I’ll go wherever the Megabus takes me!

I recently took a 12-hour epic bus ride, at night, from London to Amsterdam. We left Victoria Coach Station at about 9.30pm and stopped in Dover around 1am, then took the ferry to Calais and continued our journey towards Brussels. After a short stop in the Belgium capital, it was dawn already; we headed towards our final destination. We alighted from the bus at around 9.30 am in Amsterdam. And all for only £20 round trip!

You could wonder why one would spend their night on the road from London to Amsterdam instead of taking a 45 minute-flight and spare a sleepless night and uncomfortable seats that ruin your neck and hurt your spine. Well, obviously, because it is one of the cheapest ways of getting from point A to B. And because, in some cases, it is fun! Either way, this is an experience that allows you to spend less for more! Not only that you get to enjoy a trip with the ferry, make friends on the bus and listen to new stories, but you also get a glimpse of other cities, especially Brussels, in my case.

Low-budget is not for everyone, but for those who like to taste the adventure by different means. A ride with the Megabus will also give you time to read, listen to music, watch a movie, write on your blog or just let your mind wander anywhere and everywhere. The good part is that you have free Wi-Fi on the bus, so you won’t get bored if you’re an internet savvy.

Course there are some downsides and risks that you must be willing to take: lack of comfort – remember to bring a neck-pillow if you want to catch forty winks; dysfunctional toilet – this could have turned into a massive issue, but at least our driver fixed it half way to London; the excessive cold or heat from the AC; some crazy passengers with seats right next to you, so you’ll have to put up with their stomach issues and relationship matters for almost 12 hours. And the biggest risk of all: having an insane driver. But let’s think positive and see the full part of the…Megabus.

You can find this mega value bus in the UK, the United States and Canada. Basically, it is a low cost inter city travel, so you can see the country at a minimum price. That is if you have enough time to do it! But its best feature is that it can take you across the borders into the big bad world

Leave the UK to go to Paris, Boulogne, Brussels or Amsterdam. Plus, Megabus loves Wednesdays when you can travel for only £5 on all English and Welsh routes. On the American continent, you can become one of Kerouac’s characters, jump on a bus and travel the country. And it can also take you to Canada; switch from English to French in a blink of an eye. Or more, to be honest. If you’re lucky enough you can catch a much comfy seat in the new fleet of double deckers, with at-seat plug ins and panoramic windows.

The megabus.com service was first launched in the UK in 2003 and offers fares from £1 (plus booking fee) across the UK, linking around 50 locations. The coaches are carrying more than 2 million passengers a year. On the American continent, it was launched in April 2006 and has served more than 15 million passengers throughout more than 70 major cities in the Midwest and Northeast of the USA and Canada.

It is not the fastest way to travel, but definitely a safe and cheap one, so you can give it a try. There’s a new motto me and my friends laugh about: I’ll go wherever the Megabus takes me! 

Hotel de Glace, Quebec, Canada

Hôtel de Glace or Ice Hotel in Quebec Canada is one of the most unique hotels in the world. Made out of ice and snow the hotel boasts spacious bedrooms, jazz suite, ice bar and cafe, hockey suite and an ice chapel. You can marry there and have fun sleeping in -5˚C.

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See here what the hotel recommends for the stay:

Soon you will live the winter experience of a night at the Hôtel de Glace. In order to be well prepared, the key information needed for your stay is explained hereafter.
Dress properly to enjoy every minute!
During the day in Québec, winter temperatures outside vary from ‐25°C to 5°C (‐13oF to 41oF). Adequate apparel is recommended. Follow the three‐layer technique.
The interior layer is composed of undergarment. They must allow humidity to escape your body. Synthetic clothing or a mix of wool and synthetic fabric are recommended. Cotton is not recommended since it retains humidity.
The middle layer must isolate air and control humidity. A wool, flannel or polar fleece sweater is recommended.
The exterior layer must shield wind and humidity without affecting your comfort and movements. Since heat escapes easily trough our head, it is important to cover your head appropriately. The hat must cover the ears. A scarf will also help cover your neck and throat. Gloves or mittens will keep your
hands warm, especially to enjoy a cocktail served in an ice glass! Boots must be big enough so that you can wear thick sox and protect yourself from humidity.
At night use dry clothing which will not have been worn during the day. A very few garments are necessary to avoid being too hot. A high level of heat will create sweats which will then transform into humidity and will ultimately make you feel cold.
Include the following in your suitcase:
• Alternate hat
• Alternate scarf
• An extra pair of sock
• Alternate long underwear
• A pair of mittens or gloves
• A swimsuit
• Sandals
• A padlock for changing room

