The Sounds of Travel 10: “Read About It”

by Jeffrey White on

Here at Gadling we’ll be highlight some of our favorite sounds from the road and giving you a sample of each — maybe you’ll find the same inspiration that we did, but at the very least, hopefully you’ll think that they’re good songs.

Got a favorite of your own? Leave it in the Comments and we’ll post it at the end of the series.

“Read About It” by Midnight Oil


Midnight Oil’s “Read About It” is not a road song, really, not in the sense that the Eagles’ “Take It Easy” is a road song or Tom Cochrane’s “Life is a Highway” is a road song or the Chili Pepper’s “Higher Ground” is a road song.

In other words, you wouldn’t necessarily go to this cut first having just pulled on the highway and wound down the windows.

But for me the song, and more importantly the band, is very much rooted in a travel experience, which I guess makes it another kind of road song.

I spent half of 1998 living in Australia. That seems like a long time ago as I write this, but I can easily close my eyes and recall the details of that time, how the country’s light looked, how the country smelled, the vibes of its city streets, and how in not a few parts the sheer distances and openness you confront could make you feel very, very small indeed.

I went everywhere, from the central outback to the Kimberly to the shores of the Thursday Islands to the dense inland trails of Tasmania. I talked to people.

If that time had a soundtrack, I suppose it would have been composed of Midnight Oil songs.
I can’t think of another band that is so of a place as Midnight Oil. Midnight Oil is of Australia – its music is rooted in the land and the people, as are the topics the band sings about.

You could probably spend a weekend listening to their entire oeuvre and receive a pretty good crash course on Australian history and culture: Its artists, its colonial and penal past, its environment and geography, its industry, its media, its cities and towns, its spaces, its relationship with its indigenous citizens.

(On that last one, it’s somewhat surprising, when you really think about it, that the Oils’ biggest chart-topper in the US was a passionate song about Aboriginal land rights – “Beds are Burning” – a topic that doesn’t necessarily scream hit.)

The band does turn its attention beyond Australia at times, usually to rail against arms races or nuclear negligence or corporate greed – this is the band, after all, that played its anti-corporate railer “King of the Mountain” on the back of a flat-bed truck outside an Exxon office building in downtown New York. Yet even these songs have an Australian sensibility in that they seem like shouts from a distant place to the wider world – which is very much an element of Australian society. Things sometime have to be done louder there just get people elsewhere to listen.

Probably if I look deep inside myself, my time in Australia was the time in my life when I started becoming angry about a lot of things in the world – and that was suited for the Oils too, because their songs reflect that same kind of anger.

I don’t know whether I came to understand Australia better through Midnight Oil songs or Midnight Oils songs better through traveling around Australia. Probably a little bit of both.

What I do know is that both realities – the band and the traveling – fed off each other. Things I saw turned up in Oils songs; things frontman Peter Garrett sang about would flash at the windows of whatever buss or taxi or car I was in. You can’t really understand what “Beds are Burning” is about, for instance, until you spend some time in a place like Broome, in the far northwest of the country.

But I’ve singled out “Read About It,” I know. There’s a reason: You can’t just blithely travel through Australia. You experience it. And to get the full impact of Midnight Oil, you have to do the same — and that means live. Both encounters – with land and band – are raw, intense, visceral, big.

Veterans of Oils shows will tell you that these outings are not something you simply go to but also go through.

So relentless is the experience of a Midnight Oil concert that when it’s over you’re left standing, dazed and unsure of what has just transpired during the past two hours.

That’s how I felt when I first saw them in Melbourne, when they played this song. (Four years later I would see an entire crowd on Boston Common stand in much the same sort of depleted haze after the Oils finished up a short six-song set on Earth Day. It felt like everyone was thinking, Who were those guys?, and you could almost feel the energy rolling out of the surroundings, like a breeze along your arm, as the band left the stage.)

I think this live performance of “Read About It,” from a 2005 concert at the Sydney Cricket Grounds benefiting the victims of the Asian Tsunami, showcases a little bit of this intensity.

