In this time of travel bans, grounded airlines and partial lockdowns, many of us are getting itchy feet. The good news is, you can still indulge in some of that wanderlust – through books and movies, social media feeds and virtual tours involving everything from art to animals. It's time to embark on some armchair travel.
Go on a book tour
Start with popular travel books based in or on your favourite cities, well-thumbed copies of National Geographic or that old Lonely Planet guidebook languishing in a corner. The best thing about books – and not just travel books, even detective fiction can do this – is how they can transport your mind to the farthest reaches of the world.
For instance, tomes such as Shantaram, Behind the Beautiful Forevers and Maximum City instantly carry readers deep into the crowds and chaos of Mumbai. Read On the Road by Jack Kerouac, The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara, In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson, or even the Tintin series, where the young reporter traverses the of the world – from the Congo to Tibet.
For children, there are classics (that can be purchased online) such as Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, taking young readers on an adventure through jungles and islands, and Miroslav Sasek's This is… series, which introduces big cities such as London, Paris and New York, along with fun facts and trivia.
Be a digital nomad
Experienced bloggers such as Nomadic Matt, Legal Nomads and Adventurous Kate don’t merely offer personal travel stories, but also practical advice and luscious photography.
If you’ve always been a secret trainspotter, Matthew Woodward documents his fascinating travels on train journeys that take several days and cover numerous stops on the way. Websites such as Carmen Sandiego and Kids World Travel Guide are enough to inspire nomads of all ages, talking about not only geography, but also culture and customs.
If reading feels like too much effort, simply plug in your earphones and listen to inspiring stories from the road – The Big Travel Podcast presented by UK journalist Lisa Francesca Nand is a good place to start.
Online communities Travel Massive and Lonely Planet’s Thorntree Forum are also great places to connect with other wanderlusters, and find recommendations for your future trips.
Reel it in
Now is the time to visit (or revisit) classic films, too: think Roman Holiday, Out of Africa, Amelie and even the unlikely contender Lost in Translation, which tap into the emotions of feeling lonely and adrift in a new place, or simply the discomfort of jet lag and cultural confusion.
And then there are all those stunning documentaries by stalwarts such as David Attenborough and Michael Palin, visual masterpieces such as Antarctica: A Year on Ice, Desert Sea and Baraka, plus the fascinating YouTube series Most Dangerous Ways To School, which show how children across the world face and overcome daily challenges in their journey towards a basic education.
Spend a day at the museum
You could also spend the day at a museum, art gallery or opera house – a number of which around the world have closed their ticketing counters to visitors, only to have opened their digital doors. To make this exploration even easier, log into the Google Arts & Culture partner page and take a tour through hundreds of museums – from those with global collections such as the British Museum in London, Florence's Uffizi Gallery and New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, to lesser-known gems such as South Korea's National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art – Seoul and the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
Think of it as your best chance to see Vermeer's The Girl with a Pearl Earring up close at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, or delve deeper into Mona Lisa's mysterious smile in an uncrowded Louvre in Paris.
Teleport to the spot
Alternately, turn to Google Earth and Street View to take a hike through the Grand Canyon (one of the 32 US National Parks available) or a trip to the Taj Mahal (which is among 30 Unesco World Heritage Sites on offer).
Much like the museums, several nature parks, aquariums and wildlife zoos have launched live feeds, allowing people to take a peek at the wonders of nature: from the slothful lives of giant pandas on the iPanda China feed to watching the Old Faithful geyser erupt at the Yellowstone National Park in the US, and from seeing the mystical dance of the Northern Lights in Norway to Nasa’s Mars Rover feed, there is something for everyone (plus more on Explore Livecams and Earth Cam).
Cook up a storm
And finally, this is the perfect time to take culinary journeys from the comfort of your own kitchen – perhaps using that curry paste picked up from last year’s holiday. Toss up a quick Thai-style salad with crunchy greens, fresh vegetables and a creamy peanut sauce.
Or learn to cook an elaborate risotto along with 84-year-old nonna Nerina straight from the heart of Italy on Nonna Live; brush up on basics such as "what does julienne mean" or "how to roast a chicken" on the BBC's food channel; or up your cooking game with a masterclass from the likes of Gordon Ramsay online.
Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand (Saturday, 12pm)
Wales v South Africa (Sunday, 1pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Read more about the coronavirus
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAri%20Katcher%2C%20Ryan%20Welch%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERamy%20Youssef%2C%20Amr%20Waked%2C%20Mohammed%20Amer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Gandhi Murder
- 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
- 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
- 7 - million dollars, the film's budget
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
