TREATS FROM MOTHER NATURE

Ever Heard About Blood Falls? Read About 10 Unusual Natural Phenomena!

Credit: Kalen Emsley

Mother nature is a constant and endless surprise. Around the world, one can find the most extraordinary spots or the most unusual natural wonders. If you had the chance to travel, you probably came across some breathtaking views, amazing waterfalls, pristine waters, or the snowiest mountains. Beautiful as these places might be, some spots are a whole new level of gorgeous.

From blood waterfalls (You read that right!) to pink waters, we’ve gathered ten places that will make you gasp in awe!

Credit: Matt Palmer

Antarctica is both the biggest desert in the world and one of the most mysterious places. Considering the harsh weather and the slippery ice covering the area, it is only logical that a small part of it has been investigated. Imagine how surprising it must have been for explorers who, in 1911, saw a stream of blood coming down a glacier into a river.

That’s when they discovered the Blood Falls and the mystery behind its origin was only solved in 2017: This bloodstream is only oxidized iron in brine saltwater.Creepy, yet fascinating, isn’t it?

Credit: Tom Keldenich

Extreme weather conditions usually lead to extreme yet beautiful views and Canada is not the exception here. During the winter, in Abrahan Lake in Alberta, a curious thing happens: Underwater, methane gas bubbles get trapped forming frozen bubbles.

The view is otherworldly yet highly dangerous and another consequence of the greenhouse effect. Because of the risk of inflammation, only a match near the bubbles could cause a massive explosion.

Other than that, one can only enjoy the view and wait for the onset of spring to see the bubbles burst naturally.

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If you enjoy sitting by the water with a good book by your side and fresh juice poured into your cup, this place might make it to your bucket list. But you won’t find blue water here. No, blue water is just too normal.

In Lake Hiller, Australia, the water is pink, simple as that! Due to the presence of some unique microalgae, which produce a pink pigment, the water in this lake is this pretty color.

Contrary to what one may think, you can swim and everything in this lake. Although we don’t recommend you drink it since it is quite salty!

Credit: Alexey Marchenko

We all enjoy pristine waters, right? There is a certain magic to dipping your toes in the water and seeing them perfectly. But the waters of Sasaran Beach take this experience to the next level.

Specifically during the new moon and the full moon periods, the water in the beach turns into a mirror, and the sky and water become one.

This phenomenon takes place because, during that time, the tides are at their lowest and the sand is as smooth as it can be. It is known as "Mirror of the Sky" and it is a true wonder.

Credit: Jasper van der Meij

Don’t worry, we won’t be painting anything black here. True enough, Rolling Stones is an iconic band, but what you probably didn’t know is that it is a natural phenomenon in the U.S. to visit too.

Both visible in the Death Valley National Park and at Little Bonnie Claire Playa, this geological phenomenon involves rocks rolling down a valley as they leave distinct trails. They can be quite heavy and their movement is the result of ice breaking in winter pods triggered by sunny days. When the ice melts, the rocks are driven by the wind and roll down.

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Deserts are intimidating and intriguing, but they can also raise feelings of calmness and peace. Now, the Namib Desert is different than the rest. How? Well, all scattered around the desert**, you can find** circular patches called fairy circles.

This phenomenon is the result of two things: a lack of water and vegetation in the desert and the action of termites. The few plants that try to make it fight for water and eventually disappear leaving this eerie trail behind. That is when the termites come into play, as they take over the patches. If you think this is unique, wait and see what’s ahead in this list!

Credit: Adithya Holehonnur

You probably heard and even saw the aurora borealis in the north, right? Well, these are not auroras, but the process by which this phenomenon takes place is similar and the result is even creepier.

Similar to those spaceship abductions sci-fi movies have shown us, light pillars are beams of light that extend from the sky to the ground in places where temperatures drop way below zero degrees.

This phenomenon is actually an illusion, the result of cold air turning the moisture in the air into crystals. Magic does happen, doesn’t it?

Credit: Roberto Carlos Román Don

If this wasn’t real and easy to witness, no one would ever believe it. As it turns out, back in the 1900s the Mexican military used the Marieta Islands for target practice. Little did they know blasting bombs over and over again in the area would create Hidden Beach.

Even if it is not so hidden nowadays, the beach is only a few miles away from the west coast of Mexico and it is accessible by boat. It is almost invisible to the unaware eye, but, from the air, one can see a crater with bright blue waters within. A perfect spot for a romantic escapade, don’t you think?

Credit: Ekaterina Sazonova

This spot in Russia is a true marvel of nature. Lake Baikal holds the collective titles of the oldest, deepest, clearest, and largest freshwater lake in the world.

Now, aside from its titles, what makes it so unique? During the harsh winters, when the temperatures plummet well below freezing, the pristine waters of the lake become stunning ice formations. The turquoise color in them sparkles under the sunlight and creates the illusion of diamonds or gems.

Credit: NOAA

It’s very common to be afraid of thunderstorms. It is also pretty common to be scared of volcanos. Now, put those things together, and "fear" takes on a new meaning.

