solo travel
You've got somewhere to go, but no one to go with; solo travel is the nexus of independence and opportunity.
Quest of the Phoenix 2017 (3)
The clock in my room had not been adjusted for Daylight Savings Time and I forgot to correct it, so I thought I was getting up at like 6:30 but actually it was 5:30. So when I went out for continental breakfast 15 minutes later (they’d said that breakfast started at 6:30), I was actually 45 minutes early instead of within the proper range. The Spanish speaking guys were hanging around the lobby ignoring me and talking to each other as I wondered why the bread products were still half-frozen and why I could smell eggs but not see any yet. At least I got a bagel and some coffee.
By Nathan Sturm8 years ago in Wander
Leaving
Summer is my favorite season. Even here, in Norfolk, when the humidity and heat become oppressive. Some days I walk down to the ocean in the early morning as the sun rises to watch the mist rise off the Chesapeake Bay. The haze disappears by the time the sun has peaked over the horizon, fading into blue sky like cigarette smoke from Poseidon.
By Gary Jacob8 years ago in Wander
Quest of the Phoenix 2017 (2)
I rose at about 6:45 and hit the road by 8:30. The plan was to follow the directions I’d looked up on my phone to the local Firestone. However, the area around my motel consisted, in addition to construction sites, also of a bizarre sea of interlocking parking lots with no real “town” amongst them and streets and street signs that operated in ways I hadn’t seen before, so I ended up bungling around for awhile in that area, then driving across a highway into the actual downtown area, which was just as bad, involving narrow one-way streets and wandering lanes. After a bit, I just said “screw this” and opted to hit the freeway for Omaha.
By Nathan Sturm8 years ago in Wander
The City That Never Sleeps
On first impressions, it seemed to be less alien than I imagined. When you sit and think about how different our two countries are, you tend to imagine there to be guns visible at every glance, patriotic nationalists bombarding you from all forgotten angles, and a pale green cat... A cat bigger than any building you've seen before, just there... Towering over the city... With dollar signs for eyes and a laugh that you just can't seem to run from... A cat that has paws bigger than clouds, that boom together when he makes that money rain... But, to my disappointment, he wasn't there, and neither was the rain... Neither were the anti-abortion activists spouting their brainwashed hypocrisy, neither was the young African American man who was shot and killed before my very eyes, and all the other people on the street who trivially walk by... Just me, and my eyebrow raised.
By Charli Knight8 years ago in Wander
The Bucket List
By definition, The Bucket List is a number of experiences or adventures that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. As depicted in the movie The Bucket List with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, the definition is oh so true. In the movie, we have two men who have been stricken with cancer and are in the same hospital room. Jack Nicholson plays a millionaire and if I remember correctly Morgan Freeman's career is working in a garage to support his family. As the movie plays on, both men have a bucket list and against the doctor's orders both leave the hospital to achieve as many adventures as they can on their lists before they die. For those who have not seen the movie, I am not going to ruin it by telling you the whole story. You will have to watch The Bucket List" in its entirety to find out what happens during their adventures.
By Kate Adams8 years ago in Wander
Quest of the Phoenix 2017
During the dread Polar Vortex of December 2016, I, having worked six to seven days a week for the last five weeks, most of it spent outside when snow buildup made it nigh-impossible to pull out of any intersection at which one had to stop one’s vehicle, got to work a full and rather lengthy day when the wind was blowing at around negative 10 degrees Fahrenheit (about -23 C). By the time the day was done, my face was too numb to talk properly, and even after getting back indoors it took over an hour for me to feel warm again. And shortly after getting home (and reflecting also on the fact that two months previously I had nearly died of a severe asthma relapse that seemed to have been brought on by the humidity of the autumn, not to mention the depression and general health-deterioration that ALWAYS afflicts me as summer comes to an end), I found myself thinking: “I don’t want to live in Michigan anymore.”
By Nathan Sturm8 years ago in Wander
5 Reasons You Should Experience (and Master) Solo Travel
For a lot of people, traveling to an overseas country, even with other people, is a big deal. It means exposure to an unfamiliar culture and environment, potentially losing your way, and possibly having to cope with language and translation difficulties.
By Eli Sooker8 years ago in Wander
The 4 Stages of Traveling Solo
Stage 1: All right, I’m gonna try this. I’m gonna do it and it’s going to be okay. Just think of how good it will be for me as a person! And travel is travel—it’s bound to be a great time! Plus I’ve packed basically anything I could need, so I’ll be just fine.
By Eli Sooker8 years ago in Wander
Rotterdam, A Home Away from Home. Top Story - July 2017.
This past weekend I did some travelling once more, this time to Rotterdam, and let me tell you, it was fantastic. Right now I’m at a crossroad in my life, perhaps another post soon will explain it, but for now, let’s focus on Rotterdam. But all I can say is that this city, that reminded me of both Lisbon and of New York, did wonders for my soul!
By Tomás Brandão8 years ago in Wander
