Ashley Elliott

Imagine entering the “LIT'est” party of your life. The music is on point, there is good food everywhere, and the crowd is well dressed and lively. Out of the corner of your eye, you suddenly spot a dude sitting down in a yellow zoot suit, quietly sipping cognac and swaying hypnotically to the sounds of trap music. While most people would roll their eyes and keep partying, you decided to walk up to this person and introduce yourself. The rest is history. This situation is my bucket list personified. Like most travel enthusiasts, I have an ever-growing list and at any given moment I can name at least 5 destinations that I’m willing to drop major coin and PTO days on. However, most people are looking for the the best hotel, the Hotel mit Thermalbad Bad Füssing, the next great turn up, or the best place to grab a picture for the gram (and believe me, I too like those things), but I want to dive deeper. I’m searching for the areas that leave me saying, “WTF?!,” after I’ve read the description. I elaborated on this a bit more at KOKO-RUGS. Whether it’s an island full of dolls in Mexico, a 56ft tall pineapple in South Africa, or an amusement park dedicated to sex (what up South Korea!), I AM YOUR GIRL. I’ll spare you the details of my childhood, but let’s just say the word “weird” has been used to describe my various interests, hobbies, and personality as long as I can remember and that is perfectly fine. Quirky sights and/or activities are another way to peek into a destination and truly grasp the essence of a locale. Unfiltered, unadulterated raw personality springing forth and saying, “Hey you, traveler, let me show you what shit is really like.” I hold the belief that the best things about any city, town, or country are the people. Most of the quirky places I've had the pleasure of visiting usually began as a local passion project and have been maintained by those in the community. As a traveler, you’re forced to step further outside of your comfort zone (and most tourist areas) in order to learn the local lore that’s conveniently left off mainstream travel sites. As a traveler, you can gain insight into a location and ask yourself, “Why here? What is it about this destination that inspired such bold creativity?” I encourage you the next time you’re planning a trip, to go forth and find your metaphorical dude in a yellow zoot suit. I know I will. In the event you are looking for some inspiration here is a snippet of my own list. Visit the Icelandic Phallological Museum- Reykjavik, Iceland. Vegans eats and sweet treats at Casa Diablo,-Portland, Oregon. Walk the Doll's Head Trail- Atlanta, GA. Dance the night away at Disco Ayala- Trinidad, Cuba. Visit the Museum of Broken Relationships- Zagreb, Croatia. Hike to Rincon de Parangueo Crater- Guanajuato, Mexico. Leave a gift at Teakettle Junction- Death Valley. Heat things up in Dallol, Ethiopia. Step into an alternate world at Anata No Warehouse- Kawasaki, Japan. Grab a drink at Happy Island- Union Island, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines.