Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.gadling.com/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[#OnTheRoad On Instagram: Paris And Italy]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/05/14/ontheroad-on-instagram-paris-and-italy/http://www.gadling.com/2013/05/14/ontheroad-on-instagram-paris-and-italy/http://www.gadling.com/2013/05/14/ontheroad-on-instagram-paris-and-italy/#comments

This week on the Gadling Instagram feed, we were so inspired by Anna Brones' week of photos from Paris, France, that we decided to go back.

Actually, pulling a page from the itinerary of a backpacking college student, we'll only be stopping in Paris for a day while en route to the cities and hamlets of Italy. Expect a week full of photos that range from ruins and relics to hidden restaurants where there will be more than a few shots of pizza and wine. From the hilltop villages of Tuscany to the fabled coastline of Cinque Terre, follow the #OntheRoad Instagram feed for a peek into where our travels have managed to take us.

[Photo Credit: Kyle Ellison]

#OnTheRoad On Instagram: Paris And Italy originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 14 May 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 14 May 2013 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vagabond Tales: Where Is The Roof Of North America?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/25/vagabond-tales-where-is-the-roof-of-north-america/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/25/vagabond-tales-where-is-the-roof-of-north-america/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/25/vagabond-tales-where-is-the-roof-of-north-america/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



For some reason, every continent seems to have a roof.

Bolivia is known as "the roof of South America" for its high, empty and multi-colored altiplano that has an average elevation of 12,300 feet.

Mt. Kilimanjaro has been called "the roof of Africa" for its glacial, 19,340-foot summit that presides over the equatorial plains.

The Tibetan plateau, meanwhile, is such an expanse of high altitude emptiness it's not only regarded as the roof of Asia, but it's gained the lofty title as "the roof of the World."

So if South America, Africa and Asia all get a roof, can North America have one too? Moreover, if North America were to have a roof, where exactly would it be?

Basic statistics point to Mt. McKinley, the 20,320-foot pinnacle that stoically dominates the center of Alaska. Since McKinley is the highest point in the North American continent, it seems it would only make sense. As with California's Mt. Whitney, however, (which at 14,505 feet is the highest point in the continental United States), the promontory is too much of a lone pinnacle to ever be considered a proper roof (thereby throwing the Kilimanjaro title out the window as well, I suppose).

Would it be the Great Basin of Nevada, a seemingly lifeless expanse of rock and sand that hovers silently around 7,000 feet? Would it be the spine of the Colorado Rockies that somehow manage to cram 53 different mountains of 14,000 feet into an area the size of Maine? Or would it be the Yukon Territory and the St. Elias Mountain Range - places, which contain the 18 highest peaks in Canada, 12 of which are higher than anywhere found in the Lower 48?

While all could be considered as viable options (I suppose the Great Basin is a stretch), I'm going to propose an alternative, which has not yet been mentioned, but could make a strong case for keeping the title in a trophy case on its windswept, high-altitude plateau.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: Where Is The Roof Of North America?

Vagabond Tales: Where Is The Roof Of North America? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beartooth highwayBeartoothHighwaybest drives in americaBestDrivesInAmericadharma bumsDharmaBumsgranite peakGranitePeakhighest peak in MontanaHighestPeakInMontanaroof of north americaroof of the worldRoofOfNorthAmericaRoofOfTheWorldtop of the world storeTopOfTheWorldStorevagabondtalesThu, 25 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vagabond Tales: Fear And Loathing In San Felipe]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/16/vagabond-tales-fear-and-loathing-in-san-felipe/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/16/vagabond-tales-fear-and-loathing-in-san-felipe/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/16/vagabond-tales-fear-and-loathing-in-san-felipe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The strip clubs in San Felipe, Mexico, aren't open on Tuesdays.

For most travelers to Baja, this isn't overly concerning. After all, with all of the surfing, fishing, diving and fish taco eating that can easily consumer your entire day, the fact that strip clubs are closed for one day of the week shouldn't be a point of concern.

If, however, you've descended upon San Felipe after three days of camping in the desert with a reclusive, one-legged hermit (a story for a different time), and it happens to be a bachelor party, the fact that it's a Tuesday suddenly becomes an issue.

This, however, is not a tale about strip clubs or hermits. It's a tale about safety, and how the road to bad decisions can be a very gradual slope.

As I've mentioned before in the "2013 International Adventure Guide to Baja" and articles such as "I Traveled to Mexico and Came Back Alive", the only way you're going to get in trouble as a visitor to Baja is if you do something stupid like engage in drug deals in a back alley of a border town with unsavory characters in the middle of the night.

This isn't a Mexico thing, mind you; this is an everywhere thing. Whether you're in Mexico or Chicago, back alleys at 2 a.m. are potential staging areas for the next morning's headlines. When you hear a report that two tourists were stabbed or robbed, and then find out that it was in a back alley of a border town at 2 a.m., a small part of you thinks they had it coming.

Just like no one plans on an accident, however, you don't always plan on ending up in a back alley of a border town-sometimes it just happens. While you would never jump from Point A (land of good decisions) directly to Point D (land of horrendous decisions), sometimes the smaller jumps from A to B and B to C put you in striking range of Point D, the slippery slope of how you got there blurred by the casual descent.

Throw in a Mexican army general and a moonlighting prostitute, and you've created a mezcal-flavored cocktail for disaster.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: Fear And Loathing In San Felipe

Vagabond Tales: Fear And Loathing In San Felipe originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>is Mexico safeIsMexicoSafeMexican bachelor partiesMexican safetyMexicanBachelorPartiesMexicanSafetySan FelipeSan Felipe strip clubsSanFelipeSanFelipeStripClubsvagabondtalesTue, 16 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jet Surfing: The World's Next Watersport?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/12/jet-surfing-the-worlds-next-watersport/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/12/jet-surfing-the-worlds-next-watersport/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/12/jet-surfing-the-worlds-next-watersport/#commentsFiled under: , ,



If history is any indicator, the North Shore of Maui is the tinkering ground for the world's next generation of watersports. Both stand up paddling and kitesurfing can trace their roots to this fabled stretch of coastline, and new footage coming out of the Valley Isle shows some of Hawaii's best watermen testing out what could potentially be the world's next watersport.

In a weird, hybrid cross between jet skiing, race car driving and surfing, jet surfing employs a mechanically operated board that is equipped with a two-stroke engine, which can propel the board to speeds up to 35 mph. There isn't any paddling involved in the process whatsoever, and with the use of a handheld accelerator the rider can adjust their speed to cater to the speed of the wave.

While the boards, which are the design of Jet Surf, have been around for a couple of years, this is the first footage we've seen of them being tested in what has historically been the proving ground for the "next big thing" of watersports.

Granted, the $12,000 price point is out of range for most of the world's surfers, but if the trend catches on there is a good chance the prices will fall as the popularity increases.

What do you think? The future of watersports, or just another gimmick?

Jet Surfing: The World's Next Watersport? originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jet surfjet surfboardsjet surfingJetSurfJetSurfboardsJetSurfingFri, 12 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[International Adventure Guide 2013: Baja, Mexico]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/08/international-adventure-guide-2013-baja-mexico/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/08/international-adventure-guide-2013-baja-mexico/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/08/international-adventure-guide-2013-baja-mexico/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



I once knew a man who said you've never looked freedom in the eye until you've raced through the Mexican desert at 100 mph while naked on the roof of a car.

While perhaps a little extreme, this raw sense of freedom and adventure has attracted adventure travelers to Baja since before the area even had a paved road. A trip to Baja means fishing for Dorado in a wooden panga beneath a sky that is vacant of clouds. It's winding your way on sandy back roads with three surfboards, two cases of Tecate, and one hope for the perfect wave. It's staring in wonder at whale sharks as they casually drift through bays that are cohabitated by manta rays and dolphins.

Baja is enchanting. Baja is raw. And it is unmistakably free.

One thing Baja is not, however, is dangerous, and it's this misconception that continues to keep Baja off of the mainstream adventure travel map.

Instead, we would rather highlight the fact that Baja continues to be one of the best adventure destinations on the North American continent. From surfing to scuba and fishing to sandboarding, the entire peninsula is a desert playground you could spend a lifetime exploring.

Plus, with the media-induced security scares of the past couple of years, prices in Baja continue to be far cheaper than at many adventure destinations you could find in the western hemisphere.

While entire books could be written (and have been written) on the adventure possibilities of "La Baja," here is a snippet of heart-thumping adventures to help turn your attention south.

Continue reading International Adventure Guide 2013: Baja, Mexico

International Adventure Guide 2013: Baja, Mexico originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hawaii Mulls Move To Other Side Of International Date Line]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/01/hawaii-mulls-move-to-other-side-of-international-date-line/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/01/hawaii-mulls-move-to-other-side-of-international-date-line/http://www.gadling.com/2013/04/01/hawaii-mulls-move-to-other-side-of-international-date-line/#commentsFiled under:

Ever since Samoa jumped to the future by moving to the western side of the International Date Line in 2011, tourism authorities in Hawaii have been closely monitoring the situation in Samoa to see what effect it's had on the nation's tourism.

In a tactic, which was described by renowned Gadling blogger Sean McLachlan as "a shrewd business move," Samoa reasoned that by moving to the western side of the International Date Line (aka, "tomorrow"), it would attract more tourists from Australia and New Zealand who no longer had to deal with the inconvenience of adjusting their clocks nearly 23 hours backwards.

Now, nearly two years after the move by the Samoans, Hawaii tourism officials have cited the 3400% increase in tourism to Samoa as strong reasoning for making the jump to "the other side."

"At first we were critical of the move by the Samoans" admitted Hawaiian tourism official Seth Forsyth. "But in the last 18 months the Samoans have exhibited such an astronomical influx of Australian and Kiwi tourists that there's no denying they moved to the right neighborhood."

Forsyth admits, however, that a move by Hawaii to the west side of the date line wouldn't be aimed at Australian tourists, because, as he so eloquently puts it, "if you've ever tangled with an angry Samoan then you know what I'm talking about. We wouldn't want to steal their visitors."

Instead, Hawaii tourism officials are looking to draw visitors from other nations that sit just across the imaginary fence. Amongst those markets, which seem to exhibit the most potential are travelers from New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia.

With word of the move already percolating through the Hawaiian business community, Hawaiian-themed knick-knacks that will cater to the new visitors are already in the works.

According to Jason Cantor, a forward-thinking souvenir trader from Lahaina, Maui, in order to get a jump on the shifting souvenir trade his company is in serious pre-production of "Aloha" vodka flasks and plumeria-scented penis sheaths. According to Cantor, he expects these items to be "the new tiki doll."

While the move by Hawaii seems to be a foregone conclusion, geographic restructuring is similarly being considered by tourism boards across the western hemisphere.

"I've actually been in talks with officials from Nevada, Panama and even Rhode Island" admits Forsyth. "There are a few logistical issues to work out, of course, but in the end I really think it's in everyone's best interests."

[Photo Credit: Heather Ellison]

Hawaii Mulls Move To Other Side Of International Date Line originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aprilfools2013Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Camera Lost While Scuba Diving In Hawaii Washes Ashore In Taiwan 5 Years Later]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/25/camera-lost-while-scuba-diving-in-hawaii-washes-ashore-in-taiwan/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/25/camera-lost-while-scuba-diving-in-hawaii-washes-ashore-in-taiwan/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/25/camera-lost-while-scuba-diving-in-hawaii-washes-ashore-in-taiwan/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When Lindsay Scallan of Newnan, Georgia lost her camera during a 2007 scuba dive in Maui, she swallowed the hard pill of realizing that her vacation photos would be gone forever.

As it turns out, in a story recently published by Hawaii News Now, the Canon camera (which was in an underwater case) was found 6,200 miles away on the shores of Taiwan by a China Airlines employee who was taking a walk down the beach.

Despite the fact that the camera was covered in barnacles, the memory card was still intact and contained all of the photos that Scallan had snapped on her Hawaiian vacation nearly five and a half years prior.

Hoping to reunite the camera with its unknown owner, a story was published on the Hawaii News now site on March 22, which included photos from the memory card of a woman who was presumed to be the owner.

Thanks to the power of social media sites and online sharing, by March 24, Scallan had received news of her camera's re-appearance.

Not only does Scallan get her photos back, but China Airlines has offered to fly Scallan to Taiwan to be reunited with her camera in person. The only trouble, however, is that Scallan has just started a new job and doesn't know if she can get time off to fly halfway around the world to pick up her long-lost photos.

[Photo Credit: Hawaii News Now]

Camera Lost While Scuba Diving In Hawaii Washes Ashore In Taiwan 5 Years Later originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camera washes up in TaiwanCameraWashesUpInTaiwanlost camera found in TaiwanLostCameraFoundInTaiwanMon, 25 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How To Win A Beer-Cation In Maui]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/24/how-to-win-a-beer-cation-in-maui/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/24/how-to-win-a-beer-cation-in-maui/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/24/how-to-win-a-beer-cation-in-maui/#commentsIf you're anything like my friends, going on vacation involves drinking lots of beer.

In this particular instance, however, this current offer has more to do with the art of craft brewing as opposed to simply shouldering up to your favorite tiki bar.

If a contest involving Maui, sailing and craft brewing sounds like something you could get into, the craft-brewing site The Weekly Pint is running a promotion through April 7 where entrants put their name into a sweepstakes to attend the Maui Brewer's Festival on May 18.

Airfare is taken care of. Lodging is taken care of. Beer is taken care of. And for good measure, why not spend the day on a sailing catamaran?

We know that spring is taking a little while to get into gear here, so if you're in need of some warm tropical thoughts you can navigate over to the contest page and try your hand at paradise.

Good luck, and if you win, have a coconut porter for me!

How To Win A Beer-Cation In Maui originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vagabond Tales: How Travel Can Literally Make You Younger]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/18/vagabond-tales-how-travel-can-literally-make-you-younger/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/18/vagabond-tales-how-travel-can-literally-make-you-younger/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/18/vagabond-tales-how-travel-can-literally-make-you-younger/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



The famous Spanish explorer Ponce de León spent parts of his travels on an unfruitful search for the fountain of youth.

Sailing from Puerto Rico to Florida in 1513 on a voyage, which would become the first documented European exploration of the American mainland, rumors of de León's search for the mythical fountain wouldn't arise until documents published after his death (which, as it turns out, wasn't due to old age, but from being wounded in the thigh by a poisoned arrow during an exploration of Southwestern Florida).

Unfortunately for de León, not only was he was searching in the wrong ocean for the secret of anti-aging, he was also searching in the wrong century. Had de León been sailing around the western Pacific in, say, 1910, he would have discovered a completely arbitrary line, which has the ability to make a traveler an entire day younger.

Sure, you might only be younger on the calendar as opposed to in actuality, but thanks to the existence of the International Date Line, trans-Pacific travelers technically possess the ability to go back in time.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: How Travel Can Literally Make You Younger

Vagabond Tales: How Travel Can Literally Make You Younger originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flights across the PacificFlightsAcrossThePacificgoing back in timeGoingBackInTimehistory of the international datelineHistoryOfTheInternationalDatelineInternational date lineInternationalDateLinetime between New Zealand and Honolulutime travelTimeBetweenNewZealandAndHonoluluTimeTravelvagabondtalesMon, 18 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[#OnTheRoad On Instagram: Gadling Takes Instagram To Maui]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/04/ontheroad-on-instagram-gadling-takes-instagram-to-maui/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/04/ontheroad-on-instagram-gadling-takes-instagram-to-maui/http://www.gadling.com/2013/03/04/ontheroad-on-instagram-gadling-takes-instagram-to-maui/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Gadling's Instagram feed is going to get a lot more Hawaiian this week, as I'm moving the Gadling lens from the snowy confines of the Alhambra in southern Spain to the sunny shores of Maui, Hawaii.

Though one could argue that Maui is a scenic place to photograph during all months of the year, March is a particularly scenic time on the Valley Isle since this also happens to be the peak of whale season.

Stay tuned over the next seven days as we take you behind waterfalls, stroll down sandy beaches, head to the water in search of humpbacks and while away days beneath the shade of a palm.

So where ever you may be, if the weather outside is looking more winter than summer, grab some coconut oil, put on your favorite Oren Masserman tune, and tap into the Instagram feed @GadlingTravel for some virtual Hawaiian warmth.

Want to get in on the action? Mention @GadlingTravel in your own photo AND use the hashtag #gadling, and your photo will be considered for our Gadling Photo Of The Day.

[Photo Credit: @SailTrilogy on Instagram]

#OnTheRoad On Instagram: Gadling Takes Instagram To Maui originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Best Maui Whale Watching Video You Will Ever See]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/01/25/the-best-maui-whale-watching-video-you-will-ever-see/http://www.gadling.com/2013/01/25/the-best-maui-whale-watching-video-you-will-ever-see/http://www.gadling.com/2013/01/25/the-best-maui-whale-watching-video-you-will-ever-see/#commentsFiled under: , ,




It probably won't come as a surprise to hear that Maui is a popular vacation destination this time of year. With the recent bout of cold that's been gripping the nation, the idea of a warm, tropical island sounds pretty nice to anyone shoveling snow.

It isn't just the warmth that makes Maui such a popular winter hotspot, however; it's also the whales.

Every winter thousands of North Pacific humpback whales make the long swim south from their feeding grounds in waters off of Alaska to the protected waters of Maui County. The whales, which migrate to Maui, form the densest population of humpbacks found anywhere in the world, and during the peak of the Maui whale watching season it isn't possible to look out at the water for more than two minutes without seeing a splash or a spout. Whale watching charters operate from dawn to dusk shuttling snap-happy visitors out to get a closer look, and for many, the experience is a pinnacle of their vacation.

