Driving from Bangladesh to England in a classic Rolls Royce

by Kraig Becker on

Rupert Grey and his wife Jan are preparing to make an epic road trip this September. The kind of road trip that we all dream about during which we leave our normal, mundane, lives behind in favor of the open road and untold adventures. In this case, our two intrepid travelers will begin their journey in Bangladesh and eventually end up back in their native England, covering thousands of miles in between. But Rupert and Jan aren’t content with just making that journey in just any old vehicle, which is why they’ll be driving their classic 1936 Rolls Royce along the way.

While the start of their adventure is still a few months off, the couple are making preparations for what will likely be a fantastic journey. They will be shipping their car to Chittagong, Bangladesh, where they will set out to drive through Bhutan, Nepal, and India before arriving at the Arabian Sea. From there, they’ll board a ship bound for Iran, where they’ll once again hit the open road, crossing into Turkey and eventually Europe, before returning back to the U.K.

Intrigued by this unique road trip, an independent film company hopes to make a documentary of Rupert and Jan’s journey. Rover Films is currently seeking funding for the project, and have already tentatively named their film A Sense of Adventure. You can check out the teaser trailer for it below.

Reading about this story left me to wondering. If you could take any road trip in any vehicle, where would you go and what would you drive? For me personally, I’d love to go from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa, in a classic Land Rover Defender. Say circa 1985 or so.

How about you?

[Photo credit: Rover Films]


A Sense Of Adventure OFFICIAL TEASER from Rover Films on Vimeo.

Today is National Get Outdoors Day!

by Kraig Becker on

Hot on the heels of National Trails Day last weekend, now comes National Get Outdoors Day, an annual event that encourages all of us to get off the couch and go outside. To celebrate the occasion, there are a number of activities taking place across the country today, all with the intention of promoting a healthier lifestyle and an appreciation for great outdoors.

The official website for the event has a complete list of Get Outdoors Day locations from across the U.S., each of which has their own unique plans on how they’ll take part in the festivities. Many of those locations will be staging family oriented outdoor activities with a primary goal of engaging young people in the outdoors, while also introducing first-time visitors to public lands, such as state and national parks.

As an avid outdoor enthusiasts, I rarely need an excuse to go outdoors. In fact, I’ll be spending the weekend in Colorado attending the Outside in Aspen event. But I can always appreciate any efforts to encourage others to get out and enjoy the great outdoors as well. This weekend is the perfect time to hike your favorite trail. break out your bike and go for a ride, or simply stroll to your neighborhood park for some fresh air. After all, it is springtime in the U.S., the weather is great, and there is no better time than now be outside.

What are your plans for National Get Outdoors Day?

National Geographic offers Dreams of Burma

by Kraig Becker on

National Geographic Traveler and Fotopedia have teamed up to deliver yet another fantastic travel app for the iPhone and iPad. Entitled “Dreams of Burma,” the new app manages to captures the spirit and culture of the Southeast Asian country in a host of images, maps, and other features that make it the next best thing to actually being there yourself.

As you would expect when Nat Geo and Fotopedia get together, photography will play a central role in what ever they produce. That is definitely the case with this app, which comes packed with more than a thousand stunning images from Burma. Those images offer everything from intriguing glimpses inside ornate local temples to breathtaking views of some of the stunning landscapes found throughout the country, however it was the photos of the people, going about their daily lives, that left the biggest impression on me.

Your favorite images can be used to create slideshows or set as your desktop background on your device. Built-in connections to email, Facebook, and Twitter also allow you to easily share the best photos with friends and family as well. The app also features a “Trip Builder,” which lets you create your own Burma getaways, both real and virtual. There is also a forward written by Traveler Editor-in-Chief Keith Bellows, as well as interactive maps and a comprehensive search feature as well.

This new app is available now and is completely free. It does require an Internet connection to pull in much of the content however, so be aware of that before you use it on the go. Other than that, I can’t think of a single reason why anyone who considers themselves a traveler, and owns one of Apple’s i-devices, wouldn’t have this app installed. Get it now by clicking here.

Bonnaroo: know before you go

by Elizabeth Seward on

Bonnaroo kicks off today. In fact, at this precise moment, music-lovers anticipating one of the best weekends of their respective summers are pitching their tents and working out which bands they’ll see tonight. I remember this feeling. I went to Bonnaroo last year and had such a blast that I got passes for this year’s festival, as well. Unable to make the trip at the last minute, I am living vicariously through festival-goers, flipping through their Facebook photos as they roll into my news feed. The photos will chronicle the fun they’ll inevitably be have. If you’re gearing up for the next few days of Bonnaroo, here’s a little run-down of things you should know before you go. This will help you to get a little more acquainted with the festival before it swings into full gear and, with any luck, it will increase the chances of you having a smooth and stress-free experience.

