Matador Network's Blog, page 1280

Glacier National Park closed

Just after the reopening of Yosemite, Montana’s Glacier National Park is now closed to visitors due to a fire on Howe Ridge ignited by lightning this past Saturday. Following the fire’s rapid spread due to dry and windy conditions, the National Park Service was forced to close the main portion of Going-to-the-Sun Road and evacuate tourists from Lake McDonald Lodge, North Lake McDonald Road, and the Avalanche and Sprague Campgrounds.

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Elephant trapped in mud in Kenya

On August 11th, an adult male elephant got trapped for three days in the mud of the Kilenyeti River in Kenya. Unable to get any food or water on its own, the animal was bound to die if nobody hauled him to safety. Rescue teams from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Big Life Foundation, and Kenya Wildlife Service, as well as members of the local community, joined efforts and kicked into action to free the five-ton bull from his mud trap.

Photo: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust/Facebook

Photo: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust/Facebook

Due to the muddiness of the surrounding terrain that prevented vehicles from getting too close, rescue efforts proved incredibly difficult. Several Land Rovers and trucks got stuck in the mud en route to offer help in pulling the animal out. Among the most dangerous elements of the operation was the elephant itself, whose trunk broke one rescue worker’s ankle. On the second day, two trucks were able to pull the elephant free, but that evening he slid right back into the mud after a visit from a herd. On the third day, land cruisers were used to pull him free again. Exhausted and dehydrated, the elephant was unable to stand, and was given intravenous medications to boost his strength. A few hours later, in the dwindling hours of August 14th, he rose to his feet and wandered off into the brush.

Photo: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust/Facebook

Despite several intensive hours of difficult rescue work, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Big Life Foundation, and Kenya Wildlife Service are thrilled at the success of their collaborative efforts. “We would like to express our sincere thanks to all involved,” says the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust website, “and to our supporters whose contributions ensure we have the necessary equipment to attend to these difficult cases where a wild life is dependent on us.”

H/T: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

More like this: How to visit Thailand’s Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

The post An elephant, trapped in mud for three days, was saved by rescue teams appeared first on Matador Network.

Get paid to travel and drink gin

If there was ever a time to quit your full-time job for a gig that only lasts 80 days, this is it. London gin parlor Mr. Fogg’s is looking for someone with a love of both gin and travel to set off on an 80-day adventure, sampling gins from around the world. The successful applicant (and a friend) will have the opportunity to explore Mumbai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York, and many other locales, drinking gin and testing botanicals, in search of fresh spirits to recommend for Mr. Fogg’s. The result of all this research will result in the Around the World cocktail. And of course, no around-the-world journey is complete without an excessive amount of Instagram posting, so you should be prepared to run a blog and post photos along the way.

At the end of your trip, you can look forward to a huge welcome home bash thrown by Mr. Fogg’s at “Society of Exploration,” its new bar in Charing Cross. To apply for this globetrotting experience, you’ll have to meet a few criteria. You must be over 21, possess photography skills, social media know-how, a valid passport, and a refined palate for gin. The winner will be selected by Mr. Fogg’s, Bombay Sapphire, and British explorer Levison Wood.

To apply, fill out the form here.

H/T: Secret London

More like this: This airline will pay you to move to Iceland and use it as a base to travel the world

The post This bar will pay you to travel the world and sample gin appeared first on Matador Network.

Debates all bartenders have

No group of people can agree on everything, bartenders included. There are some topics in the bartending community that have been debated for decades. While there is no clear-cut right or wrong, feel free to pick your side in these seven classic bartender debates.

1. Jigger vs. free pour

This debate is a case of accuracy vs. style. When we use a jigger, we can create cocktails that follow an exact recipe. This system is great for minimizing waste and maximizing consistency, but it lacks flair and individuality. While free pouring is often a faster method and it can be a mesmerizing show for the customers. But there is definitely more room for error; this method requires a lot of faith in your skills.

