I’ve always believed Iceland has one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, but once I saw Klara Harden's “Made in Iceland” film, I knew exactly how I wanted to see it. In her film, she expresses how wonderful, as well as how tough the experience of hiking across the island truly is. Deep within me, I was hooked after sharing in her experience through her film. I feel as though I must prove to my self that I can survive hiking and camping across the entire country. I wish to take this adventure and move slowly through the land, enjoying, experiencing, growing and living through the unique landscape that is only of Iceland.

     The idea of an African safari is nothing new, it’s been the jewel of the explorer’s eye for more than two centuries. Much like two hundred years ago, when William Cornwallis Harris led the first ‘safari’ expedition purely to observe the wildlife and landscape, Africa is still wild, beautiful and partially an undiscovered destination. Africa is home to over 1100 interesting and unique species of mammals, ranging from zebras, hyenas, gazelles and lions, to crocodiles, hogs and hippos, as well as gorillas, giraffes and wildebeests.
     Before I kick the bucket, I wish to spend years exploring all that Africa has to offer. If I had my choice, I would live on the land with the indigenous tribes, learning and experiencing their style of life. I would not accompany any tours or professional safaris, I’d rather experience the real Africa, by getting lost in the wilderness. I believe that living among the animals and the people is the only way to get a true feel for the unique world, that of the continent of Africa.
(Photo by Adam Jones)

     The Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia is known for its astounding and other-worldly atmospheric aesthetics. This is due to the photogenic ambient nature of trees growing out of the ruins combined with the surrounding jungle scenery. Two of the most distinctive features of the temple are the endless roots and trees intertwining within the stone, and the preserved carvings of people and animals within the stone walls. It was built around 1186 in the late 12th to early 13th century Bayon style architecture, as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university.

     The Danakil Depression (also known as the Afar Triangle) is a desert basin in Ethiopia, known for its vibrant colored landscape. The bright colors of green, yellow and red are composed of basalt rock, gas and lava from the underlying volcanic activity. This is happening because the mantle is forcing the Earth’s crust to slowly rift apart (at a rate of 1 to 2 cm or 0.4 to 0.8 in per year). The immediate cause is the continuous earthquakes and fissures appearing in the ground, allowing the valley floor to sink.

     The world’s largest salt flat, the Salar de Uyuni is located in the south western corner of Bolivia in South America. The flats sit near the crest of the Andes mountains at 3,656 meters (11,995 ft) above sea level, at the size of 10,582 square kilometers (4,086 sq mi) which is nearly equivalent of the state of Connecticut. The Salar was formed from prehistoric lakes which transformed over time to leave its exceptionally flat surface that it has today.

     The Quetico Provincial Park is a large wilderness preserve that borders Ontario, Canada and Minnesota, USA. Quetico is known for having some of the best canoeing and fishing in all of North America. With little to no roads throughout most of the park, the public is only allowed to enter by permit through one of the six ranger stations that serve 21 specific entry points. It’s only possible to drive to three of the stations, as the other three require a tow or portage and paddle.
     If you’re in search of the perfect secluded wilderness area, with the finest hiking, camping, fishing and canoeing in North America, Quetico is your ideal spot. The park is gorgeous and mostly untouched at about 1,180,000 acres and featuring over 2,000 unofficial-makeshift campsites dotted throughout with more than 600 lakes.
(Photo from quietjourney.com)