TRAVEL BLOG
Friday, January 25, 2008
Banksy in Melbourne
Work of British graffiti artist Banksy, "the little diver". Found at the back of the Nicholas Building on the corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
Banksy - Melbourne
Banksy - Melbourne
Labels: art, australia, banksy, melbourne
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Thursday, January 24, 2008
Everybody Loves Roger
The Australian Open is on in Melbourne and for $20 AUD you can get an evening outside courts pass, which gets you into all courts except the largest two.
Bryan Bros - Margaret Court Arena
Not only do you see tournament games, but you can watch players practicing on side courts. I found one small court with more people surrounding it than at some of the games in progress. It could only mean one thing - that Federer was there. The world's number one tennis player is such a popular figure that he could have practiced on one of the show courts and filled it.
Roger Federer Practicing
Bryan Bros - Margaret Court Arena
Not only do you see tournament games, but you can watch players practicing on side courts. I found one small court with more people surrounding it than at some of the games in progress. It could only mean one thing - that Federer was there. The world's number one tennis player is such a popular figure that he could have practiced on one of the show courts and filled it.
Roger Federer Practicing
Labels: australia, melbourne, sport
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, January 18, 2008
The World's Best Airport Names
Nepal have announced plans to name an airport after Sir Edmund Hillary and his climbing partner, Tenzing Norgay. Lukla airport will become Tenzing-Hillary airport.
It is a common tradition worldwide to name an airport after a local hero. Here is a list of some of the best airport names in the world.
UK
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
An obvious choice for Liverpool, though Paul probably thought he should get the honour. A small consolation prize to John for being the first Beatle to die.
- George Best Belfast City Airport.
A name that wouldn't mean much in the US, but in the rest of the world where football is followed he is known as one of the greats of the game. He was also one of the worlds first celebrity footballers. A man's man, he was just as well known for his off-field antics as a hard drinking playboy.
- Robin Hood Airport Doncaster/Sheffield
This airport name raised controversy as Robin Hood is more often associated with Nottingham. It turns out that Robin Hood was not from Nottinghamshire but from South Yorkshire. Nottingham is served by the prosaically named East Midlands Airport.
Europe
Why is Italy shaped like a shoe? Because there is too much stuff to fit in a shoe. It is also overflowing with famous people to name airports after. The best Italian airport names:
- Rimini Federico Fellini International Airport
- Rome Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport
- Venice Marco Polo International Airport
- Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport
- Pisa Galileo Galilei Airport
- Saint-Exupéry International Airport Lyon France
Saint-Exupéry was best known for his childrens book The Little Prince. He was also, appropriately, an Aviator.
- Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa Albania
Mother Teresa was Albanian. Who knew? I don't think I ever stopped to think about where Mother Teresa was from.
- Franz Josef Strauss International Airport Munich Germany
- Alexander the Great Airport Kavala Greece
- Krakow John Paul II International Airport Poland
- Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport Poland
- WA Mozart Salzburg Airport Austria
- Malaga Airport Spain
Half points to Malaga for their terminal named after Pablo Picasso (terminal 2).
U.S.A
In the USA they love to name things after Presidents, including airports:
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport VA
- Houston George Bush Airport TX
- Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport Springfield IL
- Gerald R. Ford International Airport Grand Rapids MI
Kennedy has two airports named after him:
- John F Kennedy International (JFK) New York NY
- John F. Kennedy Memorial Airport Ashland WI
The US also has an interesting selection of airports named after entertainers:
- Bob Hope Airport Burbank CA
- John Wayne Airport Orange County CA
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport LA
- Indiana County-Jimmy Stewart Airport Indiana PA
- Will Rogers World Airport Oklahoma City OK
Airport Name Suggestions
Australia is lacking in good airport names. While Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport is fittingly named after a pioneering aviator (who was actually from Brisbane), the rest of Australia's airports aren't doing their job to showcase Australia's favourite Sons and Daughters. Perhaps Brisbane could get the ball rolling with Steve Irvin Brisbane International Airport.
In Europe Belgium is often mocked for not having any famous people. Brussels is home to Herge, who created one of the worlds most famous cartoon characters - Tintin. Brussels International could become Tintin International, which would be appropriate as he was always trotting around the globe.
America has a good selection of airport names but there are some glaring omissions. Can you believe Memphis International Airport is not named Elvis Presley Memphis International Airport. It would thus become Elvis International for short, a name that rolls off the tongue as smoothly as New York's JFK. And like JFK everyone would know where Elvis International is without having to mention the city name. The only problem might be that Tupelo Regional Airport might have something to say about the name, seeing Elvis was born in Tupelo.
Most people know that Jim Morrison lived in LA and died in Paris, but did you know he was born in Melbourne Florida. A great opportunity for their no name airport.
Seattle has a small airport named after Boeing - Boeing Field - and it would be wrong not to. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport remains nameless. I propose Jimi Hendrix International Airport.
LAX Los Angeles International has no name. Perhaps they have too many names to choose from. Do you have a suggestion for a name for LAX, or any other airport in the world?
It is a common tradition worldwide to name an airport after a local hero. Here is a list of some of the best airport names in the world.
UK
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
An obvious choice for Liverpool, though Paul probably thought he should get the honour. A small consolation prize to John for being the first Beatle to die.
- George Best Belfast City Airport.
A name that wouldn't mean much in the US, but in the rest of the world where football is followed he is known as one of the greats of the game. He was also one of the worlds first celebrity footballers. A man's man, he was just as well known for his off-field antics as a hard drinking playboy.
- Robin Hood Airport Doncaster/Sheffield
This airport name raised controversy as Robin Hood is more often associated with Nottingham. It turns out that Robin Hood was not from Nottinghamshire but from South Yorkshire. Nottingham is served by the prosaically named East Midlands Airport.
Europe
Why is Italy shaped like a shoe? Because there is too much stuff to fit in a shoe. It is also overflowing with famous people to name airports after. The best Italian airport names:
- Rimini Federico Fellini International Airport
- Rome Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport
- Venice Marco Polo International Airport
- Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport
- Pisa Galileo Galilei Airport
- Saint-Exupéry International Airport Lyon France
Saint-Exupéry was best known for his childrens book The Little Prince. He was also, appropriately, an Aviator.
- Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa Albania
Mother Teresa was Albanian. Who knew? I don't think I ever stopped to think about where Mother Teresa was from.
- Franz Josef Strauss International Airport Munich Germany
- Alexander the Great Airport Kavala Greece
- Krakow John Paul II International Airport Poland
- Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport Poland
- WA Mozart Salzburg Airport Austria
- Malaga Airport Spain
Half points to Malaga for their terminal named after Pablo Picasso (terminal 2).
U.S.A
In the USA they love to name things after Presidents, including airports:
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport VA
- Houston George Bush Airport TX
- Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport Springfield IL
- Gerald R. Ford International Airport Grand Rapids MI
Kennedy has two airports named after him:
- John F Kennedy International (JFK) New York NY
- John F. Kennedy Memorial Airport Ashland WI
The US also has an interesting selection of airports named after entertainers:
- Bob Hope Airport Burbank CA
- John Wayne Airport Orange County CA
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport LA
- Indiana County-Jimmy Stewart Airport Indiana PA
- Will Rogers World Airport Oklahoma City OK
Airport Name Suggestions
Australia is lacking in good airport names. While Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport is fittingly named after a pioneering aviator (who was actually from Brisbane), the rest of Australia's airports aren't doing their job to showcase Australia's favourite Sons and Daughters. Perhaps Brisbane could get the ball rolling with Steve Irvin Brisbane International Airport.
In Europe Belgium is often mocked for not having any famous people. Brussels is home to Herge, who created one of the worlds most famous cartoon characters - Tintin. Brussels International could become Tintin International, which would be appropriate as he was always trotting around the globe.
America has a good selection of airport names but there are some glaring omissions. Can you believe Memphis International Airport is not named Elvis Presley Memphis International Airport. It would thus become Elvis International for short, a name that rolls off the tongue as smoothly as New York's JFK. And like JFK everyone would know where Elvis International is without having to mention the city name. The only problem might be that Tupelo Regional Airport might have something to say about the name, seeing Elvis was born in Tupelo.
Most people know that Jim Morrison lived in LA and died in Paris, but did you know he was born in Melbourne Florida. A great opportunity for their no name airport.
Seattle has a small airport named after Boeing - Boeing Field - and it would be wrong not to. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport remains nameless. I propose Jimi Hendrix International Airport.
LAX Los Angeles International has no name. Perhaps they have too many names to choose from. Do you have a suggestion for a name for LAX, or any other airport in the world?
Labels: airport
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, January 11, 2008
The Fourth Busiest Air Route in the World
This billboard in Melbourne is promoting 167 flights a week to Sydney with Virgin Blue. If you think that sounds like a lot, that's because it is. According to OAG the Sydney to Melbourne air route is the fourth busiest in the world. In 2007 there were 851 flights per week between the two biggest cities in Australia.
For the record, here is the top 10.
Top 10 Busiest Routes Worldwide by Weekly Number of Flights
Barcelona (BCN) <> Madrid (MAD)
Sao Paulo Congonhas (CGH) <> Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (SDU)
Jeju (CJU) <> Seoul (GMP)
Melbourne (MEL) <> Sydney (SYD)
Cape Town (CPT) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
Mumbai (BOM) <> Delhi (DEL)
Sapporo Chitose (CTS) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
Jakarta Soekamo (CGK) <> Hatta Surabaya (SUB)
Honolulu (HNL) <> Kahului (OGG)
Fukuoka (FUK) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
It will be interesting to to see the changes in list for 2008. A high speed train line has just been built between Barcelona and Madrid, so they may drop from the top spot eventually. Also watch the rise of the Mumbai and Delhi route.
