Portugal To Vietnam By Rails: Are You Up For The Ultimate Train Challenge?

by Libby Zay on

Last year, Michael Hodson and two travel blogger friends challenged each other to take on the world by train. For a month the bloggers traveled on separate routes from Lisbon, Portugal, to Saigon, Vietnam, on a competitive quest to conquer the longest continuous stretches of train tracks currently on the planet. The rails-only expedition was dubbed the Ultimate Train Challenge, and after the bloggers completed the trek, Hodson found he wanted to instill his competitive spirit – and love for travel – in others.

Recently, Hodson announced that the competition would take place again. Only this time, any travelers can take part in the challenge, which is being sponsored by Intrepid Travel, Eurail, Hostelworld and Urban Adventures. Anyone with the month of November free, a $425 entrance fee and additional cash to fund the trip can join in on the 15,000-mile expedition. During the challenge, participants are asked to each raise at least $500 for Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation supporting street children, children with disabilities, the rural poor and victims of trafficking in Vietnam.

Do you think you have what it takes to travel across Europe and Asia by rails?

[Photo by Libby Zay]

Traveling To Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

by Chris Owen on

Traveling in Wales today on the island of Anglesey, we passed by the place in Europe with the longest name and one of the longest place names in the world.

The railway station in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is hard to pass by without stopping and many travelers do, as well as the local post office where they can get their passports stamped. Those 58 letters sure caught our attention so we stopped for a photo.

How do you say that?




The longest place name in the world?

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu at 85 letters is a hill on North Island, New Zealand.

[Photo- Chris Owen]

My First Experience Driving On The Left Side Of The Road

by Sean McLachlan on


The best way to see the Orkney Islands in Scotland is by car. The buses don’t go to many of the most important attractions and don’t correspond well to the ferry schedule. On the other hand, distances are fairly short, so I decided to rent a car for a couple of days.

The only problem was, I had never driven on the left side of the road.

That fact and my Arizona driver’s license didn’t faze the guy at the rental agency in Kirkwall. The only question he asked was if I had ever had any moving violations.

“No,” I replied.

At this point my 6-year-old son chimed in, “BUT PAPA, WHAT ABOUT THAT TIME IN ARIZONA YOU WERE DRIVING TOO FAST AND THE POLICE STOPPED YOU? THEY MADE YOU PAY MONEY.”

Thanks, kid.

The guy at the rental agency smiled.

“Yeah, there was this speed trap in a small town in northern Arizona. The speed limit goes from 70 to 40 with no warning. They got me,” I admitted.

“There’s a bad one north of Aberdeen,” he told me. “The speed limit goes from 60 to 30 and then down to 20.”

“Good thing I’m not driving to Aberdeen,” I said.

“The car comes with damage insurance after the first £500. For £5 a day you can have extended insurance after the first £200. Basically with the first option we’re betting you won’t get in a crash and with the second option you’re betting you will.”

“Well, I don’t think I’m going to get in a crash but I’ll take the extended coverage anyway,” I replied.

Famous last words.I rented an automatic. The last thing I wanted to deal with while driving on the left for the first time was shifting with the wrong hand. I got in the car and accustomed myself to sitting on the right side of the car. After making sure everyone was strapped in, we headed out.

If you want to learn how to drive on the left, Orkney isn’t a bad place. There isn’t much traffic and not many roundabouts. It’s not ideal, though. Most of the roads are two narrow lanes with no shoulder. This means that on city streets and country lanes, many people park halfway on the road. At times I found myself weaving past parked cars and having to go almost entirely into the other lane before heading back into my own lane to dodge the next parked car.

This obstacle course was no problem for the first day and Orkney’s long summer twilight ensured that I didn’t have to drive in the dark.

I was feeling pretty confident as we headed out on the morning of the second day. This driving on the left thing was turning out to be pretty easy! Today would be no problem. We drove out from Kirkwall and into the rolling green countryside. We passed through a village and I moved to the right to pass a car parked on the edge of the lane when …

CRUNCH

I looked over at my side view mirror. The casing was gone.

