Destination: Australia & Pacific
Promised Land Closed
by Doug Lansky | 02.26.08 | 8:53 AM ET
And other odd and unlikely signs from around the world. Aficionado Doug Lansky, editor of the book "Signspotting," recounts his 10 favorites.
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Yahoo! BuzzFrom ‘Tanorexia’ to ‘Floordrobe’: The Latest Lingo in Australish
by Jim Benning | 01.10.08 | 10:57 AM ET
Before your next trip down under, consider brushing up on Australia’s latest words and phrases, including “tanorexia,” which Reuters explains “refers to an obsession with a suntan.”
Melbourne: An ‘International Centre for Literature’?
by Jim Benning | 01.07.08 | 2:40 PM ET
Australia’s The Age argues that Melbourne is the Edinburgh of the south and should be named UNESCO’s second City of Literature. (Via TEV)
The Dogs of Pohnpei
by Rob Verger | 01.03.08 | 11:09 AM ET
Photo by Rob Verger. They roam wild on the Micronesian island. Their meat is also considered a delicacy. When one of his students offered him a plate, Rob Verger faced a decision.
New Travel Book: Bad Karma
by Frank Bures | 11.29.07 | 10:19 AM ET
Full title: “Bad Karma: Confessions of a Reckless Traveller in Southeast Asia”
Author: Tamara Sheward
Released: Nov. 1, 2007 (U.S.)
Travel genre: Bad Aussies abroad (you know the type)
Territory covered: Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia
From Fiji to Kenya, Travel Hot Spots Brace for Global Warming
by Joanna Kakissis | 11.01.07 | 2:17 PM ET
A ski resort without snow. A scuba club whose coral reefs have succumbed to warmer and stormier seas. A water-guzzling golf resort in a desertifying area. Faced with global warming, the tourism industry must adapt to scenarios like these around the world or risk losing tourists, Elisabeth Rosenthal writes in The New York Times.
A380 Debuts With a ‘Rocking Party at 40,000 Feet’
by Michael Yessis | 10.25.07 | 9:37 AM ET
And why shouldn’t it have been a party? The debut of the superjumbo Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial aircraft, has been anticipated by travelers and aviation geeks for years. The party for today’s successful inaugural flight from Singapore to Sydney began at the Singapore Airlines check-in, where according to the BBC’s Laurence Watts, “passengers were given red-carpet treatment, with photographers on hand to provide them with souvenir photos.”
Is Colombia the New New Zealand?
by Eva Holland | 10.16.07 | 2:11 PM ET
We’ve been tracking Colombia’s rise from narcotics netherworld to “hipster tropical destination du jour” for some time now, and it looks like an upcoming potential blockbuster movie could help complete the transition. “Love in the Time of Cholera,” based on the novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, hits North American theaters in November. Last week Jaunted predicted an accompanying movie-tourism explosion. Amandak writes: “If you haven’t read Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s fantastic book Love in the Time of Cholera you should, now. It’s about to become for Colombia what Lord of the Rings was for New Zealand: a major tourism generator. The nice part is that Garcia Marquez really did set his book in Colombia, whereas the whole Lord of the Rings thing was kind of a scam, really.”
The Gospel According to Michael
by Abbie Kozolchyk | 10.04.07 | 9:41 AM ET
Photo by Abbie Kozolchyk Disappearing native culture. Vanishing tradition. Abbie Kozolchyk was appalled by the impact of missionaries in Papua New Guinea. But not for long.
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.
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
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 World Hum Travel Zeitgeist: From Cinque Terre to the Great Barrier Reef
by Michael Yessis | 08.03.07 | 2:05 PM ET
Iconic destinations in Italy, Australia, California and the Pacific Ocean are at the top of travelers’ minds this week, as well as a topic that’s more controversial than Hillary Clinton. Here’s the Zeitgeist.
Most E-Mailed Travel Story
New York Times (current)
36 Hours in the Cinque Terre, Italy
Most Read Feature
World Hum (posted this week)
The Lost World of Nigeria
Most E-Mailed Travel Story
USA Today (current)
Through the Roof: A Tour of the Country’s Priciest Hotel Suite
* The cost to stay in the Ty Warner Penthouse at the Four Seasons New York? $30,000 a night.
Most Viewed Travel Story
Telegraph UK (current)
Exploring the Great Barrier Reef
Most Read Weblog Post
World Hum (posted this week)
Voluntourism: ‘Overpriced Guilt Trips’ or a ‘Real Chance to Save the World’?
“Hot This Week” Destination
Yahoo! (this week)
Hawaii
Most Viewed Travel Post
BlogHer (current)
The W Hotel: Form over Function?
Australia Honors Late ‘Crocodile Hunter’ with ‘Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve’
by Michael Yessis | 07.30.07 | 1:02 PM ET
Australia Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently announced plans to create a wildlife reserve in Far North Queensland on Cape York Peninsula, fulfilling a dream of Steve Irwin, the late “Crocodile Hunter.” The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve will contain 333,585 acres of wetlands and forests. Irwin’s family will manage the reserve. “Steve was in awe of the prolific wildlife of the Wenlock and Ducie rivers bordering the reserve,” Terri Irwin said of her late husband, “and he would have been proud to see the property protected as a wildlife reserve.” Irwin was killed almost a year ago by a poisonous stingray.
Related on World Hum:
* Uluru: Outback Icon or Aboriginal Bargaining Chip?
* Fire in the Night
Honeymooning with Jaws
by Nancy Smay | 07.16.07 | 10:37 AM ET
Photo by Nancy Smay. She went to Bora Bora on her honeymoon. She had a few tropical drinks. Someone suggested scuba diving. Then Nancy Smay found herself in way over her head.