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Readers response: What was the worst hotel experience you had?

We asked our readers to share their stories of the worst hotel experience that have endured while on holiday, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Deedee Cullum - At a 5 star in Beijing. Arrived from the airport after 1am. Let into the room to find it occupied with someone having a bath. Instead of changing our room we waited in the lobby for 1 and 1/2 hours while they changed to the correct room and cleaned ours. The wet towels were neatly folded on the towel rack and the used soap was on the basin. When I turned the bedside light on I got a shock. To be fair management were most apologetic and gave us free dining in their top restaurant for the 4 days we were there. It was a few years ago but never forgotten. Bruce Hopkins - I stopped at a Hotel in Hobart, arrived in the afternoon, checked out the next day, the whole time I stopped there, I never saw anyone on reception or any staff at all. Creepiest hotel I stayed in. Carol Henwood - When we went to have a shower, and the towels disintegrated! The shower had black mould in all the corners. The carpet was so sticky, we kept our shoes on. We slept on top of the bed as the sheets were crumpled and smelly. What a night. Sheila Kell - When my eldest son was about 2 years old we took a holiday to Shute Harbour in QLD and in middle of night we heard lots of scratching so turned on light and sat up in bed and there were hundreds of field mice crawling up walls and back of bed. They apparently were having a plague, but we dressed and left. Couldn't sleep in that motel. Christine Warner - A country pub only option one night. Our room has no lock on the door, and there were gaps in the floorboards so we could see straight down to the bar where it was very noisy. We had already been warned of people breaking in to hotel and motel rooms in that region, so we slept in the car and returned to the room in the morning for a shower. Helen Wilson - In Singapore, they gave us a “free” breakfast while someone rummaged through our belongings and took stuff. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Readers response: What’s the most interesting cultural experience you've had while travelling?

When travelling abroad, we are often exposed to new and fascinating cultures that can open our eyes to different ways of life. We asked our readers to share the most interesting cultural experience they've had while travelling, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Sandra Beckett - Staying overnight in a Ger in Mongolia miles from anywhere, listening to Throat singing accompanied by two traditionally dressed musicians playing Horsehead fiddles. Also, travelling across Russia by train, visiting the Galapagos islands, Skara Brae in the Orkneys, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Denise Ryan - Listening to glorious classical music played in Havana’s Plaza de la Catedral and attending a stunning performance of Swan Lake in the Grand Theatre of Havana. Deedee Cullum - Visiting Ypres in Belgium and staying the night so we could see the evening ceremony at the Menin gate. Alison Davenport - 50 years ago visiting a Fijian village made me realise everyone didn't live like I did. Have been amazed at all travel experiences since. Glenn Turton - Staying in a farmhouse in Normandy for a week. Visiting D-Day beaches and Mont St Michel from there and local villages and markets on the days between. Back to the farmhouse each night to cook local produce and sit by an open fire. Karen Psaila - Sitting in a small ally sipping black sweet tea in Egypt looking at the pyramids and sphinx whilst camels are strolling by. Amazing. Patricia Watson - Darwin. Spending a day with First Nation Women and Children in the bush and learning about food that grows and is edible in that area. James Langabeer - This are my three top three most interesting cultural experiences. 1. Japan's Tea Ceremony: Attending a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, Japan, where I learned about the intricate rituals and Zen Buddhism's influence. 2. Indian Holi Festival: Celebrating Holi, the Festival of Colors, in Mumbai, India, surrounded by vibrant colors, music, and joyful locals. 3. Moroccan Hammam: Experiencing a traditional Moroccan bathhouse (hammam) in Marrakech, where I discovered local customs and relaxation techniques. Margaret Mason - Staying for a couple of days in a small, traditional village in China. Image credits: Shutterstock

International Travel

Readers response: What was your worst flying experience?

When it comes to travelling by plane, some trips are better than others. While some people have a general fear of flying, others are traumatised from flights from hell that turn bumpy for a list of different reasons. We asked our readers to tell us about their worst flying experience, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Lee Ayles - On a flight Melbourne to LA. No kidding, 8hrs of rocking and rolling the whole time. The lady sitting behind me had her rosary beads and praying non- stop, my daughter slept through the whole ordeal. The flight attendants were so helpful and put us at ease. Think I drank gin and tonics through the whole thing. Needless to say slept the next 4 hours before a great landing in LA. Roz Weitenberg - Flying from Columbo (Sri Lanka) to the Maldives in a twin engine King Air 350. My husband was flying the airplane and we got caught up in a storm that was so intense, I really thought the poor little aircraft would break up. Even the Sri Lankan B777 ahead of us was going to turn back to Columbo. That was the worst flying experience I have ever had. Anne Morrison - Last year flying Singapore to Johannesburg, South Africa and return (which was worse). So much turbulence the whole way I was actually sick, lady in front said "we're all going to die" and I thought so too. Absolutely frightening. George Jan Cafcakis - Flying Qantas from Sydney to Dallas. Worst flight I have ever had. Tray broken, no screen and food and service nearly non existent. Disgusting, and the same on the way back. Never flown Qantas ever again. Jim Janush - Flying from Budapest to Vilnius in 1993, during an electrical storm late at night. The lightning was very intense, seemed to be so close that it appeared all the planes interior lights were on. Audrey Forrester - Flying out of Kununurra and the pilot forgot to put cap on fuel. We ran out and had to emergency land on Lake Argilewe, thankfully we were in a sea plane. Lorraine Taylor - Singapore to Zurich with Swiss Air. The woman in front of me lowered her seat far back I was pinned in my seat. I asked the air hostess for help and she said there was nothing she could do. I couldn’t move for 8 hours and despite continually asking her to raise her seat she just laughed. Worst trip ever and I’ll never fly Swiss Air again. Linda Sutherland - Looking out the window of the 747 over the Indian Ocean and watching the engine fall off. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