In the case of these two Maui scuba divers, however, instead of going out to watch the whales themselves, the whales decided to stop in and pay them a visit as they hung out on the ocean floor at a depth of 180 feet. Just to add some spice to the already heart stopping moment, a few sharks decide to visit the divers just for good measure.

If this sounds just a little bit insane, these are the same people who are behind the "Black Coral" documentary we reported on back in May, and encounters such as this are almost to be expected from this bunch.

So although tens of thousands of Maui visitors will embark on whale watching charters this winter, we can guarantee that none of them are going to get a sighting quite like this.

The Best Maui Whale Watching Video You Will Ever See originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vagabond Tales: How Traveling Helps You Realize You Look Weird]]>http://www.gadling.com/2013/01/21/vagabond-tales-how-traveling-helps-you-realize-you-look-weird/http://www.gadling.com/2013/01/21/vagabond-tales-how-traveling-helps-you-realize-you-look-weird/http://www.gadling.com/2013/01/21/vagabond-tales-how-traveling-helps-you-realize-you-look-weird/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



When I was 4 years old I had my picture taken by a large group of Japanese tourists.

While this in and of itself is slightly strange, the curious part of the story is where it happened. I was seated with my family - mom, dad, and infant baby sister - while casually enjoying a lunch of hot dogs on the lawn of the Washington Monument.

Having exhausted whatever amount of historical appreciation you can muster out of a scraggly-haired child, we had taken to more leisurely pursuits such as having a picnic on the grassy lawn. Ketchup packets were opened, a blanket was laid out, and mustard-stained fingertips clutched bright red Coke cans as we washed down the average hot dogs.

Nothing special about this situation at all. Just a family enjoying a casual lunch on a summer day in the nation's capital.

For some, however, that scene evidently wasn't so normal. To a gaggle of camera-toting Japanese tourists engaged in a tour of Washington D.C., we were apparently something more. Perhaps it was Yoshi who had the thought first, and he subsequently told Shigeki who told Yuuki that there was one more sight they still hadn't photographed.

Lenses were pointed, flashbulbs popped, and a chorus of "oohs," "aahs," and "hai!" percolated through the curious mob. Eventually, the perplexed look on my father's face prompted one of them to reveal their fascination.

With a nervous smile and an awkward half-bow, one of the tourists let us in on their sudden fixation:

"You are, American family, yes?"

Apparently, right there beneath the spire of the Washington Monument, our troupe of four civilians had been mistaken for an official exhibit of a hot dog-eating, Coke-drinking, blanket-sitting, American family. To us, this was a normal thing to do. To the Japanese tourists, however, this was worthy of six-dozen photos.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: How Traveling Helps You Realize You Look Weird

Vagabond Tales: How Traveling Helps You Realize You Look Weird originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 21 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cambodia haircutsCambodiaHaircutsinternational photographyInternationalPhotographyphotographing localsPhotographingLocalsvagabondtalesMon, 21 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vagabond Tales: Welcome To Portland, Strip Club Capital USA]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/24/vagabond-tales-welcome-to-portland-strip-club-capital-usa/http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/24/vagabond-tales-welcome-to-portland-strip-club-capital-usa/http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/24/vagabond-tales-welcome-to-portland-strip-club-capital-usa/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,




As I squeeze the last bits of orange garnish into my pint of Blue Moon, a man to my left is having his nostrils plugged by a gyrating set of female genitals.

Releasing him from the flesh cave, the attractive blonde stripper - to the immense enjoyment of the sophomoric and semi-erect set of friends he's brought with him - suddenly doubles around and stiffly slaps a hand across his clean shaven face. This is my fourth strip club of the night, and even I didn't see that coming. It's all part of her shtick, however, and from the look of things the two are no more than 10 minutes from a trip to a private room.

No, this isn't some testosterone fueled frat party, it's just another night out in Portland, Oregon, strip club capital USA.

Despite the fact that this northwestern city is lauded for its microbrews, coffee and eco-friendly public transport, believe it or not, Portland is also home to more strip clubs per capita than any other city in America. Not Las Vegas. Not Detroit. Portland.

