Flight sims

Goggles isn't a proper flight simulator like the ones used to train pilots but an online game that makes clever use of Google Maps. (Tip: If you try flying around London, you're starting in Hyde Park.)

Tags: flight simulator, Google Maps

Mango book club

A few weeks ago, Mango book club sent me a parcel with a book that was apparently the Editor's choice for me. It certainly wasn't my choice. As far as I was aware, I never signed up to this book club (for girls) and did not owe them £1.99 for their trouble. The bill then went up to £14.99 and I was on the verge of being referred to a debt collection agency. I found this out when I got back from my recent travels and did a quick google search showing that there are lots of stories regarding Mango that don't throw it in the most favourable light. You can phone them up on a premium rate phone line but that's all automated and I wasn't about to do that. Finally I found an email address and actually they've been good in this case - they deleted me from their database.

If you've had similar probs, here's their email address: welcome@new-member.co.uk. If you've had a shocker, contact BBC Watchdog.

Related: Mango Book Club

Around the world in 28 days

Here are the photos!

New York, New York

This place is quite amazing. I've taken a fair few photos so will post those when I'm back in UK next week. It's also quite hot at 37 degrees! I was glad I had plenty of water whilst doing an open air bus ride though Brooklyn yesterday. Wasn't sure if I could hack walking across Brooklyn Bridge... Air conditioned refuges like Grand Central Station and Madison Square Garden are also lifesavers. Found Tom's Restaurant (112th and Broadway) of Seinfeld fame (I'm a big fan). Going to try and find some other semi famous landmarks today, like the Ghostbusters fire station (14 N. Moore St).

Tags: New York

I Got Soul Seoul

Couldn't get a connecting flight to NY so Seoul's the stop for two days. Had a wander around last night down to Dongdaemun which is a popular nightspot, then back along the river restoration project - a bit like a smaller version of the Seine in Paris. Seoul's actually quite similar to Taipei, except for the different lingo of course...

Related: Seoul

Peking Duck

Have got a few minutes left in this internet cafe so thought I'd jot down some thoughts on China. Have done Tiananmen, the Forbidden City, The Great Wall of China and some typical city life too. All in all, it's not nearly as bad/restricted as the West make out (as far as I can tell)! Going to try and see Chairman Mao's mauseleum tomorrow. Oh, and though the BBC website is firewalled, the aforementioned picture (below) is in fact freely viewable.

Current Stop: Tokyo. Next stop: Beijing

Really looking forward to checking out what Beijing is like but no sure what the internet situation is going to be like so am getting a last fix here in Narita airport before the flight.

Don't know if this is true but apparently most Chinese people wouldn't be able to place the world event pictured below -
[continue reading »]

Tags: Tokyo

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Typhoon!

It's raining hard here in Taipei. Typhoon Bilis is coming... well, apparently it's now been downgraded to a severe tropical storm. Either way a good thunderstorm is quite fun to be in (as long as there's no serious damage of course).

It was also raining at the top of Taipei 101 last night. Went up to the top of the world's tallest building to see what that was all about. Nice view! The elevators are very swift too. 45 sec to the top. Good thing the brakes were working. That takes you to the enclosed observatory, then for an extra $100NT you can climb up 3-4 flights of stairs and go to the open area. Extremely windy and wet! At least now I can say I've been to the top of the world's tallest skyscraper (and paid a visit to what I can only assume to be the world's tallest toilet)...

Related: typhoon, Taipei

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