2. Spirits: first or last?

The traditional approach is cheapest ingredients are the first thing to be poured when building cocktails. That way, if a mistake is made, the drink can be tossed without sacrificing pricey booze. Pouring spirits first, though, allows a bartender more control over the cocktail. If they overpour the gin, for example, they can course correct with extra vermouth or bitters.

3. Vodka martini: shaken or stirred?

While martinis were originally a stirred gin cocktail, Ian Fleming started a trend with James Bond’s shaken vodka martini. Shaking a martini is a faster method, but it dilutes your spirit. Purists disapprove, but often vodka martini drinkers prefer it shaken because it makes the cocktail feel colder and lighter. As a bartender, go with your gut on this one or ask your guest to specify.

4. The vermouth question

Martinis are one of the simplest cocktails, but they have a lot of room for variation. 4:1, gin/vodka to vermouth is the standard recipe, but modern palates often prefer dry martinis. In which case, do you do a vermouth rinse? Or just a half-ounce pour? If you’re making a dirty martini, do you use equal parts vermouth to brine or mostly just brine? Bartenders may have their opinions, but in a cocktail as personal as a martini, the drinker is the real judge.

5. Olives: one or three, stuffed or pitted?

Two olives is definitely bad luck, but one or three is a matter of preference. The same with stuffed vs. pitted. It comes down to the size of the olives, as well as the flavor profile of the base spirit. A stuffed olive may overpower a delicate gin. Three large olives floating in your martini would detract from the elegance of the cocktail.

6. Cocktail straws: one, two, or none?

Cocktail straws are meant for both stirring and sipping, depending on the drink. A crushed-ice cocktail or a muddled drink may need two straws to make it easier to sip. An old fashioned takes one straw, so it can be stirred. A whiskey on the rocks, maybe one, to stir, but it depends on the barkeep. As the world tries to limit its plastic use, maybe we’ll all adjust to strawless cocktails.

7. To drink or not to drink?

Some bartenders like to be the life of the party. That energy can create an inviting atmosphere, but that energy often comes from drinking on the job. A shot with a guest or the leftovers of an overpoured cocktail are harmless enough. But if you don’t have a good gauge of your limits, things can get messy behind the bar. Many career bartenders eventually go sober because the lifestyle can be hard to maintain.

8. How often to buy drinks for regulars?

It depends a little on how generous your bar is. Some bartenders prefer to give away the bar in order to up their tips and build a strong clientele. Others favor offering a parting shot or buying an occasional round for regulars. That way, free drinks are appreciated but never expected.


More like this: 7 superpowers every bartender has

The post 8 classic bartender debates appeared first on Matador Network.

5 experiences for National Rum Day

August is one of the hottest months of the year in the northern hemisphere. That means sweaty days and steamy nights, but it also means plenty of excuses for refreshing rum drinks. Right in the middle of the month, on August 16, you have double the excuses to grab the rum: National Rum Day. From traveling to one of the Caribbean’s great rum distilleries to making a pilgrimage to the birthplace of classic rum cocktails, there are some experiences you just don’t want to miss on National Rum Day. If you don’t take full advantage of the day this year, don’t worry: it’s never a bad time to have a good time with rum.

Photo: Cayman Spirits Company

1. Visit the only distiller aging its rum under the sea.

Rum and the open water are a natural pair. On Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, Cayman Spirits Co. merges the two unlike any other distillery in the world. The island’s only distillery has a spirit called Seven Fathoms Rum, which is aged 42 feet (that is, if you couldn’t guess from the name, seven fathoms) beneath the Caribbean Sea. Sinking the barrel of rum allows the underwater currents to gently rock the spirit in an environment that the company says is “like nowhere on land.” You can learn more about the process and taste it for yourself — as well as a “distiller’s special” rum that’s only available at the distillery — when you visit and take a tour.