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10 Most beautiful City Parks in the World

10. Monsanto Forest Park, Lisbon, Portugal

Monsanto Forest Park is a protected forest in Lisbon’s Western areas and is one of the largest green city parks in Europe, with almost 1000 ha. The park, often considered “the lung” of this thriving city, was created by an enormous conservation effort on the formerly barren Monsanto Hills and today it offers great opportunities for hiking, biking, and marveling at the stunning views of the bay in the distance.

 

 

9. Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland

Dublin’s Phoenix Park at 707 hectares is a historic landscape of international importance and one of the largest designed landscapes in any European city. It was originally established as a Royal deer park in the 17th century, but today it boasts the residence of the Irish President, a medieval castle, the Dublin Zoo, and a diversity of gardens and monuments.

8. Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney, Australia

Sydney’s Royal Botanical Gardens runs along the eastern edge of the central business district and the northern end of the park just so happens to overlook Sydney Harbor, offering spectacular views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House. In addition to world-class views, the gardens also offers a diversity of some of the most beautiful flora and fauna Australia has to offer.

7. Griffith Park, Los Angeles, USA

Griffith Park in LA is one of the largest and most diverse urban parks in the world (at 1700 ha). This often overlooked LA attraction cannot rival many of the other city parks on this list in terms of landscaped beauty, instead it this wild and unkempt park offers a multitude of enjoyable activities and world-famous landmarks, including; the Autry Center, the Hollywood sign, the Griffith Observatory, the historic Greek Theatre, the LA Zoo, and stunning views of the sprawling metropolis that is Los Angeles.

6. Tiergarten, Berlin, Germany

Stretching from the Brandenburg Gate in the east to Zoo Station in the west, Berlin’s Tiergarten is one of Europe’s largest and most beautiful inner-city parks. Originally conceived as a hunting ground for Prussian kings, the Tiergarten is today transformed into a bustling park that homes the excellent Berlin Zoo, the Victory Column monument, the Bellevue Palace, and several picturesque lakes and walking paths.

5. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, USA

Designed as a replica of New York’s Central Park (look a bit further down in the list), this 405ha park attracts 13 million visitors a year (making it one of San Francisco’s most popular attractions).  The park offers a wealth of intriguing attractions that keeps visitors coming back for more; the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco Botanical Garden, De Young Museum, the Academy of Sciences, the Conservatory of Flowers, a Bison paddock, a couple of lakes, and beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge.

4. Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo’s Ueno Park is revered as the primary destination for rest, relaxation and recreation in the massive capital of Japan. Replete with Shinto shrines, a rental boat lake, a lotus pond, and home to the city zoo, the National Science Museum, the Tokyo National Museum and the Museum of Western Art, Ueno Park is the ideal getaway from the chaos of the city streets surrounding it. The park truly comes to life with its complete natural beauty as hundreds of cherry trees blossom in April of every year.

3. Park Guell, Barcelona, Spain

The whimsical architect Antonin Gaudi’s works are present throughout Barcelona, yet it is his park, Parc Guell, that provides one of his most enduring and beloved legacies to locals and tourists alike.  Parc Guell is surely smaller than most other parks on this list, but it makes up for it in uniqueness, hipness, and beauty. This unusual city park blends colorful mosaics, biomorphic sculptural elements, stunning natural beauty, and unrivaled views across the city all the way to the Mediterranean beaches.

2. Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada

Stanley Park is the true heart of Vancouver, emblematic of local’s passion for the outdoor and epitomizing the rugged natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest as dense forest and untamed ocean collide. Scenic paved pathways throughout the park allow for walking, jogging, rollerblading, or cycling along beautiful gardens, native totem poles at Brockton Point, Pacific Ocean beaches, and Vancouver Aquarium.

1. Central Park, New York City, USA

New York City’s Central Park is the city park by which all other city parks are judged by. The first purpose-built public park in North America (1856) is located in uptown Manhattan, nestled amongst skyscrapers and some of the priciest real estate in the world. Today, this emerald oasis provides a welcome tranquility away from the noisy and chaotic streets of the city, and allows visitors to view the romantic Bethseda Fountain, the mysterious Belvedere Castle, the lively Delacorte Theater, restored carousels, street performers, lakes, and the world-famous New York City Zoo.

