Steep Steps via A Welsh View
Good luck trying to climb these steps. [via]...
Good luck trying to climb these steps. [via]... 10 Most Expensive Hotel Suites via A Welsh View
Prices range from $14,658 to $29,254.96 a night and include amenities such as a private chef, seven bathrooms, a 22-karat gold chandelier and a wine cabinet containing 150 bottles of wine, here are the 10 most expensive hotel suites. [via]... Gnome Takes Trip Around The World via A Welsh View
A gnome has spent almost 12 months travelling around the world to countries such as South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong and Laos.
The gnome disappeared from his home in Gloucester, England and was photographed on his travels around the globe. His owners had thought that he had been stolen by students from a local college and were surprised when he turned up on their doorstep along with a photo album chronicling his travels. More photos here.... A Tour Of An Emirates Airbus A380 via A Welsh View
Telstar
Telstar Logisitcs has posted an in-depth tour (with photos and videos) of the Emirates' first Airbus A380 complete with shower spa! [via]... Olympic Shrubbery at the Beijing Botanical Garden via A Welsh View
Image via Inhabitat
Inhabitat.com has posted some photos of some real works of art at the Beijing Botanical Garden.... Diners Flock To Flooded Restaurant In China via A Welsh View
The owner of a flooded restaurant in China scrapped plans to close it down - after business picked up.
The heaviest rains in 50 years flooded the restaurant and after word spread quickly, they were struggling to keep up with the orders.
"It's very cool. Not only in temperature, but also for a fun new way of having a meal," said one diner. Link... Video: World’s FIrst Sandcastle Hotel via A Welsh View
The world's first ever sand hotel has been made in Dorset and is accepting its first guests for £10 a night.
It took 1,000 tonnes of sand and a team of four sculptors working 14 hours a day for seven days to build the structure on Weymouth beach.
Guests can book to stay in the hotel, which includes beds made out of sand, until the rain washes it away.
Those who checked in today probably should have checked the weather as the hotel has probably washed away.
More photos here....
The 10 Most Comfortable Airline Economy Seats via A Welsh View
Geekabout.com discusses economy seats on airlines and it looks like I'm going to be cramped on my BA flight to San Francisco. [via]... Baldwin Street, The Steepest Street In The World via A Welsh View
With an incline of 1:2.86 or 19 degrees, Baldwin Street in New Zealand is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the steepest street in the world. More photos here.... How to Travel by Cargo Ship via A Welsh View
The Traveller's Notebook has a fascinating guide to travelling by cargo ship. I didn't realise that it was possible to travel by cargo ship, at least comfortably. It's not cheap though. It can cost between $80-$140 a day.
And if you are feeling adventurous you can travel around the world. The trip takes between 110-120 days and takes you to Papeete in Tahiti, various sparsely populated and unspoiled islands in the South Pacific, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Singapore then via the Suez Canal, before returning to Europe. There isn't a price listed on the website but it's probably not cheap.... The Sphinx, From Behind via A Welsh View
It doesn't look as impressive from this angle. As I've never been there, I didn't realise just how close the Sphinx and the pyramids are to Cairo (see map)... World’s Scariest Runways via A Welsh View
The 10 scariest runways in the world. I agree with some of them but I'm not sure why JFK is listed when this airport isn't.... Pictures From The Sky via A Welsh View
Lots more stunning photos here.... Video: South Pole Tour via A Welsh View
A tour of the South pole that features the South Pole marker and the 'ceremonial South Pole'....
10 Spectacular Cockpit Photos via A Welsh View
10 stunning photos from aeroplane cockpits. [via]... Video: Business Class and Blow Jobs via A Welsh View
What a great sales pitch....
The Top 20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai via A Welsh View
A detailed list of 20 reasons why you wouldn't want to move to Dubai. Too hot, no beer, expensive, no proper address system, strange weekends... [via]...
MapJack - A Much Better Version of Google Street View via A Welsh View
MapJack is a great mapping tool that I came across today that is similar to Google Street View but much better. It's limited to just a few locations at the moment (San Francisco, Sausalito, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and Chiang Mai, Thailand) but the quality of images is much better than those found on Street View. It'll be a great tool for me when planning my trip to San Francisco.... Video: Google Earth Tour Of Disney World via A Welsh View
Frank Taylor from the Google Earth blog has made a 3 minute video that takes you on a tour of Disney World....
