Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Meet The Man Who Spent 11 Years Walking Around The World And The Woman Who Waited For Him To Return]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/meet-the-man-who-spent-11-years-walking-around-the-world-and-the/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/meet-the-man-who-spent-11-years-walking-around-the-world-and-the/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/meet-the-man-who-spent-11-years-walking-around-the-world-and-the/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

jean beliveau walk around the worldOn his 45th birthday, Quebec native Jean Béliveau went out for a walk. He crossed over Montreal's Jacque Cartier Bridge in Montreal, where he originally dreamed up the idea of escaping his life as a neon sign salesman nine months before, and kept going for 75,554 kilometers through 64 countries. He burned through 54 pairs of shoes but somehow managed to maintain his relationship with his wife, Luce, who stayed at home while Jean spent 11 years walking around the world. But when he returned to Canada, some criticized the walk as a self-indulgent escape from a midlife crisis since it wasn't done for a specific charity.

Seven months after returning home from what is believed to be the world's longest uninterrupted circumnavigation on foot, Béliveau is being courted by publishers who want the rights to his story. We caught up with Jean to find out more about his motivation for taking an 11-year walk, how he pulled it off without losing his wife and what he's up to now.

Why take a walk around the world?

Jean: I owned a small neon sign factory but when Quebec had a terrible ice storm in the winter of 1998, we lost power for weeks. We had to close the factory and then my wife had to move to Montreal for her job. I had a midlife crisis in the meantime. I began to sell neon signs but I wasn't making much money. I said, 'My God, what happened with my life? I'm throwing my life away.'

I felt like I was working just for money and giving my soul away, and for what? I ran over Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal one day and thought, 'I wonder how many days it would take to get to New York. And how many weeks or months or years to get to Mexico, South America, the rest of the world.'

Continue reading Meet The Man Who Spent 11 Years Walking Around The World And The Woman Who Waited For Him To Return

Meet The Man Who Spent 11 Years Walking Around The World And The Woman Who Waited For Him To Return originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FeatureJean BeliveauJeanBeliveauwalk around the worldWalkAroundTheWorldFri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vagabond Tales: Bodysurfing A Hawaiian Bombing Range]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/vagabond-tales-bodysurfing-a-hawaiian-bombing-range/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/vagabond-tales-bodysurfing-a-hawaiian-bombing-range/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/vagabond-tales-bodysurfing-a-hawaiian-bombing-range/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



If there were ever a Hawaiian island which had nothing to do with mai tais and beachfront massages it's the island of Kaho'olawe. A low-lying mound, which rises to an unassuming height of 1,477 feet, Kaho'olawe - for most visitors to Hawaii - is shrouded in total mystery.

For one thing, there are no five-star hotels, nightly luaus, or horrendous timeshare kiosks on Kaho'olawe. You will find no discount activity companies, no parasailing, no surf schools and no paid parking lots making their money off of tourists who don't know any better. You won't even find any residents.

This is because Kaho'olawe has a history unlike any other island in the Hawaiian chain. This island marks a historic outpost of exile and aggression, which progressed down a different path. When the rest of Hawaii was falling into the hands of sugar barons and Western businessmen, Kaho'olawe existed mostly as an afterthought.

Sparsely inhabited during Ancient Hawaiian times, the minimal amount of fresh water on the island was ultimately an inhibiting factor for growth. Later on, during the mid-1800s, the island of Kaho'olawe was used as a penal colony for 23 years as a place where prisoners were sent to fend for themselves. Dry and barren and with few natural resources, some of those exiled would eventually starve.

Though sporadic ranching ventures over the next century proved to be mediocre in their success, when the Japanese Imperial Army launched a surprise attack on Hawaii's Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941, the future of Kaho'olawe would take a turn down a violent and destructive road.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: Bodysurfing A Hawaiian Bombing Range

Vagabond Tales: Bodysurfing A Hawaiian Bombing Range originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bodysurf KahoolaweBodysurfKahoolaweHawaii bombing islandhawaii traget islandHawaiiBombingIslandHawaiin historyHawaiinHistoryHawaiiTragetIslandHonokanaia Bay KahoolaweHonokanaiaBayKahoolaweKIRCsurf KahoolaweSurfKahoolawevagabondtalesvolunteer on KahoolaweVolunteerOnKahoolaweThu, 24 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Challenge: Learn All Of The Countries In The World]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/a-challenge-learn-all-of-the-countries-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/a-challenge-learn-all-of-the-countries-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/a-challenge-learn-all-of-the-countries-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



While in DC a couple of weeks ago with fellow Gadling writers, a few of us hopped into a taxi on our way to dinner. Our driver was an African man from a country he kept under wraps. He told us that if we wanted to find out which country he was from, we'd have to earn our way to the answer through his impromptu trivia. And so we tried to answer his questions.

"You have to exercise your anthropological and geographical versatility to comprehend my country of originality," he teased us.