How you experience the menopause may have a lot to do with your family

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-arnot-416253">Megan Arnot</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/ucl-1885">UCL</a> The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30346539">menopause</a> happens around the age of 50, and for many women, the end of their fertile life is accompanied by uncomfortable symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats and anxiety. In the West, it is generally taken as read that these symptoms are a normal part of the menopause. But <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11330770">cross-cultural research</a> suggests that menopause symptoms are not necessarily inevitable. For example, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18521049">Japanese women</a> rarely report hot flashes, whereas for European women they are a common complaint. As a result, scientists have begun to focus on what causes this difference in experience and the potential impact that behavioural and lifestyle factors, such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16735636">smoking</a>, might have. Our latest <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.5705">study</a> adds to this knowledge. We found that living away from your genetic family may worsen the menopause. <h2>Family matters?</h2> Where people live once they’re married varies across cultures. To investigate whether these different living arrangements affect menopause symptoms, we travelled to south-west China to collect data. In this region, there are groups with distinct living arrangements. First, the Han and the Yi, in which women typically leave their family after they’ve got married and live with their husband’s family. Second, the Mosuo and Zhaba, who engage in the practice of zou hun (“<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23486437">walking marriage</a>”), where the husband and wife live separately with their own related families, and only visit each other at night. We found that women who remained living with their own family following marriage had significantly less severe menopause symptoms than those who went to live with their husband’s family. <h2>In-law conflict</h2> Many anthropologists are interested in how different levels of relatedness within households can have behavioural and physiological implications. For the menopause, we think the difference in symptom severity between the groups may be the result of the different levels of conflict that result from being more or less related to other members of your household. If a woman lives with her husband’s family, then until she has children, she is unrelated to anyone in the household. This lack of relatedness can cause <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40806-017-0114-8">tension</a> between the new wife and her husband’s relatives as they have little direct genetic interest in her. As well as conflict with non-related household members, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/evan.20226">earlier research</a> has shown that women who live with their husband’s family tend to argue with their partners more and are also more likely to get divorced. Additionally, rates of domestic violence are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27279077">higher</a> when women live away from their genetic family. But how does this relate to the severity of menopause symptoms? We think that increased levels of household conflict would result in the woman being more stressed. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4795524/">Stress</a> is known to worsen pain perception and so could aggravate menopause symptoms. In contrast to women who leave their kin group, women who live with their own family once they’re married also tend to have higher levels of <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/slowes/publications/matrilineal-spousal-cooperation">social support</a>. There are more people to help with childcare and more shoulders to cry on. This can help to lower stress and thus soften the mental and physical burden of the menopause. <h2>Global perspectives</h2> While our research was conducted in China, globally, we see a wide range of living arrangements, which themselves can bring different levels of conflict and social support. In the West, many women live away from their families, which may mean that they lack social support, perhaps contributing to more turbulent menopause symptoms. Distance from one’s own family can also be seen to increase <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00155.x">conflict</a> within the household – be it between a husband and wife, or wife and in-laws. These results aren’t an excuse to visit your in-laws less, but they show that menopause symptoms are not only about hormonal irregularities. They may also be a product of your social environment, which should be worth bearing in mind when approaching and going through the menopause.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123621/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-arnot-416253">Megan Arnot</a>, PhD Candidate, Evolutionary Anthropology and Behavioural Ecology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/ucl-1885">UCL</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-you-experience-the-menopause-may-have-a-lot-to-do-with-your-family-123621">original article</a>.

Body

We talked to dozens of people about their experience of grief. Here’s what we learned (and how it’s different from what you might think)

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-peterie-564209">Michelle Peterie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-broom-121063">Alex Broom</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Have you ever felt a sudden pang of sadness? A bird seems to stop and look you in the eye. A photo drops out of a messy drawer from long ago, in the mundanity of a weekend spring clean. Your day is immediately derailed, unsettled. You are pulled into something you thought was past. And yet, in being pulled back, you are grateful, reconnected, and grief-stricken all over again. “You’ll get over it”. “Give it time”. “You need time to move on”. These are common cultural refrains in the face of loss. But what if grief doesn’t play by the rules? What if grief is a different thing altogether? We talked to 95 people about their experiences of grief surrounding the loss of a loved one, and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00380261241228412">their stories</a> provided a fundamentally different account of grief to the one often presented to us culturally. <h2>Disordered grief?</h2> Grief is often imagined as a time-bound period in which one processes the pain of loss – that is, adjusts to absence and works toward “moving on”. The bereaved are expected to process their pain within the confines of what society deems “normal”. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-dsm-and-how-are-mental-disorders-diagnosed-9568">DSM-5 psychiatric manual</a> says if grief drags on too long, in fact, it becomes a pathology (a condition with a medical diagnosis). “Prolonged grief disorder” is the name given to “persistent difficulties associated with bereavement that exceeded expected social, cultural, or religious expectations”. While there can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-prolonged-grief-should-be-listed-as-a-mental-disorder-4262">value</a> in clinical diagnostic categories such as this, the danger is they put artificial boundaries around emotions. The pathologisation of grief can be deeply alienating to those experiencing it, for whom the pressure to “move on” can be hurtful and counterproductive. The stories we gathered in our research were raw, complex and often fraught. They did not sit comfortably with commonsense understandings of how grief “should” progress. As bereaved daughter Barbara told us: "Grief is not in the little box, it doesn’t even come close to a little box." <h2>Grief starts early</h2> The tendency is to think of grief as something that happens post death. The person we love dies, we have a funeral, and the grief sets in. Then it slowly subsides with the steady march of time. In fact, grief often begins earlier, often in a clinical consultation where the words “terminal” or “nothing more we can do” are used. Or when a loved one is told “go home and get your life in order”. Grief can begin months or even years before bereavement. As the people we interviewed experienced it, loss was also cumulative. The gradual deterioration of a loved one’s health in the years or months before their death imposed other painful losses: the loss of chosen lifestyles, the loss of longstanding relational rhythms, the loss of shared hopes and anticipated futures. Many participants felt their loved ones – and, indeed, the lives they shared with them – slipping away long before their physical deaths. <h2>Living with the dead</h2> Yet the dead do not simply leave us. They remain with us, in memories, rituals and cultural events. From <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-ancient-cultures-teach-us-about-grief-mourning-and-continuity-of-life-86199">Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos</a> to <a href="https://theconversation.com/japans-obon-festival-how-family-commemoration-and-ancestral-worship-shapes-daily-life-179890">Japan’s Opon</a>, festivals of the dead play a key role in cultures around the world. In that way, remembering the dead remains a critical aspect of living. So too does <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-not-always-closure-in-the-never-ending-story-of-grief-3096">the ongoing experience of grief</a>. Events of this kind are not merely celebratory. They are critical forms through which life and death, joy and grief, are brought together and integrated. The absence of remembering can hold its own trouble, as our participants’ accounts revealed. As bereaved wife Anna explained: "I just find it really frustrating and I do get quite angry and upset sometimes. I know that life goes on. I’d be talking to girlfriends and stuff like that and it’s like they’ve forgotten that I’ve lost my husband. They haven’t, but nothing really changed in their life. But for me, and my family, it has." Part of the problem, here, is the ambivalent role grief plays in advanced industrialised societies like ours. Many of our participants felt pressure to perform resilience or (in clinical terms) to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1363459317724854">“recover” quickly after loss</a>. But whose interests does a swift recovery serve? An employer’s? Friends who just want to get on with a death-free life? And, even more importantly, mightn’t ongoing connections with the dead enable better living? Might bringing the dead along with us actually make for better deaths and better lives? Many of our participants felt their loved ones remained with them, and experienced their “absent presence” as a source of comfort. Grieving, in this context, involved spending time “with” the dead. Anna described her practice as follows: "I had a diary, so I just write stuff in it about how I’m feeling or something happened and I’ll say to [my deceased husband], it’s all to [my deceased husband], “Do you remember, blah, blah, blah.” I’ll just talk about that memory that I have of that particular time and I find that that helps." <h2>Caring for those who grieve</h2> Grief does not begin at death, but neither do relationships end there. To rush the bereaved through grief – to usher them towards “recovery” and the more comfortable territories of happiness and productivity – is to do them a disservice. And, perhaps more critically, ridding our lives of the dead and grief may, in the end, make for more limited and muted emotional lives.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223848/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-peterie-564209">Michelle Peterie</a>, Research Fellow, Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-broom-121063">Alex Broom</a>, Professor of Sociology & Director, Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-talked-to-dozens-of-people-about-their-experience-of-grief-heres-what-we-learned-and-how-its-different-from-what-you-might-think-223848">original article</a>.

