Kyle James and Ashley Grigsbyhave been together since college, moving from North Carolina to Denver, CO., to start their lives as adults right after school.

For two years, theyd been saving for a house of their own, and had a little stash when they found themselves itching to travel (on more than just a vacation) before the summer of 2015. At the time, Kyle had started what he thought was a dream job, which was really soul-crushing cubicle sitting, cold-calling people to persuade them to buy billboard space. Ashley, a school teacher, was wrapping up the school year and was free for the summer.

After talking and deciding the time was right, the two took a leap, quit their 9-to-5s and bought one way flights from Denver to New York, and from New York to Paris. They spent the next 114 days backpacking 15 countries and 38 cities together.

Ashley was 23 and I was 24 at the time, Kyle tells Personal Space. Ashley was teaching, I made cold calls all day. I was cold calling from this cubicleI struggled with [spending the money] mentally. I was very scared that we were gonna go through all our money or we werent going to come back and find jobs. But Ashley wanted to go, she said lets do this now, and we left June 1, 2015.

Kyle, skilled at Excel, made them a spreadsheet to budget out $150 per day to spend for the both of themincluding food, transport, and lodging. They Airbnbd it the entire way, it was both cheaper and more interesting than hostels.

Some days we had 50 cents left and its noon, Kyle laughed. But if we overspent it would auto adjust and wed spend less the next day. We found Airbnbs that were like 30 dollars a night for both of us, you can find entire studio apartments in the middle of Budapest, its great.

They planned their next steps only a week-and-a-half ahead of time, spending some evenings looking on their laptops as to where they wanted to head next.

Then wed buy the next two cities, Kyle says. We never thought we were gonna go to Croatia then we got hammered in Budapest and we thought it was Italy. It was so beautiful.

Now the two are getting married in Croatia next June.

But the lovebirds didnt go without a few meltdowns. Dont we all have them while traveling?

We were in a two seater kayak in Croatia traveling around this mountain in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. We were exhausted, we were together 24/7, a month at that point in the heat, half the air conditioners in the Airbnbs were broken, we had built up anger. That day, on the water, I jumped off a crazy rock all to get a go pro videoI scaled a mountain, jumped off this crazy rock, almost killed myself, and Ashley had hit record by accident then stopped it by accident when I jumped, and missed it. Were in a two seater kayak in the Adriatic screaming at each other.

It lasted only a few minutes before they broke into laughter, realizing all the moments of the trip were important moments. Among the most moving?

We took a bus two hours at 5 A.M. into the middle of the jungle in Thailand where they rescued elephants from torture and carnivals, Kyle says. We were sleeping with them, they trumpeted through the night, Ashley was crying.

As for what they both learned, beside that they love each other a lot, Kyle says hes lost some of the fear that he used to have, saying fear is just the unknown.

For Ashley, this trip solidified her. She was always a shy southern girl, soft spoken, self conscious, this trip were just living and learning from all these different cultures. She started meditating, Kyle says.

I try to explain the type of benefit long term travel has on you, he adds.

Along the way, Kyle wrote in a a leather-bound journal every night, detailing the events of the day for their future grandkids, and had no intention of turning it into a book. But it was too good not to.

Not Afraid Of The Fall is out now, and Kyle now has over12,000 Instagram followers who tracked his adventures with Ashley.

If you read the book, the pictures there go along with it, he says.

But the best part of the book is the dedication. Its how Kyle proposed.

Ash, you are the wind to my sails and the ink to my pen. No matter where I go or what I do, the only thing I am sure of is that I want you by my side. Every cliff I jump off, every moped I crash, every morning after a night of food poisoning, every Mediterranean sunset, I want you by my side. I never want to stop exploring with you, Ash.

Will you marry me?

The two are now in Asheville, N.C., near family. Ashley is teaching kindergarten while Kyle is working for a nonprofit. They are planning on another adventure soon.

Personal Space is Bravo's home for all things "relationships," from romance to friendships to family to co-workers. Ready for a commitment? Then Like us on Facebook to stay connected to our daily updates.

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Guy Quits Miserable Cubicle Job To Travel Around The World With Fiance, Then Lands Book Deal - Bravo (blog)

Hikers make their way across the newly opened suspension bridge in Randa, Switzerland

The worlds longest pedestrian suspension bridge has opened in Switzerland, inviting walkers to brave a narrow path running 86 metres above the ground at its highest point. The Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, in the Swiss Alps, near the village of Randa, is a record-breaking 494 metres long and connects Grchen and Zermatt on the Europaweg foot trail.

The bridge, which is a steel construction, runs between 1,600m and 2,200m above sea level, with views if you can look at them of the Matterhorn, Weisshorn and the Bernese Alps in the distance. It replaces a previous bridge that had been damaged by rock falls.

Incredibly, it took engineers from Swissrope and Lauber cableways just 10 weeks to erect the bridge. The structure, which is just 65cm wide, takes 10 minutes to cross; a journey that previously took hikers four hours. It breaks a record previously set by a glass-bottomed suspension bridge completed last year in China. The 430 metre-long bridge traversed the vast Zhangjiajie Canyon in Hunan province, with a 300m drop beneath it.

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World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge opens in the Swiss Alps - The Guardian

SEOUL American humanitarian agencies that work in North Korea and Americans with relatives there are expressing grave concerns about the new restrictions on U.S. citizens traveling to the country.

The restrictions, set to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, will require all American citizens who hope to travel to North Korea to apply to the State Department for a passport with a special validation.

This, some say, will mean that previously private and nonpolitical work sometimes already viewed with suspicion by the regime in Pyongyang will now have a literal U.S. government seal of approval.

When the North Koreans look at our delegation, they cannot assume that we got permission from anybody, said Stephen Linton, an American who heads the EugeneBell Foundation, a nongovernmental organization that treats thousands of people with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis inside North Korea.

His is one of about 25 American humanitarian groups that are active in North Korea, trying to relieve ordinary peoples suffering. The EugeneBell Foundation administers medicines to TB patients who have proved resistant to previous rounds of treatment, and the treatment must follow a strict schedule to be effective.

As soon as you have a licensing system, the immediate question is: Why did you get permission? said Linton, who has been working inside North Korea since 1979. What was in it for the U.S. government to issue you the permission to come here? And theres nobody in North Korea that Ive ever met who would believe that the U.S. government would issue that permission purely for humanitarian reasons.

[ North Korean TB patients at risk as sanctions hamper medicine shipments ]

The new geographic travel restriction will come into effect in 30 days time.

It is a direct response to the treatment of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old Ohio man who went to North Korea as a tourist and was arrested there, spending 17 months in a coma before being returned to the United States in June. He died less than a week later.

Three other U.S. citizens one a businessman and two affiliated with a private American university remain in North Korean custody.

Every year, about 1,000 Americans had been going to North Korea on organized tours, but tourism will be banned for U.S. citizens starting next month.

This new rule is much stricter than the policy the Trump administration has implemented toward Cuba, which Americans are still allowed to visit if they travel with a licensed tour company under U.S. jurisdiction. Independent travel is still allowed for Americans to visit their family members in Cuba and for religious activities and humanitarian projects.

Just four categories of Americans will be allowed the special endorsed passports: journalists, Red Cross representatives on official missions, humanitarian workers and anyone else whose trip is in the national interest.

Those who are approved will be issued a limited validity U.S. passport permitting one-time travel to North Korea, according to the State Department.

[ After Otto Warmbiers death, tourism to North Korea comes under scrutiny ]

Humanitarian groups have been appealing to the State Department not to make the new rule bureaucratically burdensome. Some are asking for a system where blanket approval can be given to their organization, rather than every person having to get approval for every trip.

U.S. humanitarian workers have been providing relief to the poorest and most deprived of North Koreas population for over 20 years, said Keith Luse, executive director of the National Committee on North Korea, a Washington-based NGO that promotes cooperation between the United States and North Korea.

A majority of them have built meaningful relationships with North Koreans at the local level and not been confronted by the authorities, Luse said. As travel-ban details are finalized, we hope the State Department will consider their experience.

Amid years of failed nuclear talks and an enduring reluctance to engage with North Korea, private-sector activities such as humanitarian work have been the only positive aspect in the relationship between the United States and North Korea, said Linton, of the EugeneBell Foundation.

Make no mistake if the American private sector is now banned from travel, it will be another major step toward the diminishing of U.S. influence in East Asia, Linton said. Asians are well aware of this downward trend and are already thinking about how to resolve challenges related to North Korea should the U.S. government and its private sector be unwilling or unable to play a major role in the region.

