Moments after their wedding reception, Ray Hoover and his wife, Lucy, began a lifelong quest to see the world. To date, they have logged six million miles, taken two thousand trips to seven continents, and filled over four hundred passport pages with thousands of stamps and visas. In a fascinating travelogue, Ray chronicles their most profound exploits to some of the world’s most unusual destinations, often under unique circumstances, that taught them not just about the geography of a location, but also the spirit derived from it. Throughout his narrative, Ray details their travels to the City of Gold, the Middle East including a cruise on the Nile, some of the most conflicted places on Earth, India and Imperial China, Vietnam and Cambodia, Nepal, Egypt, East Berlin, Ireland and Greece, Africa, Australia, North America, Antarctica, and much more. Adventures to the World’s Hidden Corners chronicles the lifelong quest of an architect and his wife as they embarked on an odyssey to the world’s most intriguing and out-of-the-way places.

It's time to get off the beaten path. Inspiring equal parts wonder and wanderlust, Atlas Obscura celebrates over 700 of the strangest and most curious places in the world. Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Architectural marvels, including the M.C. Escher-like stepwells in India. Mind-boggling events, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain, where men dressed as devils literally vault over rows of squirming infants. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. Created by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton, ATLAS OBSCURA revels in the weird, the unexpected, the overlooked, the hidden and the mysterious. Every page expands our sense of how strange and marvelous the world really is. And with its compelling descriptions, hundreds of photographs, surprising charts, maps for every region of the world, it is a book to enter anywhere, and will be as appealing to the armchair traveler as the die-hard adventurer. Anyone can be a tourist. ATLAS OBSCURA is for the explorer.

New York Times bestseller! The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid is a thrilling expedition to 100 of the most surprising, mysterious, and weird-but-true places on earth. For curious kids, this is the chance to embark on the journey of a lifetime—and see how faraway countries have more in common than you might expect! Hopscotch from country to country in a chain of connecting attractions: Explore Mexico’s glittering cave of crystals, then visit the world’s largest cave in Vietnam. Peer over a 355-foot waterfall in Zambia, then learn how Antarctica’s Blood Falls got their mysterious color. Or see mysterious mummies in Japan and France, then majestic ice caves in both Argentina and Austria. As you climb mountains, zip-line over forests, and dive into oceans, this book is your passport to a world of hidden wonders, illuminated by gorgeous art.

In this fascinating glimpse into the world of urban exploration, Moses Gates describes his trespasses in some of the most illustrious cities in the world from Paris to Cairo to Moscow. Also, exclusive to this e-book, are firsthand accounts from the author's fellow travelers and family. Gates is a new breed of adventurer for the 21st century. He thrives on the thrill of seeing what others do not see, let alone even know exists. It all began quite innocuously. After moving to New York City and pursuing graduate studies in Urban Planning, he began unearthing hidden facets of the city—abandoned structures, disused subway stops, incredible rooftop views that belonged to cordoned-off buildings. At first it was about satiating a nagging curiosity; yet the more he experienced and saw, the more his thirst for adventure grew, eventually leading him abroad. In this memoir of his experiences, Gates details his travels through underground canals, sewers, subways, and crypts, in metropolises spanning four continents. In this finely-written book, Gates describes his immersion in the worldwide subculture of urban exploration; how he joined a world of people who create secret art galleries in subway tunnels, break into national monuments for fun, and travel the globe sleeping in centuries-old catacombs and abandoned Soviet relics rather than hotels or bed-and-breakfasts. They push each other further and further—visiting the hidden side of a dozen countries, discovering ancient underground Roman ruins, scaling the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridges, partying in tunnels, sneaking into Stonehenge, and even finding themselves under arrest on top of Notre Dame Cathedral. Ultimately, Gates contemplates why he and other urban explorers are so instinctively drawn to these unknown and sometimes forbidden places—even (and for some, especially) when the stakes are high. Hidden Cities will inspire readers to think about the potential for urban exploration available for anyone, anywhere—if they have only the curiosity (and nerve!) to dig below the surface to discover the hidden corners of this world.

"Secret Journeys of a Lifetime" presents 500 off-the-beaten-path travel destinations around the world that are notable for their vistas, wildlife, and historical and cultural significance.

Here are island hideaways on the tropical beaches of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean and on the windswept North Atlantic shores of Harris, where Scottish crofters handweave their famous tweed. Visit mountain aeries from the Himalaya to the Pyrenees, secret realms from the harshly beautiful desertscapes of the Sahara to the lush rain forests of Costa Rica, or the winding alleys of a village tucked into the foothills of the Alps. Twenty-eight destinations in all, each place has its own unique flavor and appeal, yet shares a kind of privacy and authenticity all too rare in our hectic, modern world.

Step into the Whispering Woods, where adventure sings and shadows dance in moonlight... Finnigan is a boy who listens. He hears the secrets rustled by the leaves, the dreams murmured by the river, the melodies woven by the ancient woods. But when darkness threatens to silence their song, Finnigan must become more than just a listener. He must become a bard, weaving his own magic into the Whispering Woods. Join Finnigan on his heart-soaring journey through: Enchanted landscapes: From sun-dappled clearings to moonlit caves, lose yourself in a world both familiar and fantastical. Unforgettable creatures: Befriend a mischievous bird, face a shimmering serpent, and encounter the Moon Weaver herself. Trials of courage and imagination: Confront shadows, paint dreams with words, and learn to sing your own story into existence. A heartwarming friendship: Witness the unbreakable bond between a boy and his loyal feathered companion. "The Whispering Woods" is a tale for anyone who has ever dreamed of: Feeling the magic of the natural world come alive. Embracing the courage to face their fears. Letting their imagination soar and their voice be heard. Dive into this immersive, lyrical adventure and discover the power of stories to mend, to inspire, and to sing the world into a brighter place. Start reading "The Whispering Woods" today and let the whispers lead you home.

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TRAVEL: The Guide is an insightful, irreverent, and highly visual new take on travel that will challenge readers to rethink the way they look at travel and how they interact with the world around them. It's like an eye-opening TED Talk on travel that you can flip through at your own pace. Jason Cochran, author and editor for Frommer's guides, described it this way: "It’s not really just about travel. It’s about exploding every stereotype, fear, and expectation you have about the rest of the world and your place in it. Once you start flipping through, you’ll be consuming little knowledge bombs like potato chips. Good luck stopping. And good luck seeing things the same way ever again.” Mike Carter, a contributor to The Observer and The Guardian wrote: “Turns on its head just about everything we thought we knew about how to get the best out of our travels, gloriously debunking the myths and exposing the clichés along the way.”