“Oh Gadling! I just broke the Gadling mirror! I probably broke that Gadling’s Gadling mirror too! GADLING!!!”

I turned the car around.

“Let’s go back and see how much Gadling money I owe that Gadling Gadling.”

The worst part of this whole thing was that it was my fault. While he had been parked partway onto the road, there was no oncoming traffic and I could have easily got around him. I misjudged the distance because it was on my left and I was sitting on the right side of the car. I had no one to blame but myself. I hate it when that happens.

We drove back to find a burly old man standing by the side of the road holding his side view mirror and parts of mine. “Burly old man” sounds strange but that’s what he was. He was 70 if he was a day but had a chest like an ox, with massive arms that ended in spade-like hands. His weathered face had a stoic northern look to it. There was no murder in his eyes. I got out of the car.

“It looks like I owe you some money,” I said.

“Yes,” was all he said.

I examined the damage. It was a good thing I took that extended coverage because this was going to come out to well over £200. Neither of us had the number of a garage on us so he invited me back to his house to look at the phone book.

I like to visit the homes of the local people when I travel but I prefer to arrive in happier circumstances. His house was off the main road in a little cluster of homes on a windswept hill. A sign in the tidy living room said, “A fisherman lives here with the best catch of his life.” A fisherman. That explained the burliness. Hopefully, he’d continue playing the part of the stoic Scot and not gut me like a flounder.

Luckily everything went well. The fisherman remained stoic, only showing his anger by repeating the phrase “all I want is my mirror fixed” a few more times than necessary. The rental agency didn’t take back the car, so we were able to visit the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. And I learned an important lesson about driving on the left: after driving on the right for 25 years, it’s not so easy just to flip your perceptions and expect to be able to judge distances perfectly.

I just wish i hadn’t said “Gadling” in front of my son so much. It’s such a filthy word.

[Photo courtesy user webhamster via Flickr]

Don’t miss the rest of my series “Exploring Orkney: Scotland’s Rugged Northern Isles.”

Coming up next: “Visiting Orkney: the Practicalities!“

Airline Safety: Another Needle Found In Airplane Food

by Jessica Festa on

Two weeks ago, we told you about how six Delta passengers were horrified to find needles in their airline sandwiches. While we were hoping it was a one-time incident, it seems passengers really do need to be extra careful when eating their on-board meals. In the last case, the flights were leaving from Amsterdam; however, Air Canada has confirmed a sewing needle was found in the food on a Canadian flight this week.

Although the two events are suspiciously similar, police say it’s too early to connect them, especially since a different caterer was used in both incidences.

According to TIME, in both situations, the sewing needles were found by passengers eating a pre-packaged, catered sandwich. The passenger wasn’t hurt, and neither Delta or Air Canada have reported any other needles being discovered.

Air Canada says they are working with their caterer to “ensure heightened security measures.” Moreover, police have stepped in to investigate while the FBI and Dutch authorities continue attempts to solve the case from July.

[Flickr image via sillygwailo]

Touring Scotland: A Day In Magical Shapinsay

by Chris Owen on

The Orkney Islands draw travelers touring Scotland from around the world for a variety of reasons. Home to a considerable number of habitats in a small area, the 70+ island chain is home to a unique number of plants, birds and other wildlife. We spent a day on Shapinsay that was much like a step back in time.

Regular flights bring visitors to the city of Kirkwall in Orkney. A five-minute drive takes them to the Kirkwall or Ayre hotels, both good bases to enjoy Orkney ales or whiskys before visiting Shapinsay. It did not take long to learn that spirits are consumed here as part of many activities including a breakfast of porridge and scotch.

A short 25-minute ferry ride brings visitors to the shore of Shapinsay where tours can be arranged or visitors can do what we did – just walk the island.

Once ashore, visitors are greeted by abundant plant life in Balfour Village, built in the late 18th century. Originally the home for carpenters and masons employed on the estate of Balfour castle, the island of Shapinsay now has a few shops, a restaurant and a whole bunch of marvelous gardens.

As we see in this photo gallery, beautiful flowers, shrubs and grasses magically flourish in what one might otherwise think was a climate that would not support them.

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[Photos- Chris Owen]