For the record, here is the top 10.
Top 10 Busiest Routes Worldwide by Weekly Number of Flights
Barcelona (BCN) <> Madrid (MAD)
Sao Paulo Congonhas (CGH) <> Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (SDU)
Jeju (CJU) <> Seoul (GMP)
Melbourne (MEL) <> Sydney (SYD)
Cape Town (CPT) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
Mumbai (BOM) <> Delhi (DEL)
Sapporo Chitose (CTS) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
Jakarta Soekamo (CGK) <> Hatta Surabaya (SUB)
Honolulu (HNL) <> Kahului (OGG)
Fukuoka (FUK) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
It will be interesting to to see the changes in list for 2008. A high speed train line has just been built between Barcelona and Madrid, so they may drop from the top spot eventually. Also watch the rise of the Mumbai and Delhi route.
Labels: airlines, australia, melbourne, sydney
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, January 04, 2008
When can you say you've been to a country?
Can you say you have been to a country if you only spent a few hours in one of its cities? Changing planes at international airports doesn't count (of course), but what about a weekend or day trip to one place? Technically you can, but do you?
I was thinking about this question when filling in one of those where have you been maps that you might have seen doing the rounds on Facebook and Myspace.
I had a go at one of these maps when someone sent me a link, and I found that large countries lit up because I had been to one of its cities. I felt like a British colonialist shading when they used to shade the world map red.
I wasn't going to publish mine but then I thought I should just to illustrate this train of thought. This is the map of the world of the countries that I've technically been to. (This map of Visited Countries by VirtualTourist).
Notice how all of Turkey is coloured in. I did a day trip from Rhodes in Greece to Marmaris in Turkey. Marmaris is an expat enclave and the 4 hours I was there didn't really feel like Turkey.
I once spent a weekend in Mexico at Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), about 60 miles from the US border on the Gulf of California. I went with some friends from Arizona. Rocky Point is a beach resort town and it is the closest beach to Phoenix. I didn't feel like I was in Mexico (except for those mariachi buskers with the oversized hats) and back then you didn't even need a passport to go there. So when I'm asked if I have been to Mexico I usually say no. I guess you could say I've been there, but I haven't done it.
I have been to the capitals of every Scandinavian country but I have never seen the Fjords of Norway or the Wilderness of Lapland, so I don't usually say I've been to Norway or Sweden either. I have though beaten myself with birch branches in a sauna in a small town in Finland, so I don't beat myself up about that one and proclaim Finland as done.
With these sort of maps at least they break down the states and territories of the US and Canada. Even so, some of these areas can be vast. The territory of Ontario has been lit up on my map because of a weekend I spent, mostly indoors, at a convention in Toronto.
I have lived in a few different countries and I have found my preference is to base myself in one place and get to know a country. I feel confident in saying that I have done England, Ireland, Switzerland and Hungary.
Australia is my home country so I have to say I've been there but so far I have only done the East Coast.
I was thinking about this question when filling in one of those where have you been maps that you might have seen doing the rounds on Facebook and Myspace.
I had a go at one of these maps when someone sent me a link, and I found that large countries lit up because I had been to one of its cities. I felt like a British colonialist shading when they used to shade the world map red.
I wasn't going to publish mine but then I thought I should just to illustrate this train of thought. This is the map of the world of the countries that I've technically been to. (This map of Visited Countries by VirtualTourist).
Notice how all of Turkey is coloured in. I did a day trip from Rhodes in Greece to Marmaris in Turkey. Marmaris is an expat enclave and the 4 hours I was there didn't really feel like Turkey.
I once spent a weekend in Mexico at Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), about 60 miles from the US border on the Gulf of California. I went with some friends from Arizona. Rocky Point is a beach resort town and it is the closest beach to Phoenix. I didn't feel like I was in Mexico (except for those mariachi buskers with the oversized hats) and back then you didn't even need a passport to go there. So when I'm asked if I have been to Mexico I usually say no. I guess you could say I've been there, but I haven't done it.
I have been to the capitals of every Scandinavian country but I have never seen the Fjords of Norway or the Wilderness of Lapland, so I don't usually say I've been to Norway or Sweden either. I have though beaten myself with birch branches in a sauna in a small town in Finland, so I don't beat myself up about that one and proclaim Finland as done.
With these sort of maps at least they break down the states and territories of the US and Canada. Even so, some of these areas can be vast. The territory of Ontario has been lit up on my map because of a weekend I spent, mostly indoors, at a convention in Toronto.
I have lived in a few different countries and I have found my preference is to base myself in one place and get to know a country. I feel confident in saying that I have done England, Ireland, Switzerland and Hungary.
Australia is my home country so I have to say I've been there but so far I have only done the East Coast.
Labels: country, international travel, maps
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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