"I can guess the continent," one of our writers chimed.

"Oh yes, guessability, no problem, Madam," he cooed.

"West Africa?" she guessed.

"Well," he drew out the word for a few seconds. "I will formally agree but I will formally disagree with you. I am an individual of complexity. You want a clue?"

"Yes," we all answered in unison.

"OK. I am going to give you a complex geographical clue. Let me see. Name me 11 countries in the world that have four letters," he began.

Continue reading A Challenge: Learn All Of The Countries In The World

A Challenge: Learn All Of The Countries In The World originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all of the countries in the worldAllOfTheCountriesInTheWorldcountries in the worldCountriesInTheWorldgeographygeography challengegeography questionsgeography triviaGeographyChallengeGeographyQuestionsGeographyTriviahow many countriesHowManyCountrieslearn geographyLearnGeographylist of all of the countries in the worldlist of countriesListOfAllOfTheCountriesInTheWorldListOfCountriesobscure countriesObscureCountriesthe countries of the worldTheCountriesOfTheWorldThu, 24 May 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vagabond Tales: An Introduction To Possum Punting]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/21/vagabond-tales-an-introduction-to-possum-punting/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/21/vagabond-tales-an-introduction-to-possum-punting/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/21/vagabond-tales-an-introduction-to-possum-punting/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



If you want to anger a New Zealand local ask them if their accent is from somewhere in Australia. While this is sure to elicit a stern yet polite correction, if you REALLY want to enrage a New Zealand local ask them what they think about possums. Strangely enough, the two annoyances are intertwined as New Zealand actually places the blame for the possums firmly on Australia.

Why? Because the non-native possums are Australian, not Kiwi, and many New Zealanders would simply prefer to see them exist solely in the country from whence they came.

Officially known as the Australian Brushtail Possum, the noxious pest was introduced to New Zealand in 1837 in an effort to kick-start the fur industry. All this managed to do, however, was allow the possums to populate with reckless abandon and quickly spread to over 95 percent of the country. Whereas in Australia the possum has a litany of natural predators to keep their numbers in check, New Zealand lacks any form of land predator to naturally stem the flow of hyper-population. Flower gardens, native birds and farmers' crops have never been the same ever since.

Even the cows in New Zealand are at odds with the possums, thanks to the possum's innate ability to spread bovine tuberculosis and cripple New Zealand's lucrative dairy industry.

So how much do the Kiwis actually hate the possums? Enough that a local school recently held a possum-throwing contest, which unsurprisingly sparked outrage amongst the nation's animal rights activists. Shooting possums is a right of passage for children growing up in rural New Zealand, and I've personally witnessed drivers swerve cars towards possums in an effort to strike them as they attempt to cross a road.

I simply cannot make this statement in any plainer terms: people in New Zealand simply hate the possums.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: An Introduction To Possum Punting

Vagabond Tales: An Introduction To Possum Punting originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 21 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Abel Tasman National ParkAbelTasmanNationalParkcamping in Abel Tasman National ParkCampingInAbelTasmanNationalParkMosquito Bay Able TasmanMosquitoBayAbleTasmanNew Zealand possumsNewZealandPossumspossum puntingPossumPuntingpossumspossums as pestpossums in Australiapossums in New ZealandPossumsAsPestPossumsInAustraliaPossumsInNewZealandsea kayak Abel TasmanSeaKayakAbelTasmanvagabondtalesMon, 21 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nakation Nation: Nudist Resorts And Beaches Solve Airline Baggage Fee Woes]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/20/nakation-nation-nudist-resorts-and-beaches-solve-airline-baggag/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/20/nakation-nation-nudist-resorts-and-beaches-solve-airline-baggag/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/20/nakation-nation-nudist-resorts-and-beaches-solve-airline-baggag/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

nude sunbatherAnd from the, "OMFG" department comes this information, via press release: The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) "encourages wholesome family nude recreation ["Nakations"] in appropriate settings such as designated nude beaches and AANR-member resorts, or around the home. Experts have attested that children raised in a social nudist environment grow up with a stronger sense of self-esteem, free of many of the body image issues that trouble the average textile youth."

I'm most disturbed by the terms, "textile youth" and "Nakation." I'm not going to touch those with a ten-foot...never mind. Why I'm so skeeved out by the naked family vacay thing is a bit more convoluted. I like to think that I'm pretty open-minded, and it's true we've become a nation of body dysmorphic, eating-disordered freaks...when we're not morbidly obese, that is.

I have no problem going topless on European beaches, and have often bemoaned the puritanical leanings of Americans when it comes to censorship with regard to nudity on television and in magazines. I just feel that it's potential fodder for a therapist's couch when children and their parents frolic about sans textiles after the toddler stage has passed; I also believe that public nudity past toddler-hood is something that should only be done by consenting adults.