[ State Department: U.S. to block Americans from traveling to North Korea ]

The new rules will particularly affect Korean Americans. Between 200 and 500 Korean Americans travel to North Korea each year, a significant proportion of them for reunions with family members from whom they were separated during the Korean War. Many of them travel to North Korea as tourists, and they would not appear to qualify for travel permission under the new restrictions.

There are also as many as 100 Korean Americans living or working in North Korea at any given time. Most are associated with Kim Il Sung University or the private American-run Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Two of the Americans detained in North Korea earlier this year, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song, were affiliated with the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was started by Korean American Christians.

The third detainee, Kim Dong-chul, was working in the Rajin-Sonbong Special Economic Zone in the northeast of the country near the Chinese border and has now been held for almost two years. Efforts to free the men are continuing.

But there are also some Americans who live in North Korea permanently in the Rajin-Sonbong zone.

To the extent that the permanent residents need to travel back and forth to the U.S. from time to time, the travel ban would adversely impact them, said Sam Yoon, executive director of the Council of Korean Americans.

There are about 1.8million Korean Americans in the United States, according to population estimates from the Census Bureau.

One could argue that the travel ban especially for families would in fact hurt them the most, Yoon said.

The National Coalition for the Divided Families voiced similar concerns.

Rather than just an exemption so that Americans wont be punished for searching for their long-lost loved ones in North Korea, the coalition called for the U.S. and North Korean governments to organize state-approved reunions for our divided families before its too late.

The Korean War ended in 1953, leaving members of many families stuck on opposite sides of the armistice line. Those separated siblings and parents are now elderly.

Since the mid-1980s, North and South Korea have had 20 rounds of reunions. The U.S. and North Korea [have had] zero, said Jeane Noh of the divided-families coalition. Today, President Trump can make it happen.

Read more:

North Korea fires another missile as it works to put the U.S. within reach

North Korea could cross ICBM threshold next year, U.S. officials warn

Where are the bodies buried in North Korea?

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Aid workers, Korean Americans voice concern about new North Korea travel rules - Washington Post

McClatchy Washington Bureau

NAACP issues first-ever travel advisory for a state and it's Missouri McClatchy Washington Bureau Traditionally, travel advisories come from the U.S. State Department to warn citizens of current dangers in all corners of the world. The department this year has issued more than 40 advisories alerting travelers to political instability, violence and ... and more »

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NAACP issues first-ever travel advisory for a state and it's Missouri - McClatchy Washington Bureau

(Courtesy of Zermatt Tourism)

smithsonian.com July 31, 2017 3:24PM

Switzerland opened what local authorities say is the world's longest suspension bridge on Sunday after only 10 weeks of construction.

The super-narrow bridge over the Grabengufer ravine, near Zermatt, measures 1,620 feet long (or about a third of a mile), and hangs 278 feet in the air.

If youre planning on walking arm-in-arm with a partner, think again: The bridge only measures 25.6 inches wide just enough for one person, single file.

Guinness has not yet recognized the bridge as the longest: The currentrecognized record holder is the Kokonoe Yume Bridge, in Japan, which measures 1,279 feet across.

According to theBBC, the new bridge in Zermatt has been built to replace an older one that was damaged by rock falls.

The bridge is constructed with steel, connecting Zermatt with nearby Grchen, which is also a popular two-day hike in Switzerland.USA Todayreported that the local tourist authority warns that the high bridge is for hikers with no fear of heights.

Hikerswill definitely want to visit the bridge, as it also completes part of the Europaweg trail, a route that takes travelers through some of the best and highest peaks in Switzerland including the Matterhorn.

Not to mention, the bridge can give you a spectacular view. We challenge you not to yodel.

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Switzerland Just Opened the World's Longest Pedestrian Suspension Bridge - Smithsonian

Donoban Escobar stared into the side mirror of the white pickup truck, applying the finishing touches to his Barcelona face paint.

Beneath the red and blue stripes coating nearly every inch of his skin was a smile.

Im not the biggest Barcelona fan, Escobar, 15, said. But I like [Lionel] Messi.

The last time he was at Hard Rock Stadium, nearly two years ago, he was painting a different teams colors across his face the white and blue of his native Honduras, who was playing England in an international friendly match.

But on Saturday, about four hours before FC Barcelona was set to play Real Madrid in Miami for the first ever United States rendition of El Clasico, there was no blue and white in sight. Instead, Escobar blended into the swarm of red and blue Messi jerseys walking toward the stadium.

Off to the side, wedged in a crowd near the entrance of the El Clasico fan zone, two white jerseys stood out.

Victor Ramirez, 22, and Carlos Risso, 21, had just noticed why hundreds of people were rushing to a nearby fence, camera phones in their hands.

Its Hugo Sanchez! Ramirez yelled to Risso. They pushed to the front to take a picture.

The two friends were both born in Mexico, and Sanchez, 59, who won five La Liga scoring titles, is widely considered the best Mexican soccer player ever.

In their white Real Madrid jerseys, the two snapped pictures of Sanchez and huddled together to look at their phones. Their 11 1/2 hour drive from their home in South Carolina was worth it.

Its El Clasico, man, Ramirez said with a smile.

Risso said he started following Real Madrid when he was 14. Ramirez said he has been a fan of the Spanish club forever. They bought tickets for Saturdays game three months ago, all to see their favorite player in person.

Ronaldo, the two said simultaneously.

Ramirez said he was disappointed when he found out Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo wouldnt be participating in El Clasico because of his busy schedule, but there were more than enough star players on both teams to keep them excited during their Friday drive down to Miami.

But while Ronaldo was noticeably absent from Saturdays game, his jerseys werent.

His signature home-white uniform dotted the crowd milling about the fan zone, and covered the backs of most of the Real Madrid fans waiting in line to take pictures with the teams European Cup trophy outside Hard Rock Stadium.

But the jersey was hard to find on the Barcelona side of the fan zone, where fans were waiting in a similar line, hundreds of people long, to take pictures with Barcelonas silver Champions League trophy.

Fadi Jamaleddin, 24, and his brother, Jadi, 20, waited in the line for 40 minutes. They left with three new pictures on their phones and two blue Barcelona foam fingers.

The two flew into Miami at 12 a.m. on Saturday morning from their home in New Mexico. They were both born in Venezuela, but said they have been Barcelona fans since they were 2 years old.

I like their style, Fadi said.

In Venezuela, Fadi grew up playing futbol calle jero, or street soccer, for 16 years. He said he has gone to a few Venezuelan national team soccer games, and even watched Brazil play Argentina during a World Cup.

But Saturday was his first time seeing Barcelona.

I grew up playing soccer every day, Fadi said. So this is special.

iacohen@sun-sentinel.com or Twitter @icohenb

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Barcelona, Real Madrid fans from around the world travel to Miami for El Clasico - Sun Sentinel

Megan and Jim Luetkemeyer learned how precious life is the hard way.

Jims friend died from a heart attack at the age of 34, and Megans dad died three weeks after receiving an esophageal cancer diagnosis.

A loss like that puts everything in perspective, Jim Luetkemeyer, 42, said. We lost some people, and we had some people have some scary times that made us think we are saving for retirement, what are we really saving for? Is this saving for a point when we are 60 or 70 or 80? Are we going to be able to enjoy that retirement?

They reacted and didnt look back. Almost a year ago, they decided to travel to 32 countries and more than 100 cities across the world.

The loss of the Luetkemeyers loved ones wasnt the only thing that pushed them into what theyve called their 1 year retirement venture. Both had come to a stand-still in their careers.

Jim, a native of Okeene, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State graduate, managed a team at a public relations firm, and Megan, 37, was a genetic counselor at an obstetrics and gynecology office at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. They had found success and contentment at their jobs, but they were yearning for a change.

While having drinks with friends, Jim jokingly proposed the couple should travel the world for a year, thinking Megan would call his bluff.

I said, That sounds like a great idea. How can we make that work? she asked.

The silly-turned-serious exchange spring-boarded the couple into two months of nonstop logistical planning. They would take the down payment they had saved for a house and retire for a year, with the knowledge their permanent retirement would be pushed back.

They each made a list with 10 to 15 of their must-see destinations and asked Facebook friends for suggestions. They didnt disclose their complete travel plans.

When they proposed the idea to friends and family, the feedback was unanimous.

Jim, that is everybodys dream, Betty Luetkemeyer, Jims 86-year-old mother, said when he told her about his plan. If there is anyway to do that, you should do that.

