WorldFriends Blog

Strange facts about South East Asia:

1. Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, is the largest religious temple in the world. It is estimated it took 30 years to build!

2. When visiting Angkor, in Cambodia, you can ride an elephant from the South Gate of Angkor Thom to Bayon temple.
3. A golden urn, containing the remains of Buddha, is housed in a stupa (shrine), located on a hilltop in Oudong, 30 miles north of the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
4. Though Vietnam is 1,650 kilometers (1,031 miles) from north to south, the country’s most narrow point, traveling east to west, is only 50 kilometers (31 miles) across.
5. Vietnam is the second largest exporter of coffee in the world. Only Brazil exports more coffee, by volume, than Vietnam. Most of Vietnam’s coffee is exported to the U.S.

6. In Thailand barbers are usually closed on Wednesday because Thais think it will bring bad luck to cut their hair that day of the week.
7. All Thai men are expected to be a monk for a short period sometime in their life. Traditionally it was 3 months but today the time is reduced to a week or two.

8. Some people in Malaysia wash their babies in beer to protect them from diseases.
9. Indonesia is the world’s biggest archipelago with over 17,000 islands.
10. There is a saying in Thailand that you don’t have to worry about falling coconuts because coconuts have eyes. Since more people get killed by falling coconuts than sharks each year, they obviously don’t worry about sharks either!

[Source: gapwork]

Montreal, Canada

Montreal is an island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River, accessible only by bridge. Not all bridges are bike accessible, however, several are including the breathtaking Jacques Cartier bridge. Prominent bike lanes exist throughout the city, most notably along the Lachine Canal, Rue Rachel and most recently along de Maisonneuve Blvd.

Bogota, Colombia

Bogotá has Latin America’s largest network of bicycle routes, called ‘Ciclorutas.’ On Sunday’s and public holidays, many main and secondary roads are closed to cars for the Ciclovia from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., a special feature of Bogotá, where people can run, bicycle, inline skate or just watch from the side. There are refreshment stands along the way and most parks host some type of event such as yoga, dancing, stretching, spinning, etc. Renting a bike or going for a guided tour on Bogota’s Ciclorutas or participating in the Ciclovia are fun and healthy ways to get to know the city, and to get closer to the people.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Fifty percent of people in Amsterdam ride a bike at least once a day. A pleasant way to cover a lot of ground is to rent a bicycle. There are approximately 750,000 people living in Amsterdam and they own about 600,000 bicycles. The city is very, very bike-friendly, and there are separate bike lanes on most major streets

Portland, United Sates

Portland is an excellent city for cycling. It has been rated by Bicycling Magazine as the best city in the U.S. for cycling. It has a network of streets designed to be predominantly used by bicyclists.

Sadnes, Norway

The bicycle seat is a one of the best ways to experience the landscapes of Norway. The sport is becoming increasingly popular in Norway, especially since the success of Norwegian cyclists like Thor Hushovd. As a result, Norwegians generally have a very positive attitude to bicycle tourists, so you’ll have a lot of small talk. Norwegians themselves prefer to ride on nice or even expensive bicycles: in most cities good bicycle shops can be found.

San Francisco

If you have strong legs and can tolerate traffic with intermittent bike lanes, bicycles can be a convenient form of transportation in San Francisco. The city is fairly small — about 7 miles on each side (11 km).

Golden Gate Bridge has sectioned off pathways on each side for pedestrians. If you choose to rent a bicycle and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, be aware that bikes ride on the west (ocean) side of the bridge and walkers stay on the east, more crowded side of the bridge. It is a pet peeve of many locals to have to dodge bicycles while jogging or strolling.

Copenhagen, Denmark

The fastest and most flexible way of seeing Copenhagen is on a bike. Forty percent of Copenhageners use their bike everyday and the city has been designed to cater for cyclists with separate bicycle lanes on most larger roads.

Barcelona, Spain

You can rent a bike or do a tour. Big selection of city bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, road bikes and children bikes in different sizes. Great routes.

[Source: GotSaga]

Restaurants not only have to upkeep the quality of their food, but also the decor and overall ambiance that invaluably add to the customer experience when they dine in. Some establishments focus on the details of every decorative piece, the music, the lighting, and the cutlery, while others have strong themes or concepts that may be interesting or controversial enough to build a following. Here are 5 must-visit restaurants for travelers who step foot in these cities.

