Destination: Asia
Driving the Silk Road—in a New $7,000 Chinese Car
by Michael Yessis | 08.30.07 | 11:21 AM ET
The Wall Street Journal’s Gordon Fairclough took the old-China-meets-new-China story on the road, driving 1,700 miles along the ancient Silk Road in a Chery A1, a compact car developed by a government-owned automaker. He and three friends spent a week driving through Western China from Urumqi to Kashgar, a route that crosses the harsh Taklimakan Desert. The trip poses challenges, among them errant sheep and sandstorms—check out picture five in the accompanying slide show. In the end, Fairclough emerges with a great portrait of a China on the verge of developing a road-tripping culture.
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Yahoo! BuzzEthical Traveler Takes On Child Sex Trafficking in Cambodia
by Jim Benning | 08.29.07 | 3:30 PM ET
Ethical Traveler and partnering organizations recently announced a campaign against child sex trafficking in Cambodia, urging supporters to sign a letter to the nation’s tourism minister. “As many as 100,000 women and children may be at risk,” the organization states. “Cambodia’s efforts to eliminate this slave trade have been hindered by corruption, poor law enforcement, and a weak judiciary system.” To learn more, I traded e-mails with travel writer and Ethical Traveler Executive Director Jeff Greenwald.
World Hum: How optimistic are you that the Cambodian government will take appropriate action?
Macau vs. Las Vegas: The Battle to be the ‘Capital of Excess’
by Michael Yessis | 08.29.07 | 11:36 AM ET
The gargantuan Venetian Macao Resort (pictured) opened yesterday with celebrations and excessive media coverage about the excesses of the new venture. It’s the largest casino in the world and it cost $2.4 billion to build. It’s the second-largest building in the world, after the Boeing manufacturing plant in Washington, according to the AP. If the Venetian Macao succeeds, Reuters reports, the annual gambling income of Macau—or Macao, if you’re so inclined—will rise to approximately $13.7 billion by 2010. That’s a staggering figure for a place that, as we posted earlier this year, surpassed Las Vegas in annual gambling revenue in 2006, $6.95 billion to $6.5 billion.
Seats on First A380 Flight Up For Bid on eBay
by Michael Yessis | 08.28.07 | 11:31 AM ET
The eBay auction for tickets on the Airbus A380’s first commercial flight—from Singapore to Sydney, on Singapore Air—is only a day old, and already prices are skyrocketing. That’s bad news for airline geeks, who will have to spend a lot to gain a coveted spot on the Oct. 25 flight. It’s good news, though, for the four charities that will get the proceeds.
Where in the World Are You, Amber Hildreth?
by Jim Benning | 08.24.07 | 12:17 PM ET
The subject of our latest nearly up-to-the-minute interview with a traveler somewhere in the world: Amber Hildreth, a freelance graphic designer. Her response landed in our inbox this morning.
World Hum: Where in the world are you?
‘Climb Everest For a Discount Rate’
by Jim Benning | 08.22.07 | 1:30 PM ET
That’s the headline on a Reuters story about off-season discounts for climbers headed to Nepal. A tourism official told the news agency, “We are working on proposals to give a 50 percent royalty cut in the autumn and 75 percent during the winter climbing seasons.” Now, I’m no climber, but when you’re risking your life to climb the tallest mountain in the world, should you really be that considered with scoring a bargain?
Related on World Hum:
* Everest Base Camp: ‘The Himalayan Version of Burning Man’
* Peace Deal Helps Lure Travelers Back to Nepal
* Everest Base Camp in Tibet: The Himalayan Bangkok?
Photo by Ben Tubby via Flickr, (Creative Commons).
