The OzBus Diaries: London to Sydney Via Bus Blog

by Justin Glow on

If Brett’s article on the London-to-Sydney-via-bus adventure peaked your interest, but you don’t have the $7,500 to spare for the trip, check out the blog of one of the travelers: The OzBus Diaries.

“Ok so we are now just over a week away from departure and I am in the zone. Finally the urgency of impending departure has sunk in, getting everything done in time is now a challenge and one I am happy to take on.”

There hasn’t been an update in over a week, but here’s to hoping net cafes are easier to come by in the future. I still haven’t decided if spending 12 weeks on a bus full of the same people sounds fun or not. The travel, sure, but one bad egg could make it a very miserable jaunt around the world. [via]

Top 10 Hostels Around the World

by Justin Glow on

Our friend Benji over at the Guardian has compiled a list of the top 10 hostels around the world. “When I say I’m staying in a hostel instead of a hotel, they think I’m subtlety telling them I have a drug problem,” he writes. “But things have changed, people. Not all hostels are grubby dives run by people called Starchild.” It’s true; some of the cheapest and most unique places to rest your weary travel legs are hostels, even if you do have a drug problem. Here’s Benji’s picks:

  1. Villa Saint Exupery, Nice, France
  2. Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia (pictured)
  3. Casa Caracol, Cadiz, Spain
  4. Art Hostel, Sofia, Bulgaria
  5. Backpack Guesthouse, Budapest, Hungary
  6. Backpackers International, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
  7. Long Street Backpackers, Cape Town, South Africa
  8. Casa Esmeralda, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  9. Sleeping with the Enemy, Sydney, Australia
  10. The Gershwin, New York, US

I haven’t been to any of these, but I’ll be looking for hostels to stay in next month in Ljubljana, Budapest, and Sofia, and each of his recommendations in these cities looks promising. Make sure to head over to the Guardian to read details — including website links — of each one of the hostels listed. [via]

Gigapixel Photographs by Scott Howard

by Justin Glow on

Scott Howard spent two days in 2005 taking almost 200 photos from an area near the Adler Planetarium to create this gigantic image of the Chicago skyline at night. Using a piece of software called Zoomify, the images were then stitched together and packaged in a Flash project that allows you to zoom in — waaaaaaay in — on any part of the image.

He used the same technique on two more stunning locations: Sydney, Australia, and Machu Picchu in Peru. Impressive! [via]

Where to Get Your Drink On

by Jonathon Morgan on

For those of you looking to get roaring drunk on your next holiday abroad, you’re probably in the market for a really good pub crawl. I spent my college days in Liverpool — formerly rated the UK’s number 1 party city — so, rest assured, I know what I’m talking about.

But beyond the unchecked inebriation, and poorly-harmonized group renditions of “Lean On Me” that often accompany these sorts of excursions, in some cities, pub crawls are the best way to get to know the local population.

Thanks to Vincent Crump and Chris Haslam at the Times Online, you can review a handpicked list of the best pub crawls in the best pub crawl cities — Sydney, Dublin, Boston and Edinburgh. Not only do they give you a run down on the cultural significance of all their chosen watering holes, but the pair are even so thoughtful as to offer culinary suggestions for the morning after — pleasant ways to ease out of that hangover (or beat it to death with fried eggs and bacon).

Bottoms up.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of December 31

by Adrienne Wilson on

With so many interesting stories coming out and into the New Year it made selecting this week’s five a bit difficult, yet I think I’ve gathered a well-rounded batch for you to review.

5. Think Before You Click:
Here is the sad tale of a German tourist who accidentally booked a ticket and flew into Sidney, Montana when he actually wanted to go to Sydney, Australia. The lucky fellow was able to make it to his intended destination with the help of family and friends, but talk about a costly mistake! Ouch.

4. Ask The Pilot:
Looking for the answer to all your flying questions? Why not “Ask the Pilot” or pick up the book to see if your question happens to make the selection of commonly pondered questions.

3. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum:
When a former president is no longer with us it is a big deal to say the least and many feel the need to pay some sort of tribute. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is just one place to start or perhaps you can think and thank him on your way from the ATM as he was the dude that made it legal to pull money from a machine. Not as grand as a trip to the museum, but its just a thought.

2. Paddling Baja Dispatch: Day 2:
After another great trip, Erik returns to share with us the details of paddling Baja. In this dispatch he talks about his guide Carlos, jagged coastlines, incredible rock formations, Mexican food, and rum and of course he does the favor of including some very cool photos from the affair. There is more to come, but in the meanwhile catch up on this if you already haven’t.

1. Chinese Shish Kabobs:
Death-wish or delicious? I don’t know about the food found in the pictures from Neil’s pal Pete, but I do know they make my skin crawl to the point where these Chinese shish kabob would be staying far from the taste-buds and only close enough for photo ops. Do proceed with caution.