GadlingTV’s Travel Talk 005: Khmer Rouge Tourism, Scottish banknote woes, China on dog meat, and fun in the Californian sun

by Stephen Greenwood on


GadlingTV’s Travel Talk, episode 5 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Spring is here! The sun is out! GadlingTV’s Travel Talk heads to Santa Cruz, California for an action-packed episode.

This week we discuss Cambodia’s efforts to turn the Khmer Rouge legacy into tourist attractions, why traveling the UK with Scottish banknotes could be problematic, China’s unrelated plans for a new London-Beijing connection and a ban on the sale of cat & dog meat.

We’ll show you how to brew a special tea from Argentina; Sheila recounts tales from England and dating around the world, Melanie from Germany shows Aaron how to cook bratwurst and we go on a massive beach adventure.

If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.

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Links:
Yerba Mate – buy Maté and learn more!

Your money’s no good here, Scotland – the Everywhereist.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyll – try saying this five times fast.
Hosts: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea
Special guests: Sheila & Melanie from Germany.
Produced, Edited, and Directed by: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea
Special thanks: Todo Mate, Capitola.
Music by:

“High Life No. 2”

“Sweeny’s Polka”
.Caledonix
http://caledonix.de
“Evolution”
the Pacific
http://myspace.com/thebixbyknolls

Poll of the Week!

%Poll-43056%

Last week’s results:
Should a pilot that flew illegally for 13 years be given a chance to get licensed?

Yes – he’s adequately proven that he can fly! (54.4%)

No – he’s a criminal and should be put in jail. (35.1%)
Only if we can monitor his conversations in the cockpit! (1.8%)
Only if he has the looks and charm of Leonardo DiCaprio. (8.8%)

Google Maps adds biking directions

by Mike Barish on

We were pretty jazzed when Google Maps added public transit directions for various cities around the world. Some of us don’t own cars (have you tried to park in Manhattan?) and we don’t always bother renting one when we travel. So, you can imagine our joy now that Google Maps has also added biking directions.

The biking directions help riders stick to dedicated trails and bike lanes, which keeps everyone safe. Google has more than 12,000 miles of trails included in its maps along with data on bike lanes and recommended streets for more than 150 cities thanks to its partnership with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Perhaps best of all, the biking directions seek to avoid hills. Though, if you want the inclines for exercise, you can always edit the directions just like you can the driving directions in Google Maps.

With Spring fast approaching and people beginning to get excited to once again resume outdoor activities, Google Maps biking directions are a fantastic addition to a travelers toolkit. That said, we don’t recommend you pull out your iPhone and attempt to access Google Maps while biking through traffic.

Cycle across India in 2011

by Kraig Becker on

Looking for a new kind of travel experience? One that combines cultural immersion with physical challenge across a beautiful and mysterious landscape? Then perhaps Tour d’Afrique, the Toronto based company that specializes in adventure cycling tours, has just the thing for you. As part of their DreamTours program, the company has organized a 46 day ride across India that is set to get underway in early 2011.

Departing from Agra, just south of New Delhi, on January 29th of next year, the Indian Adventure Bicycle Expedition will cover more than 2050 miles. In the process, the route will pass through Rajasthan, the popular Mumbai, and on to the beaches of Goa, before continuing to the confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Indian Ocean.

Cyclists who elect to ride the entire route will spend 37 days in the saddle, with nine more rest days built into the schedule. But for those who lack the time for the full tour, there are two other options, allowing for riders to enjoy an abbreviated course. The first is a 995 mile ride from Agra to Mumbai and the other a 1300 mile route from Mumbai to Kanyakumari that requires 25 days to complete.

Tour d’Afrique earned it’s reputation by launching an epic cycling tour of Africa that bears the same name as the company itself. Since then, they’ve also organized an equally epic tour of South America as well as an amazing ride along the ancient Silk Road. Their DreamTours program was launched last year, allowing us to come up with or own grand cycling tours, while the company uses its network of resources to organize the events. The Indian Adventure Expedition is one of the first tours to come from that program.

For more information on this ride, and the others that are available, go to the DreamTours website. Then, break out your bike, and hit the road. You’re going to need the practice.

New Zealand goes easy on naked bikers

by Annie Scott on

Public nudity may be against the law in New Zealand, but on the evening of December 7 in the beach resort town of Whangamata, two young bikers in the buff were told to put on helmets, not pants.

The two young men in their twenties were stopped by Senior Constable Cathy Duder, who says of the incident, “They were wanting to experience total freedom,” also noting that they were both perfectly sober. “It was dark and there was no one else around. They were jovial young men who had not intended to cause offense.” She warned them they might “experience total confinement” if they didn’t get some headgear.

Constable Duder, according to Yahoo, reports that the men turned right around and went home, and she doesn’t know if they continued their free-ballin’ joyride later. We wonder if they ended up opting for television instead — naked biking sounds a little uncomfortable … but if you’re into that, sounds like Whangamata should be next on your list.

(Or check out the UK’s World Naked Bike Ride, pictured above.)

[via Yahoo]

Berlin brothel to bikers: ride up and save!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The travel and hospitality industry has tried so many ways to go green – from trying to wash fewer sheets and towels to using organic products in spas – that you might start to wonder if it’s running out of options. Well, if that is a concern, it’s probably time to look to the world’s oldest profession for some new ideas.

In Berlin, a brothel is ready to make you feel good for doing good. Clients of Maison d’Envie will receive discounts if the roll up to the front door via bike instead of car. There isn’t much parking in the neighborhood, laments Thomas Goetz, the bordello’s owner. So, he can free up some spaces for other businesses in this corner of what was once East Berlin, do his part to reduce carbon emissions and hopefully keep customers coming in the door despite the financial crisis.

Ride a bike instead of driving a car, and you get €5 (around $7.50) off the service you’re looking for. Currently, 45 minutes in a room (not necessarily for conversation, since prostitution is legal in Berlin) €70, but cyclists will see that fall to €65.

Walking, unfortunately, won’t get you the same perk. Goetz explains that he doesn’t have a way for customers to prove they didn’t drive and park nearby.

Can you think of a better way to save the planet?