The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. 

Wacky world - weekly offbeat travel roundup

Relaxnews
Friday 05 November 2010 01:00 GMT
Comments
(AFP PHOTO/POOL/LAURENT GILLIERON)

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

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in