P Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney

If you recognized that from Finding Nemo you might know where I'm headed next!

Alright so after one heck of a backpacking trip I'd be down for an opera, how about you? Let's head to Australia, but I wouldn't recommend staying there specifically. I think there's a cooler place off of its East Coast.

Fiji

Courtesy of Poseidon Resorts

OK it's not quite open yet due to some problems it ran into regarding location, but there's this really cool place called the Poseidon Undersea Resort in Fiji that I'd want to stay in personally. Construction began in 2001 in the attempt to realize L. Bruce Jones, Chairman of US Submarines dream. It was set to open in 2008, but was delayed due to location issues. That's OK though, at least 150,000 people already preregistered to spend a week in the hotel when it finally opens its doors! I'm not sure when that will be but on their website they said locations for a second resort are being investigated by their management team! It's a pretty penny to stay there (roughly £9,000 per week) but you aren't there to think about money, just enjoy the experience! OK most of us may opt out of staying here purely because of money, but it's my blog and I like to dream. Besides by the time we can actually afford to go there it should be open! There's more to this place too so check out the links! Now I'll talk about what we'll do besides live underwater for a week.

Australia

So Fiji just so happens to be off the East Coast of Australia. In all reality, I think if one can afford the trip to the resort in Fiji they can also afford a boat ride or quick plane to Australia. Luckily everything we would want to do is on the closest coast.

Courtesy of pixabay

So of course now that we are on the Continent and State of Australia we must go to an opera! The Sydney Opera House is pretty well known and if you don't know about it, whether just randomly or from Finding Nemo, you might be living under a rock. Located in the Harbor of Sydney the House is one of the most recognized buildings as of now. With its unique architecture and beautiful scenery one rarely doesn't recognize the fin like building. If you plan your trip right, in early June you can catch the annual Vivid Sydney festival as well! Then of course the Royal Botanic Garden is prime for a mid-day picnic lunch! Check out all the ongoing operas, music performances, and theater happening at the House though before you plan your trip because a good show can make your trip that much better!

Courtesy of Wikipedia

My next recommendation is to head north where you'll find the Great Barrier Reef! Being longer than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing that's is visible with the naked eye from space, the Reef is a remarkable place. With over 100 islands and unique ports and towns scattered within it, this is one place you'll want to visit before you kick the bucket. It is extremely popular so the more accessible beaches and snorkeling grounds will probably be crowded, but if you can get away on your own self-sail ship, or go scuba diving to another island, it's a place of breath taking beauty.

The Way of St. James

It's been a rather relaxing few days not drowning! Now who's feeling a good old fashioned walk?

El Camino de Santiago

Let's walk and talk. Scratch that, this baby is not a walk, it's an experience you have with yourself, a backpack, and, hopefully, a lot of cool strangers! Stretching a total distance of roughly 500 miles from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port near Biarritz in France to Santiago in Spain. This specific route is only the most popular one among adventurers. There are many more trails one can take, some much shorter, some much longer.

 
Courtesy of the picture pages of the Camino

Thanks to the 1987 book, The Pilgrimage, by Paulo Coelho, and the 2010 drama/adventure film, The Way, el Camino de Santiago soared in popularity.

Starting on the border of France the popular route gets crowded typically around mid-summer. The trip itself is a renowned pilgrimage among its travelers, some of which are there for religious purposes while others are there for the trip and the exercise (and typically find some religious take away). Whatever your reason for taking the time to backpack the Camino you'll definitely take one thing away from it. You'll never again be so close to your feet.

The trip itself is supposed to be an enlightening experience. You'll pass through rustic villages every day, you stay in albergues that house all the pilgrims, and the social experience isn't comparable to any other long distance backpacking trip. You can experience the bells-and-smells churches along the way and hear stories from every hiker you pass. As you hike the trail is typically near a paved road and it's wide enough for comfortable conversation and travel with partners you may randomly pick up on the way! Through out the trip you receive stamps at each of the inns and they serve as confirmation that you've traveled the path! It's kind of like how the branding on the Fuji hiking sticks works!


