Tag: Escapism

Mystical rays of autumn sunlight filtering through the trees of a misty forest.

Magical Moments in Time

February 28, 2022

As a writer based in Tokyo, the world’s most populous urban conurbation, I sometimes find my clarity of thought overwhelmed by a variety of superfluous sensory stimuli that pollute both the environment and my mind. Fortunately, on my figurative doorstep I have access to some fantastic national parks and natural habitats that serve as refuges from—and antidotes to—the chaotic miasma of commercial and industrial nonsense that many big cities spew forth. It is to these wonderful places that I invariably escape, not only for a quick fix of adventure, but also to refocus myself and seek out moments of balance, comprehension, and insight. Whether extroverted or introverted, occasionally searching for solitude and creating stillness in our always on-call modern world helps us cast aside things that hold us back from developing to our full potential. … More Magical Moments in Time

The fingers of a woman opening an old book as the sun shines on its pages.

Ripping Yarns

January 28, 2022

Some readers might be familiar with the term that heads this post but for those who aren’t, a ripping yarn is a colloquial way of referring to an exciting story or thrilling tale. It is seldom heard these days in conversation and is almost never used to describe works of nonfiction. It comes with a certain nuance of unbelievability, and indeed many of the stories to which it can be correctly applied contain elements of the fantastical. Usually filled with danger and set in either real or imagined exotic locales, these stories often involve investigating mysteries or embarking upon a quest of some sort. Although some modern novels can certainly be placed under the shade of the term’s lexical umbrella, it is more commonly bestowed upon older examples of escapist adventure writing, including those that belong to the lost world literary genre. Below we take a brief look at two lesser-known ripping yarns involving lost cities or hidden worlds. … More Ripping Yarns

The ocean, an iceberg, rocky headland, and a snow-covered mountain.

Frozen Realms

December 27, 2021

Fierce winds, extreme cold, and terrain with uncompromising hostility are a few of the characteristics of Earth’s frozen realms. Whether at sea level among the icebergs of the world’s emptiest continent or thousands of metres up the sky-scraping peaks of our planet’s highest mountain range, the bitterness of conditions that can be found in lands of snow and ice are unrivalled. Despite this there are still some brave souls who are prepared to venture forward in pursuit of something special, be it a personal goal, a scientific objective, or a divine destiny. This article considers two superb books about two uncommon men who engaged in feats of such immense challenge it beggars belief. Although the stories took place several decades apart and under very different circumstances, once known neither is easily forgotten. The men featured in them were not only inspiring leaders of others but also complete masters of themselves. … More Frozen Realms

A single tree on the African plains in front of a dramatic orange sunset.

African Adventures

November 30, 2021

Africa is the second biggest continent on the planet and home to an almost incomprehensible number of wonders. It has played host to some of the most time-honoured civilizations in history and is reputed to have been the birthplace of modern humans. However, until a relatively short time ago it was often thought of as a mysterious and largely unknown part of the world. Foreign explorers and geographers argued with each other about what may lie at its heart and a multitude of expeditions were launched to uncover whatever secrets their leaders imagined existed. Sadly, Africa has also been victim to some of the most heinous crimes and human rights abuses that we have ever inflicted on each other. Colonialism, genocide, and slavery have wreaked havoc on the continent over the centuries. Without any doubt, it is the people of Africa that have always had the worst of it, but others have suffered too. … More African Adventures

A male explorer with a backpack heading into the deep jungle.

The Call of the Jungle

October 31, 2021

Jungles are some of the wildest and most remote places on the planet. Dense and often impenetrable, they are perfect hiding places. They have lured many an explorer or adventurer into their lethal green embrace, whether it be the with the possibility of discovering new species or the promise of finding abandoned ruins. The lucky ones make it out alive but others are never seen or heard from again. The big green hell contains a mind-boggling number of challenges and hazards. The terrain can be so difficult to traverse that progress is agonizingly slow and tropical downpours can completely alter the landscape, making navigation even tougher. Then there is the wildlife; big cats stalk their prey through the undergrowth while insects infect their victims with bacteria and disease. To be prepared to take on all that one has to be incredibly brave or somewhat stupid. Either way, there are many who have. … More The Call of the Jungle

A man carrying a bag of limes over his shoulder while walking past a red, white, and blue building in Colombia.

