LonelyPlanet.tv

by Willy Volk on

Lonely Planet recently launched lonelyplanet.tv, a new website packed with travel footage shot by Lonely Planet TV — like the excellent overviews of Mumbai and Berlin — as well as uploaded by independent travelers — see, for example, the clip of Lake Burma’s jumping monastery cats or the unusual tour of the unusual Squilax Hostel in Canada (hosted by an unusual tour guide).

The clips load fast (a plus!), though they aren’t embeddable (a minus). Nevertheless, the site, organized by channels, contains loads of footage that’s meant to inspire, educate, fascinate, or simply amuse.

Swing by and browse through the channels A Year of Parties; Oh F***! Oh Wow! (showcasing unusual happenings around the planet); and Tripcast, which features travel journals.

Get inspired. Then go do something.

Roadtrip Time Lapse Video

by Dave Luna on

Last year, I did a roadtrip with my good friend Dom Panarello. I wanted a simple way to remember the 45-day excursion, so I rigged my car with a windshield-mounted webcam that snapped a picture every 60 seconds while the car was running. The other day I looked at the 15,100+ images, and I decided to string them together as a time lapse video:


[Music: FC Kahuna – “Hayling”]

Sure, it’s not Matt Harding dancing on the dark side of the Moon, but I think it’s still mind-blowing. Each frame of the seven-minute video equates to one minute behind the wheel. If you don’t blink, you’ll experience the entire 16,748 mile trip across 45 states. The drive includes tours through national parks*, national forests, and historical sites. You’ll also see thousands and thousands of miles of open tarmac.

* Acadia, Joshua Tree, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Death Valley, Yosemite, Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Carlsbad Caverns, Mesa Verde, Mammoth Cave

Video: Crossing the Road in India

by Justin Glow on

It begins innocently enough — traffic flowing normal (for India) — but as the videographer makes it about half-way, the traffic thickens as motorcycles and rickshaws zoom past. And then relief; we’ve made it to the median for a quick breather…only to be faced with another mess of traffic, this time thicker, but fortunately much slower moving.

It’s like a real life Frogger.

Hip Hop Culture Tours of NYC

by Jamie Rhein on

If you’re looking for a unique look at New York City, here’s a tour company that offers hip-hop tours of New York. The purpose of Hush Tour Company”s offerings is to give folks a positive look at hip-hop culture. According to the company’s website, hip-hop got its start here 33 years ago. The tour highlights the sights, sounds and tastes of Manhattan and the Bronx from a hip-hop point of view. The tour guides are hip-hop entertainers who got the movement started. Here’s an in-depth New York Times article about Hush Tours, but this video takes you on an actual tour for a little while.

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Vietnamese Water Puppet Show

by Jamie Rhein on

If you’re ever in Hanoi don’t miss the Water Puppet Theater-even if you think you are not a puppet kind of person. This show is not just geared for kids, but meant to delight adults as well. Water puppetry started in farming communities when rice paddies were used as the stage. These days, puppeteers stand in water, chest deep, behind a curtain. The puppets are fastened onto poles and boards and are manipulated using the water as part of the scenery. Here’s a video sampling of what you will see. Sometimes the puppet troupe goes on tour. If it comes through your town, don’t miss it. Thanks, English Tim for the You Tube post.