Search

Final farewell for longest reigning Queen

Queen Elizabeth II has been publicly farewelled in a service that saw hundreds of thousands of people descend on central London to watch her coffin make its final journey to Westminster Abbey. Before her coffin was lowered into the vault, a teary-eyed King Charles III placed the colour of the grenadier guards on top and the Lord Chamberlain broke his wand of office and placed it alongside. The Imperial State Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre were taken off the coffin just moments before, marking a symbolic moment of the Queen being separated from the Crown Jewels. She was then taken to King George VI Memorial Chapel for a private burial, where she was laid to rest alongside her husband Prince Philip. The Queen’s coffin was taken from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey, with staff bowing and curtseying outside Buckingham Palace as the procession passed by and thousands of people jamming sidewalks to watch her coffin. Her coffin was borne by pallbearers and accompanied by King Charles III and other royal family members, including Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, their two elder children, and Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Hours before her funeral, the queue to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall was closed to the public after many spent cold nights waiting to pay respects to the long-reigning monarch. The last member of the public to view her coffin was Chrissy Heerey, a serving member of the Roal Air Force. “It felt like a real privilege to do that,” she said. Describing her experience of going through Westminster Hall twice that day, Heerey said the experience was “one of the highlights of my life and I feel very privileged to be here”. Images: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Fourth John Wick film longest in the series

The fourth installment of the John Wick series is set to be the longest out of the previous three films. Director Chad Stahelski said the action-thriller featuring favourite Keanu Reeves will run for at least 2 hours and 11 minutes to the 131 minutes (an hour and a half) for John Wick: Parabellum. The news comes just weeks after a <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/first-look-of-keanu-reeves-in-fourth-john-wick-installment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">teaser trailer dropped</a>, giving avid fans a glimpse of what to expect in the new movie. Stahelski has also confirmed that they are well on the way to finishing editing the new film which is due for release on March 24, 2023. "We're on the final stretch for picture lock, and then we have our VFX music. But this is the furthest along I've ever been, this much in post,” he said in an interview with <a href="https://collider.com/john-wick-4-runtime-director-chad-stahelski-comments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Collider</a>. “We love the music that we've got so far. We still have Tyler Bates doing the composition on some of the bigger sequences. “VFX are going to be coming in throughout the rest of the year. But we're dangerously close. "In our edit, as far as our picture lock goes, we're within a few minutes of locking. Our sequences are done. The movie is essentially done. “There's probably another few weeks of tweaking overall, then we lock picture, and we're about music, sound and the effects." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> You wanted him back. He’s back. Watch the first sneak peek for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JW4?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JW4</a> – in theaters March 2023. <a href="https://t.co/3T0rMxLj5P">pic.twitter.com/3T0rMxLj5P</a> — John Wick (@JohnWickMovie) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnWickMovie/status/1550888472134705152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2022</a></blockquote> The fourth installment will see the bounty for Wick’s head soar as he takes his fight against the High Table global. Wick also seeks out some of the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin. John Wick: Chapter 4 will be out in cinemas on March 24, 2023. Images: Twitter

Movies

Australia’s longest-running soap ends

Hailed as one of Australia’s longest-running TV dramas, Neighbours will come to an end after 37 years on air. The TV soap that gave national sweethearts like Kylie Minogue, Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce and Liam Hemsworth a name around the globe, ended its streak after failing to secure another UK broadcaster. In a statement on their social media, Neighbours announced the devastating news to fans. “We are so sorry to say that after nearly 37 years and almost 9000 episodes broadcast we have to confirm that Neighbours will cease production in June,” the statement read. “Following the loss of our key broadcast partner in the UK and despite an extensive search for alternative funding, we simply have no option but to rest the show.” The team thanked their loyal fans and promised to end the show on an “incredible high”. “To our amazing, loyal fans, we know this is a huge disappointment, as it is to all of us on the team. “We thank you for all your messages and support and promise to end the show on an incredible high. From here on, we are celebrating Neighbours.” The news comes just weeks after Channel 5, the British production company that aired the show in the UK since 2008, announced it won’t do so anymore. The final episodes are expected to air in September 2022. Image: Instagram

Couple on “world’s longest honeymoon” share their story

After their dream wedding in 2011, Mike and Anne Howard made the radical decision to quit their jobs and leave their life in New York behind for the ultimate honeymoon. Their plan was to see the world and now, over a decade on, the couple are still on the road visiting every corner of the globe. Documenting their travels on their <a href="https://www.honeytrek.com/">blog</a> has become a way of life, as they use it to keep their family and friends updated while on the world’s longest honeymoon. As their HoneyTrek brand began as a way to stay connected to loved ones back home, they have turned it into a career as travel bloggers, book authors and travel photographers. However, despite sharing their idyllic life with their online following, Mike and Anne have assured <a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/married-couple-mike-and-anne-howard-on-worlds-longest-honeymoon-tell-of-most-challenging-moments--c-5362530">7Lifestyle</a> that their journey is not always sunshine and roses. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTpeQkYLJUe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTpeQkYLJUe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Mike & Anne - HoneyTrek.com (@honeytrek)</a> </div> </blockquote> They were hit hard with the realities of travelling with Covid, as the pandemic worked its way into every corner of the world. As the pandemic was in the early stages, the couple were heading to Italy, right as the country declared a Covid emergency in March 2020. “It hadn’t really sunk in what was going on,” Mike said. The couple decided to travel to Poland, thinking coronavirus was just “an Italy thing”, but were met with the hard reality of global travel restrictions once they arrived. After three months of being stuck in Poland, they were finally able to return to the United States. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9927pBHJyb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9927pBHJyb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Mike & Anne - HoneyTrek.com (@honeytrek)</a> </div> </blockquote> As well as dealing with the struggles of Covid, the couple have come up with their own way to not be constantly living in each other's pockets. “It’s good to have a few things that are your own, you know I like to take more walks than he does and he likes to have more podcasts than I do,” Anne explains. “We have a few things which are ‘your thing’, and we prioritise maintaining friendships outside the relationship.” “We also love to meet new people and so we have a pretty global friend circle at this point, so it’s not as isolating as you may think,” she says. Image credits: Instagram @honeytrek

