Geoguessr

Art by LAUREN YAN

JOURNEYS THROUGH GE GUESSR

A COVID-SAFE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GUIDE

SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS, towering thousands of feet above, shimmer against the light of the sun, their reflection projected with mirror-like accuracy onto the serene, Cerulean waters of the surrounding lake. A small village sprinkled with houses in myriad colors, from cobalt blue to barn red, is visible just across the shore, resting under the shadows of the mountain range. In this desolate slice of natural paradise with the occasional car zooming by, you are at peace.

“I think it might be Oklahoma!” your friend says with utter confidence. You roll your eyes in disgust; they are obviously wrong. You stare unblinking and wide-eyed at the computer screen, navigating through the ethereal mountain landscape through short bursts of key clicks and magnification. You hope you’ll find a sliver of a hint as to where on Earth you are through signs and road markings — these are all classic tactics of Geoguessr, a web-based game that allows players to digitally trot the globe.

As part of the game, players are spawned at a random location on the globe, from the heart of a bustling city to a desolate country road, and must pinpoint their location on a world map, a challenging but rewarding task.

You’re probably feeling put off — what is this, a game for geography nerds? You’ll be relieved to know that we felt this way in the beginning as well. But as avid travelers, the global pandemic has severely limited our ability to visit captivating destinations anywhere, leaving Geoguessr as a good alternative. In other words, we’ll take what we can get.

Here are some of our personal favorite Geoguessr finds, (mostly) oases of beauty and wonder in the middle of cornfields and cows, as well as favorite destinations that we’ve explored to ease the monotony of our present, sedentary lives. v

Quilotoa Lake, Ecuador

You should feel lucky to enjoy this destination: spawned at a beautiful scenic viewpoint thousands of feet above the caldera formed by a collapsing volcano, you’ve essentially skipped all the hard work. For most, a strenuous multi-day trek would be required to observe the shockingly vibrant blue-green waters of Quilotoa Lake. For us, the equally strenuous journey consisted of the herculean effort to arise from our beds and open our computers. Normally, a tourist would have the luxury to spend several days venturing to the edge of the lake and enjoying the natural beauty up-close. Sadly, through the computer screen, one is only able to pace the hundred feet above the lake.

Vienna, Austria

One of the more well-visited destinations on this list, Vienna is an easily navigable and open city. Driving past Baroque-style apartment buildings and gardens of blooming roses, it might feel like you’re in the city itself. And if you stretch your imagination far enough, you can almost smell the fragrance of fresh flower gardens, notice the sweet aroma of baking strudel and hear the faint melody of a world-famous orchestra serenading you with operatic tunes.

Safdarjung Tomb, New Delhi, India

At first glance, this sandstone monument feels imposing with its domed, arched structures. Walking the grounds of the monument, however, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the spaciousness and warm colors of its many rooms. Built almost three centuries ago as a tribute to Indian ruler Nawab Safdarjung, it’s no surprise that the structure is as grand as its Mughal-style counterparts. As you travel through rooms and outer corridors of the building, you’ll marvel at the intricate wall carvings, lush palm trees and soaring ceilings.

RANDOM DIRT ROAD, ???

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

QUILOTOA LAKE, ECUADOR

Random Dirt Road, ???

What Geoguessr travel list could be complete without the classic Random Dirt Road? After all, that’s where you’ll be at least one of every three turns. For us, this location was a favorite — the ultimate destination, a slice of heaven. Tantalizing dusty aromas, fresh breaths of air in the form of the occasional tree and bush, the glorious sun beating down every hour of the mind-numbingly endless road. What’s not to love? After countless hours spent taking the world’s most boring road trip to find a single sign that might indicate your location, you may ask yourself — how on Earth do I figure out which Random Dirt Road I’m on? Is it Botswana? Perhaps rural New Mexico? Truthfully, you’re better off blindfolding yourself and guessing randomly. Take it from us.

Venice, Italy

This half-submerged ‘Floating City’ provides travelers with a truly unique experience — you’ll find yourself surrounded by water, riding the traditional gondola boat used to navigate through the complex system of canals. In our humble opinions, tours by water are the best ways to experience any city, and Venice is no exception — views of arching bridges, Venetian Gothic style architecture and numerous piazzas are visible at every turn. Learn to love your gondola though — you quite literally cannot get off it.

VENICE, ITALY