Barbara Allen, the best woman in Jims wedding, said it was the wackiest thing she could have conceived for him to do because he is a very thoughtful, structured, analytical person.

I said, OK, crazy, go for it, Allen said in a phone interview.

The couple did receive some wide-eyed looks from people when they heard they were going to spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week together for a year after only being married a year.

Ultimately, everyone was supportive of their decision.

Every person that we talked to was like, Its a great idea, I wanted to do that when I was at this point in my career, Jim said.

The universal approval gave the couple an added boost of confidence. Jim started finding direct flights from the couples main destinations to cities along the way and their route started taking shape.

He also, to Megans amusement, talked about packing for the trip like NASA packs for a mission.

Eight days worth of clothing and three pairs of shoes were strategically placed into two matching black Patagonia duffel bags. They made strict no souvenirs and if something comes in, something must go out rules.

I kind of laughed at him during these conversations, but when we were in India and it was over 100 degrees out and we were carrying those packs I was glad we didnt have those extra pounds, Megan said.

Last July, Jim and Megan put in their two-week notice on the same day to keep each other accountable to sticking to their plan. Their bosses were surprised but excited for each of them, they said.

The night before their first flight, Megan walked out of her office for the last time with a box in her hands. They sold their car, handed over their apartment keys to a renter and made a run to storage to pack away the last of their belongings.

The morning of their first flight, the couple felt like bush league travelers, Jim said.

Megan threw away her boarding pass and lost her phone an hour before they were supposed to board. They also packed away their headphones in their checked luggage.

Maybe the most stressful part of the trip was the first day, and then it got better from there, he said.

After making their first stops in Colorado and the Virgin Islands to visit friends and family, about a month into the trip, Jim and Megan were on their own.

They quickly realized no matter where they were, kindness was in abundance. They formed some international friendships, as well.

We were in Cape Town wine tasting and we were at a big table and sat next to a couple and started talking maybe for 15 minutes or so, Megan said. They were from Scotland and later in the year we met up with them and they showed us around their town in Aberdeen.

Not only did the Scottish couple show the Luetkemeyers around their town, but also invited them to stay at their home and cooked them dinner.

The couple smiled as they said their adventure was filled with many similar experiences.

During their eight-day boat tour of the Galapagos Islands, for instance, they made friends with a woman from Frankfurt, Germany, and a couple from Munich. They met up with both later in the trip.

They also made an effort to get out of their comfort zone.

They laughed thinking back to flying through Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on the back of Vespas through sheets of rain for a food tour and marveled at the kindness of one Japanese woman who abandoned her commute to work to walk them back in the right direction.

No one covers entertainment, food and restaurants, and things to do like the Tulsa Worlds Scene and Weekend. For a limited time, get a digital subscription for just $3.95 a month. Sign up now at tulsaworld.com/subscribe.

It was uncomfortable at times, it was stressful at times, it got a little crazy and frustrating at times, but I dont even have an inkling of regret, Jim said.

As the trip went on, the couple got better at logging the places they stayed, the sights they saw and the food they indulged in. The log they made helped them make travel guides for friends who are traveling to Japan and Machu Picchu.

The best meal of the trip was a pork dish with a potato dumpling topped with gravy the owner of a hotel in Nuremberg, Germany, told them to order.

We ate really well in places that were very modest, Jim said.

They made a pact to avoid three dollar sign restaurants and stuck to it. A picture of the two eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches with salt-and-vinegar chips in Cannes, France, on their blog is a perfect embodiment of their commitment to make frugal choices.

They are happy to report the total spending for their trip came in about 25 percent under their allotted budget.

Jim and Megan landed in the U.S. on July 12 at the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.

Before heading back to D.C., they decided to spend their last month of the trip in Oklahoma researching jobs, as Jim has family throughout the state. He hasnt been back for an extended stay for about 20 years.

The couple made a stop to visit Jims mother, who is happy theyre home and glad they went, she said. Although, she did wake up every morning to check her Find My Friends app so she could see where her son and daughter-in-law were staying.

Really and truly, I didnt think they would make the whole year, she said in a phone interview. I thought surely they will get tired and come home, but they made the whole year and I thought it was great.

The only changes Jims mother can detect is that he drinks coffee now when he didnt when they left. He also has grown a beard.

The next step for the couple is like a row of dominoes find a job, maybe that gets us an apartment at the same time and then depending on where the apartment is will determine when we get a car, Jim said.

In regards to how the trip affected their marriage, Megan said, I think having the time to just be together was so nice because we had the time to learn things that I dont know necessarily if we would have with our day-to-day life.

There were times when we would bicker a little bit, but we knew we were in this together so we got through it together, Jim said.

Looking back on the past year of travel, the couple learned steady employment isnt everything, Jim said.

The fears you have about where you are in your career and how everything is going to work out ultimately always works out, he said. If doing something like this makes sense for you, dont let inertia be the force that makes you keep doing what youre doing.

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Couple takes retirement 20 years early to travel the world - Tulsa World

Traveling the world with your life partner isnt for the faint of heart; for many couples, a vacation together can be the make or break moment in a relationship.

For traveler Kyle James, the experience of jetting off to new destinations with his girlfriend Ashley proved to be a life-changing experience, so much so that he decided to write a book about it.

Related:Couples That Travel Together Have a Deeper Connection, Better Sex

In his debut book, Not Afraid of the Fall: 114 Days Through 38 Cities in 15 Countries, James shares theunvarnished story of their off-the-cuff journey that started when they quit their jobs and bought one-way tickets to Paris. And while the entire book is worth the read, it is the dedication page that has everyone buzzing.

My sweet Ash, without your push, we never would have fallen, the dedication begins.

You always dreamed of traveling the world. When we began dating, it was all you talked about. You told me how you couldnt wait to get out of this small college town, how you couldnt wait to experience life through a different lens.

In a poignant letter, James shares with the world just how special his relationship is with his girlfriend Ashley, and just how much she changed his life forever, explaining that it was her who convinced him that the 9-to-5 office grind wouldnt ultimately bring the pair happiness.

A few weeks into the new job and I hated it. It was not what the job I thought it was and I came home feeling lost. I had worked so hard for years to get to this point and it turned out it was not what I wanted to do with my life. You sat me down on the couch, looked me in the eye, and told me you had a great idea.

James letter continues by expressing his sheer gratitude toward Ashley for believing in him and for pushing him into the great unknown. Then, the letter ends with a simple question.

Related: The 50 Best Romantic Getaways

Read the entire letter below, but perhaps grab a few tissues first, as youll certainly need them by the end.

My sweet Ash,

Without your push, we never would have fallen.

You always dreamed of traveling the world. When we began dating, it was all you talked about. You told me how you couldnt wait to get out of this small college town, how you couldnt wait to experience life through a different lens.

When we graduated from college, you wanted to celebrate 16 years of schooling by traveling together. I told you we had new careers to start and that these were our prime years. I told you that we didnt have the time or money to travel the world just yet and asked that we wait a while. You listened to me.

We settled on moving to Denver to start our careers. You filled young minds with love and letters as a kindergarten teacher, and I raised money to teach kids financial literacy for a large nonprofit.

Each year at midnight, as we toasted our cheap Champagne and kissed softly to the background noise of cheering New Years Eve patrons, you asked me to travel the world with you. You asked me to take you to romantic corners of Prague and intimate islands in Thailand. You asked me to spend miserable sunburned nights with you in Italy and long days under beach cabanas in the Greek Isles. Each year you asked me and each year I gave you a reason why we should wait. I told you we needed more work experience. You listened to me.

One year later, I was offered a new job, my dream job. When I came home with the news, you looked like you had the air knocked out of you. I could see that you were devastated. Your eyes began to glisten as you smiled and congratulated me on accepting what I had worked so hard for. Now we can take epic vacations! I assured you. But we both knew that what we had talked about for years and what you had been dreaming about your whole life had just slipped away from us.

A few weeks into the new job and I hated it. It was not what the job I thought it was and I came home feeling lost. I had worked so hard for years to get to this point and it turned out it was not what I wanted to do with my life. You sat me down on the couch, looked me in the eye, and told me you had a great idea.

