Transmongolia – Part Three: the Road to China

by Stephen Greenwood on
Transmongolia: Part Three – Click above to watch video after the jump

As soon as dawn broke, I could hear rustling coming from the other tents scattered around the convoy of rally cars. Bitter cold winds whipping across the open desert prevented me from moving or making any attempt to unzip my sleeping bag, but we needed to get moving in order to cover as much ground as possible.

The night before had been an impromptu birthday celebration for a rallyer named Andrew; now 25 years old. We sat around a campfire, listening to iPod playlists blasting from one car’s deceivingly powerful sound system, sipping on flasks of Russian-made vodka to keep warm. Under the most vivid blanket of stars I’ve seen in my life, I couldn’t help but smile at the fact that I was getting to celebrate a stranger’s birthday with a group of new friends, hours away from any familiar form of civilization.

As we set off, I began to accept and adapt to my new environment for the next week; the ambulance’s olive colored walls, coated with dust that seemed to stream in from all directions, shuddering relentlessly – it was everything I had ever hoped my Mongol Rally experience would be.


Transmongolia – Part Three: the Road to China

Climbing into higher elevation, our convoy’s engines struggled to climb up long sections of mountain switchbacks and cross picturesque streams. Apart from a few lone nomads on horses and the occasional yurt far in the distance, the only evident signs of life were the goats and yaks that grazed the open landscape.

After hours of forward progress, we came upon our first Mongolian prayer flag; a bright blue piece of cloth in the center of a pile of rocks. The Buddhist practice calls upon travelers to circle the rocks three times and add a stone to the pile; ensuring safe travels and good spirits to accompany those who trek that path.

For us, it was a welcome excuse to get out of the car and move before settling in for another hour of being tossed around, so we vowed to stop at every flag we saw – little did we know that their frequency would dramatically increase as we moved closer to Ulaanbaatar.

Riding in the back, staring out the small side window, I suddenly heard a loud gasp from up front. ‘Well look what we found!!” was all I could hear over Olive’s wheels striking rocks and shifting from side to side. Then, out of nowhere – silence. No vibration. Just silky smooth, freshly paved, blacker-than-the-night-sky asphalt (or ashphelt if you’re Australian, apparently).

We couldn’t believe it, but we were too eager to. Driving at an unbelievable speed of 80 km/h, we forged ahead in any direction that the magic strip of tar would take us. That is, until we started realizing that our compass needle wasn’t pointed in exactly the right direction and that there was an alarming amount of construction equipment with Chinese lettering on it.

Stopping to seek advice from several locals that communicated mostly via gestures and pointing to our worn-out map, we confirmed that we were heading toward the Chinese town of Altai rather than our intended destination of Altai in Mongolia. Just a couple of hours and we would have been face to face with some imaginably unimpressed Chinese officials.

Not only would we have to retrace hundreds of miles, but we’d have to abandon the beautiful asphalt road and forge a new, unknown path to try and cut some time off our overzealous mistake.

With no other option, we forged ahead – hoping we’d calculated our direction correctly this time, venturing further into the middle of nowhere.

For more information about the Mongol Rally, including how to sign up for the 2012 rally or tips for entrants outside the EU, visit the Adventurist’s website – or view the Adventurists’ 2011 trailer here!

Transportation was made possible by the scholars & gentlemen at the Adventurists. No editorial content or opinions were guaranteed, and nor was anyone’s safety or hygiene.

Holiday gifts for food (and drink)-loving travelers

by Laurel Miller on

Holiday shopping is easy if the people on your list like to eat and/or imbibe. If they’re into travel–be it armchair or the real deal–the options are endless This year, think beyond the predictable bottle of wine or pricey “artisan” cookies and give reusable, portable, eco-friendly gifts or small-batch edibles that are the taste equivalent of a trip abroad.

As for where to get these items, look at farmers and flea markets, street fairs, specialty food shops, wineries/distilleries, and boutiques. One of my favorite spots to shop: foreign supermarkets.

For the green at heart

An inflatable wine bag is ideal for wine and spirit-loving travelers. They’re multi-use and work equally well for olive oil, vinegar, or other fluid specialty products.