Original Post can be found on www.realamazingfact.com

Ten of the World’s Most Unique Islands

Original post on http://webecoist.com

With the globe dominated by oceans, islands play important roles when it comes to trade, the environment, geo-politics, and travel.  Hawaii and Tahiti dominate the imagination of travelafficiandos, and  islands like Greenland are known for their size and extreme climates.  Though the islands on this list are not as well known as the world’s biggest and most scenic isles, they have plenty of characteristics that make them among the world’s most unique islands.

 

Tristan da Cunha: Maximum Isolation

(images via worldstoreblog)

The English-controlled island has the distinction of being the world’s most remote inhabited island.  The rugged, wind-swept landscape is not unlike that oof other islands found in the middle of the Atlantic.  Everyone on the island is a farmer and the land is communally-owned.

Gunkanjima: Island Has-Been

(images via archibase)

This tiny island (less than 1 kilometer in diameter) was once home to a crowded boomtown.  Miners who dug for coal on the island lived nearby in buildings arranged around narrow lanes.  When the mines were stripped of all their coal, workers simply left, leaving everything behind.  Travel is prohibited to Gunkanjima today, but the buildings still remain, eerily intact.

Dubai’s Large-Scale Sand Art

(images via imre solt, dubai architecture,  Alexander Heilner, NASA)

The super-wealthy emirate of Dubai has been the site of some outlandish and brash construction projects.  None of these were as spectacular as The Palm, a man-made island off the coast of the city.  It was shaped by taking sand from the sea floor and placing it in the shape of a gigantic palm tree.

Samosir: A Huge Island within a Huge Island

(images via nasa and caingram)

Samosir Island is located in the middle of Lake Toba, a large lake on the large island of Sumatra, which is part Indonesia.  The island covers as much surface area of the lake as the water does.  But it is the unique culture and idyllic landscapes that truly make this one of the world’s most unique islands.  There are also two small lakes on an island.

Spratly Islands: World’s Most Disputed Islands

(images via US Marines, Borneo Eye, and Sabah Travel Guide)

The Spratly Islands, a chain of atolls in the South China Seas are of great strategical importance.  Troops from Malaysia, the Philipines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China are stationed on various islands in the chain.  Some islands are claimed by more than one nation.  Nonetheless, some of these thin strips of land are quite beautiful.  Layang Layang, near the Malaysian state of Sabah, is a popular diving spot.

Smallest, Holiest, Wildest Island

(images via painted stork)

Peacock Island is the home of the holy Umananda temple complex.  The island sits is a tiny strip of land in the middle of the wide Brahmaputra River in India’s Assam province.  Aside from the temple, there are plenty of residents, mostly of the avian and mammalian variety.  Because so many people visit Umananda, the animals, like the Gold Langur (pictured) are quite tame and social.

Java: Island of People

(images via flydime)

Java is the world’s most populous island.  With over 125,000 people, the main island of the nation of Indonesia is characterized by mega-cities (Jakarta and Surabaya) and, conversely, lush natural landscape.

Azores: Rugged and Remote

(images via Portugal Travelers, Eschock, Ulrik Sverdrup)

The Azores belong to Portugal, but these islands, which you’ve wondered about if you’ve ever looked at the Atlantic Ocean page in an atlas, are so remote, they might as well be their own country.  Sitting in the middle of the Atlantic, these islands are lush, clean, and beautiful.  Though Portuguese influence remains strong, there are  decidedly unique characteristics in the culture of this isolated place.

Ellesmere: The Freezing Isle

(images via Queens University)

There are places in the world that beat Ellesmere Island when it comes to freezing temps, but this Canadian island, directly to the west of Greenland, is a barren arctic wonderland that is a favorite of geologists and biologists who are studying the natural world in the far north.

Ometepe: Old Island of Fire

(images Mat Honan, moody751, and nasa)

Ometepe is one of the oldest known inhabited islands in the world.  It is a two headed monster (two circles connected by an isthmus) in the middle of Nicaragua’s gigantic Lake Nicaragua.  The island is made up of two volcanoes.  It has a population of nearly 35,000 – mostly farmers taking advantage of the fertile volcanic soil.