Travel Tips

The longest day

The tramping boots prove their worth as Justine Tyerman’s best hiking buddies on the Walk Japan’s Izu Geo Trail. Konnichiwa! I heard the tramping boots (TBs) chortle as they sauntered off to the drying room with the sweet young kimono-clad girl who welcomed us to our ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. The TBs were in fine fettle after our six-hour hike along spectacular forest and coastal tracks on the Izu Geo Trail. We had just finished the longest hike of our seven-day, six-night Walk Japan hiking tour of the Izu Peninsula – just two hours by train from Tokyo but worlds away from hustle-bustle of the megalopolis. I was heading straight for the revitalising waters of the onsen baths with my lady friends while the TBs were looking forward to hobnobbing with their counterparts from around the world. They had once again proven their worth as my best tramping buddies, delivering me safely to my destination at the end of an exhilarating day of hiking in the great outdoors. I could hear them bragging about having been chosen ahead of my lightweight walking shoes, “all very flash and trendy but where’s the tread and ankle support when you need it, eh?” They were right in their element. Day five was the longest hike of the Izu Geo Trail, around 12km with a steep climb or two, “nothing compared with some of the tramps I’ve done in my time”, the TBs crowed. We were accompanied by guide John Sweeney, an Australian chap who lives nearby in a mountain village of only 30 people with his Japanese wife Kiyomi. The couple also run an English language school. John leads an interesting life guiding many Walk Japan tours and also working with search and rescue services. He delivered a thorough safety briefing about watching where we placed our feet and only looking at the scenery when we stopped, an important message given that the track was steep and strewn with tree roots. Always on the lookout for hazards, the TBs agreed. John also mentioned the ‘s’ word which set my heart pounding. The presence of snakes in Japan had not even occurred to me until now but the thought of encountering a venomous mamushi or pit viper was not appealing. I decided to stick close to John and stamp my feet to ward off any vipers lurking in the undergrowth. Aussies the world over just love to terrify Kiwis with snaky stories. Starting from the fishing port of Arari, we set off towards Tago on the coast-hugging Imayama section of the Nishiizu Trail. It was a warm, sunny day and we were hiking uphill so we were grateful for the shade of the forest. After about 45 minutes, we all came to a complete standstill, gazing in wonder at a faint but distinctive cone shape in the distance. It was Mt Fuji rising majestically if somewhat hazily above the cloud on the horizon. Everyone went ballistic with their cameras and iPhones. A photo board showed us the mountain in mid-winter blanketed in snow under clear skies towering above Suraga Bay... but we were all thrilled just to get a glimpse of the famous volcano. Always someone to chat with When we could tear our eyes away from Fuji, from our elevated position high above the ocean, spectacular deeply-eroded cliffs, jagged headlands and rocky offshore islands were clearly visible in both directions. The breath-taking beauty of the landscape far exceeded my expectations and my heart soared as we hiked this wonderful trail in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. With 12 of us in the group (13 counting John), there was always someone to fall into step with and chat with as we walked. I enjoyed such interesting conversations with wonderful people from diverse backgrounds and countries. After a couple of blissful hours hiking, we emerged on a narrow road at the top of a hillside covered in terraced aloe vera fields, some cultivated for harvest, some left to grow wild. A small motorised wagon stood on tracks that led steeply downhill. John said the owner of the aloe vera fields used the wagon to get up and down the steep slope when tending and harvesting the crop. Brave man, I thought as I peered over the edge to where the track plummeted downhill. The pretty little fishing port of Tago was our picnic lunch spot. Many neat and tidy boats were tied up at the quay alongside a seriously-high tsunami protection wall with hefty gates, a reminder of Japan’s exposure to such natural disasters. We stopped at a gated cave in the side of a hill where a kamikaze boat was stored during World War 2. Packed with explosives, the powerful boats were located in strategic positions around the coast in preparation for a US attack. As we headed out of Tago towards Futo Beach on the Tomyagasaki section of the Nishiizu Trail, John drew my attention to a long, narrow white-ish thing on the side of the road. It looked like a strip of flimsy material but on closer inspection, it turned out to be a snake skin. Caught up in the sheer exhilaration of the hike, I had forgotten all about my snake phobia. “Where was this snake now in his brand new and even larger skin?” I wondered. Even the unflappable TBs were slightly rattled. John also took the opportunity to tell me that two hikers we had met coming in the opposite direction that morning had mentioned they saw a snake with a large frog in its mouth. “Don’t worry, it was so busy digesting the frog, it was not interested in us,” he said cheerfully. Hiking seemed effortless The afternoon trail was even more stunning than our morning hike – sparkling calm, blue ocean, the coast stretching for miles, a cloudless sky, sheer cliffs undercut by deep caves, strings of jewel-like bush-topped islands rising abruptly from the sea, joined by necklaces of sand... and all around, the joyful sound of birds singing in the trees. Leaving our backpacks on the side of the trail, we took a side track out to a high promontory overlooking the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. There was rare silence as we absorbed the enormity of the panorama. The trail returned to sea-level at Futo Beach where a string of volcanic necks stood like mismatched sentinels along the seashore. The necks are former magma pathways in the vents of what were once a series of ancient submarine volcanos. The softer rock has eroded away exposing the solidified magma within. A bizarre and fantastical sight. The hiking was quite strenuous that day but it seemed effortless – the landscapes were utterly breath-taking. The TBs were in heaven and didn’t want the trail to ever end. Weary but happy, we arrived on foot at Accueil Sanshiro, a modern inn overlooking the Dogashima coast and Sanshiro Islands. The TBs were intrigued by the Japanese practice of removing outside footwear at the door and slipping into slippers. So much more sociable for them to spend the evening with other TBs than hanging out in a bedroom overnight with the ‘lightweights’. Witnessing a west coast sunset on such a clear evening was top of the agenda for everyone so our customary leisurely soak in the onsen baths was cut short to make sure we were all in position, cameras poised, at around 6.30pm. The sunset was spectacular – the fiery ball slid towards a mauve horizon casting a shimmering golden pathway across the sea. A magical sight framed by islands and headlands. A sumptuous feast of fresh local seafood including abalone cooked in their shell at the table awaited us in the banquet room. There was barely any room on the table for wine glasses. The hungry hikers relished every mouthful. Failing to do justice the hotel’s onsen due to ‘sunset frenzy’, I arose early next day and soaked in the lovely outdoor pool overlooking the sea. A buffet breakfast offered a choice of Japanese and Western dishes – I chose fresh salads and vegetables over my usual cereal and yoghurt. I was turning distinctly Japanese... just like the song! The TBs reappeared at the door of the ryokan looking spick and span after a ‘boot spa treatment’. They were so eager to be the footwear of choice on the last day of the hike, I didn’t have the heart to side-line them... it was just as well. Their sturdy support was much in need as we descended from Kodarumayama. – To be continued Factbox: <ul> <li>The Izu Geo Trail is a 7-day, 6-night guided tour starting in Tokyo and finishing in Mishima. The trail explores the Izu Peninsula in the Shizuoka Prefecture, one of the most unique geological areas on Earth. The mountainous peninsula with deeply indented coasts, white sand beaches and a climate akin to a sub-tropical island, is located 150km south west of Tokyo on the Pacific Coast of the island of Honshu, Japan.</li> <li>An easy-to-moderate-paced hiking tour with an average walking distance of 6-12km each day, mostly on uneven forest and mountain tracks including some steep climbs and descents.</li> <li>Walk Japan pioneered off-the-beaten-track walking tours in Japan in 1992 with the Nakasendo Way tour. Since then, the company has created 29 guided, self-guided and speciality tours introducing the geography, people, cuisine, customs, culture and history of the real Japan that often remain inaccessible for visitors to the country.</li> <li>Walk Japan has been widely recognised, including selection by National Geographic as one of the 200 Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.</li> </ul> Justine Tyerman was a guest of <a href="https://walkjapan.com/">Walk Japan</a>.