Photo: Soggy Dollar Bar

2. Swim to the original home of the Painkiller cocktail.

The Painkiller is one of the most easy-drinking classic rum cocktails out there. It was invented and perfected in the early 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar, a self-proclaimed “sunny place for shady people” located in the British Virgin Islands. Variations on the recipe quickly spread around the world, and while you can get a taste pretty much anywhere, nothing compares to drinking it at the original location. One reason is that the exact proportions of the bar’s original cocktail is a secret mix of dark rum, cream of coconut, freshly grated Grenadian nutmeg, and pineapple and orange juice. The other reason is that the only way to get to the Soggy Dollar Bar is to swim (hence the “soggy dollar”) or take a dinghy from the islands of Tortola or St. Thomas. To get a taste of the experience before you make the trek, you can watch the bar’s live webcam, which streams all day and all night.

A post shared by Théron Regnier (@alchemybyvolume) on Apr 22, 2018 at 10:31am PDT

3. Take a rum-filled jungle tour in the middle of LA.

The Arts District of Los Angeles isn’t where you’d expect to find a tropical jungle tour, but that’s exactly what you’ll encounter at Lost Spirits Distillery, where each tour is conducted on a boat via an indoor winding river. Imagine Disney’s Jungle Cruise, then add award-winning rum and an inside look at one of the most forward-thinking and experimental distilleries in the country. Each cruise lasts two hours as the boat takes groups of around 10 to the laboratory, past “headhunters” on the banks near where the boat passes, and finally down into an underground tasting room. It’s a rum tasting you’ll surely never forget. At the distillery, there is also a carousel and tons of imaginative decor. You need to book in advance, and don’t forget to wear appropriate jungle-cruise clothing.

Photo: Paul Carter Photography/Shutterstock

4. Drink rum punch on a shanty in the middle of the Caribbean.

Floyd’s Pelican Bar looks like someone built a treehouse out of pieces of driftwood and wood scraps, then placed it on a sandbar in the Caribbean — because that’s exactly what it is. Located about a mile off the coast of Jamaica, Pelican Bar is a slapped-together shanty built by Floyd Forbes for his friends in 2001. Over the years — and more than a couple rebuilds due to inclement weather — the bar has become an attraction in and of itself. Here, you’ll be able to drink plenty of good punch with quality Jamaican rum, surrounded by blue waters and white beaches. You have to take a boat to get there, and you can pay a local fisherman to take you. If you’re hungry, you can pay for the staff to catch and cook a fish for you. Boat on over, spend some time in the sun drinking rum punches on the dock, and watch the day fade away — and don’t forget to carve your name into the wooden planks, of course.

5. Drink bottomless Mai Tais on a Hawaii plantation train.

Photo: Kilohana Plantation

The Kilohana Plantation Estate is located on Kauai — Hawaii’s most underrated island. The estate alone is a draw for visitors, but if you want to get the full experience, you need to take the train ride around the property with bottomless Mai Tais in hand. The Luau Express Train Tour is part of the Luau Kalamaku and takes place every Tuesday and Friday night. A bar with endless Mai Tais made with rum, orgeat, curaçao, and lime juice awaits each visitor. Close by is the Koloa Rum Company where you can taste rum made from sugarcane grown on the plantation. Then it’s time for more Mai Tais — because there’s never enough Mai Tais.


More like this: 9 spirits you can only drink outside the US

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Best places to travel this October

October is the only month of the year with an entire festival bearing its name. So, obviously, when considering the best places to go in October, the cities with the best Oktoberfest celebrations are probably at the top of your list. But there’s more to this month than Bavarian bacchanals. There are fall colors to be seen, costumes to dress up in, and Halloween parties to attend. Or, if you’re in New Mexico, balloons to fly. From that very famous balloon fiesta to spooky parades to German beer fests — we couldn’t help ourselves, ok? — here are the best places to travel this October, many of which are a lot closer than you think.

