Daydream: Plutonic Passageway in Joshua Tree National Park

We know how it is. You’re stuck at your desk and the day seems to be going on forever. Your mind starts to wander — at first to “anywhere but here,” but then to exotic, faraway lands where your everyday problems and stress melt in the presence of true paradise. You want to go to there, and we want to go with you. Every day at 3 p.m. Eastern, we’ll send you a picture of the place we at Yahoo Travel are daydreaming about so we can all take that mental vacation together.
Let’s go to Plutonic Passageway in Joshua Tree National Park!!! This park is famous for its trees, hence the name. But it has a lot more to offer. There's the constant sunshine, geckos, roadrunners, and jackrabbits, and you might even see a rattlesnake! The sunrises and sunsets are our favorite part; they have a way of enhancing the already stunning landscape into a visual experience you are sure to remember. Disclaimer: The heat can rise well above 100 °F in the summer, so you will want to stay hydrated and bring plenty of sunscreen. You could also go in the spring or fall when the temperature is almost perfect.

Ultimate Castaway Experience: Vacation on a Deserted Island

The travel company — reportedly the first of its kind — specializes in sending clients to remote, uninhabited islands for the ultimate anti-tourist vacation.The locations are beautiful, with beachfront stays in Indonesia, the Philippines, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. The luxuries, however, are slim. (In some cases, electricity qualifies as a luxury.)
When booking, customers get to choose between two modes: comfort and adventure. The former is for travelers who crave seclusion without giving up basic necessities; the latter seems best for “Survivor” runner-ups and die-hard “Man vs. Wild” fans.For the most part, Docastaway trips are not entirely fend-for-yourself experiences. A guide usually accompanies the travelers, although true daredevils can opt out and go solo at certain adventure mode locations. At comfort-mode lodgings, meals are served buffet style by a “staff” and you can partake in activities like paddle boarding, kayaking, and boat excursions to neighboring islands.For example, the Devil’s Island excursion in Oceania (380 euros a night) ranks as extreme on Docastaway’s isolation scale, which means you’re paying for a life-or-death experience, not a luxury hammock. Guests eat “what nature provides.” So what does that mean? The company hints at the island’s free-roaming hermit crabs and fish in natural pools. The description also warns, “Should there be a storm the castaway will have to wait up to two weeks to be rescued. Therefore, much patience will be necessary and also flexible dates.” There’s also no beach on the island, but hey, there is a climbable volcano you can climb!

A Sanctuary of Beauty and Wellness in the Bahamas

Living in New York City for the past 20 years, I’ve spent my fair share of time in the Caribbean. But I’ve always skipped over the Bahamas, probably because it felt almost too close to home—like an extension of Miami. That, and I associated the Bahamas with the cheesy Club Med resorts of yesteryear, and the enormous, all-inclusive vacation spots (such as Atlantis on Paradise Island), that are frequented by families who thrive on non-stop water sports.Big mistake on my part. A few weeks ago, I finally made my way to the Bahamas —an archipelago with over 700 individual islands and cays, some jam-packed, others uninhabited. There I got a taste of what I’d been missing —warm turquoise water, delicious Bahamian food, and some of the friendliest locals I’ve ever met while traveling. I was looking for a relaxing respite from city life, and I found it at The Cove, a world-class resort on Eleuthera —an “out island” just a short one-hour flight from Florida. (You can also fly into Nassau and then take a thirty minute air shuttle from there; If you’re really baller, the property’s wide-mouthed coves make great landing spots for a sea plane.)
As a health editor, I always look for vacation locations that will enable me to stay active. But a big part of my self-care routine also involves pampering…and sunset cocktails. The Cove caters to all. As they boast on their website, “Lots of things to do, including absolutely nothing.” Perfect.

Some suggestions for what to do at The Cove to boost your well-being:
•Try paddle-boarding, kayaking or snokeling
•Weight-train or do cardio in the fitness center
•Eat a healthy lunch or dinner of creatively prepared sushi
•Take a surf lesson
•Walk the sprawling grounds; If you get tired, nap in a nearby hammock
•Indulge in a spa treatment — a Thai or Swedish massage or body scrub
•Embark on a conch diving expedition
•Bike to Gregory Town
•Hire a car or taxi to bring you to the Queen’s Baths (natural tide pools) or the “secret” swimming spot called The Blue Hole.
•Go sea glass collecting on Surfer’s Beach
•Rent a Jeep and explore the island
•Sip a cocktail as you watch the breath-taking sunset
Now, having spent time in this not-so-far-away paradise, I can confidently shed the outdated presumptions I had about it…with the exception of one holdover: The marketing slogan that was seared into my teenage brain through countless tourism TV commercials still rings true: “It’s better in the Bahamas.”