Happy Birthday Golden Gate Bridge via A Welsh View
© Thomas Hawk
On May 27th, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco officially opened to pedestrian traffic. 200,000 people crossed by foot and roller skate and the following day, vehicles were allowed to use the bridge. When it opened the bridge was the longest suspension bridge span in the world and it cost $26 million.
Wired has an article about the bridge as well as Wikipedia.
The photo above was taken by the excellent photographer and Bay Area resident Thomas Hawk....... Can Jet Lag Kill You? via A Welsh View
Apparently, in 1971 a woman died from jet lag after taking 160 consecutive trans-Atlantic flights.
One day in 1971, a woman called Sarah Krasnoff made off with her 14-year-old grandson, who was caught up in an unseemly custody dispute, and took him into the sky. In a plane, she knew, they were subject to no laws, and if they never stopped moving, the law could never catch up with them. They flew from New York to Amsterdam. When they arrived, they turned around and flew from Amsterdam to New York. Then they flew from New York to Amsterdam again, and from Amsterdam to New York, again and again and again, month after month.
They took about 160 flights in all, one after the other, according to the stage piece "Jet Lag." They saw 22 movies an average of seven times each. They ate lunch...
Space Needle Gets A Clean via A Welsh View
Image via KOMOTV
KOMOTV.com has an article about the Space Needle in Seattle getting a clean - it's first professional clean since 1962. It also has a bunch of photos of the cleaning which takes place predominantly at night....... Shoe shopping via Mutterings for the Minority
Oh what a day. I've never liked shoe shopping, not even for myself and I simply can't understand why so many women (in particular) do. Anyway, where am I going with this?Well it quickly became very apparent today that DDWT Junior is certainly following in his dad's footsteps (no pun intended) with his immense dislike for shoe shopping as well! Trouble was, it was for him we were doing the shopping.To make matters worse, we needed shoes and trainers for him - so we were going to have our work cut out. I won't bore you with the details of a marathon 4 hour shoe shopping session - where tempers flared on several occasions, but we got there in the end.My pockets are nigh on £55 lighter (for size 11 children's shoes!) but at least we got the job done and the little fella is happy with...
How To Pack A Suitcase via A Welsh View
Image via OneBag.com
It seems my careful folding of individual items when packing a suitcase is completely wrong. I should be 'bundle wrapping'. This detailed guide from OneBag.com shows you how to pack your suitcase or bag more efficiently whilst reducing creasing. They've also got a useful diagram....... How To Protect The World’s Longest Desert Road From Being Buried via A Welsh View
Fogonazos has posted some photos showing the Tarim Desert Highway in China (view Google map). The total length of the highway is 552km with approximately 446km of the highway cross uninhabited areas covered by shifting sand dunes.
Built in 1995 to move oil from the Tarim Basin, China's largest inland basin, the highway has been lined with a 60-metre-wide tree belt along the route provided with a massive irrigation system which pump water for the vegetation.
The aim of the tree belt is to prevent the sand from covering the highway. It is maintained by workers who living in blue houses every 4km. Between them they plant 2 million rose willows, sacsaoul and buckthorn. It's a very lonely job that requires workers to live in the houses for at least 2 years.
There is more information as... San Francisco Fleet Week via A Welsh View
I have a feeling I've posted these photos before but if so I'm posting them again. They were taken at last year's Fleet Week in San Francisco.
I've just booked a trip to San Francisco (for a birthday celebration but I won't tell you how old;o), and it happens to coincide with the 2008 Fleet Week. Seeing as I've got similar kit to what was used to take the photos I'm hoping that I'll be able to take some great shots. If you've been to a past Fleet Week, have you got any tips on good vantage points? I'm going to be in the city for the practice shows and the air shows, are the practice shows similar to the actual air shows?
Whilst on the subject of San Francisco/California, is Santa Cruz worth a visit? I'm planning on driving further south for a few days after visiting San Francisco to... Great Wall Of China Panorama via A Welsh View
Stunning!...... Gillingham v Swansea City via Mutterings for the Minority
The Swans finally sealed promotion to the Coca Cola Championship with a 2-1 win at Gillingham and I was there!Full details of the my day on tour with the Dieters Bar Jacks to follow...
What It’s Like To Be A Hotel Concierge via A Welsh View
The Sunday Times article has got a really interesting article on what it's like to be a concierge in a posh London hotel. Apparently when a guest calls to ask for an extra pillow it's code for asking for a......