I was afraid to leave the comfort of our lives in Denver but waking up to your smiling face every morning, eager to explore, assured me that everything was going to be OK. It was hard for me to embrace our journey during the many sleepless nights in the sweltering Tuscan heat and exhausting back-to-back travel days in the jungles of Thailand, but by conquering these trials and tribulations together, we fell deeper in love because all we had was each other. When we got home, I was afraid of not finishing my book about our travels, or not being able to find a publisher, but you urged me to keep writing. Ash, you are the wind to my sails and the ink to my pen. No matter where I go or what I do, the only thing I am sure of is that I want you by my side. Every cliff I jump off, every moped I crash, every morning after a night of food poisoning, every Mediterranean sunset, I want you by my side. I never want to stop exploring with you, Ash.

Will you marry me?

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Guy Pens Epic Love Letter to His Girlfriend After Traveling the World With Her - Travel+Leisure

Her bridal beauty business, like the others at the pop-up, represents the economic link between protecting the mangroves as nurseries of the island's fish stocks, tsunami buffers and CO2 sinks and sustaining communities dependent on them.

"We can't do mangrove conservation without the people," said Anuradha "Anu" Wickramasinghe, co-founder of Sudeesa, a Sri Lanka nonprofit advocating for small-scale fishing and farming operations. It was his idea to provide business training and $100 micro-loans to some of the poorest women in coastal fishing communities in exchange for their protection of the vital ecosystem, applying a social fix to an environmental problem caused by logging, mass prawn farming and, in the northern areas, civil war. "They get training from us and seed money from Seacology."

This spring, I joined Seacology, the California-based environmental nonprofit, on one of its tours that showcase its projects. Mangrove restoration in Sri Lanka is its largest ever, with the organization donating $5 million over five years to protect more than 21,000 acres of coastal mangroves by bringing the micro-loan program to 15,000 rural women. Meeting the program's budding entrepreneurs and exploring solutions to environmental challenges with field experts were the highlights of an itinerary also filled with more tourist-friendly activities, like a walking tour of Colombo, visits to Hindu and Buddhist temples, and meals both traditional and trendy.

From the broken Paris climate pact to the collapsing ice shelf in Antarctica, climate issues have dominated recent headlines. Providing access to those front lines, the travel industry has mirrored eco-concerns with the growth of climate-focused trips.

Many of these trips are concentrated at the poles. In Greenland, for example, the number of tourists rose almost 24 percent in 2015. Last year, tourism grew by nearly 10 percent more than double the global average. American travelers represented one-third of the 34,539 travelers who visited Antarctica this past winter, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, by far the largest contingent (Chinese travelers come in second at 12 percent).

"The Arctic and the Antarctic are changing in dramatic ways, more so than anywhere on Earth," said Sven Lindblad, founder and CEO of Lindblad Expeditions, the pioneer of cruise travel to Antarctica and the Galapagos. "Clearly, there is a greater sense of urgency and interest on the part of travelers to see and understand these environments."

The travel industry contributes to carbon emissions, of course, but tour operators argue that exposure to threatened regions converts the curious to conservation. As oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once said, "People protect what they love."

"Our most significant contribution to the realm of sustainability is utilizing the experiences our travelers are having as 'Aha!' moments to come back and do more to protect the planet and our species,'" said Ted Martens, vice president of marketing and sustainability at Natural Habitat Adventures, a wildlife-focused tour company that offsets the carbon emissions of its operations by funding green technology projects.

Natural Habitat runs trips in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund that have generated $10 million since 2003 for WWF programs confronting deforestation in the Amazon and preserving orangutan habitats in Borneo, among others. Natural Habitat's six-day trips to see polar bears in Canada cost $6,195 (all rates are per person).

With World Wildlife Fund-Canada, Adventure Canada is offering an "Arctic Safari" that explores Greenland's communities and ice fjords, from $5,995.

Some operators encourage citizen scientists to help researchers with their work. The nonprofit EarthWatch Institute runs "Climate Change at the Arctic's Edge" trips, in which travelers take water and tree core samples to measure the health of animals and plants (from $2,014 for seven days). EarthWatch Institute also offers teen-only departures.

Over the next two summers, Poseidon Expeditions will run trips to the North Pole featuring a citizen science program to collect data on sea ice thickness and melting (from $6,960 for 10 days). Data from the operator's first citizen science launch, in 2015, is already being used by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States' Sea Ice Prediction Network.

Lindblad is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Galapagos this summer with cruises aboard the 96-passenger National Geographic Endeavor II (10 days from $6,960) and the new National Geographic Global Explorers Program. The latter's educational activities include collecting plankton, recording wildlife sightings and earning an inflatable Zodiac boat "driver's license."

During the 2017/2018 Antarctic travel season, Abercrombie & Kent's Classic Antarctica departure Jan. 6 is devoted to "Understanding Climate Change" and features noted Antarctic researcher Dr. James McClintock (from $13,495 for 12 days).

Naturalist Richard Polatty, a veteran of 60 trips to Antarctica and guide for International Nature and Cultural Adventures (from $10,995 for 11 days), views familiarity as a source of support for the region.

"Antarctica is the author of global climate in some ways and is a very sensitive indicator of global climate change," he said.

But it is felt as far away as Sri Lanka, where fishermen in the north say the tides have changed in the past two years, and at least 50 feet of new mangroves planted near Jaffna stand in parched dirt instead of being flooded by water. With the assistance of the navy, Sudeesa continues to plant seedlings with the goal of repopulating the sea with fish and empowering women to be protectors of the coastal forests by ensuring a family income.

"We take care of the mothers, who will pass on their knowledge to their children," said Sudeesa's Anu as we drove down a sand road separating woven fishing huts from the sparkling turquoise sea on a community-based tour of the island better known for luxury resorts. "To the children we say, 'This is your wealth.'"

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TRAVEL: Climate concerns fuel more travel to fragile corners of the world - Duluth News Tribune

Some people think a good getaway is staying in a resort hotel in a big city like Las Vegas, where the city never sleeps and you can get food and win big on every corner. Others consider a good getaway breaking away from the business of everyday life and making their way to an unfamiliar destination sometimes another country and submerging themselves in an unknown culture.

No matter your idea of a good getaway, here are 4 reasons seeing the world with your family should be your next great adventure:

The great French novelist, Marcel Proust said, The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new lands but in seeing with new eyes. By working with people from cultures different from our own, we are able to literally see the world with new eyes through their wisdom and we can discover possibilities that would not have been available to us, otherwise.

For example, in the West, many kids dont know that vegetables grow in the ground. When asked where vegetables come from, a great number of kids will say they come from the grocery store. In Australia, 92 percent of kids didnt know bananas grow on trees.

This is a simple example, but its very telling because in the West, people who dont grow their own food become less self-reliant and more dependent on other people for survival. This can contribute to a mindset that isnt always focused on looking for innovative ways to preserve nature and food.

To people who havent developed a natural eye for finding ways to preserve food out of necessity, being exposed to the idea of harvesting seeds and preserving food for later use can open up their eyes to see the absolute power and value of nature.

Everything you do with your family creates memories, but theres nothing like creating memories by experiencing a new adventure together. When everyone is having a new experience, the excitement is higher and the thrill of doing daring things is always in the background. Like eating some of the strangest (and grossest) foods that are considered delicacies by other cultures. You might have that one person in the family who isnt afraid to eat anything, and if they eat something completely bizarre, youll be talking about it for years.

When you never leave the city you live in, the world can appear small and predictable. You get used to your routine even when you enjoy how you spend your time, youre missing out on so many possibilities. If you dont live by the ocean, you may not forget that the ocean exists, but the moment you visit the ocean, youll be overwhelmed with a sense of peace and tranquility you didnt feel at home. If youve never been to Egypt or China, you probably dont know what its like to stand in front of a giant pyramid, in complete awe of the beauty of such a huge structure.

The more time your kids spend getting lost in a world full of adventure that doesnt exist in your hometown, the more aware they will be that the world is an enormous and majestic place with infinite possibilities just waiting to be explored.

School is great for teaching academics, but when it comes to teaching them the more practical side of life like surviving in the mountains youre on your own. This is one of the best reasons to see the world with your kids.

When youre exploring, chances are, youll be camping at some point, and your kids will be exposed to the idea of being completely self-reliant. Cooking without electricity, starting fires, putting up a tent, and learning how to identify medicinal, edible, and poisonous plants are skills they arent going to learn in school.

The world is full of educational opportunities

Make your next family adventure a grand tour of some new part of the world, even if its just backpacking in the forest a few miles from home. Theres something magical about spending time outdoors with family, and when you do, youll enjoy the journey just as much as they will.

