Word for the Travel Wise (06/13/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

For some reason I thought I had covered a word from Armenia in the past, but obviously I’m mistaken. I haven’t much before word chatter at the moment, so here’s your lesson for the day.

Today’s word is an Armenian word used in Armenia:

khintrem – please

Armenian is primarily spoken in Armenia and can be heard in parts of Russia, Georgia, Iran Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. The language is classified as an Indo-European lingo and has two similar yet, very different dialects. Eastern Armenian speakers keep the original pronunciation of the letters, pronouncing each of the 38 letters quite distinctively according to Wikipedia. List of the most common phrases in both Eastern and Western Armenian can be found in the Wiki and Armeniapedia.org has a more extensive set of lessons for those wishing to learn the Eastern dialect. Pimsleur has a five hour lang program on Western Armenian for purchase on Amazon.com. Lastly, you may wish to fish through the Lonely Planet guide to Georgia, Armenia, & Azerbaijan. It look as though the last edition published was in 2000, but the little glossary in the back should remain the same overtime.

 

Scrabble-Dabble Doo

by Erik Olsen on

When you’re on the road, it’s often cool to bring along a little board game to help pass time time. Chess has long been a favorite of mine. You’d be surprised how many people play chess, and how great of an ice-breaker it can be to make travel buddies. Another good one is Scrabble. Sure, it helps if you’re in an English-speaking country or that most of those you’re traveling with speak English, but it is still one of those games that most people know how to play, and it can be a great way to spend time in a hotel, hostel or aboard a train.

So why not on your next trip pack along one of these nifty little Scrabble cases? It’s very portable, quite nice looking, and my guess is that you will suddenly have lots of new friends once you break it out. 

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of June 4

by Adrienne Wilson on

Drum roll please… Yes, folks you guessed right! It is time again for our weekly update and though it’s been a little more quiet than usual we’ve still got some goodies out there and here is this week’s list:

5. International Internet Cafés: Type Fast!
For those of us who still haven’t learned how to shut the world we know and the world that knows us back home out and off while on vacation here is a fine blurb on International Internet Cafés. Personally, I try to avoid these as the connections are always cruddy and the rates price out pretty ridiculous on some occasions, but if you’re the type that relies on lightening fast communication to say “hi” to mom rather than snail mailing a post card you’ll want to peek into this piece.

4. Best Stargazing Destination’s in America:
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no – it’s the stars… When I found this amazing article on stargazing in the U.S. in Nat Geo’s Adventure magazine I wanted to take off to Bryce Canyon and howl at the moon. As bad as it sounds star gazing isn’t something you can do out of your backyard anymore with the increase of light-pollution, but if you’re as passionate about seeing one of the most phenomenal natural light shows taking place every night, you’ll head to this piece and then book your own excursion to see the stars.

3. World Hum Top 30 Travel Books:
If the temperatures start climbing too high becoming a couch potato won’t be so bad provided you’re still taking your mind some place. Start your summer reading off with some of the travel classics found on World Hum’s list. Like Erik who brings our attention to the list, I have a tremendous amount of catching up to do when it comes to some of the fine works mentioned.

2. Traveling Syria:
This one gets picked simply because Syria is a destination we touch on very little and probably one we should blog on more often. For now we have this cool inside look from Outside Magazine writer Patrick Symms to hold us over until we make it there on our own.

1. Hidden Gems: Hell
Go to Hell. Seriously! Willy Volk gets this week’s top nod with his fiery travel tales to Hell and back. Go see for yourself.

Urban Adventures

by Erik Olsen on


Ah, city life. It definitely has its advantages and drawbacks. For me, living in New York City is a boon to one’s cultural experience, but when it comes to the outdoors, well, it’s a pain in the arse, frankly. But there are still places to go and things to do in the big metropolis, and each city has its own sportsy charms. Kayaking on the Hudson is a great thing, as is taking a mini-hike in the wooded parts of Central Park. But you can also bike over the George Washington Bridge and, well, there are things to do to get your heart beating. So that’s what New York is about…what bout other cities?

The Guardian has as fine a list of outdoor adventures in urban zones as I’ve seen in a while. Of course, they cover kayaking, as I mentioned here, and even give some props to our own Manhattan Kayak Company, the folks who probably do the beset job getting you out on the water. But they also talk about some of the more intense urban thrill. For example, how about Hang-gliding in Rio De Janeiro, Bungee-jumping in Vienna or tower scaling in Macao. You’re in luck: all are mentioned here.

So if you’re a city clicker looking for some local adventure give this a look-see.

Beyond Bangalore

by Erik Olsen on

When I was in India two years ago, I spent a couple of days in Bangalore, partly to do some work, but also just to see this city that was so well known in America for being the place that steals American jobs. I was told Bangalore was a kind of high-tech Mecca, and I imagined the cleanliness and efficiency of Silicon Valley. I was wrong. I found Bangalore a mess. Lung-wrenching pollution, astounding traffic, and typical Indian urban crowds made me wonder what people were talking about…I mean, this place was not ready for prime time. But after a day or two, I started to move to the city’s rhythms and came to enjoy Bangalore. Many people spoke English and it was wonderfully friendly. And despite the complaints lodged above, I could actually find a nice strong cup of coffee there.

All this is to say that Bangalore is nice and OK and all that, but also to show you an article about places outside of Bangalore that might be worth your time should you be fortunate enough to visit India in the near future. This LA Times piece written by Bangalore native Vani Rangachar (who happens to be an LA Times travel Editor) on what to find once you get outside the rattle and hum of Bangalore is quite good. Written from the perspective of someone who knows the place well, you’ll find her perspectives informative and compelling. Check it out.