Photo: Tulsa Oktoberfest

Tulsa, Oklahoma

One wouldn’t expect a windswept city in Oklahoma to host one of the biggest Oktoberfest parties in the world. But look at little closer, and you’ll see the strong German history rooted in Tulsa, so it won’t surprise you that the annual Linde Oklahoma Oktoberfest draws a robust 50,000 people to the shores of the Arkansas River. This year the festival runs from October 19 to 21 and will feature the Dachshund Dash, lots of chicken dancing, German beers, Bavarian cheesecake, and live German music.

Photo: Stefan Ugljevarevic/Shutterstock

Baltimore, Maryland

October is prime time to find yourself in Charm City, with everything from beer to poetry to art filling the city all month. John Waters — of Hairspray fame — opens his first retrospective at the Baltimore Museum of Art with Indecent Exposure, featuring over 160 pieces of his unmistakable work dating back to the 1990s. If you’d like to see other kinds of art, Free Fall Baltimore runs all month with over 300 free events from 90 cultural organizations, including free days at museums and free shows from performing arts groups. Fleet Week also comes to town, and there’s an art to doing that right, too.

Baltimore Beer week runs from the 12th to the 22nd, highlighted by Das Best Oktoberfest on the 13th. That’s also an ideal time to check out the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrell House, which opened in August and is the first new Guinness brewery in the US in 60 years. As Halloween draws close, the city celebrates its favorite macabre poet, Edgar Allan Poe, with Poe-Tober and a series of events and celebrations at his house and museum. And the Ravens — the only NFL team named after a poem — will be home against the Saints on the 21st.

Photo: Randy Stedwell/Shutterstock

Barbados

If the October wind starts biting a little too hard and dreams of Caribbean beaches start forming in your head, Barbados is the place to go. The annual Food and Rum Festival runs from October 18th to the 21st, during which events like island-wide cookoffs on the beach, rum-and-food-pairing dinners, celebrity chefs working with Baijan locals to create inventive fusion meals, and a massive closing beach party highlight the bill. Past participating chefs include Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Tom Aikens, plus breakout locals like chef Damian Leach.

Photo: gmeland/Shutterstock

Albuquerque, New Mexico

What began as a small gathering of hot-air balloon enthusiasts in a New Mexico parking lot has grown into the biggest hot air balloon festival in the world: The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. For the first full week of October (and the weekend before), the biggest event in New Mexico draws over 850,000 people just outside the Sandia Mountains, where 500 balloons take to the air creating the most photographed festival in the world. The celebration also includes chainsaw carving contests, laser shows, flying competitions, and nightly fireworks displays. Combine this with hospitable fall temperatures in the unforgiving desert, and October is a perfect time to visit the Land of Enchantment.

Photo: nickichen/Shutterstock

Perth, Australia

It’s springtime in Australia, and while one might be tempted to enjoy the perfect weather in better-known cities like Sydney or Melbourne, Perth is especially alluring this time of year. A short trip out into the Pinnacles Desert at Nambung National Park has you in the middle of a stunning desert moonscape that is blanketed in colorful flowers. It’s a little like Death Valley when it had all those wildflowers last year. This hike is one of the most naturally impressive in the country and will also bring you face to face with kangaroos, koalas, and other Aussie fauna.

Beyond nature, Perth is also home to part of Australia’s biggest Oktoberfest celebration: Oktoberfest in the Gardens. It’s a four-city tour with all the classic Oktoberfest revelry, beginning in Perth on October 6 at Langley Park.

Photo: Washington’s Playground

Central Washington

If you live out west and want to see the vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds saturating the countryside, head to this region, colloquially known as “Washington’s Playground.” Here, you can take in the fall foliage reflecting off Lake Chelan as vineyards run up hillsides against bright fall colors. Because the region sits on the other side of the Cascade Mountains from Seattle, it still has relatively warm and sunny weather this time of the month, and recreation on the lake will be cheaper and far less expensive.

