What happens when you come across someone named Sergey in Far East Russia who is one part artist and one part sailor?
You end up having an encounter that is a little bit odd and a lot interesting.
Wall Art at Sergey’s House on Bering Island
Sergey’s House isn’t exactly an easy place to get to.
He lives on Bering Island, which is part of the Commander Islands off the coast of eastern Russia. Now, even if you do find yourself wandering around this remote Russian island, you’re not guaranteed that Sergey will be home, and if he isn’t home – you don’t visit his house.
The somewhat ominous doorway and entrance to Sergey’s House
So who is this Sergey and why is he so oddly interesting?
The oddity simply comes from the environment. Sergey lives in the only settlement of these islands. He’s had to adapt to the environment as he has grown older. Somewhat charismatic – if you understand Russian – his unique character comes out in his artwork which is scattered all throughout his home, which is also his workshop. Paintings are his main passion, yet sculptures from the spoils of the land are dotted throughout his cabin of a home as well. What he takes pleasure in, and has a passion for, may come across as different – but somehow he found a way to have a vibrant life in a very inhospitable landscape.
He has a catty confidence, that keeps you on your toes, whether he’s showing you a piece of artwork he is painting or sitting beside his wood burning stove, enjoying a bit of drink and fish. After spending a bit of time in his home and learning a bit about him, I decided he had a kind of Keyser Söze legend to him, which is why you won’t find any photos of him here.
Art and History Exposition, Bering Island, Russia
Outside his home, the cold near-Arctic waters of eastern Russia are only a short walk away. There was a time, when he was younger, that Sergey sailed his own boat across the Commander Islands and Aleutian Islands over to Alaska. He did this trip solo, more than once. This element of adventure is still apparent in his paintings and workshop, even though his adventuring days are over.
Sergey’s House, like the entire Bering Island, feels like a living museum. It’s a welcoming, yet harsh place. Dreary landscapes dotted with specks of vibrant colours. Remote Russia at it’s greatest, a place that seems stuck in time, yet somehow carries on.
Some of Sergey’s artwork and collection of historic documents
Dating back to 2010, countries and world destinations have been battling it out on Twitter and January 31, 2013 will be the day that the final #TravelMatch vote is cast.
If you haven’t cast your vote yet, simply head over to Twitter and follow the #TravelMatch hashtag. Send a tweet to @redhunttravel voting for either the Faroe Islands or Bhutan to win! Votes must be received before February 1, 2013.
Not sure who to vote for? Here is a little recap of information from these two finalists who each won more matches than 240 other countries and destinations that participated in Travel Match.
Monks are a common sight in Bhutan…I haven’t been so these monks are from Sri Lanka!
About Bhutan and the Faroe Islands
Two very different countries have found themselves victors of four past matches to make it here. One country is landlocked, the other is surrounded by sea. One has a strong Buddhist culture, one is rooted in Nordic culture. Bhutan is in the heart of Asia, the Faroes are in the remote North Atlantic Ocean. Together, these two countries have a population of fewer than 800,000 people.
They’re both relatively off-the-beaten path as you might say. It wasn’t until 1992 that alcohol was legal in the Faroes, and even now anything stronger than 2.8% alcohol has controlled distribution. Hard liquor isn’t allowed to be produced in the country either. On the other hand, consumption of strong alcohol is common in Bhutan, and much cheaper too! On the fast-food front they’re both holdouts, with the Faroes only recently having a Burger King arrive, while Bhutan hasn’t caved to international fast food chains yet.
If you like nature and wildlife, they both have a lot to offer, with sea birds and sheep dominating the Faroes and more diverse, albeit elusive wildlife in Bhutan. They’re both countries that remain unique in the world, with their own set of traditions and cultural heritage.
Atlantic Puffins are commonly seen in the Faroe Islands…although this is a Tufted Puffin from Russia as I haven’t been to the Faroes.
Yet, both countries aren’t without their fair share of controversy either. Bhutan kicked out roughly 20% of their population – 100,000 people – in the 1990s, purely to preserve their cultural heritage. Their current conservation efforts are often questioned as they pit cultural conservation against natural conservation, resulting in frequent conflicts between wildlife and farmers.
Over in the Faroes, a tradition of hunting whales for their meat has been met with increasing scrutiny in recent years by people who claim it is neither necessary nor humane. Yet, the culture of the Faroe Islands is dependent on fishing and the sea. Their hunts are only done for personal consumption without any commercial involvement, making the annual whale hunt a key part of their food supply.
