This isn’t a reality….yet! It is a concept / project by the French designer Jean Marie Massaud (of the Massaud Studio in partnership with ONERA – the centre for French aerospace research) and is allegedly planned for completion in 2020 – don’t hold your breath!
The concept is designed to carry some 40 paying (probably very rich) passengers / guests and 15 staff in reportedly between 20 and 60 bedrooms. It is also planned to have a spa, a gym, a library and obviously dining (restaurant) and drinking (bar) facilities. All of this will be provided in a couple of glass storeys hanging under a large (helium filled?) blimp providing unique panoramic views over the world from a height of 18,000 feet.
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Posted by Jackie Hewett on Wed 20th February 2008 at 01:39 AM, Filed in Eco Friendly
Do you use ecologically friendly sun creams and lotions? Perhaps you weren’t even aware of the potential issue – I wasn’t before reading an article in the 3rd February edition of the Sunday Times.
It is not to do with tap water in which you wash off sun creams that could be polluting the water supply and getting into the soil or crops, but in fact it’s to do with the sea.
Bleached Coral
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If you are a frequent traveller, or even traveller who likes to feel home from home and bring all your gadgets and gizmos with you? Do you need a gadget to keep your gadgets charged? Well, here are a few solutions to your charging dilemma’s…..
Power Monkey
This highly portable device weighs in at only 10g (but with the transformer it’s 454g). The power monkey is billed as being up to 10 times more powerful than a conventional battery with up to one year’s standby charge. It can be used for charging iPods (giving up to 40 hours use), PSP’s, PDA’s, many Nokia phones, Motorola Razr, Blackberry’s (up to 96 hours on phones), and Bluetooth headsets. It can be used in 150 countries and whilst RRP is £35 you can pick one up through Amazon marketplace from £16.50.
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Posted by Jackie Hewett on Sun 22nd April 2007 at 10:26 PM, Filed in Eco Friendly
Fancy doing something very different, educational, worthwhile and even ‘putting something back’ into the planet on your holidays?
I came across the terrific ‘Earthwatch Institute’ a number of years ago and am glad to see they still seem to be going strong after start up some 30 years ago. They are an international environmental charity who organise diverse research projects that bring together scientists, partners and volunteers in efforts to conserve the diversity of life on Earth.
They offer opportunities to study at close hand all manner of animals, plant life, archaeology, architecture and anthropology. As a volunteer you have to pay your way, but for most of the expeditions you don’t have to have any special skills, just a willingness to ‘muck in’. It is fair to say that on most expeditions you will have some pretty unique and fulfilling experiences.
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Posted by Jackie Hewett on Mon 2nd April 2007 at 02:54 AM, Filed in Eco Friendly
Fancy yourself as a bit of a Boy Scout or Girl Guide or even the next Ray Mears? Well, here’s the chance to prove yourself, or hone your skills.
A British organisation called Bushcraft Expeditions run a range of courses and expeditions worldwide run by highly experienced guides and instructors.
Most of the courses are based in Dorset, but they do offer off-the-shelf and tailor-made trips abroad. The 2 day ‘Introduction to Bushcraft’ course will introduce some basic survival skills including tracking and nature awareness; primitive technology; and camp-craft and cookers. On other, longer courses you can learn about astro and solar navigation, finding, preparing and storing water, fishing methods, improvised boats, first aid and even wood carving. Bushcraft Expeditions run courses specifically for kids as young as 11, and family courses that will accommodate children as young as 5.
Expeditions have been run in Norway, Namibia, Thailand and Borneo, or you can come up with your own itinerary and seek and much or as little help as you desire for a bespoke expedition. Go on – you don’t need any prior experience and you never know when the skills will come in handy!!
Here’s the link to their site: http://www.bushcraftexpeditions.com
