Travelling abroad has always consisted of destinations that most people visit often, mostly because they have been talked about so much. So, visiting places that are not on the usual traveller’s itinerary can be a daunting task. Windhoek, the capital of Namibia is one such place that most people would not even have heard of. The city is located on a plateau and with an amazing temperate climate, has many sights to offer.

The city may not be as bustling as is neighbours in South Africa like Johannesburg or Cape Town, but it has its share of beauty. The land of Herero and the Nama, the city has a heavy German influence. Colonization has changed the face of this city and you could spend hours strolling down the Independence Avenue. The city is small and you could easily walk around and enjoy the soft Southern African sunshine.

Moreover, it is a great place to plan your journey into the hinterlands of Namibia and its varied landscapes. Shopping for tribal artefacts, antiques, photographs, clothes and trying African food are some of the activities that you could indulge in. I would say, never ignore a place just because it is not spoken of much. Windhoek is connected to London and Frankfurt, and also to Johannesburg by air.

Official Site of Windhoek

We thought Incheon would be the center of attraction and the newsmaker from South Korea for its fabulous new stadium that is slated to take shape for the 2014 Asian Games, but it seems a small quiet place called Yanggu seems to have just created a bigger bang. A bang that is big enough to earn it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records! Nestled quietly in the crossroads of Central Road in Yanggu of Gangwon Province is the World’s most valuable sundial and the folk at Guinness headquarters have just confirmed the news. The 17th Century Yi Dynasty replica sundial is made of 18 tons of bronze, 2 kg of pure gold and 2.3 kg of 18k gold plating and took over 6 months to complete.

Estimated at $667,225.08 worth, the sundial stands proudly on top of the crossroads in the city of Yanggu and has now made this previously relatively-obscure South Korean city internationally renowned overnight. Till the day someone else in another corner of the world decide to make a more expensive Sundial by pouring in a bit more gold and adding a few diamonds for extra bling, Yanggu can proudly stake claim to the record… So how about flying to Seoul for now!

Luxurylaunches

There are far-flung places on Earth that have been abandoned by humans. Humans had been there before but extreme environmental conditions made them pack their precious belongings and head to more humanly-receptive climes. Here are some of those abandoned wonders:

On the western tip of the Scottish Outer Hebrides is the ‘most windswept, storm-tossed part of Britain with waves up to 5 meters high and recorded windspeeds as high as 130 mph.’ This is the archipelago of St. Kilda, forty miles into the Atlantic Ocean, and owning one of the most ‘monstrously rugged’ terrains on the planet. It is also one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Northern Siberia has otherwise been known for its erstwhile utility as the location of the detention and forced labor camps of the former Soviet Union. This place that is more associated with the term ‘gulag’ is an arctic or subarctic environment. No one would dare live in the place if only because 18 million people were once ‘victims of cold, hunger and inhumanly hard labor’ at the site. One million people are estimated to have died there.

The most uninhabited and uninhabitable ghost town in remotest Ethiopia has an average yearly temperature of 34°C (94°F). During summer, the temperature does not go lower than 40°C. It’s a veritable oven on Earth. Dallol, found in the farthest corner of northern Ethiopia’s Afar Depression, has no connecting roads.

Via WebUrbanist

Long gone are the days when shipping or transporting your bicycle gave you massive headaches and a pity for your loved bike. Scicon Technical Bags, a company dedicated towards the creation of hassle free and protective travel bags have announced the launch of an all new protective bicycle case, designed and developed especially for air transportation.

Known as Aerotech Evolution, this one of a kind bicycle case allows you to place your dismantled bikes in the case in an elegant and a safe way. The Aerotech Evolution helps protect your bikes and its parts from shocks and knocks while its in transit via air transport.

The Aerotech Evolution protective bicycle case is made of ABS plastic, that is capable of handling anything from a free fall to a dent into the skin of the case and yet is able to protect the case’s contents.

Via Core 77 & Like Cool.

National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations comes out with the results of its sixth annual “Destinations Rated” compilation. The scoring was done by an ‘independent panel of 437 experts in fields from historic preservation and sustainable tourism to travel writing and archaeology to assess 133 iconic places around the world.’

The scoring was based on the following six criteria: environmental and ecological quality, social and cultural integrity, condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites, aesthetic appeal, quality of tourism management, and outlook for the future.

First Place in the Best Destination category was received by the Fjord Region of Norway where the Norwegian rural life is still well-preserved. As one panelist put it, “The short tourist season, rugged terrain, limited population, and inherent sensitivity of the locals to the environment bode well for the fjord region.”

Second Place goes to Kootenay and Yoho Parks in British Columbia, Canada. The sites are described to be unspoiled and ‘essentially wilderness.’ Many of the expert panelists commended the ‘low levels of development in the parks and on their thoughtful management.’

Third Place is a tie between the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, Canada and the South Island of New Zealand. Ancient Kyoto in Japan grabbed the Fourth Place recognition, while the Fifth Place is a four-way tie among the Kakadu National Park in Australia, Medieval Granada and the Alhambra in Spain, Slovenia, and Vermont.

