What’s the oddest place you have travelled to? Maybe it’s not odd to you but it could be very strange to other people who don’t know why you went there. Maybe you are tracing your heritage or perhaps writing a thesis. Whatever the reason there are a lot of strange places out there with compelling reasons why maybe you should go there. Here’s just a few –
Oradour-sur-Glane – this French village is a really odd place and the subject of controversy. On 10th June 1944 for no known reason an SS Panzer Division drove in and killed everyone they could find and set every building on fire. Many areas of the destroyed village have been left untouched and create a moving testament to this tragedy.
History buffs will love this place.
The underground city of Coober Pedy, Australia.
When temperatures reach 51 °C it makes sense to go underground – it’s cool and cheap (no expensive air con to run). Over 2000 people live there and apparently it is cheaper to dig out a 3 bedroom underground house than to build one on the surface. There’s even a hotel and a church.
Why would you go there? To buy opals of course. Why not?
FLY GEYSER, NEVADA – When you think of Nevada you naturally think of Vegas. Well most people do – but if you have a budding scientist in the family you might want to do a small 8 hour detour to see this man-made geothermal geyser. It was created by accident in 1964 and is definitely a weird sight.
Giraffe Manor – near Nairobi – How about an early morning wake up call from a Giraffe? This boutique hotel near Nairobi has a resident herd of giraffe that somehow have become the hotel pets. Spoilt too!
Stay in a lighthouse at the top of Scotland – Can you imagine? This would be a different way to end off your coach tour. How about getting off the coach in Edinburgh and then heading out to Strathy Point (you would have to fly into Inverness). At least you could be guaranteed peace and quiet – but sorry – no pets and you won’t find any giraffes here either.
Are there Hobbits in Wales? – Certainly looks like it. You can rent this hobbit style accommodation known as the Eye-Pod. (Hope Apple isn’t taking any notice of this). Certainly looks cozy.
But you can’t beat the real thing –
You can’t stay there – but it’s definitely worth a visit.
In fact as Gandalf says –
“The world is not in your books and maps, it’s out there”