I've been to a nude beach twice. Maybe it's because I didn't holiday in the buff with my family (my eyes, my eyes!) as a child, but I can tell you two things my nude sunbathing didn't accomplish: providing me with a stronger sense of self-esteem, and freeing me of the body image issues that have troubled me ever since I was an average, deprived textiled youth.

Continue reading Nakation Nation: Nudist Resorts And Beaches Solve Airline Baggage Fee Woes

Nakation Nation: Nudist Resorts And Beaches Solve Airline Baggage Fee Woes originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 20 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beachesbeaches resortsBeachesResortsbody imageBodyImageclothing optionalclothing optional beachesClothingOptionalClothingOptionalBeacheseating disordersEatingDisordersfamily holidaysfamily vacationsFamilyHolidaysFamilyVacationsnude photosnude resortsNudePhotosNudeResortsnudist coloniesNudistColoniesnudistsPublicNuisanceself esteemSelfEsteemskin cancerSkinCancersummersummer vacationsSummerVacationsSun, 20 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Expedia Launches Flip Flop Report On Beach Behavior Around The World]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/expedia-launches-flip-flop-report-on-beach-behavior-around-the-w/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/expedia-launches-flip-flop-report-on-beach-behavior-around-the-w/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/expedia-launches-flip-flop-report-on-beach-behavior-around-the-w/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

beach Have you ever wondered what country enjoys the beach most? Or what culture is most likely to sunbathe in the nude? To help unravel the mystery of beach behavior around the world, Expedia has shared the results of a global study that looked at 21 countries on five continents. Some areas the study examined include what things people look at when choosing a beach, preferred beach activities and what makes people most nervous about going to the beach. Some of the findings from the study include:

  • The average beach vacation lasts 7.7 days, although this is less true of Koreans, Japanese and Singaporeans, who seem to prefer beach weekends.
  • For Americans, one of the least important criteria when selecting a beach destination is a desire to find a new location. This is the opposite for Indians, who view finding a new location to be one of the highest priorities.
  • Germans are the most likely to sunbathe nude, and are also the most likely to spend time at the beach with a stranger.
  • Fifty percent of travelers keep the presence of sharks in mind when deciding on a beach location. Likewise, 68 percent of beach vacationers admit to not swimming at a beach due to the possibility of sharks.

Click here for the full report. If you're having trouble viewing the infographic, click here for the interactive version.

Expedia Launches Flip Flop Report On Beach Behavior Around The World originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 18 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>art and cultureArtAndCulturebeachbeach behaviorBeachBehaviorculturenew destinationsNewDestinationsnewsnude beachNudeBeachsharksstoriessunbathing nudeSunbathingNudeFri, 18 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[8 Languages You've Never Heard Of (And Who Actually Speaks Them)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/8-languages-youve-never-heard-of-and-who-actually-speaks-them/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/8-languages-youve-never-heard-of-and-who-actually-speaks-them/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/8-languages-youve-never-heard-of-and-who-actually-speaks-them/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



As anyone who follows my articles here on Gadling knows by now, I don't travel to relax poolside at a resort or sip a fancy drink with coconut oil. I travel because this world is a fascinating place.

While everyone has their own travel philosophy and reasons for wanting to get away, I know that for many travelers, one of the greatest joys of travel is experiencing other cultures and peeking into corners of the world, which are far removed from our own. This could range from immersing yourself in a culture with a different religion, cuisine, or something as simple as driving on the other side of the road.

More often than not, however, one of the largest indicators that we "aren't in Kansas anymore" is traveling to a place with a language that is different from our own. With linguists estimating there are over 7,000 languages spread across the globe, there is little to no chance of any traveler ever having the opportunity to properly experience them all. Furthermore, as Gadling blogger Kraig Becker points out, there are still uncontacted tribes in parts of the Amazon where we don't even know what language they speak yet.

Though situations like these are encouraging, the sad reality is that the majority of indigenous languages is critically endangered and will most likely not survive the next generation. According to the United Nations and UNESCO, not only does an indigenous language go extinct every two weeks, but up to 90% of the world's languages are likely to disappear in the next century if current trends continue.

While the Economist reports that recent advances in technology may actually be able to aid in the rescue and rebirth of languages, the fact of the matter remains that thousands of global languages are dying at a terrifying rate.

So, in a nod to the fascinating beauty of global tongues, here is a rundown of eight languages that you've probably never heard of, and are lucky if you ever hear.