I Have $6,000 For a Trip to Asia and the South Pacific. Any Tips?
by Rolf Potts | 08.21.07 | 11:16 AM ET
Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel
Passengers Flee Burning Plane in Japan
by Jim Benning | 08.20.07 | 12:57 PM ET
Wild scene today on the tarmac of an airport in Okinawa, Japan: A China Airlines Boeing 737-800 skidded to stop and caught fire, prompting passengers to evacuate down emergency slides and the pilot to jump from the cockpit window. The plane then “burst into a fireball,” according to the AP. Amazingly, all 165 people aboard reportedly escaped serious injury. The AP notes that the incident “is a setback to China Airlines, which in recent years appeared to have improved on a troubled safety record among international carrier.”
Walking Off the Karakoram Highway
by Jeffrey Tayler | 08.20.07 | 11:17 AM ET
On a winding route to Pakistan's Rama Lake, taunted and ignored, Jeffrey Tayler learns the truth of the saying, "All politics is local"
Virginia Tourism’s ‘Symbol of Love’ Actually Symbol of Chicago Gang
by Michael Yessis | 08.20.07 | 8:06 AM ET
Oops. An advertisement (pictured) developed by the BCF agency of Virginia Beach for the Virginia Tourism Corp. features two hands coming together to form the shape of a heart, a playful reference to the state’s long-time slogan, “Virginia is For Lovers.” The gesture, however, is also associated with the Gangster Disciples, “one of the most violent of four African-American gangs that hang out on the south side of Chicago,” according to an FBI report. The FBI also notes: “They are known for their violence and the distribution of crack cocaine.” Apparently Virginia does not want to associate itself with gun play and illegal drugs, and thus will be removing the image from its new “Live Passionately” campaign, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
The Upscaling of Khao San Road
by Michael Yessis | 08.20.07 | 7:57 AM ET
In yesterday’s New York Times, World Hum contributor Newley Purnell highlights all the ways travelers can now blow their budgets on Khao San Road, Bangkok’s famed backpackers hangout. The once dingy “decompression chamber for those about to leave or enter Thailand,” as Alex Garland described it in “The Beach,” now contains a spa offering body wraps and salt scrubs, as well as a Starbucks, Purnell writes. The changes should come as no surprise, particularly in the wake of Khao San Road’s central role in “The Beach.”
Take a Vacation. It’s Presidential.
by Ben Keene | 08.16.07 | 10:19 AM ET
Love him or hate him, our commander-in-chief, George W. Bush, can teach Americans at least one lesson: how to vacation. With only a few weeks of summer remaining, President Bush, like many other world leaders, is trading the stress of executive office for some rest and relaxation. And he’s leaving the majority of U.S. citizens in his Texas dust. Actually, if a survey conducted by a global human resources firm is accurate, even the average Finn, Israeli or Lithuanian would have a hard time keeping up with his seven-year vacation-time total. Because whatever President Bush may lack in creativity—he’s taken 65 trips to Crawford, Texas since entering office—he more than makes up for in number. According to the Houston Chronicle, G.W.B. is well on his way to claiming the White House record for time off, rapidly closing in on the 436 days Reagan racked up during two terms.
New Discoveries at Cambodia’s Angkor
by Jim Benning | 08.14.07 | 12:14 PM ET
An international team of scientists using NASA satellite images, among other tools, has determined that the medieval city of Angkor was at least three times larger than previously thought—about the size of present-day Los Angeles.
CNN.com: ‘China Offers More Than Just Wall, Olympics’
by Jim Benning | 08.14.07 | 10:54 AM ET
Yes, that enlightening headline tops an AP story on CNN.com today. Who knew? Let’s get Anderson Cooper suited up in his flak jacket and on that developing story.
A Bicycle Ride Around Bagan, Burma
by Jim Benning | 08.13.07 | 3:45 PM ET
Photo by worak via Flickr, (Creative Commons).
We noted a story in the Los Angeles Times news section last year examining the Myanmar government’s ill-conceived, theme park-like development among the historic temples in the ancient city of Bagan. On Sunday, the Times covered the story from a traveler’s standpoint. Joe Robinson visited Bagan, exploring the temples on a rented girl’s bicycle with a leopard-print seat.