So just like the brilliant minds that put together Strip City, the documentary featured above, I, too, came to Portland on a mission to try and find out what it is that keeps the city so excessively nude.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: Welcome To Portland, Strip Club Capital USA

Vagabond Tales: Welcome To Portland, Strip Club Capital USA originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Casa Diablo PortlandCasaDiabloPortlandMarys PortlandMarysPortlandPortland highest number of strip clubsPortland strip club guidePortland strip clubsPortlandHighestNumberOfStripClubsPortlandStripClubGuidePortlandStripClubsStars Cabaret BeavertonStarsCabaretBeavertonUnion Jacks PortlandUnionJacksPortlandvagabondtaleswhich city has the most strip clubsWhichCityHasTheMostStripClubsMon, 24 Dec 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Airline Gives Away Surprise Christmas Presents In Baggage Claim]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/20/airline-gives-away-surprise-christmas-presents-in-baggage-claim/http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/20/airline-gives-away-surprise-christmas-presents-in-baggage-claim/http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/20/airline-gives-away-surprise-christmas-presents-in-baggage-claim/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Airport baggage claims are very strange places. Industrial, drab, and rarely decorated, they are metal cauldrons of human emotion.

One the one hand, you have happy families reuniting with each other where shrieks, hugs, and the occasional "I'm going to briefly straddle you in public and disguise it as a hug" move are common practice. Then, on the other hand, you have weary travelers running on three hours of sleep who find themselves dealing with airline agents who are filing claims for luggage that has simply up and vanished. In few places do so much joy and so much despair exist beneath the same roof.

In the middle of the baggage claim, however, are the rest of us who haven't yet received a hug, yet also haven't received our bags. With one eye scanning the crowd for our welcoming party, and the other nervously watching the luggage belt, it's as if hundreds of people are emotionally stuck in neutral.

Which is why we found it so entertaining that Brussels Airlines in a recent holiday stunt decided to take a few passengers out of neutral and instead put them into drive. Placing a present amidst the baggage and openly disguising it as a free gift, all that was required for someone to claim the prize was simply to reach down and examine the present.

This, however, is not a natural thing to do. With airport security loudspeakers constantly warning us of unaccompanied luggage, this is in some ways akin to a windowless van with a sign that says "free candy". Nevertheless, a few lucky passengers decided to test their better judgement and pick up the package.

The result? Two free tickets to anywhere within Europe. A Merry Christmas indeed!

Airline Gives Away Surprise Christmas Presents In Baggage Claim originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it comes to travel there are really only two forces that drive us to the destinations we visit.

Either we hear about them from somewhere else, or we stumble upon those we know nothing about.

In the case of the Nicaraguan rodeo, that was a stumble. For nearly anywhere else, however, either we have read about it in a book, learned about in school, watched a documentary about it on television, see it featured in a magazine, or heard from a friend that this place is amazing and you should go visit if you ever get a chance.

In the case of Placerville, California, however, I learned of it through somewhat of a unique channel ... eavesdropping.

While working as crew on a sailboat in Hawaii, I once overheard the conversation of a visiting couple about their recent day spent in a place called Placerville.

"I don't know about that place," the rotund, slightly graying woman mentioned to her neighbor on the catamaran. "There was something eerie about it. It's just so far removed from everything, and if I were a mass murderer on the run from the law that's definitely where I would go. Placerville."

For reasons unbeknownst to me, this conversation - which I wasn't even a part of - stuck with me for the better part of a decade. I would see the name "Placerville" on a map and would immediately picture outlaws. Someone would mention the name Placerville and I would feel compelled to ask if they had seen any mass murderers.

Given this strange fascination, I was recently taken aback when my wife asked me if I wanted to go wine tasting and apple picking for the day.

"Sure", I agreed. "Where are we going?"

"Placerville."

Gallery: Dueling Worlds of Placerville, California

Nothing beats an old diner in a small townOld Placerville city center as it was in the days of the gold rushApple bins don't scream 'outlaw' to meNeither do pumpkin patchesNot many towns have wine tasting and blacksmith shops on the same property

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: In Search Of Placerville's Apples And Outlaws

Vagabond Tales: In Search Of Placerville's Apples And Outlaws originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Apple Hill PlacervilleAppleHillPlacervilleCalifornia day tripsCaliforniaDayTripsEl Dorado Wine CountryElDoradoWineCountryOld HangtownOldHangtownPlacervillePlacerville historyPlacervilleHistorySacramento day tripsSacramentoDayTripsvagabondtalesMon, 03 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Important Warning For Anyone Using Airbnb]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/01/important-warning-for-anyone-using-airbnb/http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/01/important-warning-for-anyone-using-airbnb/http://www.gadling.com/2012/12/01/important-warning-for-anyone-using-airbnb/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When I first heard of Airbnb it sounded like Couchsurfing but without the creepiness.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the concept of couchsurfing, but for some people the idea of crashing on someone's couch/bed/floor/kitchen for completely free sounds a little too good to be true. There must be a catch, right? (For the record, there often isn't. It's just nice people who want to meet travelers, including the Bedouin guy in Jordan who lets people couch surf in his cave).

