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RV Travel: Now Actually Stylish?

September 2, 2008 at 3:30 PM | 0 Comments

Most campers and RV's on the road are unattractive and plain. They're unwieldy, lumbering beasts that function well enough as a mobile living space, but fail in the looks department. But fortunately for caravan enthusiasts, a gust of fresh air has blown in from Austria.

The Mehrzeller caravan concept by Christian Freissling and Theresa Kalteis from Graz University of Technology, looks like no other camper you have ever seen. Think cool space ship not beige metal box.

Made up of angular planes and organic cells, the Mehrzeller can be infinitely customized to your needs with an online design tool. Just tweak the settings, hit send and your one-of-a-kind RV is on the way.

The interior is a minimalist, modern mix of light wood and white paint, and is well appointed with everything needed for comfortable living--except a gas card.

Related Stories:
· Mehrzeller [Official Site]
· A New Angle on Camping, the Mehrzeller Concept Caravan [Core 77]
· Design Travel coverage [Jaunted]

National Parks Travel: The $70,000 Toilet

June 6, 2008 at 12:30 PM | 0 Comments

If going to the bathroom was the one thing holding you back from scaling a mountain, then worry no more. Mount Rainier National Park will celebrate the grand opening of its new $70,000 toilet on Monday. That's right, the park will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for a bathroom at the Cougar Rock Campground.

Surprisingly, this isn't an excessive government outlay. A Japanese environmental activism group donated the toilet, since Mount Fiji is Rainier's sister peak.

The facility uses cedar chips and natural composting to operate with very little water and apparently very little odor. Apparently.

There's only one issue with celebration. According to the park's official site, an unusually high amount of late season snow will keep the Cougar Rock Campground closed till June 13. What if they gave us a new toilet and nobody came?

Related Stories:
· Mount Rainier National Park [Official Site]
· Mount Rainier to Hold Ribbon-Cutting for Toilet [AP]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Not a photo of the five-figure john: latca]

Humboldt Redwoods No Longer Doomed

January 25, 2008 at 10:00 AM | 0 Comments

Looks like you'll soon be able to scratch Northern California's redwoods off your "Tourism of Doom" list. But that doesn't mean you should miss camping among the old growth trees or cruising along the Avenue of the Giants--a winding 32-mile stretch of pavement that snakes through a stunning forest landscape.

Last week a coalition of private investors and environmentalists proposed a plan that would take over 200,000 acres of redwood forest in Humboldt County from a bankrupt logging firm, turning most of it over to state parks. (Parts would be left for sustainable logging practices.) The deal has yet to go through, but things look hopeful.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park is a perfect place for travelers journeying down scenic Highway 101 to stop and spend a night. Light up a campfire and marvel at how the trunks stretch into the inky black of night--few things in the world can give you perspective like standing next to a tree that's been alive for 2,000 years.

Related Stories:
· Groups Aim to Save Redwood Forest [San Jose MN]
· Humboldt Redwoods State Park [Official Site]
· World's Best National Parks coverage [Jaunted]

Stargazing In Deerlick Village

November 5, 2007 at 12:00 PM | 0 Comments

We spend our days trying to figure out where and how we can experience the world's greatest cultures. But sometimes a person needs to get away from the crowds, lie beneath the stars and contemplate his or her menial existence. Too bad all the bloody street lamps and headlights make catching the untainted night sky more difficult than snapping a picture of the Olsen twins smiling.

In comes Deerlick Astronomy Village in eastern Georgia. The 96-acre site guarantees its guests the darkness and quiet they need to play Galileo on long weekends away:

"It's like a lake house for geeks," said Chris Hetlage, co-founder of the village, as he tromped through the darkness toward his observatory.

Stargazers have bought the 17 plots on the grounds to build their darkness-friendly cabins. Next to the houses is an observation field where non-residents are invited to camp for free.

