Today is Pipeaway’s fifth birthday! Five years flew right by. Have you been around in 2017, when I launched the website? How was the journey for you?
One should use every opportunity to congratulate oneself on the achievement. Success can always be measured in different metrics. But if nothing else, already passing through challenges and surviving them is an accomplishment worth documenting.
The ability to distribute travel stories from the source to this vast online estuary has been precious and fulfillingIvan Kralj
I was never a person of great celebrations, but I did have a piece of cake today, in the pleasant company of Roy Stevenson, the seasoned American travel writing professional who happened to be in Zagreb. He reminded me of all the little things we value about traveling and sharing the experience with others.
Thank you all for being a part of this short but adventurous journey, whether as a reader or a business partner. The ability to distribute travel stories from the source to this vast online estuary has been precious and fulfilling.
There have been many experiences that touched me deeply and continue to be a motivation behind the project. I wrote about many, but plenty of them still need to be published.
Without wasting precious space for new articles coming to these online shores, I will just use this opportunity to revisit some of the most popular content that was published on this website in the last five years.
I am grateful to all the readers who made this journey possible, and I hope we will be reading each other in the next five years too!
This is an interview Croatian TV’s Nensi Profaca made with Ivan Kralj in 2019, on travel blogging!
5 Most Read Pipeaway Articles (2017-2022)
1. Selecting a Plane Seat: 5 Reasons Why Last Row Should Be First Choice
The debate about the best seats in the plane has been an ongoing source of traffic for Pipeaway. While some passengers prefer extra legroom seats, in particular bulkhead seats, my personal choice was always in the most restrictive part of the plane – the last row of seats that often do not recline.
This somewhat controversial answer from a frequent flyer was quoted in many influential world media and provided more influx of interested website visitors. Read the most popular Pipeaway article here!
2. Stupid Selfies: #Instaidiots Raping Art Galleries
The only truly viral blog post on Pipeaway was about the two visitors in the National Gallery of Indonesia who crossed more than one boundary at the exhibition in Jakarta.
In a matter of a week, the post was receiving 15.000 page views per day, and literally had thousands of social media shares. It was touching into a sensitive area of responsibilities of galleries and visitors when appreciating art.
There was a social media storm, and unlike the gallery, the selfie girl eventually apologized for her inappropriate behavior. Read the original viral article here!
3. Naked Men Hiking: When I Am Nude, All Fears Disappear
Nudity always seems to be a controversial subject that turns heads. I’ve learned that readers like to pay attention to articles exploring nude beaches of the Cyclades Islands, or clothing-optional resorts in Greece.
But nothing spoke about Pipeaway visitors’ interest in naturism more than my interview with a naked hiker Erik. Sincere and open, he revealed all secretes of freehiking in Australia and abroad and surely contributed to the growing popularity of this back-to-the-roots nature exploring trend.
Read the intriguing interview that even today brings visitors to Pipeaway here!
4. Korean NSFW Sex Park: Jeju Loveland’s Erotic Sculptures
South Korea has a lot to show, and even more to hide. While there is an obvious culture that embraces public nudity in Korean spas, sex is still a taboo subject that is most easily laughed off.
On the volcanic Jeju Island, the Loveland theme park is a sort of institution. Silly and less silly sculptures depicting a variety of lovers in moments of deepest intimacy have been sparking the fantasies of visitors since 2004.
Read the full overview of the Korean sex park here!
5. Sayonara, Nara Dreamland: Visiting the Demolished Theme Park
Unlike Korean Loveland, a theme park in Japan did not survive the test of time. Maybe Nara Dreamland would have had better chances if it would have focused on sexual controversies too. But in the Far East, this is a territory of religious festivals such as penis-celebrating Kanamara Matsuri.
Dreamland was technically just a rip-off of classical Disneyland, so when the real one arrived in Tokyo, Nara’s playground had to be closed for good.
It is still a city where you can go to play with hundreds of deer, but if you want to visit the ghostly park, you will need to read this article!
Did any other Pipeaway article catch your attention in the last five years? Please leave your comment below!
If you liked this overview of the most-read articles on Pipeaway, pin it for later!