Continue reading 8 Languages You've Never Heard Of (And Who Actually Speaks Them)

8 Languages You've Never Heard Of (And Who Actually Speaks Them) originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Anal languageAnalLanguageAnus languageAnusLanguageKet languageKet peopleKet SiberiaKetLanguageKetPeopleKetSiberialanguages youve never heard ofLanguagesYouveNeverHeardOfMelpa languageMelpaLanguageobscure languagesObscureLanguagesrare languagesRareLanguagesSamiSilbo GomeroSilboGomeroTaushiro languageTaushiroLanguageweird languagesWeirdLanguagesXhosaYoron languageYoronjimaYoronLanguageFri, 18 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Museum Month: JEATH War Museum, Kanchanaburi, Thailand]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/museum-month-jeath-war-museum-kanchanaburi-thailand/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/museum-month-jeath-war-museum-kanchanaburi-thailand/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/museum-month-jeath-war-museum-kanchanaburi-thailand/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

bridge on river kwaiHistory has never been my favorite subject, but once I began traveling in earnest, I discovered something. If I visited a destination, I usually became obsessed with its history or indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, I didn't discover this in time to save the downward trajectory of my GPA when I was a student, but it's made me sound infinitely more worldly in daily life.

I found the JEATH War Museum in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, purely by accident. Anything historical pertaining to war is a subject I normally avoid - I'm a girl like that - with the exception of the "Platoon" soundtrack. Thus, the most I knew about "The Bridge on the River Kwai," which is located in Kanchanaburi, is how to whistle the tune. The town and bridge are actually located at the confluence of the Rivers Kwai Noi and Kwai Yai, at the headwaters of the Maeklong (Mekong).

I ended up there because I had a few days to kill prior to flying home, and it's less than a two-hour bus ride west of Bangkok. Kanchanaburi sounded peaceful, and is a popular getaway for backpackers and Thai urbanites. The main activities are dining in the many "floating restaurants" on the river, taking cooking classes, hiking in beautiful Erawan National Park and sightseeing (more on that after the jump).

I ended up meeting two fun Australian girls at my riverfront guesthouse, and we proceeded to spend the next three days together. On our first afternoon, I asked them how they'd ended up in Kanchanaburi, and they told me they were there to visit the JEATH War Museum and pay tribute. I looked at them blankly.

"The what?" I asked. They looked at me with pity, thinking, like millions of Aussies before them, that the American educational system is an abysmal failure (no argument there).

"The Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand, Holland War Museum," one of the girls said patiently. "Y'know, it's dedicated to the thousands of Allied POWs who died while constructing the Bridge and Death Railway from 1942 to 1943."

Cue crickets chirping.

Continue reading Museum Month: JEATH War Museum, Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Museum Month: JEATH War Museum, Kanchanaburi, Thailand originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bangkokBreakingNewsbridge on river kwaiBridgeOnRiverKwaibridgestonedeath railwayDeathRailwayerawan fallsErawan National ParkErawanFallsErawanNationalParkfamous bridgesFamousBridgesfloating restaurantsFloatingRestaurantsforced laborForcedLaborgenocide memorialsGenocideMemorialshellfire passHellfirePassimperial japanese armyImperialJapaneseArmyKanchanaburimaemomegan foxMeganFoxmilitary museumsMilitaryMuseumsMuseumMonthPOWPresident2008prison musemsPrisonMusemsps3river kwaiRiverKwaithai burma railwaythai cooking classesthai riversThaiBurmaRailwayThaiCookingClassesThaiRiverswar machinewar museumsWarMachineWarMuseumsworld war twoWorldWarTwoWWIIWWII museumsWwiiMuseumsMon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10 Extraordinary Islands To Visit On Your Next Vacation]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/10/10-extraordinary-islands-to-visit-on-your-next-vacation/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/10/10-extraordinary-islands-to-visit-on-your-next-vacation/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/10/10-extraordinary-islands-to-visit-on-your-next-vacation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

vacation islands

Summer is the time of island vacations. It is time to put as much distance between you and the real world as possible. It is time to stand outside of your everyday life and to see how it all looks from a paradise perspective. Here is a collection of islands for escape - places to recharge, gain perspective and explore. From an island in the land of the gods to a tropical Amsterdam at the edge of an ocean trench, each of these ten destinations provides something extraordinary.

Gallery: 10 Islands To Visit Next

SantoriniSantoriniSantoriniGili TGili T

Continue reading 10 Extraordinary Islands To Visit On Your Next Vacation

10 Extraordinary Islands To Visit On Your Next Vacation originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiaborneoCorsicafrancegalapagosGiliIslandsGR 20Gr20greeceindonesiaislandislandsmalaysiamaldivespalauperhentianperhentian islandsPerhentianIslandssantoriniscuba divingScubaDivingSt. CroixSt.CroixtasmaniaUS Virgin IslandsusviUsVirginIslandsvacationvacation islandsVacationIslandsvirgin islandsVirginIslandsThu, 10 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Heifer International: Working To End World Hunger, One Llama At A Time]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/03/heifer-international-working-to-end-world-hunger-one-llama-at/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/03/heifer-international-working-to-end-world-hunger-one-llama-at/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/03/heifer-international-working-to-end-world-hunger-one-llama-at/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

bolivian farmerGot an extra $20 burning a hole in your pocket and want to make a difference in the lives of others? Buy a flock of ducks. Eighty-five dollars will get you a camel share, while a mere $48 purchases a share in a "Knitter's Gift Basket (a llama, alpaca, sheep and angora rabbit)."

Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock, and animal husbandry, agricultural and community development training to over 125 countries, including the U.S. The goal: to help end world hunger and poverty by improving breeding stock, providing valuable dietary supplements such as milk and eggs, and creating viable business enterprises for commodity products such as cheese, wool, honey, or crops cultivated by draft animals like horses and water buffalo.

The livestock species used to support disenfranchised communities are diverse, but traditional to their respective regions. They include goats, sheep, honeybees, beef and dairy cattle, water buffalo, yaks, horses, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, camels, rabbits, guinea pigs and poultry.

When I was a kid growing up on a small ranch in Southern California, we used to donate our male dairy goat kids (which, if sold here, would most likely be relegated to dinner) to Heifer. Although the program no longer ships live animals overseas (it's easier and safer/more humane to ship frozen semen), the concept remains the same: using top bloodlines to improve the quality and enhance the genetic diversity of herds or flocks in impoverished regions.

Heifer teaches the concept of the "Seven M's: Milk, Manure, Meat, Material, Money, Motivation and Muscle." These are the benefits livestock animals provide to people in developing nations. With the training provided by Heifer employees and volunteers, the cycle of poverty can be broken, and families and villages can thrive. During the holidays or for birthdays, I like to make animal gift donations in the name of the recipient, an especially valuable lesson for children (who, let's face it, really don't need another electronic piece of crap to foster their ADD and lack of global awareness).

Never doubt the power of a furry friend to change the world. To make a donation, click here.

Check out this Heifer International gallery of animals and their proud owners from around the world:

Gallery: Heifer International

Heifer International: Working To End World Hunger, One Llama At A Time originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 03 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agricultureanimal loversAnimalLoverscattlecharitable donationscharitable givingCharitableDonationsCharitableGivingcheesecheesemakingchristmas giftsChristmasGiftscommodity foodsCommodityFoodscropsdairydairy animalsDairyAnimalsdeveloping nationsDevelopingNationsdonationseggsfaminefood programsfood securityFoodProgramsFoodSecuritygift ideasgoatsHeifer InternationalHeiferInternationalholdiayshorsesindigenous peoplesIndigenousPeoplesknittinglivestockllamasmilkpetsphilanthropic travelPhilanthropicTravelphilanthropysheepstarvationsustainable agricultsustainable agricultureSustainableAgriculturethird worldThirdWorldvolunteeringThu, 03 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video Of The Day: Little Girls Surfing in Fiji]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/25/video-of-the-day-little-girls-surfing-in-fiji/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/25/video-of-the-day-little-girls-surfing-in-fiji/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/25/video-of-the-day-little-girls-surfing-in-fiji/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Days at the beach are, for many, the most righteous execution of freedom beneath the summer sun--especially if that beach is in a place like Fiji. A lot of people spend their summers doing something that I haven't yet learned how or even tried to do: surf. Somewhere along the line, I realized that the ocean is kind of terrifying and that the sun can cause skin cancer. I've since let these fears usher me under shady beach umbrellas while admiring the surfing folks beyond. But when those surfing folks are little girls, I feel a bit outdone. This video of these little girls surfing in Fiji uploaded by Sean Hiller has not really been seen. With 6 total views on Vimeo as I write this, I think these courageous and adorable little girls deserve a little more attention than they're getting. (My new mantra: this summer will be the summer I try surfing, this summer will be the summer I try surfing. My new goal: surfing in Fiji).

Continue reading Video Of The Day: Little Girls Surfing in Fiji

Video Of The Day: Little Girls Surfing in Fiji originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>child surferchild surfersChildSurferChildSurfersfiji surfFiji surfingFijiSurfFijiSurfinggirl surfersGirlSurferslittle girl surferslittle girls surfing in FijiLittleGirlsSurfingInFijiLittleGirlSurferssean hillerSeanHillersurfsurfingsurfing in FijiSurfingInFijiWed, 25 Apr 2012 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Five Things You Can Do On Earth Day To Save Natural Resources]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/21/five-things-you-can-do-on-earth-day-to-save-natural-resources/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/21/five-things-you-can-do-on-earth-day-to-save-natural-resources/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/21/five-things-you-can-do-on-earth-day-to-save-natural-resources/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

earthEarth Day is upon us, and even if you're not planning to celebrate our planet's making it through another year (what global warming?), there are still some simple measures you can take to show your gratitude. Love your Mother, you know?

Whether you're on the road or at home, the following are smart rules to implement every day of the year:
  • Do laundry at night, after peak electricity usage hours and only wash full loads.
  • Use a travel mug when you purchase your morning coffee and carry a reusble water bottle.
  • Stash reusable shopping bags in your car, purse or backpack and desk.
  • Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth, washing your face, doing dishes or shaving.
  • Switch to e-tickets, e-pay, and other paperless forms of commerce; add your name to no junk mail and catalog lists.