Residents are required to keep outdoor lights a dim red--it doesn't affect the eyes the same way as white light--and line windows with foam board or other light-blocking materials to prevent rays from escaping. We're not sure how exactly a housing development combats urban sprawl, but it sounds like it's at least keeping rural Georgia in the dark.

Related Stories:
· Georgia Astronomy Village Fills Up Quickly [AP, via Google]
· Deerlick Astronomy Village [Official Site]
· Stargazing Map [Jaunted]
· Camping coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: marzmyst]

When Renting a Van Gets Wicked

October 22, 2007 at 9:15 AM | 2 Comments

Budget travelers looking for a good way to get around that vast continent they call Australia need look no further: we're sure that driving a Wicked Camper is the only way to travel. These guys suggest that instead of taking buses and sleeping in hostels, or buying a car to circumnavigate the country, you'll be much better off hiring a Wicked van.

These camper vans come complete with a kitchen, surprisingly large bed, camp stools and table, CD player and, if you choose the Wicked Air model, air-conditioning. The best part is that no two Wicked vans are quite the same. With their really, really loud paint jobs, these vans kinda give the mixed message of "leave me alone" and "talk to me, I'm interesting," which is exactly what you want on a long trip.

Related Stories:
· Wicked Campers [Official Site]
· Camp For Nix Down Under [Jaunted]
· Australia Travel Stories [Jaunted]

[Photo: robstephaustralia]

Camp For Nix Down Under

October 2, 2007 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

Camping sounds like a smart way to enjoy a country as sunny and warm as Australia, and you'll probably get to meet a bunch of friendly Aussies sitting around the campfire with a beer or ten. On November 9, 2007 you'll be able to afford more beer because Big4 Holiday Parks are having another Come Camp Night, where you can pitch your tent and not pay a cent.

When we mentioned Come Camp in 2006, we were probably unnecessarily cautious about dangerous snakes and koalas. Big4 Holiday Parks doesn't mention any nasty critters at all--in fact the campground operator talks more about mini-golf, spas, swimming pools, tennis courts and giant jumping pillows. Although maybe the giant jumping pillows could turn out to be just as dangerous. Happy camping.

Related Stories:
· Come Camp Night [Official Site]
· The Great Aussie Camping Giveaway [Jaunted]
· Australia Travel Stories [Jaunted]

[Photo: strangejourney]

Beware the Caravan Gas Bandits

August 20, 2007 at 8:46 AM | 0 Comments

We've heard this criminal strategy often works on overnight trains, but a warning this week from the British Foreign Office tells us that nasty crimes in France are also using this trick: the gassed-while-you-sleep idea where you wake up and discover all your most prized possessions have disappeared.

So be careful if you take a caravan or camper to France, especially if you decide to save a few euro by sleeping on the side of the road. There have been several incidents where tourists sleeping in roadside rest areas have woken up to discover they've been robbed. As one victim explained, "When we woke up everything was gone and we had a really woozy feeling". So stay in an official campsite and make sure any woozy feeling you wake up with simply comes from too much French wine, rather than the actions of thieves.

Related Stories:
· Beware Sleeping Gas Gang [Telegraph]
· Weird Thief at Melbourne Exhibition [Jaunted]
· Stop Thief! He's Got My Hair! [Jaunted]

[Photo: dubrax]

Camping As You Know It Is Dead

March 8, 2007 at 3:25 PM | 0 Comments


Both sad and wonderful, the Eureka! N!ergy tent and E! Power System brings the world of camping to the My Super Sweet 16 set as well as anyone else you know who's a priss. The tent itself comes in medium to extra-large and includes concealed wiring that provides you with power access: three 12-volt jacks to juice up practical devices such as alarm clocks, reading lights and iPods. The system is meant to be used with the E! Power Pak, which requires an additional purchase. Not even all those exclamation points could get us to try this thing out in Queens, though.

A 4-5 person tent will run you about $149, plus about $50 extra for the Power Pak. You'll need a 12v to 110v AC adapter to use everyday camping essentials like your hair dryer from home.