Is travel in Australia like attending a Midnight Oil show? I don’t want to go too far with this – I feel already like I’m treading on unstable ground.

But maybe, for me, yes, it is a little like that.

Midnight Oil broke up in 2004, and the imposing, dance-challenged Garrett is now Australia’s secretary of the environment.

But Midnight Oil’s songs, whenever I put them on, take me back to those days of travel. To me at least, the band’s music is Australia.

Trouble in Hawaiian Paradise: A Realist’s Point of View

by Brenda Yun on

My initial post on “Trouble in Hawaiian Paradise” might have painted an unrealistic picture of my island home. I think it’s worth clarifying the real picture versus what my idealistic traveler self sees in Hawaii. So, being “real” for a moment, I must admit that Hawaii, just like other expensive and desirable travel destinations on the globe, certainly feels the effects of a decline in tourism. One particular Gadling reader brought specific issues to my attention that I’d like to discuss in greater detail in order to illustrate Hawaii’s predicament more accurately and clearly.

Newer, more exotic, less expensive destinations are changing the landscape of options for travelers. These new destinations (like Laos, Slovenia, and Mongolia) have changed people’s approach to travel. In most cases, it is not only more cost effective but also better to go elsewhere. Hawaii has always been expensive. That has not changed. What has is that tourists who don’t necessarily want or have to come to Hawaii choose other destinations with similar climate, like Mexico and Costa Rica. These places are certainly more affordable, but the cultural experience is quite different. Many travelers will still pay the extra cost so they can experience “Hawaii.” Others will not.Hawaii is also slow to update touristic sites and accommodate for modern tourists’ needs. Waikiki and most tourist-related buildings were built between about 1950 and 1975, and most of these buildings still stand today with just minor renovations to the exterior or interior. Updates take a lot of time, of course, and there is progress being made — primarily toward the western end of Waikiki with a new Trump hotel and new condos being built where older, smaller apartments once existed.

While Hawaii’s appeal still exists, the condition of the ocean and diversity of life have worsened significantly. Fishing, diving, and snorkeling are simply not as rewarding as they used to be. I know this because my free diving experiences in Fiji starkly contrasted to diving here in Hawaii. It made me realize how other waters are far better preserved — partly because fewer people explore them, but also because there are specific efforts to preserve the biodiversity that we do not have in place here or do not enforce.

Which brings me to the heart of the matter: a realistic solution. There is much that needs to be done to supply the islands with a healthy economy led by tourism. Residents and visitors must be more proactive about preserving the Hawaiian brand and the state’s unique ecosystem. Making local sites more accessible is a step in the direction and, with the addition of the Superferry and the rail system that was just passed, locals and tourists can travel with greater ease.

I am an idealist. I always have been. There is no realist in me, so I will likely never admit this beautiful state is suffering even if we’re right in the thick of a recession. I would rather not feed the negative view of Hawaii, as the WSJ article does.

Through the Gadling Lens: Tips for choosing which vacation shots to take

by Karen Walrond on

As I type this, I’m about half-way through my trip to England. It’s a whirlwind trip of visiting family, seeing long-lost friends, making new acquaintances and cramming in sight-seeing daytrips when I can — not to mention fighting a rampant case of jetlag. But through it all (and as you may well imagine), I’m taking a lot of photographs … which has got me thinking about how I choose the images that I choose to shoot. I mean, why do I take one shot over another? Is there a “right way” to shoot a vacation?

Obviously, the answer to that question is about as varied as the number of people who own cameras: the “right way” differs for each person. And in truth, the way I shoot for my own personal use (that is, to capture as many vivid memories of a trip as possible) is far different from the way I shoot for professional purposes. But I’ve heard time and time again from people who say “my vacation photographs don’t move me as much as my own memories do,” and I think that’s really unfortunate. So I thought I’d share some of the ways that I shoot my vacation, in the hope that perhaps it will trigger something for you.
1. Shoot the iconic shots. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s surprising how many times I’ve heard friends say “I tried to shoot a photograph of myself in front of the Eiffel Tower, but I couldn’t get the tower and me in the shot!” First of all, don’t be afraid to shoot from weird angles (get someone to lie down on the ground and shoot up at both you and the tower, for example), but even more obviously, you could always forget about trying to get in the shot — just shoot the icon. Find something your destination is known for, and capture an image of that … just that. Remember, you’re going to be shooting lots of additional images, so it’s okay if some of them don’t include you or your travel buddies. And trust me, even if it seems cliche to you at the time, once you return home you’re going to wish you had that picture of the cable car in San Francisco, or Big Ben in London.

