World’s Longest Golf Course is Planned for Australian Desert

by Martha Edwards on

Under the glaring desert sun, the Australian outback consists of hundreds of thousands of kilometers of empty space, which, according to the Australian government, makes it the ideal spot for the world longest golf course. The Nullarbor Plain is set to see construction of the 18-hole golf course, which will stretch across 1,200 km (750 mi.) Wow. All I have to say is, if you golf there, you’d better rent a cart.

Actually, a cart’s not necessary, but a car or other means of long-distance transportation is. This golf course will be an unconventional one, as each hole is located at a different town along the course, starting with Kalgoorlie and ending with Ceduna. Though one of the holes isn’t located in a town — it’s at a remote sheep farm.

The course is expected to open in 2008.

%Gallery-7921%

Qantas and Jetstar Offer CO2 Offsets for Passengers

by Catherine Bodry on

While some airlines are complaining about environmental directives for air travel, Qantas and its budget carrier Jetstar are actually doing something about it. On Wednesday, the two airlines launched a scheme that allows passengers to offset their CO2 emissions. No, passengers don’t hold their collective breath for the entirety of the flight; this offset is monetary. For example, the Associated Press reports that a flight from Australia to Los Angeles generates around 1.4 tons of greenhouse gases per passenger, which the airline says can be offset by paying just 17 Australian dollars ($14.50; 10.46 euros) per flight. The money is then donated to a “variety of environmental projects,” like government-approved carbon dioxide abatement schemes.

Critics argue that carbon offset programs don’t have a major impact on CO2 emissions. But at least it’s a step in the right direction. Would you buy carbon dioxide credits?

Is The Local Team Wearing Red?

by Brett Atkinson on

I dabble in a bit of sports writing in New Zealand, so when I’m on the road I try and get along to a local sports event. It’s a great way to get a feel for a place.

Here’s my top five suggestions for on the road sports experiences.

  1. Watching Boca Juniors in the cauldron of Buenos Aire’s La Bombonera soccer stadium
  2. Chowing down on hot dogs at a Yankees vs Red Sox game in the Bronx (and sorry New Yorkers, but the standard of food available was the worst I’ve seen at any sports event in the world)
  3. Discovering the joys of Australian Rules Football at Melbourne’s cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground.
  4. Feeling every punch and sharp elbow watching Muay Thai (kick boxing) at Lumphini Stadium in Bangkok (with just maybe the best food)
  5. A day at the races (above) in the Sri Lankan hill town of Nuwara Eliya. I never did work out how you could place a bet on the horses, but the chill-laced snacks went great with a local Lion beer.

Click here for my article on the sleepy Sri Lankan town that’s surrounded by tea plantations.

Where else have readers sat in the bleachers drinking beer and cheering on the local team?

Thanks to PhantomMenace on Flickr for the pic.

Top 10 Hostels Around the World

by Justin Glow on

Our friend Benji over at the Guardian has compiled a list of the top 10 hostels around the world. “When I say I’m staying in a hostel instead of a hotel, they think I’m subtlety telling them I have a drug problem,” he writes. “But things have changed, people. Not all hostels are grubby dives run by people called Starchild.” It’s true; some of the cheapest and most unique places to rest your weary travel legs are hostels, even if you do have a drug problem. Here’s Benji’s picks:

  1. Villa Saint Exupery, Nice, France
  2. Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia (pictured)
  3. Casa Caracol, Cadiz, Spain
  4. Art Hostel, Sofia, Bulgaria
  5. Backpack Guesthouse, Budapest, Hungary
  6. Backpackers International, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
  7. Long Street Backpackers, Cape Town, South Africa
  8. Casa Esmeralda, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  9. Sleeping with the Enemy, Sydney, Australia
  10. The Gershwin, New York, US

I haven’t been to any of these, but I’ll be looking for hostels to stay in next month in Ljubljana, Budapest, and Sofia, and each of his recommendations in these cities looks promising. Make sure to head over to the Guardian to read details — including website links — of each one of the hostels listed. [via]

More Money Than Sense Or A Very Generous Man?

by Brett Atkinson on

Aussie businessman Julian Hayward has just forked out US$100,380 for two first class seats on the inaugural flight of the new Airbus A380 from Sydney to Singapore on October 26. Singapore Airlines is the first airlne to run scheduled services on the 471-seat super jumbo, and for the first flight sold tickets in an online auction. Proceeds of the auction will be donated to charity, and so far more than $400,000 has been raised.

We first reported the online auction here.

Sydney to Singapore is around 8 hours flying time, so My Hayward and his lucky flying partner will be paying more than US$6000 per hour. At a hundred bucks a minute we hope they get their fill of honey roasted peanuts and other assorted first class goodies.

Oh, did we mention the hundred grand was only for one way flights?

Click here if you’re interested in picking up a cattle class fare in the online auction.