Related Stories:
· Eureka! E! Power System And N!ergy Tent [OhGizmo!]
· Eureka! tents [Official Site]

Cumbersome Solar Box Will Power Your iPod

December 13, 2006 at 2:30 PM | 0 Comments


Gizmodo tips us off to this device that's perfect for environmentally-conscious travel: a "portable" solar power box. By "portable," they mean about 75 pounds. That's not going to fly for your easyJet baggage limit, but we suppose you could stuff it in your Prius. The unit costs about $566.

It's powerful enough to wind up your small travel essentials: cell phones, iPods, etc. The company says the unit is designed for ease of use--good luck with that. We recommend this device for campers and Peace Corps transplants.

Related Stories:
· Portable Plug and Play Solar Kit [Red Ferret via Gizmodo]

The New York Times on Winter in NYC

November 20, 2006 at 2:35 PM | 0 Comments


Sometimes you want to go to a proper resort to enjoy the winter, and sometimes you just want to go urban. Yesterday's Times ran through oodles of resort options, but we like their rundown of what to do in NYC the best.

Snow in the city isn't guaranteed, so you may or may not be able to ski on your visit. If you're lucky enough to see a big snow, you can head to the bike paths along the Hudson River and any big park to do your thing. Legally speaking, you can ski anywhere you can walk, but we've also seen cross-country skiers speeding down the driving lanes of Park Avenue in the past.

Other choice winter activities include skating at Wollman Rink in Central Park, hockey at Lasker Rink (where entrance for goalies is free), and, apparently, camping. That's right, you can arrange winter camping at Alley Pond Park in Queens. That sounds more like a joke and/or dare for Manhattanites than viable budget lodging for an out-of-towner. Good luck if you try it, though. City Bakery's hot chocolate will be there to cheer you up the day after.

Related Stories:
· Snow City: Gotham as a Winter Wonderland [NYT]

The Great Aussie Camping Giveway

October 18, 2006 at 9:14 AM | 0 Comments


You can actually get something for nothing next month Down Under. The group of campgrounds and resorts known as Big 4 (although there's 165 of them) have decided to encourage Australians and visiting travelers to rediscover the beauty of a night in the outdoors. Their strategy: the Come Camp campaign, giving everyone the opportunity to camp in any of the parks across Australia for free on Friday November 10.

Spaces are limited, so get your booking in quick so you can enjoy the sounds of those odd Aussie birds chirping, the rustle of snakes slithering past your tent and the quiet fear at the back of your mind that those koalas aren't as friendly as they look. Of course, if you ever saw the Giant Koala, you already know that koalas can be frightening. Camp at your own risk.

[Photo: TheSnakeMan]

Related Stories:
· Koalas--Cute When Small ... [Jaunted]

Ugly American Vs. Angry Irishman

September 14, 2006 at 9:43 AM | 0 Comments



Are Americans spoiled when it comes to Irish B&Bs, or are they the victim of unjust discrimination? That's the debate that's playing out in the pages of the Times of London. The paper listed the Green Gate as the "greatest little B&B in Ireland", which subsequently drew some American interest. Unfortunately, according to owner, Paul Chatenoud, some American guests were taken aback by the Spartan accommodations of the B&B and would cancel in rather obnoxious ways. Chatenoud retaliated by canceling the reservations of any Americans after that:

It's not me that doesn't like Americans, it's Americans that don't like me. I've recently had 10 American couples who decided, once they saw the B&B, they didn't like it. Most didn't tell me to my face; they said they were going into town for a drink, then called up and cancelled, refusing to pay. The cottage is exactly how The Sunday Times described it: remote and basic.
Chatenoud also updated his website, which is now replete with warning about how simple it is, and that it's "the complete opposite of the American way of life". We guess that means he doesn't have Spectravision.

[Image via polaris37/Flickr]

Related Stories:
·   Readers Rants [Times of London]