Your guide to luxury rail travel

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Trade a plane for a train, and experience genuine luxury. Hitting the rails in style has been gaining steam around the world, according to the Wall Street Journal, in Asia, Europe, Russia and Africa. In a sense, this is becoming the new “cruise,” without the worry of being pinned on a boat by that insurance salesman who’s intent on saving your financial life.

Many of the luxury train excursions seek to offer upscale accommodations with incredible cuisine and constantly changing scenery. Here a few ideas to get you started.

The Ghan (Platinum Service) connects Adelaide and Alice Springs in Australia and is named for the camel drivers that once used the same route (the rail service was extended to Darwin five years ago). In September, the upscale version of the trek was offered. You’ll have plenty of elbow room and privacy, but it will set you back close to $4,000 for three days. And, you have to get yourself to Australia to take the trip.

On the Thai Explorer, a route of the Eastern & Oriental Express, you can relax in a Presidential Suite or the lesser but still comfy State Compartments, or enjoy the open air section of the observation car at the end of the train. You’ll track through northern Thailand, with plenty of time to explore the stops along the way, but you’ll pay for the privilege. Four days for two guests in the state department costs $5,120.

If driving in India’s Karnataka state intimidates you (and it should), give the Golden Chariot a try. You can ride the train from Bangalore to the beaches of Goa. Launched early in 2008, this luxury rail alternative features massage rooms, gyms, comfortable beds and wireless internet access. Of all the alternatives reviewed by WSJ, this is the most cost-effective. Eight days costs approximately $4,000.

[Via Wall Street Journal]

Survival at sea a hoax?

by Brenda Yun on

Ten days later, the two men from Myanmar who Scott reported were rescued from a floating refrigerator and supposedly survived 25 days at sea with little nourishment are back in the news, but this time because authorities are calling their survival story a hoax.

The men were on a Thai fishing boat off the northern coast of Australia, and it was deemed pointless to search for other survivors, as the waters and conditions in the area are sharky and stormy at best.


The latest doubts that the men’s story is true mainly derives from the implausibility that two men could survive that long floating in such terrible conditions with little nourishment. The two men claim they are the only survivors of a Thai fishing boat accident around Christmastime that killed 18 people. They said they survived on rainwater and bird vomit. If you’re already raising your eyebrows, you should, but the real skepticism should be that one of the young men seemed to be unaffected by this long journey at sea. He showed little evidence of sun exposure. In addition, the icebox showed no signs of saltwater damage even after enduring 25 days in the rough ocean.

The men have been transferred to mainland Australia, where they continue to be questioned about the validity of their story. Authorities now believe the men used the story to escape their native home of Myanmar and seek asylum. This has the makings of a Cuban Elian Gonzalez story, doesn’t it?

Either the men are lying or the skeptics are wrong, but either way, it’s still a pretty cool survival story not to be attempted again.

[via AFP and Australia’s MSN 9 News]

Shipwreck victims spend 25 days drifting in an icebox

by Scott Carmichael on

After losing their wooden fishing boat off the coast of Indonesia, these 2 Burmese men grabbed the only thing they could find in the heaps of wreckage surrounding them.

It turns out that this piece of wreckage would be their home for the next 25 days as they drifted towards Australia in shark infested waters.

When a coastguard plane spotted the men, a helicopter was sent to winch them in, and once on board the plane, the men each consumed about 2 liters of water in a matter of seconds.

25 days is a hell of a long time to be stuck at sea and despite being surrounded by all that water, you won’t have anything to drink. These men are very lucky they were spotted as I doubt they would have lasted much longer. The pilot of the helicopter said it best with “It’s a bloody big ocean to be drifting around in”.

(Via: Adelaide now)

Enjoying the ocean means taking care of it

by Brenda Yun on

A recent article in The Economist outlines how man is destroying the ocean. It reports, “Man has changed the landscape and the atmosphere. It would be odd if the seas, which he has for centuries used for food, for transport, for dumping rubbish and, more recently, for recreation, had not also been affected.” Despite being an avid ocean-goer myself, I have to agree with this assessment. Furthermore, it should not be too surprising that as man continues to utilize the ocean’s resources, whether it be for food, transportation, waste disposal, or recreation, the ecosystem below is changing.

The recent shark attacks in Australia and the shark sightings in Hawaii back in October clearly parallel this hard reality. While it’s important to enjoy our waters, it’s equally important to do our job as citizens in this world to protect them. That means doing small things like not touching the reef or getting in close contact with marine life. It also means choosing cleaner modes of water transport like sailing. It means being vigilant about where we throw our trash, and most of all it means we have to educate ourselves and understand the conditions of the sea.

With proper care and vigilance, the ocean can be a place our future generations can enjoy as we do. Otherwise, as The Economist article puts it, “The possibility of widespread catastrophe is simply too great.”

They threw out the bathtubs!

by Annie Scott on

I hope you weren’t planning on a nice, leisurely bath on your next trip to Australia.

The Rialto in Melbourne has done away with bathtubs. They just underwent a $60 million renovation which included the removal of the bathtubs! What? $60 million to downgrade their amenities?

According to their research, travelers only want showers anyway. I’m guessing some dudes didn’t fess up that they love bubble baths. I know y’all are using candles, too. Well, now you only get a bath if you sleep in one of the hotel’s 9 suites (not the 253 other rooms).

At least they’re now offering an Enomatic, an Italian machine that prevents wines from oxidization. This way, you don’t have to order a whole bottle of top shelf wine; you can just have a $175 glass of Grange (for example).

We hope this isn’t a trend. The bathtub should be a standard. Why not do away with the TV and the ice buckets, while you’re at it?

[via The Sydney Morning Herald]