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The Thinking Traveller

The Thinking Traveller

Abu Dhabi do!

You see it in films, and it is the stuff of legends - the sands of the Middle East.  Camel rides are one-of-a-kind, but if you need something with a bit more adrenalin, how about this? Abu Dhabi’s impressive desert dunes offer off-road driving enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime driving experience, but never go out into the desert…

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Do you want Samoa?

Who better to ask about travel ideas than travel professionals? Our partner, Viator, asked its staff on where they would like to travel next.  There were lots of ideas, but Samoa struck us as a top idea.  Here's what they said: Sāmoa "I’ve been dreaming of going to the Cook Islands since moving to New Zealand two…

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Remember to Garden Your Reservations

One of the most important things you can do after you buy an airline ticket is “gardening” your reservations, especially when you book travel far in advance. I take the term gardening from Nicholas Kralev, tending to the bookings — checking up on them, and doing minor maintenance. Some common things that happen to reservations between the…

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Living with the locals

Throwing yourself into a new culture can be one of the most daunting yet rewarding parts of travel. Here are some things to consider if you're about to check-in to a homestay and check out a place with a community-run operator. When traveling, it’s easy to just see the veneer of culture without really getting…

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True gratitude is a communal emotion, not a wellness practice

In March 2020, Europeans started gathering on balconies and by windows to cheer, applaud and show gratitude to their healthcare workers providing life-saving services during the pandemic. The regular cheering and clapping became a symbol of hope: human solidarity triumphing over fear and enforced isolation. Contrast that scene with another. Following the remission of her…

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A range of possible futures

I have a confession. As a physicist and psychiatrist, I find it difficult to engage with conversations about consciousness. My biggest gripe is that the philosophers and cognitive scientists who tend to pose the questions often assume that the mind is a thing, whose existence can be identified by the attributes it has or the…

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Sleeping your way through Europe

The national railway companies of Austria, Germany, France and Switzerland have announced new overnight train routes linking some of Europe’s largest cities. The new routes are intended to offer a more sustainable option for travelers to enjoy the continent’s beautiful and historic metropolises.  Some stations are spectacular, in more ways that one. In a press…

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Towering elegance

The Woolworth Building is an early American skyscraper designed by architect Cass Gilbert and located at 233 Broadway in Manhattan, New York City. It was the tallest building in the world from 1913 to 1930, with a height of 792 feet (241 m). More than a century after its construction, it remains one of the 100 tallest buildings in the United States. The Woolworth Building is located in…

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Why we should book now and travel later

Wildlife travel provides crucial funding for conservation and wildlife protection programs, even if your departure date is uncertain. As COVID-19 brought tourism to a screeching halt, conservation programs to protect some of the globe’s most delicate ecosystems began to face a funding crisis. From the open plains of the Maasai Mara in Kenya to the…

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To fly, you really need to roll up your sleeves

Want to take a vacation next year? Prepare to roll up your sleeve. Yesterday, the top executive at Australia’s largest airline said proof of getting the Covid-19 vaccination will be “a necessity” for boarding international flights in the future. “I think that's going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other airlines around the…

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Sleeping pilots!

Have you ever wondered where the cabin crew goes when they need some shut-eye?  See the secret crew rest space where pilots and flight attendants sleep during long international flights. Content courtesy of Reddit. Secret crew rest space where pilots and flight attendants sleep during long international flights from r/Damnthatsinteresting https://www.reddit.com/user/aloofloofah/

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Everything is negative

A normal tourist map, "but everything is negative" 'Critical Tourist Map of Oslo' offers uniquely dark perspective on Norway's capital. Your standard tourist map is irrepressibly positive about its location—but not this one. Norwegian activist/artist Markus Moestue reveals the dark and shameful sides of Oslo. He hopes his 'Critical Tourist Map' will inspire others…

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