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Photo credit: Getty Images

Larry Alton is an independent business consultant specializing in social media trends, business, and entrepreneurship. Follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter. @LarryAlton3

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4 Reasons to Travel the World With Your Family - The Good Men Project (blog)

Sheen Falls, Kerry: one of the countrys most prestigious hotels

Sheen Falls Lodge has been named the number three Top Resort Hotel in UK & Ireland by Travel + Leisure readers in its 2017 Worlds Best Awards. The Kerry five-stars reputation for quality and outstanding customer service has helped put it on the map, establishing itself as one of the countrys most prestigious hotels. See travelandleisure.com for a full list of this years winners.

Anchors away Belfasts Titanic Quarter celebrates the reopening of the HMS Caroline this month, one of the worlds most historically significant warships. The state-of-the-art floating first World War museum is the only survivor of the Battle of Jutland considered the greatest maritime battle ever fought. Now, its been beautifully restored and welcomes visitors to experience the ship through special effects and hands-on interactive exhibits. For more see discovernorthernireland.com/belfast.

Sardinian spa Sardinias first medical spa opens this October with a focus on tailor-made programmes for guests. Choose from an anti-ageing, Thalasso detox, stay healthy or weight-loss experience for four or seven days in the Unesco world heritage site of Acquaforte. The hotel prides itself on its sublime Mediterranean fare, much of which is sourced from their on-site farm and gardens. For those looking for a wellness holiday this autumn, this is one to watch. Stay for four days with meals and treatments from 2,835, see fortevillageresort.com.

Festival spectaculars Wexford: The Enniscorthy Rockin Food Fest takes place July 31st to August 3rd combining The Vinegar Hill Battle Re-enactment, Enniscorthy Rock n Roll Town and Enniscorthy Foods Festival together into one larger than life weekend; enniscorthytourism.com

Cork: On Saturday, July 29th and Sunday 30th, #CorkLovesMusic offers an earful at the Mallow Arts Festival. Cork hip-hop legend Stevie G, The Quiet Club and folktronica outfit The Electronic Folk take over the town for a weekend of entertainment; corklovesmusic.

Roscommon: For a hands-on experience, this weekend check out Boyles Arts Fest. Therell be arts and crafts workshops for grown-ups and kids, music, drama and the rest; boylearts.com.

Get Appy Trepic: This is the first visually orientated personalised travel app, allowing users to curate and create their ideal trip and unique travel experiences. Available on the app store; trepic.co.

Rock the dock

The Marker Hotel in Dublins Grand Canal Dock is highlighting all things active this summer, with a new offering of Dockland activities. Begin with a yoga class each morning from 8am on the rooftop before refuelling with a healthy breakfast (the Paleo Amazeballs really are amazing). Explore the area on wheels with their bike and picnic package or avail of their personal run concierge service to take you on a 5km running route along the beach. If youre staying until Thursday, try the local hotspot tour with two of the Marker team, or choose from a range of walking tours the Culture Trail, Activity Trail or Food and Drink Trail and make sure to get the best out of your time there. Stay from 249, see themarkerhoteldublin.com.

Vienna: Explore the art and architecture of Vienna on a guided tour with the Institute of Culture in October, three nights, flights, hotel, transfers and tours from 699pps, instituteofculturetravel.ie, (01) 8887840.

Greenway getaway: Discover the new Greenway in Co Waterford on a two-day break to the Cliff House Hotel. Bikes, picnic and dinner one evening is from 585 for two, cliffhousehotel.ie, (024) 87800.

Cruise from Cobh: Set sail in September 2018 for 15 days and enjoy two for price of one fares from Cobh to the Mediterranean and back, 2,619, book by July 31st, 2017 Shandontravel.ie, (021)4277094.

Original post:

Kerry hotel wins world travel award - Irish Times

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Amid piles of dried chiles, straw baskets and ripe papaya, Jeevanti Chatuvina's wares represented by her sister modeling a gold-studded red sari, dramatic eyeliner and a perfectly coiffed chignon glamorized the weekly market found on the edge of a lagoon lush with mature mangroves about an hour's drive north of Colombo in Sri Lanka.

Her bridal beauty business, like the others at the pop-up, represents the economic link between protecting the mangroves as nurseries of the island's fish stocks, tsunami buffers and CO2 sinks and sustaining communities dependent on them.

"We can't do mangrove conservation without the people," said Anuradha "Anu" Wickramasinghe, co-founder of Sudeesa, a Sri Lanka nonprofit advocating for small-scale fishing and farming operations. It was his idea to provide business training and $100 micro-loans to some of the poorest women in coastal fishing communities in exchange for their protection of the vital ecosystem, applying a social fix to an environmental problem caused by logging, mass prawn farming and, in the northern areas, civil war. "They get training from us and seed money from Seacology."

This spring, I joined Seacology, the California-based environmental nonprofit, on one of its tours that showcase its projects. Mangrove restoration in Sri Lanka is its largest ever, with the organization donating $5 million over five years to protect more than 21,000 acres of coastal mangroves by bringing the micro-loan program to 15,000 rural women. Meeting the program's budding entrepreneurs and exploring solutions to environmental challenges with field experts were the highlights of an itinerary also filled with more tourist-friendly activities, like a walking tour of Colombo, visits to Hindu and Buddhist temples, and meals both traditional and trendy.

'Greater sense of urgency'

From the broken Paris climate pact to the collapsing ice shelf in Antarctica, climate issues have dominated recent headlines. Providing access to those front lines, the travel industry has mirrored eco-concerns with the growth of climate-focused trips.

Many of these trips are concentrated at the poles. In Greenland, for example, the number of tourists rose almost 24 percent in 2015. Last year, tourism grew by nearly 10 percent more than double the global average. American travelers represented one-third of the 34,539 travelers who visited Antarctica this past winter, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, by far the largest contingent (Chinese travelers come in second at 12 percent).

"The Arctic and the Antarctic are changing in dramatic ways, more so than anywhere on Earth," said Sven Lindblad, founder and CEO of Lindblad Expeditions, the pioneer of cruise travel to Antarctica and the Galapagos. "Clearly, there is a greater sense of urgency and interest on the part of travelers to see and understand these environments."

The travel industry contributes to carbon emissions, of course, but tour operators argue that exposure to threatened regions converts the curious to conservation. As oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once said, "People protect what they love."

"Our most significant contribution to the realm of sustainability is utilizing the experiences our travelers are having as 'Aha!' moments to come back and do more to protect the planet and our species,'" said Ted Martens, vice president of marketing and sustainability at Natural Habitat Adventures, a wildlife-focused tour company that offsets the carbon emissions of its operations by funding green technology projects.

Natural Habitat runs trips in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund that have generated $10 million since 2003 for WWF programs confronting deforestation in the Amazon and preserving orangutan habitats in Borneo, among others. Natural Habitat's six-day trips to see polar bears in Canada cost $6,195 (all rates are per person).

With World Wildlife Fund-Canada, Adventure Canada is offering an "Arctic Safari" from July 30 to Aug. 10 that explores Greenland's communities and ice fjords, from $5,995.

Some operators encourage citizen scientists to help researchers with their work. The nonprofit EarthWatch Institute runs "Climate Change at the Arctic's Edge" trips, in which travelers take water and tree core samples to measure the health of animals and plants (from $2,014 for seven days). EarthWatch Institute also offers teen-only departures.

Over the next two summers, Poseidon Expeditions will run trips to the North Pole featuring a citizen science program to collect data on sea ice thickness and melting (from $6,960 for 10 days). Data from the operator's first citizen science launch, in 2015, is already being used by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States' Sea Ice Prediction Network.

Lindblad is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Galapagos this summer with cruises aboard the 96-passenger National Geographic Endeavor II (10 days from $6,960) and the new National Geographic Global Explorers Program. The latter's educational activities include collecting plankton, recording wildlife sightings and earning an inflatable Zodiac boat "driver's license."

During the 2017/2018 Antarctic travel season, Abercrombie & Kent's Classic Antarctica departure Jan. 6 is devoted to "Understanding Climate Change" and features noted Antarctic researcher Dr. James McClintock (from $13,495 for 12 days).

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Climate concerns fuel more travel to fragile corners of the world - Post-Bulletin

Travel and tourisms economic impact around the world is, in a word, huge and its growing.

In November, the UNWTO (United National World Travel Organization), the Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Conference on Jobs & Inclusive Growth: Partnership for Sustainable Tourism conference will be held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica.

