Back on April 9th, Thailand banned the sale of alcohol because a major holiday, Songkran New Year was approaching and it is normally celebrated with widespread partying. The government wanted to make sure that people weren’t drawn to large gatherings fueled by alcohol. Now, almost a month later, Thailand will continue the alcohol ban through May. South Africa has also banned alcohol, but for different reasons. According to a BBC article, South Africa normally sees around 34,000 trauma cases in hospitals each week. Once South Africa implemented their coronavirus lockdown and alcohol ban, the number of trauma cases per week dropped…
Author: Keith Langston
Trains used to be the main means of travel between cities in the USA. They were also exciting experiences filled with ornate interiors, fine dining options, and even entertainment. To greet visitors, cities used to build opulent train stations. In more recent years, with the rise of cars and airplanes, train travel took a nosedive. Both the amount of passenger trains, and the hospitality they provided dwindled until trains became nothing more than slow-moving buses. With that, the train station went from being a city’s shining jewel, to a dusty, unused relic of the past. But that’s all starting to…
On Monday, New Zealand finally welcomed inbound flights from other countries. Starting in April, Australians were able to enter the country, and now, more than 60 countries are finally able to re-enter New Zealand after more than 2 years. However, as the South China Morning Post cites, New Zealand still isn’t allowing visitors from China, India, and other countries that aren’t part of the “visa-on-demand” program. According to the BBC, New Zealand will still require that visitors be fully vaccinated and test negative before entering, as the country hopes to keep its COVID-19 rates relatively low with the arrival of…
Your vacation doesn’t have to wreck the environment. In fact, with a few small and easy tips, you can have the trip of a lifetime while also minimizing your carbon footprint. Here are five extremely easy ways to make your vacation more green. Remember, Mother Earth will thank you! By Keith David Langston STAY IN LEED HOTELS Travelers who care about the environment have many options when it comes to their accommodations. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an agency that helps with the design of new buildings and the environmental renovation of old…
During the holidays, there are two types of people: Those who want to run away to sunshine and warm weather, and those who want to experience all that winter has to offer, surrounded by snow, lights, and the smell of pine. Fortunately for travelers, Arizona offers both. Whether you’re looking to escape into the mountains or enjoy the desert sun, Arizona is an awesome holiday destination. Add to that a wide array of events taking place throughout the state, and you have a truly outstanding holiday getaway. Here are some of the awesome events taking place this year. Las…
Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that by January 1, 2020, their entire fleet will ditch single-use plastic bottles. Norwegian is partnering with JUST, a packaged water company that was conceived by Jaden Smith and his family. JUST packages it’s water in a plant-based container that’s lined with “plastic” made out of sugarcane, thus eliminating standard oil-based plastic. The package is also made from 82% renewable material. This isn’t the first step Norwegian has taken to go green (or rather, blue.) Back in 2018, the cruise line removed all single-use plastic straws from its fleet, and so far has found the initiative…
Virgin Atlantic, Richard Branson’s London-based long-haul carrier, is the latest to incorporate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into fueling its aircraft. The deal was made with SAF manufacturer Neste and will see Virgin’s London Heathrow base receive 2.5 million liters of fuel – enough to operate 140 flights from London to New York City. Neste makes its sustainable fuel from waste materials and “residue raw materials” which are things like animal fat and used cooking oil. SAF can reduce an airplane’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%. This, however, is just the start of Virgin Atlantic’s long-term plan to be…
A new app is currently being trialed by United Airlines on flights between Newark and London, and Cathay Pacific on flights between Hong Kong and Singapore. The app, called Common Pass, seeks to standardize the way that airport officials can verify someone’s COVID-19 test results. According to the Independent, officials currently struggle to verify COVID-19 test results. With results being just printed pieces of paper, verifying authenticity is difficult not only because making fake copies is easy, but because there’s often a difference in languages and different countries even have different ways of testing. But the new app seeks to…
If you’re like me, you don’t eat to live, you live to eat. I need so much food it’s insane, I honestly don’t know where it all goes. My old boss used to say that I probably have a tape worm, but as far as I’m concerned that just means I get to eat more. woohoo! There’s no meal that I look forward to more than breakfast. That glorious king of meals. When I wake up in the morning, I’m always starving. I go to bed fantasizing about what i’m going to eat the next morning. Visions of pancakes, waffles, and omelettes…
Actor and comedian, Kevin Nealon, best known for his long career on SNL and the popular Showtime hit Weeds, takes to America’s trails in the new season of Hiking with Kevin on YouTube. In the web series, Kevin, joined by some of his closest celebrity friends, hike through various trails around the country. They chat, they laugh, and sometimes, they actually have some pretty meaningful moments. In past seasons, he and indie darling Jeff Goldblum got into a deep conversations about being older fathers and wondering how it will impact their young children; and Caitlyn Jenner reveals her anger in…