Which is why when Airbnb came along it seemed a bit more, how shall we say, legitimate.

Sure, you're still sleeping in a stranger's house, but since they're charging you money all the psychological weirdness about the situation goes right out the window. It's kind of like a hotel, but in someone's house, and thereby it's much more acceptable. Right?

Well, according to a recent article by the New York Times, in many cases that's exactly the problem.

In this trying economy it would only make sense that people rent out an extra room in their house as a means of supplementing their income, but according to the New York Times article, many local laws aren't exactly accepting of this win/win form of subletting.

The article cites a man in New York City who hosted guests in his East Village apartment, only to see his landlord slapped with $40,000 in fines for violating local laws. Out in Maui, where I live, anyone caught operating a "transient vacation rental" without a permit can be subjected to fines of $1,000/day if caught by the local authorities, so the issue is one, which spans both sides of the country.

Continue reading Important Warning For Anyone Using Airbnb

Important Warning For Anyone Using Airbnb originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Dec 2012 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sat, 01 Dec 2012 18:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch Man Break Record For Freediving Under Ice]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/13/watch-man-break-record-for-freediving-under-ice/http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/13/watch-man-break-record-for-freediving-under-ice/http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/13/watch-man-break-record-for-freediving-under-ice/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



If you're one of those people who goes down to the local swimming pool and attempts to swim the length of the pool twice without coming up for a breath, I have news for you:

Stig Severinsen owns you.

In the YouTube video above, the record-holding, freediving Dane (who also casually has a PhD in medicine) shatters the Guinness world record for longest freedive beneath ice on a single breath of air.

Oh yeah, and he's in a Speedo.

Sure, this happened in March, 2010, but who cares? The concept alone is insane and the video is astonishing and wildly entertaining. Notice that when he successfully pops out of the icy cold water he opts to flash the "OK" sign, speak in English for some unbeknownst reason, and then casually relax with his bare arms on the ice sheet as if it's a post-massage hot tub session at the resort.

Just for fun, let's just look at a few more pieces of trivia for the intriguing Dr. Severinsen. According to his Wikipedia page, this 39-year-old human lung enjoyed such childhood pursuits as underwater rugby (in which he competed for the Danish National team), and also dabbled in underwater hockey (where he strangely enough competed for the Spanish National Team).

Combining his love of breath holding with yoga and physiology, the adult Stig set out to redefine the realm of possibility by shattering numerous freediving and Guinness World Records.

Around the same time of this stunt, Stig set a second Guinness record by holding his breath for 20 minutes and 10 seconds in a tropical swimming pool. Oh wait, that's right. It wasn't a swimming pool. It was a tropical shark tank. As if being the only human to ever hold his breath underwater for 20 minutes wasn't enough, he decided to immerse himself in a cauldron of sharks.

Not one to rest on his laurels, however, Stig would break his own record two years later by holding his breath for 22 minutes, and for his efforts he was subsequently declared to be "The Ultimate Superhuman" by the Discovery Channel.

Move over Dos Equis man; Stig Severinsen might just be the most interesting man in the world.

Watch Man Break Record For Freediving Under Ice originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There is a bit of contention with regards to where exactly the most remote place on Earth actually is.

Most lists you encounter will feature the usual suspects such as the island of Tristan da Cunha, the village of Ittoqqortoormiit (Greenland), the Svalbard archipelago (Norway) and McMurdo Station (Antarctica). Just last month we published one such list right here on Gadling.

Nevertheless, in every one of these lists there is one place, which is always conspicuously absent.

No, it's not the town of La Rinconada, Peru, a mining outpost, which sits 17,000 feet up on the slopes of a permanent glacier. That's usually on there too. Geographically speaking, the world's most isolated landmass is a place known as...

Hawaii.

Wait. What? Hawaii? There are over 4 million visitors a year to the island of Oahu alone. I can watch a bad movie on the airplane, take a nap, and I'm there. How is Hawaii remote?

While many of the places mentioned above may be unique in their inaccessibility, technically, the Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated populated landmass found anywhere on the planet, with the closest point of continental land being 2,400 miles away (California).

Given the fact that Hawaii is accessible, I surmise, must be the reason it never makes the list of places, which are "remote."

