My schedule is a bit frazzled right now, but I hope to continue to post weekly with something. Bear with me through the first part of 2025! By the way, looking for suggestions for a vacation in May; hopefully something European.
1. Take a boat tour of the bridges of ancient Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mostar hugs the sides of a deep valley on the Neretva River and has roots going back to the 1400s. It's been Turkish, Ottoman and countless other empire ruled, including being part of Yugoslavia and behind the Iron Curtain during the Soviets. One thing that it's famous around the world for is it's historic bridge. It was old and now it's new. It was bombed during the wars of the late 1900s and been rebuilt.
People are shown all the time jumping and diving from the bridge. It's also obviously a great place for a great view. The city has all the charm of old and medieval. It's a great place to visit while in the country. But, is there that one other thing that you should look into?
Yes.
Under that old bridge is a boat tour. You can't find it anywhere online to book. It's basically a water taxi that you can pay to ride and they will take you to see all the bridges of Mostar, the city. That's right, all.
There are other bridges. There's the twisted bridge and a newer bridge. You also get a unique view of the city from the river. You can also go on a rubber raft trip through the gorge if you like.
The other thing not to miss in Mostar is the glass bridge. This is a glass overhanging bridge that's away from the river, hanging off of a mountain and has a great view of the city. So, when in Mostar, don't miss a single bridge.
https://www.hit-booker.com/listings/mostar-city-rafting-tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9ixhz9cTSs
https://www.viator.com/Mostar-attractions/Old-Bridge-Stari-Most/d22322-a21743
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/946/
2. The Good Old Death Road in Bolivia. We've all seen this one on "The World's Deadliest Roads," and "Ice Road Truckers" in the off season, but you've never seen it like this. The Bolivians built themselves a better road through the Andes. Now, the old one isn't nearly so busy, if at all. What happens now is that you can take a tour from the top end of the road to the bottom...on a bicycle. That's right. Mountain biking at it's highest levels of adrenaline.
The company who started it is Altitude Alliance Travel. They made a bicycle tour of the Death Road. They take small groups down the road as a tourist attraction and adrenaline junkie adventure. Now, there are more companies offering the trip. It's one of the weirdest tours I've ever heard of. And I've heard of some whoppers.
You'd think this would be expensive, but some tours start around $50.00. The rides takes over 13 hours and is virtually all downhill. It's a once in a lifetime experience, and it sounds oddly fantastic.
3. Glamping in Dubai. You heard it right. Long gone are the days where the only desert adventure you could get in this area was to go out with Bedouins. Glamping was created for people who didn't like to rough it. That's the basics. The folks of Dubai have really taken that idea and run with it.
There are numerous companies that you can book with for the glamping in the desert experience. It's one of the newest, hottest trends in travel and leisure in the country. So, if you decided to take that long awaited trip to see the Burj, you might want to book some glamping in the desert while you're there.
https://www.visitdubai.com/en/articles/glamping-in-dubai
https://www.booking.com/glamping/country/ae.html
https://nearfarmag.com/the-complete-guide-to-glamping-in-the-uae/
4. Miyajima Island, or Itsukushima, Japan. This is a beautiful, natural island of an oasis south of Hiroshima, with temples, beaches, hiking, food, and....deer?
That's right, deer. This island is home to a high population of Sika Deer. They are everywhere and pretty darn tame. There are so many of them that the island is commonly called "Deer Island." This beautiful island is a great place to explore in the first place and the deer are just that little extra mystique and charm to make it a great trip.
There are ferries to the island throughout the day most days and there is lodging available and restaurants to eat at. So, take a breather from the crowds and spend a little time with the deer on Miyajima Island.
https://www.travelpulse.com/voices/blogs/a-mini-guide-to-japans-magical-deer-island
https://www.businessinsider.com/japanese-deer-island-deer-miyajima-nara-park-shinto-2016-7
https://www.thehotelguru.com/en-us/best-hotels-in/japan/miyajima
5. The Peace Memorial Museum and Memorial Park, Hiroshima, Japan. That should be enough said. I'm a person who's long since preached that we should not ask can we make it, but should we make it. I stand by that, and if there ever was an example of that, it's the atomic bomb. We talk about the atrocities of WWII and all that Hitler did, but this one is beyond me as well. I once visited Auschwitz and I learned a lot, and that's why I recommend this. Education is everything, and I think that sites like these are important.
I don't know what else I can say about it. Visit, learn, and never again. It's a beautiful park, and an amazing way to move forward for the people of Hiroshima. I think that if in the area, it should not be missed. Never forget. Never again. That will always be an important message to learn.
Remember, it's called a peace memorial museum. Important message in the title alone.
https://hpmmuseum.jp/?lang=eng
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3400.html
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/775/
https://en.japantravel.com/places/hiroshima/peace-memorial-park/41
So, there you have it. That's this week's fast five. A little glamping, a strong lesson to learn, a little bit of wildlife, some beautiful scenery and a few more things that are out there to see and do around the world. Take the time to get out there this year. What are you waiting for? There's a whole world out there and all you have to do is pack your things, book a trip and enjoy!