The meeting is the result of the collaboration between 800 tourism decision makers from 157 countries, including the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, Chemonics, George Washington University and the U.N. General Assembly.

The focus of the meeting is to bring awareness that tourism, done the right way, has a tremendous capacity to create good jobs; provide opportunities for inclusion and education of minorities and young people; and contribute to preserving cultural heritage and the environment.

Done the wrong way, it can do harm.

In 2016, the UNWTO declared 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The group created Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that state that sustainable tourism must promote:

Inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction. Resource efficiency, environmental protection, and climate change. Cultural values, diversity, and heritage.Mutual understanding, peace and security.

It is the economic and environmental sustainability of travel that makes the difference to the places people go. For those destinations, travel as an economic driver can only be considered truly sustainable if it generates good jobs and raises standards of living.

Sustainable travel must stimulate trade and linkages between the destination and the travel providers, respecting and protecting the natural and cultural environments that draw all those tourists in the first place.

As travelers need to be aware of their impact on destinations, tourism stakeholders, hotels, local governments, entertainment, and food and beverage providers must embrace more ecologically, socially and economically sound forms of tourism opportunties.

Jamaican Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett visited Washington, D.C., at the end of June to speak with representatives from both the government and private sectors. During his visit, he discussed the impact of tourism as an economic driver of global economies as well as a tool to reduce poverty.

Mr. Bartlett says the answer to poverty in his and other vacation destinations is to tap into those tourism dollars by providing vacationers with a more authentic experience than the box resort.

The corporate resorts are important to our tourism economy, he says. However, as a destination, we can encourage visitors to leave the resort to visit and give patronage, to the towns of Jamaica to take advantage of the many outdoor activities we offer, to learn about our agro-tourism, eco-tourism, and natural environment.

An example of tourism as an economic driver can be found at Bluefields Bay Villas, Jamaica, where visits to the schools, homes, farms and womens co-ops create a vacation experience far beyond the islands beaches and blue waters.

Located in Jamaicas Westmoreland Parish, Bluefields Bay Villas has made significant efforts to bring awareness of the community, and all it has to offer, to vacationers drawn by the resorts six, private, luxury bay-front villas.

Divided among the villas are 23 bedrooms, which translate into more than 5,000 guest nights annually with a 60 percent occupancy rate. The result is that the Jamaican-American company is able to annually invest $2 million into the Westmoreland economy.

As a Jamaican-American company, we have always been aware of our responsibility to the community of Bluefields Bay and Jamaica as a whole, said Houston Moncure, managing director of Bluefields Bay Villas.

Our entire staff of 80 persons is Jamaican, including the higher-paid management positions. We use local food to make gourmet meals, and products whenever possible that come from the community. We work with the schools to increase educational resources and infrastructure.

We are proactive about not only giving back to the community but also making sure that we help provide a framework for long-term educational and economic improvement to this gorgeous area of Jamaica.

Bluefields Bay Villas demonstrates how the public sector and private enterprise can work together to bring tourism dollars to the people and spur local development.

Another example is Adventure Canada, an expedition cruise-ship operator that collects $250 (U.S.), the Discovery Fund Fee, from passengers. Those dollars directly assist local and national organizations in social and economic community development in addition to environmental and wildlife preservation.

The support goes to nonprofit groups and grassroots initiatives.

Students on Ice is one group we are particularly proud to support, says Cedar Swan, CEO of Adventure Canada. We sponsor students, particularly the Inuit students who live in the small communities we visit, to travel outside their community, act as ambassadors to bring awareness to their home while also learning about a greater world, expanding their horizons.

For the students, it opens up what could otherwise be a very sheltered life experience and, according to Swan, lifts their spirits as it opens their horizons.

A more direct way that Adventure Canada has supported its travel routes is when, after a storm destroyed a family home in Francois, Canada, a small town accessible only by water or air, Adventure Canada donated to help the family rebuild.

Adventure Canada also creates personal experience between the towns it visits and the travelers it ferries. As the ship travels Canadian waterways, daily onboard briefs introduce travelers to the town, national park or ecologically interesting area they are visiting. The company exposes their passengers to authentic and distinct products and services, from regional food demonstrations to heritage parks and learning environments.

These efforts not only help to alleviate poverty in the places the ship visits, but also produce an authentic experience for travelers which is what travel should be about.

Jacquie Kubin is an award-winning travel and food writer and travel editor at Communities Digital News.

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Jamaica hosts sustainable tourism conference - Washington Times

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The world's largest online-travel company - The Economist

The airport's upcoming fourth terminal (T4) is promising passengers an improved travel experience with the innovative use of technology and an interior that embraces a boutique approach.

From a 70-meter-long LED screen keeping you occupied with beautiful visuals while you're passing through passport control and security to colorful funky chairs that wouldn't look out of place in a tech startup office, T4 is aiming to make transiting through the terminal surprisingly fun.

Amongst some of the "surprises" that passengers, particularly young ones, can look forward to when the terminal opens later this year are cute robot "housekeepers" roaming the lounge, dog-shaped chairs and a "heritage" zone featuring the architectural evolution of Singapore's traditional shop houses (from the 1800s to the 1950s) as well as an opportunity to sample local food delights.

Some LED facades will also come to life with "blink and you'll miss them" animations, like a cat running, while a six-minute musical film will be played at regular intervals.

The automatic two-in-one departure gate will speed up boarding processes.

Beyond the funky design, the terminal is utilizing serious technologies to offer a faster end-to-end travel approach, offering passengers a choice of self-service options.

"We are pushing the boundaries to take customer service up to the next level using new and innovative ideas, and thoughtful design features," explains Poh Li San, vice president of Changi Airport Group's T4 Programme Management Office, adding that the smart use of facial recognition technology will ensure that the whole process is "secure and fully integrated."

Passengers will be able to check in at a kiosk and print their luggage tags electronically thanks to a facial recognition system that bypasses the need for manual identity checks.

They're not the first to adopt such technology.

In May, Delta launched a pilot scheme in Minneapolis-St. Paul to use facial recognition software for a self-service bag drop.

Other airports that use facial recognition tech include Auckland, Amsterdam Schiphol and Qatar Doha, though Poh says she's not aware of any airport implementing the full suite initiatives on a terminal-wide basis.

Changi Airport's new terminal has a boutique feel.

For travelers using T4, moving through the departure gate will now be a centralized experience with an automated two-in-one approach (boarding card and passport check in one go).

The final security check should also prove faster, with passengers no longer needing to remove electronic equipment from their bags thanks to the use of CT scanners -- a first in an airport, according to Poh.

The final boarding will also take place through automated gates equipped with the facial recognition system.

In the US, low-cost carrier Jet Blue also recently started a facial recognition trial for passengers boarding at Boston Logan International Airport.

This end-to-end automated approach will not only help expedite the flow of passengers through the terminal with improved efficiency, but will also help alleviate the city-state's manpower shortage, Poh told journalists previewing the terminal.

Over the long term, Changi Airport expects 20% manpower savings with this automated approach.

An alternative art gallery.

While the two-story terminal is only 225,000 square meters (two-thirds the size of Changi's terminal 3), it still offers a visual sense of space thanks to the use of high ceiling skylights, a general lowering of all the furniture and the use of glass walls throughout that allow peeks of the boarding gates from the departure hall.

The focal point of the airport, visible from both floors, is a hypnotic installation of six kinetic sculptures by Germany's ART+COM Studios, which span 200 meters at the center of the terminal.

Called Petalclouds, it's inspired by the petals of Singapore's national flower, the orchid. The artwork will provide a one-hour choreographed "ballet" on a loop, moving gently to a classical tune composed by award-winning composer Olafur Arnalds.

The petal theme resonates throughout the terminal, from the skylight to the marble flooring, carpet, air-con binnacles and even the dustbins and fire extinguishers, and other artworks are peppered throughout, "all curated around the theme of flight and travel," explains Daniel Foo, who was part of the Changi team selecting the art.

Greenery has not been forgotten, with an estimated 582,000 plants, trees and shrubs throughout the terminal, including a "boulevard" of 160 ficus trees along the boarding corridor.

T4 will be a test-bed for Changi's upcoming fifth terminal.

Nine airlines will operate out of T4 (the four airlines from AirAsia Group, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, Korean Air, Spring Airlines and Vietnam Airlines), which has a handling capacity of 16 million passengers per year.

This will bring the total handling capacity of Changi Airport to 82 million, ensuring scope for future growth at what is already one of the busiest airports in Asia.

Last year, the airport handled a record 58.7 million passengers.