Caring

Michael Bublé's terrifying near-death experience

Michael Bublé has recalled the terrifying moment he faced "certain death" while he was out on a walk with actor Barry Pepper. The close call occurred during the holiday season after a wrap party in Manitoba, Canada, the singer shared in an interview with Kelly Clarkson. “I think, in the moment, we’re like, ‘You know what we should do? We should like race down the beach’,” Bublé shared the idea the two friends had after a few drinks. “And so me and him and another guy came running down this beach. “A guy that lived there just started swearing, literally swearing at us and just screaming — I mean screaming bloody murder.” “We didn’t realise we were running to our certain death," he explained. “Because there were polar bears all down the beach. And yes, they’re the most aggressive," the singer added, gushing about how "cuddly" they looked despite their aggressive nature. “Sometimes I wonder about that, how close I was to being like a little polar bear lunch.” Shocked by his odd close call, host Kelly Clarkson remarked, “Who would’ve thought there were just polar bears — nobody ever hears that. ‘Oh, there’s polar bears hanging on the beach.’ It just doesn’t happen.” Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Travelers will refuse an upgrade to sit near a loved one – new research into when people want to share experiences

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ximena-garcia-rada-1238853">Ximena Garcia-Rada</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/texas-aandm-university-1672">Texas A&M University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-norton-145591">Michael Norton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/harvard-university-1306">Harvard University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-k-ratner-1439964">Rebecca K. Ratner</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-maryland-1347">University of Maryland</a> The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take about interesting academic work. <h2>The big idea</h2> People will often sacrifice a better experience and opt for one that’s less enjoyable if it means they can do it alongside a loved one – whether that’s a romantic partner, close friend or relative. That’s the main finding of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1352">our research</a> published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology in April 2023. For example, when taking a flight, two friends might decide to sit in adjacent seats in coach rather than accept a free upgrade to nonadjacent seats in first class. Failing to choose togetherness can have consequences, as in the “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2JKXbVGq7A">Seinfeld” episode</a> in which Elaine suffers the indignities of economy class, leading to rage against Jerry after he chooses to accept an upgrade. We conducted five studies in a variety of settings and featuring different social bonds, including friendships and romantic relationships. In one study, just over half of people chose two adjacent seats far from the stage over two nonadjacent seats closer to the stage when imagining they were attending a Cirque du Soleil performance with a close friend, compared with only about one-third who chose the adjacent seats when imagining attending with an acquaintance. In another study, we asked students whether they wanted to eat one chocolate with another person – either a new friend or a stranger – or two chocolates alone. Half the people chose the shared experience – but only if the other person was a friend. Fewer people – 38% – opted for the shared experience if the other person was a stranger. <h2>Why it matters</h2> One reason people prioritize physical proximity with close partners is because they want to create shared memories. Importantly, people believe that physical distance can disrupt the creation of shared memories, and so they forgo enjoyable experiences apart from their loved one. This also matters for companies seeking to improve customer experience, such as an airline offering free upgrades or shorter wait times. Our findings suggest that, for example, consumers traveling with a companion might not take advantage of services like TSA PreCheck, an airline VIP lounge or a free upgrade if it is available only for themselves. It also helps explain why consumers do not like when <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/06/travel/airlines-family-seating-dashboard.html">airlines split up families</a> in their seat assignments. However, we also tested a few initiatives marketers can use to encourage people to choose a higher-quality experience that requires them to be apart from their companion. In another experiment, we described a train ride as either a fun part of an excursion or as a practical way to reach a final destination. More participants accepted a free upgrade – even though it required sitting apart from their romantic partner – when they perceived the train ride as utilitarian. That’s because they cared less about creating shared memories during the experience. <h2>What still isn’t known</h2> We still don’t know how this preference affects relationship quality. For example, when can time apart from your partner actually strengthen the relationship? And how should couples split their time between lower-quality activities done together and higher-quality activities done alone? One option for separate activities, for example, might be when one partner’s desired activity does not interest the other. Also, given that people believe physical proximity is a prerequisite for creating shared memories, how can partners who live in different places also cultivate shared memories? This question is especially important in light of how COVID-19 has enabled more people to work and study remotely.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205363/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image credit: Getty <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ximena-garcia-rada-1238853">Ximena Garcia-Rada</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/texas-aandm-university-1672">Texas A&M University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-norton-145591">Michael Norton</a>, Professor of Business Administration, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/harvard-university-1306">Harvard University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-k-ratner-1439964">Rebecca K. Ratner</a>, Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-maryland-1347">University of Maryland</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/travelers-will-refuse-an-upgrade-to-sit-near-a-loved-one-new-research-into-when-people-want-to-share-experiences-205363">original article</a>.

International Travel

Most amazing animal experiences to have when travelling

These are some unbelievable opportunities around the world to get up close (really close) to your favourite wild animals. Monkey business / Viewing The orangutan is Asia’s only great ape and Borneo is one of only two places in the world that they are found. Decades of deforestation have left the Bornean orangutan seriously endangered. At the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre 60 to 80 of the great apes live on a 43 square kilometer reserve while 25 orphaned babies are rehabilitated in the nursery. Though they look perfect for cuddling, guests can’t get too close – but you can visit during the two feeding times each day and walk among the boardwalks through the forest while the orangutans swoop from the trees to eat the fruit and sugar cane left on feeding platforms around 20 metres away from you Baby elephant walk / Hands on The Asian elephant is an endangered species and Thailand is home to more Asian elephants than anywhere in the world. For a hands-on experience with these gentle giants, Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai allows you to participate in their day to day caring. There are six residents elephants that are “adopted” by guests for the day and you are trained to approach the elephant, know its temperament, feed and check its health, bathe and brush it in the river, learn how to ride on its neck and communicate through spoken commands. King of the jungle / Interaction You’re generally not encouraged to get up close to really dangerous animals, but at Lion Encounter in Zambia you can walk alongside some of the eight resident lion cubs – with no fence in between. The cubs range from three to 18 months old and will happily walk through the bush with you, pounce and play with each other and, if you’re lucky, even nuzzle in for a pat. Walks are escorted by guides, scouts and lion handlers so you are never in danger. The program is part of a larger breeding program and once lions graduate from this stage they will be removed from human interaction, integrated with a pack and eventually released into the wild. A whale of a time / Interaction The might be called dwarf minke whales but at eight metres long and weighing several tonnes, they are still pretty substantial. Dwarf minkes pass through the Great Barrier Reef each winter and this is the only place in the world that you can snorkel and dive with them. The whales are very inquisitive and an experience will generally involve interacting with two to three whales for around 90 minutes. Very little is known about these huge mammals so guests are often asked to participate in ongoing research programs and record their observations or submit photos to the minke whale database. One for the bucket list / Viewing With around half of Canada’s grizzly population, British Columbia is the best place to see the bears in the wild. A number of lodges have been established inside the Great Bear Rainforest where guests can participate in guided viewing sessions from boats, getting up very close to the action. Bears can be seen fishing for salmon in rivers, feeding on berries or succulents, and (very rarely) napping in the sun. Tours run from May to October, but visit from August onwards for the best chance to see cubs. At around $1,070 per person per night these tours aren’t cheap, but they are certainly unforgettable. Image credit: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

People with long COVID continue to experience medical gaslighting more than 3 years into the pandemic