The Clinic, Singapore

Do you reminisce the time when you were in hospital so much so that you’d like to relive the experience? You can do so in Singapore! The Clinic is a one-of-a-kind hospital-themed restaurant (just the furniture and design, rest assured they don’t serve hospital food. But if that’s up your alley perhaps they can acquiesce). Dining in a wheelchair with surgical ward lights shining on you may douse your appetite, though!

http://www.theclinic.sg/

SubCulture Dining, San Francisco

Only for the exclusive, you must be known by the primaries or sponsored by a primary as an invited guest for consideration of membership and admission, which is the requirement for membership to the SCD. The SCD is a private club, a Communal Dining experience developed at an assortment of unique, intimate environments. All unknown guests are on a probation period until approved by the Dissident Chef.

http://www.thescdsf.com/

’s Baggers, Nuremberg, Germany

’s Baggers is the world’s first restaurant to feature fully automated ordering and table service. Gone are the days of the waiter! In the waiter’s place, each table has been connected by metal rails to the kitchen, thereby making service crew redundant. Dishes like “organic beef in buttermilk” and “sausage en croute” glide along the rails to customers, propelled by gravity. A pretty brilliant concept, especially for someone inexperienced in the business of dining.

http://www.sbaggers.de/

Modern Toilet Restaurant, Taipei

A generation of toilet-themed restaurants seems to have arrived since this Modern Toilet Restaurant in Taipei. In the beginning, they mainly sold ice cream — a big pile of chocolate ice cream resembling you-kn0w-what sold in containers that shaped like a squat toilet. Now, there’s more variety and better service. Try for yourself if this toilet-themed restaurant will induce your appetite!

http://www.moderntoilet.com.tw/

The Supperclub, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Singapore

The supper club has comfy beds, an upstairs level, cool purple, red lights, and performers! ‘Nuff said.

http://www.supperclub.com/

We’ve all gone somewhere, near or far, and realized too late that we forgot to bring with us something important. It could be our passport, our air tickets, wallet, medication, extra cash in foreign currency, a flashlight, phone charger, etc. Travel plans, safety, or convenience would then be sacrificed due to our carelessness or forgetfulness. Not to fret, as there’s an easy way to rectify this common folly.

Today, create a list of must-have items you need with you when you travel. Keep updating this list with things you think of from time to time, and even compare this list with others as you may have overlooked something you should have on it. Use this list while packing for your next trip and you’ll see how this simple piece of paper will help you with your packing by leaps and bounds.

We’ve compiled a list of essential items we can think of, but everybody’s list should naturally be tailored to themselves according to their own needs.

Travel Necessities

1. Passport and/or visa
2. Cell phone with roaming subscribed, or destination country SIM card
3. Credit cards
4. Travel tickets
5. Language translation book, if necessary
6. Insurance records
7. Accommodation information
8. Cash
9. Medication for air or sea sickness; painkillers; antacids; allergy medication

Clothing

1. Formal or casual wear, as required
2. Jacket
3. Undergarments
4. Jewelry
5. Shoes or slippers, as required
6. Swimsuits, if necessary
7. Sleepwear

Toiletries

1. Toothbrush & toothpaste
2. Hairbrush
3. Deodorant
4. Shaving cream & razor
5. Feminine items
6. Sunscreen
7. Nail clippers
8. Cosmetics, as required

Electronic items

1. Laptop, if necessary
2. Camera
3. Chargers, including laptop, camera, cell phone
4. Memory cards, as required

Miscellaneous

1. Flashlight
2. Insect Repellent
3. Locks (and keys!) for your luggage

Tell us, what else do you never leave for your travel without?

Lights Down Low: In Shanghai from Lights Down Low on Vimeo.

There are travel videos, and then there are great travel videos.

Shanghai, the economic hub in Mainland China, is receiving plenty of media attention this year, as the bustling city is hosting the World Expo 2010.

We found a wonderful depiction of life in Shanghai through the above video by Patrick Biesemans. The video feels somewhat fleeting, but perhaps this is the very experience one feels in the city of Shanghai. Enjoy, and let us know about the great travel videos you like!

Is there a best time for travel? When do you think it is? Summer? Or when there are price slashes?

Anytime is probably a good time to travel, but here’s 10 possible push/pull factors to get you packing:

1) Taking a break from your current job

2) Taking an extended break from any form of work in general

3) Plane ticket promotions

4) Just ended a relationship

5) Just graduated

6) You miss [insert friend's name who's residing overseas] and want to spend time with him/her

7) Your friend abroad is getting married

8) You need to get that [insert gadget/clothing/bag] from [whichever city] that sells it way cheaper than where you are now

9) You miss the food or you’ve been dying to try the food in [insert place]

10) It’s been a while since you traveled!

