Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Wander.

Finding Nessie
Nessie, what a beautiful name! I had never heard about it before until my recent trip to the highlands of Scotland, a place known as Loch Ness, situated a few miles away from the small town of Inverness. It was an instant plan, we booked two tickets a night before with the much recommended 'Loch Ness by Jacobite.' It was a guided tour of approximately three hours. We had to reach the pickup point at Inverness Bus station. The adventure started as soon as we boarded the bus. Our bus driver, Ian, took us on a short ride of the city Inverness and then told us the legend of 'Nessie' the monster.
By Smriti Prasad8 years ago in Wander
Small Experiences Teach Life Changing Lessons
Imagine for a second that you were raised in a country that claims itself as “Center of the world, heart of the universe.” You’d think that cultural understanding is common, wouldn’t you? Well, I was, yet that concept seems utopic to me because every day I get the unpleasant chance to read xenophobic comments of people who grew up next to me. People who, thanks to social media, see the foreigners as threats in their country. And I realize that it not only happens in the small piece of land where I grew up; it happens all over the world every single day.
By Montse Miranda8 years ago in Wander
Traveling Simplistically
I have found no greater joy in life than taking time off from school, work, and my everyday hustle and bustle to drop everything, but a suitcase of clothes and the travel bug, and explore. Simplicity seems to be the only way to find my way back to how I want to spend my days on this Earth.
By Lizzie Moore8 years ago in Wander
Which Are the Deadliest Forests in the World?
A few decades ago, 30% of the land area across the globe was covered by forests. While this percentage may have dropped because of rapid urbanization and industrialization, forests still are a major part of the ecosystem. They are origin to exotic plants and herbs, and provide a natural environment to different types of flora and fauna. Being dominated by tall trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, and animals, a few of the forest areas are converted into wildlife sanctuaries. For those adventurous by heart, forests provide them ample of opportunities to explore their wild side. But, despite verdant greenery and presence of rare medical plants, many forests have been labeled as the deadliest for humans. Major reasons that contribute to this factor are the presence of venomous plants, animals, insects, labyrinths, marshes, treacherous terrains, being haunted, and hideouts for extremists and terrorists.
By Carol Wilson8 years ago in Wander
How an Exchange Program Changed My Life
It started as an escape. Something new for me to do to forget about a massive heartbreak that I thought I couldn’t forget about. It started as a blank page. A fresh start. Something that was just mine for the first time in such a long time.
By Jamile Bittar8 years ago in Wander
NAKUPENKA
Today I want to talk to you about one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I'm talking about Nakupenda, a strip of sand that rises today at dawn and disappears every evening at sunset in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
By Claudia Costabile8 years ago in Wander
The Old Town Riga Latvia
The Old Town in Riga, the capital of Latvia, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its narrow streets are full of history and architectural wonder.
By Rasma Raisters8 years ago in Wander
10 Awesome Things to Do in Edinburgh for Free
Before I went to Edinburgh for the first time, I didn't know what to expect, but being there, I was truly amazed by this grand city. I tried to see as much of it as possible during my two-day visit and I discovered that even with a limited budget it is possible to have a great time in the capital of Scotland.
By Anezka Smidlova8 years ago in Wander
Travel Types
There are a number of different people you will build relationships with while travelling, and if you do as I did (a small group tour for eight weeks) you will form those bonds before you even realise you've formed an opinion.