Local Life

August 13, 2021

Along the path of adventure we are led away from what we have always regarded as normal. Seeing and experiencing something different can result in both positive and negative reactions but regardless of this, new encounters help us to develop and grow. One thing that makes any journey interesting is observing how the communities we come across live. Learning about local culture through traditions, customs, dress, food, drink, and typical lifestyle practices leads to more empathy, knowledge, and broader cultural horizons. As we move among the varied peoples of this planet, the richness in diversity of our species is presented in full colour and we become more aware of our interdependence and the need for tolerance and cooperation. We may even discover that the doors we open to these other worlds allow us access to ways of living that we actually prefer, and in time we might choose them for ourselves. … More Local Life

A deserted tree-lined dirt path leading deeper into a mysterious forest.

Pathways

July 27, 2021

Every journey and every adventure begins with a single step along some kind of path. We may not know where they will take us or what trials and rewards they will present us with, but we can be certain that starting out along one of them will open up a myriad of possibilities. Some of them are solitary and straight, heading off into the distance on their determined lonely course. Some are winding and carry the traveller around corners to hidden things, while others lead to unexpected destinations via serendipitous intersections. There are pathways that take us back in time through ancient ruins or forests, and ones that transport us into the future towards unknown horizons. In life we occasionally find ourselves traversing one without knowing how we got there, but at other times we need to actively seek them out to grow. They are the arteries of existence that allow us to transform inertia into activity. … More Pathways

A climber gazing out over a collection of peaks from a rocky mountain summit.

The Japan Alps

June 26, 2021

In a few weeks athletes from all over the world will compete across more than thirty events at the Tokyo Olympics. Recently we have taken it upon ourselves to introduce readers to some little-known adventures that can be found outside of Japan’s capital, and in the final article of this series we head to the majestic mountains of the Japan Alps. When one thinks of Japanese mountains, only one image is likely to come to mind—that of Mount Fuji, which is the country’s tallest and most famous. It dominates the surrounding landscape and when seen from afar, it is easy to understand how it has gained its iconic status. However, some people who have scaled its slopes will tell you that it isn’t a very pretty mountain up close, nor is it a particularly enjoyable hike. The truth is that Japan’s most beautiful, dramatic, and rewarding mountain adventures are waiting elsewhere, amongst its other 3,000-metre peaks. … More The Japan Alps

The large vermillion entrance gate of Udo Shrine in Miyazaki Japan, set against a blue sky.

Calderas, Shrines & Mythology

May 29, 2021

As the Olympics draw ever closer, we continue our quest to introduce readers to some less frequented parts of Japan and to a few adventurous experiences that can’t be found in the world’s largest city. Tokyo has its merits but the Japanese provinces possess a different kind of richness that can be more endearing. Far away from the seething masses of the big cities, and seemingly even further removed in terms of pace of life, Kyushu’s countryside exudes a certain organised purity. Public transport is reliable and even the smallest of villages has a post office but the air smells more wholesome, the water is cleaner, and the food tastier. The colour green dominates, forcing grey concrete to take a distant second place to nature in more ways than one. There is an idyllic existence to be found in these parts, but it comes hand in hand with a sense of impermanence. … More Calderas, Shrines & Mythology

A Buddhist statue sat in prayer on a snow-covered mountainside.

Mountain Temples & Snow Monsters

April 25, 2021

In approximately three months Tokyo is set to host the Olympic Games. The run-up to the huge global event, which was originally supposed to take place in 2020, has been fraught with difficulties. Despite ongoing uncertainty and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, at the time of writing it seems that the games will be held—albeit without foreign spectators. This has left many people feeling disappointed. Some international tourists who purchased tickets likely planned to combine their sport viewing with travel outside the concrete megalopolis of Japan’s capital to experience more of the country. That is now impossible. Japan offers some unique travel experiences and stunning environments. As veterans of exploring lesser-known areas of the country we wanted to share a few off-the-beaten-path adventures that may provide readers with a small amount of consolation. … More Mountain Temples & Snow Monsters

Open pages of a large book highlighted by a shaft of light representing wisdom, knowledge, learning, and enlightenment.

Sources of Inspiration – Adventure Stories

February 28, 2021

The need for escapism has been a constant throughout all ages of recorded human history. Adventure stories cater to this by serving as vehicles that allow us to make enjoyable mental forays into the mysterious and exciting unknown. Some of the oldest myths and folk tales we are aware of have been passed down over centuries, or in some cases millennia. One can imagine the children of Ancient Egypt listening to elders recount the myth of Osiris, or gazing at the stars while attempting to trace the sun god Ra making his perilous nightly journey through the realm of the dead. Who hasn’t heard of Homer’s epic Greek adventure poem The Odyssey, such a significant piece of storytelling that it can still be found in book stores throughout the world today. There are many more surviving examples from antiquity that have endured in one form or another. … More Sources of Inspiration – Adventure Stories