[Photo credit: Flickr user kevin dooley]

How to Save Water and Save Money

Five Things You Can Do On Earth Day To Save Natural Resources originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BPABPA-freecarbon footprintCarbonFootprintcatalogscoffeeconservatione ticketsEarth DayEarthDayecoeco productseco-friendlyecommerceEcoProductsenvironmentenvironmentally friendlyEnvironmentallyFriendlyETicketsgreengreen livinggreen travelGreenLivingGreenTraveljunk mailJunkMaillaundrynatural resourcesNaturalResourcespaperlessplasticplastic bagsPlasticBagsreusable bagsreusable water bottlesReusableBagsReusableWaterBottlessaving water at homesaving water while travelingSavingWaterAtHomeSavingWaterWhileTravelingshopping bagsShoppingBagstravel mugstravel tipsTravelMugsTravelTipswater bottleswater conservationWaterBottlesWaterConservationSat, 21 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Journey To The Gyre: A Trip Into The Heart Of The Pacific Garbage Patch]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/20/journey-to-the-gyre-a-trip-into-the-heart-of-the-pacific-garbag/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/20/journey-to-the-gyre-a-trip-into-the-heart-of-the-pacific-garbag/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/20/journey-to-the-gyre-a-trip-into-the-heart-of-the-pacific-garbag/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



The Pacific Ocean has been an active topic here at Gadling lately.

First there was the "Ghost Ship" found adrift off of Canada, then Dave Seminara's brilliant April Fool's Day report on the island of Nauru, and last week I waxed philosophical in Vagabond Tales about plastic bottles and what they mean for the people who inhabit the Pacific islands.

Now, to follow up on this topic, I was very pleased to be able to sit down with a woman about to head out on an incredible journey into the heart of the Western Pacific Garbage Patch. Her name is Cynthia Matzke, and starting on May 1 she and a team of researchers are going to sail across the western Pacific to document the marine debris situation. They will also maintain a constant lookout for rogue debris, which may have drifted off course from the Japan tsunami. While sifting through one of the world's largest aquatic landfills may not seem like your dream vacation, for people like Cynthia and myself who relish traveling into some of the stranger places on the planet, this is kind of a big deal.

As part of an expedition led by the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, the 5 Gyres Institute and Pangaea Explorations, Cynthia is going to be sailing where few humans have ventured before. It's a place with no passport control, no customs and immigration - just a lot of water and trash.

In a word, this is fascinating.

So Cynthia, first off, who are you? Why have you been chosen to head into the Gyre?

I was recommended by the Mayor's office here on the island of Maui to take part in the expedition. Over the last 14 years on Maui, I have been involved with such projects as the Great Whale Entanglement Response Network and research related to stranded green turtles. I've worked as an underwater videographer documenting coral reef disease as well as the head of Trilogy Expedition's monthly Blue 'Aina reef clean up campaign. I also was once embedded for nine months with the Makah tribe in the state of Washington as an environmental liaison during the aboriginal whaling issue of 1999.

Continue reading Journey To The Gyre: A Trip Into The Heart Of The Pacific Garbage Patch

Journey To The Gyre: A Trip Into The Heart Of The Pacific Garbage Patch originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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licorice rootNowadays, it seems like there's a pill or shot to cure every illness. But do we really know how safe these unnatural remedies are? Throughout my travels and by talking with locals from other cultures, I've learned there are many natural treatments that are also effective in promoting good health. For those who've ever wondered about the holistic secrets of other cultures, here are some answers.

Turkey

In Turkey, the trick to staying healthy is mesir paste. The concoction was invented in Manisa during the Ottoman Empire, when the wife of Sultan Yavuz Sultan Selim and mother of Suleyman the Magnificent became very ill. No doctor was able to find a cure, until one created a unique spice blend that seemed to bring the woman back to life. The mixture is a blend of 41 different spices that form a thick paste, and is used as a general cure-all and tonic. Some of the paste's ingredients include black pepper, cinnamon, licorice root (shown above), coconut and orange peel. The country is so proud of their natural remedy, they celebrate a Mesir Festival in Manisa each year.

Continue reading Holistic Healing Practices From Around The World

Holistic Healing Practices From Around The World originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budget travelBudgetTravelculturedrinkecotourismfoodhealthholisticholistic remediiesHolisticRemediiesnatural remediesNaturalRemediesnaturewellnessSun, 15 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo Of The Day: Gold Coast Surfers]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/13/photo-of-the-day-gold-coast-surfers/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/13/photo-of-the-day-gold-coast-surfers/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/13/photo-of-the-day-gold-coast-surfers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

gold coast surfers

In the hands of Flickr user verargulla, these Gold Coast surfers seem to exist in a silver-gold haze - a dreamy netherworld of mist, skyscrapers and cooperative waves. It's enough to make the idea of surfing attractive even to those who've never successfully ridden a wave.