2. Get portraits of your travel companions. Again, this may seem like a given, but understand I’m not just talking about an image of your spouse standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon (although, done right, that would probably make a pretty good shot as well). I’m talking about getting in close and taking an actual portrait of your wife, husband or friends who are with you. I mean, if your holiday is going well, it’s going to show on their faces, you know? They’ll be relaxed, or excited, or thrilled — and nothing triggers great memories like capturing the emotions on their faces. So grab your camera (remembering what focal length lens works for portraits), get close to your companions, and capture their expressions.

And one more thing, while we’re on the subject: when it comes to taking portraits of your kids, particularly when they’re on vacation, it can be damned near impossible to get them to smile sweetly and look into the camera. Don’t let this stop you: just get down on their level, get as close as you can without getting smacked in the face by their flailing hands and feet, and take the shot. You’ll find that your kids just being kids will make far more appealing shots than posed images of them grimacing while shouting “CHEESE!!!”

3. Get portraits of total strangers. This isn’t about walking up to the locals and asking them to pose for a portrait (although if you’re brave enough, by all means do it — just remember to be polite and respectful in your request). For me, one of the easiest ways to get some images of the locals is to take images of buskers: people who entertain on street corners, in subways, or in parks. In fact, I’m always mindful to keep some change in my pockets for just this very reason — and then, armed with my 70-200mm lens, I can take nice, intimate portraits, and thank my subject with the equivalent of a few dollars.

4. Grab images when your travel buddies aren’t paying attention. This is sort of similar to tip #2 above, but different: in this case, you’re still trying to capture expressions and emotions, but this time your subjects have no idea you’re photographing them. In fact, on this particular trip, I’ve managed to capture some great images of my father-in-law and his wife, as well as my brother-in-law and his wife, and in both instances, they had no idea I was taking the shot. But I think both shots the atmosphere at the time I took the image and will certainly be wonderful reminders of how much I love being around them. Happily, they’re pretty pleased with the shots as well:

5. Be inspired by colour and texture. I don’t know about you, but I find some of my most vivid memories occur because of the vibrant colours and unfamiliar textures that a foreign land often has to offer. For this reason, I usually remain on the lookout for images which take my breath away, merely because I’m shocked by the colours: a vivid sunset, bright flowers, or crystalline oceans. If something makes me catch my breath because if its hue, you can pretty much guarantee that I’m going to grab a shot.

6. Shoot in situ. At some point in every vacation, I find that I have some down time: I’m sitting on the beach relaxing, or in a cafe watching the city wake up and start its day, or simply watching the sun set. Invariably, I grab my camera and just shoot what’s right in front of me — it may not be a perfect image, but it’s generally enough to remind me exactly what I was doing when I was really relaxing into my travels.

7. Let what you see frame what you see. I know this makes no sense, but perhaps the following will explain: the other morning, my father-in-law took me into the Forest of Dean so that I could grab some images of the amazing fall foliage that’s currently all over the English countryside. We drove into a public park called Cannop Ponds, and I got out of the car to walk into the forest.

As I was walking through, all of a sudden the branches of the trees parted, and I caught a glimpse of some swans gliding along a small lake. It was breathtaking. Now, I could’ve walked a bit closer and taken a shot of the swans, but really, what was amazing to me was the sudden appearance of these beautiful birds through the branches. And so, I took a photograph, letting the branches frame the shot:

Again, technically not the best shot in the world, but it captures a moment I’ll never forget.

