If you’ve traveled to any of the Commonwealth nations, you’ve likely encountered cricket on television or in the newspapers. You may have even gotten stuck in a conversation about it while having no clue what anyone is saying. Heck, you might have even played it…poorly. Americans don’t understand cricket. Is it like baseball? What’s a wicket? Why does a match take so many days? Thankfully, one America has taken it upon himself to help us all learn about the game. Sit back, relax and let comedian Reginald D. Hunter explain the ins and outs of cricket. I think you’ll see that it’s a lot simpler than you feared.
SkyMall Monday: Rechargeable Heated Slippers
What do you wear to stay warm? A hat? Some mittens? Perhaps a pair of boots? You’re a fool. When temperatures plunge below freezing, you can’t rely on down and wool to keep you from dying of hypothermia. And body heat alone won’t suffice when you’re lost in the wilderness. If you’re going to keep frostbite at bay you need to bring your own heat to the party. This week, SkyMall Monday looks at the latest in feet-warming technology with this gem from SkyMall: Rechargeable Heated Slippers.Did you see that video? These slippers literally light snow on fire! They’re like the Back to the Future DeLorean of rechargeable heated slippers. And despite most people defining slippers as footwear that you enjoy indoors – where you presumably would have access to a radiator or fireplace to keep warm – these slippers are also for outdoor use. And they’re fashionable because they look like you made them from your sleeping bag and a car tire.
Think that a good pair of boots with some wool socks will keep your feet plenty warm? Believe that the best heated accessories necessitate nuclear reactors? Well, while you’re losing feeling in your toes we’ll be reading the product description:
The Volt heated indoor/outdoor slippers provide you with hours of soothing warmth for numb toes and cold, tired feet. Designed with a built-in thermostat control that automatically regulates heat temperature for optimal comfort.
Enjoy between 110 to 135 degrees of pulsing heat for up to 6+ hours per charge.
Much like we all have our own sleep number, we also have personal optimal foot temperatures. My feet are happiest at around 118 degrees. Anything hotter than that and it starts to resemble a French cheese shop down there.
Gear up properly for winter lest you lose some digits to the elements. Leave your Freaky Freezies at home and graduate to a new level of warmth with these Rechargeable Heated Slippers.
Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.
Strolling through the airport just got more exciting with the new musical floor
Recent Design Academy in Eindhoven graduate, Jeriël Bobbe, has recently come up with a new way to make spending time at the airport more fun. His new design is a combination between public art and community musical instrument as it is a piece of flooring with wooden slats designed to play music when you roll your suitcase over it. How deep the grooves in the wood are control the volume, while the width between the ribs affect the pitch.
“The tiles are being deployed in airports to compete with the horizontal escalators,” explains Bobbe. “In a playful way, the traveler is triggered to walk by himself. Which way do you choose?”
Check out the video above to see a preview of what you can expect from Bobbe’s creation.
Video of the day: New York City 1938
Today’s Video of The Day takes us all the back to the year 1938, when New York City was ‘The Wonder City’. Watch this video through to the end and take note of all the changes you see. Not only is New York City very different these days than it was back then (even more people, even more speeding cars), but, naturally, the people of New York are different these days, too. But the differences, after they have been accounted for, aren’t actually what I find to be so striking about this video. It’s the similarities that get me. Watch as the video guides you through the Statue of Liberty and Wall Street, take note of how easily you connect with the traffic on the streets. If you have ever lived in or visited NYC, this video takes you back in time but simultaneously serves to show that NYC is, as always, pretty timeless.
Beauty, adventure, and spa treatments at the Kuang Si Falls near Luang Prabang, Laos
The Kuang Si Falls near Luang Prabang, Laos, are a majestic 3-tier waterfalls that almost looks like a giant natural staircase (and could be, as you can climb the falls). The falls are surrounded by lush forest and myriad opportunities for hiking where you will come across various cascading pools of water, many of which are fine for swimming, as well as charming bridges and limestone cliffs.
Along with trekking through stunning scenery, visitors can visit the bear sanctuary, have lunch at the picnic site, and, my favorite, swing off a tree into the falls. Right next to the pool that the falls cascade into is a tree with wooden plank stairs leading up to a thick rope. You will crawl on all fours to the edge of a tree branch and will have to reach out without falling to grab the rope (while a bit scary, remember that you’ll only be falling into water). Once you grab it, you’ll be able to swing like Tarzan through the air and into the pristine waters below. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll hold on for two seconds and slide right off. Either way, it’s a lot of fun.
While the Kuang Si Falls area is a big site for tourists, my local guide told me that the place is considered sacred by locals, and I did see some monks wandering around. For this reason, I would recommend forgoing the bikinis and tiny swim suits and wearing capris and a t-shirt. While it may be a little uncomfortable, at least it’s respectful, and there are changing rooms so you can get right out of your wet clothes.
An added bonus is the fact that swimming in the waters below the falls is like a complimentary spa treatment. There are thousands of tiny fish that actually suck on your toes and get the dead skin off. Oddly enough, this is a treatment that some people pay big bucks to get at a spa. While I was a bit uncomfortable with how it felt, I will admit my feet were extra soft when I got out.
From Luang Prabang, getting to the falls will take you a little under an hour. You can take a tuk tuk, taxi, songthaew, motorbike, or, usually the cheapest option, a slow boat. Another possibility is to go with a tour company, although make sure you will get a few hours to spend at the falls as there is a lot to explore. The entry fee to Kuang Si Falls is about $1.