On the brighter side, the Faroes are frequently said to be among the most beautiful islands on earth, with their soaring sea cliffs and lush green hills. Hiking and outdoor adventures are plentiful in the Faroes. Bhutan may have kicked out a lot of people, but they are now bringing in a lot of tourists by claiming to be the Happiest Nation on Earth – well at least the only one that officially measures Gross National Happiness!
It’s an interesting battle to finish the Travel Match series. One thing that became evident over the course of the 111 matches was that few ‘popular’ destinations lasted long into the series. The travel voters on Twitter have had a soft spot for more obscure, remote and less-visited destinations.
We shall wait to find out later this week who will be crowned the Travel Match champions. Bhutan or the Faroe Islands?
Abandoned since 1923, the ghost town of Kayakoy is an interesting place to visit, not far from the touristy hub of Fethiye.
The attraction at Kayakoy is being able to walk amongst the crumbling buildings that once housed around 2,000 Greeks, before they were forced to leave after the Greco-Turkish War. Among the buildings that are most impressive are the old churches, which are in better condition than many of the other structures.
Kayakoy – A Ghost Village in Turkey
Officially nobody really lives here now, but a number of buildings are actually being used. Don’t be surprised if you come across the odd chicken, camel, squirrel, goat, or person wandering through the streets of the abandoned village.
The hillside setting of the village is great and you can imagine it once being a very nice place to live. Most people visit the village now via various hiking trails that connect to the coast and the Lycian Way trail route.
Abandoned Greek Orthodox Church at Kayakoy
It’s an interesting place to explore for a few hours, especially if you’re into the history of the region. With hundreds of buildings dotting the hillsides, it can be rough trekking to some of them, but photography opportunities can also be rewarding by wandering around buildings that date back to the 18th century.
An Old Building at Kayakoy
Horses and animals are commonly seen around Kayakoy
We live in a connected world where every type of travel experience seems to be available with a click of the mouse. We can watch live footage of erupting volcanoes, immediately learn about the discovery of new species and be inundated with photos on Facebook, Instagram and all sorts of other social media platforms.
So, why do we want to travel even more when we can so easily experience things from the comforts of our own homes? Why is it that the more places we visit, the longer our travel list grows?
For some there is the sense of escapism, or the need to re-charge. Perhaps we’re just being selfish by indulging our personal desires. Everyone has their own reasons, but I think ultimately it comes down to knowing that the world won’t always stay the way it is today.
Lonesome George was the last of his species.
As hard as we try to preserve and sustain our cultures and wildlife around the world, it simply isn’t possible to hang on to everything. Progress creates an equal amount of new opportunities. We may not be able to fly on the Concorde any more, but double beds and spas are now possible in flight.
For better, or worse, here are some recently extinct travel experiences that were possible as recently as last year, but sadly are no longer.
Seeing Lonesome George in the Galapagos Islands
June 24th, 2012 was the date that Lonesome George passed away. While there are many other giant tortoises in the Galapagos, George was the last of his kind. Years of research and even rewards to find a way to save his species couldn’t help. A sad reminder that the actions of our past still impact us today when it comes to wildlife conservation.
Filling up your Passport going through Europe
A couple of decades ago you’d have a healthily stamped passport while travelling across most parts of Europe. Nearly every border would require you to hand it over. Then the Schengen Agreement – promoting borderless travel – came in to place and has grown from a handful of countries to more than two dozen countries. Sure, you can still collect a few passport stamps, but they’ll more likely be optional, fun tourist stamps in places like Luxembourg and Liechtenstein instead of required stamps from border control guards. Not as exciting as it used to be – but much easier and faster for Europeans and tourists to get around!
Zebras were once on the menu in Kenya, but game meat is illegal now
Eating Zebra and other Wild Game at Carnivore Restaurant
Once reaching legendary status, the Carnivore restaurant in Kenya is now a much tamer BBQ experience. Wild game is illegal in Kenya now, meaning the most exotic things on the menu are ostrich, crocodile and ox balls. Not so exciting when I can get all of those here at home in Toronto. Still, any place with unlimited portions of these meats plus beef, chicken, pork and lamb is worth a visit to me.
Supersonic flights on the Concorde
As mentioned earlier, the way we travel in the air has changed. For the most part, we’re packed in like sardines, as air travel has become so commonplace. We expect to be able to hop over to a nearby country for a couple of hundred dollars whenever we want. If we crave luxury though, we can have double beds, spas and more on the new generation of airplanes. Ahh, but even the fancy new Boeing and Airbus planes don’t have the same allure as the supersonic, sleek Concordes which were officially retired in 2003.
