Wacky world - weekly offbeat travel roundup
A roundup of this week's offbeat travel stories from Relaxnews.
Visiting Hobbiton
Peter Jackson's latest project was important enough for the New Zealand government to pass a new law to accommodate him, so we're unsurprised at the revelation that Hobbiton is set to become a permanent piece of New Zealand. Highlights include the real thatched roof of The Green Dragon and the nearby Bywater Bridge, which will be built in permanent stone for tourists to visit.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/4289149/New-Hobbiton-set-there-to-stay
Identity crisis
Canadian custom officials detained a young man last week after he pulled off an incredible transformation on board his flight. The man reportedly boarded the plane as an elderly Caucasian male and disembarked as an Asian male in his 20s, described by Canadian Border Services as an "unbelievable case of concealment."
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/11/04/canada.disguised.passenger/index.html
British food
Scoffed at by much of the world for its notoriously bad food, Britain's tourism authorities are trying to fight back, releasing statistics this week that showed most of the world is keen to tuck into a Full English Breakfast. Among those keenest were would-be visitors from Russia, Brazil and India, said VisitBritain. Germany and Ireland, however, were still a little reticent.
http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/39781?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=show_page/39781&utm_campaign=TravelDailyMainTitle
Rocket Man
If this week's stories about jet engines unnerved you a little, spare a thought for Yves Rossy, a Swiss adventurer who completed two loops in the sky using a jet propelled wingsuit this week. Rossy jumped from a hot air balloon above Lake Geneva and landed safely with a parachute, saying he was "happy and satisfied".
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_switzerland_rocket_man
- 1 Pope Francis: Being an atheist is alright as long as you do good
- 2 Man and woman arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder victim of Woolwich machete attack, named as Drummer Lee Rigby
- 3 'Sickening, deluded and unforgivable': Horrific attack brings terror to London’s streets
- 4 Archaeologists uncover nearly 5,000 cave paintings in Burgos, Mexico
- 5 Woolwich attack: The EDL will seek to exploit this evil crime for their own evil ends
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Visit York
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Making reading fun for kids
Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.
Introducing the 'Get Reading' campaign
Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
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Day In a Page
The man who's eaten everywhere
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?
Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival
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Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed
Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them










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