International Travel

Longest running what?! Queen Elizabeth’s latest milestone

Queen Elizabeth can tuck another special achievement as of January 2020, after becoming the world’s fifth longest reigning monarch. The 93-year-old surpassed the 19th century Emperor of Austria Franz Joseph I - with her time on the throne so far lasting 67 years and 356 days as of January 27, 2020. The record follows the Queen’s other long list of accolades, including her title as the longest-living reigning monarch. Adrian Hilton, a lecturer in politics, philosophy and political theology, took to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/Adrian_Hilton/status/1221353113401155585?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet/" target="_blank">Twitter </a>to announce the news. The expert recognised that the Queen – who officially started her reign on February 6, 1952 – had moved up to fifth place on the list of the world’s longest reigning monarchs. “Just to say, today the Queen moved up a notch in the table of the world’s longest reigns, surpassing that of Franz Joseph I. God Save the Queen.,” he wrote alongside a screenshot of the Wikipedia lead table. K'inich Janaab Pakal, who was one of the most famous seventh-century Mayan rulers, sits in front of the British royal. In third place is Johann II of Liechtenstein, who ruled from 1858 and 1929, followed by Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. King Bhumibol reigned from 1946 until his death in October 2016 and was the world's longest living reigning monarch before the Queen. Holding on to the top spot is Louis XIV of France, with an impressive 72-year and 110-day reign. The longest-reigning monarchs 1. Louis XIV of France (reigned from 14 May 1643 to 1 September 1715) 2. Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand (reigned from 9 June 1946 to 13 October 2016) 3. Johann II of Liechtenstein (reigned from 12 November 1858 to 11 February 1929) 4. K'inich Janaab Pakal (reigned from 29 July 615 to 31 August 683) 5. Queen Elizabeth II (reigned from 6 February 1952)