Share with us, when YOU think a good time to travel is!

Have you been to India? Where did you go while you were there? Did you know about the Indian beaches? Or does it surprise you that there are beautiful beaches in India?

If you ask someone about the best Beaches of India you’ll for sure hear of the most popular beaches of Goa like Anjuna Beach, Calangute Beach, Colva Beach or even the Marina Beach, Chennai or Kovalam Beach in Kerala. But has anyone given a thought that are they really the best in India? There are various un-explored and lesser known beaches in India which are equally beautiful and exotic. They are much clean then the other famous beaches of India.

For many the attracting features are crowd, hip and happening place, adventure sports, beach parties, food, people etc. But to me the best beach would be a place with secluded palm-fringed beaches with pristine golden sand, clear blue waters, beautiful sunset, no crowd, no rubbish thrown around, without a hoard of vendors following you around…..just you the sand and the mighty ocean.

Well let’s have a look at such beaches listed below and these beaches are apt for some secret escapes away from the crowd, hustle & bustle of the city life. I would love to call these beaches “The Top 5 Secret Beaches of India”

Varkala Beach, Kerala
The Kerala Beaches may take a backseat because of the backwaters as the main tourist attraction, but the true fact about the Kerala beaches is that, the entire 900Km stretch of Kerala Cost is lined with sandy beaches, beautiful rock formations and coconut palms swaying on the ocean and these key features definitely merit a visit. The Kerala beaches are renowned for the gentle surf and blue waters….and that’s exactly how Varkala Beach is.

Varkala beach is among the most popular beach resorts in Kerala , mainly because of the mineral water springs with medicinal properties that gush out of the high cliffs bordering the beach. It’s not a very secluded beach It is the best spot along Kerala coast for watching sunset. The sight of the sun melting into the sea would blossom your poetic sense.

Getting There :
Varkala is 51 kms (approx. 32 miles) north of Thiruvananthapuram. It’s an important hub and is easily accessible by road or Rail.

Benaulim Beach, Goa
The highlights of any travel to Goa are its beaches. These Beaches make Goa the Prime Holiday destination in India. Those who love surf, sand and Sun, Goa is the best beach destination for them. Apart from the busy and crowdy beaches of Goa, there are a few lonely and quite beaches for those who just want to enjoy and relax and rejuvenate. Goa’s 100-km long coastline gives an enthusiastic beach lover an opportunity to discover new secluded beach sites every day. One of which is Benaulim.

Named as Benaulim by the Portuguese, lies in the center of Colva Beach, 7-km west of Margao in South Goa. Benaulim is a quiet and pleasant beach lying at the end of Colva beach. The Benaulim beach is still undiscovered by the domestic tourists who further add to its charm. Being a fishing beach, it gets fairly crowded in the evenings and on weekends. Moreover, the sea is safe for swimming and being generally jellyfish-free. Further South of benaulim you can find the soft white sands, the black lava rocks of the Cavelossim Beach which is equally secluded and stunning.

Getting There :
7-km west of Margao (South Goa). Just 2km away from the famous Colva Beach.

Agatti Island, Lakshadweep
The Lakshadweep Island is a group of 36 coral islands and is about 450 kms away from the western coast of Kerala and is a part of the Maldivian Archipelago. These islands are small and flat and hardly 4-5 m. above the sea level. Lakshadweep is the smallest UT of India. Out of 36 coral islands of Lakshadweep only 10 islands are inhabited. These islands in the Indian Ocean are surrounded by lagoons, tall coconut trees, and crystal clear blue water. The coral formations underwater form an amazingly colorful garden and the variety of fish that inhabit these waters is truly exotic. It is a great tourist destination for Divers. A vibe that is both ancient and mellow prevails over these islands… a vibe that begs visitors from outside to slow down and soak in the marvelous beauty that the islands offer.

Agatti has one of the most beautiful lagoons in Lakshadweep. The Agatti Beaches are breath-taking with pristine white sands and an aquamarine blue lagoon. The airport is built on this island. From the aircraft, as you approach for a landing, you get a breath-taking view of the airstrip on the island.