Upload your best images of surfers, skyscrapers and dislocated fantasies to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. We select our favorites from the pool to be Photos of the Day.

Photo Of The Day: Gold Coast Surfers originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiagold coast surfersGoldCoastSurfersphoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDayqueenslandsurfers paradiseSurfersParadiseFri, 13 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: 'Somewhere' Time-Lapse Video]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/12/video-somewhere-time-lapse-video/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/12/video-somewhere-time-lapse-video/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/12/video-somewhere-time-lapse-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

"Somewhere" from miadox on Vimeo.

"Somewhere" is the first installment of a time-lapse video series. Covering both natural beauty and man-made wonders, "Somewhere" is a fantastic start for an ongoing project. If the rest of the videos in this upcoming series are anything like this time-lapse, then we all have worthwhile time wasting via film-watching to look forward to in the near future. Created by Miadox, this video features stunning images - the kind that make you tear up a little bit at your desk and think positive thoughts about what a beautiful place planet Earth is. Crashing waves, skylines, sunsets, gigantic machinery, racing clouds, headlights and sparkling stars all make appearances in this juxtaposition-centered video. Enjoy Earth.

Continue reading Video: 'Somewhere' Time-Lapse Video

Video: 'Somewhere' Time-Lapse Video originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>miadoxSomewhereSomewhere time lapseSomewhere time-lapseSomewhere timelapseSomewhereTime-lapseSomewhereTimelapsetime lapsetime lapse videotime-lapsetime-lapse videoTime-lapseVideoTimeLapseTimeLapseVideoThu, 12 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: 'No Kitchen Required' In New Zealand, 'When Maori Attack']]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/10/video-no-kitchen-required-in-new-zealand-when-maori-attack/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/10/video-no-kitchen-required-in-new-zealand-when-maori-attack/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/10/video-no-kitchen-required-in-new-zealand-when-maori-attack/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Here at Gadling, we've been keeping tabs on the new BBC America reality show "No Kitchen Required," which is taking cooking competitions to new highs (and lows). Battling for fame and glory are award-winning chef Michael Psilakis of New York's Fish Tag and Kefi; private executive chef Kayne Raymond; and former "Chopped" champ Madison Cowan.

The chefs hunt and gather ingredients to prepare regional cuisine in various locations, including Dominica, Belize, Fiji, Thailand, South Africa, Hawaii, New Mexico and Louisiana. The show is a cross between "Survivor" and "Top Chef," with a dash of over-the-top, Bear Grylls-style drama thrown in, but it's all in good fun and provides a fascinating cultural and culinary tour of little known destinations and cuisines.

Here, we have a teaser clip from New Zealand that features the chefs watching a haka, or traditional Maori warrior dance, prior to having the local community judge their respective meals. Here's hoping they didn't give anyone food poisoning.

Video: 'No Kitchen Required' In New Zealand, 'When Maori Attack' originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bear grylsBearGrylscelebritycooking classescooking competitioncooking showsCookingClassesCookingCompetitionCookingShowscuilnary tourismCuilnaryTourismcultural tourismcultural travelCulturalTourismCulturalTravelforaginghakahangiHawaiiihunting and gatheringHuntingAndGatheringindigenous foodsindigenous peopleIndigenousFoodsIndigenousPeoplelocal foodsLocalFoodslocavoresLouisianamao zedongmaoriMaoZedongNew MexicoNew Ze foodNewMexicoNewZeFoodnokiareality showsRealityShowsregional foodsRegionalFoodssurvivorTue, 10 Apr 2012 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[10 Best Cities Around The World To Experience Graffiti Art]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/07/10-best-cities-around-the-world-to-experience-graffiti-art/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/07/10-best-cities-around-the-world-to-experience-graffiti-art/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/07/10-best-cities-around-the-world-to-experience-graffiti-art/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

graffiti "Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they're having a piss." - Banksy, "Banging Your Head Against A Brick Wall"

While often thought of as vandalism, there are many cities around the globe with beautiful works of graffiti that add an aesthetic property to a destination. In fact, many of the cities on this list feature legal graffiti walls, and works commissioned by the city to help enhance and beautify the region. Moreover, a lot of street art helps to tell the story of a culture, express political views and enlighten viewers on important topics.

Want to know where to experience the best graffiti art around the world? Check out the gallery below.