International Travel

11 of the longest bridges in the world - not including the Harbour Bridge

Human feats of wonder While most of the longest bridges in the world exist in Asia and the United States, engineering marvels that allow travellers to pass over large bodies of water and/or kilometres of tricky terrain, on a train or in a car, exist across the globe. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by PlayDay Live! (@playdaylive)</a> on Jul 31, 2019 at 2:23am PDT </div> </blockquote> At 164.8km in length, China’s Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the world’s longest bridge. Built at a cost of approximately $8.5 billion dollars, per Britannica, this link between Shanghai and Nanjing opened as a viaduct on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway in June 2011. As of publication, this bridge remains in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest bridge in the world. Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by MyExpatCommunity (@myexpatcommunity)</a> on Jul 3, 2019 at 3:24am PDT </div> </blockquote> Also in China is the longest bridge in the world made of glass where pedestrians pay high prices for what Business Insider calls a “colossal waste of time.” That’s thanks to a sea of people and their shoes which scuff the glass beneath feet, despite the fact that booties are mandatory to, in theory, protect the 99 panels of 60cm thick glass. Tourists flock to walk the 427m long glass bridge that sits 299m above China’s Grand Canyon. Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by L U (@voyconlu)</a> on Nov 6, 2018 at 8:06am PST </div> </blockquote> =What does $20 billion get you in the 21st-century bridge market? A huge 54.7km bridge connecting Hong Kong and Zhuhai/Macau. Commuting between those cities would previously have required an hour-long ferry ride, according to CNN. The newest world’s largest sea-crossing bridge, with immigration offices and border control at either end (because Hong Kong and Macau are governed under different laws), took nine years to build and opened in the autumn of 2018. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Fisk - Centro de Ensino (@fiskoficial)</a> on Jan 27, 2016 at 3:13pm PST </div> </blockquote> Per the Telegraph, “Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in southern Louisiana is an epic structure that crosses one of the most famous bodies of water in the United States; a lake that has inspired literature, music and film.” This nearly 39km-long bridge is the longest bridge in the world that’s not in Asia. It’ll cost you $5 to go southbound on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The Vasco da Gama Bridge The longest bridge in Europe, found east of Lisbon, Portugal, took more than 3,000 workers 18 months to build. Heavy cloud cover on its inauguration day during the 1998 Lisbon World Exposition meant that travellers couldn’t see the other side. Spanning an impressive 17km over the Tagus River, “the Vasco da Game was named after the famous Portuguese explorer to commemorate the fifth centenary of his arrival from India in 1498. Gama was the first European to reach India by sea, from the Atlantic Ocean,” reports Civitatis’ Lisbon travel guide. Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, Switzerland In Switzerland, you’ll find a 494m suspension bridge that is the longest bridge in the world exclusively for pedestrian use. According to the Telegraph, the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge crosses “a valley between Grächen and Zermatt, and offers scenic views of some of Switzerland’s highest peaks, including the famed Matterhorn.” Millau Viaduct, France At 2460m, the Millau Viaduct is not even close to being one of the longest bridges in the world. Instead, this engineering marvel often seen cutting through the clouds on the A75 highway between Paris and Barcelona is the tallest bridge and, remarkably, is even higher than the Eiffel Tower. Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Part bridge, part tunnel, this 28.3-mile marvel of engineering opened for automotive traffic way back in 1964. By the following year, it had been designated as “One of Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World,” according to Travel Trivia. The site goes on to explain that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel “connects the Delmarva Peninsula with southeastern Virginia, spanning across open waters around the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.” Atchafalaya Basin Bridge The twin bridge that spans the largest river swamp in the country opened in 1973 and at the time “was the longest bridge in the United States,” reports the Advertiser. Drivers and passengers alike are afforded stellar views of Louisiana’s wetlands from Interstate 10 during the 30km stretch. Bang Na to Bangpakong Expressway Is a bridge still a bridge if it doesn’t cross over water? The six lanes of The Bang Na in Thailand span a whopping 53.9km, including a run through Bangkok, with only a relative drop of the Bang Pakong River flowing beneath. Structurally this bridge, which ranks as the longest road bridge in the world, was made with over a million cubic metres of concrete, according to Road Traffic Technology, and instead of a sea or lake, rises nearly 30.4 metres above another stretch of road, National Highway Route 34. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Rising high above the Akashi Strait, and connecting the city of Kobe with Awaji Island in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, is the longest spanning suspension bridge in the world. At 3,911m in length, its length is only part of the story. According to PBS, the two towers of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, rising 283m, “are higher than any other bridge towers in the world.” Written by Jeff Bogle. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/11-of-the-longest-bridges-in-the-world?slide=all">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Travel Tips

Why would anyone want to sit on a plane for over 18 hours? An economist takes the world’s longest flight