Top Tourist Attractions in the USA

As one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world, The United States boast an amazing amount of tourist destinations ranging from the skyscrapers of New York and Chicago, the natural wonders of Yellowstone and Alaska to the sunny beaches of California, Florida and Hawaii. With so many tourist attractions it’s tempting to list entire cities or even states, but in this top 10 I have tried to focus on specific attractions.

Times Square
The world’s most visited tourist attraction, hosting over 39 million visitors annually. Approximately 300,000 people pass through Times Square daily. This Manhattan crossroads of commerce retains the top spot on our list, thanks to increased visitation to the Big Apple in 2008 despite the economic turndown. According to the Times Square Alliance, “80% of visitors to NYC make it a point to visit Times Square.” Times Square, the most bustling square of New York, is known for its many Broadway theatres, cinemas and super signs. It has all sorts of fun, exciting and informative tours to explore other parts of the city. You can Choose from walking, bike, bus, food, limo, TV, landmark, ethnic or water tours.

Denali National Park
The Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. The word “Denali” means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language and refers to Mount McKinley. In addition, the park protects an incredible wilderness area that contains grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and numerous other creatures.

Las Vegas Strip
The gambling mecca of the world, Las Vegas is situated in the midst of the southern Nevada desert landscape. Casinos can be found throughout Las Vegas, but the strip, a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South, contains the most of them. It features giant mega-casino hotels, decorated with lavish care and attention to detail to create a fantasy-like atmosphere. The casinos often have names and themes that evoke romance, mystery, and far-away destination.

Florida Keys
The coral archipelago in southeast United States, the Florida Keys are a 120 mile long chain of tropical islands curving around the base of the Florida peninsula, connected to the mainland by a series of bridges. They have become a popular destination looking for a tropical vacation without leaving their own country. The most spectacular bridge, the Seven Mile Bridge in the Lower Keys, has been frequently used as a location for films including True Lies and Fast 2 Furious. US Highway 1, the “Overseas Highway” runs from Key Largo, Islamadora, Marathon, Lower Keys and finally to Key West, the most distant and most famous island.

Kilauea
Kilauea is the most recent of a series of volcanoes that have created the Hawaiian Archipelago. It is a very low, flat shield volcano, vastly different in profile from the high, sharply sloping peaks of stratovolcanoes. Kilauea is one of the most active volcano on the Earth, an invaluable resource for volcanologists. Thirty-three eruptions have taken place since 1952, not including the current eruption which started on January 3, 1983 and is still ongoing.

Niagara Falls
Situated between the state of New York and the province of Ontario, Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular natural wonders on the North American continent. Niagara Falls is actually three different falls, the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls. Horseshoe Falls is located on the Canadian side while the other are located in New York. With more than 14 million visitors each year it is one of the most visited tourist attraction in the world.

Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the strait between San Francisco and Marin County to the north. The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed in 1937, and has become an internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco and California. The famous red-orange color of the bridge was specifically chosen to make the bridge more easily visible through the thick fog that frequently shrouds the bridge.

Yellowstone
Located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, and also extends into Montana and Idaho, The Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first national park, set aside in 1872 by the U.S. Congress to preserve the vast number of geysers, hot springs, and other thermal areas, as well as to protect the incredible wildlife and rugged beauty of the area. Yellowstone lies on top of a gigantic hotspot where light, hot, molten mantle rock rises towards the surface. Subsequently, the park contains half of all the world’s known geothermal features, with more than 10,000 examples of geysers and hot springs. In addition, black bears, grizzly bears, deer, elk, bison and wolves can all be found within the park borders.

Manhattan
Manhattan is one of New York’s five boroughs and is what people most often think of when they picture New York City. It’s familiar skyline and sights have been featured a thousand times on screen. Walk in the shadow of the skyscrapers, picture the Statue of Liberty, see a Broadway show , climb the Empire State building, stroll Central Park, window shop on 5th Avenue or stagger around a museum.

Grand Canyon
Located in northern Arizona, The Grand Canyon is one of the great tourist attractions in the United States. Carved by the Colorado River, the canyon attains a depth of over 1.6 km (1 mile) and 446 km (277 miles) long. The Grand Canyon is not the deepest or the longest canyon in the world but the overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape offers visitor spectacular vistas that are unmatched throughout the world. It is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

The 7 Curses of Long Term Travel

If I look back at the last six years in which my travel partner Alesha and I traveled around the world, I don’t ever regret making decision to leave everything behind and embark on this life of long term travel. Every waking moment we are on the road, we feel extremely lucky for the opportunities that have led us to create this lifestyle. Even though we have made some sacrifices to do this, and have worked very hard to save the money to travel long term (and continue to work on the road), the rewards have been more than worth the effort. Honestly, our lives are pretty awesome.But there is a downside to everything, of course, and our lives are no exception. The longer we are on the road, the more we discover what I like to call the “curses of long term travel.” These are the negative effects of being modern-day nomads. Not every day is full of fun, adventure, spectacular sunsets, and cocktails on the beach. Here are the seven things we have struggled with life on the road.

