Far above a trip to the Caribbean or Antarctica on my bucket list is a journey into the depths of Nepal, and I can’t help but feel jealous that my friend Bassam Tarazi beat me to it. Tucked above the northeast corner of India through a seam of the Himalayas, Nepal is the definition of adventure. It seems far enough away from the western world to be free of any nonsense like reality television and Us Weekly, rugged enough for a lifetime of hikes and camping trips and filled with all sorts of adventure opportunities. Nepal is also the home of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world and a destination in and of itself. In the above video, Bassam details his journey to its base.
What Does Disney’s Space Mountain Look Like With The Lights On?
Ever wondered what Disney’s famous Space Mountain roller coaster looks like when the lights are on? If so, you’re in luck because the video below was posted to The Disney Blog a few days back and it gives us all a behind-the-curtain look at one of the most iconic rides in all of the Disney parks.
The first Space Mountain opened at Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, in 1975 and became an instant hit with visitors. The indoor coaster sends riders hurling through a series of sharp twists, turns and drops while remaining almost completely in the dark. That combination of speed and the tension of not knowing what would happen next has made it one of the top attractions in Disney parks ever since.
Rarely do guests in the park ever get to see what Space Mountain looks like when the lights are on, but in the video below riders on one of the park’s “Peoplemovers” passed by while the interior was completely illuminated. The result is a great look at the inner-workings of the ride, which still look impressive.
From Sunrise To Sunset By Boat In Venice, Italy
Created by Swiss filmmaker Joerg Niggli during two separate trips to Italy, “Venice in a Day” shows a day in Venice from sunrise to sunset. The time-lapse video shows viewers the beautiful city of Venice, or “The Floating City,” with a ride up the Grand Canal and a tour from Rialto Bridge to Piazza San Marco. There are also some unique shots being taken from the moving boat, which creates a really vivid, first-person perspective. During the creation, a budget-friendly Canon G10 was used along with Motion, After Effects and Final Cut Pro X used to edit. Music is by Heart of Champions, Chris Haigh and premiumbeat.com.
Video Of The Day: Time Brushing Istanbul
Recently a Turkish friend asked my daughter Vera’s middle name. It’s Alcazar, my grandmother’s maiden name from Trinidad, and more commonly known as a Moorish Spanish word for fortified palace. I was surprised to hear the response, “Oh, like the cinema?” It turns out there is an Alkazar movie theater just a few miles away from us on Istanbul‘s busy Istiklal Caddesi. Opened in the 1920s with various incarnations as a popular, adult, and art house movie theater, the Alkazar closed two years ago just before I moved here, but the facade remains. The above video by Vimeo user mustafa emre uses a “time brush” technique to show the historic building in its heyday and more recently. It’s a fun way to show how the past is just below the surface.
Seen any historic travel videos or photos? Share them with us by leaving a comment below or adding to the Gadling Flickr pool for another Video of the Day.
Dramatic Everest Rescue Caught On Video
A dramatic rescue took place on Mt. Everest this past weekend where photographer and filmmaker Corey Richards had to be evacuated from the mountain by helicopter. Much of the incident was captured on film, which offers insight into high altitude mountaineering rescue operations that can be employed to save a climber’s life.
Richards was climbing the world’s tallest mountain as part of the co-sponsored National Geographic/North Face team that is preparing to tackle Everest’s seldom visited West Ridge. As part of his normal acclimatization process, he had made his way up to Camp 2, located at about 21,000 feet, and while there, he began to experience chest pains and was having trouble breathing. Fearing an impending case of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), better known as altitude sickness, Corey’s teammates sprung into action to help ensure his safety. After putting him on supplementary oxygen, ten other climbers loaded him into a plastic sled and started to lower him down the mountain.
The original plan was to take him to Camp 1 where he could be picked up by a helicopter, but the weather worsened as they descended, and they were forced to assist him all the way back to Base Camp at 17,500 feet. Along the way, the 28-year-old Richards had to periodically get off the sled and walk across large crevasses on out-stretched ladders.
Upon reaching Base Camp, Richards was taken to the village of Lukla, located at a lower altitude in the Khumbu Valley. Once there, high altitude doctors were able to examine him and they determined that it was best to send him back to Kathmandu for recovery. He is reportedly there now, feeling much better and weighing his options for potentially returning to the team.
Update: The video has been changed to no longer allow us to embed it here on Gadling. To check it out for yourself click here.