Courtesy of Luis Hernandez and Qbit

The trip is also a very safe one. Francis Tapon, an avid hiker and author, decided to rip the Camino apart in the article he wrote about it, but he does describe its safety net. It's rarely ever away from a paved road, which is both good and bad. You also have resupply stations available to you every hour or so, depending on how fast you walk, so you really don't have to pack heavy at all. It's also a very practical long distance trip on foot (or as practical as one can get). It takes anywhere from a week and a half to a month and people over the age of 65 still take the trip! So no excuses! ...unless you're broken.

Although you receive a certificate of completion in Santiago the true finish is said to be at Fisterra, the westernmost part of Spain. It's a great view of the Atlantic and worth the extra time! This is actually where John Adams landed before taking the Camino backwards to Paris to ask the French for help during the American Revolution! Or so it's said.


Courtesy of Alex Camara and aherrero

My recommendation depends on the reasons you decide to take the hike. For hiking purposes take one of the less traveled trails, like the Camino del Norte, during a less traveled (and less hot) season and maybe detour to Los Picos de Europa. Francis Tapon offers a beautiful trip on his website (linked above) if you're up for it. For the social butterfly or if you want the full experience of el Camino de Santiago, take the trail itself. It may not be the most beautiful one and maybe it has a little to much asphalt for your taste, but you won't regret it!

Happy Hiking!

The Death Spa

Alright! So we're in Japan after a long hike and now we just want to go relax! Let's head west towards a sea that could be so relaxing you feel dead! O.K. the feeling of death may not be appealing, but I think you get the idea.

The Dead Sea

Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Connecting Jordan and Israel this place is one of serenity and salinity. Though I imagine the calm nature around the sea is a little eerie. Due to the salt concentration of 33.7% in this salt water lake there is no life, with the exception of tourists and the occasional bacteria during the rainy season. The lake (yes it's not actually considered a sea by definition) is the fifth saltiest body of water on the planet. It's 9.6 times saltier than the Oceans! If you've ever been to the beach you know how salty a mouth full of ocean water is. Now imagine on top of that you dump the contents of a salt shaker in your mouth, but the salt is bitter. I recommend keeping your mouth shut while you’re in the water...

Now I've never been but it is a popular place because of a couple reasons beyond the lack of life. The salt levels make it monumentally easier to float on top of the water and it has health benefits! I personally finding floating to be more effort, physically and mentally, than just wading around in the pool so the prospect of floating without effort sounds pretty cool! On top of that the lake has low allergen levels, a plethora of different minerals, and the UV radiation and atmospheric pressure are both at lower levels! The special bitter salt also serves a dual purpose! It's known to help with a variety of skin conditions and reduce stress, muscle aches, and pain. All things considered it makes for one hell of a "death" spa.

 
Courtesy of Flickr and Wikipedia Commons

Its location is also a thing of wonder in itself. The Dead Sea can be found at the deepest point of the Great Rift Valley. The valley is the "longest geographic phenomenon" known to the Earth according to Sankalan Baidya on Facts Legend.. Being 4000 miles long and passing through 20 different countries, it's pretty impressive. The lake itself is located 427 meters below sea level and then it's another 306 meters deep!

Overall it'd be a cool place to visit and see. Ever heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls? Yeah those were here. It gets mentioned in the Bible more than a few times and I think you definitely know it's a cool place when it was one of Cleopatra's hot spots.  

Courtesy of Flickr

Alright, given it is a body of water and all I’m doing is praising it I do feel the obligation to slip in a warning. YOU CAN STILL DROWN. At 1.24 kg/L the salinity level may help you float, but the flip side is that it’s so dense it makes movement rather difficult. It is denser than the human body after all. All you have to do is STAY ON YOUR BACK. Even if you are a strong swimmer you may not be able to flip back around if you get put on your stomach. Then when you take in a mouth full of the water the salt will ruin kidney and heart function, disrupt normal blood flow, and cardiac arrest becomes inevitable. Essentially you drown without sinking. Please stay alive.