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simran-purewal-1405366">Simran Purewal</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kaylee-byers-766226">Kaylee Byers</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kayli-jamieson-1431392">Kayli Jamieson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/neda-zolfaghari-1431577">Neda Zolfaghari</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a> It’s increasingly clear that the <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/canada/">SARS-CoV-2 virus is not going away</a> any time soon. And for some patients, their symptoms haven’t gone away either. In January 2023, our team of researchers at the <a href="https://pipps.ca/">Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society</a> published a <a href="https://pipps.cdn.prismic.io/pipps/bd160219-3281-4c5d-b8be-57c301e7f99b_Long+Covid+Brief+Feb+2023.pdf">research brief</a> about how people seek out information about long COVID. The brief was based on a scoping review, a type of study that assesses and summarizes available research. Our interdisciplinary team aims to understand the experiences of people with long COVID in order to identify opportunities to support health care and access to information. <h2>Lingering long COVID</h2> Long COVID (also called <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/symptoms/post-covid-19-condition.html">Post COVID-19 condition</a>) is an illness that occurs after infection with COVID-19, lasting weeks to months, and even years. First coined by a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.socscimed.2020.113426">patient on Twitter</a>, the term also represents a collective movement of people experiencing the long-term effects of COVID-19 and advocating for care. <a href="https://science.gc.ca/site/science/sites/default/files/attachments/2023/Post-Covid-Condition_Report-2022.pdf">Around 15 per cent</a> of adults who have had COVID still have symptoms after three months or more. Long COVID affects systems <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114619">throughout the body</a>. However, symptom fluctuations and limited diagnostic tools make it challenging for health-care providers to diagnose, especially with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00846-2">over 200 symptoms</a> that may present in patients. Perhaps because long COVID presents itself in many different ways, the illness has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114619">been contested</a> across the medical field. To identify opportunities to reduce barriers to long COVID care, our team has explored how patients and their caregivers access <a href="https://pipps.cdn.prismic.io/pipps/bd160219-3281-4c5d-b8be-57c301e7f99b_Long+Covid+Brief+Feb+2023.pdf">information about long COVID</a>. We have found that one of the most significant barriers faced by patients is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076211059649">medical gaslighting</a> by the people they have turned to for help. <h2>Lack of validation leads to stigma</h2> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.o1974">Medical gaslighting</a> occurs when health-care practitioners dismiss or falsely blame patients for their symptoms. While new information about long COVID has become more readily available, some patients continue to face gaslighting and feel that their symptoms are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ssmqr.2022.100177">treated less seriously</a> by some health-care professionals. This dismissal can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13602">erode trust</a> in the health-care system and can also lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13518">stigma and shame</a>. Preliminary findings from our ongoing study with long COVID patients indicate that, when medical practitioners do not validate a patient’s condition, this extends into community networks of family and friends who may also dismiss their symptoms, contributing to further stigmatization at home. Medical gaslighting can present additional barriers to treatment, such as not being referred to specialists or long COVID clinics. This can, in turn, compound other symptoms such as fatigue, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.38">exacerbate the psychological symptoms of long COVID</a>, such as depression and anxiety. Medical gaslighting isn’t new. It has been documented by patients with other chronic conditions, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107936">myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome</a>. And while this is common for patients with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/amajethics.2021.512">non-visible illnesses</a>, medical gaslighting is more commonly experienced by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13367">women and racialized people</a>. Long COVID patients also note gender biases, as women with prolonged symptoms feel they are not believed. This is particularly worrisome, as studies have found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.17709">women are disproportionately more likely to experience long COVID</a>. <h2>Where do we go from here?</h2> While long COVID information is constantly shifting, it’s clear that patients face many barriers, the first of which is having their illness minimized or disregarded by others. To ensure that patients have access to compassionate care, we suggest: 1. Educating physicians on long COVID Because definitions of long COVID, and its presentation, vary widely, primary care physicians need support to recognize and acknowledge the condition. General practitioners (GPs) must also provide patients with information to help manage their symptoms. This requires actively listening to patients, documenting symptoms and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3489">paying close attention to symptoms that need further attention</a>. Training physicians on the full range of symptoms and referring patients to available supports would reduce stigma and assist physicians by reducing their need to gather information themselves. 2. Raise awareness about long COVID To increase awareness of long COVID and reduce stigma, public health and community-based organizations must work collaboratively. This may include a public awareness and information campaign about long COVID symptoms, and making support available. Doing so has the potential to foster community support for patients and improve the mental health of patients and their caregivers. 3. Ensure information is accessible In many health systems, GPs are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4419-0">gatekeepers to specialists</a> and are considered trusted information sources. However, without established diagnostic guidelines, patients are left to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/37984">self-advocate</a> and prove their condition exists. Because of negative encounters with health-care professionals, patients turn to social media platforms, including long COVID <a href="https://doi.org/10.7861%2Fclinmed.2020-0962">online communities</a> on Facebook. While these platforms allow patients to validate experiences and discuss management strategies, patients should not rely only on social media given the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.937100">potential for misinformation</a>. As a result, it is crucial to ensure information about long COVID is multi-lingual and available in a wide range of formats such as videos, online media and physical printouts. The <a href="https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/office-chief-science-advisor/initiatives-covid-19/post-covid-19-condition-canada-what-we-know-what-we-dont-know-and-framework-action">recent recommendations of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada</a> to establish diagnostic criteria, care pathways and a research framework for long COVID are a positive development, but we know patients need support now. Improving long COVID education and awareness won’t resolve all of the issues faced by patients, but they’re foundational to compassionate and evidence-based care.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203744/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simran-purewal-1405366">Simran Purewal</a>, Research Associate, Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kaylee-byers-766226">Kaylee Byers</a>, Regional Deputy Director, BC Node of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative; Senior Scientist, Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kayli-jamieson-1431392">Kayli Jamieson</a>, Master's Student in Communication, Research Assistant for Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/neda-zolfaghari-1431577">Neda Zolfaghari</a>, Project Coordinator, Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society, and the Pandemics & Borders Project, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-with-long-covid-continue-to-experience-medical-gaslighting-more-than-3-years-into-the-pandemic-203744">original article</a>.

Caring

Must-have food experiences when in Rome

There are only two reasons people go to Rome – for the sights such as the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, St Peter’s Basilica. The second, people will tell you, is the culture. But that’s a lie. Don’t believe them. They’re really just there for the food. Not that we’re judging, we’re just pointing out the obvious. And it is obvious, because Rome’s food scene is wonderful. To help you do Rome like a foodie, here are four absolutely essential things to do when you’re there. Eating tours Got some time to spare and a stomach that needs serious filling? Go on one of Rome’s many eating tours. There are loads to choose from so do your research about which one is best for you, then eat your way around the city. TOP TIP: If you go back a day or two later, it’ll be a different group or people and possibly a different tour guide, so no one will judge you for doing it all again. The Pasta Museum Got a love for carbs that is as high as the Tower of Pisa? Then you might want to visit the Pasta Museum – one of Rome’s more obscure tourist destinations. You can lean about all things pasta: its history, nutritional values, how it’s made. You can see pasta-making machines from different eras and pick up some, you guessed it – pasta – from the gift shop on your way out. WHERE: Piazza Scanderbeg 117 (not far from the Trevi Fountain) Mozarella madness Perfect for when you want a light meal, mozzarella bars will serve you out-of-this-world cheese with salad, smoked salmon or prosciutto. Treat yourself and add a glass of wine for the ultimate indulgence. Gelato everywhere If you don’t know the nutritional benefits of gelato, let us give you a refresher: it’s delicious. When you’re in Rome, you have to eat as much gelato as you can so you can rave about it to your friends and family when you get home. Try to avoid the tourist traps that charge through the nose – do your research and find out where the locals go for their gelato. Image credit: Shutterstock

International Travel

7 travel experiences straight out of a fairytale

Some travel destinations are so beautiful they hardly seem real. We’ve put together a gallery with seven dreamy destinations that look like they are straight out of fairytale. To see them all, scroll through the gallery above. 1. Holland’s Tulip Fields – The Netherlands 2. Sagrada Familia – Spain 3. Lake District – England 4. Lake Sørvágsvatn – Faroe Islands 5. Preikestolen – Norway 6. Neuschwanstein Castle – Germany 7. Krzywy Domek – Poland Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/a-look-inside-first-class-cabins/">Inside 8 first class cabins that will amaze you</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/most-photographed-locations-in-london/">London’s 8 most photographed locations</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/holiday-ideas-for-animal-lovers/">8 holiday ideas every animal lover needs to experience</a> Image credit: Shutterstock