What if, however, you set out to experience one of the least accessible places in all of Hawaii. The foremost outpost in the world's most isolated island chain? A place where there are no hotels, no roads, or really any trails. A place you cannot fly to, drive to, or barely even walk to. What sort of remoteness exists out there?

That was the question in everyone's mind as we set sail for the north shore of Molokai on a catamaran loaded with surfboards, beer and a number of lingering unknowns.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: Setting Sail For The Most Remote Place On Earth

Vagabond Tales: Setting Sail For The Most Remote Place On Earth originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelHawaii sailingHawaiiSailingMolokaiMolokai backsideMolokai sea cliffsMolokaiBacksideMolokaiSeaCliffsmost remote place on EarthMostRemotePlaceOnEarthnorth shore of MolokaiNorthShoreOfMolokaiPapalau Falls MolokaiPapalauFallsMolokaiPelekunu ValleyPelekunuValleyvagabondtalesWailau ValleyWailauValleyMon, 12 Nov 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Zoo Staff Determines Elephant Can Speak Korean]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/11/zoo-staff-determines-elephant-can-speak-korean/http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/11/zoo-staff-determines-elephant-can-speak-korean/http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/11/zoo-staff-determines-elephant-can-speak-korean/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As strange as it sounds, according to a recent release from National Geographic, there is an elephant named Koshik who actually speaks Korean.

Six years ago the staff of Korea's Everland Zoo knew something was up when Koshik, an Asian elephant, kept putting his trunk in his mouth and mimicking what appeared to be Korean words.

After sending the footage of Koshik off to researchers who specialize in speaking elephants (yes, that job exists), six years later it appears that Koshik, does, in fact, have a six-word Korean vocabulary which is believed to be derived from mimicking his trainers.

As if a Korean speaking elephant wasn't strange enough, researchers explain that somehow Koshik has found a way to "Macgyver his vocal tract" (when was the last time you said that?) by placing the tip of his trunk in his mouth to accommodate for the fact that elephants don't have the proper cheek and lip structure to make an "o" sound.

In the associated video, which goes along with the post, Koshik can clearly be seen curling his trunk up into his mouth while reciting the Korean words for "hello," "no," "good" and "sit down."

The article states that what is apparently most important in the development of speaking animals is that the animal have a strong social relationship with its trainers or owners. Allegedly, there was once a beluga whale in San Diego, which could mimic the conversations of its trainers, and Koshik similarly has been raised almost exclusively by Korean zoo staff.

Other than a parrot, have you ever heard of other animals speaking to humans?

[Photo Credit: Heather Ellison]

Zoo Staff Determines Elephant Can Speak Korean originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 11 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elephant speaks KoreanElephantSpeaksKoreanspeaking elephantSpeakingElephanttalking animalstalking elephantTalkingAnimalsTalkingElephantSun, 11 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Wing That Lets You Fly Underwater]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/07/a-wing-that-lets-you-fly-underwater/http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/07/a-wing-that-lets-you-fly-underwater/http://www.gadling.com/2012/11/07/a-wing-that-lets-you-fly-underwater/#commentsFiled under: , ,



What would you say if I told you there was a magical machine that combined scuba diving with hang gliding, required no training, and offered a way to fly past fish and outrace turtles?

You'd probably tell me I was on hallucinogens.

In all seriousness though, with the recent invention of the Subwing system, divers are able to tow behind a moving boat and actually glide beneath the water instead of up on top of it. It's kind of like wakeboarding underwater, or snorkeling on steroids. The jury is really still out on that one.

Invented by a team of Norwegians who came up with the idea while sailing through the Greek Islands, the Subwing system is even compatible with its own GoPro setup so that divers can record their underwater antics.

What's interesting is that - despite looking fun and easy - a rudimentary version of this system has been employed by friends of mine in Hawaii for nearly a decade. An upside down, concave boogie board with a hard bottom replaced the Subwing, and a standard nylon rope was run through holes bored into the upside down board. The result is the same ability to be towed behind a moving boat and fly past stationary coral heads at what feels like decently high speeds.

The problem, however, is that despite only traveling at 2-4 knots (as the Subwing website also suggests), since water is 800 times denser than air, the strain on your neck should you try to look to the side during your "flight" is actually rather strong. Without this peripheral ability it's difficult to see something such as, say, an approaching turtle coming in hot from your port side. When I did this back in 2003 I nearly caught a face-full of turtle.

Nevertheless, this is an invention I am all for and one which continues to push the boundaries of conventional watersports.

A Wing That Lets You Fly Underwater originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fly underwaterFlyUnderwaterSubwingunderwater towingUnderwaterTowingWed, 07 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST