As the geniuses in Devo once sang, It’s a Beautiful World We Live In. It is also, unfortunately, a dangerous world sometimes. And a new report from the World Health Organization says the world can be especially dangerous for women. The Guardian’s Mona Chalabi and Josh Holder report that a whopping 35 percent of women in the world have been victimized by violent crime – we’re talking rape, murder, etc. Africa is the most dangerous continent for women, with more than 45 percent of women having been attacked, but the amount of violence is disturbingly uniform around the globe. For female travelers, this is a reminder to keep your head on a swivel and stay out of dangerous situations.
One surefire way to get into trouble is to overindulge when traveling. A drunken stumble around a city you’re not familiar with is a recipe for bad things. And the hardest drinking place in the world is … Europe. Expat Health’s Bill Cariker reports that the European Union consumes double the global average of alcohol.
Sometimes, it’s funny when your plane lands and you see your fellow passengers squirming to be allowed to turn on their cellphones. Here’s good news for those amped-up folks: CNN’s Chuck Thompson reports that British Airways has relaxed its cellphone-use rules for planes taxiing down the runway. Now you can get those messages five minutes earlier!
Sleeping on a plane is difficult, if not impossible. But perhaps this will help – the BBC’s Jennifer Heigl offers five tips for trying to get some shuteye on the red eye.
Here in the States, tipping for service typically falls in the 10-20 percent range. However, as you travel the world, expectations for tips change; it’s easy to offend or be stupidly generous if you don’t know the local custom. Huffington Post’s Julie Blais Comeau has some guidance for how to tip around the world. And for many places in the world it isn’t about tipping, it’s about determining the price, because the price on the label is very rarely the real price. At Vagabondish, Kathryn Alex tells you how to master the art of haggling.
Ruzwana Bashir is changing the way people travel. Or at least she’s trying to. She’s the co-founder of travel concierge site Peek.com. The Wall Street Journal’s Stinson Carter has the story of a day in the life of Bashir.
First, we had Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? Then we had Where in the World is Matt Lauer? And now, the globe is wondering Where in the World is Edward Snowden? CNN’s Barry Nield offers 10 possible landing spots for the former NSA contractor/whistleblower/spy.
Air travel has changed a lot over the years, but you’ll be shocked to find out just how much it’s changed. At Mental Floss, Kara Kovalchik takes a look at 11 things you can’t find on a plane anymore, including hot pants on “stewardesses,” Pong, and (my favorite) seat-side meat carving.
And, Jaunted reports that actress Hayden Panettiere celebrated a PG-13 tradition while visiting Verona, Italy.
