Perhaps It Was the Water : 10 Unique Islands Around the World to Visit

K. Noel Photography

The island life is one that so many people wish to experience. Every year thousands of people take flight to island destinations for relaxation and adventure. Many times when we think of an island vacation we think of Hawaii or other touristy hot spot. But maybe you are a little more adventurous and want to explore destinations a little less well-known. If so, this list is for you. Here are 10 islands you may not have thought of visiting, but after reading this you’ll definitely want to!

10. Dubai Palm Islands, United Arab Emirates / These are the world’s largest man-made islands and structured in the shape of palm trees located in the Persian Gulf. Yes, you read that right. Man-made islands . It’s an engineering feat to be admired and wondered at. And indeed the website claims it to be the 8th wonder of the world. The Atlantis Hotel is one of the main attractions on the island and should be noteworthy to know you are hundreds of feet out in the ocean on an island that wasn’t there before. But the real view is from up top. Click here for an aerial view.

9. Little Diomede Island, Alaska / Not to be confused with the Big Diomede Island (or Ratmanov Island) 2.5 miles away, which is part of Siberia, Russia. The islands are located in the Bering Straight and separated by country boarders as well as the International Date Line. Although they are only a few miles apart, there is a 20 hour time difference! Locals call them the Tomorrow Island and the Yesterday Island. Little Diomede is inhabited by Inuit Eskimo natives. Population is around 150.

8. Iceland / The country of Iceland is quickly becoming a popular destination. It might not have those warm and sunny beaches, but it has its fair share of surreal beauty. With views of the northern lights, volcano tours, and stunning geothermal waters there is an abundance of adventures to be had. Maybe even climb a glacier if you’re looking for a challenge!

7. The Galapagos Islands / Probably best known for the evolutionary studies of Charles Darwin in the 1800’s, these islands were made famous with the discovery of multiple species of animals and other natural life. If nature and science is your thing, this is mecca. The island is estimated to be 3-10 MILLION years old. Get a look at the world’s rarest animals, like the Galapagos Marine Iguana (the only lizard in the world that can swim in the ocean) and the Giant Galapagos Tortoise (which outlives most human lifespans). If you do visit, please note that this is a very fragile ecosystem and respecting the natural inhabitants of this world treasure is very important for the future of this island.

6. Madagascar / An island nation in the Indian ocean and the 4th largest island in the world is home to forests filled with lemurs, snorkeling adventures and beautiful views. There are many things to do on this island. One unique thing to visit is Akany Avoko, a home and center for 120 homeless children. Children are taught cooking and gardening skills. Public tours are given of the facilities and there is a café and craft store that raises money by selling the crafts that the kids make.

5. The Lofoten Islands, Norway / Located off the main land of Norway are the Lofoten Islands which are filled with fishing villages, classic Norway architecture, and stunning fjords which are narrow strips of water surrounded by steep sides of cliffs. Norway holds some of the world’s most picturesque places, so don’t forget your camera!

4. Hokkaido, Japan / While Japan itself is an island nation, Hokkaido is one of 4 main islands that comprises Japan. Hokkaido is the most rural of the 4 and the northern most island. So prepare for a colder climate. You’ll want to see the annual snow festival in the city of Sopporo, which features some amazing snow/ice sculptures. Or check out the city of Otaru and its gorgeous Canal District!

3. The Falkland Islands, Argentina / Although it is controlled by the United Kingdom, the Falkland Islands have been very diversely populated by settlers from France, Spain, Britain, and Argentina. It is technically under control by the British but Argentina still lays a controversial claim to these islands. Visitors will enjoy the wildlife and terrain. The ecosystem is a unique one, with highly flammable peat moss and an abundance of marine and bird species. Visit maritime and World War 1 memorials.

2. Papua New Guinea /  This place is filled with a vibrant and colorful culture. Check out their many festivals throughout the year, including the Crocodile Festival. To quote the Papua New Guinea Tourism site, “In Sepik culture men and crocodile share a special bond. The Crocodile symbolizes strength, power and manhood.” There are a plenty of water sports and tours you can take here, so surfers and snorkelers rejoice! Just watch out for those fresh and saltwater crocs.