1. It gets harder and harder to be impressed.
After years of exploring the world’s best temples, national parks, museums, and attractions, it gets harder and harder to be impressed. This is the curse we are most affected by today, and we constantly find ourselves becoming nonchalant when visiting places that others wait their whole lives to see. “It’s just another temple,” we’ll say, or, “Meh, we’ve been to more authentic villages.”We need to remind ourselves to appreciate every wonder we encounter, no matter how small or how many times we think we’ve seen the same thing before. Not every attraction can be as mind-blowing as Angkor Wat. But that doesn’t mean that once you’ve been to the temples of Angkor, you never have to visit another historical site again.
2. You miss out on those special (and sad) moments back home.Perhaps the hardest thing to deal with when you are constantly on the road is missing out on the special (and sad) moments back home. Weddings, birthdays and other celebrations pass you by, and a lot of the time, you are only reminded of them through photos posted on social media. Even more tragic is if a dear relative or friend passes while you are away, meaning you never got to say goodbye. And trust us, grieving on the road isn’t any easier than grieving with your family around you.Luckily, through the wonders of the Internet, we can now stay connected with everyone back home via apps like Skype. We also take solace knowing that our friends and family are usually happy for us that we are out traveling the world. It helps us get through the sad moments, even when we are questioning why we choose to be away for so long.
3. Friendships are measured in days, not years.Take a look at your friendship group. How long have your mates been in your life? Years? Decades? Did you grow up together? Those friendships may stay with you forever, but when you are always on the road, it is harder to form such close, lasting bonds with people. Being transient means that we usually only get to spend a few days (or sometimes even only a few hours) with people who we genuinely like and get along with. I’ve lost count of the number of guys and girls I’ve formed incredible friendships with, only for us to part ways and never see or hear from each other again. We share amazing experiences together, and then vanish from each others’ lives. It’s a curse that never breaks unless we stop moving.
4. You’ve changed, but everything else is the same.Returning home after an extended period of time always leaves me feeling like I’ve changed, but everything else is the same. My friends are still going to the same bars and eating at the same restaurants, my home town still looks exactly how I left it, even conversations go back to the same old topics we were discussing years ago. We end up questioning whether we really belong at home, or, perhaps even deeper, we sometimes  rethink what “home” really means to us. I’m not saying I have changed for the better, but the truth is that I have definitely changed.
5. You experience traveler’s burnout.
If you travel to a lot of countries or over long distances continuously, it is easy to feel completely burnt out. After 10 months riding our motorbikes around Southeast Asia, checking into a different hotel every couple of days, packing and unpacking our backpacks, and spending every hour of daylight exploring new sights, Alicia and I were totally exhausted. We were getting frustrated way too easily, and becoming more and more jaded with life in general. We needed to stop for a few months and recharge the batteries, or risk quitting traveling altogether. The only cure for this is to slow down.
6. You’re always searching for the next adventure.
It’s harder to become impressed, true, but when we finally are, it just makes us want to seek out more adventures. Camping for free on the beaches of Hong Kong isn’t enough. It makes you want to camp on the Great Wall of China or in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Visiting 100 countries doesn’t quite cut it when you know there are 193 countries to explore. It is a hunger you can never satisfy, and every jaw-dropping experience just forces you to want to discover another. It’s like chasing the dragon you can never catch.
7. The idea of settling down scares the heck out of you.“When are you going to stop traveling and settle down?” asks everyone, ever. It is the dreaded question that  full-time travelers get asked all the time. If you’ve made it past your gap year and never stopped moving, then you know that nothing is more frightening than the idea of getting a full-time job, getting a mortgage, and rejoining the rat race. Some people call it running away, but who says that is how we are meant to live our life? Why does a life of unwanted responsibility have to be adhered to? When I feel completely happy making a minimal income and living a basic life, why should I have to change that?
To be clear, I am not saying that these curses are preventing me from continuing to live the life I want. They are not. I am saying, though, that they are important to know if you are considering a life of full-time travel yourself.

Sun, Surfing, and Sasa — 8 Reasons to Go to Samoa Now!