Recently <a href="https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-to-operate-project-sunrise-research-flights-direct-new-york-london-to-australia/">Qantas announced</a> plans to conduct test flights from New York and London to Sydney and two other Australian cities. If commercialized, these routes would become the longest in the world at about 19 hours. Qantas said it will conduct test flights <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/qantas-wires-up-people-for-19-hour-endurance-flight-11566471393">with only employees</a> on board to ensure the flights are safe and comfortable enough for paying customers. I heard this news after finishing a round-trip on what is currently the world’s <a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/longest-flights-in-the-world">longest flight</a>, the 18 hours and 45 minutes Singapore Airlines schedules to get from <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericrosen/2018/10/11/worlds-new-longest-flight-from-singapore-to-newark-launches-today/#6a42a6a12aca">Newark, New Jersey, to Singapore</a>, a route that began last October. The return trip is slightly quicker. Fortunately for me, there were favorable winds so each way took about 30 minutes less than scheduled. Being aloft twice for the better part of a day gave me plenty of time to ponder the origins and <a href="http://businessmacroeconomics.com/">economics</a> of long-distance flights – with plenty of time to spare for binge watching. Talk about a long flight Pilots and airlines have been pushing the boundaries of flight times since the earliest days of air travel. In fact, 19 hours is rather quick for the industry’s trailblazers. The <a href="https://www.wired.com/2009/06/dayintech-0609/">first plane to make it across the Pacific</a> took off from Oakland, California, in 1928. It took the aircraft, dubbed the “Southern Cross,” <a href="https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/southern-cross/">three long flights</a> to get to its final destination in Australia: 27 and a half hours to Hawaii, 34 and a half hours to Fiji and a final 21 and a half miles to Brisbane. In all, the pilot and his crew covered about 7,000 miles in 10 days – all without losing any luggage. A few years later, in 1931, two daredevils in search of a US$25,000 prize <a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/10/1005first-nonstop-transpacific-flight">flew from Tokyo to the state of Washington</a> in the first nonstop flight over the Pacific Ocean. To save weight and fuel, the pilots even threw out their landing gear after takeoff. When they reached the U.S., they crash landed – but survived to claim the prize. The flight took 41 hours and covered more than 5,500 miles. These super-long flights, of course, were taken by daredevil pilots with no passengers. And they were very dangerous. One of the most famous aviation failures involved <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/19/amelia-earhart-found-disappearance-theories/1475518001/">Amelia Earhart</a>, who disappeared in 1937 while attempting to cross part of the Pacific on a world circling flight. Six days and 60 hours The <a href="https://www.clipperflyingboats.com/transpacific-airline-service">first service</a> to ferry paying customers across the Pacific was created by Pan Am in October 1936. The trip started from San Francisco and ended in Manila, capital of the Philippines. It took six days and about 60 hours of flying time. The plane flew during the day and made stops in Hawaii, Midway, Wake and Guam at night. The longest leg, from San Francisco to Hawaii, <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/hawaii-by-air/online/pan-am-clippers/pan-am-spans-the-pacific.cfm">took 18 and a half hours</a>. Pam Am’s planes, called the “Clippers,” <a href="https://www.clipperflyingboats.com/">didn’t need airports</a>. They were specially designed to <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/hawaii-by-air/online/pan-am-clippers/pan-am-spans-the-pacific.cfm">take off and land in the water</a>. The planes <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/hawaii-by-air/online/pan-am-clippers/what-was-it-like-to-fly.cfm">were also quite luxurious</a> and even had separate areas for eating and sleeping. But all that luxury while spanning the globe was quite expensive. The one-way fare from San Francisco to Manila <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/China-Clipper-s-flight-made-history-75-years-ago-3165474.php">was $950</a>, or $17,400 in <a href="https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm">today’s dollars</a>. Fortunately, the cost of flying these long routes – in terms of both money and time – has come down dramatically. These days you can fly direct from San Francisco to Manila in business class for around $3,000, including the return flight. The trip to Manila takes just 14 hours. Today’s flights are also a lot safer. The concern for many passengers is not crashing but instead <a href="https://www.popsci.com/are-long-airplane-flights-bad-for-your-health/">health risks like deep vein thrombosis</a>, a type of blood clot. Saving time, money and bags Still, even if things have improved, I think most of us agree that <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/pdworld/2008/02/flying_isnt_fun_anymore.html">flying is not fun</a>. Airlines <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielreed/2018/04/26/airline-customer-satisfaction-scores-fell-in-2018-even-as-more-people-flew-on-them-than-ever-before/#3e9ae4ca2ddc">regularly rank near the bottom</a> among industries in customer satisfaction surveys. So why would we want to increase the amount of time spent 30,000 feet above the ground in a metal tube with wings? For one thing, it means less total travel time. For example, my flight to Singapore would have taken three and a half hours longer with a layover in Hong Kong. But if you’re someone who might prefer a break during a long flight halfway around the world, a more practical benefit is that removing the connection also reduces the chance <a href="https://pp.bme.hu/tr/article/view/1870">your luggage is lost</a>, since bags are handled fewer times. Almost half of all bags delayed in 2017 <a href="https://www.sita.aero/resources/type/surveys-reports/baggage-report-2018">were a result</a> of baggage handlers missing connections. Flying a full plane load of passengers directly also saves airlines money – which often translates into lower prices for consumers too. An extra layover at a major airport <a href="https://www.fraport.com/en/misc/binaer/business-and-partner/airlines-cargo/airport-charges/infographic--airport-charges-at-frankfurt-airport/_jcr_content.file/fraport_entgelte_eng.pdf">can be expensive</a>, with fees for landing, takeoff, parking, noise abatement and security. Airports also charge extra for <a href="https://www.fraport.com/en/misc/binaer/business-and-partner/airlines-cargo/airport-charges/list-of-service-charges/_jcr_content.file/list-of-service-charges---july-2019.pdf">optional services</a> like cleaning, towing and providing electricity to a plane while it is parked at the gate. Expect more ultra-long flights One thing that was interesting about the Qantas announcement is all the research it plans to do during its test flights – scheduled for October through December – on the passengers themselves. Scientists and medical experts will monitor sleep patterns, food and beverage consumption, lighting, physical movement and in-flight entertainment to assess their impact on health and well-being – and prevent any blood clots in the legs. Using this data, Qantas hopes to make ultra-long flying a more pleasant experience. After all, the main reason to take a single 19-hour flight is to arrive faster and feeling better than taking multiple flights to the same destination. Whether you love or hate flying, expect longer flights in the future as more efficient planes allow airlines to go ever farther. Given we seem to be <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-hectic-multitasking-lives-were-wired-to-binge-on-tv-24158">wired for binge watching</a>, I don’t think this trend is so bad. I could have actually used a longer flight. My effort to binge the second season of “Star Trek: Discovery” was abruptly interrupted as we descended back into Newark, with just 10 minutes left in the final episode. Written by Jay L. Zagorsky. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-would-anyone-want-to-sit-on-a-plane-for-over-18-hours-an-economist-takes-the-worlds-longest-flight-122433">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

