Mendenhall Glacier

Many think of Alaska as just a cold, dark place during the winter. But this northern state has a lot more to offer than just trees. An icy attribute that would intrigue any explorer is the Mendenhall Glacier.

A look at the Mendenhall Glacier from a Bald Eagles view.
Photo credit: telephonewallpaper.com

The glacier is just a beautiful work of nature. An icy blanket flows between luscious green mountains with snow topped peaks. It's sure to be an amazing sight.

A picutre from within the Mendenhall Ice Caves.
Photo credit: Huffingtonpost.com

But what's even more attracting to the glacier is not it's majestic view, but the icy blue caves that run beneath. Under the 12 mile long glacier is a network of frozen blue tunnels. Be careful though, experienced hikers should only take on this dangerous exploration. Falling ice blocks can pose as a threat especially if it were to conk you over the head.

The caves are only accessible by first kayaking across the Mendenhall Lake and then climbing over the glacier to the caves entrance. They only exist because of the melting glacier, so they won't be around forever. Since 1958 the glacier has receded nearly 12 miles. The caves and the glacier itself are definitely something you want to experience before they are no  longer an option.

While it is sad the caves will not be around forever, what will emerge from the ice could turn out to be quite fascinating. Scientists have noticed trees beginning to emerge from the diminishing glacier. In time, land from nearly 1,000 years ago may be revealed for exploration. Imagine what can be unearthed. In addition to uncovering more land mass, more water mass will also occur as water from the melting glacier has begun to collect and form the Mendehall Lake.
 

Death Valley

One destination that's sure to draw your attention is the desolate landscape of Death Valley.

A look at the Badwater Basin salt flats.
Photo credit: somekinfofsign.blogspot.com 

This strip of dry land is located in the western hemisphere of the United States, mostly in California and stretching partly into Nevada. With ancient lakes, trippy landscapes and creepy ghost towns, this landscape is a beautiful piece of history full of breathtaking views.

The name Death Valley originates from a group of pioneers that became lost in the valley during the winter of 1749-1750. Thinking this would become their place of rest, they gave it the title of Death Valley. The pioneers were later found and rescued by two of their fellow men.

The valley is a below sea level basin with it's lowest point reaching 282 feet. This area is known as Badwater Basin. The basin is a vast landscape of salt flats. Every so often, small lakes will form after a heavy rainfall.

A view from Dante's View.
Photo credit: flickr.com

If time is limited, the most popular sites to visit are along the Badwater Road. One of the sites being the Devils Golfcourse, yet another salty sight. The course doesn't contain much of a green, nor any golf for that matter. Instead the course is a large area composed of rock salt.

A view from Zabriskie Point.
Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Another famous destination in Death Valley is up the way from the Badwater Basin. Located atop of the Black Mountains, Dante's View is one of the most photogenic points in Death Valley overlooking the entire Badwater Basin.

But if your looking for the view of your life, head over to Zabriskie Point. A quick walk away from the parking lot, Zabriskie Point is part of the Amargosa Range of Death Valley. The point contains a great view of the badlands stretching towards furnace creek. This is a great hot spot for seeing the sunrise and sunset.

If you would like to know the solution to the mystery of
the "sailing stones", visit this link.
Photo credit: huffingtonpost.com

Death Valley is full of marvelous views. But in addition to it's beauty, it is also full of mysteries. The mystery of the "sailing stones" has been one that has astounded scientists for generations. In the dry lake bed known as Racetrack Playa, heavy stones have been noticed to have trails following behind them, as if the rocks were dragged across the plain. Many ideas, such as aliens and magnetic fields, have been tossed around over the years as to why these rocks seemed to have slid across the desert floor.

Death Valley is definitely one of a kind and definitely something worth visiting. There are tons more attractions to do and see at this destination but in order to find out, you'll have to pay a visit to this eerie yet beautiful land.  Whether you have a couple days or a couple hours, your sure to have an adventurous time here.

Park Ranger Alan Van Valkenburg told Smithsonian, "The longer you stay out there, it just takes on this incredible sense of mystery."

Seal Island

The most anticipated holiday of the year is a mere 105 days and 20 hours away. Yes that's right, I'm talking about shark week, which is why I'm dedicating this post to the week of teeth.

