Brace yourselves everyone, I’ve got some delightful news for you. Contrary to what you thought, that there were only four or five pandas left in the world…two of them at the Bronx Zoo…there are actually many more…well, a few more. According to this piece on (yes) happynews.com, a group of scientists used DNA samples to determine that their estimate of the wild panda population in a nature sanctuary in China was off by half. Good news for pandas everywhere. So how many are there…in this reserve? Looks like there are between 66 and 72 pandas in the Wanglang Nature Reserve. Wow, 66, they are breeding like flies.
Mind of a Demon on CBS
You might remember the podcast we did a while back with ocean explorer Fabien Cousteau. Fabien, the grandson of famed explorer and documentary personality Jacques Cousteau, discussed the making of his film The Mind of a Demon, a documentary account of his efforts to better understand the behavior of Great White Sharks through the very novel use of a shark submarine. Cousteau himself rides in the submarine, which has several cameras mounted inside, and he pilots the shark sub among wild Great Whites in Mexico.
Well, this whole story, which features some absolutely amazing footage (yes, I’ve seen it) is showing on CBS on Wednesday, June 28, and I highly recommend you watch it. If you want to whet your whistle, go over to the CBS site here and check out some video clips, photos and a nice write up of Fabien himself.
Put this on your calendar.
Seeing i-to-i
If you’re looking for a way to both travel and give back, you should consider a volunteer vacation. We’ve pointed out a few of these in the past, but there is one organization called i-to-i that a friend of mine recently called my attention to and merits a look. to only can you do the traditional type of work like building houses or saving a hippo’s habitat in Africa they also have other jobs related to media, marketing, or tourism related fields.
i-to-i has opportunities to volunteer at television stations in both Tegucigalpa, Honduras and Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. Perhaps working at the local radio station in Accra, Ghana might work for you? Or working at a TV station in Ulaan Baatar? All are possible if you do the research and spend some time finding the right opportuity for you.
GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of June 18
Time for another end of the week compilation of Gadling goodies you may have let slide by during the busy week. Here’s a look at some of our fav five once more:
5. Great Bistros:
Nothing rocks the socks off a well-seasoned traveler more than well-seasoned, savory, delectable, and toothsome cuisine from the locale they’re visiting. Agree? Neil points us to a Travel + Leisure piece on Great Bistros of Provence and if your mouth isn’t already watering from the suspense then perhaps you should hurry up and check it out now. Then let your senses and buds be taken by the delicious descriptions of all the yummy finds you’re missing in Provence.
4. Roadside America:
Long road trip planned through some pretty sparse areas of the country? Feel as if attractions are to few and far in between you and your final destination? Worry not – Erik kindly directs our attention to a life and road trip saving site called Roadside America. We’ve talked about it before on Gadling, but with summer here now you’ll want to plan ahead to so not to miss the World’s Largest Ball of Twine. Far out, right?
3. Roots Travel – African Ancestry:
Great, great way to plan a trip to Africa and possibly learn something about your family’s lineage. African Ancestry is a company helping individuals trace their DNA and find their roots. Too cool if you’re an African American or anyone who feels they may have an ounce of African blood in their family tree. I’m already on the bandwagon to discovering more about my own lineage.
2. World Refugee Day:
There is never enough to be said for the growing population of refugees and to highlight the contributions made by refugees worldwide there is World Refugee Day. Events don’t end on June 20 though. Read the blurb and find ways to lend your hand to refugees after the date.
1. How to Get it All Into One Bag:
Packing – one of the biggest pains in travel! Argh! Just when you think you’ve got it down to a science you do something boneheaded like pack (insert your very unnecessary item here) and find later that you’ve created one of the biggest headaches ever. Take a look at this piece inspired by the Onebag.com site here on Gadling and share some of your own packing fixes. I think this is one refresher we can all use.
Madrid to Kiev
I love it when people put up sites to chronicle their epic trips. These sites are often both useful travel guides and vicarious glimpses into another person’s daily life. Some of them are done better than others, and many are crap, especially when people don’t post frequently or neglect to post photos, which are half the fun. Well, a traveler named Lee is following in the footsteps of Director Werner Herzog…well, sort of. He’s kind of following the off-hand advice of Herzog who said that to become a filmmaker, you should forget going to school, but take a long walk, say, from Madrid to Kiev. Hence the name of his site, Madridtokiev.com. And so apparently, this trip, which we get to see through dispatches and some video, is Lee’s excuse for film school. Good luck to him.