Graham Hughes, a British man from Liverpool, just set a record by visiting 201 countries - all the countries of the world - without flying on a single airplane!
What a great accomplishment, but think you can do it too? I mean, visiting some countries can be challenging in itself (for safety/security reasons), but traveling to some remote places without an airplane - I can only imagine!
"He says people tend to wonder how he got into the further-out countries like North Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan, but he says they were the easy ones." Ok, I can trust him on that I guess. And yes, getting to all those small island nations in the South Pacific seems particularly difficult!
14 November 2012
Let's Fly Around London
Check this out: A flying drone taking you around some of London's most famous sights, but with unexpected but amazing views!
I would love to ride in a mini-helicopter or something to get up close to these landmarks. Alas, I don't think it will happen very soon.
I would love to ride in a mini-helicopter or something to get up close to these landmarks. Alas, I don't think it will happen very soon.
30 October 2012
Airplanes Landing at Heathrow (Time Lapse Video)
You may know that I'm a sucker for time-lapse videos, and I've stumbled upon a cool one this morning. It's of airplanes approaching to land at London Heathrow's airport. It really gives you a sense of how frequently planes are landing at one of the world's busiest airports. (Apparently an airplane either takes off or lands at Heathrow every 45 seconds - incredible!) Check it out below!
21 October 2012
The Scotland Video
Here's the video of my road trip to Scotland earlier this year! It was really fun, if you couldn't tell. Man, it really makes me want to hit the road again.
17 October 2012
Empty America: San Francisco without the People
Live in the city is bustling, but it can also be lonely.
Here's a fascinating and beautifully-made time-lapse video from Thrash Lab. It shows scenes from the beautiful city of San Francisco, but with all traces of living people removed. Imagine the amount of Photoshopping needed to pull this off. It's simply stunning. Bravo!
Watch San Francisco Time Lapse (Empty America) on Youtube.
Here's a fascinating and beautifully-made time-lapse video from Thrash Lab. It shows scenes from the beautiful city of San Francisco, but with all traces of living people removed. Imagine the amount of Photoshopping needed to pull this off. It's simply stunning. Bravo!
Watch San Francisco Time Lapse (Empty America) on Youtube.
A Look at the Greatest Journeys
For many of us intrepid travelers, the thrill of our journeys comes with breaking through into the unknown. The discovery of new places and meeting new people seems to evoke a sort of parallel self-discovery within ourselves. By putting ourselves in a new environment, we challenge ourselves to grow in some way. It's truly invigorating.
Some of the greatest journeys in history have done just that, pushing out into the frontier, and, in many cases, challenging the collective values and knowledge of society itself. For any full-time traveler, travel enthusiast, or aspiring traveler, learning about these historic journeys is fascinating, enriching, and inspiring.
And I just discovered a great interactive map, brought to you by the fine people at GOOD. Check it out, and enjoy: History's greatest journeys, from Magellan to Kerouac.
Some of the greatest journeys in history have done just that, pushing out into the frontier, and, in many cases, challenging the collective values and knowledge of society itself. For any full-time traveler, travel enthusiast, or aspiring traveler, learning about these historic journeys is fascinating, enriching, and inspiring.
And I just discovered a great interactive map, brought to you by the fine people at GOOD. Check it out, and enjoy: History's greatest journeys, from Magellan to Kerouac.
25 September 2012
Scotland Road Trip 3: Sunny Edinburgh, Lake District, and Total Exhaustion
It was the Sunday of our crammed weekend road trip to Scotland. After a full day of driving around the highlands and a night living up Edinburgh's nightlife, waking up at a decent hour was really not easy at all.
By some miracle we were up and ready around 11am. We left a few beers for our host with a thank you note scribbled on a paper plate, then we departed to do a quick exploration of Edinburgh itself.
Since I had visited Edinburgh previously (despite getting stranded in the city), I was the expert on the city and gave my friends the best 2-hour tour that I could muster. We started on the royal mile, not far from where we found a place to park the car (there was the Edinburgh Marathon finishing up that morning, which led to a lot of road closures and parking restrictions).
The warm and bright sun really contrasted the dark neo-gothic architecture of Edinburgh. It made it feel more like an amusement park than an actual city. Nevertheless, it is impossible to avoid being charmed by the history and Scottish culture around every corner.
We walked past St. Giles' Cathedral and all the way up to the castle itself. The castle was crowded with tourists, and we were strapped for time, so we didn't go inside. Also, the esplanade outside was largely roped off with construction as they were setting up large sets of bleacher seating. So, we walked down the stairs, passing by my previous hostel, the Castle Rock Hostel, which has a spectacular view looking directly upon the castle itself.
We proceeded down to the Grassmarket, where I explained the story of Maggie Dickinson. And then around to Greyfriars Kirk, where I told another great story, that of Greyfriars Bobby.
Not far from Greyfriars Kirk is the Elephant House, which proudly proclaims itself as the café where J.K. Rowling frequently sat as she wrote the first Harry Potter book. Here's the view of the castle from the back window. Think it would inspire you to write a world-famous story of wizardry?
Maybe a brilliantly sunny and warm day isn't the best day to experience the expected brooding, dark atmosphere of Scotland. Nevertheless, in this part of the world, you simply do not complain when the temperature is 27˚C and there is not a cloud in the sky! So, after taking a quick peek in the National Museum to see Dolly the Sheep, we wandered over to the Princes Street gardens. There, we joined the growing masses of people to soak up the ephemeral Scottish sunshine!
I got a small ice cream and an order of fries (always a winning combination!) and we relaxed for a few moments in the gorgeous gardens. But we couldn't waste the rest of the day, we had a long drive back to London ahead of us. And we had a few amazing stops along the way.