Poh said its design and innovation was very much "a test-bed" for Changi's fifth terminal, due to be completed in the late 2020s.

"Competition remains strong in the region, and many of our neighbors are also building new airports or improving their existing infrastructure, says Poh.

"Changi Airport continues to push the boundaries to ensure that we stay ahead of the competition."

10. Frankfurt Airport (Germany) -- Among the busiest airports in Europe, Frankfurt Airport sneaks into the Top 10 on this year's Skytrax World Airport Awards list.

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Automated and funky: Inside Singapore Changi Airport's groundbreaking new terminal - CNN

Photo Illustration; Aaron Foster/Getty

We talked to Brian Kelly, expert on all things travel points, on which credit card offers the best rewards, whether hotel points are worth it, and how to become a points freak in the first place.

Brian Kellys livelihood started as many an influencers: His friends gave him a weird nickname in 2010, he decided to make an eponymous blog with said nickname, and then companies started flooding his inbox with emails with words like commission and profit and affiliate marketing. It was just the beginning of what would become his everyday life.

None of the world travel Kelly has donetaking his parents to Beijing and East timor to celebrate their retirement, becoming a chief in a Ghanian village wouldve been possible had Kelly not become addicted to racking up frequent flier miles and credit card points, and bought the domain for The Points Guy, his blog-cum-profitable-website that now beckons 4.5 million visitors a month. Looking for updates about the TSAs electronic ban? The Points Guys got you covered. Have a spare $500 and want to know the furthest you can get away from New York City? Round-trip ticket to Amman, Jordan: $499, baby.

As someone who has dedicated his livelihood to the art of travel, points, and deals, Kelly has the insight and advice that could put money in your pockets and your butt in a lounge chair in the San Sebastin. So, we asked him about credit card rewards, the worthiness of hotel points, and whale sharks.

GQ: Lets ask an extremely basic question first: What exactly are points and miles, and why am I supposed to care about them? Kelly: simply put, theyre a form of currency. You can get them from traveling, but nowadays, more and more points come from credit cards and everyday spending. You literally just have to spend money to get them. Most people have them; most people dont know how to use them.

How did you get into this relatively unconventional hobby or interest, however you choose to classify it? In the nineties, my dad was a business traveler, so he had all these frequent flier miles. Wed go to the Caribbean for almost free, and when I was 12, I thought, it sucks that my dad has to travel for work but at least we have all these points. I was working at Morgan Stanley in 2007 and was traveling a ton, and my friends called me the points guy because I knew all the ins and outs. So in June 2010, I started a blog, and 9 months later, credit card companies came knocking at my door for affiliate marketing. Today were one of top credit card content websites. Its my dream job.

Im young-ish and mainly travel for leisure, maybe once or twice a year. Whats the best credit card for me? The best all-around card in the marketplace is the Chase Sapphire Reserve. It was so popular that they ran out of metal when it came out. You start with 50,000 points and earn triple points on all travel and dining. Travel includes subway tickets and parking tolls, and dining includes things like Seamless. Its a $450 annual fee but you get $300 right away in credit, so you basically pay $150 a year and get a card that gives you triple points. If you dont want that hefty annual fee, Id recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which gives you 50,000 points and double points on travel and dining. American Expresss Starwood is solid as well.

What about hotel points. Are those worth it? It depends. The best are Starwood Preferred Guesttheyre insanely valuable because you can transfer them to maybe 35 different airlines, hotels, and experiences. I saw Adele in London with them. But, while hotel points can be valuable, give me credit card points instead. Its much better to have flexible points than to box yourself in.

Considering your travel habits, you must have a lot of tips. Share them please? I think a lot of people go to the same place over and over, which isnt necessarily bad, but I think people should explore more. Also, dont go to places during peak season, like Europe in summer or Asia in spring. You get half the crowds and half the prices during shoulder seasons. Its also easier to get frequent flier miles at lower levels during this time. But generally, [right now is] a great time to be traveling because the US dollar is so strong.

Last extremely important question: We hear youre mildly obsessed with sharks.If you could travel anywhere to see them, where would that be? A place called Holbox Island, [near] Tulum. The whale sharks are really plentiful there, and Im dying to see whale sharks.

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The Best Credit Card for Travel Rewards, and Other Advice from The Points Guy - GQ Magazine

From the Louvre to the boulevards of Haussmann and the literary hangouts of Montmartre, Paris has been a center of innovation in culture throughout history.

The city is now looking to obtain that official status for a surprising monument: its rooftops.

Paris has begun the process of having its classic zinc rooftops recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site, local news outlets reported. The process is long and arduous, involving many inspections, and it could be years before the international organization renders its decision.

Currently, the only UNESCO world heritage site in Paris is the banks of the river Seine.

Local union workers who restore and rebuild the rooftops noted that their profession has been in decline among younger populations and expressed hope that world heritage status could spark interest.

"Being included on the list marks a just recognition of our profession," Angel Sanchez, president of the union that represents the roofers, told Le Parisien. "Our tools have modernized. The inherent risks of our profession have declined, but our methods have remained traditional."

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Why Paris Thinks Its Rooftops Deserve International Recognition - Travel+Leisure

Jul 27, 2017 at 7:41 am | Print View

Stepping into The Map Room, a new pub in downtown Cedar Rapids, is a little like stepping into the pages of an atlas maps from around the world line the walls.

We traveled a lot, and we were always picking up maps wherever we went. We joked we would put them in the map room someday, said owner Christina Springman, who opened the bar and restaurant with her husband, Mitch Springman.

Instead of creating that room in their house, they decided to share their maps with the public, alongside servings of homemade pub food and signature cocktails. Together, the decor and the menu are meant to provide a friendly, comfortable atmosphere.

We wanted a spot that would inspire people to talk about their travels, Christina Springman said.

The food also comes with a globe-trotting aesthetic. The kitchen is small, about 4 feet wide, so they had to keep the menu focused; chef Quincey Sproston mainly serves burgers, along with a selection of loaded fries and crostinis.

Each burger focuses on a different global city, with a flavor profile and toppings inspired by that areas cuisine. The Delhi burger, for example, is topped with paneer, garam masala and mint chutney, while the New Orleans burger is topped with mortadella, ham, salami, mozzarella, provolone and spicy olive relish. Others include the Marrakesh, Seoul, Memphis and Napoli burgers.

We tried to hit every continent with the menu, Springman said. We just had to figure out how to put them on a burger.

The drink menu, meanwhile, features beer and wine alongside craft cocktails like the La Mure, which includes blackberry brandy, fresh lemon juice and sparkling wine, or the Porch Life, with gin, Domaine de Canton ginger and house-made strawberry lemonade.

We went for light, refreshing summer drinks, Springman said. I want this to be a comfortable tavern. I dont want it to be pretentious by any means.

Both of the Springmans have a restaurant industry background. Christina Springman most recently managed the Black Sheep Social Club, and Mitch Springman manages The Lucky Penny in Hiawatha.

Black Sheep Social Club owner Graig Cone gave them the loan to get started with The Map Room. When Stellas closed during the 2016 flood and didnt reopen, Springman got in touch with building owner Kory Nanke with her business proposal. After some remodeling, The Map Room opened June 30.

Springman said the small downtown bar has always appealed to her, nestled among much taller buildings. Along with the snug indoor seating, she plans to open patio seating this week.

Everything else is so big and towering. Its a tiny little respite, she said. I like the size of it. I can talk to everyone in here. Its nice and cozy.

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(CNN) In a single day Londoner Jacqui Kenny continent-hops from Sun City, Arizona to Naryn, Kyrgyzstan -- and back again.

Kenny's travel itinerary is unconstrained by the usual limits of money, transportation or logistics. That's because she travels the world without leaving her house -- via Google Street View.

Kenny suffers from agoraphobia -- an anxiety condition that makes real world traveling very difficult.

The project came about by accident -- but she now has over 35,200 followers.

Kenny began exploring the world via Google Street View in early 2016.

"I thought it was a little bit magic, Google Street View, it feels like a parallel universe, frozen in time," Kenny tells CNN Travel. "There's all these billions of images that are yet to be explored."

The project began early 2016. Kenny was in the process of closing down a company she had co-founded a decade previously. It was a difficult time and her explorations via Street View were comforting -- and provided an outlet for her creativity.

"I wasn't really ready to go back into the world," she recalls. "So I thought, I needed a creative project, so that I can still be doing something creative and keeping myself focused."