A logo tote bag (preferably made from recycled materials) from a specialty food shop, winery, etc. is great for practical recipients. A co-worker recently brought me a signature navy blue number from Neal’s Yard Dairy, a famous cheese shop in London. In two months, it’s traveled to South America and across the U.S., doing time as a souvenir satchel, laundry and grocery bag, and all-purpose carry-on. When I don’t need it, i just roll it up and stash it in my duffel bag or day pack. Love it.

Gift a wine key (opener) salad tongs or bowl, chopsticks, or other kitchen utensils made from local, sustainable materials such as wood, antler, bone, bamboo, or shell. Do a quick online search or ask (I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: phrasebooks) about the origins of said object. If you have any qualms about the eco-aspect, don’t buy it and let the shopkeeper know why.

[Photo credit: Flickr user noramunro]Drink coasters are always appreciated. I’ve picked up woven palm versions in Indonesia, as well as purchased colorful Portuguese azuelos tiles for this use. If the country or region you’re visiting is famous for its leather, woodwork, ceramics, or even recycled metal handicrafts, you’ll probably find a nice, inexpensive set of coasters. Again, be sure they’re made from sustainable materials.

Vintage kitchenware–even if it’s not functional–can be a great gift, especially if your intended is a collector. Salt-and-pepper shakers, wine openers, cheese knives, a set of Melamine bowls: hit up antique stores or street fairs, because you’re sure to find treasures at affordable prices.

For the adventurer

A pocketknife or plastic folding knife from a famous cheese shop or winery is indispensable to hikers, campers, foragers, and DIYer’s who enjoy a good picnic while on the road. Just make sure your loved ones aren’t the type who don’t check their bags when they fly. A mini-cutting board of wood/bamboo or slate is also a nice gift.

Know someone who’s into mountaineering or other high-altitude pursuits? Coca leaf tea (or for a less effective but more entertaining option, caramels or hand candy) really works, and it’s legal.

For the locavore

If you have a friend of the “Eat local/Support family farms” variety, a gift from your travels can still fit the mold. Whenever and wherever I travel, I make a point of purchasing local, handcrafted foodstuffs: jam or other preserves, honey, cheese, candy. What I buy depends upon where I am and whether or not I have to abide (cough, cough) by customs regulations or have access to refrigeration.

If customs and temperature aren’t an issue, consider a gift of cheese, charcuterie, or even some spectacular produce (A would-be suitor once presented me with a tiny disc of goat cheese and one perfect peach before I departed on a flight; I wasn’t into the guy but loved the thoughtfulness of his gift).

If you you’re looking for a shelf-stable product, some suggestions: leatherwood, manuka, or tupelo honey (from Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Florida Panhandle, respectively); sea salt (I love the red alaea salt from Hawaii); Argentinean dulce de leche; drinking chocolate; real maple syrup; dried chiles or posole from New Mexico; palm sugar from Indonesia; spices from India or Morocco; Spanish saffron or paella rice–look for Calasparra or Bomba from Valencia; Provencal chestnut cream; Italian tomato paste or canned sardines (canned tuna from overseas is very often not from a sustainable fishery); barbecue or hot sauce; heirloom dried beans; stoneground grits…

I particularly like to buy items grown/produced by farmer co-ops but unless they’re manufactured for export or are a dried good, beware. A jar of manjar (the Chilean version of dulce de leche) I purchased from a tiny bakery wasn’t sealed properly, and was contaminated with mold when opened. Botulism or other foodborne illness is not a thoughtful gift (although I suppose it’s better to give than receive…), so make sure you’re getting professionally packaged goods.

[Photo credits: wine opener, Flickr user corktiques; honey, Laurel Miller]

On a tight budget this year? Make your own edible gifts based upon your recipient’s interests, favorite holiday spot, or ethnic heritage. Check out the below clip for an easy holiday recipe; bonus points if you know where Moravia is.

10 best art hotels for creative travelers

by Jessica Festa on

Sometimes when traveling, the average hotel can get a little boring. Why not try something unique and artistic on your next trip? These ten hotels don’t just hang paintings on the walls, they make guests feel as if they’re staying in a real life work of art.

