I Need a Break

As you may have noticed, the frequency with which I post has declined to about one post a month. That is because I am busier than a beaver hyped up on coffee. My workload has reached mountainous proportions! Of course that means that I am yearning for a break. I long to take a vacation in order to unwind and de-stress. Otherwise I may end up like this.....

Now, the question becomes, where to go? There are many places to choose from, both locally and internationally. Some are quite affordable, others are only really available to those who run countries. And once you have identified your budget, you need to see if it is a location in which you can relax, or one in which you can have an adventure. And by adventure I don't mean trying not to kill the guy in the caravan parked next to yours who insists on playing Boney M's Going Back West at maximum volume at 3 in the morning. So I did a bit of a Google search and found the following:

Pripyat
Pripyat is an abandoned Ukrainian city near the location of the deadly Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster that devastated residents in 1986. People travel to Pripyat in real life for adventurous and surreal experiences.

Igloo Village
Head to Ittoqqortoormiit (try saying that 5 times fast), Greenland where you can live with the Inuit and incredible wildlife that surrounds the Igloo Village. Dog sledding, traveling to frozen fjords, visiting deserted villages and sleeping in an icy cave are just a few of the things you can do at this cold weather destination. Hopefully the local bears won’t realize you’re a tourist and eat you out of spite.

Karni Mata Temple
In India’s state of Rajasthan, in the town of Deshnoke, the Karni Mata Temple receives thousands of visitors who wish to pay homage to a deceased 14th century mystic they believe is the incarnation of the goddess Durga. The temple is also home to an estimated 20,000 rats that locals believe are sacred and should not be harmed. The shrine attracts many tourists throughout the year who are curious about the rats that drink from bowls of milk and nibble on sugar when not crawling through specially made tunnels.

Seagaia Ocean Dome
The world’s only indoor beach was located Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan. Alas, it shut down in 2007, but during its 14-year run the Ocean Dome saw up to 1.25 million visitors per year — and I had to include it on my list. The Dome featured a fake volcano, fake sand, fake fish and fauna, a steady 30 degrees Celsius and water park rides. The vast man-made beach measured around 300 meters long and had a retractable roof that sported a permanent blue sky. Hopefully there are more of these in our future!

Gnome Countryside
Billing itself as a “breathtaking paradise and gnome biome nestled in the rolling hills of Amish farmland in southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania,” Gnome Countryside was founded by Rich Humphreys — who doesn’t look much different than the legendary, dwarfish creatures honored at his unusual oasis. Visitors can go camping and hiking and learn more about the folkloric, bearded little people.

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Central Idaho is home to a strange, apocalyptic-looking national monument and preserve. Visitors are drawn to the rugged landscape, which is roughly the size of Rhode Island. Some of the crusted lava is now thousands of years old and “lava tubes” have created a series of underground caves that can be explored. For the extra adventurous, backcountry hikes are also a draw, where people can visit seldom reached areas while hoping they don’t dehydrate. No natural water source can be found anywhere across Craters of the Moon.

Izu Islands
Carrying a gas mask with you at all times is mandatory (yes, it’s really a law) on Japan’s Izu Islands where the land rests right on top of an active volcanic chain that has erupted multiple times, most recently in the last 10 years. The release of harmful gases that regularly leak through the ground aren’t pleasant in the least, but the island is also known for its lush landscape making it a destination for brave tourists with strong noses the world over.