Initially the New Zealand native was exploring blindly -- unsure what aesthetic she would be drawn to, but it didn't take her long to realize she had a knack for spotting striking settings.

Her images depict arid, desert landscapes. Sporadic pops of color bringing the photos to life.

"I realized pretty quickly that I really liked those kind of extreme environments," she says. "That might be connected to the fact that due to my agoraphobia, these are places that I would never go to in real life."

Kenny's images have a specific look that has proved popular with Instagram users.

Kenny's Instagram feed is a visual smorgasbord of scenes from across the world -- all presented in Kenny's carefully framed aesthetic.

Buildings are low-roofed, often half the image is taken up with blue sky. Colors burst through the otherwise minimalist scene.

Only occasionally do people appear in her images. When they do, their blurred faces add to the photos' otherworldly appeal.

The overall look is more akin to a scene from a Wes Anderson movie than real life.

But the images aren't carefully directed scenes -- but real life moments recorded by Google and captured by Kenny.

Kenny makes no effort to hide the reality of her images.

She embraces the Google Street View car's intrusion into the scene. Her penchant for desert scenes is in part because of the effect the car has on the dust.

"I love the dust," she says, "Because the Google car kicks up the dust it adds another layer -- something that feels a little bit surreal."

She avoids the oddities that can be spotted on the digital platform. "I try to be as respectful as I possibly can, I always think about that," she says.

People rarely appear on Kenny's Instagram feed, which is carefully curated and framed.

As Kenny embraces her project's unconventional digital roots, she's also learning to embrace her agoraphobia.

"I've always wanted to do something about mental health. But I was never sure what to do," she says. "I'd never really told anybody about my agoraphobia, I mean I've had it for many, many years and the only people I'd ever told were my family and my close friends."

Kenny initially worried about telling her followers, but soon realized her fears were unfounded.

"When I put it up on Instagram, it was amazing," she says, "Obviously there's still so much stigma attached and I thought people were going to judge me, but I've had nothing but support."

Kenny is constantly getting messages from other agoraphobics -- and people who suffer from other mental health conditions, thanking her for getting the word out.

"I get people contacting me pretty much every day, especially over the past six months, and I've built this really amazing community," she says. "But it's not just a community of people who are going through similar struggles, it's also a creative community too."

Kenny is considering hosting an exhibition of her images.

Kenny's work has even attracted the attention of Google.

She says she's been chatting to the company about upcoming projects.

With all the buzz, she has even been considering tackling her issues head on and visiting some of her favorite locales in real life.

"I feel quite a connection now to some of these places that I immerse myself in. When I get a town I really, really love, I'll spend quite a lot of time there," Kenny adds.

There has been talk of exhibitions and events in some of these spots.

"I think I would go to these places if there was a reason to go to them," she says. "I would love to have an exhibition in the places that I travel to the most. And that would give me enough reason to go."

The photographer acknowledges it would be incredibly difficult -- but rewarding: "It would be very, very hard for me, to do it [...] but for something like, I would."

In the meantime Kenny is excited to see where the project goes -- she is considering branching out into virtual reality and other new technologies.

"It's kind of amazing how spending a lot of time at home on this project has actually really opened my world," she says.

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Meet the woman photographing the world -- via Google Street View ... - CNN International

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Amid piles of dried chiles, straw baskets and ripe papaya, Jeevanti Chatuvinas wares represented by her sister modeling a gold-studded red sari, dramatic eyeliner and a perfectly coiffed chignon glamorized the weekly market found on the edge of a lagoon lush with mature mangroves about an hours drive north of Colombo in Sri Lanka.

Her bridal beauty business, like the others at the pop-up, represents the economic link between protecting the mangroves as nurseries of the islands fish stocks, tsunami buffers and CO2 sinks and sustaining communities dependent on them.

We cant do mangrove conservation without the people, said Anuradha Anu Wickramasinghe, co-founder of Sudeesa, a Sri Lanka nonprofit advocating for small-scale fishing and farming operations. It was his idea to provide business training and $100 micro-loans to some of the poorest women in coastal fishing communities in exchange for their protection of the vital ecosystem, applying a social fix to an environmental problem caused by logging, mass prawn farming and, in the northern areas, civil war. They get training from us and seed money from Seacology.

This spring, I joined Seacology, the California-based environmental nonprofit, on one of its tours that showcase its projects. Mangrove restoration in Sri Lanka is its largest ever, with the organization donating $5 million over five years to protect more than 21,000 acres of coastal mangroves by bringing the micro-loan program to 15,000 rural women. Meeting the programs budding entrepreneurs and exploring solutions to environmental challenges with field experts were the highlights of an itinerary also filled with more tourist-friendly activities, like a walking tour of Colombo, visits to Hindu and Buddhist temples, and meals both traditional and trendy.

From the broken Paris climate pact to the collapsing ice shelf in Antarctica, climate issues have dominated recent headlines. Providing access to those front lines, the travel industry has mirrored eco-concerns with the growth of climate-focused trips.

Many of these trips are concentrated at the poles. In Greenland, for example, the number of tourists rose almost 24 percent in 2015. Last year, tourism grew by nearly 10 percent more than double the global average. American travelers represented one-third of the 34,539 travelers who visited Antarctica this past winter, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, by far the largest contingent (Chinese travelers come in second at 12 percent).

The Arctic and the Antarctic are changing in dramatic ways, more so than anywhere on Earth, said Sven Lindblad, founder and CEO of Lindblad Expeditions, the pioneer of cruise travel to Antarctica and the Galapagos. Clearly, there is a greater sense of urgency and interest on the part of travelers to see and understand these environments.

The travel industry contributes to carbon emissions, of course, but tour operators argue that exposure to threatened regions converts the curious to conservation. As oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once said, People protect what they love.

Our most significant contribution to the realm of sustainability is utilizing the experiences our travelers are having as Aha! moments to come back and do more to protect the planet and our species, said Ted Martens, vice president of marketing and sustainability at Natural Habitat Adventures, a wildlife-focused tour company that offsets the carbon emissions of its operations by funding green technology projects.

Natural Habitat runs trips in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund that have generated $10 million since 2003 for WWF programs confronting deforestation in the Amazon and preserving orangutan habitats in Borneo, among others. Natural Habitats six-day trips to see polar bears in Canada cost $6,195 (all rates are per person).

With World Wildlife Fund-Canada, Adventure Canada is offering an Arctic Safari from July 30 to Aug. 10 that explores Greenlands communities and ice fjords, from $5,995.

Some operators encourage citizen scientists to help researchers with their work. The nonprofit EarthWatch Institute runs Climate Change at the Arctics Edge trips, in which travelers take water and tree core samples to measure the health of animals and plants (from $2,014 for seven days). EarthWatch Institute also offers teen-only departures.

Over the next two summers, Poseidon Expeditions will run trips to the North Pole featuring a citizen science program to collect data on sea ice thickness and melting (from $6,960 for 10 days). Data from the operators first citizen science launch, in 2015, is already being used by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States Sea Ice Prediction Network.

Lindblad is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Galapagos this summer with cruises aboard the 96-passenger National Geographic Endeavor II (10 days from $6,960) and the new National Geographic Global Explorers Program. The latters educational activities include collecting plankton, recording wildlife sightings and earning an inflatable Zodiac boat drivers license.

During the 2017/2018 Antarctic travel season, Abercrombie & Kents Classic Antarctica departure Jan. 6 is devoted to Understanding Climate Change and features noted Antarctic researcher Dr. James McClintock (from $13,495 for 12 days).

Naturalist Richard Polatty, a veteran of 60 trips to Antarctica and guide for International Nature and Cultural Adventures (from $10,995 for 11 days), views familiarity as a source of support for the region.

Antarctica is the author of global climate in some ways and is a very sensitive indicator of global climate change, he said.

But it is felt as far away as Sri Lanka, where fishermen in the north say the tides have changed in the past two years, and at least 50 feet of new mangroves planted near Jaffna stand in parched dirt instead of being flooded by water. With the assistance of the navy, Sudeesa continues to plant seedlings with the goal of repopulating the sea with fish and empowering women to be protectors of the coastal forests by ensuring a family income.

We take care of the mothers, who will pass on their knowledge to their children, said Sudeesas Anu as we drove down a sand road separating woven fishing huts from the sparkling turquoise sea on a community-based tour of the island better known for luxury resorts. To the children we say, This is your wealth.

(Elaine Glusac is a freelance writer.)

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Climate concerns fuel more travel to fragile corners of the world - MyAJC