at all. The destination was Vietnam, a journey beginning in the south with the sprawling city of Ho Chi Minh and ended in the north with the dazzling capital of Hanoi. So on one warm evening in May, my travel buddy and I began the two day ordeal of reaching South East Asia (it definitely paid off in the end). Here are some basic things I learnt along the way that may help you if like me, you're a first time traveller and are feeling a bit overwhelmed.
By Letitia Payne7 years ago in Wander