Not far from Chelan you’ll find the Bavarian theme town of Leavenworth, which, as you might expect, throws one helluva Oktoberfest celebration. During the first three weekends of the month, it turns into a mini-Munich as four venues throughout the city teem with live music, brats, and plenty of beers. Plus, there’s a keg-tapping ceremony every Saturday where the mayor taps a ceremonial keg to get the party started.

Photo: Keene Pumpkin Fest

New Hampshire

Is there anywhere more quintessentially fall than the rolling, colorful hills of New England? Probably not, and nowhere in New England brings the fall charm quite as well as New Hampshire. It’s home to one of the most scenic and historic train rides through fall foliage at the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, an old wooden train that chugs to the top of Mt. Washington. At the summit, you’ll spend an hour basking in all the glorious fall hues in the valleys below before heading back down. For New England leaf peeping, it’s the best day trip in the region.

But no mention of New Hampshire in October is complete without talking about the Keene Pumpkin Fest, which in 2014 set a world record when it lit 21,912 jack-o-lanterns at once. It may have also ended in a riot, but after three years away, it returned in 2017 to a much more family-friendly atmosphere, reminiscent of a real-life Stars Hollow.

Photo: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

London, UK

Few cities do Halloween quite as well as spooky, historic London. The city features nightly ghost walks through spots like the grounds of William Wallace’s execution and a churchyard said to be haunted by “The She-Wolf of France.” You can also take Jack-the-Ripper tours of the city this month, as well after-dark carriage rides through Richmond Park and strolls through the London Dungeons.

For Potterheads, London has special Halloween stuff for fans of the Dark Arts. The Warner Brothers Studio Tour London’s Making of Harry Potter will host two special costume evenings on October 6 and 7 where fans of Death Eaters, Dementors, and all the other evil stuff in the books are invited to dress in their favorite costumes for unique photo ops and giveaways.

Photo: JayL/Shutterstock

North Georgia

Leaf peeping isn’t just for Yankees! Head into the mountains of North Georgia, and you’ll find some of the finest fall colors in all the land at the Amicalola and Unicoi State Parks. Those colors are best experienced by zip-lining through the mountains, and both parks are running a pretty sweet deal in October that’ll let you do just that. The Elevate Your View package gives you a night in the park’s lodge and two tickets down the zip-line in the Aerial Adventure Park for $99, making this one of the best deals we’ve seen for a fall colors getaway. If you live in the south and are looking for a weekend trip that doesn’t involve tailgating, these Georgia state parks are your best bet.

Photo: Bartlomiej Rybacki/Shutterstock

Ireland

Fun fact: Halloween actually got its start in Ireland as an end-of-harvest festival called Samhain. Accordingly, the country is also home to one of the biggest Halloween festivals in the world with the five-day Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival in Derry City from the 25th to the 29th. It hits all the classic Halloween high notes, such as haunted houses, ghost-story contests, and ghost tours. It also features a giant Carnival Parade full of music, costumes, performers, and ultimately fireworks.

Ireland also affords you the opportunity to spend Halloween in a number of spooky old castles, and this year, you can even learn how to be a wizard in one. The 800-year-old Ashford Castle is full of hidden passageways and has a restaurant in the dungeon, offering a definitely-not-inspired-by-Harry-Potter Wizard School package from October 29 to November 3. It includes a treasure hunt through the “Forbidden Forest,” a visit with the castle’s owl, a cooking class from “house elves,” and private screenings of scary movies in the castle’s cinema.

Photo: Santa Barbara Vintners

Santa Barbara, California

Not a year after mudslides decimated this little slice of Southern California paradise, it’s back and ready to welcome another big-time harvest season. October 12-14 is the official Celebration of Harvest Weekend with events planned all over the region. The highlight is the Solvang Grape Stomp, where this Bavarian theme town in the Santa Ynez mountains is taken over by grapes, and locals join visitors in literally stomping them in the old-world winemaking style. The weekend also features small winemakers sampling stuff you won’t find elsewhere, wine dinners, parties, and other events that showcase Santa Barbara’s vinicultural prowess. If wine gets old, it’s never a bad time to hit the beach here either as temps in October are, like most months, absolutely perfect.