World’s longest cruise set to visit 59 countries in 245 days

Fancy a world cruise that calls at 113 ports in 59 countries across six continents in 245 days? That'll be $117,995 thanks. For the most basic room. Prefer to travel in the top-of-the-range owner's suite? If you had a spare $342,895 you would have been in with a chance but it's already taken. Billing itself as the longest ever continuous world cruise, the Norwegian-owned Viking Sun embarks on the eight-month journey on August 31, 2019. Departing from London's Greenwich, the 930-passenger vessel stops in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Faroe Islands and Norway before crossing the Atlantic to Iceland and Greenland. From there, it makes its way around America to Los Angeles where it skips through the South Pacific to New Zealand, calling at several ports on both islands before heading to Australia. Then it's up through Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Africa and southern Europe, eventually arriving back in London. The price includes business class airfares, private car transfers to the ship, "virtually all drinks on board" and one excursion in each port. The cheapest fare of $117,995 per person means a couple travelling together will pay $235,990, or $963 a day between them. The cruise appears to be filling up fast, with only wait list spaces for the cheapest fares. There are spaces available in mid-range cabins. Luxury touches aboard the 465-stateroom ship include a glass-backed infinity pool cantilevered off the stern, a Nordic spa with a "snow grotto" where snowflakes descend from the ceiling through chilled air, a winter garden and eight restaurants. Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said the lines world cruises "offer guests the rare opportunity to unpack once and explore dozens of the best destinations on earth - at a value that is unprecedented in the travel industry". If nearly A$117,995 is your idea of a value holiday that is. Written by Lorna Thornber. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz">Stuff.co.nz. </a>

Cruising

The longest personality study reveals wild differences from ages 14 to 77

Scientists have carried out personality tests on people at the age of 14 and then again when they were 77 years old. The researchers have found that there is no connection between the characteristics the subjects had as teenagers to the characteristics that have in their senior years. The researchers from the University of Edinburgh found some trends for the specific age groups but not between the subjects in their overall life time. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5144810/">Psychology and Aging </a>paper the researchers said, “There were no positive correlations strong enough to achieve significance between adolescent and older-age characteristic ratings or dependability.” The scientists explained that as there was 63 years between the two interviews, the length of time meant their characteristics and priorities had significantly altered. The researchers said, “As a result of this gradual change, personality can appear relatively stable over short intervals - increasingly so throughout adulthood. However, the longer the interval between two assessments of personality, the weaker the relationship between the two tends to be.” The experiment looked into six key traits for their experiment which were self-confidence, perseverance, stability of moods, conscientiousness, originality and desire to excel. The study did find that teenagers become more social but then decrease that priority as they move into their adult years. They also found that first jobs and parenting increase maturity and stable mood levels. The senior years revealed that people become more comfortable and accepting of themselves. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2017/02/margaret-cunningham-on-spirituality/">Reflecting on my spirituality throughout the years</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2017/02/study-finds-many-remember-events-that-never-happened/">Study finds many remember events that never happened</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2017/02/secrets-to-a-more-joyful-existence/">Secrets to a more joyful existence</a>