There are few places left in the world that can actually be considered exotic. 

The independent country of Samoa—formerly known as Western Samoa and not to be confused American Samoa—is one of them. The tiny archipelago is far from anywhere in the South Pacific, and is a place of sugar-soft beaches, people dressed in sarongs (called lava lavas here), intriguing traditional dances, and little evidence that this is the 21st century. Still, it’s safe, welcoming, and ultimately not all that hard to get to (a 5.5-hour flight from Honolulu or 3.5 hours from Auckland).But the best part is that there’s no one else there—yet.While Samoa has long been a beach-flop destination for a few New Zealanders and Australians, it doesn’t register that high on the international radar. However, word is getting out and American brands are starting to setting up shop. There are two new Sheraton Resorts in the capital and near the international airport, and a few new smaller establishments. Even with the growth, it’s common to have one of those white beaches all to yourself. That’s especially true on Savai’i, the less populated of the two main islands, with just 42,000 people on about 650 square miles, and no big resorts.Here are some of the highlights on Savai’i.
The Alofaaga Blowholes
 When my Facebook status mentioned Samoa, friends started asking if I’d seen the blow holes yet. It’s rare that people get so uniformly excited about a geological feature, but this one is seriously crazy. The Alofaaga Blowholes are a series of gaps in the volcanic rocks along the coast of Savai’i that allow waves to come in, before forcing them violently 100 feet into the air. Buy some coconuts from the local vendors, toss them in at the right moment, and watch them fly!
 The dances
 Forget any hula shows you may have seen in Hawaii or cultural performances in Tahiti. If you see dancing here, it’s because it’s really time to dance — with or without tourists in the audience. The most common dances are a lively male counterpart to the hula called thesasa, and the slightly violent fa’ataupati, or “slap dance,” in which men slap their bodies in ways said to have been derived from the motions of killing insects. And then there’s the taualuga, in which a group of men dance around a woman, then lie down in turns so she can step on their backs.
 The surf is out of this world
 Aside from the Kiwi beach-floppers, the main group of people who have typically visited Samoa have been serious surfers. They love the bragging rights associated with surfing gnarly waves—and the area is full of them. But it’s not just for super advanced surfers — even brand-new beginners can enjoy.
 There’s a terrific new lodge
 Mainly marketed as a surf destination, the new Aganoa Lodge Samoa is much more than that. Sure, the spectacular point break is just a short swim from the main house, but it’s hardly the only reason to visit. Reopened after a major investment from a group of Americans in February, the lodge consists of eight dreamy open-air fales, whose beds are mere steps from the beach. Beyond surfing, Aganoa offers SUP, snorkeling, island sightseeing, and simply relaxing on the empty white beach.
Afu Afu Falls
 Samoa is hot—the average temperature is 86F, and the water is 77F. The cold-water showers at many of the fale accommodations (including Aganoa) come as a relief. Looking for an even better way to cool off? Take a five-minute hike followed by a leap of a rock edge into the cool freshwater pool beneath the Afu Afu Falls. It’s a short swim across to the base of the falls, where you can pose for a terrific photo.
 Fabulous churches
 Regardless of your religious beliefs, it’s worth going to church on a Sunday to see Samoan culture at its most distinctive and vibrant. The 19th-century missionaries were effective, and the overlay of Christianity on the traditional culture is fascinating. You see it whenever you drive by a brightly colored church, whose over-the-top architectural style you can’t quite name. There’s a nightly evening prayer curfew around 6 p.m.—which can be annoying, as visitors aren’t supposed to drive during that time. But nothing but church happens on Sundays anyway, so you might as well go. Everyone in the villages turns out in their best clothes for an hour of exuberant singing and celebration.
 There’s no Starbucks
 Or any other sign of Western culture. There’s little need for caffeine anyway, as life moves awfully slow here. A market sells skip-able souvenirs (lava lavas, wood carvings, shell jewelry), there’s a decent local beer (which tastes pretty much like any other tropical-island beer) and an ice cream shop with interesting tropical fruit flavors. But really, you don’t even need them. The best thing to eat is fish, especially the just-caught sashimi that’s served nightly as an appetizer at Aganoa.