Daddy Long Legs Independent Travellers Hotel
Cape Town, South Africa

The designers of Daddy Long Legs had independent, creative backpackers in mind when building the property. Staying here is like being inside an interactive art exhibition, with unique rooms decorated by artists, poets, photographers, musicians, and designers who had free range to do whatever they pleased. The result is a mix of funny, ironic, and adventurous themed hotel rooms. Some room examples include:

  • the Freshroom- This is the only room to be commissioned by a commercial product. Guests can expect a retro Mentos theme, including a blinds with a pinup of Mona Lisa holding a pack of Mentos, circular raised wallpaper, and furniture adorned with 2,500 rolls of Mentos mints.
  • Far From Home- This room makes guests feel as if they are in the Karoo Wilderness by turning photographs of the region into wallpaper.
  • The Photo Booth (pictured above)- This room contains 3,240 images that are geared around the theme of “life”.

The Henry Jones Art Hotel
Tasmania, Australia

The Henry Jones Art Hotel is a unique hotel offering first class accommodations. Australia’s first art hotel, Henry Jones features original contemporary artworks by emerging and established Tasmanian artists. Sculptures, design pieces, paintings, prints, photographs and more can be perused in the rooms, restaurants, bars, and public spaces, and some of it can even be purchased. For guests who want the full art experience, take a guided tour through the hotel to get a closer look at the range of works as well as the historical overview.

Hotel des Arts
San Francisco, California

The Hotel des Arts is located in the French Quarter and presents the contemporary work of local artists. Guests will not only look at art, but interact with it. Staying in one of the hotel’s Painted Rooms will immerse you in your choice of imaginative installations or edgy graffiti from floor to ceiling. And, if that’s not enough, there is an art gallery on premises that hosts an array of creative exhibitions.

Gladstone Hotel
Toronto, Canada

The Gladstone Hotel is more than just an accommodation; it’s an ongoing experiment that intertwines urban development and cultural entrepreneurship. Along with being a values driven business with a green philosophy, the property also promotes art. Artists created unique themes for each room, a few of which include:

  • The Biker Room (pictured right)- This room features furniture and adornments influenced by motorcycle culture.
  • The Map Room- The goal of the artist was to have guests create their own view Toronto by engaging with the room’s features. For instance, the headboard and ceiling chart the surrounding streets, while a line drawing in the bathroom depicts the nearby ferry route and street grid.
  • The Felt Room- This room is based on the material and the idea behind it. Associated with modern industrialization, felt is rich in scope and can be worked as a surface as well as a structure.

New Majestic Hotel
Singapore, South East Asia

The New Majestic Hotel includes 30 rooms, all designed by artists whose creations were made specifically for the accommodation. While some rooms may contain hidden messages in the art work that can only be read when laying in bed or sitting in the bathtub, others are more flashy with mirrors making up the walls and ceiling. There is an array of creative and interactive experiences for guests to choose from.

Arte Luise Kunsthotel
Berlin, Germany

Originally a building for artists to camp out after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the structure eventually evolved into what is now known as the Arte Luise Kunsthotel. Often called “a gallery where you can spend the night”, this hotel offers rooms that have each been designed by established artists. Guests can choose from an array of themes. While one room may have life sized women painted onto the walls, another may be created to make you feel like you are on safari. Others may have shoes protruding from the walls or have accessories that make you feel as if you are an actor in a sci-fi film.

21C Museum Hotel
Louisville, Kentucky

The 21C Museum Hotel holds a creative experience in every room and space, including the bathrooms and sidewalk outside. While the rooms themselves hold unique pieces of art, what’s really special about this property is the fact that it houses North America‘s first museum dedicated only to collecting and showcasing 21st century contemporary art. On the first floor you will find the actual gallery, while the restaurant and bar also feature a rotation of exhibits. Upon check-in, guests will be given an I-Pod that will give them a guided tour of the hotel’s collection.

Hotel Fox
Copenhagen, Denmark

Hotel Fox is an exciting and creative lifestyle hotel that features 1,000 ideas from 21 different artists in 61 rooms. Combining comfort with the bizarre, each room is a unique piece of art. Some themes include the wacky and humorous, street art, Japanese Manga, fairytales, monsters, and more.

Kosta Boda Art Hotel
Kosta, Sweden

The Kosta Boda Art Hotel is a hotel with a glass art theme, with a glass bar, glass art installations and exhibitions, glassblowing workshops, and rooms featuring creative glass works. Not surprisingly, the hotel is located in the center of the Kingdom of Crystal, so even when you venture out of the hotel your glass art experience will continue.

