Orlando in central Florida is home to plenty of retirees in Bombay shorts and white shoes and socks and the world’s biggest theme parks. There’s the huge Disneyworld complex, Universal Studios, Seaworld just to name some of the big ones. Then there’s the smaller more kitschy ones like Gatorworld or Ripley’s Believe it or not and even The Holy Land Experience. Orlando would have to be one of the best places for family fun especially if you like standing in a queue.
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Orlando – Theme park family fun
Got a whole lota money and its ready to burn….
Get your rhinestones on and put all your money on the black. This ad has it all, the glitz and glamour of downtown Las Vegas. The floorshows, the flashing lights the one elbow bandits and a the King himself singing one of his signature tunes. Turn your speakers up kick back and enjoy the fun. Read the rest of this entry »
Acthung! Hot Chips
We have all seen vending machines serving soft drinks, coffee and chocolates and even vending machine restaurants in Japan, but here’s a first, sitting quietly on a subway station in the German City of Berlin is this amazing machine – it cooks and serves hot chips or pommes as the Europeans like to call them. You put your Euro in the slot press a button, a lot of noises go on then in 45 short seconds (and hopefully before your train arrives) a bucket of crisp freshly fried hot steaming chips appear… Delicious
World’s biggest pineapple
Well in case you haven’t noticed here at Tripandom we love everything kitsch and what could be more kitsch than a giant 30ft fiberglass pineapple. This magnificent structure is on Queensland Australia’s Sunshine Coast outside the town of Caloundra. The pineapple is part of a tourist park and pineapple plantation. Here visitors can see how these tasty sweet fruits are grown on a wonderful train ride. Visitors also can join the Nutmobile to see how macadamia nuts are grown. There’s a animal park, and a number of other great family attractions on hand plus a great cafe and of course the gift shop. Read the rest of this entry »
A great place to vusut- New Zealand
You have got to love the New Zealand accent and their beautiful country. There’s more than sheep on the land of the long white cloud there is some of the worlds most spectacular wilderness, great adventures and really fun loving friendly locals.- they just talk a bit funny!
Sci-Fi Car Silo
Wolfsburg is a city in northern Germany that is home to the huge Volkswagen factory which produces the Golf. At their factory the company has what could only be described as a theme park called the AutoStadt with attractions, car displays and beautiful gardens plus a great factory tour. Many people flock to the park to pick up their new VW which they collect from a huge 20 story silo which looks like something from the Matrix or some other Sci-Fi film. Here brand new cars are stacked 20 high and giant lifts move up a central shaft placing the vehicle in position; it is quiet an engineering feat. VW have a similar silo at the Dresden factory where they assemble the Bentley and Phanteom luxury range of vehicles. Read the rest of this entry »
On top of the bottom of the world- almost
Mt Wellington in Hobart the capital of Tasmania, the small triangle island off the southern coast of Australia offers some of the most spectacular view on earth. Being just 20 minutes from the centre of Hobart the peak rises 1270 metres and gives breath taking views of the city, Derwent River and the south arm of the Tasman peninsular. Recently a visitors centre and walkway have been added to help visitors enjoy this beautiful part of the world even more. The Aboriginal name for Mt Wellington is Unghbanyahletta or Poorawetter but was named Mt Wellington after the Duke of Wellington by the English. Charles Darwin is one of the more notable climbers, he visited in 1836 during his visit on the HMAS Beagle.
Its ABC … 123 …
You can’t walk far along Kalukua Avenue in along Waikiki beach in Honolulu with out coming across an ABC Shop they are like a large convenience store or mini supermarket. These shops are just about everywhere there are even some next to one another. They are great for tourists as they sell just about everything you will need from food, drinks including alcoholic, chemist items, clothing, souvenirs and small electrical. If you are staying in one of the hotels in the area you are sure to be no more than 100 meters from an ABC shop.
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum
Ho Chi Minh was a revolutionary who later became president of the Republic of Vietnam, he died in 1969 and his body is till on display to the public in a huge granite mausoleum Hanoi the capital of Vietnam which was modeled of Lenin’s Tomb in Moscow. He wouldn’t be too happy lying there like a wax model as he really wanted to be cremated and spread over the hilltops of Vietnam. Thousands of people pass through the mausoleum to honor the man or just to take a look. If planning a visit there are strict rules on clothing and what you can take with you. No cameras and no talking- you must keep walking and don’t stop, this is all part of respect. The mausoleum is open every morning but in November he is taken away for a bit of a makeover.
QE2 finds a new home
The Queen Elizabeth 2 is set to find a new home after she retires from duty in 2008. It has been announced by the Dubai government that after her last voyage to Dubai the ship will be purchased and transformed into a floating hotel to be berthed at Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest man-made island. One of the QE2’s predecessor’s the Queen Mary found a similar fate, and is now berthed in Long Beach California, when the QE2 replaced it in 1969. The QE2 is to be replaced by a new ship called the Queen Victoria. The QE2 was the flagship of the Cunard line until it was joined by the new flagship the Queen Mary 2 in 2004.