If your looking to spend your vacation in the sun, surf and sand then you should probably find a different island. But for those who enjoy a good adrenaline rush, this may be the destination for you.

The rocky shores of Seal Island,
 covered in sun bathing seals.

Seal Island, has a large abundance of, well, seals. But when seals are around, great white sharks are sure to be lingering close by, which puts this island among one of the best diving sites to catch a glimpse of the "man eater" itself.

The island, located off the beaches of False Bay in South Africa, doesn't have much going for it other than a bunch of seal poo. But it's what lurks in the waters that makes this pile of rocks an attraction.

A great white shark snatching a meal.

The great white is the world's largest predatory fish and highly misunderstood. The hit classic, Jaws, gave them the public image of "man-eater", but humans are not apart of their diet. Great whites would much prefer to snack on marine munchies such as seals, sea lions and other fish. Out of all the shark species in the world, not just great whites, statistics show that there is a 1 in 11.5 million chance of being attacked by a shark and a 1 in 3.7 million chance of being killed by it. They're quite fascinating and cage diving with them would make quite the experience for someone who enjoys a good thrill.

Fun  fact, in 1996, 13 Americans were injured
by sharks while room fresheners injured 2,600

Other well known great white hot spots are the Neptune Islands and Isla de Guadalupe. But what sets Seal Island aside from the others is the famous "air jaws". The term was coined from Discovery Channel's Shark Week. It refers to great white sharks that reach massive speeds causing them to breach the water. The sharks seem to really get some height in the False Bay area.

For those looking to catch of glimpse of these 5,000 pound fish, you can take a visit to Capetown to go on Great White Shark Natural Predation, Great White Shark Breaching and cage diving adventures.

Isla Del Coco

On a wait list to become one of the new seven wonders of nature, Cocos Island, located off the coast of Costa Rica, sure is a beautiful sight to the eye.

The inspiration for Jurassic park may contain no dinosaurs, however, it is inhabited with a variety of marine life, which is why it is considered to be one of the best places to go diving. Throughout the island's reefs, one can find dolphins, rays, turtles, octopus, and many diverse species of sharks such as, hammerheads, whale sharks and many more. There is also a large abundance of tropical fish drifting through the waters.

Of volcanic origin, the island is flourishing with geographical features. From cliffs to waterfalls, this destination is sure to keep your attention. Within the jungles of the island, lingers hundreds of species of birds insects and amphibians. But interestingly enough, there are only a few species of mammals, all of which were originally introduced to the island through humans. Among these include pigs, cats and goats.

A little tip for you treasure hunters out there, this may in fact have been the basis for treasure island. What was once a rest stop for pirates, is believed to be home to billions of dollars worth of loot. Pirates, back in the day, were believed to hide their treasure around the island, but before getting the chance to return for it, they'd be sent to Davey Jones locker due to disease and famine.

Cocos island is beautiful and majestic, but don't expect to be calling a realtor anytime soon. This uninhabited island is purely just a national park, used for exploration and biological studies. Though this would be the perfect paradise.

Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu

With a whopping 85 letters, Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu takes the cake for the world's longest name for a place.

Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu is a hill located in New Zealand. To the locals it is known as Taumata Hill...what a relief. When translated it means, "the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as 'landeater', played his flute to his loved one." The story goes that while traveling across the hill, Tamatea and his brother were attacked by another tribe and during the battle, his brother was killed. After, Tamatea sat upon the hill and played his flute for his beloved brother. It was said that Tamatea was a big guy, so the title 'landeater' suits him well. 

While it does not seem there is much to do on Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu , the island of New Zealand has plenty of bumpin' places to see and explore. But visiting the longest named place in the world is definitely something to check off the bucket list.

Tour de Pyramids

I have a crazy fascination with aliens and space which is one of the reasons I am drawn to the pyramids. The other reason being because pyramids are just flat out cool in general. But for those of you who have seen the show Ancient Aliens, you may have seen the episode "Secrets of the Pyramids". In this episode, they go into explaining and giving evidence about ancient pyramids around the world and how they relate to alien findings. The mysteries of pyramids draws me to them which is why I am turning my next destination on the bucket list into an excursion to all corners of the ancient world; starting in Egypt....