Propeller Island City Lodge
Berlin, Germany

The Propeller Island City Lodge is truly a unique property as it is a “habitable work of art”. All rooms and their contents are creations of German artist Lars Stroschen, with every object in every room being custom made. While rooms vary from the tame to the extreme, your sense of reality will be altered. And with hanging beds to entire rooms being made of mirror, you will encounter a lot of unusual and trippy scenery.

Video of the Day – Flying over Earth on the ISS

by Stephen Greenwood on

If you haven’t seen this video since its emergence on the internet in the past two days, stop whatever you’re doing, plug in your best headphones, quit your other applications (so you can watch in silky smooth HD), and full-screen this amazing compilation of moving images.

Edited by Michael König, this time-lapse was created by stitching together a series of still images shot by astronauts Ron Garan, Satoshi Furukawa, and the crews of expeditions 28 & 29 onboard the International Space Station. Shot from an altitude of 350km between August and October 2011, the images were captured at 4K resolution with NASA’s Super-Sensitive High Definition TV system.

The imaging system picks up much more light than a normal HD camera is capable of, thus capturing a vivid look at the surface of the Earth and aurora borealis that’s unlike anything humanity has seen before.

Assuming that you don’t have $1 million to book an entire Virgin Galactic flight exclusively for your family, this video should be a pleasant placeholder until you get your finances in order. Until then, leave us a comment with a link to your favorite shots from the ground! It could be our next Photo/Video of the Day.

New Seven Wonders of Natural World revealed amidst controversy

by Kraig Becker on

After four years of hype and fanfare, the new seven wonders of the natural world were unveiled last Friday, honoring some of the most amazing landscapes on the planet. But as the competition drew to a close, dark clouds of controversy formed, casting a shadow over the entire affair.

The selection process for the new seven wonders began back in 2007, when 440 natural wonders, from 220 countries, were first submitted for consideration. Over the course of several rounds of voting and judging, that number was eventually reduced to 28 finalist. The seven winners were selected from that list following months of online voting.

According to the preliminary results, the new seven wonders include the following: the Amazon Rainforest (South America); Halong Bay (Vietnam); Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Jeju Island (South Korea); Komodo National Park (Indonesia); Puerto Princesa Subterranean River (Philippines) and Table Mountain (South Africa).

The organizers behind the new seven wonders are quick to note that this list is for the provisional winners, as they are currently conducting a recount of the votes to ensure that the correct wonders have been named. The results are now being independently verified and they expect to confirm the winners in early 2012.

On the eve of the announcement of those winners, disturbing stories began to emerge about how organizers were attempting to collect millions of dollars from the nations that were home to the finalists. When the search for the new wonders first began more than four years ago, countries were required to pay a $199 entry fee, but as the selection process narrowed the candidates, some countries were asked to pay large sums of cash to aid in a world-wide marketing campaign. The Indonesian government claimed, for example, that the organizers wanted $10 million to cover licensing fees and an additional $47 million to host the official closing ceremony. Earlier, the Maldives withdrew from the competition altogether when costs to participate spiraled upwards towards $500,000.For their part, organizers of the new seven wonders competition say that their branding efforts were optional, and that allegations of charging exorbitant prices are completely “baseless.” They also refused to discuss exactly how much individual countries were charged for taking part in the branding campaign, but did acknowledge that the fees varied by nation.

Considering that the entire “new seven” idea was the brainchild of an international marketing firm, it should come as no surprise that it was seen as a way to make some money. Critics have pointed out however, that the firm should have secured financial backing prior to announcing the campaign four years ago, thus avoiding any attempts to seek funds from the countries involved.

Which brings up another issue with the whole competition. Since the organizers also don’t disclose voting numbers, we have to take it on faith that they are reporting the correct winners. After all, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that a country that paid the large fees would receive some kind of preferential treatment over those that bulked at them. I suppose the independent verification system is suppose to keep everything on the up-and-up, but there is no denying that there were some strange decisions made along the way.

Those issues aside, what are your feeling on the list of the new seven wonders of the natural world? Did we end up with some good selections or are there others sites that were more worth of inclusion