AFTER months of controversy, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said it plans to replace the software of its full-body scanners, eliminating the graphic, near-naked images of passengers generated during airport screenings.
Instead, TSA Administrator John S.
My recent central African trip kicked off at Lubumbashi in Congo DRC, continued on to the capital Kinshasa, jumped across the mighty Congo River to Brazzaville in the Congo Republic, then headed upriver to Kisangani, the town on the ‘bend in the river’. Finally I continued east to Goma to track gorillas and climb the amazing Nyiragongo Volcano. I’ve also posted some Congo Information on the practicalities of travelling in the region and commented on how lucky I was not to have flown on Hewa Bora airlines a week or so later than I did.
That completed my Congo travels, but to get back to London I hopped across the border into Rwanda and flew out of Kigali, the country’s capital. The border
Nelson, photo by waferboard
In many countries this is the hottest summer in a long time, so its no surprise that people are flocking to the mountains and any other place where the temperature is slightly lower than in the plains. While many people try to cool off at the beach or a poolside, if you want to bask in fresh and cool air, you should head to the mountains. There are plenty of resort towns in mountainous areas where you can breathe in the refreshing air and stop worrying all the time about sunburn and heat strokes.
So you know to go to Temple Bar; Dublin Castle and Trinity College are on your list, and you’ve already ordered your Guinness at the Porterhouse. What else is there to do in Dublin for entertainment, where do the locals go, and how can you get away from the tourist trails?
We’ve got some great deals on hostels in Ireland. Visit Belfast, Cork or Dublin and pay from just €7.41 pppn.
If you’re lucky enough to enjoy a lovely summer’s day, don’t waste it inside a restaurant, buy to go from Keoghs Café on Trinity Street and sit in St Stephen’s Green to indulge. The cafe serves
If you’re a student studying in the Wudaokou neighborhood of Beijing, chances are you’ll have come across one of the many bar/restaurant options the neighborhood has to offer. Located in Beijing’s northwestern Haidian district, Wudaokou is the home to a large number of universities, giving the neighborhood a high student population, both Chinese and foreign. With the majority of the bar/restaurants clustered alongside the Wudaokou subway station, it can be overwhelming at first to figure out what each place has to offer.
Helen’s Cafe has a good selection of drinks, from beer to hard liquor buckets. The food is pretty good, although the serving time leaves a little to be desired. Helen’s has different specials that offer a variety of discounted liquor (and sometimes even free cigarettes), depending on the night. It’s a very international student type of crowd, with usually only a few locals most nights. The place tends to get packed pretty quickly, especially on weekends, so get there early to grab a table.
If you’re interested in playing pool, shuffleboard or smoking hookah, Lao Wai’s Lounge is the place to go. While there is better Western food to be had elsewhere, the drinks list is ever expanding and reasonably priced. Pool and shuffleboard are always attractive options for those looking for a more laid-back night out, and the hookah isn’t of bad quality. Despite the name (which means “foreigner’s lounge”), foreigners and locals alike frequent Lao Wai’s.
Voted Best Student Hangout by The Beijinger for five years in a row, Lush is the most well known bar in town. Open 24 hours, it serves Western food (with all-day breakfast) as well as excellent quality (read: non-watered down) beers and cocktails. They also have relatively good quality hookah. On weekends, there is often live music, adding to the atmosphere of the place. Lush hosts a variety of events throughout the week, including pub quiz Wednesdays and open mic Sundays.