G Adventures Archives – Page 4 of 7

A Tandem Bungy Jump on Valentine’s Day [VIDEO]

by Daniel Noll

Tandem Bungy Jump on Valentine's Day – Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown

I am starting to wonder about you guys. every time you celebrate your ‘love' (V-day, anniversary) you jump off something very high. Please explain.

— A good friend responds to our Valentine’s Day bungy jump, capturing a little problem we seem to have.

So there we were in New Zealand, Valentine’s Day approaching. We find ourselves in Queenstown, the so-called adventure capital of the world where just about any adrenaline-pumping, blood-draining exercise can be found. So we think: What sort of shared experience, that we haven’t done before, can we do together to celebrate Valentine's Day?

Pursue the Precious: A Maori Blessing

by Daniel Noll

Sometimes in life, we find ourselves fortunate enough to be surrounded by so much beauty that we can feel a bit like we are drowning. In these moments, we need a dose of wisdom, an aid in context that allows us to grasp it all at once, to properly honor it, to put it into perspective.

Next Up: New Zealand, When I Close My Eyes

by Audrey Scott

This is a story about faraway places and our relationship to the somewheres we dream of visiting. It's also about the fact that we fly to New Zealand next Monday.

Some places on our planet seem to lend themselves to the imagination, that is to the image of the mind, to putting eyes closed and attempting to place yourself somewhere you’ve never been. Think about it: there are endless beautiful places on Earth that evince all manner of beauty, but among them, there are a few special places whose reputation so precedes them.

One of those places: New Zealand.

Japanese Food: From Tempura to Takoyaki

by Daniel Noll

Japanese food, where the dining experience is not only about the actual food consumed, but also the presentation, the design, the sheer beauty of what you're eating. From the traditional to the modern, from the quick to the drawn-out, and from the haute to the street — with a few unusual (and necessary) ideas for limited budgets to help your yen go a bit further — this is our take on Japanese food.

Japan’s Mount Fuji: Following the Path of Pilgrims

by Audrey Scott

This is a story about how sometimes it’s a good thing to take the long way, to miss the bus, and to find the shrine.

Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Where Sushi Gets its Start

by Daniel Noll

A visit to Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market is a rite of passage for sushi enthusiasts. For those of us who bow at the altar of raw fish, it's truly a must-see.

After you've visited Tsukiji, you may never look at that piece of tako (octopus) or toro (tuna) in quite the same way ever again. Outside of the seas themselves, it doesn't get any fresher than this.

Fushimi Inari Shrine and the Vermillion Gates — Kyoto, Japan

by Daniel Noll

Walk through the tunnel of ten thousand vermillion torii (gates) snaking their way up the mountain at Fushimi Inari Shrine outside of Kyoto and you’ll soon realize that no two are exactly the same. Look one way and you’ll see bare, unadorned orange posts. Turn the other and you’ll see the names of all the businesses or individuals who donated each gate as a sign of gratitude for their prosperity. Among the thankful, a range — from men of small business to giants of Japanese industry hailing from companies like Hitachi or Panasonic.

No business is too big to be thankful to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, sake and prosperity.

Japan Travel First Impressions: From Remote Control Toilets to Konbinis

by Daniel Noll

Travelers and tourists are often taught to look to historical sites for cultural insight, but Japan evinces plenty of culture in the seemingly everyday. It’s clear that the country has a long and deep history — complex, with nooks and crannies, cultural twists and turns, and sweeping evolutions.

However, while I’m tempted to share my first impressions of Japan’s Buddhist and Shinto shrines, I’ll instead first share fifteen impressions of the cultural bits in the current, the white spaces of travel.

Daisho-in Buddhist Temple on Miyajima Island, Japan

by Audrey Scott

Heniyokutu Cave at Daisho-in Buddhist Temple - Miyajima, Japan.

When you enter Heniyokutu Cave at Daisho-in Buddhist temple, pause for a moment. As your eyes adjust to the darkness, details begin to appear — prayer offerings and written wishes tied to the base of Buddhist statues, Japanese characters tracing the bottom of the lights, faint smiles on many of the icons. In the dim light, there’s a feeling of peacefulness amidst it all.

Take a look at the fisheye photo below to see for yourself.

Traveling to Iran as Americans: All You Need to Know

by Audrey Scott

Traveling to Iran as an American citizen may sound complicated and dangerous. It’s not. We’re here to dispel the myths and answer the questions piling up in our inbox about visas, safety, and other concerns based on our visit to Iran.

Our aim in the following Q&A is to answer actual reader queries and to help demystify the process of traveling to Iran, especially for Americans.