The top ten highest prospects

On May 29, the visitors' platform of the new "One World Trade Center" in New York opened.
The "One World Observatory" is located on floors 100, 101 and 102 of the highest building of the United States.
Five "Sky Pods" called lifts, catapult visitors in just one minute from the ground floor to the 102nd floor.
Unpleasant pressure or even pain in the ears are inevitable there. A German manufacturer of ear plugs for
pressure equalization in air travel and fast elevator rides took the opening in New York as an opportunity
to put together the Top Ten of the highest observation decks.
1. Burj Khalifa, Dubai: With 830 meters the highest skyscraper in the world. The observation deck is located at

452 meters above sea level in the 124th floor, the two floors below floor restaurant "At.Mosphere" takes to be
the world's highest dining claim for themselves.
2. Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo: 634 meters high this TV tower. Since the Berlin "Alex" effect with its 368 meter like a
pipsqueak. The "Tokyo Tower" (332 meters), also a symbol of the city there is no alternative. The Tokyo Skytree
was open in 2012, its observation deck is located on 450 meters above sea level.
3. Mecca Royal Clock Tower, Mecca: The 601 meter-high Royal Mecca Clock Tower with its golden crescent on the top
part of a high-rise ensemble in the Saudi Arabian pilgrimage Mecca. The Spire is - 558 meters high - the walk-
viewing platform.
4. Canton Tower, Guangzhou: two offset ellipses make the 600-meter high TV tower Canton Tower for architectural
attraction of the southern Chinese city. The highest of several observation decks located at 459 meters, the lowest
at 32 meters above sea level.
5. CN Tower, Toronto: The Canadian National Tower (553 meters) is one of the national symbols of Canada.
If you're lucky and good visibility, recognizes the "Skypod" at 447 meters above sea level the spray of Niagara Falls
. An observation deck is 342 meters high under.
6. Willis Tower, Chicago: As a "Sears Tower" he became famous, since 2009 it bears the name of a London insurer.
The visitors is the name indifferent. Enjoy the 412 meter high Skydeck on a clear day views of the four US states
of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
7. Taipei 101, Taipei: marriage was the Burj Khalifa, the building in the capital of Taiwan had until 2007 with
508 meters the highest in the world. However, the visitor platform is only open during the 91st floor when weather
permits.
8. Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai "Bottle Opener" - Bottle Opener - this building is popularly known for
his twisted form. In 100th floor is located on 474 meters the highest of three viewing platforms.
9. International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong: The view of the China-colony of 387 meters above sea level is from
the observation deck "SKY100" in the 100th floor sensational. No less spectacular watch visitors on the top floors
of the tower block, where there is the highest hotel in the world.
10. Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai: The observation deck "Space Cabin" of Shangahi landmark with its three pop balls
 located at 342 meters above sea level. A perfect event location offers the second platform to around 260 meters.

Hippe and historic district tour through Buenos Aires

Who tells of Buenos Aires, can hardly speak of "the city" as with any metropolis. Each district has its milieu and
its own charm. The result is the large overall composition of the Argentine capital. A tour of the most exciting
neighborhoods.

The alternative: San Telmo is part of the original core of the metropolis. The houses are old, some of them
expire or are occupied. Strolling through the streets, you will encounter trendy cafés, where students and
artists gonna wind. Sunday nights heard the yard of an abandoned house at the Church of San Pedro Gonzalez Telmo
all the folklore: On the Peña is so passionately danced to live music Chacarera that stirs up dust.
There are empanadas and Choripan, grilled sausage in bread.
The contrast: In Puerto Madero worlds collide. Glittering skyscrapers rise behind grasses of a nature reserve.
The high-rise buildings belong to the formerly neglected, today modernized harbor area. Approaching the Delta,
one stands in the middle of the nature reserve La Reserva Ecológica. Here whir through the swampy foothills of
the Río de la Plata dragonflies, even when heat joggers turn their rounds. There are nature amidst the metropolis!
The Hippe: Even the "New York Times" called Palermo already hip - at least one of its four parts:
life in Palermo Soho, work and sell the creators - the area in the district extends between the streets Santa Fe,
Coronel Diaz, Cordoba and Juan B. Justo. In Palermo we meet: a morning coffee, a mate between a beer in the evening
and to celebrate all night. The latter is best in Palermo Hollywood.
The Past: In the old port district of La Boca was once the Tango. From him here business is done:
Before the restaurants dancing couples, accordion player waiting for a tip. When moving away from the tourist hubs,
one experiences the district, as he really is: alive - but you can see him in his poverty. Children kick on the road,
 their big idols play next door at the Stadium of probably the most popular clubs in the country, Boca Juniors.
 The Elegant: Who verschlägt to Recoleta, who has money - or he works here. Although it is one of the business
district of the city, there are worthwhile excursion points: The El Cemetery Recoleta invites you to stroll devout -
 besides monumental grave figures can also the final resting place of Evita Perón are visited. Not to be missed are
the stately mansions from the 19th century, the sporadically between the modern buildings are shown in
the Avenida Alvear.