GEARING UP
Time to ditch that old space blanket in your pack? Adventure Medical Kits has just the ticket – two of them, actually. The Heatsheets Emergency Bivvy is made of polyethylene, compact and weighs just 4 ounces. Bonus points for its included stuff sack and orange exterior to facilitate signaling in a tight spot. The Thermo-Lite 2 Bivvy is slightly heftier and includes venting options at head and foot, yet compacts nicely in its stuff sack and is just under 7 ounces. Bonus points for its stronger bottom-side material and mummy shape to keep heat in and weight down. Best of all for true gearheads: Both of these reusable bivvies can be patched with duct tape. | Heatsheets Emergency Bivvy $15; Thermo-Lite 2 Bivvy $33, adventuremedicalkits.com
wherethehellismatt.com At its worst, the Web makes it easy for people to pretend they are authorities and spread around false information, all of this in a matter of seconds. At its best, the Web encourages people like Matt, a self-proclaimed “30-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut” who quit his job as a tech guy working on video games and commenced traveling to 55 countries on seven continents (and counting!), where he dances – well, sort of jogs in place – sometimes with the locals, always with really gorgeous scenery behind him. It’s all on video, and he’s a great ambassador for us. In some of the places, he gets local music, some of it so appealing that folks are begging him for copies, but much of it is simply the natives singing or playing instruments. He also journals about his travels, sometimes funny, insightful stuff, like his thing on food in China entitled “What Won’t the Chinese Put on a Stick?” A gum company got wind of it and decided to sponsor him, and soon he’ll super-sell out and it won’t be cool anymore, but for now, it is.
TRAVEL BY NUMBERS| |
Top 10 Spring Break Destinations
CheapTickets’ Top 10 spring break destinations for 2007, derived from CheapTickets booking data.
1. Miami
2. Cancun, Mexico
3. Daytona, Fla.
4. San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
5. Bahamas
6. Key West, Fla.
7. Jamaica
8. Acapulco, Mexico
9. Panama City, Fla.
10. South Padre Island, Fla.
BOOK YOUR VACATION
The upsides of the series from “One Flight Fiction” ($9.95, Banda Press International) include large-print type that makes the books easier to read in the dim lighting of an airplane cabin and the fact that each book comes with an estimate of how long it will take to read it, from one hour to about three. And that, of course, is the main selling point of the series, which offers short reads in mystery, Western and suspense genres. Titles such as “The Looking Glass Call,” by W.H. Johnson, and “Wyoming,” by Tom Roulstone, aren’t household names, and they aren’t likely to wind up on the best-seller list, because while they are easygoing, sometimes cleverly written, and often charming tales that help pass the time, they probably aren’t going to be made into Oscar-winning movies anytime soon. But they do serve their purpose: giving you the satisfaction of knowing that you’ll find out what happens at the end by the time your plane touches down.
NOTES
Lonely Planet and Teva have teamed up to travel the world together. First stop: Cuba. The group will host unique events in four cities that will bring Cuba to life through a celebration of the culture, music and spirit of this inspiring country. The inaugural event is at 5 p.m. Monday in The Pedestrian Shops at 1425 Pearl St. in Boulder. “Lonely Planet Cuba” author Brendan Sainsbury will provide his personal account of life in Cuba along with images and music. There will also be music by the Boulder Latin All-Stars, beer by New Belgium and food by Aji Restaurant. Call 303-449-5260 or e-mail
– Andrea Labak and Dane Strom
THE ROOM REPORT
FAIRMONT HOTEL CHICAGO
200 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago 312-565-8000, fairmont.com/chicago
RATES: City view king starts at $139; deluxe lake view king $329; lake view suite king $429. Overnight parking $45 with in-and-out privileges.
STAY HERE IF YOU’RE:Traveling without kids and looking for a centrally located, luxury hotel room with a memorable view. Or if you’re traveling with a pet weighing less than 30 pounds.
IT’S CLOSE TO: You name it. Just across the street is Grant Park, Millennium Park with the awesome amphitheatre. The AON tower is next door; there’s a ground-floor food court and fitness center.
THE ROOMS ARE: Spacious and gracious, though some upholstery on the furnishings is aging not so gracefully. Suites including a living room with couch, comfy chairs, coffee table, wet bar and mini-fridge – but no coffee maker.
THEY PUT ALL OF THE MONEY INTO: Property taxes. A primo location, over the years, the blossoming of various buildings on a former golf course has somewhat obstructed the view of Lake Michigan. But there’s still a dreamy vantage point on sailboats tacking that glorious and grandiose body of fresh water that just might convince you that you’re somewhere other than the Midwest. Plus, a room with a lake view means you can see summer fireworks displays each Wednesday and Saturday without leaving the comfort of the hotel.
THE BOTTOM LINE: An ideal base camp for adults, but lacking in amenities for kids.
GEO QUIZ | Where are these places?
1. In November 2005, researchers announced the discovery of fossil evidence of an ancient sea monster in the Neuquén Basin in which country south of Paraguay?
2. In December 2005, more than 100 people were killed when an airplane crashed at Port Harcourt airport in what populous country east of Benin?
3. In October 2005, the International Atomic Energy Agency and its head won the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo in which European country?
4. In December 2005, an industrial fire at an oil depot in Hemel Hempstead sent clouds of black smoke into northern France from which country?
5. In December 2005, the government of an Asian country predicted that its population would begin shrinking this year due to a low birth rate. Name this country, which includes the island of Kyushu.
6. In December 2005, a small African country commemorated the work of gorilla conservationist Dian Fossey on the 20th anniversary of her death. Name this country, located north of Burundi.
7. In November and December 2005, more than 150 countries met to discuss ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce global warming. In which North American country did these countries meet?
8. In December 2005, a powerful earthquake struck Africa, causing casualties and property damage in which country west of Lake Tanganyika?
9. In December 2005, a fatal case of the H5N1 strain of bird flu was reported about 50 miles northeast of Bangkok in which country?
10. In December 2005, racial tensions erupted after an assault on two lifeguards in a coastal suburb of Sydney in which country?
1. Argentina 2. Nigeria 3. Norway 4. United Kingdom 5. Japan 6. Rwanda 7. Canada 8. Democratic Republic of the Congo 9. Thailand 10. Australia
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