International Travel

"I started walking the long way": many young women first experience street harassment in their school uniforms

Can you remember the first time you were harassed in a public space? What comes to mind? Can you remember how old you were, or what you were doing? Perhaps this is not something you have personally experienced, although we know <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/everyday-sexism/">87% of young Australian women</a> have been harassed in public. We spoke to 47 adult women and LGBTQ+ people in <a href="https://www.streetharassmentjustice.com/">our recent study</a> on street-based and public harassment about their earliest memories of feeling sexualised, uncomfortable or unsafe on the street. Many mentioned they first experienced street harassment in their school uniforms. We heard variations of the phrase “it happened when I was in my school uniform” repeatedly from participants. For many, <a href="https://theconversation.com/whistling-and-staring-at-women-in-the-street-is-harassment-and-its-got-to-stop-38721">street harassment</a> began or became more frequent when they started wearing a high school uniform. Some participants, however, reflected on experiences from when they were even younger, wearing a primary school uniform. Studies from the United Kingdom have shown <a href="https://plan-uk.org/street-harassment/its-not-ok">35% of girls</a> wearing school uniforms have been sexually harassed in public spaces. Despite the importance of schools in the daily lives of young people, and the high rates of street harassment they experience, there’s been surprisingly little attention paid to the harassment of young people in school uniform. Findings from our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540253.2023.2193206">new research</a> show school-related harassment is a serious issue that has largely flown under the radar in Australia. <h2>It happens beyond the school gates</h2> We know young people experience <a href="https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws:55181/">sexual</a>, <a href="https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/GLSEN%202015%20National%20School%20Climate%20Survey%20%28NSCS%29%20-%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">homophobic and transphobic</a>harassment from their peers and even teachers while they’re at school. But participants also told us about harassment occurring outside their school grounds. This was perpetrated by strangers (usually individual adult men, or groups of adult men), while they were in uniform and, therefore, clearly identifiable as school children. This took many forms, ranging from catcalling, staring or leering, wolf-whistling, and being followed by men in cars while walking to school, through to public masturbation and men rubbing themselves against victim-survivors (usually while travelling to school on public transport), sexual assault and rape. As one interviewee told us, "walking from high school to home […] that’s where most of the harassment I’ve experienced happened […] As soon as I stopped wearing a school uniform it happened less. So that’s disgusting for a lot of reasons." As another interviewee shared, these experiences were really scary not just because of what was happening at that moment but because the perpetrator “knows which school you go to” because of the uniform worn. <h2>The ‘sexy schoolgirl’</h2> Why is it that young people – and particularly young women and girls – are so routinely harassed in school uniform? We found harassment of schoolgirls was seen as being culturally sanctioned through the “sexy schoolgirl” trope. As one interviewee noted, "when you go on Google images and search for ‘school boy’ it will come up with a five-year-old boy but then ‘school girl’ it will come up with the sexy school girl costume." Participants discussed being targeted because they were viewed as vulnerable and (paradoxically) as both sexually innocent and sexualised, "that was part of the allure for them [the perpetrators], the innocence of a schoolgirl, a fearful schoolgirl in that situation, was like hot to them, they were really getting off on it." Another interviewee told us, "I went from being an innocent child to a child that felt uncomfortable and didn’t know why I was sexualised – and I didn’t understand it because I didn’t understand what sex really was." Because they were so young, many participants often lacked a framework or language to understand their experiences. For many, these experiences were also so routine they simply formed part of the background hum of everyday life. It was often not until years after these formative experiences that participants were able to articulate them as sexual harm and reflect on the impacts. <h2>Trying to avoid harassment</h2> Across our interviews, many participants discussed changing the way they presented themselves or changing the routes they took to school. They often focused on changing their own behaviour and <a href="https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-right-amount-of-panic">made their lives smaller</a> in an attempt to avoid further harassment. For example, "I started walking the long way. I started just going through the main roads, avoiding the back streets, even though it was a longer walk to be extra safe." In the longer-term, participants commonly described feeling unsafe, hyper-vigilant, and distrustful of men in public spaces. <h2>‘What if there’s a paedophile on the tram?’: school responses</h2> Unfortunately, the view that victim-survivors are responsible for their own harassment was often reinforced by schools if harassment was reported. Numerous participants told us how they were reminded of school uniform policies (such as mandated length of skirts and dresses) when they went to teachers for help. One participant recounted an experience where her teacher asked, "Why would you wear your skirt like this [short]? Whose attention are you trying to get? […] what if there’s a paedophile when you’re on the tram home from school […] thinking ‘this is the best day of [my] life’." Others did not seek help from their teachers because of this focus on students’ appearance at school – they felt they would simply be blamed for what happened. These types of responses teach young people to think street harassment and other forms of gendered violence are their fault. It also tells them their bodies are sites of risk that need to be managed and contained to avoid harassment. <h2>School uniform harassment is not ‘normal’</h2> While schools and school-related contexts were often sites of harm for our participants, schools nonetheless have a vitally important role to play here. Harassment in school uniform should not be seen as a “normal” part of growing up. There is an urgent need to provide young people with a framework to understand their experiences. Educational efforts must challenge the idea that harassment must simply be endured. Instead, schools should help young people understand harassment as a form of violence, and offer safe and supportive spaces to talk with peers and adults about their experiences. This should be incorporated into existing sex and relationships education <a href="https://www.bodysafetyaustralia.com.au/">in an age-appropriate way</a>. Importantly, responses to harassment should never blame or implicate young people themselves. It’s time for outdated practices such as measuring school uniform length to be relegated to the past where they belong. In the words of one participant, “the length of my skirt is not influencing how much I learn”. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call <a href="https://kidshelpline.com.au/">Kids Helpline</a> on 1800 55 1800 or <a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/">1800RESPECT</a> on 1800 737 732. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-started-walking-the-long-way-many-young-women-first-experience-street-harassment-in-their-school-uniforms-202718" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Caring