Photo: anandoart/Shutterstock

Germany

We didn’t really need to tell you this one, right? Ok, so technically Munich’s Oktoberfest starts in September, but there’s no reason not to catch the last week to start off October. The giant festival is held in a meadow just outside of town where tents housing between 100 to 10,000 people hoist beers from all over Bavaria. But bring your wallet; the cheapest beer costs around 11 euros, and the party goes from 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM.

But it’s not all about Oktoberfest in Germany in October. October 5-14 brings the Festival of Lights to Berlin, during which colorful lights reflect off the city’s most famous monuments. It has drawn light artists from all over the world, and in 14 years, it has become an annual destination for many in the art world. Even for non-experts, it’s the best way to see Berlin at night all year long.


More like this: The 18 best trips for 2018

The post The best places to travel this October appeared first on Matador Network.

The Iran you don't see in the news

For most people from the West — especially the US — Iran may be among the top-five last places they’d think of visiting. It’s a country associated with terrorism, violence, and societal repression. But if travel teaches us anything, it’s the vast difference between how places are portrayed in the media and the reality of what you find when you actually go there.

Dutch Filmmaker and photographer Reinier van Oorsouw traveled to Iran with this simple question in mind: Is it really that bad? In this new Matador Originals video series, he explores the country, taking people’s pictures and asking them what’s on their minds. What emerges is an altogether different portrait of Iran than we’re used to — a totally safe and modern country for travelers to enjoy, a place with awesome ski resorts, incredible desert terrain for 4×4 expeditions and partying in the dunes, and pockets of alt culture where kids, just like anywhere else, get stoked on Instagram.

Photo: Reinier van Oorsouw

The first thing you need to know about Iran is that if you’re from the US, you’re unfortunately obliged to have an official guide when you visit. But being Dutch, Reinier is among the nationalities that can simply obtain a visa on arrival. From there, it was as simple as renting a car (all he needed was a driver’s license). Navigation was easy with signs in English almost everywhere and, in general, a well-developed modern highway system.

Making hotel reservations was also simple; it could all be done via Booking.com or just showing up at hotels. And Reinier found the famed hospitality of the Muslim people to be true throughout his trip.

Photo: Reinier van Oorsouw

“When we were heading out from Tehran to Isfahan, we were just walking through town in the morning to get some supplies,” he explains. “When we entered a store, people first started talking Persian to me. But as soon as they noticed I was foreign, their faces lit up. Suddenly they wanted to know everything about me and to be in a picture with me.”

“Then an old lady grabbed my arm and started dragging me out while talking Persian. I thought she wanted me out of the store, but when someone translated, I realized she was just so happy to see me that she immediately wanted to take me home to try her food. It happens everywhere!”

Photo: Reinier van Oorsouw

When it comes to societal norms, Iran is at an interesting point. Unlike some Islamic countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iranian women are allowed to drive. They can also hold positions in parliament and have access to higher education. But there are still severe restrictions on women’s freedom in Iran. Women may be forbidden by their husbands to work and travel, and all women are expected to wear hijabs (headscarves) in public or face prison.

Photo: Reinier van Oorsouw

Throughout the series, Reinier meets individuals challenging these societal norms. In Episode 1, some women take off their headscarves to pose for photos in public, revealing dyed, dreadlocked, and otherwise edgy hairstyles. In Episode 4, he finds two women without hijabs in the desert. One mentions that she often drives without her scarf. Still, she lamented the “simple things” like going to the beach with her husband or going to the gym with her husband, which are currently prohibited.

