Adventure Traveler Stories

For quite awhile now, I’ve heard of a famous hostel just north of San Francisco. Various sources have written about it, one of my roommates raved about it, and the travel community at large seems to have nothing but amazing things to say about the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero off coastal Highway One. This got me to thinking… what a perfect solution to the economic downturn. Most hostels offer private rooms for half the price of a B&B and some of them (like Pigeon Point) are just as nice, if you don't mind a little sharing. A weekend getaway is a good solution to a vacation and hostels can provide a cheap alternative to hotels and B&B’s, especially along the coast.

Pigeon Point Hostel is located within the historic lighthouse keeper’s quarters, high above a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As one of the tallest lighthouses in the world, this spectacular location has a cliffside hot tub with panoramic ocean views. This is also an ideal location for visiting the nearby tide pools, beaches, and elephant seals that litter the coast in both directions, along with the redwood forests inland.

I know the hostel culture isn’t as prevalent in the US as it is elsewhere, proven by the fact that when I googled around for best hostels in the US, I yielded very few results and no Top 10 lists. Honestly, I hadn’t really considered the idea of staying in a hostel a mere hour from my current residence until I heard of Pigeon Point. Overall, I think it’s a nice escape and a unique idea – great for a little weekend away. Good hostels aren’t limited to Northern California, either. I found a few in various locations that received stellar reviews overall, such as the Hotel QT in New York City and the Hostel Seattle in Seattle, Washington. It doesn’t take much to take a hostel vacation… just a phone call.

Building 1801: The haunted army hospital in the Presidio, San Francisco.

I recently discovered that the site of the Zodiac killer’s last confirmed victim is in an area fairly close to my current residence in San Francisco. The unknown serial killer terrorized the city in the late 1960’s and claimed his last known victim on the corner of Washington and Cherry in Presidio Heights. In the spirit of Halloween (and because of my own morbid curiosity), I drove to the intersection on a foggy, moonlit night. Although nothing suspicious could be found in this sleepy area of the city, I began to research other haunted locations as autumn descended on the city. Constantly shrouded in fog and full of unique nooks and crannies, there is no greater location to spend a spooky fall night.

Although San Francisco is littered with ghostly abandoned buildings, old churches, and sprawling graveyards, there are a few notable spooky locations worth visiting (aside from Alcatraz). Along the eastern shore of the city, Point Lobos houses the remnants of the Sutro Baths, a once grand locale from the gilded era of San Francisco. Built by Adolf Sutro, a German-born engineering immigrant who became incessantly wealthy by designing a much safer way to mine for silver, the baths were popular until they burned to the ground in 1966 under suspicious circumstances. Nothing is left of this unique landmark except for a low stone wall and some twisted steel supports. In order to get the full effect of this haunted landmark, bring a candle and light it at the end of the underground tunnel ruins. The ghosts that haunt this area will throw it in the water on especially foggy evenings.

From here, head to the abandoned Army Hospital on Park Presidio. This dilapidated building, complete with boarded windows, chain link fences, and overgrown trees, has an eerie feeling as soon as you approach it. The large complex contains old medical equipment left to rust and surgical tables that still have IV tubes surrounding them. It is said that deceased soldiers haunt the halls and white orbs show up in photographs taken here. Be wary of this location, though, as police regularly patrol the area and pass out hefty fines for trespassing.

Another spooky location to visit is the Cameron House on Sacramento Street in Chinatown. This location, now converted to a church, once housed Chinese immigrants seeking refuge from prostitution. As the story goes, Lady Cameron, the owner of the house, sealed off the basement in order to conceal the women from police. Only a small entrance led to and from the basement. One fateful day, Cameron House caught fire killing everyone contained in the locked basement. It is unclear whether the fire was accidental or set by angry locals. Charms adorn the sealed doors to the basement, said to keep the spirits from escaping.

This All Hallows Eve, wander through the streets of your hometown and think about the history, the haunts and the happenings around every corner.