Mind

World’s longest ever cruise not for the faint-hearted

If you’ve got a spare year (and $100,000) up your sleeve, this new 357 day itinerary from Mundy Cruising might just be the one for you. This cruising odyssey will see you travelling around the world taking in all of the world’s seven continents and experiencing some of the best cruising the high seas has to offer. While on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure you get to tick a slew of must-see sights off your bucket list from Angkor Wat to Machu Picchu and the Great Barrier Reef. A spokesperson for Mundy Cruising said, "It has the appeal of a world cruise but can be done in manageable chunks. It's ideal for those who want the opportunity to return home and prepare for the next trip." Lucky passengers will be started the journey in Miami on January 10, 2017 before you finally call it quits on May 15, 2018. The cost comes in at a whopping $164,000 per person including business-class flights and overseas transfers. Do you think you’d be game to spend 357 days at sea? Have you ever been on a cruise? How did you find the experience? Let us know in the comments section. Shutterstock / Ruth Peterkin No matter where you’re travelling to, making sure you know how to access your cash while away – and in the most affordable way – is very important. Easy to use and with countless benefits, the Over60 Cash Passport allows you to securely access your cash in the same way you use an ATM or credit card. <a href="https://oversixty.cashpassport.com.au" target="_blank">To apply for a card today, click here.</a> Related links: <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/08/6-things-to-expect-if-your-cruise-hits-a-storm/">6 things to expect if your cruise hits a storm</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/08/woman-survives-38-hours-at-sea-after-falling-off-cruise/">Woman survives 38 hours at sea after falling off cruise</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/09/coast-guard-frantic-search-for-overboard-cruise-passenger/">Frantic search for overboard cruise passenger</a>

Cruising

5 of the longest rivers in the world to cruise

Follow in the footsteps of history’s great explorers and cruise along the world’s most impressive inland waterways, with modern comforts of course. 1. Nile River, Africa The longest river in the world flows for almost 7,000 kilometres through a dozen countries. Most famously, it runs through the centre of Egypt and that’s where you’re able to cruise it. The most popular route is a small stretch between Luxor and Aswan, giving passengers the chance to explore the famed Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple and Aswan Dam. The river is quite narrow through this section so you’ll be cruising right by towns and villages, temples and farms. Don’t miss the chance to see the Great Pyramids and Cairo’s other famous sites by extending your journey. 2. Amazon, South America Flowing through one of the world’s last great wilderness areas, the Amazon is huge and holds one-fifth of the fresh water on the planet. Cruises run through either Brazil or Peru on small boats that carry less than 30 passengers. You’ll be sailing alongside lush rainforest filled with howling monkeys, sleepy sloths and vibrantly coloured toucans. In the water, you can see the rare endangered pink dolphin and even catch a piranha. Be prepared for rain (and mosquitos) and bring your camera. 3. Yangtze River, China Asia’s longest river starts in the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau in central China and flows for 6,400 kilometres across the country to empty into the ocean north of Shanghai. Cruises generally travel along the short section between Chongqing and Yichang or Wuhan for three or four days. The most spectacular section of the voyage is the Three Gorges, a 200-kilometre stretch where the river flows through these beautiful rock formations. Take a shore excursion to see the impressive feat of engineering that is the Three Gorges Dam. 4. Mississippi River, USA At just over 3,700 kilometres long the Mississippi is North America’s longest river and flows through 11 states in the southern United States. The river has been made famous by Mark Twain and countless others, and holds an important place in the national identity of America. So it makes sense that the boats operating on the river hark back to the traditional paddle steamers that have been plying the waters for hundreds of years. Set yourself up on deck with a mint julep and watch the world go by. 5. Congo River, Africa This is one for the adventurous travellers. The Congo flows through central and west Africa and acts as a vital lifeline for the communities it passes through. It takes around a month to travel the 1,700 or so kilometres between Kisanangi and Kinshasa, with a few stops along the way to stay in safari camps or lodges. It’s one of the last great challenges left in the world of cruising, retracing the historic route of legendary explorer Henry Morton Stanley, and will certainly be something to impress the guests at your next dinner party. Have you ever taken a cruise along any of these destinations? Or have you visited any similar ones? Let us know in the comments. Related links: <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/06/how-i-discovered-the-10-rules-of-cruising/">How I discovered the 10 rules of cruising</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/06/just-how-much-does-each-day-on-a-cruise-cost/">Just how much does each day on a cruise cost</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/06/things-not-to-pack-on-a-cruise/">5 things NOT to pack on a cruise</a>

Cruising

Stockholm’s metro is world’s longest art gallery

If you’ve ever tried to make a connection in peak hour we’re sure you’ll agree that there are times when catching public transport isn’t the most pleasant of experiences. Which, as you could imagine looking at the pictures in the gallery above, the metro in the Swedish capital of Stockholm must be an attraction in and of itself. Over 90 of the 100 underground station that make up Stockholm’s metro network have been meticulously decorated, with sculptures, mosaics, paintings and art installations. Over 150 artist are featured in what is essentially the world’s longest art gallery. Many of the pieces were first introduced in the late 1950s, as part of Sweden’s political ideology called Folkhemmet (The People’s Home), but as the network has expanded so too has the work featured in the underground train system. And the results are truly captivating. To see some examples of the incredible art adorning the Stockholm metro, scroll through the gallery above. Does any particular piece of art in the gallery above stand out as a favourite? Do you think this is an idea we could adopt in our country? Share your thoughts in the comments. Image credit: Instagram / @subwayseries_sthlm Related links: <a href="/travel/international/2016/05/10-gorgeous-photos-from-seaside-towns-in-italy/">10 gorgeous photos from seaside towns in Italy</a> <a href="/travel/domestic-travel/2016/05/10-breathtaking-photos-new-zealand-beautiful-roads/">10 breathtaking photos of New Zealand’s beautiful roads</a> <a href="/travel/international/2016/05/aerial-tour-of-beautiful-flower-field-in-the-netherlands/">Aerial tour of beautiful flower field in the Netherlands</a>

