Aogashima Volcano/Island - Japan

From place to place, exploring this beautiful Earth. That is what we are doing in this blog. Now, I have got the opportunity to share one of my favorites: Located in Japan, The Aogashima Volcano/Island.

You may have heard of Hachijojima Island, but most of you (also most of Japanese even) have never heard of Aogashima Island near the island. The island is located 358 km away to the south from Tokyo city center. It is still under the Tokyo city government administration but, with it’s around 160 villagers, is the smallest village in Japan.

The island is one of the mysterious islands with beautiful nature. It is a volcanic island 3.5 km in length with a width of 2.5 km, formed by the remains of several calderas.

Since the population in this island is so small there is one post office and one primary/Jr high school.

With only 160 people living, there is only one postal address to this island and the post worker delivers based on "name" of individual. With some people have the same family names...tough job for her/him.

Now let’s say that you want to visit the Island, how would you get there? There is no direct transport from the main island of Japan to Aogashima. You need to go to Hachijojima (which is 70km away from Aogashima) first and then take a helicopter or ship.

Once you arrive to Aogashima, You will be stunned with its beauty. Beauty that enlightens and represents our mother nature, and our beautiful home.

 

Aconcagua - Mendoza - Argentina

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Western hemisphere, located in western Argentina, near the Chile border. There are about 3,500 climbers trying the summit each year (info from 2002). The "Normal Route" is non-technical - a walk-up, following the Northwest Ridge. It is the altitude that poses the most problem. That and the sense that this is an easy climb. Every year people die because they underestimate the task at hand. Respect this mountain and you will fare better. You should not attempt to go climb alone, you should always have someone watching you. Much of the hiking is on scree. On the Normal and Polish Traverse routes there are no permanent snow fields, but crampons and ice axe may still be required in some sections. If you are fortunate the final 1,000 feet is covered with ice and snow. You can then crampon up this much more easily than when it is loose scree after a dry winter.

An issue if you go through customs at Santiago airport. There is a good chance that you will have all meat and dairy products from your expedition food confiscated upon entering Chile. Stay in transit and take a short (45 min) flight on Lan Chile or Aerolineas Argentinas to Mendoza, Argentina.

Personally, Aconcagua is shockingly amazing and colossal. Having in mind that I have been to the mountain itself, adds tons of attachment for me to this piece of nature's art.

If you ever go to Argentina, or Chile, I'd strongly recommend to go to Mendoza not only to see the Cordillera de Los Andes, but to also drink some of the finest wine in the world.

Uluwatu, Bali

Let's change the setting a little bit for now.

Let's not only change the climate and the people that live there, but the continent. Let’s take our time to learn a little bit more about our earth, and what it has to offer.

Now, we are going to talk about the amazing country of Indonesia, specifically a city called Uluwatu, which is on the south-western tip of the beautiful peninsula of Bukit-which is a smaller peninsula within a bigger one(Bali). Uluwatu is home to the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple and is the number four surf destination in the world for surfers of all abilities.

There a plenty of interesting and fun things to do in this beautiful peninsula. Exploring the Bukit peninsula lends itself very well to a rent motorbike. A number of the nicer beaches are reached via small roads or dirt tracks and a motorbike is the best method. Motorbike or scooter give you solution for jammed traffic.

Uluwatu Temple is one of Bali's nine key directional temples. Though a small temple was claimed to have existed before, the structure was significantly expanded by a Javanese sage, Empu Kuturan in the 11th Century. Even more remarkable than the temple itself is its location, perched on a steep cliff 70 meters above the roaring Indian ocean waves. There are more steep headlands on either side and sunsets over Uluwatu are a sight to be seen.

Uluwatu is a very well-known destination among surfing enthusiasts. Most of the surf spots are only suitable for advanced or expert surfers though - the waves are big here. The main surfing spots are Dreamland, Padang-Padang, Bingin/Impossibles and Suluban.

The Matterhorn in Zermatt – Switzerland/Italy

The most famous peak in the Alps, the Matterhorn in Zermatt, stands 4,478 meters high. Mountaineers flock to this town to conquer this technically difficult peak, and Zermatt also offers skiing and beautiful views. There are also non-skiing activities, good restaurants and lots of energetic nightlife for visitors to enjoy.

The Matterhorn peak is in between Switzerland and Italy. One of its sides faces Switzerland and the other faces Italy, and the name is derived from the three common languages. The German name Matterhorn derives from the words for "meadow" and "peak." The Italian name (Cervino) and French (Cervin) likely originated with the Latin word for forest, silva, though some believe it comes from the Italian and French words for “deer.

If you like sightseeing, exploring, or even climbing in a professional matter, The Matterhorn is an awesome option for such activities, however do it with extremely caution since more than 500 people have died while climbing or descending the Matterhorn—an average of three to four per year.

And for those who love chocolate here is an awesome fact about The Matterhorn: The logo of the famous chocolate Toblerone is actually The Matterhorn peak, which symbolizes power and the incredible places Switzerland contain.