According to the Independent, the head of London’s Heathrow Airport wants flights between New York City and London to resume in November. Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye stated that with Heathrow’s new in-airport COVID-19 testing, it would be feasible to begin allowing passengers from American to return once again, and potentially even bypass the UK’s notorious two-week quarantine policy. However, this is all still in negotiation. Despite the corporate demand for travel to reopen between the two metropolises, the science behind the virus complicates the decision. According to a study by Johns Hopkins, testing isn’t 100% accurate, especially if someone is…
As we reported last week, the state of New York was poised to legalize marijuana and create an attractive stream of tax revenue from it. According to New York magazine, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on Wednesday, March 31st. New York has become the 16th state to legalize weed. Starting immediately, individuals can possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis, and up to 24 grams of pot in a concentrated form, such as an oil. Residents can now legally smoke pot anywhere cigarettes can be smoked. Most importantly from the legislation is that it expunges the criminal…
You may have been hearing about 5G near airports and wondering what exactly is going on and if we need to be concerned The main issue at hand is that the Federal Airline Administration (FAA) and airline CEOs worry that active 5G networks near airports could cause massive problems for flights. The reason for this is that 5G uses C-band, which just happens to be on a frequency very similar to the one used by aircraft navigation equipment. The fear is that an airplane’s instruments could receive interference, thus causing issues and potential danger for the crew and passengers. According…
The 4 largest airlines in the USA have officially discontinued change fees. United was the first of the legacy carriers to ditch the fee, joining Southwest which never charged. Delta and American soon followed. This has been a long time coming. After 9/11, legacy carriers cut back on almost all amenities on domestic flights, citing low-passenger numbers and diminished profits. A few years later, the Great Recession began and further knocked the airline industry into a tailspin. Hubs were closed, mergers happened, and Frontier even turned itself into an ultra-low-cost airline in order to survive. After all was said and…
The hope of creating a reliable “vaccine passport” started in April of 2020. In theory, it would be a document that showed whether you’ve been vaccinated, and are therefore (most likely) immune to the current strains of the novel coronavirus. The questions everyone is asking are: Who will be in charge of making the vaccine passports? Who will accept them? How will people get one? And how do we prevent people from making counterfeits? Sadly, the answers are not clear. Like all things during the COVID-19 pandemic, the process of creating a universal, efficient vaccine passport is going to challenging.…
As vaccination efforts ramp up around the world, more and more Americans are feeling eager to travel. Fortunately, many nations have started opening up their borders to travelers who are fully vaccinated or who are willing to take tests and quarantine. Here are some of the countries welcoming travelers from the USA now. For the full list, click on the links at the end of this post. BELIZE According to CNN, Belize is now allowing travel from America. Non-vaccinated people will need to be tested, but there is no quarantine in place. Vaccinated visitors are exempt from the testing…
Finnair and Finnish airport operator Finavia met recently to discuss and plan how to make electric aircraft a viable solution to the CO2 traditional planes discharge into the atmosphere. The meeting consisted of talks and workshops to share ideas on the technical and economic hurdles that currently stand in the way of making green aircraft a reality. The two companies are not letting this hinder progress. Rather than simply discuss the issues they face, the two have dedicated to overcome them together, stating that they plan to see electric aircraft flying domestic routes in Finland by 2030. And this is no…
So, you travel the world. You get upgraded thanks to your airline miles, and you’re pretty sure you know the world like the back of your hand. Well, let’s put that to the test. How many of these 10 travel questions can you get right? Are you a travel genius? Let’s find out! (answers at the bottom of page) 1.) Budget airline Jetstar operates throughout nations like Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Taiwan, and more, but it’s actually a subsidiary of which airline? A.) Singapore Airlines B.) Qantas C.) Malaysia Airlines D.) Cathay Pacific 2.) Before becoming…
As COVID-19 vaccines are distributed around the world, each country is dealing with the rollout differently. Here’s a look at eight different countries around the world, and how they’re handling the lofty process of getting their populations vaccinated. Most important to note is that each country is also entering this new phase of the pandemic with its own unique history and governments, creating a diverse array of responses to the pandemic. New Zealand New Zealand just started vaccinating citizens at the end of February. Their vaccination process will be slower and less urgent than most other nations given that they’ve…
If you’re looking for a truly unique and unexpected travel experience, look no further than The Gentle Barn. Headquartered in California, The Gentle Barn is a nonprofit that offers refuge and sanctuary for a variety of rescued animals who need a home. The Gentle Barn, which is actually a sprawling farm that offers an ample amount of space for the animals to enjoy themselves, is home to horses, chickens, peacocks, emus, dogs, and more. But the real stars are the cows. People visit from all over for cow hugging and even cow therapy. Cows are extremely gentle and caring animals.…