07-05-2025
Where to go when you need an escape
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TODAY'S STARTING POINT
I remember Jan. 6, 2021, quite vividly, but not because of the attack on the US Capitol. It sticks in my mind because I was staying in a treehouse in the wilds of New Hampshire. It was just as fantastic as it sounds. During the day I'd ski. The mountain had virtually no cell service. A few text messages managed to get through, but they made little sense.
Later that night, as I shimmied out of my thermal underwear and warmed up with hot chocolate, I managed to connect to Wi-Fi and realized I had missed something historic, unprecedented, and tragic. The world had changed, and I had no idea what had occurred. Truth be told, I'm grateful I was able to sit that one out.
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We spend days getting push notifications about trade wars and stock market plunges. If we aren't fretting about our 401(k) plans or the latest climate disaster, then we're reading about the death of our favorite television characters (no spoilers here!). Back in the 1980s, folks could escape their daily troubles by filling a bathtub with bubbles and pleading, 'Calgon, take me away.'
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These days, we need something stronger than Calgon. Sometimes, a physical getaway that involves leaving a cellular coverage area helps, and I have ideas. Even if my suggestions don't get your travel bug chirping, think about the beauty of occasionally getting away, even if it's just for an afternoon.
West Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Plainfield, Mass.
Sometimes hiking trails sound like a good place to escape into nature, but then you find yourself backpack-to-backpack with others who had the same plan. An easy fix is to go west, as in Western Massachusetts, where the trails tend to be less cluttered. The West Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Plainfield is 1,800 acres of wilderness with an easy-to-navigate 2-mile trail.
Eastern Townships, Quebec
Westman Islands, Iceland
If you're seeking solitude, there's plenty of places to find it in Iceland. Outside of Reykjavik and away from the tourist-laden Golden Circle, you can go hours, or longer, without encountering another soul. My preferred place to escape in Iceland is the
AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park
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By definition, dark sky reserves are devoid of people, otherwise light pollution would get in the way of star gazing. The AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park is the first and only in New England, and on a clear night it feels as if the galaxy is at your fingers. AMC has three lodges where you can stay to enjoy the more than 75,000 acres of largely uninhabited forest in central Maine. Just try getting a decent cell signal here.
VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver
The Vancouver skyline and mountains, as seen from Queen Elizabeth Park.
Christopher Muther/Globe Staff
You don't need to be a botanist to see why the 55-acre
5151 Oak St., 604-257-8463.
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
A view of the mountains in Torres del Paine National Park in Magallanes, Chile, as seen from the Hotel Rio Serrano.
One of the best decisions I've ever made while travelling was skipping a famous guided hike in
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Flying circus:
Delays continued at Newark airport after air traffic controllers briefly lost contact with planes last week. (
India vs. Pakistan:
India launched missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, retaliating after militants killed tourists in a part of the disputed Kashmir region. Pakistan fired shells back, calling India's strikes an act of war. (
The next pope:
Cardinals in Vatican City are beginning the conclave, a closed-door gathering to select Pope Francis's successor. (
Germany's new leader:
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BESIDE THE POINT
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Love letters:
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Brave old world:
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House of your heart:
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Blast from the past:
Cosmos 482, a 53 year-old Soviet spacecraft that failed to reach Venus, is set to crash back to Earth as soon as today. (
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They're baaaack:
After 17 years underground, Brood XIV cicadas
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Vroom:
Lego built 10 life-sized, drivable Formula 1 cars — each made from about 4 million of its toy bricks. (
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Case dismissed:
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