8. When in doubt, don’t choose. Sometimes, when I’m taking a shot, I find myself a bit torn: should I take a photograph of this delicious margarita right in front of me, or the image of my husband and daughter snorkeling off in the distance? Or should I take just one shot of my kid cracking up? In these cases, I just shoot everything, and then let the diptych (or series of shots) tell the story:

9. Every once in a while, give someone else the camera. I’m actually horrible at this: I much prefer to be behind the camera, rather than in front of it. But if I’m honest, sometimes it looks like I never go on vacations with my family! For this reason, I’m trying to teach myself to hand my camera over to my husband, or to whoever else might be traveling with me. It takes an effort not to be self-conscious in front of the camera, but as time passes and I look back on the shots, it’s nice to be able to see how I was enjoying the experience myself.

With that, I’m off to enjoy the rest of my holiday. Please share your tips of how you choose your own images, below. Next week, we’ll answer the age-old question: can point-and-shoots really take as good an image as an SLR? And in the meantime, if you have any questions you’d like to ask, please e-mail me at karen.walrond@weblogsinc.com, and I’ll do my best to answer them in future posts!

Karen is a writer and photographer in Houston, Texas. You can see more of her work at her site, Chookooloonks.
And for more Through the Gadling Lens, click here.

Amazing Race 13, recap 9: Russians don’t laugh at you, they laugh with you

by Jamie Rhein on

With Terence & Sarah eliminated, and Starr & Nick coming in 1st four times in a row, it was any one of the team’s game during episode 9 of the Amazing Race 13. As the teams headed off to Moscow, Russia from Almaty, Kazakhstan, I was curious what would trip up Nick & Starr and if Andrew & Dan could dump their status as the team with the most trouble with tasks.

Moscow was shown as a complicated city that is more than a little expensive in the taxi department. The city gave two teams a bit of grief. Language barriers and a lack of being able to find directions were consistent problems. By the end of their day, I hope there were shots of vodka waiting.

Travel Tips:

  • Hotel bedroom slippers will temporarily work as shoes.
  • I would find someone who knows English to write down locations in Russian in order to find places more easily. That’s just an observation I had after watching the teams struggle.
  • Keep a sense of humor. It will help.
  • Work out taxi costs before you get in a cab, but it may not do much good.
  • On second thought, when traveling in Moscow, don’t take taxis. They are EXPENSIVE.

Recaps and Cultural Highlights

Even though teams left the Pit Stop in Almaty, Kazakhstan at different times, they were on the same flight to Moscow. The airport scene in Kazakhstan was a hoot once Andrew & Dan showed up. Because they left their shoes at the puppet theater when they dressed up as a cow, there they were shuffling along in hotel slippers. Luckily for them, there was an open shoe store at the airport despite the late hour. Shoes weren’t cheap, however. From what I could tell, the least expensive pair cost $80.

Each bought sneakers and didn’t complain about them pinching, rubbing, or making blisters later on in the episode. I assume that meant they were decent shoes. If anything, these frat boys were pleased with their shoes, but were concerned that their money stash was diminished. What a funny story they have to tell later.

Dallas and Starr had more time to further their interest in each other at the airport. Yawn. As with any romance that starts on the road, I give it a 1 out of 5 chance of succeeding.

What was more interesting was when the teams hit Moscow. The buildings’ magnificence impressed the whole gang, but everyone was focused more on money once they hopped into a taxi.

Moscow is very expensive. A taxi ride from the airport to the first stop at Krutitske Podvorye Monastery cost $100. Not one dollar. One hundred dollars. Other taxi rides to the other tasks seemed to cost about the same due to the distances the teams traveled. Being lost may have added to the price.

The monastery was a beautiful Russian Orthodox building with a church service in progress when the teams arrived. I gave Toni high points for covering her hair with a scarf when she stepped inside the church to light a candle. The candlelighting led to the next clue. As she said, “It’s history…There’s reverence and respect. ” As she pointed out, when in a place of worship, one should act appropriately.

Once she & Dallas received their clue that directed them to Kolosok Camp, a decommissioned military base, they were off again without a hitch. Nick & Starr were close behind until Nick & Starr got lost.