By some miracle we were up and ready around 11am. We left a few beers for our host with a thank you note scribbled on a paper plate, then we departed to do a quick exploration of Edinburgh itself.
Since I had visited Edinburgh previously (despite getting stranded in the city), I was the expert on the city and gave my friends the best 2-hour tour that I could muster. We started on the royal mile, not far from where we found a place to park the car (there was the Edinburgh Marathon finishing up that morning, which led to a lot of road closures and parking restrictions).
The warm and bright sun really contrasted the dark neo-gothic architecture of Edinburgh. It made it feel more like an amusement park than an actual city. Nevertheless, it is impossible to avoid being charmed by the history and Scottish culture around every corner.
We walked past St. Giles' Cathedral and all the way up to the castle itself. The castle was crowded with tourists, and we were strapped for time, so we didn't go inside. Also, the esplanade outside was largely roped off with construction as they were setting up large sets of bleacher seating. So, we walked down the stairs, passing by my previous hostel, the Castle Rock Hostel, which has a spectacular view looking directly upon the castle itself.
We proceeded down to the Grassmarket, where I explained the story of Maggie Dickinson. And then around to Greyfriars Kirk, where I told another great story, that of Greyfriars Bobby.
Not far from Greyfriars Kirk is the Elephant House, which proudly proclaims itself as the café where J.K. Rowling frequently sat as she wrote the first Harry Potter book. Here's the view of the castle from the back window. Think it would inspire you to write a world-famous story of wizardry?
Maybe a brilliantly sunny and warm day isn't the best day to experience the expected brooding, dark atmosphere of Scotland. Nevertheless, in this part of the world, you simply do not complain when the temperature is 27˚C and there is not a cloud in the sky! So, after taking a quick peek in the National Museum to see Dolly the Sheep, we wandered over to the Princes Street gardens. There, we joined the growing masses of people to soak up the ephemeral Scottish sunshine!
I got a small ice cream and an order of fries (always a winning combination!) and we relaxed for a few moments in the gorgeous gardens. But we couldn't waste the rest of the day, we had a long drive back to London ahead of us. And we had a few amazing stops along the way.
19 September 2012
Scotland Road Trip 2: Driving Around the Highlands
The weather was incredibly beautiful for the late May weekend thatwe were in Scotland. Remarkably, there was not a cloud in the sky, and the long late Spring days made for perfect sightseeing and traveling. As I awoke, I glimped outside my window and took in the splendor of Edinburgh and the hills surrounding the city.
After a long drive from London that didn't get us into Edinburgh until 3am, we understandably were a little slow to wake up for the first full day of our Scotland weekend. We picked up our other two travelmates (who were staying at another friend's place) and soon we were all on the road again.
It didn't take long outside of Edinburgh for the city to give way to countryside. Scotland is, after all, a mostly rural landscape. The motorway had a little congestion as we passed by construction, but all in all it was smooth sailing as we headed onwards toward our first destination: Stirling.
After a long drive from London that didn't get us into Edinburgh until 3am, we understandably were a little slow to wake up for the first full day of our Scotland weekend. We picked up our other two travelmates (who were staying at another friend's place) and soon we were all on the road again.
It didn't take long outside of Edinburgh for the city to give way to countryside. Scotland is, after all, a mostly rural landscape. The motorway had a little congestion as we passed by construction, but all in all it was smooth sailing as we headed onwards toward our first destination: Stirling.
07 September 2012
Scotland Road Trip 1: The Long Drive to Edinburgh
It was the last weekend of May when my flatmates and I made a weekend road trip from London to Scotland. It was a busy weekend full of things to do, but because of everyone's schedules, we couldn't leave until after work on Friday. Nevertheless, just the drive from London to Edinburgh on Friday night was a memorable adventure!
It should have been a relatively simple drive (by my American standards), only 7 hours by Google Maps. But the journey turned out to be more complicated: Figuring out how to get the rental car (all the way at Heathrow); dealing with rush-hour traffic; eating far more fried chicken than we should have; picking up a travelmate in Sheffield; and learning that I simply cannot drive a stick shift!
And so here goes the story of how an afternoon/evening drive turned into an all-night journey.
It should have been a relatively simple drive (by my American standards), only 7 hours by Google Maps. But the journey turned out to be more complicated: Figuring out how to get the rental car (all the way at Heathrow); dealing with rush-hour traffic; eating far more fried chicken than we should have; picking up a travelmate in Sheffield; and learning that I simply cannot drive a stick shift!
And so here goes the story of how an afternoon/evening drive turned into an all-night journey.
Time-Lapse Video: Road Trip Across the USA
I love time lapse videos, and I really love road trips. So having discovered this video, I feel obliged to share it! This guy drove across the USA, seeing many of the most iconic sights along the way. If you ever have the chance to make such a trip, do it! The size and diversity of landscapes in the States is almost overwhelming, and this video does a pretty good job of showing what you can see in your car.
(For best viewing, watch the video in fullscreen!)
05 September 2012
A Day in Cambridge
It was a cool and cloudy (typically English) May day when I traveled to Cambridge, one of the most historic and academically prestigious cities in the world.
I actually lucked into this trip, thanks once again to Couchsurfing: A fellow couchsurfer, Ethan from Taiwan, had two extra tickets to Cambridge because his two friends weren't able to make it to London in time. So he graciously posted, and I responded. I invited my friend Ziva (visiting from Slovenia) to come along with us.
I actually lucked into this trip, thanks once again to Couchsurfing: A fellow couchsurfer, Ethan from Taiwan, had two extra tickets to Cambridge because his two friends weren't able to make it to London in time. So he graciously posted, and I responded. I invited my friend Ziva (visiting from Slovenia) to come along with us.
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