An Undecided Traveler — Put a Pin in It
“The power of imagination makes us infinite”
John Muir
Our little blue planet is a place of diversity and wonder. There are so many places to visit, it can be difficult to decide where to go. Avid and novice travelers alike wear the destinations or stamps in their passports as badges of achievement.
There are many methods to choose a destination. Some ask friends and family, some have the flexibility and bravery to buy a ticket short notice and jet away into the wild blue yonder. An idea I heard from a couple friends who admittedly haven’t tried this approach, closing your eyes and sticking a pin in a map, let fate decide where the next adventure takes you.
A wild idea, if you are the adventurous kind, go to the UNESCO world heritage site’s interactive map (http://whc.unesco.org/en/interactive-map/) to use as your dart board. UNESCO is an international organization documenting and preserving important historic monuments and places. The list of locations covers the planet, north to south, east to west. If you like the idea visiting a cultural place of significance yet aren’t keen on traveling to Zanzibar (yes, it’s a real place, on the east coast of Africa) there are several UNESCO sites domestically, the Statue of Liberty or Independence Hall on the eastern seaboard. On the west coast, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon make the list. Maybe you visited these sites and still want something new and interesting to see, most regions of the country include a wealth of equally interesting cultural or historic points of interest. An example, if you don’t want to go to the Grand Canyon for the 15th time, there are a multitude of amazing sites within a few hours drive, the Painted Desert, Zion Park for example.
If your travel interests don’t include national parks or you aren’t the outdoorsy type, there are a number of UNESCO sites in urban areas, the aforementioned sites in New York City and Philadelphia. If international is your speed, historic Cairo or red square in Moscow both make the list. Another idea, if city life is your travel preference, make a list of 10 cities on slips of paper and draw out of a hat. It is still spontaneous and satisfies the desire to visit a metropolitan destination.
What cities would you choose to pull from a hat?
