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September, 2009:

5 Places to See the Northern Lights

Sep 9th, 2009
by WanderingJustin.
3 comments

I’ve just made a decision: I need to see the Northern Lights. You know … the aurora borealis. Can you imagine how cool it must be to see that dark sky above you light up with multicolored swirls of electrons? The jury is still out and whether you can actually hear the aurora; it occurs about 60 miles into the sky, where the air is very thin for the passage of sound waves. But scientists still don’t discount the possibility that there might be some aural aspect to the aurora.
So here’s the downside: It’s best to see them in winter at high altitudes. And it’s gotta be dark out. That means that, if I want to see it, I’ll have to be fully prepared to freeze my goolies off. So, then, where I should I go to get a glimpse of the lights?
Here are some good candidates:
Jukkasjarvi, Sweden – It’s far north. It’s so secluded that you have to take a dogsled to reach it from Kiruna, the nearest city. It’s also home to the ICEHOTEL. That adds up to a safe bet to check out some serious aurora viewing. And maybe I could schedule a visit when Hammerfall is in action.
Oulu, Finland – The Northern Lights are such an attraction in Oulu that many hotels offer wake-up calls when they’re active. It’s not quite as secluded as some places, offering a lively night scene and lots of museums. Apparently, the light pollution isn’t enough to put a damper on [...]

5 Places That Will Make You Happy to Be Alive

Sep 8th, 2009
by WanderingJustin.
No comments yet

A friend of mine recently got back from Hawaii. I commented in his blog that Hawaii has a vibe that makes you feel lighter. It’s like the drag of gravity abates. You breathe easier. Your shoulders relax, moving away from your ears. The air smells better, and food tastes better.
“It makes you happy to be alive,” he replied to my message. Yes, it sure does.
That inspired me to make a list of some places that will make you happy to be alive. Feel free to add yours in the comments
Cairns, Australia – I was shocked when I arrived in Cairns. It’s far smaller than I expected, with a laid-back attitude (even the airport rental car agents are friendly). It seemed to be all beaches flanked by mountains jutting out of the coastline. It’s also a great starting point to visit a lot of cool areas, like Port Douglas and the Atherton Tablelands. Like coffee? This is the gateway to Australia’s coffee plantations. Also, there’s lots of good hiking. And some thing called the Great Barrier Reef – you may have heard of it.
Waitomo, New Zealand – This is just hours from Auckland. It’s very small and very rural – and so relaxing that you can slip into a coma. Which is what you’ll be ready for if you choose to hit the multitude of limestone caves in the area, where you can scope out the famous glow worms. When you can hear sheep and pigs outside your hotel, you know [...]

A Basic Bit of Glow Worm Biology

Sep 7th, 2009
by WanderingJustin.
1 comment

This is pretty funny … someone came to my blog today to find out whether the poop of glow worms glows.
The answer is no – that’s because glow worms don’t poop. The glow that they make is their form of excretion. But rather than just launching solid or liquid waste, it converts the leftover matter into light that’s used to attract its prey. The glow worms dangle silky threads from their spots in their home caves. Insects see this and thinks they’re seeing stars, and fly toward the light. They get caught in the threads. Then the glow worms  eat them, absorb the nutrients, turn the excess matter into light and begin the cycle again.
Really, that’s pretty fabulous. It takes stuff in, but leaves nothing but heat and light behind. That’s an incredible bit of evolution. And certainly, it has to be the envy of every mechanical engineer.
If you’re interested in seeing glow worms, there are a number of places in the world to do so. Of course, I’m pretty partial to Waitomo, New Zealand. Here are a few related posts:
Rappelling into the Dark
7 Hotels in New Zealand
Rap, Raft & Rock

Airline Seats – They’re Not So Bad

Sep 6th, 2009
by WanderingJustin.
No comments yet

Let me preface this by saying I’m 6’2, 190 pounds. With those dimensions, I should be uncomfortable while flying. Even though I’m on the thin side, long limbs often make for an unhappy traveler.
Here’s the funny thing, though: I’m pretty content when I’m seated, even when the person in front of me starts leaning back. I also have the room to clean up after myself, despite the tight spacing (an issue Patrick Smith recently raised). Maybe it’s because I have a good, long reach and good flexibility – and hate wallowing in my own jetsam.
I don’t sleep all that easily on planes, it’s true. But that’s not too big a deal – as long as I can grab at least a little shut-eye on a long haul, I’ll be alright when I arrive.
And once I settle in and have my book out, just keep the beverages coming and I’m happy as a clam.
Maybe it’s because of my expectations. I understand that I’m getting on a plane, not a flying massage therapy room. Space is at a premium, and the tight quarters keep the prices low. I accept it, embrace it and ride -er, fly- with it.
Most importantly, if I’m flying, I’m probably going someplace cool or getting back from someplace cool. And that puts me in a cheery mood that a few hours in a cramped seat can’t erode.
What’s truly funny, though, is that I’ve actually seen business and first-class fliers squawk about their seats. Check out this hysterical comment [...]

Nevada’s Fly Geyser an Amazing Oddity

Sep 3rd, 2009
by WanderingJustin.
No comments yet

Check out one of the oddest sites in Nevada … yes, I know that’s a bold claim. But one look at these bizarre colors and shapes and you’ll agree.

Localyte.com – Local Know-how, or Just Pushing Products?

Sep 2nd, 2009
by WanderingJustin.
No comments yet

There’s nothing like expert advice from a friendly person in the know who lives at your destination. The guys at Localyte.com seem to have created their site intending to connect travelers with exactly that sort of local expert.
I’d never heard of the site until one of its creators contacted me, hoping I’d put a widget for the site here on WanderingJustin.com.
Right now, I’m performing my due diligence. I take a lot of pride in the fact that praise on this site is not for sale. If I say I like something, it’s because I really do. I’ll never knowingly steer someone in any direction because I have a commercial interest in doing so.
Before I slap a widget here, I intend to make sure that’s also true of Localyte.com. One of the things that currently pokes at me about the site is that a lot of the “local experts” have a vested commercial interest in giving you advice. There are concierges and tour companies. I’ve seen some of what I’d consider genuine local people who just want you to have fun in their home because, well, that’s a cool thing to do. But so far, I can’t say they’re the majority.
I’ve spent a little time trying it out. It seems the site is in its infancy – not many questions, not many experts, and some huge destinations missing (Cairns, Australia and Queenstown, NZ, being two notables). So far,  think it could benefit from a better selection process for experts, and more [...]

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