Photo: Reinier van Oorsouw

Reinier noted that in spite of the seemingly huge cultural gap between the West and Iran, when he was hanging with people, there didn’t seem to be any gap at all. While so many freedoms we have (and take for granted) like being able to drink and dance don’t exist in Iran, that doesn’t mean people don’t still party or dance. It just all happens behind closed doors.

“I feel that people are ‘trapped’ outside,” Reinier notes. “Trapped in a role of ‘normal’ citizen, the way society obliged you to be. Freedom is indoors where there is no supervision.”

Photo: Reinier van Oorsouw

And perhaps what struck Reinier the most was the modern mindset he found in the north of Tehran, a wealthier area with hip cafes and WiFi everywhere. Here, he met female photographers who’d been working for magazines and other creative jobs. Sometimes they even had the traditional “male” roles of being the breadwinners in their households. This is the Iran you don’t see on the news. It’s the country we should get to know for ourselves.

You can watch Episode 1 of the series below:

More like this: Everyone thinks Iran is a dangerous place. Here’s why I can’t wait to go back there

The post Here’s the Iran you don’t see in the news appeared first on Matador Network.

Fake power outlet airport prank

If you think there’s nothing worse than showing up at the airport with a low charge on your phone or laptop and failing to find a power outlet, turns out, there’s something worse. Much worse: Actually finding an outlet, then realizing it’s not an outlet at all but a sticker.

Apparently, this is the most recent prank sweeping the nation. Stickers with a realistic power-outlet design are being placed all over airports; then, the twisted prankster simply waits for an unsuspecting traveler to fall victim to the illusion.

A recent good-sported victim, Brandon Ewing, posted a picture of the sticker on Twitter with the caption, “Whoever put up this fake sticker of an open outlet at the airport, you are now my enemy for life.”

Whoever put up this fake sticker of an open outlet at the airport, you are now my enemy for life. pic.twitter.com/TYEJKmY6Zg

— Brandon #BeForTheGame (@Atrioc) August 6, 2018

Other videos and pictures on Twitter show victims’ futile attempts to plug in their devices, and we really can’t help but laugh.

Got one! pic.twitter.com/bfxE4TFTWr

— Just Basic Dave (@JustBasicDave) June 14, 2017

Usually, they’re placed in ordinary spots where outlets should be though sometimes they’re on random items like garbage bins — in which case, maybe the prankee deserves it?

The last thing a weary, battery-depleted traveler needs is to be pranked at the airport, but there’s no doubt that the ruse is entertaining for anyone who happens to catch a glimpse.

H/T: SecretFlying

More like this: The 7 most frustrating airports around the world

The post Fake power outlets are the newest infuriating airport prank appeared first on Matador Network.

Non-liquid, TSA-approved toiletries

Traveling safely is of the utmost importance, but the TSA’s 3-1-1 toiletry regulations can really put a damper on traveling cleanly. Nothing’s worse than being able to fit only a couple of days’ worth of face goo into a tiny bottle when you’ve got a two-week trip ahead of you. Except maybe the baggage fees you have to pay to check your bag so you can bring the whole bottle. Or perhaps, when your checked bag never arrives at your destination. To avoid all of these scenarios, here are 10 non-liquid toiletries that will get you through TSA without the hassle, and keep you looking, and feeling, great while you travel.

1. Shampoo

Photo: JR Liggett Shampoo Bar

A favorite of clean freaks everywhere, shampoo bars have all of the cleansing and nice-smelling ingredients of liquid shampoo — they’re just solid. JR LIGGETT’S covers a nice range and they are easy to pack, last long, and can double as soap if yours slips away somewhere along your travels.

2. Conditioner

A post shared by LUSH Deutschland (@lushdeutschland) on Jun 23, 2018 at 7:14am PDT

For those with locks that need taming, conditioner is a must. Luckily, there are solid conditioner bars out there for all types of hair. Like the shampoo bar, a conditioner bar packs all the power of regular conditioner without the liquid hassle. Lush has a great selection in various fragrances. These generally have oil in them so if they get warm they’ll melt – be sure to bring along protective packaging.