Recently, I was talking with a friend about his upcoming travels. Another friend chimed in upon hearing he was planning on vacationing in Prague and boldly stated, “Istanbul is the new Prague.” This got me to thinking. A new Prague? Could this delightfully historic city, full of renewed life after being oppressed for the better part of a century, be falling out of favor with backpackers?

I know as well as any traveler that destinations ebb and flow in regard to popularity. What makes a destination popular? The lack of tourists? An emerging economic crisis? The remote locale? I recently came across an article on ForbesTraveler.com titled ‘World’s Ultra Safe Destinations.’ These destinations include Singapore for its “eerily law-abiding citizenry,” Iceland for its overall low crime rate, and Bhutan, “the happiest place in Asia,” for its strong family values and Buddhist influence. I couldn’t help but think that “safe” generally resonates badly with the backpacking community. This article might as well be titled, ‘Stay in Your Comfort Zone: Travel Here!’

Perhaps Prague has reached the safe zone for being too comfortable, developed, and easy to reach. Once considered a taboo destination for its years behind the Iron Curtain, Prague no longer makes the cut for the recently redrawn backpacking trail. With Istanbul making the list, one has to consider the reasons.

I’ve heard it called “Dark Tourism” or “Grief Tourism”; both encompass the same idea. The term refers to tourists who travel to the scene of a tragedy or disaster. With the Middle East in turmoil and Istanbul having been subject to bombings over the last few years, perhaps this lack of safety has influenced the new attitude toward Istanbul. Whatever the reason for this shift, I’m sure I’ll be writing an article in a few years titled, “Sarajevo is the new Istanbul.”

It’s no secret that my goal in life is to see a ghost. This endeavor has led me to some of the creepiest locations in the world in search of the paranormal. It is for this reason that I am a champion of ghost tours and graveyards. Full of history, graveyards are one of the most honest and interesting locations a traveler can venture. I understand that some people are squeamish amongst the dead; however, there are few places that encompass such a wealth of local history. From the tattered and dilapidated headstones of the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague to the regal mausoleums of the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, each location has something to offer.

The Père Lachaise Cemetery is arguably the most famous graveyard in the world, housing such powerhouse corpses as Jim Morrison, Chopin, and Oscar Wilde. With its wide cobblestone paths and WWII monuments, there are few places in the world that compare to the peacefulness here. The Old Jewish Cemetery, in contrast, is filled with over 12,000 headstones stuck into the ground every which way in an attempt to conserve space. This jungle of stone and dirt is a unique experience for its lack of design and order.

Although the Père Lachaise provides detailed maps of the gravesites, most cemeteries do not. Therefore, another efficient way to see graveyards (and, in my opinion, much more entertaining) is to take a ghost tour of a particular place. I recently read an article in NatGeo about York, England – said to be the most haunted city the world. With the wealth of bloody history here, it’s no surprise that souls of the dead wander the streets.

During my time abroad, I’ve taken ghost tours almost everywhere I’ve traveled. This accounts to more than eight across three continents (and still no ghosts, unfortunately). The most disturbing experience, and by default the most interesting, would have to be the night tour of Port Arthur Prison in Tasmania, Australia. With a foggy and jagged coastline as the backdrop, a rich and gruesome past to recount, and nothing more than lanterns leading the way, this tour was plenty frightening without the ghosts.

Even if you aren’t jonesing for a spirit sighting, wandering around a local graveyard still tops the list as one of the best ways to learn about an area, get away from the main sights, and get some solace in otherwise crowded places.

Phrases like “the Pearl of the Adriatic” and “European Vacation” generally do not evoke thoughts of elaborate chandeliers made entirely of human bones, mummified hands, and 2,000 year old used diapers. Although my intention was to explore Eastern Europe and yes, learn about the checkered history of the region over a few months, my journey took an interesting turn. Beginning in Berlin, myself and my fellow travelers entered the newly remodeled but eerily decrepit crypt in the basement of the Berlin Cathedral. Surviving both World Wars took its toll on this baroque church, causing the remnants of the original crypt to be moved, replaced, and rearranged. While wandering among tattered coffins containing Prussian royalty from hundreds of years earlier, our own pilgrimage began and with it a new form of adventure travel was born.