  • Bonnaroo. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival takes place every year in Manchester, Tennessee. It’s held at Great Stage Park and this year’s festival is #10 for Bonnaroo. The term ‘bonnaroo’ originated in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans a slang interpretation of the French words ‘bon’ (good) and ‘rue’ (street), which translated to “the best on the streets” in New Orleans. The term was popularized by Dr. John with his 1974 album Destively Bonnaroo. Bonnaroo has invested its resources since the beginning in sustainability and for this reason, it is one of the most Earth-friendly music festivals out there. The festival drew in roughly 75,000 fans last year, most of them having traveled to the festival.
  • Tickets. Tickets are sold out. If you don’t have a ticket, you’re not going. Start saving up for next year’s festival.
  • Alcohol. No glass containers or kegs are allowed on the premises of Bonnaroo. No outside alcohol is allowed inside of the What Stage Venue or Centeroo.
  • Grilling. Grilling is permitted, but only with small grills and camping stoves.
  • Fires. Absolutely no open fires are allowed.
  • Gas. There is no gas available on the festival grounds, so make sure you fill your tank before entering the festival.
  • Pets. No pets, none at all.
  • Re-entry. No vehicles can leave the grounds before 9pm Friday night and expect to re-enter. If you do leave Friday and expect to re-enter, then you must depart from either the East or West Tollbooth. You will only be allowed to leave and re-enter once during the festival.
  • Day parking. Those parking just for the day may only enter and depart through the West Tollbooth.
  • Leaving on foot. Patrons are permitted to leave on foot if they are scanned out by the East or West Tollbooth.
  • Wristband. Do not put it on before you get to the festival. Period.

ADVICE

  • Be neighborly! Bonnaroo is a friendly place–embrace it.
  • Schedule music-seeing carefully. You won’t be able to see everything you want to see, just know that and prepare for that.
  • Have a shade-solution. It will be difficult to find shade for certain shows, so come with a parasol or sun hat at least.
  • Bring cash and avoid ATM fees.
  • For every alcoholic beverage you consume, consume a glass of water. This is a good rule of thumb in general, but especially when you’re outside in the heat all day. Bonnaroo has seen its share of alcohol or drug-related deaths–take care of yourself.

THINGS TO BRING

  • Spare set of keys
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Plenty of sunblock, a sun hat, a sun umbrella, whatever you need to combat the sun and heat.
  • Aloe
  • Cooler with food
  • Flashlight
  • Raingear and mud boots
  • Camping gear
  • Blanket for seating
  • Bandana
  • Sunglasses
  • Extra toilet paper
  • Flag or balloon to identify camp site
  • Small luggage lock for tent
  • Earplugs
  • Camera WITHOUT detachable lens
  • Pen/Paper
  • Phosphate and sulfate free soaps
  • Ashtray for cigarette smokers

THINGS NOT TO BRING

  • Fireworks
  • Weapons
  • Illegal substances
  • Vending materials of any kind
  • Bicycles, scooters, or any other personal motorized vehicle
  • Plastic grocery bags
  • Styrofoam coolers

THINGS PROVIDED

  • Drinking water
  • Medical assistance
  • Wash stations
  • Showers
  • Portable toilets with toilet paper
  • General store
  • Food, beverages, and snacks for sale
  • ATM machines

COMPLETE LINEUP
COMPLETE SCHEDULE
ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS
COMMUNITY
GALLERIES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Bonnaroo 2011: Why you should go

Genetic clue to Easter Island mystery

by Sean McLachlan on

Easter Island has always been a puzzle to archaeologists and historians.

Hundreds of miles from the nearest land, this small Pacific island hosted a culture that built the famous Easter Island statues, and then vanished as mysteriously as it appeared.

Now DNA evidence has shed new light on where the Easter Islanders came from. It turns out that while most of the islanders’ heritage has roots in Polynesia, as scholars have long believed, they also have some South American ancestry.

Norwegian scientist Erik Thorsby has found genes among Easter Islanders that are only in South American Indian populations. These genes had recombined with Polynesian genes, something that only happens after many generations.

The findings are tentative because Thorsby only tested one extended family but supporting evidence comes from an excavation in Chile that found evidence of Polynesian visitors in the 14th and 15th centuries. Given that the Polynesians were arguably the best sailors of the preindustrial world, they probably went lots of places we don’t know about.

Ancient migrations were more common than most people believe, and in recent years DNA evidence has revealed many anomalies not recorded in history. It’s best to be cautious, however. Some overeager researchers called hyperdiffusionists want to see all sorts of cultures coming from one source–the Greeks or the Egyptians or whatever their favorite happens to be. They tend to make unsupported claims about places like America’s Stonehenge, which is probably not ancient, and descend into New Age archaeology.

As Thorsby’s findings show, real science can be much more exciting than myth making.

[Photo courtesy user davitydave via Gadling’s flickr pool]