Travel Blog: News and Briefs
The World Hum Travel Zeitgeist: Surf, Sun and a Superferry
by Michael Yessis | 08.31.07 | 1:19 PM ET
The end of summer is almost upon us, and the world has gone a bit crazy. Bad weather, holy water, a sharp-toothed shark and the plight of the Hawaii Superferry are at the top of travelers’ minds this week. Here’s the Zeitgeist.
Most E-Mailed Travel Story
USA Today (current)
Holy Water Seized From Fliers at Lourdes Airport
Most Popular Travel Story
Iloho (current)
Budget Travel Costs for 94 Cities around the World
Most Read Weblog Post
World Hum (posted this week)
Environmentalists Protest Launch of Hawaii Superferry
Most Viewed Travel Story
Los Angeles Times (current)
Shark Attacks Surfer in Monterey Bay
Most Read Feature
World Hum (posted this week)
10 Greatest Fictional Travelers
Most Viewed Travel Story
Telegraph UK (current)
Frankfurt: The City in a Suit
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Yahoo! BuzzFAA to Airlines: Speed Up the Boeing 737 Inspections
by Jim Benning | 08.30.07 | 3:30 PM ET
Newer model Boeing 737s—specifically, potentially dangerous bolts in the wings of the jets—are under scrutiny this week. Inspectors have linked an Aug. 20 explosion and fire on a China Airlines 737 on the tarmac in Japan—all 165 people aboard escaped unharmed—to a loose bolt that probably allowed fuel to leak and caused a fire to start. In response, the FAA first mandated inspections of 737s be completed within 24 days, but after loose bolts were discovered in four 737s this week, the FAA has ratcheted up the order, giving airlines just 10 days to complete the work.
R.I.P. Paul MacCready, ‘Father of Human-Powered Flight’
by Jim Benning | 08.30.07 | 12:41 PM ET
Paul MacCready, the engineer who designed the first plane to fly under only human power, has died at the age of 81. Reports the AP: “On Aug. 23, 1977, the MacCready-designed, lightweight Gossamer Condor made the first sustained, controlled flight powered solely by a human. The flight, pedal-powered by pilot Bryan Allen, lasted just 7 1/2 minutes but covered a figure-eight course with pylons a half-mile apart at the airport in Shafter, Calif.”
Airport Security to Lourdes Pilgrim: Your Holy Water is a Security Threat
by Michael Yessis | 08.30.07 | 11:39 AM ET
Paola Saluzzi tried to carry eight small plastic bottles of water “in the shape of the little Madonna” from Lourdes on one of the Vatican’s new charter flights for pilgrims, but security inspectors at France’s Tarbes-Lourdes airport stopped her from bringing the liquid with the supposedly miraculous healing powers back to Rome. Reuters writes, “The real miracle would have been getting it past airport security.”
In Washington D.C. and Paris, Seduced by a Night View
by Julia Ross | 08.29.07 | 3:57 PM ET
Two recent stories on Paris and Washington D.C. after dark are a good reminder that taking in cityscapes by night can yield an entirely different travel experience than tromping around at mid-day. A Washington Post article and slide show on the patchwork system used to illuminate the monuments lining the National Mall nicely conveys the city’s nocturnal alter-ego, while a New York Times piece on ascending the Eiffel Tower at night actually made me want to brave the interminable line to try it.
What Happens When the Burning Man Burns Too Soon?
by Jim Benning | 08.29.07 | 2:53 PM ET
Apparently, he must burn again. At the annual Burning Man arts festival in the Nevada desert, the 40-foot-tall wooden Burning Man effigy went up in flames early Tuesday morning, four days before the traditional bonfire was scheduled to occur. A San Francisco man is facing felony arson charges in connection with the fire.
Three Travel Tips: Fly Like a Professional Dancer
by Michael Yessis | 08.29.07 | 12:38 PM ET
Travel tips are easy to find on the Internet, but some are better than others. Each week, we’ll bring you World Hum-approved travel tips from around the Web.
