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The Long Neck Karen in Thailand
One of the main reasons why I love traveling is to learn and experience different cultures. I am simply fascinated by how different cultures view the world through their own unique lens. For example, the notion of beauty usually varies throughout cultures. For the Long Neck Karen people, the ideal of beauty is an elongated neck. Traditionally, from an early age of 2 to 5, young girls will begin wearing brass rings around their necks. Every 5 years, more rings are added. The weight of the rings pushes the collar bone down and compresses the rib cage making the neck appear longer. It is believed that women with long necks…
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South Korea: Our Golden Ticket to Traveling
I had always had a keen desire to travel since I was a teenager. I was curious to know what lay beyond this small circle which I had called my world. I would wonder, what life was like in other countries. I wanted to experience different cultures, meet interesting people, try unique foods, and see the incredible places the world had to offer. But, I was only a teenager without any money. I told myself that after I completed my undergraduate degree, I would travel the world. However, the next thing I knew I was enrolled in graduate school. It was the next step, right? At least that’s what I…
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A Day To Remember: Trekking in India’s Periyar National Park
When you are on the road for a year, every single day is different. Some days however, become permanently imprinted into your memory forever. One those days for me was when we went to Periyar National Park. This could have been our last adventure! I am not exaggerating, keep reading. It was a beautiful sunny day in South India, and we had signed up for an all day trekking tour at Periyar National Park. This is one of Kerala’s most popular national parks due to its beautiful nature and wildlife. People flock to this amazing park, lured by the possibility of spotting wild elephants, deer, boar, and perhaps even tigers!…
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Hiking 3776m up Mount Fuji
The image of Mount Fuji comes to my mind when I think of Japan. It is Japan’s highest mountain towering at 3 667 m. For centuries this mountain has been a sacred site for pilgrims and a source of inspiration for many artists as well as poets. For me, it is a reminder of how perseverance and determination can help conquer what seems impossible. When I decided to climb to the summit of Mount Fuji, I was a very inexperienced hiker. I had never before climbed to such a high altitude. Mount Fuji has 10 stations along the route to the top. The majority of tourists or sightseers ride a…
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Korea’s Sex Park!
Throughout my travels I have seen numerous parks. However, Korea’s Sex Park definitely tops my chart for its uniqueness. This interesting park, which is also named Jeju Loveland, is home to 140 erotic statues that express the theme of sexuality. It was built in 2004 by students from Seoul’s Hongik University. Now, it has become a very popular attraction for both locals and tourists. Considering that sex is not openly talked about in Korean society, this park is indeed very unique to Korea! Watch this short video and get a glimpse into this sex park! What has been the most unique park that you have visited? Related: Korea’s Penis Park
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Linderhof Palace
With the beautiful Balavarian Alps in the backdrop, Linderhof Palace looks specutacular.
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Cuddling Koalas and Feeding Kangaroos!
While traveling in Queensland, Australia, we made a stopover in Brisbane. We specifically went to Brisbane to visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. It is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary. It serves as a habitat for at least 130 koalas. At the sanctuary, observing and learning about the koalas was very educational. However, I was mostly eager to cuddle a koala. This rare opportunity to hold and cuddle a koala was very special. Surprisingly, I felt very comfortable holding the koala, even though I could feel its tiny claws. Within the sanctuary, there was also a 5-acre kangaroo reserve, where over 130 kangaroos roamed around freely. It was…
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Why is this Korean Park full of Penises?
In South Korea, sexuality is a topic that is not openly expressed. Thus, it might be quite alarming to learn that Korea has an entire park consisting of about 50 phallic statues. Situated along Korea’s east coast, approxiately 20 km south from Samcheok, lies a Penis Park. This unique park also known as Haesindang Park belongs to a small town called Sinnam. According to legend, a fisherman took a maid out to the sea and left her on a rock to harvest some seaweed. He promised he would return later and bring her back to shore. Tragically however, there was a very heavy rainstorm and the woman eventually drowned and…
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Surfing at Kuta Beach, Indonesia
Kuta beach in Bali, Indonesia, is extremely touristy and crowded. The beach is teeming with locals and tourists, who are relaxing on the beach or most likely surfing. When we arrived at Kuta beach, we immediately decided to take a surfing lesson. Our surfing instructor taught us the basics of surfing and handed us both a surfboard. So, with my surfboard in hand, I walked into the water not knowing how this experience would turn out. I had no idea if I would like surfing, but I had to try. I was in the water for an hour, before I decided I was done with surfing. Let me say it…
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Wadi Rum: Jordan’s Red Desert
Some places are just so beautiful that words and pictures don’t do them justice. The desert of Wadi Rum is a perfect example. As we were riding the jeep through this Jordanian desert, I couldn’t help but feel capitivated by the red sand. This was the first time I had ever seen a desert with red sand. I felt incredibly happy! The tall cliffs scattered throughout the red desert, definitely added character to the landscape. Wadi Rum is a fairly isolated place. The only inhabitants, who permanently live here are Bedouin nomads and villagers. We stayed in this tent overnight, accompanied by Bedouins. We had a fun evening of listening…
