Gadling TV’s Travel Talk, episode 36 – Click above to watch video after the jump
Travel Talk is back! After our fall hiatus we are excited to bring you our greatest adventure yet: Thailand.
From the vibrant heart of Bangkok to the remote countryside, we traveled by foot, car, boat, motorbike, ox cart and elephant to savor the the splendor of ancient temples, the energy of the muay thai ring, the serenity of rural life, and every single spicy bite of Thai cuisine. We’ll be bringing it all to you in the coming weeks as part of our special 12-part feature: Travel Talk Thailand.
As we venture further from the bustle of Bangkok, we get a chance to be the first westerners to visit a Thai martial art and dance school, taking swordfighting lessons from the Thai National Champion. Then we learn how to tame, wash and ride giants.
If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.
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Hosts: Stephen Greenwood & Aaron Murphy-Crews Special guest: Joom!
Produced, Edited, and Directed by: Stephen Greenwood & Aaron Murphy-Crews Special thanks: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Trikaya Tours
Travel Talk took Thailand by storm on invitation from the Tourism Authority of Thailand. No editorial content was guaranteed and Aaron & Stephen were free to openly share all adventures that they embarked upon.
Last week National Geographic announced the winner of their 2011 “People’s Choice” Adventurer of the Year, handing the award over to Spanish mountaineer Edurne Pasaban who claimed the most votes in an online poll of Nat Geo readers. The 37-year old Pasaban become the first woman to summit all 14 of the world’s 8000+ meter peaks by successfully climbing both Annapurna (8091 meters/26,545 ft) and Shishapangma (8013 meters/26,289 ft) in a span of just a few weeks.
The full list of honorees was announced back in December and an online poll was conducted to determine the favorite amongst readers. Pasaban, who comes from the Basque region of Spain, beat out a host of other explorers to take home the award. Other nominees included Ed Stafford, who made headlines for walking over 4000 miles along the length of the Amazon River and Jessica Watson, the Australian teen who sailed solo around the world.
Climbing all of the world’s 8000 meter peaks is considered the ultimate challenge in mountaineering. The list includes some of the most difficult and deadly mountains on the planet, including Mt. Everest and the legendary K2. A select few male climbers have achieved the feat, but Pasaban became the first woman to join that very elite group. Korean climber Oh Eun-sun claimed to be the first, reaching the top of her final peak just weeks before Pasaban. But questions remain as to whether or not she actually topped out on one of the mountains, which has put her claim into dispute.
Conquering those peaks and winning this award didn’t come without sacrifice however. Pasaban suffered frostbite and has lost parts of several of her toes. That is but a small price to pay for mountaineering immortality.
North Korea is undoubtedly the most difficult country in the world to gain access to, especially if you’re a journalist aiming to produce a video about the reclusive nation. For months, the travel bad boys over at VBS.tv corresponded with North Korea’s representatives to arrange a guided tour of the infamous Mass Games.
After being selected as one of the only groups to cover the event, VBS Founder Shane Smith and director Eddy Moretti were taken on a journey that gets more bizzarre by the minute. From the streets of Pyongyang, to the International Friendship Museum, to deserted banquet halls – it’s worth watching the entire series to get a rare look at a country that rarely exposes itself to the world.
Do you have clips from an epic investigation of your own? Found a video online that inspires you to travel? Share it with us in the comment section below and it could be our next Video of the Day!
You don’t have to fly first-class to get the best coffee on Delta Air Lines. Starting March 1st, Delta’s brand will be Seattles Best Coffee. That might not sound like a really big deal but it took a lot of work to make that happen.
Coffee is best when brewed with water that is 197 degrees, just shy of boiling. The problem with brewing coffee in flight (you were right, there was a problem) is that at 30,000 feet, the altitude affects barometric pressure and how hot water reacts to coffee. Enter the Green Coffee Quality Team at Seattles Best Coffee.
Coffee expert Kim Giroir from Seattles Best quality team told Gadling they experimented with a bunch of different blends and finally came up with what they call “Level 4” coffee that is just right for brewing in the sky.
When Seattle’s Best says they want to “bring great coffee everywhere” that’s not just a slogan. Back at the Research and Development labs at Seattles Best, they brewed test blends in a barometric chamber, mimicing the conditions of brewing in the air.
It’s been a meticulously tedious process finding the right blend but taste tests in November had all the cabin crew buzzing about the new coffee. That’s nothing new to the coffee company that relaunched it’s brand at Starbucks headquarters in May.
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Seattle’s Best thinks they have come up with the perfect cup of coffee, no matter where it is served. A big hit on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, it just made sense to take to the air too.
Delta is no stranger to fine cuisine either, taking in-flight dining seriously for quite some time now, especially in their BusinessElite product.
As the official airline of the Food Network New York Wine and Food Festival, Delta Air Lines brought along its roster of six consulting chefs to venues throughout the event.
In 2006, Delta revealed an on-board menu created by celerity chef Michelle Bernstein. As Delta’s consulting chef, Bernstein designed entrees and side dishes which became part of Delta’s continued effort to enhance its BusinessElite product, creating a more inviting and entertaining experience.
In 2007, Delta tapped top chef Todd English to create selections for its food-for-purchase menu being developed for customers flying in its Coach Class on flights within the United States.
“The back of the plane is where the real challenge is,” said English, adding that he plans to help Delta devise business-class meals in the future.
In 2009 hand-served entrees and signature dishes created by Miami celebrity chef Michele Bernstein and master sommelier Andrea Robinson, expanded dessert options and improved Japanese meal options created by Delta’s flight kitchen in Tokyo.
After all that, a good cup of coffee just made sense.
The Asia Cruise Association would sure like to think so. Seeing Asia as the next big area for cruise vacation growth, Cruise Shipping Asia, a conference and exhibition in Singapore this November aims to.
Cruise Shipping Asia 2011 will include a trade show and conference program focusing on the Asian cruise market. The exhibition will feature destinations, itinerary planning, shore excursion services, port and terminal development as well as ship operations, ship services and hotel operations.
“With 22 new cruise ships set for delivery by 2012, cruise lines are seeking fresh markets to help absorb that 17.4 percent increase – 51,306 berths,” said Michael Duck, senior vice president of trade show promoter UBM Asia. “They are currently eying Asia as a largely untapped resource.”
It was not all that long ago that European cruise markets were looking for more cruise ships and cruise lines answered that call. Recent years have seen the largest ever deployment of ships to the more profitable waters of Europe for some cruise lines.
As mobile assets, cruise lines are able to move ships to where the money is. The recent exodus from the US West coast market by cruise lines is a good example. In December, Gadling told you about Norwegian Cruise Line announcing the deployment of 4 ships to Europe in 2012 and 2013, their largest deployment ever.
The Asian market is already in love with cruise vacations, accounting for a growing percentage of cruise passengers already. Will Singapore replace Miami as the cruise capitol of the world? Hard to say but it’s the latest new market on the horizon. It sure would make an interesting port of call though.