The next stop on our journey took us to the Czech Republic. Aside from 80 cent beers, dominating bridges, and street vendors selling the most delicious food imaginable, this country offers a unique attraction located on the outskirts of Prague. In the small town of Sedlec, a suburb of Kutna Hora, an ossuary can be found nestled amongst the gravestones of a forgotten cemetery. Known more commonly as “The Bone Church,” this disturbing building contains multiple configurations of the human bones of over 40,000 plague victims. As the story goes, a partially blind monk began to arrange the bones, eventually creating unique, albeit macabre, works of art. The project was later finished by an artist and includes an ornate chandelier that uses every bone in the human body.

When something is called “The Chapel of the Holy Right Hand,” it warrants a visit. This religious sanctuary is located on the left side of the Basilica of St. Stephen in Budapest and contains the right hand of the aforementioned saint. On a velvet pillow in a heavily decorated jewelry box sits the mummified hand of this 11th century saint, canonized in 1083. After a long journey around various parts of Europe, the hand came to rest here in Budapest and is said to contain healing powers. For a mere 400 forint (the equivalent of about $2), the jewelry box will light up, illuminating the hand in a blaze of holy glory.

From here, sanctimonious intrigue took our expedition to the “Pearl of the Adriatic” – the coastal city of Dubrovnik, Croatia. This less traveled destination has a plethora of religious artifacts, most of which can be classified as downright creepy. Perhaps my favorite destination on this crusade, Dubrovnik offers a host of artifacts within the walls of the Old City, many of which can be found in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The reliquary contains the skeletal remains of St. Blaise, including his skull and leg encased in gold and jewels. While admiring this artifact, two British men behind us were looking at the large gold box with some lump of unidentifiable material inside with excitement. Upon inquiry, we found that this decorative container had “Jesus’ nappies” in it. That’s right; we had inadvertently stumbled upon the diapers of the Son of Man. With idealistic and enchanting monikers forever ruined in our minds, we departed for our next destination.

A chandelier made from every bone in the human body in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic.
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The word “tourist” evokes a certain amount of disdain from most people nowadays, although I suspect this wasn’t always the case. Although tourism still continues to convey a certain vision of ants marching along worn paths, carefully avoiding cliffs and rarely straying from the farm, the face of travel is slowly changing as travelers steer away from the status quo. In fact, travelers are starting to actively seek out destinations known for their lack of industrialization, political upheaval, and poverty.

The true meaning of “adventure travel” is a mix of activity and rich cultural experience, often coupled with a lack of familiarity. Although traveling for pleasure has always and will always cause some level of discomfort due to unforeseen circumstances, it is in this newfound ripping of the soul to accommodate another niche of humanity that often brings people together. For some people, this experience comes as naturally as breathing; for others, this experience can be as painful as heartbreak. This is why friendships are formed and destroyed by the same merciless experience. I believe Mark Twain said it best, “I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them."

As more of the world becomes exposed and assimilated into the status quo, there is a quintessential race ensuing to discover that last “unknown” frontier. The adventures become more extreme; the destinations more remote. The irony of the situation is that destinations ebb and flow in their popularity, being recycled as the new “hot spot.” Destinations fade from the public eye, only to resurface years later with new, intriguing stories and cultural rarities. Although this cyclical reappearance is fickle at best, it will ensure a never ending supply of trendy travel destinations.

Although many factors have been cited as to why the travel industry is changing, I think the primary reason is our need to experience a sea change; that soul-altering experience that can only be gained through discovering the unknown – the core value of travel.

Heroes Square in Budapest, Hungary- a nation oppressed for the better part of this century

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