Last Commented Travel Blogs (264)

For those not aware, the NE USA is hunkering down in anticipation of a major blizzard.

Some who live in places without snow may ask, what is a blizzard?

Officially, the National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm which contains large amounts of snow OR blowing snow, with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less than 1/4 mile for an extended period of time (at least 3 hours).

This coming storm (beginning this afternoon) is supposed to be of two days duration with at least 2 feet of snow accumulation.

Here it means, cut firewood (500 pounds cut and ready, enough for 20 loads of the wood (heating) stove, obtain kerosene for the kerosene heater (12 gallons now stored), buy food, goodies, and batteries for a flashlight, top off the cars gas tank, charge all phone batteries and make sure the shovels and the snow blower are ready.

The utility companies are warning that if power goes out, due to the high winds making bucket trucks unsafe, it may be a day or three before electricity is restored.

I feel for those living in houses with only electricity as the primary heat source. I have that too, but being an older home with fireplace and a wood stove, as well as my own small forest, I have a built in resource to which I have added kerosene heaters as an option. Including a big one I call the dragon which belches out an amazing 110,000 BTUs. I don't turn it on often (cause it can consume 3 gallons of Ksene in about 2 hours) but when I do, it heats things up quick. There are also some smaller 20,000 BTU (they eat 3 gallons per 12 hours) units.

Bring it on. I am ready.

The truck is prepped for snow accumulation.



A half hour before a radar map shows the snow will probably begin to arrive.



My wood stove is lit and full. The warmth begins.



Electric heaters are working too.

Where are my apple turnovers..?

I may visit Australia from 6th to 12th Feb, I want to make my trip to 3 cities: Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Anyone here could recommend for me what is the routine I should make and what is the most convenient transportation I should use other than airplane for moving around those 3 cities?

Many thanks!

Scotland has officially outdone itself on this morning's weather. I stood at the back door having my morning cig and coffee and looking at (a) blue sky (b) some grey-brown cloud (c) a rainbow while being spattered with rain.

We do boast about having all four seasons every day but at the same time is pretty good.

Morning all what's your weather right now, this morning, as you read this blog?

I copied this from a message someone posted on one of my stock message boards......I thought since it's about International records it would be appropriate for CS

Hey Pedal, you need to move to the Netherlands.......

Last night I activated my euro card, and got an automated phone call giving me the PIN. I wrote it down carefully.

Today I cleaned house like a whirling dervish, then went upstairs to pack my bits and bobs ready for my euro holiday. I put the card in my travel purse and then thought hmm, where's the PIN.

Tidy desk. BULGING bin bag.

No worries. Good grief, my memory would really be slipping if I couldn't remember a simple number for 24 hours. 9925, that was it. But just to be on the safe side - went to the ATM and asked for my balance. The ATM said politely that it couldn't help me and returned my card.



So then I unpacked the entire bin bag and finally found the piece of paper which said - 9925. You sodding evil foul nasty crappy ATM, gonna get you. And your little dog, too.

It's all a plot, you know. Machinery is out to get us. Skynet is imminent and no-one knows where John Connor is. Just saying.

Memory challenge, just for fun. Did you notice both films I referenced? Okay, you'd maybe have to be pretty old to remember the first ...

Even better if you could you use a quote or reference from a film in a comment

Some places with the most extreme climate......

collected some places with really extreme climate that you should not miss:

World's Coldest Inhabited Place
Average winter temperature at Oymyakon gets as low as -50 degrees Celsius. It has an extreme subarctic climate which makes the ground permanently frozen. The lowest that has been recorded at this place is -90 degrees.

World's Driest Inhabited Place
Aswan in Egypt the driest inhabited place on Earth. The place records about 1 or 2 milimetres of rain every 5 years. There was a time when Aswan did not see any rain for about seven years.

Farthest Point from Earth's Center
Chimborazo volcano is 3,967 miles from the Earth's center. With a peak elevation of 20,564 feet, Chimborazo is also the highest mountain in Ecuador.

Hottest Inhabited Place
At Dallol, Ethiopia, Africa slopes to a depth of 380 feet below sea level, and thus the temperature soars. Dallol has the highest temperature in the world, recorded at 94 degrees Celsius.

Lowest Point on Earth
Dead Sea in Israel is at 1,391 feet below sea level and hence, is the lowest point on Earth. The deepest lake bottom in a below-sea-level depression also belongs to the Dead Sea at -750 meters.

World's Hottest Place
With a temperature of 159 degrees, that has been recorded by satellites, the Lut Desert in Iran is the hottest place on Earth. The hottest air temperature ever recorded was 136 degrees.

World's Wettest Place
Cherrapunji, in 1861, saw 75 feet of rainfall. The average annual rainfall is about 37 feet. Although nearby Mawsynram currently holds that record. The city's yearly rainfall stands at 463.7 inches.

World's Flattest Place
Salar de Uyuni is 130 kilometres long and 100 kilometres and it is larger than 30 countries. The world's largest salt flat is extremely flat.

Ever wondered about the aroma you get from the earth after rain falls? Some people I know cant stand it.
But it makes me feel so close to nature and grounded.
I sometimes go outside and just sit there during and after the rain just to take it all in.
I wonder if the scent is the same in different parts of the world.

Ok so enough of my weirdness.

The scent of the rain is actually called Petrichor.

Very Interesting Read:

Hi again...im Candy again i will write my opinion about "Travel" who peoples dont like Traveling?explore around meet local peoples...but few peoples i think dont like travel with many reason like scary with flight,prefer stay at home and etc okay im respect your reason...

I like traveling and adventure...hiking and nature always be my passion..but im travel just in my place (but i love it if have travel company) 1 weeks ago im with friends explore place in my area,we have idea for visited shelter new friends with mental problems (sound scary and fun because they not normal condition mental).On the way that shelter i was thinking what we wanna doing for them? What will happen? How them? Yeah im never visited peoples with mental problem but will be good experience for me.

Just need 1,5 hours for get that shelter from my home...and staff with smile so welcome our visited..we shake hands with them and try interaction..we singing and pray for them. Be fun they singing and dance for me and friends too..wow that pretty cool.Im so happy...someone told me "happy is so simple...make happines peoples around you" that true i fell more so grateful and blessing after my visited. If before im too many complaint about this life well i have more lucky than friend in shelter...share little what we have for them,share happines and more joy i have feeling now.

Well this life not about me,my story and my life in there still many world,peoples and culture different...i hope someday i have long step for travel (wish my partner love yeah...! Lol)

okay always going cool and be care for peoples around you!

I love mountains. Last year when I was in South Africa, I have seen Table Mountain for many times, however, I had no chance to climb it. This year, surprised, I was sent to Alps. Amazing Alps~~~~~I love you!