By G. G8 years ago in Wander
How to Be Canadian
Here's a list of how to be Canadian and what makes things Canadian. This is also to separate the misconceptions of Canada. Manners. Remember to say thank-you and please when offered a service. This is what makes us "nice" by saying the proper things and also we say, "sorry" a lot. Not all Canadians are nice. Many people who travel believe that Canadians are nice. Not all of us are. I have dealt with people that really need to get their manners checked. I work in the service industry and I have met my fair share of "mean" people. Not all of our milk comes in bags. Milk in bags is more a eastern Canadian thing, but if you go to the west, we have regular cardboard milk cartons and plastic cartons as well. Yes, our money looks like monopoly money, it's fun and colorful. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We like our colorful money and that way you can look in your wallet and know right away how much money we have. It's the Eastern Canadians that pronounce things funny (mostly Nova Scotia and Newfoundland) not all of us pronounce "about" as "Aboot" that is a misconception. Maple Syrup. The province of Quebec is known for their maple syrup farms because they have the right climate to grow maple trees, which produce the syrup. Maple syrup can literally go on anything. Tim Hortons. Yes, lately the brand has not been doing well due to employee care, but it is Canadian. This is the place to get coffee and doughnuts, it is affordable and yummy despite what some people say. However, I have had better coffee than Tim Hortons. Also, Tim Hortons are almost everywhere! Our healthcare system. It's free and we don't have to worry about getting sick and not being able to get better. That is all I will say on this topic due to the fact this may upset some people. The Canadian Rockies. The rockies are great for skiing, snowboarding and other winter activities. It is about a 30 minutes from Calgary, Alberta to the Rockies, so, when in the mood, there's an opportunity. Ryan Gosling. Yes, he's ours. Ketchup Chips. Yes, it sounds a little gross and maybe weird, but it's yummy! Beavertails. No, they are not actual beaver tails. A beaver tail is a yummy carnival food that is deep fried dough and chocolate. Totally worth the calories. Ceaser's. For those unfamiliar with the Ceaser's drink it contains clamato juice (yes, it does contain clam juice) and then Worcestershire sauce with hot sauce mixed together and then a shot of vodka and some kind of fun garnish like pickles or pepperoni stick. Kinder Surprise Eggs. Yes, they do exist in the U.S, but the ones in the U.S do not come with a toy. So we get the fun little toys to build. We have the better beer, it is not the best, but it is better than what is sold in the U.S., that is for sure. American beer kind of tastes like distilled water...so not very beer tasting. Don't be surprised if it's minus 20 outside and you see people drinking slurpees or ice cream. We like cold yummy treats, what can I say? A misconception about Canada is how we wear shorts in minus 20, (okay, some people do) but for the most part we know how to dress for the cold water. Having to dig up you car in winter. "Dude, where's my car?" and it's buried under the heaps of snow we sometimes get. OH MY GOSH Poutine! Best invention ever, cheese curds, gravy and put fries with that and you've got yourself delicious fatness ready to be consumed. All dressed chips, best chips ever made! Our metric system makes sense. Temperature measured in Celsius. It's kilometers not miles. Our sports. Our sports are lacrosse and hockey and we will destroy you in both. (mostly Hockey because we get angry with it). Nothing is better than truly Canadian beef. Another Misconception: Polar Bears. No, we do not keep them as pets nor do we see them everyday. Igloos, not all of us live in igloos...yeah they're called houses. In Western Canada, we don't call police "Mounties," they are often referred to as "cops" or "police." We don't allow guns. Not everyone speaks French. In eastern Canada maybe there will be a greater percentage, but most of us don't speak French. It is only Quebec. Canada is second largest country in the world. Some people think our money smell like maple syrup...umm...no. That's not a thing. Sorry.
By Ada Zuba8 years ago in Wander
Pride of the City. Top Story - April 2018.
When speaking about Riga, the capital of Latvia, there are things and places within the city which stand above the rest. One of them and unique only to Riga is the city’s silhouette. It is dominated by many churches whose towers reach to the sky and whose golden roosters perched atop of the church spires are very well-known symbols of Riga and by other impressive structures. Those which make up the panorama are the following:
By Rasma Raisters8 years ago in Wander
The Boring City
You'd think I loved St. Louis Missouri if you listened to me talk about how much I hate it. Or you'd probably think I was from this exotic and intriguing area, like Hawaii, or something. No, so technically I really have nothing to compare it to. But there HAS to be somewhere better than this, and if not then I am doomed. St. Louis, Missouri is so boring that we don't even have a cool sounding accent. For example, if you travel just about five hours north (or however that works) you'll hit Chicago. Even though they talk very slow to the point where you can't even tell if they are finishing their sentence or out of breath, they still sound cool. After doing some research on the topic of St. Louis accents I learn that they just talk faster than some people from Chicago. St. Louis can't even be original with their accent.
By noel .8 years ago in Wander