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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 Messenger7 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 Tourist7 years ago in Wander
"Wanna Get Away?"
It's Thursday. It's 3 PM. You're about two comments away from telling your supervisor or employee where to shove that patronizing smile that they shine on you as they ask you another stupid question, or hand you another, boring, useless task. It's April and you're already "over" all the B.S. your career has to offer and you've got to get away.
By SIR FRANCIS IV7 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 Sturm7 years ago in Wander
Most Expensive Vintage Cars of the 60s
If there's one decade that has become famous for its cars, it's the 1960s. Who can forget the Volkswagen Beetle? Who could forget the classic hippie busses of yore, the British Mini Coopers, the three-wheeled vintage car known as the Peel P50, or any of the other great cars designed and bought up during this decade?
By Ossiana Tepfenhart7 years ago in Wheel
How to Travel on a Budget
Whether you want to go across the country or somewhere only an hour or two away, it can be very pricey to travel. You should not hold yourself back because of the costs associated with traveling. It is wonderful exploring new places and learning history about a new city or country.
By Jessica Herring7 years ago in Wander
Bermuda Cruise Part 2
This morning was our first sighting of land. After sleeping in and having breakfast in the Garden Cafe, we went out on deck to get our first glimpse of Bermuda. Since we would not be able to get off the ship until one o’clock, Mom and I looked for something to do until then. We decided to go to the Aqua Dining Room for an art auction. Since we were there early, we checked out the art and sipped on mimosa. We did not bid on anything during the auction because most of the lots were too expensive, but there plenty of pieces that we liked. My favorites were the paintings by an artist named Linda Le Kinff, whose elongated forms and bright, vivid colors were compared to Matisse and Modigliani. For attending the auction, we received a free print.
By Rachel Lesch7 years ago in Wander
Comfort Suites Edinboro Pennsylvania Review (Two Queen Bed Jacuzzi Suite)
The room was medium size with an average layout but this was probably one of the smaller suites I've stayed in. The overall appearance is rather dated. I felt like I was stepping into the late 70s or early 80s.
By Relaxed Tourist7 years ago in Wander