Getting There :
Agatti Aerodrome on Agatti Island is currently the only airport in Lakshadweep. Indian Airlines, the state owned carrier, serves Agatti and flies to Kochi on the mainland. Kingfisher Airlines has also started flight to Agatti recently. Kingfisher connects Kochi and Bangalore to Agatti. The other islands are linked by a helicopter or boat service.

Malpe beach & St. Mary’s Island, Udupi, Karnataka
At the mouth of the Malpe River, about 6 kms from Udupi in Karnataka is the natural harbor of Malpe, an important fishing centre that enriches Karnataka’s coastline with its fabulous beach. The endless stretch of golden sand, graciously swaying palm trees, clear blue sky and the gentle murmur of the sea set the perfect mood for an idyllic holiday.

St Mary’s island is a little slip of land about 30 minutes out into the sea from Malpe Beach in Udupi. The island is full of crystallized basalt rock, a unique rock formation found in very few places in the world, the most notable being the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. And, the sea between the island and the long curve of the beach at Malpe is placid and gentle.

Getting There :

• The nearest railhead is Udupi, which is about 4 km from Malpe

• The nearest airport is Bajpe, Mangalore which is about 60 km from Malpe

The only way of getting to St. Mary’s islands is by boat. Regular boats ply from the Malpe Harbour to these islands. The frequency of these boats may vary depending on the amount of tourists available.

Radha Nagar Beach, Havelock
The Located in the Bay of Bengal about 900km from India, The Andaman & Nicobar Islands have some of the Best and picturesque Beaches. The coastal areas of these islands are still untouched and unspoilt, making it an ideal beach holiday destination.

Radha Nagar Beach also known as Beach No.7 on Havelock in the Andamans has been described as one of the Best Beaches you can get to in the World by Time Magazine. This Beach is one of the few undiscovered gems that have escaped the clutches of mass tourism and untouched by commercialism and modern intrusions.

Getting there :
The quickest and most convenient way to get to the Andamans is to fly. Air Deccan, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Jet Lite (formerly Air Sahara), Spice Jet and Kingfisher all have daily regular flights to Port Blair from Calcutta & Chennai. Alternatively, you can choose to travel by ship – which takes 60-72 hours and is only for the tough.

To get to Havelock from Port Blair, you have to take the ferry departing from the Phoenix Bay jetty. There are 2 departures daily – a daily boat at 0630 hrs, and a second boat at 1400 hrs.

Source: indiamarks

At Boryeong City, South Korea, the 13th annual Boryeong Mud Festival promises to get  you very, very dirty. Smearing yourself with mud and slinging it on others are very much encouraged.

The Boryeong Mud Festival takes place this year from July 17-25, and draws the largest number of international travelers to Korea yearly, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. It’s not a surprise, since it has events like mud wrestling, mud sliding and swimming in a mud mega tub. Ooh! Sounds like fun already.

Care for your skin and have fun at the same time! The mud used in the festival is mineral-rich and is supposed to have great health benefits. There are also treatments there like mud body painting and mud massage. If you think you’re qualified, you can even participate in the mud parade to strut off your muddy body.

If you have qualms about getting dirty with mud, then this festival will be absolutely no fun for you. In fact, you will be put into a prison until you get some mud on your body at the festival!

This Boryeong Mud Festival sounds like a great reason to travel to South Korea this summer!

Have you gone for Boryeong Mud Festival before or are you planning to go? Or have you done crazy things like this in summer? Share with us in the comments!

Breaking out of the regular routine, sipping cocktails on a beach, hiking mountains in far-off lands – most of us tend to equate vacation getaways with happiness.

But according to a recent study in the Applied Research in Quality of Life, it’s the vacation planning that makes us happiest, and not the actual vacation itself.

The happiness boost not only occurs when clicking away on different travel sites or thumbing through Lonely Planets, and plotting your adventure. These researchers from the Netherlands (aren’t people generally happier there anyway?) found that the act of mapping out that time off increased happiness for up to eight weeks – two whole months – ahead of the trip. That’s certainly a lot longer than most vacations I know about.

Guess it makes sense in a way. In reality, vacation or travel tends to be more stressful than we anticipate, what with the little annoyances like lost luggage and improperly booked hotel rooms. Or the bigger ones like dropping your camera off a mountain cliff in Tasmania (check) and forking over $1000 for a last-minute flight to London from Zambia when you thought you were going to Niger for about $100 (check check).