Why difficult childhood experiences could make you age prematurely

We know that comparatively disadvantaged people, even in rich countries, have worse health and <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/01/31/low-socioeconomic-status-affects-life-expectancy-more-than-obesi_a_21704449/">shorter life expectancy</a> than others. But what is it exactly about socioeconomic disadvantage and other environmental difficulties that affects our biology? And at what age are we most vulnerable to these effects? While it is unclear exactly how the social environment influences a person’s biology at the molecular level, processes related to ageing are likely to be involved. One such process is DNA methylation, a mechanism used by cells to control gene expression. Specifically, it determines whether and when a gene is turned on, turned off or dialled up or down. Now a new study, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/advance-article/doi/10.1093/aje/kwy155/5060528?guestAccessKey=df5d8e87-4e2d-4bff-b0fb-72ad5319f825#119252619">published in the American Journal of Epidemiology</a>, suggests that this process may be affected by circumstances in our youth – ultimately affecting how we age. All cells in the human body – from blood and skin cells to neurons – share the same genetic code. So how are they so different? The answer lies in gene expression: which of the many thousands of genes in each human cell are switched on, to what extent, and at which stage in the cell’s development. This varies not just between cell types but between people, helping to explain why identical twins can be visibly different. Physically, DNA methylation involves modification of “letters” of the genetic code by addition or removal of a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/methyl-group">methyl group</a> – affecting how much the gene is expressed. Because the distribution of methyl groups along the genome changes in systematic ways with ageing, you can estimate a person’s age from DNA methylation patterns in cells from a blood sample by applying an algorithm. This <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-epigenetics-may-help-us-slow-down-the-ageing-clock-76878">measure of “biological age”</a> is relevant to longevity – individuals with an “older” DNA methylation age are at greater risk of age-related disease and mortality. Meanwhile, it seems environmental influences may alter or “accelerate” age-related changes in methylation: associations have been shown between DNA methylation age and stress, dietary factors and pollution. This suggests DNA methylation age may be one pathway by which the social environment can affect health. New data Data was used from 1099 adults in the UK to look at whether different dimensions of socioeconomic disadvantage were linked to elevated DNA methylation age, calculated in two ways. When blood samples were collected, the survey had already collected annual information on the same people’s socioeconomic circumstances for 12 years. This meant the study was able to consider current and longer-term measures of things like income, employment status and educational qualifications. Crucially, this data also included information about the occupational social class of an individual’s parents when they were 14. The research discovered that only the last measure showed a clear link with DNA methylation age. Individuals whose parents worked in semi routine or routine occupations were about one year “older” than individuals whose parents worked in managerial or professional roles. Individuals who did not have working parents, or had parents who had died, fared still worse: they were 2.4 or 1.85 years older depending on the algorithm used. The calculations did take account of other relevant factors including smoking, body mass index and the actual age of the study participants. These results suggest DNA methylation age is an aspect of a person’s biology which is vulnerable to influences early in life, but surprisingly robust when it comes to difficulties experienced in adulthood. The next question is which aspects of the childhood socioeconomic environment are most relevant. Is it financial strain, housing quality or diet? Equally important will be to figure out which factors could provide resilience to these effects, potentially buffering children from a lasting impact of disadvantage on DNA methylation age. Of course, the results will need to be replicated, and since DNA methylation age was only measured once, the survey could not definitively prove cause and effect. But the results <a href="https://jech.bmj.com/content/62/5/387">add to extensive evidence</a> that early life circumstances can cast a long shadow on adult health. Perhaps most importantly, this strengthens the case for making sure all children are fully supported. Written by Amanda Hughes and Meena Kumari. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/difficult-childhood-experiences-could-make-us-age-prematurely-new-research-102807">theconversation.com</a>. Image credit: Shutterstock

Legal

3 great travel tips from those with experience

1. Search for deals Whether it be for flights or accommodation, thanks to the internet, there’s always a way to find cheaper travel than booking on the airline’s website. One tip to save money on flights (even though it is a bit of a pain) is to select flights with stopovers; although it’ll take a little longer, it will always be cheaper than a one-stop flight. As for accommodation, book motels or stay in hostels or simply search for deals on third-party websites. Be patient! 2. Get travel insurance Yes, it's annoying to have to pay for a “just in case” situation on top of flights, planned activities and accommodation, but it is the most sensible thing to do when travelling, especially internationally. A common saying is, “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel”, and it reigns true. You could sustain an injury that hospitalises you in another country, so to get out of paying absurd fees, lock in travel insurance to keep yourself safe. 3. Never exchange money in your home country Exchange your money in the foreign country you’re travelling to. Most airports and banks have horrible exchange rates. You’re always better off getting money out at the ATM once you’ve arrived at the destination. If you don’t want to pay ATM fees, look into getting an international ATM card! Image credit: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Lucid dying - what some patients experience as they’re going through CPR

A study of people who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in hospital has found that some of them had what’s being dubbed “lucid experiences of death,” accompanied by spikes in brain activity. The research found that roughly one in five CPR survivors described unique experiences, including feeling separated from their bodies, observing the events without pain or distress, and a meaningful evaluation of life. These experiences were different to hallucinations, dreams, or CPR-induced consciousness, according to the researchers, who presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2022 conference. The international team of researchers collected data on 567 patients whose hearts stopped beating, in UK and US hospitals, between May 2017 and March 2020. While they were all treated immediately, fewer than 10% of these people were ultimately discharged from hospital. In addition to hearing the patients’ experiences, the researchers observed spikes in brain activity – specifically, in so-called gamma, delta, theta, alpha and beta waves. In some cases, these activity spikes were observed when CPR had been going on for up to an hour. “These recalled experiences and brain wave changes may be the first signs of the so-called near-death experience, and we have captured them for the first time in a large study,” says lead investigator Dr Sam Parnia, an intensive care physician and associate professor in the Department of Medicine at New York University Langone Health, US. “Our results offer evidence that while on the brink of death and in a coma, people undergo a unique inner conscious experience, including awareness without distress.” While plenty of people have personal accounts of near-death experiences before, they’re difficult to judge empirically. “These lucid experiences cannot be considered a trick of a disordered or dying brain, but rather a unique human experience that emerges on the brink of death,” says Parnia. It may be linked to disinhibition – the release of barriers in the brain as it shuts down. The researchers are keen to investigate the lucid dying experiences further. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/lucid-dying-cpr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. Image: Shutterstock

Mind

Digital fashion and the Metaverse: a new way for people to experience fashion

Is screen wear the new street wear? As people spend more time online – in meetings, social media and video games – clothing brands and designers are increasingly interweaving digital design with physical fashion. The wave of new fashion technology encompasses everything from tailoring the look of your online gaming avatar, to digital sampling and fittings, through to virtual runways and fashion shows. Industry experts discussed the emerging trends at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH6l5Gk5dZ4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">panel on Fashion and the Metaverse</a> <a href="https://tmice.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hosted by</a> The Masters Institute of Creative Education. Founder of virtual reality and streaming start up Inverse Darren Vukasinovic, says interest in digital fashion and technologies like augmented and virtual reality, surged as people shifted to online spaces like Zoom and Teams during the pandemic. He says it wasn’t long before people began thinking, “what is my identity when I’m living in a digital space?” “I saw it in the creativity of the backgrounds people were starting to use, their virtual backgrounds. You’d get on these calls and the first couple of times it’s normal… and then, all of a sudden the backgrounds and getting more elaborate and the filters are getting more elaborate.” Australian fashion designer <a href="https://www.danielavakian.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Daniel Avakian</a> says, digital technologies like 3D pattern making and rendering can alleviate the cost, work, time and waste involved in traditional fashion sampling. Avakian says, “in the fashion industry in the back end … a designer creates an idea, an inspiration and they create a 2D technical drawing. And then they give it to a pattern maker and the pattern maker will create a sample. And this all costs time and money. “And then you’ve got a dozen people in the back room doing that. But upskilling them with this new technology and this new workflow saves all brands, many, many costs in that long arduous process. “And we stop having to create all that wastage in sampling … we can see it digitally … it will create a new, efficient way for people to experience fashion.” Avakian’s company has been experimenting with the use of 3D body scanning technology to create red carpet gowns. “So [for] a couple of red carpet pieces we’ve been doing in Australia, the clients have a body scan, and we’ve made them a red-carpet dress in, like, two weeks. And it’s through the body scan technology we get all their measurements… my factories are able to then custom-make the garment from the design.” The efficiencies in these new digital processes offer sustainability benefits in the form of lower greenhouse emissions, waste and transport miles involved in sending new season clothing sample sets around the world. On the flip side, some technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrencies can consume large amounts of energy. Avakian says he sees the need for upskilling and education, ensuring that fashion, textiles and design students understand these emerging digital concepts. “Having young designers learn how to be able to use 3D pattern making software to show, to see changes on a lapel, or changes on a dress.” ‘Screen wear’ is term used for the technology which allows people to add photo-realistic clothing items to their social media photographs. This gives people opportunities to purchase and ‘wear’ items that they might not otherwise choose, or be able to afford in the real world. Eugene Leung, the creative director of fashion and design company <a href="https://theinjury.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Injury</a>, says digital fashion and 3D rendering can also help eliminate the real-world waste that results when certain types of consumers, like Instagram influencers, buy an item of clothing and only wear it once. “Digital fashion can basically satisfy the desire for consumption, but in a more sustainable way,” he says. Increasingly there is blending between digital and physical worlds. For example, Leung says sometimes customers will buy a piece of digital clothing and later ask him to make a physical version. Digital producer and retired model <a href="https://www.caitlinlomax.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caitlin Lomax</a>, says the technology already exists for rendering digital clothing items onto a photo of a person, or an avatar in a game. “When we’re talking about fashion in a rendered, simulated thing. We can get such high-quality beautiful visuals,” she says. Lomax says, ‘digital first’ designers focus on developing the clothing and styles – known as ‘skins’ – for computer game and Metaverse avatars on the screen, rather than fashion in the physical world. Avakian says digital campaigns can also offer new ways of marketing clothing. “At <a href="https://nyfw.com/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York fashion week</a>, our finale dress … we took a Metaverse asset and brought it into the real world and let it walk down the runway.” “We’ve sold quite a few of those dresses as the real garment, just from that Metaverse imagery,” he says. Image credits: Getty Images <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=220452&title=Digital+fashion+and+the+Metaverse%3A+a+new+way+for+people+to+experience+fashion" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/digital-fashion-and-the-metaverse-a-new-way-for-people-to-experience-fashion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Petra Stock. </div>

Beauty & Style

Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why

For millennia, people have used mind-altering techniques to achieve different states of consciousness, envision spiritual figures, connect with nature, or simply for the fun of it. Psychedelic substances, in particular, have a long and controversial <a href="https://theconversation.com/psychedelic-drugs-can-be-almost-as-life-altering-as-near-death-experiences-189325">history</a>. But for just as long, people have been having these experiences without drugs too, using <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/101">rhythmic techniques such as rocking, chanting or drumming</a>. Perhaps the most powerful technique of this kind is flickering light, called “ganzflicker”. Ganzflicker effects can be achieved by turning a light on and off, or by alternating colours in a rapid, rhythmic pattern (like a strobe). This can create an instant psychedelic experience. Ganzflicker elicits striking visual phenomena. People can see geometric shapes and illusory colours but sometimes also complex objects, such as animals and faces – all without any chemical stimulants. Sometimes ganzflicker can even lead to altered states of consciousness (such as losing a sense of time or space) and emotions (ranging from fear to euphoria). Although its effects are little known today, ganzflicker has influenced and inspired many people through the ages, including the two of us. We are an art historian and brain scientist working together on an interactive showcase of ganzflicker techniques used in science and art. Our collaboration has culminated in the museum exhibition <a href="https://reshannereeder.com/ganzflicker-exhibit">“Ganzflicker: art, science, and psychedelic experience”</a>, which is part of the 2022 <a href="https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/">Being Human festival</a>. Ganzflicker’s effects were first documented in 1819 by the physiologist <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/235945">Jan E. Purkinje</a>. Purkinje discovered that illusory patterns could appear if he faced the sun and waved his hand in front of his closed eyelids. Near the end of the 19th century, an English toymaker and amateur scientist, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/051200c0">Charles Benham</a>, produced the first commercially available flicker device: a top with a monochrome pattern that, when spun, produced illusory colours that swirled around the disc. Modified versions of Benham’s “artificial spectrum top” were used in experiments well into the 20th century. William Grey Walter, a pioneering neurophysiologist and cybernetician, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-70911-1_17">pushed flicker effects further</a> by using electric strobe lights, synchronised with the brain’s rhythms. Fascinated by the mind-altering potential of Walter’s machinery, the artist Brion Gysin, in collaboration with writer William S. Burroughs and mathematician Ian Sommerville, invented the <a href="http://mindcontrol-research.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/14_2_dream-machine-plans.pdf">Dreamachine</a> (1962). <h2>The swinging 60s of drug-free psychedelics</h2> A Dreamachine consists of an upright cylinder with patterns cut into it and a lightbulb suspended at its centre. When spun on a turntable at 78rpm, the flickering patterns (viewed through closed eyelids) can cause trance-like hallucinations. Gysin thought of the Dreamachine as a new kind of artwork – “the first art object to be seen with the eyes closed” – and a form of entertainment, which he believed could replace the television. Others saw the Dreamachine’s potential to be a source of spiritual inspiration. Burroughs thought it could be <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/brion-gysin-the-pioneering-artist-who-invented-the-dreamachine/">used to</a> “storm the citadels of enlightenment”. The poet Alan Ginsberg said: “It sets up optical fields as religious and mandalic as hallucinogenic drugs – it’s like being able to have jewelled biblical designs and landscapes without taking chemicals.” Flicker experiments in art did not stop with the Dreamachine. Others included Tony Conrad’s groundbreaking structuralist film <a href="https://fourthree.boilerroom.tv/film/flicker-tony-conrad">The Flicker</a> (1966), which was the first artwork to include the warning “may induce epileptic seizures or produce mild symptoms of shock treatment in certain persons”. The conceptual artist James Turrell’s <a href="https://jamesturrell.com/work/bindu-shards/">Bindu Shards</a> (2010) was an enclosed globe that bombards the observer with strobe light. And, more recently, Collective Act created its own <a href="https://dreamachine.world/">Dreamachine</a> (2022) , a public planetarium-style artwork inspired by Gysin’s which toured the UK. <h2>The science of ganzflicker</h2> Two hundred years after Jan Purkinje documented the physiological properties of ganzflicker, scientists still do not have a definitive explanation for how it works. A recent theory proposes that visual phenomena may be the result of interactions between external flicker and the brain’s natural rhythmic electrical pulses, with more intense images manifesting <a href="https://theconversation.com/pseudo-hallucinations-why-some-people-see-more-vivid-mental-images-than-others-test-yourself-here-163025">when the frequencies of flicker and the brain are closest</a>. It is also likely that a strong visual flicker influences brain states. Meaningful visions, altered conscious states and heightened emotions may be the result of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-18591-6">imaginative suggestion</a>, which is amplified by the trance-inducing properties of <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/101">rhythmic stimulation</a>. What is perhaps most powerful about ganzflicker is its universality. Engineers, mathematicians, artists, historians and scientists have all been united by this modest, drug-free means of eliciting dramatic changes in consciousness. The new wave of popularity on this topic will undoubtedly lead to illuminating discoveries in the coming years. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/manipulating-light-can-induce-psychedelic-experiences-and-scientists-arent-quite-sure-why-192885" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

Whether in war-torn Ukraine, Laos or Spain, kids have felt compelled to pick up crayons and put their experiences to paper

