humanity
If nothing else, travel opens your eyes to the colorful quilt that is humankind.
Looking Deep
This photo was taken on January 24th, 2020 in Ridgecrest, California. I used a measly 8mp camera and a pre-installed filter named 'Palma' to edit on a very cracked screen. My cheap prepaid phone is one of four phones I have had in the past three months. Let us just say material items and I have not been meshing very well.
Coming To Australia
Do you ever wake up a bit exhausted, even after a lengthy night’s sleep? You move over to the edge of the bed and sit there a while? Do you begin reliving the past days, months and years, accepting that surely today would be just like another day in the past few years. Why would it be any different? You’re not different, so what would make this day any different to all the other days. You haven’t done anything differently. You make the same choices each day, the poor ones. You always go for what is easier or quicker. Whatever brings you comfort, whatever makes you forget temporarily that this is your reality!!! Whatever will make you feel good, that’s where its all at. Except that it is momentary. Well maybe the challenge is to make it last longer… Should you even bother leaving the room today? Do you wish you had a copy of yourself, someone to go through the day for you? Why would today be any different? Why does today deserve your attention, your presence? What is today even?? Follow the story and you will see how I got here and how I got out…
Tawonga ManziniPublished 4 years ago in WanderThe Powerful Eyes of a Powerless Man
How often do you have despair and hopelessness searching through your soul? Eyes that posses the portal in which i lost myself through.
Nathan Shane PriorPublished 4 years ago in WanderJapan
Being born in Japan is interesting to most people as I live in the United States and most people were born here. At the age of 5 my mom moved my family to New Jersey, my extended family still lives in Japan as well as my dad. The opportunity to go back home and experience the culture and country is the one thing I wouldn’t give up for the world. This past year I was grateful enough to spend a month in Japan (the most time I’ve spent there since leaving) to see my country as I wasn’t able to before. My siblings (Nina, Hana, and Daichi) had joined me on this adventure where we were off to the Japanese Alps. Arriving early in the morning around 5am and checking into our hostel around 7am we were off to the Kamikochi trails. Luckily waiting outside was a taxi, hesitant to bring us to the trails as a big typhoon was about to hit and the trails were difficult and so high up we wouldn’t be safe. The taxi driver even called one of his friends to see if we should even attempt the hike, but as the friend said we were allowed to do whatever we wanted we were off. Still hesitant he drops us off at the entrance, before taken off he gives us his cab number so he would be able to pick us up after we were done. We walk towards the entrance of the trail and see the incline was steep. After 20 minutes into the hike it started to down pour like nothing I’ve seen before with wind blowing at high speed. We continued forward through the storm and even though it was summer we were all freezing and wet. A couple of monkey cross our paths with one following our journey and a bunch of other creatures like birds and insects. After a couple of hours we finally get to the top as the rain starts to slow down, we finally take a break and take in the view. Honestly I haven’t seen anything more beautiful in my life time and the torture we went through to get to the top was all worth it as it was breathtaking. The scenery was vibrant green with flowers of yellow and red breaking through the ground and the sky grey with white fog covering what was below us. We were so high up we could only see the mountain tops and valleys that ran down. We chowed down snacks of crackers, trail mix and a couple candies our grandma gave made us before leaving her house. After soaking in the view the rain and wind started to fall once again. The picture is of my brother as we made our way down the mountain. We finally get to the end of the trail we eventually made it to the main road freezing in the rain. We realized we wouldn’t be able to call the taxi driver from earlier so we made our way down the road. After about half an hour down the road a van with passengers had driven past us and noticed we gotten off the trail and were drenched asked if we needed a ride. We were so grateful we didn’t have to walk back the 5 mile long road and without question we jump in the back. The van had drop us to a bus station where we made it back to the hostel. The old ladies who ran the place gave us all hot tea to help warm up and told us about the dinner specials later that night.The experience of a beautiful country with amazing sights and amazing people who surprises you with the compassion they have for strangers. Being able to experience both worlds basically on the opposite ends you see the differences of cultures and makes you think of the world as a whole and how big this world is.
Lovely, Mellow, and Tranquil
She ran to the nearest bus terminal in hopes that her destination was listed for departure. Looking at the transit screen, the location she longed for wasn't there, but she craved adventure. Raising her finger in circular motion, she did what she knew best and that's leaving it to chance. 1,2,3 and point! Her finger lands on Houdini departing at 1:30 am. Houdini is a place of warmth, activities, and excitement. Not sure of what she'll experience, she purchases her ticket and is filled with happiness.
My Bag Is on the Seat for a Reason
East Croydon. The bane of my entire life. The place where dread and anxiety begins to creep into my veins and intoxicate my blood.
Amy WildsmithPublished 4 years ago in WanderMy experience of Living on a ship & left the world for 2 weeks while visiting the arctic with no cell or internet service
One weekend in June I realized I was given a chance to tour the arctic but then the reality of it still hadn’t hit me yet & everyone was freaking out & excited about me wining this trip and going to Arctic but I was still meh but when I was 2–3 weeks out from going in august I started getting excited for it but also then I realized oh snap I won’t have any internet or cell service for the whole trip (2 weeks) in my 6–7 years of being on social media & constantly being connected for last 10 or so years my family & friends were like how will you survive will you go through withdrawal cause I had never experienced such a disconnection before
How volunteering abroad damages communities and cultures
The grass, scorched and scratchy stems pricked the skin on my legs as I sat in the African red dust. The children on either side of me were holding my hands, their eyes wide in fascination as they traced their fingers up and down the blue and purple veins in my wrist. They poked every freckle, pinched my fingernails.
Elle WhitePublished 4 years ago in WanderComing 2 Vegas
“Welcome to the Vegas team Ashley. We’re excited to have you,” were the words that still resonate with me as I drove down i85 headed home. It was real. I was really moving from a state/city I adored to somewhere west of Texas… I mean, I’d been to Vegas before, pre 21 yrs of age (so basically pre-life) but only to Circus Circus, Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon. Don’t get me wrong – it was OK…but nothing that I would have electively chosen. I’d also flown to Vegas for the interview less than a week prior to getting that call but flew back to Atlanta within 24 hours after interviewing and I didn’t even visit The Strip. “Awesome!” I heard my voice say… “I’ll see you in Las Vegas!”
Ashley MoorePublished 4 years ago in WanderFind Your Bliss In The City
I have been asked on many occasions why I still live in London. Most people would expect me to live somewhere rural and removed from the madness of modern life just because I am a Holistic Coach.
Antonia LyonsPublished 4 years ago in WanderWanderlust
Today I woke to a borderline strange feeling that I can only seem to relate to "homesickness". It's a funny thing, this feeling, especially because I have never truly felt as if I have had a home (spiritually and physically). In regard to this subject, most of my adult life has been a state of wandering to seek out place that may finally be THE place. The place I plant roots, the place I call home, the place I feel home. Last year proved to be the pinnacle of this wandering. Booking one way tickets, and taking in all of the textures and sounds around me. Is this home? Many different places that varied in people, weather, food, and culture. None of them felt like home. Now, this existential searching did not lie within the realm of the conscious, it very much operated from a primitive part of my core that was not yet explored or illuminated. Until today. The most revealing question I've really ever asked, "how can you be homesick for a place that you haven't found?"
Becoming a Fishermen
Let me begin by saying that I'm not going to preach my Christian values or ideas in this story. This is merely how I learned to fish out in the ocean, or rather not to fish; on a nearly deserted island in Thailand? Sound interesting? Did I get a hook?
Tucker BarsketisPublished 4 years ago in Wander