For professional dancers, Mark Morris Dance Group member David Leventhal writes in the New York Times, “air travel is a bitter enemy.” Their jobs require movement, and being on a long flight means feeling “like caged tigers.”
Four Travel and Food Books: Paul Richardson’s Picks
by Emily Stone | 08.28.07 | 1:17 PM ET
Today we published our review of Paul Richardson’s new book, “A Late Dinner: Discovering the Food of Spain.” We asked Richardson to recommend a few books that inspired him. Here are his picks:
Food in History by Reay Tannahill
Richardson says: “This book is permanently interesting and superbly written with enormous wit and erudition—a classic that is never far from my writing desk.”
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.
Airlines Make ‘Last Call’ For Paper Tickets
by Michael Yessis | 08.28.07 | 10:30 AM ET
So long paper airline tickets. By June 2008, you will be a collector’s item. So says the International Air Transportation Association. The group, which represents more than 200 airlines around the world, reported Monday that it placed its final order for 16.5 million paper tickets on behalf of its clients.
Environmentalists Protest Launch of Hawaii Superferry
by Jim Benning | 08.27.07 | 4:54 PM ET
Island-hopping Hawaii visitors now have a new way to get from Oahu to Maui or Kauai besides flying: the Hawaii Superferry Alakai, a giant catamaran that can haul 866 people and 282 cars. But not everyone is overjoyed with the new travel option. Hundreds protested the launch of the Superferry yesterday, including surfers who paddled out into the water, blocking the ferry from entering Lihue harbor in Kauai for more than an hour.
‘Into the Wild’: Has the Truth About Christopher McCandless Been Lost?
by Michael Yessis | 08.27.07 | 12:57 PM ET
As the hype for Sean Penn’s movie adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild” grows, and Outside revisits one of its most famous stories, Men’s Journal has weighed in with a less-reverent take on the life of Christopher McCandless. Matthew Power asks: “Was his death a Shakespearean tragedy or a pitch-black comedy of errors? What impact has the tale and its renown had on our perception of Alaska? And perhaps most tantalizingly: Did Krakauer, and now Penn, get key parts of the story wrong?”
How We Travel: 25 Pivotal Changes in the Last 25 Years
by Michael Yessis | 08.27.07 | 11:00 AM ET
As part of the lead up to its 25th anniversary next month, USA Today has put together a list of 25 changes that have had an impact on the way we travel. The No. 1 change: online booking. “This year,” according to USA Today, “Internet sales will represent more than half of all travel bookings.” Other changes that made the list: TSA airport security (No. 2), seat-back entertainment systems (No. 13), TripAdvisor (No. 17) and the ascent of low-cost airlines (No. 20).
The World Hum Travel Zeitgeist: ‘Heaven’ and the Wrath of Dean
by Michael Yessis | 08.24.07 | 12:26 PM ET
Hurricane Dean’s march through the Caribbean grabbed travelers’ attention this week, as did Hawaii, France and other iconic travel destinations. Here’s the Zeitgeist.
Most E-Mailed Travel Story
USA Today (current)
Hawaii’s Path to ‘Heaven’ is Forbidden
In this case, heaven is on Oahu, up the Haiku Stairs (pictured), atop the “mountain peak known as Puu Keahiakahoe.”
Most Popular Travel Story
Iloho (this week)
Heavens Above, Now Google Reaches to the Stars!
* Added support for our selection of Google Earth/Google Maps for one of the Seven Wonders of the Shrinking Planet.
Most Read Weblog Post
World Hum (posted this week)
Hurricane Dean Heading Toward Mexico’s Riviera Maya*
* World Hum commenters have some thoughts about the Category Five storm.
Most Viewed Travel Story
Los Angeles Times (current)
Hurricane Dean Weakens Over Central Mexico
Most Disappointing Tourist Site in the World
Virgin Travel Insurance (survey)
The Eiffel Tower
Most Read Feature
World Hum (posted this week)
10 Greatest Fictional Travelers
* Let us know if your favorite made our list.
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?
