Burning Man, the art festival beyond definition, kicked off yesterday to some unusually rainy weather. As festival goers poured in throughout the day, so did the rain. But when the heavens finally backed off, everyone was presented with a giant double rainbow! People arriving at Black Rock City, Nevada, were given a golden opportunity to pay homage to the latest Internet meme doing the rounds:
For anyone who hasn’t heard of or been to Burning Man, trying to explain it is going to be difficult.
To any parent, it might sound like your worst nightmare.
Picture a seven-day theme party that takes place in a dangerously hot desert, full of strange, artsy people – some of whom are definitely high on mind-altering drugs. Each year a new theme is introduced. 2010’s is Metropolis: The Life Of Cities. After a few sleepless nights, everyone gets together and burns a giant statue. Sure, that could sound bad.
But it’s so much more than that. It’s a gathering of close to 50, 000 people, celebrating radical free expression by participating in various art projects throughout the week. People are encouraged to start their own projects and displays, or to assist those working on their own. The base of an ancient lake bed in the Black Rock Desert becomes the foundation of a city that forms throughout the duration of the festival.
There’s no easy way to sum up this cultural phenomenon. Now in its 24th year, the humble beginnings of the festival/ ritual and its rise to such prominence are best explained by its founders on the official website. If you’re looking for an Autumn getaway that will blow your mind, Burning Man is probably right up your alley.
What are your biggest fears when travelling? Getting pick pocketed? Losing your passport?
What if you use internet cafes while you travel? Or perhaps you connect your laptop to an unsecured wireless network? Is there really a risk of getting hacked while you’re on holiday?
The answer is yes and unfortunately Turkey – one of the nation’s favourite holiday destinations – has been named the riskiest country in which to surf the net.
Anti-virus software heavyweights, AVG, recently took the time to assess where cyber crime is most rife. They checked 127 million computers in 144 countries, to see how many viruses and malware threats took place in each one during the last week of July.
Turkey topped the table as the riskiest place to be online, with 1 in every 10 users exposed to Internet threats. Russia came in second, only just, with 1 in every 15 users being exposed to threats. The UK waddled in at number 30, with 1 in every 63 users running the risk of attacks.
The safest place on this list was Sierra Leone, quite ironically, seeing that until recently it was probably one of the most dangerous countries to visit for other reasons.
What does this all mean?
According to AVG’s Tony Anscome, the best way to play it safe when travelling with a laptop is to remove anything you don’t want stolen from your computer. Back it up and leave it at home. This includes bank details, card numbers and personal details like your ID/ passport number.
If you are using a public computer or a friend’s laptop, don’t store any passwords. Most importantly, remember to log out of social network sites. The last thing you need is an 11 year old Turkish boy chatting up facebook friends on your behalf.
Avoid the tried and tested backpacker trails and treat yourself to the lesser known gems of the world. Explore below, the locations we think merit a visit…
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
At the eastern edge of the Serengeti, sits the Ngorongoro Crater. It is the world’s biggest volcanic crater that is still fully intact. Stretching a spectacular 265 square kilometres with a 600 metre high rim, this 2 million year old crater hosts a wildlife of its own. The crater floor is host to lakes, grassland, swamp, and forests where you’ll find a vast array of animals and birds ranging from flamingos to hippos, buffalo, lions and hyenas. The crater is a stunning slice of the African natural world in a unique setting.
Dune du Pyla, France
A sight well worth seeing is the Dune du Pyla in Arcachon Bay, 60 km from Bordeaux. This mountain of sand measures over 100 metres high, giving it the title of Europe’s highest sand dune. Climb to the top for a stunning view of the blue canvas of the Atlantic coastline on one side and the green canopy of the pine forest on the other. On a clear day you’ll even catch a glimpse of the Pyrenees in the distance.
Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa
Originally developed as an area to which black people were forcefully relocated under apartheid, Khayelitsha (estimated population 900 000), is a stark and eye opening glimpse of 21st century urbanised poverty. Coexisting with the glitz and wealth of Cape Town, the severe public health and crime problems witnessed within the townships become all the more striking. Yet, it also makes the local pride, hospitality and resourcefulness of Khayelitsha an even more inspiring travel experience.
To take a trip into Khayelitsha we recommend using a trusted tour service. Ezizwe Tours is a locally owned enterprise that offers tours of Khayelitsha. The Cape Town tourism office will also be able to assist with recommendations for tour providers.
Mostar Bridge, Bosnia
Mostar Bridge, although destroyed during conflict many times since first being built in 1567, is a symbolic throughway connecting traditionally Muslim and Orthodox Croat sides of the town of Mostar. It was most recently rebuilt following the reconciliation of the 1990s Balkan war. Today it’s an atmospheric, stirring site, which has earned its rightful place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as a universal reminder of the co-existence of diverse ethnic groups.
Sossusvlei, Namibia
In the centre of the Namib Desert, you’ll find Sossusvlei. A basin surrounded by distinctive red sand dunes. Towering 300 metres high, they are said to be the highest dunes in the world, so high in particularly harsh winters you’ll see the dune peaks capped with snow. Sossusvlei’s red colours are due to the combined slow oxidisation of iron and fragments of garnet – the brighter the dune, the more ancient it is. These Mars-like dunes form part of the Namib Naukluft park, the largest conservation area in Africa.
What are your favourite sites around the world? If you’ve been somewhere you consider more breathtaking than the rest, somewhere inspiring or somewhere downright unique, we’d love to hear your recommendations…
Tomatina Festival, the biggest food fight on earth, is back on Wednesday the 25th of August at the famous Spanish town of Buñol.
The great tomato festival started way back in 1944, when a fight broke out at a local parade. According to the festival’s official website, a group of feisty youngsters took up arms, in the form of tomatoes, and hurled them at the procession. Before you could say Napolitana sauce, the whole crowd was following suit.
At first, local authorities weren’t thrilled by the repeat performance a year later. Nor the year after that. There was a grey period during the 50’s when the festival was banned and people were doing it at the risk of getting jail time.
It was in 1957 that La Tomatina was legalised and started resembling the awesome event we know today. Which is more like a three day party with live music and up to 40, 000 frothing to get their clothes dirty.
Find out more about the events leading up to La Tomatina 2010 on the official website, as well as valuable tips, like the following:
Do not carry bottles or hard objects – they can cause accidents and hurt others
Please crush tomatoes before you throw them – the blow will be less painful
Keep a safe distance from the trucks
Stop throwing tomatoes when you hear the second shot
Diving goggles will help protect your eyes – the acid from tomatoes may sting after a while
If you want to see better, don’t climb up railings, windows, pillars, etc.
If you want to spend the night in Buñol, make sure you look for accommodation in advance