Then as soon as the vacation is over, most of us have to get back to work, which immediately negates any possible happiness we did derive on that Carnival cruise…I mean, eco-friendly work-trip in Honduras.

Relaxing Or Barf-Worthy?

After reading this article in the New York Times, pointed out to us by Milos Trylon, I thought back to some of the trips I’ve taken in my life that were supposed to be “relaxing” – i.e. sitting on a beach, sipping daiquiris, checking out oiled-up men.

Ok, I’ve never really been on a trip like that, but I did participate in the requisite Spring Breaks in the Bahamas and Cancun in college, attended a wedding in Hawaii, even – sigh – jumped on one of those cruises.

I must admit, I’ve never had the kind of fun on these trips that it seemed I was supposed to have. For these types of vacations, which are ones I think the general public tends to fantasize about, it becomes a competition to drink and eat the most for your money. “Oh, alcohol’s included? Just go ahead and bring me four pina coladas now!” “All day buffet on deck 4? Sweet, it’s been over 45 minutes since we last ate, let’s go grab a nibble!” Ugh, that’s not relaxation, that’s food/alcohol-coma-nightmare.

Even if the vacation is less inclined toward booze and more inclined toward say, nature, hiking, and sightseeing, we often pack as much as possible into 7-days roundtrip. This leaves us so exhausted that first Monday back at work, we end up complaining about needing a vacation after our vacation.

Beyond whether or not vacations end up actually being as fun as we think they will be, it’s interesting to think about the mindset of travel and time-off.

We crave time away so much when feeling over-stressed at work, and researching different packages and options gives our bottomed-out adrenaline a little jolt.

Yet, since it turns out the actual vacation isn’t giving us the happiness we think it will, maybe giving our brains some time off could have the same affect?

Reality is what we see, think, and believe. Our thoughts are what bring us happiness, and the anticipation of something good gets those endorphins going. Can we use this knowledge in order to build in more daily escapes to look forward to, even if that’s just walking through a different neighborhood in our town, or taking ten minutes for the ultimate mind-trip meditation?

This is not to say that I think travel, taking time off, and even island-hopping college vacations aren’t valid. The point of travel is not only to achieve a high return on happiness – it’s also to learn about ourselves, other cultures, and even to be challenged to grow via those pesky annoyances.

And I think there is a distinction between the mindset of those who travel for longer periods of time vs. those who are taking a short vacation, due to the fact that long-term travelers usually know they’re in for some rough patches. That’s almost a part of the purpose.

Still, when we can’t get away, whether that comes from a lack of funds, time, or dealing with life issues, it’s good to be reminded that mindset is the name of the game. We have the power to get away in the here and now.

Which just prompted me to head out the door to a personally-uncharted little town nearby to get the rest of my work done today.

Do you derive more happiness from vacation-planning or the trip itself? Share your thoughts below.

Source: Brave New Traveler

Intrigued by Japanese culture? Love Japanese food?

Everyone is always full of chatter when it comes to all things Japanese — the sashimi, the highly advanced technology, the Japanese language, Japanese mannerisms, cute Japanese men and women and so on.

So what do first-time travelers to Japan need to prepare themselves for?

Japanese Language

Surprisingly, despite Japan being the global economic hub, English is not used in daily life. You’d probably find more English speakers in China than in Japan. Nevertheless, the Japanese are keen learners of the English language, and would gladly be a language exchange partner with you. When traveling to Japan, however, it would be most helpful if you learn up the common phrases, and maybe even learn how to read Japanese.

Japanese Mannerisms

We’ve all heard how the Japanese value their manners and are extremely polite with visitors. ‘Tis true and reciprocation is most definitely welcomed. The way we use our handshake is equivalent to their habit of bowing, so it’s good practice to bow when you meet someone new.

Japanese Food

It’s Japanese food galore in Japan! Sushi, Sashimi, Tokatsu, Bento, Teppanyaki,… all those food you hitherto can only enjoy in Japanese restaurants (and probably at a high price)! In Japan, delectable Japanese cuisine is at every corner you look, and waiting for you to tuck in!

Japanese Sizes

Remember the movie “Lost in Translation”? Bill Muray was considered two sizes too tall for things like the Japanese shower in his five-star hotel room. So if your size is above average that of the Japanese, be prepared for instances where you may be a couple of sizes too big for things around you in Japan. Buying clothes there are probably not an option for you.

Want to know more about Japan or heading there soon? Meet travel friends who may even be available locally to help enhance your Japan experience!