Volcanic thunderstorms, or dirty thunderstorms, take place in the clouds formed by volcanic and plinian eruptions. By this crazy occurrence, volcanos can actually produce lightning and they usually appear between 5 and 10 seconds after the explosion.

We don’t recommend being near an erupting volcano, but to witness the phenom from afar can be quite striking! No pun intended there!

LOST IN TRANSIT

10 Hilarious Travel Mishaps That Went Viral

Credit: Erik Odiin

Part of the fun of being a tourist is that everything is kind of new. And more often than not, this means that traveling abroad is filled with little moments of excitement and unpredictability. But sometimes, these unexpected twists can lead to situations so bizarre that they end up making headlines worldwide.

From misplaced pets to mistaken destinations, here are 10 travel blunders that had the world laughing along.

Credit: Patrick Hendry

Even pets can have unexpected adventures. Bluebell, a family's pet pup, found itself on an unintentional journey to Saudi Arabia after being mistakenly placed on a flight to Riyadh instead of San Francisco. When the worried family contacted the airline, they apologized and told them what had happened. Luckily, the furry traveler arrived unharmed and was reunited with its owners as quickly as possible.

Credit: Gerrie van der Walt

If the perspective of being trapped inside a normal public restroom for any length of time is already unpleasant, imagine being trapped for almost the entirety of a two-hour flight inside an airplane bathroom! That's precisely what happened to an unfortunate passenger during a trip from Mumbai to Bengaluru on a SpiceJet Airlines flight in India. Despite efforts from the flight crew and fellow travelers, he remained trapped until the plane landed at its destination and a team of engineers could unlock the stubborn door.

Credit: Alvaro Reyes

Three tourists in Australia relied a bit too much on their GPS when attempting to drive to North Stradbroke Island. Failing to account for the fact that the island is… well, surrounded by water, the GPS traced a course that led them directly into the sea. Eventually, they found themselves stuck in mud and water, and were forced to abandon their vehicle. Lesson learned: never trust a machine blindly!

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In 2014, during a visit to Bali, a tourist experienced an unexpected encounter with a mischievous monkey. While busy feeding other animals, his GoPro was stolen by a cunning primate who, in a matter of seconds, snatched it and ran away into the forest. Fortunately, a local woman intervened, making a "deal" with the monkey by offering fruits in exchange for the return of the expensive equipment. But when the tourist finally recovered his camera, he was delighted to find that the monkey had filmed himself during the whole ordeal, in true "selfie" fashion.

Credit: Jerry Zhang

A few years ago, a viral story claimed that an airport in Salzburg, Austria, had a dedicated help desk for people who mistook the tranquil alpine destination with Australia. As funny as it sounds, the story turned out to be fake - but that doesn’t mean similar occurrences are completely unheard of. Far from it, from soccer fans ending up in the wrong country for a match to travelers mistakenly flying to Grenada instead of Granada, mix-ups in destinations are more common than you'd think. Remember: always double-check your travel plans! Otherwise, you might end up far, far away from your intended destination.

Credit: Karl-Heinz Müller

In 2019, diver Rainer Schimpf had a whale of a tale to tell after being briefly swallowed whole by a huge Bryde's whale off the coast of South Africa. Confusing him for some tasty fish, the enormous creature opened its mouth and took Schimpf into its massive jaws. Luckily, the animal quickly realized he was no ordinary fish and spat him out. The man managed to escape unscathed from the strange ordeal, but his story quickly became viral, earning him the nickname of a modern-day Jonah.

Credit: James Eades

A Texan grandma's holiday photo op turned into a media sensation when she was swept out to sea while posing on an iceberg throne in Iceland. While her son was taking a picture of her, the chunk of ice she was sitting on suddenly separated from the shore, sweeping her and the block of ice into the freezing sea. Fortunately, the coast guard quickly launched a rescue operation, and she was returned safely to shore.

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You might assume that once you've passed through the departure gate, missing a flight would be impossible. However, easyJet made headlines when they overlooked 29 passengers trapped between security doors and the gangway. Days later, the company found themselves in the news again, this time dealing with a drunken passenger causing chaos in the nude. It's safe to say it was a turbulent week for them.

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A Scottish woman got the surprise of her life when she found a 24-inch-long spotted python in her luggage after a trip from Australia to Scotland. Amazingly, the snake had managed to hitch a ride unnoticed during the 11,200-mile-long and had even begun to hibernate in its makeshift shelter within one of the woman's shoes. Fortunately, the clueless reptile was taken unharmed to a wildlife sanctuary. So, if you are planning a trip to the Down Under, remember to check your boots before coming home!

Credit: Jan Huber

Even with careful planning, sometimes things take an unexpected turn. Such was the plight of passengers aboard a British Airways flight destined for Dusseldorf in 2019, only to find themselves landing in Edinburgh due to a crew error. Mid-flight, some passengers noticed something was amiss, but the plane nonetheless continued its journey, leading to their bewildered arrival in Scotland instead of Germany. Apparently, the pilots were given incorrect flight details and only found out their mistake when confronted by the angry passengers upon landing.