Seeing the Great and Minor Buddha Statues of Bamiyan
Somewhat erroneously heralded as the largest Buddha statues in the world, they were destroyed in 2001. Their destruction was at the hands of the Taliban who destroyed as many idols as they could across Afghanistan. There are many larger Buddha statues in the world today, but most of them are made of bronze or are seated Buddhas. The real claim to fame for the Great Buddha at Bamiyan was that it was the largest carved, standing Buddha when it was destroyed.
You can still climb Temple IV and V at Tikal, unlike the tall pyramids of Giza or at Chichen Itza.
Climbing to the Top of Egyptian and Mayan Pyramids
At Chichen Itza, the impressive El Castillo can no longer be climbed and authorities continue to place more areas off-limits to the public. At the same time, over in Egypt it is illegal to climb the great Pyramids. Why? Partially because climbing such pyramids is dangerous and partly because it can be damaging to the structures. With that said, disrespecting travellers spend outrageous amounts of money to bribe guards in Egypt for midnight climbs. My thought on that? If you do it, I hope you get caught. If you must climb some ancient ruins, the Mayan temples of Tikal offer up Temple IV (tallest) and Temple V (harder climb) for nice views of the jungle.
Being Disconnected
Is there anywhere left on earth where you are truly disconnected? People can send tweets from Antarctica, file reports from the Amazon or talk on cell phones in the middle of the Serengeti. Now, it’s been this way for a long time and we don’t all travel with satellite phones and fancy gear – but when was the last time you went somewhere and told people they would not be able to get in touch with you?
Cycling the World’s Most Dangerous Road in Bolivia
Known as ‘The Death Road’, and officially as North Yungas Road, this was once a journey reserved for only the craziest, death-wish travellers and backpackers. It is 60+ km of downhill excitement from the highlands near La Paz to the lush tropical-like setting of Coroico. The narrow, unpaved road and sheer cliffs have sent many buses, vehicles and cyclists falling to their death over the years. In 2006 things changed as a much safer bypass was finished, with railings, bridges and paved surfaces. Nearly all vehicles now use that bypass, instead of the world’s most dangerous road. Today, with very little traffic sharing the road with you, you can still definitely cycle down the perilous North Yungas Road, it just isn’t the same experience it was when it received the title of ‘World’s Most Dangerous Road’. But don’t worry, people do still occasional ride their bikes over the edge and die.
…and so much more
That is just a taste of what I could think of off the top of my head. I know I’ll also never have the chance to visit Czechoslovakia either, or East Germany – although I can thankfully still visit the places where those individual countries, among others, once existed. I probably won’t ever get to travel by blimp either. But, I may just be able to travel into space one day.
In recent years I’ve been Zorbing in New Zealand and saw penguins in Antarctica. Both of which being relatively new travel experiences. So, it’s not all bad news. Yes, there are things you and I will never have the chance to see or do during our lifetimes, but there are just as many new, exciting travel opportunities that didn’t exist a few decades ago, or even a few years ago.
Sometimes it is nice to splurge isn’t it? The Maldives Islands is one place where splurging is far too easy.
Before heading off on a leisurely boat safari to experience the Local Life in the Maldives, I spent about 36 hours at one of the most accessible resorts on the islands, the Sheraton Full Moon Resort.
Boardwalk at the Sheraton Full Moon Resort in the Maldives
It’s only a 20-minute fast boat ride away from the airport island, but seems like a world away as soon as you step foot on the island. Simply luxury and sheer beauty greet you with everything being impeccably clean, bright and welcoming. The staff are attentive, the restaurants at the resort are all amazing and the beaches are perfect.
It’s not a cheap place though! Even if you’re not staying in one of the premium over-water bungalows, your rooms are huge, many coming with outdoor shower areas and views of those perfect beaches.
A perfect beach in the Maldives
I have stayed in some really nice hotels over the years and have been to resorts in the Caribbean, South Pacific and Africa. But, overall it’s this one place in the Maldives that gets my vote as the most luxurious place I’ve stayed.
I ate well, I slept well and I could have stayed much longer…if it was rich.
Night time at the Luxurious Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort
Those 36 hours at the resort cost me more than the week on the safari boat, but somehow the steak seemed juicier and beer seemed colder! It’s always a bit of a struggle when I travel to decide how to travel. I’ve found that mixing in a slice of luxury with a larger dose of adventure seems to be my favourite travel style.
An Over Water Bungalow at the Sheraton in the Maldives