3. Face cleanser

Photo: H2O+ Beauty

Most people are married to their face-cleansing regimen but if you can bear to be separated from yours for a while there are good solid options that will keep your skin glowing. You can go back to basics with good old-fashioned face soap (Kiss My Face and Neutrogena both make travel-size bars) but if you need something fancier, H2O+ has award-winning cleansing sticks that will do the trick.

4. Makeup

Photo: Flesh Beauty

If you must have your foundation with you, opt for a stick version of your favorite shade and bring along a sponge for blending. Allure magazine recently voted Flesh stick foundations one of the best on the market. It comes in shades that will compliment all skin tones and keep any unsightly splotches covered.

5. Shaving soap

Photo: Mitchell’s Wool Fat Soap

If you aren’t interested in growing a beard or having billy goat legs while you explore, this shave soap bar from Mitchell’s Wool Fat Soap is a good option for packing. Refill pucks take less space in your carry-all and, if you’re traveling with a partner, are good for sharing.

6. Toothpaste

Photo: ArchTek

Toothpaste tablets are a TSA-friendly alternative to the tube. You just chew one up and once it gets pasty, start brushing! If you’re someone who prefers a good old minty-fresh feeling, these are as close to traditional toothpaste as you will find. Order them online from Archtek.

7. Body lotion

Photo: KORA Organics

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and may need some love when the rigors of travel — altitude, heat, cold, sun — take their toll. This little balm from KORA Organics goes a long way in keeping skin happy during flights and is perfect for hand luggage.

8. Sunscreen

Photo: Neutrogena

Whether you’re heading to the beach or the mountains, sunscreen is a must. Stick sunscreens go on like a solid deodorant so they’re easy to apply quickly, without the mess of traditional creams. Also, if you’re traveling on your own, these make it a lot less awkward to ask a relative stranger if they can get your back. Neutrogena has an extensive line and you can order them online.

9. Insect repellent

Photo: Repel

Bug bites suck no matter what but they’re even worse when you’re trying to enjoy your vacation. From sand fleas and mosquitos to ticks and Bot flies, pretty much wherever you go, there’ll be some little critter trying to get a piece of you. The experts say a good dose of DEET will deter most pests and this stick from Repel has plenty of it.

10. Laundry detergent

Photo: Travelon

Lastly, what you put on your body counts and that includes clean clothes. If you’re traveling light and know doing laundry will be on your agenda, soap sheets will be your best friend. They take up very little space, are easy to use, and save you the time of trying to track down single-use laundry soap packets. This really comes in handy when you’re traveling abroad and don’t know how to say “single load laundry soap pack” in a foreign language. Along with many other travel accessories, Travelon has these on its online store.


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New Berlin Wall section found

While out for a leisurely stroll in Berlin, a group of people noticed something unusual behind the bushes at the edge of the Südpanke-Park: a 65.6-foot section of the Berlin Wall. At first, officials from the Berlin Wall Foundation were confused by the discovery, since this section didn’t have the typical curved top like the rest of the wall did. After analysis, however, they were able to identify it as part of a shorter wall separating the “death strip” — a buffer zone where watchtowers were stationed — from East Berlin. As you can imagine, the newly-discovered section was instantly designated a historic monument, and given the appropriate protections.

The discovery is relatively timely — the Berlin Wall was first completed 57 years ago, on August 13th. Since only a few sections remain of the wall, destroyed in 1989, opportunities to visit this iconic monument are somewhat scarce. This new section will give visitors another venue for glimpsing a piece of Cold War history.

This isn’t the first time a new section of the wall has been discovered, and it probably won’t be the last. Berlin Wall Foundation representative Gesine Beutin told Deutsche Welle that more findings like this one certainly aren’t out of the question. “There can always be new smaller sections,” she said, “hidden somewhere around the city.”

H/T: Condé Nast Traveler

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