Once at the camp, teams were to chose between marching with soldiers or serving soldiers borscht. All teams initially picked the marching. From Ken & Tina’s amorous attitudes during this activity, it looks like all they need to do to get rid of their marital woes is to put on a uniform once in awhile.

While Toni & Dallas and Ken & Tina were marching away, Nick & Starr were not having one bit of luck with their driver. It didn’t matter that it was Nick’s birthday. They spent a good deal of the time between tasks during this whole episode lost. To their credit, there was minimal snipping, although Nick did ask Starr how crying could help. He should try it sometimes.

In the meantime, even after Nick & Starr finally showed up, Andrew & Dan kept bumbling along at the military camp which provided great guffaws at my house. First, Dan couldn’t correctly wrap his feet with fabric like a good Russian soldier should. “Neit, neit, neit,” the supervisor kept saying. The boys decided to ditch the marching and headed off to serve borscht to the 75 waiting soldiers. Once they found out they had to wear the uniforms to serve soup, it was back to the marching.

That was a bad idea. Andrew couldn’t march to save his life. I was rolling on the floor and my sides hurt from watching him. I like this guy. Even the Russian soldiers were laughing hard at watching them. To his credit, and to Dan’s, they got a kick out of themselves as much as the soldiers did. Back they went to serve the soup. Despite their abysmal luck with tasks, they looked like they were having a great time. They also seemed to be off of their bickering from the last episode.

Once teams finished marching like a soldier or serving watery borscht, they were off to find the town Zhukovsky and the Zhukovsky Bakery. At the bakery, one member had to move 50 sacks of 55-pound sacks of flour from the back of a tractor trailer to the bakery floor. Ken was able to plow on through this task. Once Andrew showed up, he happily kicked with this task as well. Dallas, although keeping his team’s lead, struggled. Nick struggled even more so. No one pulled out their backs. I was anticipating that. Once the flour sacks were moved, it was off to the Pit Stop at Neskuchny Sad Park. As Phil pointed out during some of his descriptions of Moscow, the city is filled with beautiful parks.

Who Won: Toni & Dallas were able to keep their lead and arrived at the Pit Stop first. Finally, a team other than Nick & Starr won a round.

What Toni and Dallas won: A trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Who lost: No one. This was another non-elimination round. After all the laughs at Andrew & Dan’s expense, I’m happy they stayed in the race for at least one more week.These two said they are fine with their underdog status.

That’s a good thing. If they win this race, it will be the biggest comeback ever. It’s a long shot. They have a speed bump to do and absolutely no money because they gave all they had to the taxi driver who dropped them off at the park. If they are still in Moscow next week, I say they are in big trouble. If they head to a new country, they receive more money. As they said, they need a miracle.

Welcoming home total strangers at JFK: ImprovEverywhere

by Jamie Rhein on


In an Absolut World, Everyone Would be Welcomed Home from ImprovEverywhere on Vimeo.

One Gadling post that consistently gets weekly hits, sometimes daily, is the one on ImprovEverywhere’s “Frozen Grand Central.” The Grand Central stunt is an amazing feat of ingenuity and organization on the part of this improv drama troupe that specializes in creating fun and amazement in public places. I think of it as a more creative, involved version of Candid Camera. Plus, it involves way more people.

My favorite ImprovEverywhere stunt, hands down, is Food Court Musical.

This most recent improvisation comes pretty close. It involved 20 ImprovEverywhere actors who were the greeters, and the unsuspecting travelers who arrived at JFK expecting to be met by a driver and no one else. The drivers (only the first one is shown) didn’t know they were in on something a bit unusual.

The result is something charming and heartwarming. Very sweet and very fun. How terrific life would be if EVERYONE had such a greeting upon arrival at an airport. The closest I ever came was arriving in Hawaii and being given a lei. My great aunt and uncle met me, so don’t expect a lei if you arrive in Honolulu. Maybe, but don’t count on it.

Thanks to Intelligent Traveler for first posting on this gem. It made my day.