Occupying a low 42nd Place among the destinations rated is St. Maarten/St.Martin which is described as ‘a typical mass-market tourism disaster.’ 43rd Place goes to Cabo San Lucas Region in Mexico. 44th Place is the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas. 45th Place is Bethlehem in the West Bank. Costa del Sol in Spain grabbed the 46th Place.

Via National Geographic

Japan can be an amazingly weird place, to begin and end with. The country of the rising sun has its share of surprises and sometimes, the surprises can actually seem to be getting a little too far. Kashiwa Mystery Cafe in southern Japan is a chic and luxurious looking restaurant which can be mistaken for any regular upmarket restaurant in Tokyo.

However, looks can be deceiving and when you order for something, you would most certainly not get it, and if you complain to the manager, he might tell you that what you ordered would be given to someone else! If you are freaking out already, the idea behind this restaurant is to order food for the next customer while you get what the previous customer asked for.

So, even if you do not like what you get, you will have to politely gobble it down! However, food always needs to be adventurous and hence this could actually be a great idea to try something that you never would! This bizarre restaurant is a must-visit place in Japan, whenever you visit the country!

Via: Gadling

The two companies have tied up with Edmiston to design a helicopter for use exclusively on luxury yachts. Named EC155 B1 Dauphin, it is apparently fitted with the most modern and effective autopilot.

It has a medium twin-engine and features external designs inspired by the contours of ocean waves, interior teak flooring, leather wrap-around adjustable seats with carbon fibre back shells, fold-down central armrests, ‘floating’ LCD screens and headphones all add to complete the ultimate luxury transport vehicle.

Nautical technology advances rapidly. And aviation innovations to suit water transport are becoming more a need in the race to luxury. The yacht friendly copter’s designs are inspired by the contours of ocean waves.

The companies came together to make the new copter with the core belief that a true expedition vessel cannot really do without a helicopter. The day may not be far when every luxury yacht owner craves for a copter, and it becomes unthinkable to have yachts without copters.

Via: Synfo

Hazlitt’s in Soho is one of the two hotels in London and was named after the English essayist and critic, William Hazlitt, who lived there in the 19th Century when the building was a boarding house.  Made from three 18th Century townhouses, the hotel carries the rich and exquisite decor reminiscent of those times.

The bedrooms of the Hazlitt’s are named after people who have some connection with the building, mostly by having lived there. These stunning images are of the Cornelys room named after Mrs. Teresa Cornelys who had been a Venetian opera singer and later organised concerts at the Carlisle House in Soho Square. Done up in earthy colours of rich browns, tans, reds and oranges, the Cornelys room is filled with Georgian period furniture, bookcases, mini-bar and paintings (including one of Mrs. Cornelys herself).

Guaranteed to transport you right back in time to when Mrs. Cornelys had an affair with the famed Casanova, the ambience of the room will drown you in romantic thoughts. The furniture are further adorned with gilded carvings, hand carved gilded cherubs, gothic clubfoots and more. Next to the fireplace, a vanity table is hidden behind the panelling and the whole room is cast in soft lighting. The air-conditioned room is subtly fitted with the latest in hi-tech luxuries with a flat screen TV, Blu-ray play, stereo, and complimentary Wi-Fi. The bathroom has its own staircase and inside is a slightly disconcerting throne-like wooden toilet. The modern shower, beautiful fittings, and Ren toileteries would make up for any unease.

 Stay at the Hazlitt’s can cost anywhere between £210–£300 for one of their 23 rooms.

Via: Notcot

We know that “Change is inevitable.” Every society is ever at a constant flux. Gone are the days when the public would rush madly to the newly built shopping mall to shop or eat or to have some fun or entertainment. Gradually, most people seem to prefer things that are unique and would surprise them often.

With change, come the Pop-Up stores in the forms of bars, clubs, shops and restaurants in unexpected locations. They often tend to create a lot of news and draw people’s attention rather copiously. However, many of them also get disappeared even before people hardly notice them.

Well, if you happen to visit Paris anytime soon, then you cannot miss this one gorgeous pop-up-restaurant called “Le Palais de Tokyo” designed by Pascal Grasso. From this restaurant, you can get a beautiful view of the world famous Eiffel Tower and Seine. Without any doubts, this restaurant is a purely romantic one per se.

I would just love to go there and have a sumptuous meal and enjoy the beautiful view. The restaurant however, can accommodate only 12 customers as it has only 12 seats. It works well for me as I prefer less crowded eateries.

Via: PascalGrasso\BlogSpot

There is a very cool bit of news that we need to share with you fellas. The Harrisons, which includes Bill, Amarins and their three daughters aged 3, 4 and 6 are on their way to Alaska on a quint bicycle. This one is a 14.5-ft. long two-wheeler that has driven these folks hailing from Renfro Valley in Kentucky to go on this wonderful adventure.

The only supplies that the Harrisons have with them are the stuff they can carry on the bicycle which also includes a tent. But recently they had a stopover at the Oneida Guest House to celebrate the couple’s wedding anniversary.

The family is now on its way to the Atlantic Coast via the Carolinas. And once they get there, they will move to Florida from Southwest by way of the Southeast and will eventually take the path along the Pacific Coast to Alaska. They are planning to reach their final destination by August 2010 where they will stay for another year only to return to Renfro Valley by 2012. Boy, now that’s the family adventure we all had bee waiting for!

Via tnhunting