International Travel

World’s longest train tunnel to open under Swiss Alps

Travelling around Europe is about to get a whole lot quicker with the opening of Switzerland’s Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel. The tunnel, constructed over 17 years at the cost of $12 billion will run through the rocky Swiss Alps at depths that of 2.3km deep. The line is 57 km in length and will offer a speedy, green alternative to flying with travellers able to journey from Zurich to Milan in two and half hours. The tunnel is also expected to connect areas like Rotterdam, Holland and Antwerp with Adriatic ports, which will hopefully reduce air pollution along trade routes. During a period of rising European tension, this new project is hoped to be an example of what can be achieved when the nations cooperate and band together. Swiss president Johann Schneider-Ammann was joined by German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president François Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi where all there to enjoy the maiden voyage and opening of the tunnel. Have you ever caught a train through Europe? Or do you prefer flying? Do you think the opening of this new route will change your decision to fly/train in future? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related links: <a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/04/10-happiest-countries-in-the-world/" target="_blank">10 happiest countries in the world</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/04/10-river-cruise-ports-you-must-experience/">10 river cruise ports you must experience</a> <a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/02/spectacular-hikes-around-the-world/">10 spectacular hikes to do around the world</a>

International Travel

The world’s longest-lasting set of hip replacements

Norman Sharp, a 91-year-old from England, has been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as possessing the world’s longest-lasting set of hip replacements. Mr Sharp was just 23 when he underwent the then-ground breaking procedure, and the 67-year-old hips have remained in place ever since without any revisions. Mr Sharp's hips are made of an alloy called vitallium, and were implanted by orthopaedic surgeon Philip Newman, in what many consider to be the first procedure of its kind. <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/18033/pay-norman-sharp_500x333.jpg" alt="PAY-Norman -Sharp" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> “It was a brand spanking new job. I was the first patient of Mr Newman to get these and he had the courage to try them out on me,” Mr Sharp told the Wiltshire Times. “A lot of the other doctors were critical of him. I’m thrilled to think I was part of that initial pioneering work. To think other people have benefitted from the experience they gained from working on me. I’m thrilled to pieces that I have been part of it and am so grateful to the doctors for having the courage to go ahead.” Mr Sharp’s hips have been described “as a testament to the skill of surgeon and the standard of engineering at the time”. “It’s not what I’ve achieved, it’s what the RNOH has achieved and, in particular, what Mr Newman achieved to give me these hips that have lasted all these years," Mr Sharp added. "It’s amazing now, as some of the modern hips now only last 10-15 years. I was just lucky perhaps. I rode motorbikes and went dancing – I made good use of them.” Related links: <a href="/health/body/2016/03/diets-over-detoxes/">Detox versus diet: which one is best?</a> <a href="/health/body/2016/03/tricks-to-beat-the-bulge/">Simple tricks to beat the bulge</a> <a href="/health/body/2016/03/struggling-to-lose-weight/">5 reasons why you may be struggling to lose weight</a>

Body

Qatar Airways announces the world's new longest flight

Qatar Airways has announced it will launch flights from Doha to Auckland from December, which will become the new longest route in the world. The news comes a week after Emirates completed the world's current longest direct commercial flight from Dubai to Auckland, at 14,326 kilometres. Doha to Auckland just pips the Emirates route, at 14,539km. Qatar Airways' group chief executive Akbar Al Baker announced the new route on the opening day of the world's largest international travel fair, ITB Berlin. The daily service from Doha, the capital of Qatar, to Auckland will be the airline's first route to New Zealand, and will begin on December 3. Qatar Airways will use the Boeing 777 aircraft for this route. Travelmath puts the flight time between Doha and Auckland at around 18 hours and 34 minutes, while the Emirates service to Dubai has a scheduled flight time of 17 hours and 15 minutes. Al Baker told aviationbusiness.com.au that the airline had originally planned to launch its Doha to Auckland service in June, but decided to wait until December "as a mark of respect to Emirates". The new service is expected to appeal to travellers flying between New Zealand and European cities such as Auckland-Doha-London or Auckland-Doha-Amsterdam. Qatar Airways also announced 13 other new routes at the event, including five destinations in Europe, six in Africa and two in Asia. "These new destinations are where our customers want to go, and where we see the most opportunity to provide a best-in-class experience at great value," Al Baker said. "We look forward to growing our network and welcoming new passengers to Qatar Airways." Written by Siobhan Downes. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/a-look-inside-first-class-cabins/">Inside 8 first class cabins that will amaze you</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/most-photographed-locations-in-london/">London’s 8 most photographed locations</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/holiday-ideas-for-animal-lovers/">8 holiday ideas every animal lover needs to experience</a>

International Travel

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Final farewell for longest reigning Queen