Giza Necropolis

The first stop on the trip is none other than the Giza Necropolis located in Cairo, Egypt.  A necropolis is defined as a large cemetery, usually of an ancient city. The pyramids serve as tombs for the deceased pharaohs and their belongings. The Giza Necropolis consists of three large pyramids, three smaller pyramids and the well renowned Sphinx. The three large pyramids are the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. The smaller pyramids are known as the queens pyramids, for queens Hetepheres, Meritites and Henutsen. Last but not least, is the Sphinx.

The Sphinx is a creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion. It's purpose is unknown, however many believe it was built to serve as a guardian to the Giza Plateau.

This destination is one of the highest on my list of places to visit due to it's fast deterioration. These works of art stand in the blustering desert winds all day long and can't help but be slowly swept away. I want to be able to stand before these massive creations before they are gone for good.



La Danta, El Mirador 

La Danta Temple

The second destination on the,Tour de Pyramids, is the La Danta temple of the ancient Mayan city, El Mirador, which is located at the heart of the Guatemalan jungle. El Mirador was host to one of the earliest Mayan civilizations existing nearly 2 thousand ago. The La Danta temple was the largest structure in the city at just about 70 meters high. The city covers about 10 square miles and was home to an estimated 200,000.

El Mirador is one of the earliest known Mayan settlements and and it is full of rich history. It was believed to be a large trading center back in it's prime but come the 8th and 9th century, the Mayan civilizations began to diminish. This is known as the Great Mayan Collapse. There are several theories as to why these cities were abandoned. Ideas such as foreign invasion, a collapse in trade routes and even disease could be possibilities for a decline in the Mayan community.



Bosnian Valley of Pyramids   

Pyramid of the sun

Our next trip takes us to southern Europe to the country of Bosnia. Several pyramids can be found alongside the Bosnia valley. The pyramids of the Sun, Moon, Dragon and Love are the main attractions around these here parts.

What  looks like four large, perfectly sculpted mountains are actually ancient stone structures overgrown with thriving vegetation. The largest of which is the Pyramids of the Sun. Also known as Visocica Hill, The Pyramid of the Sun is one of the largest, earliest and most complex pyramids found around the world, let alone being the first pyramid found in Europe.

Not much is known about these mountain pyramids or what their purpose is. Excavation and research of the site began in 2005. These pyramids have astounded historians and scientists. Their make-up is just so complex for their time. The three pyramids, Sun, Moon and Dragon, being positioned where they are, make up a perfect triangle and the pyramid of the sun has coordinates north of 0 degrees, 0 minutes 12 seconds. The 12 seconds are seen as an error which very well is possible since the pyramid is thousands of years old. Whats even more eerie is that these structures are composed of materials far more advanced and contain more unique properties than the modern medium. I find it interesting how such early civilizations had the knowledge and technology to carry out such a process as to build massive, fortified pyramids with perfect alignment.

Out of all the pyramids so far, this one is the most intriguing. It's origin so mysterious and it's construction so complex, I feel that we have something to learn from these pyramids. I would love the chance to explore the ancient chambers of the temple and go where no man has. Underneath the soil of the mountains lies a labyrinth connected with passages upon passages. I'm curious what is hidden beneath these temples and what there is to uncover about human origin.

The Door To Hell

If your planning your next visit to Hell, be sure to check Expedia for some great deals on flights to Turkmenistan.

While on a casual gas and oil expedition, Soviet scientists seemed to have opened the entrance to H-E double hockey sticks. What they believed was an oil deposit, actually turned out to be a large methane deposit. When they began drilling, the rig fell through the pocket of gas and large amounts of methane were released into the air. In an attempt to prevent harmful effects to the environment, they decided it would be a good idea to set the gaseous hole on fire.

The crater turned into a massive sink hole and the rig was never seen again. The scientists were led to believe the fire would die out within a couple days. This event happened in 1971 and now, 43 years later, Hell is still burning. It's unsure how much gas is left to fuel the fire; maybe months, years or decades. But a huge, fiery devils pit sounds like something worth seeing before time runs out.