Gallery: Best Cities Around The World To Experience Graffiti Art

Buenos Aires, ArgentinaQueens, New YorkBristol, United KingdomBerlin, GermanyMontreal, Canada

10 Best Cities Around The World To Experience Graffiti Art originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artbest cities for graffitibest graffiti wallsBestCitiesForGraffitiBestGraffitiWallsbudget travelBudgetTravelculturegraffitiphotosSat, 07 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Paradise Flooded: Fiji Closes To Tourists]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/02/paradise-flooded-fiji-closes-to-tourists/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/02/paradise-flooded-fiji-closes-to-tourists/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/02/paradise-flooded-fiji-closes-to-tourists/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

fiji floodsTropical storms have battered Fiji in recent days, causing flash floods that have stranded tourists, forced mass evacuations and caused upwards of three deaths. Now, the Pacific island nation braces itself as a tropical cyclone approaches the main island of Viti Levu with forecasted gusts of 68 miles per hour and the certainty of even more damage. Already, the government has declared a state of emergency. Sometimes, you just can't catch a break.

Apart from causing widespread destruction, floods in the main tourist towns of Suva and Nadi have also wreaked havoc on Fiji's tourism industry. Thousands of visitors were forced to remain in their hotels with limited resources until the waters receded and the air embargo was lifted on Monday. They now face chaos at the Nadi International Airport trying to secure flights back home. Australian and New Zealand news sources describe frantic scenes straight from a natural disaster flick.

The photo gallery below offers a glimpse at the current scene on the ground.

Gallery: Flooding in Fiji

Flooding on Viti Levu, Fiji's main islandMore than 8,000 people evacuated their homesFiji's government has declared a state of emergencyFlooding was particularly bad in the tourist town of NadiFlood waters have begun to recede, but now Fiji braces itself for another storm

Paradise Flooded: Fiji Closes To Tourists originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fijifiji floodsFijiFloodsfloodsnatural disasterNaturalDisasteroceaniapacific oceanPacificOceantropical cyclonetropical stormTropicalCycloneTropicalStormMon, 02 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Whole Foods To Ban Sale Of Unsustainable Seafood: The Global Impact]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/31/whole-foods-to-ban-sale-of-unsustainable-seafood-the-global-imp/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/31/whole-foods-to-ban-sale-of-unsustainable-seafood-the-global-imp/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/31/whole-foods-to-ban-sale-of-unsustainable-seafood-the-global-imp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

sustainable seafoodIn a landmark move, Whole Foods has just announced that starting on April 22 -- Earth Day -- it will no longer sell seafood from depleted or otherwise unsustainable fisheries, or species harvested with ecologically damaging methods such as trawling. The industry ratings for these species are determined by the Blue Ocean Institute and California's Monterey Bay Aquarium, which produces a popular "Seafood Watch Recommendations" pocket guide and phone app for shoppers. Say bye-bye to Atlantic halibut, skate, octopus and sole.

It's a bold move for the world's largest, most powerful green grocery chain to defer customer demand for better buying practices, but according to Whole Foods' seafood quality standards coordinator Carrie Brownstein via an AP article, "In the long term, what we're really looking to do is help reverse trends of overfishing and by-catch, so that really we can move the industry as a whole toward greater sustainability."

So how does what you eat here at home have a global impact? Depletion of any fishery always has a negative effect on the food chain because of a ripple effect. Foreign fisheries may also employ unsound fishing methods that increase by-catch (think dolphins and other aquatic species, albatross, etc.). You may love Chilean sea bass (it's actually Patagonian toothfish) but it has long been a fishery on the verge of collapse and by purchasing it at the store or ordering it at a restaurant, you create demand for that product. Once a species is extinct, it can seriously throw a marine ecosystem out of whack. Plus, you know, extinction kind of sucks.

It's harder for world travelers to be on top of what's sustainable and what's not, especially if, like me, you love street food. In developing nations, especially countries with a coastline, fishing is usually a key part of the local economy. But saving our rapidly depleting oceans trumps putting a few pennies in local pockets: they're not looking at the big picture, which is the more seafood we consume, the less there is to sell.

Order something besides seafood unless you're positive it's caught in a non-environmentally degrading way, from a healthy fishery. Go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Recommendations site for a global guide to what's sustainable and what's not. It offers alternatives, so odds are, you can travel and have your lobster dinner, too.

[Photo credit: Flickr user Eneas]

Whole Foods To Ban Sale Of Unsustainable Seafood: The Global Impact originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best seafoodBestSeafoodby catchByCatchchlidrens healthChlidrensHealthcinematicalcookingcooking seafoodCookingSeafoodculinary travelCulinaryTraveldepleted fisheriesDepletedFisheriesdolphinsEarth DayEarthDayendangered fishendangered speciesEndangeredFishEndangeredSpeciesextinct speciesExtinctSpeciesfisherieshalibutlocal foodLocalFoodlocavoremarine resource managementMarineResourceManagementmontereyMonterey Baymonterey bay aquariumMontereyBayMontereyBayAquariumoctobersamsungsearchstreet foodStreetFoodsustainable eatingsustainable fishingSustainableEatingSustainableFishingtrawl fishingTrawlFishingtrawlingwhole foodsWholeFoodsSat, 31 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST