NASA Tells Us Why The World Won’t End With The Mayan Calendar Next Week

by Kraig Becker on

December 21, 2012, is a day that has been circled on the calendars of conspiracy theorists and doomsday soothsayers for quite some time now. That’s the day that the Mayan Calendar comes to an end, which has led some to believe that the world will be snuffed out along with it. If you buy into any of these theories, you’re probably already preparing for the end in whatever way you find most suitable, whether that means finding peace with your maker or preparing to party like it is literally your last day on Earth.

Before you do anything too rash, like go on a “there is no tomorrow” shopping spree or give away all of your worldly possessions, you may want to have a look at this video. It comes our way courtesy of NASA and explains in four short minutes exactly why the world isn’t coming to an end next week. It turns out that much like our own modern calendar, the Mayan version isn’t actually ending so much as it’s just rolling over to begin again. The rocket scientists (no, really they are!) at the space agency are so confident that we’ll all be here the day after the predicted cataclysmic event that they’ve even post-dated the video for December 22.

This is good news for anyone who has been reluctant to make any long-term plans for post 12/21/2012. If you’ve been holding off on booking that trip for next year or even buying gifts for the holidays, I think it’s safe to say you can feel free to go out on a limb. NASA has you covered.

[Photo Credit: Kraig Becker]


Video Of The Day: Close Encounters Of The Humpback Kind

by Libby Zay on

People travel far and wide to see whales in their own habitat, and it’s not uncommon for the majestic mammals to take notice of visitors and do a little showing off for them. In the home video above, however, a father and son are treated to the sight of an entire pod of humpback whales doing just that. It’s unclear exactly where the video was shot, but it’s evident that the whales are watching the humans, and not the other way around.

Caution: the audio on the video can get a little intense on this one (and includes a curse or two), so if you’re at the office or around children you might want to turn the speakers off.

El Al Gets Creative In New Economy Plus Promo

by McLean Robbins on



El Al Airlines has gotten creative – and pretty hilarious – in a promo video for their new Economy Plus seating. The video, above, made us laugh, as it mocks the crazy excuses people use to get upgrades, ranging from false pregnancies to fake names.

What do you think?

Psst, they’re also having a contest.

“Like” their Facebook page for a chance to win two round-trip economy plus tickets to Israel. No excuses needed.

Airline Liquor Bottles To Be Replaced With Robot Bartender

by Chris Owen on

Feel like cracking the cap of a mini airline liquor bottle in flight? You better hurry; the skies could be filled with robot-like bartenders soon.

The Skytender Trolley dispenses hot and cold drink options without the cabin crew having to pour and open traditional drink containers for passengers. Flight attendants using the system are able to serve hot and cold drink items like juices, soft drinks, cocktails and hot drinks in less time.

Airlines and passengers will like the more efficient operation, enabling cabin crew to serve more people, faster. Skytender can produce 235 drinks out of 100 or more available flavors. Cabin crew can forget about making coffee or going back and forth to the aircraft galley for water refills as Skytender holds 30 liters of hot and cold water too.

In the works for several years, Skytender Trolley went along on its first ever commercial flight on German airline WDL Aviation flying from Cologne to Palma Majorca with in-flight caterer LSG Sky Chefs along for the ride.

“Our first ever test flight was a complete success, the system operated as expected and we have generated even more interest in our innovative product,” said Oliver Kloth of Skymax in a Travel Daily News article, adding “the passengers were extremely pleased with the beverage options and most importantly the quality and speed of service.”

Want to see the Skytender Trolley in action? Check this video:



[Photo Credit: Flickr user Eph Zero]

Visiting Iraq: The Practicalities

by Sean McLachlan on


Will Iraq become the next big adventure travel destination?

Short answer: Not yet.

Long answer:

At the moment most of Iraq is closed to solo travel. The Iraqi government has authorized only a few group tour companies such as Hinterland Travel and Babel Tours. These tours have a set itinerary and offer very little freedom for individual movement. This is not the fault of the tour operators. The security situation dictates that the government approves the itinerary ahead of time. Our translator had to carry a ream of official papers to get us into each stop on our itinerary.

In addition, guards from the Interior Ministry accompany each group. I had a bit of friction with these guys. I wanted to stop and talk to people, or wander off on my own when I felt the situation was safe enough. They didn’t like that.

Group travel in Iraq does offer some advantages. The distances are long and having a bus to take you to the far-flung sites is very convenient. Having a translator along was another important asset. Plus the tour company handled all the visas. The group visa is approved ahead of time in Baghdad and the tour company sends you a copy of the approval letter. The visa itself is picked up at Baghdad airport. Anyone who has traveled extensively in the Middle East knows what a hassle the bureaucracy can be. It was nice to have someone else deal with that for once.

The first question on everybody’s mind, of course, is safety. Iraq felt far safer than I thought it would. I ditched the guards and took a solo stroll through Baghdad and went on a beer run in Basra with no trouble. Bad idea? Maybe, but most of my best memories have come from bad ideas.While Iraq was safer than I thought, it wasn’t as safe as I hoped. At times I was glad to have those guards around. In some places like Nasiriyah and the Sunni Triangle we got nasty stares. Only once did we face open hostility, when an old woman at the house of Imam Ali started chucking rocks at us. She was too far away to hit us and the police quickly shooed her away. The incident was depressing rather than frightening.

Our tour leader Geoff Hann says the security situation is improving. He’s been coming to Iraq for years and on our trip he kept commenting that there were fewer checkpoints and fewer troubles with the police. Considering the numerous waits we had at checkpoints (once for two hours) I have to wonder what his previous trips were like. Hann and other observers say there will probably be solo travel in Iraq in the next few years. Of course the security situation could change tomorrow so it’s probably best not to make any predictions.

The one major exception to all this is Kurdistan, which is open to individual travel already. It is far safer and more stable than central Iraq. This is not to say that it’s like visiting Belgium. Travelers should still register with their embassy and use caution and common sense.

Like with most adventure travel destinations, travelers need to come to Iraq prepared. Hinterland Travel provided us with a long list of medications to bring along. The pharmacies turned out to be pretty good, but it’s better to be on the safe side. Mineral water is a must, as is sunscreen. Even in the winter the heat could be punishing.

Those willing to brave the dangers and inconveniences of traveling in Iraq will be richly rewarded. As this series has shown, there’s an incredible amount to see, from famous ancient cities like Ur and Babylon to beautiful mosques in places like Najaf and Karbala. The best, the most important, part of any trip is the people. The Iraqis didn’t disappoint me. The vast majority loved the fact that I was there. Over and over again people came to welcome me to their country. As for the minority who gave me poison stares and that one woman who chucked stones, who knows what they’ve been through? I can’t judge them. Maybe when I pass down their street again five years from now they’ll give me a second chance.

Don’t miss the rest of my series, “Destination: Iraq,” chronicling my 17-day journey across this strife-ridden country in search of adventure, archaeology and AK-47s.

[Image courtesy Wikipedia]