1. Le Mont-St. Michel, Normandy, France / This island is one that will take your breath away. The man made road from mainland Normandy, France to the tiny island commune leads to the high walls and spires of a gigantic medieval castle! Famous for its high tidal variations, every couple times throughout the year the sea engulfs the road and the island becomes truly isolated again. The rich history of the castle and its inhabitants is attention-grabbing. According to the history of this castle, the Archangel Michel requested that the Bishop of Avranches build a small church here in the year 709. Through the years, many different structures where built as well. Anyone interested in history will adore this island.

Now, be well in your travels and find an adventure!

Live as a Wildflower, or Die as a Potted Plant: 5 Thoughts to Open Your Mind and Heart

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers, so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous. Bricks to all greenhouses! Black thumb and cutworm to the potted plant! ~Edward Abbey

K. Noel Photography

As humans, we want to explore and we want to grow! This can be achieved and mean something different to everyone. Everyone has their own idea of success and their own idea of what it means to be happy.

But “being happy” has become this ultimate achievement and then knocks us on our asses when we realize that we’re not. It’s because being happy is not the goal. Happiness comes and goes like every other emotion. The key is to become content. Contentment with your own range of emotions, your appearance of yourself and of those around you, and contentment with every aspect of your life.

Bliss is found in acceptance of self. Here are a few ideas that might open up your mind when it comes to the harder subjects of life.

1) Rejection sucks. There is no better way to say it. It does. Whether it’s a boyfriend/girlfriend, job, friend or other it can be hard to accept. We feel it as a personal attack on who we are. Open your mind! Realize that what others do to us is only a reflection of what they feel or want for themselves and try not to take things personally. See it as your freedom to finding what IS right for you. If you have to force acceptance from someone/something you are wasting your energy. It takes patient to get there, but don’t give up.

2) When it comes to love, nothing can be quite as bittersweet. Even if everything is going well it can be hard to balance who you are and who you are with them. No one can ever know you like you. I’ve had a boyfriend tell me that he knew me better than I knew myself. And I believed him…and then I lost myself and let him tell me who I was. So know that you control your own universe. And while we may be all essentially alone, having the right person by your side with a mutual respect for your own individualities can make that universe a little less lonely.

3) Forgiveness. When it’s the last thing on your mind, stop, and make it your first. It’s important to process your emotions and what you are feeling at that moment. But then quickly remember that you do not want to hang onto jealousy, rage, pain. Because if you hang on for too long, it becomes you. In the end other’s trespasses against us end up becoming our own trespasses against ourselves. When something is done to us that is perpetrated by another person that is the first wrong. When we relive that moment in our minds and emotions and let it control who we are that is of our own doing and we wrong ourselves. Forgiveness is a necessity for our own wellbeing.

4) Adventure is not just for the young. It is for the young at heart. We’ve all been stuck in a rut before and forgot that there is more to life than just work and when to pick the kids up from practice, to go and get the groceries, etc. We were not put on this planet for careers, for looking nice, or for the newest iPhone. We were put here to explore and to see how far we can push ourselves! So find, explore, do something! Push your own comfort zone, because if you don’t you’ll end up a potted plant depending on others to create your experiences.

5) Gratitude. It’s one of those things that can easily evade us in the worst of times. We need to be continually conscious of our own emotions and actions. If thoughts create action and action creates change remember to ask yourself “Is what I’m doing/thinking going to change this world for the better or worse?” Have you ever encountered a really rude or just negative person? Think of how that changed your own mood and then did you do anything worthwhile after that or did you just keep spreading negativity around? Now think of a time when someone did or said something nice to you. Was it easier to feel the intention to put something positive back into the world?

Our thoughts create who we are. Making the effort to appreciate what we have creates contentment. You can strive for bigger and better things (in fact don’t ever stop), but contentment can grow right along with it.