“They still draw pictures!” So wrote the editors of an influential collection of children’s art that was <a href="https://www.afsc.org/document/they-still-draw-pictures-1938">compiled in 1938</a> during <a href="https://theconversation.com/ukraines-foreign-fighters-have-little-in-common-with-those-who-signed-up-to-fight-in-the-spanish-civil-war-178976">the Spanish Civil War</a>. Eighty years later, war continues to upend children’s lives in Ukraine, Yemen and elsewhere. In January, UNICEF <a href="https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/reports/prospects-children-2022-global-outlook">projected</a> that 177 million children worldwide would require assistance due to war and political instability in 2022. This included <a href="https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/yemen-crisis">12 million children in Yemen</a>, <a href="https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/syrian-crisis">6.5 million in Syria</a> and <a href="https://www.unicef.org/appeals/myanmar">5 million in Myanmar</a>. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 added 7 million more children to this number. To date, more than half of Ukraine’s children <a href="https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/war-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children">have been internally or externally displaced</a>. Many more have faced disruptions to education, health care and home life. And yet they, too, still draw pictures. In March, a charity called <a href="https://www.uakids.today/en">UA Kids Today</a>launched, offering a digital platform for kids to respond with art to Russia’s invasion and raise money for aid to Ukrainian families with children. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7bfZyk8AAAAJ&hl=en">As a scholar who studies</a> the ways wars affect societies’ most vulnerable members, I see much that can be learned from the art created by kids living in war-torn regions across place and time. <h2>A century of children’s art</h2> During <a href="https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/boer-war">the Boer War</a> – a conflict waged from 1899 to 1902 between British troops and South African guerrilla forces – relief workers sought to teach orphaned girls the art of <a href="https://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/archivesandmanuscripts/2017/08/24/the-archive-of-emily-hobhouse-now-available/">lace-making</a>. During World War I, displaced children in Greece and Turkey learned to weave textiles and decorate pottery <a href="https://neareastmuseum.com/2015/08/13/every-stitch-a-story-near-east-industries/">as a means of making a living</a>. Over time, expression has replaced subsistence as the driver of children’s wartime artwork. No longer pressed to sell their productions, children are instead urged to put their emotions and experiences on display for the world to see. Novelist <a href="https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2015/novemberdecember/feature/the-talented-mr-huxley">Aldous Huxley</a> hinted at this goal in his introduction to the 1938 collection of Spanish Civil War art. Whether showing “explosions, the panic rush to shelter, [or] the bodies of victims,” <a href="https://library.ucsd.edu/speccoll/tsdp/frame.html">Huxley wrote</a>, these drawings revealed “a power of expression that evokes our admiration for the childish artists and our horror at the elaborate bestiality of modern war.” <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/herbert-read">Herbert Read</a>, a World War I veteran and educational theorist, organized another show of children’s art during World War II. Unlike Huxley, Read found that scenes of war did not dominate the drawings he collected from British schoolchildren, even those exposed to the London Blitz. In a pamphlet for the exhibition, he highlighted “the sense of beauty and the enjoyment of life which they have expressed.” While the shows discussed by Read and Huxley differed in many ways, both men emphasized the form and composition of children’s artwork as much as their pictorial contents. Both also expressed the view that the creators of these drawings would play a critical role in the rebuilding of their war-torn communities. <h2>A political tool</h2> As with the children’s war art made during Huxley and Read’s time, the images coming out of Ukraine express a mix of horror, fear, hope and beauty. While planes, rockets and explosions appear in many of the pictures uploaded by <a href="https://www.uakids.today/en">UA Kids Today</a>, so do flowers, angels, Easter bunnies and peace signs. The managers of this platform – who are refugees themselves – have not been able to mount a physical exhibition of these works. But artists and curators elsewhere are beginning to do so. In Sarasota, Florida, artist Wojtek Sawa <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/new-sarasota-exhibit-features-artwork-of-ukrainian-children-coping-with-war">has opened a show</a> of Ukrainian children’s art that will be used to collect donations and messages from visitors. These will later be distributed to displaced children in Poland. <a href="https://warchildhood.org/">The War Childhood Museum</a>, based in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, had recently concluded traveling exhibitions in Kyiv and Kherson when the Russian invasion started. The museum’s managing director, who has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-crimes-schools-d1e52368aced8b3359f4436ca7180811">spoken</a> out strongly about the need for cultural heritage protection in war, was able to retrieve several dozen artifacts from these shows a few days before the fighting commenced. Those toys and drawings, which tell the story of children’s experience during Russia’s previous effort to gain control of the Donbas region in 2014, <a href="https://warchildhood.org/2022/02/24/updates-from-ukraine/">will be featured</a> in shows opening elsewhere in Europe in 2022. By capturing the attention of journalists and the public, these exhibitions have been used to raise awareness, solicit funds and inspire commentary. However, children’s art from Ukraine has not yet played a role in political deliberations, as it did when peace activist Fred Branfman shared his collection of drawings by Laotian children and adults <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/us/fred-branfman-laos-activist-dies-at-72.html">during his 1971 testimony</a> before Congress on the “<a href="https://legaciesofwar.org/about-laos/secret-war-laos/">Secret War</a>” the U.S. had been conducting in Laos since 1964. Nor is it yet clear whether this art will play a part in future war crimes trials, as the art of Auschwitz-Birkenau internee Yahuda Bacon <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2020/01/25/for-child-survivors-drawing-is-therapy-and-a-tool-of-justice">did during</a> the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann. <h2>Windows into different worlds</h2> Art historians <a href="https://www.massey.ac.nz/%7Ealock/hbook/bremner.htm">once thought</a> children’s drawings, no matter where they lived, revealed the world in a way that was unshaped by cultural conventions. But I don’t believe that children in all countries and conflicts represent their experiences in the same way. The drawings of children imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps during World War II are not formally or symbolically interchangeable with drawings made by children exposed to America’s bombing campaign in Laos. Nor can these be interpreted in the same way as images produced by Ukrainian, Yemeni, Syrian or Sudanese children today. To me, one of the most valuable features of children’s art is its power to highlight unique aspects of everyday life in distant places, while conveying a sense of what can be upended, lost or destroyed. A Laotian child’s <a href="https://legaciesofwar.org/programs/national-traveling-exhibition/illustrations-narratives/">drawing</a> of a horse that “ran back to the village” from the rice field after its owner was killed by a bomb offers a small window into the lives of subsistence rice farmers. The desert landscapes and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-30/yemen-s-historic-tower-houses-are-under-threat">urban architecture</a> of Yemen are equally distinctive, and Yemeni children’s drawings highlight those differences even as they express aspirations that viewers around the world may share. <h2>The challenges of preservation</h2> As an academic who has also worked in museums, I am always thinking about how artifacts from today’s conflicts will be preserved for exhibition in the future. There are significant challenges to preserving the drawings and paintings young people produce. First, children’s art is materially unstable. It is often made on paper, with crayons, markers and other ephemeral media. This makes it dangerous to display originals and demands care in the production of facsimiles. Second, children’s art is often hard to contextualize. The first-person commentaries that accompanied some of the Spanish Civil War drawings and most of the Laotian images <a href="https://library.ucsd.edu/speccoll/tsdp/frame.html">often provide</a> details about children’s localized experience but rarely about the timing of events, geographic locations or other crucial facts. Finally, much children’s war art suffers from uncertain authorship. With few full names recorded, it is hard to trace the fates of most child artists, nor is it generally possible to gather their adult reflections on their childhood creations. By noting these complications, I don’t want to detract from the remarkable fact that children still draw pictures during war. Their expressions are invaluable for documenting war and its impact, and it’s important to study them. Nevertheless, in researching children’s art, it is necessary to reflect that scholars and curators are – like the child artists themselves – often working at the limits of their knowledge. Image credits: Instagram This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/whether-in-war-torn-ukraine-laos-or-spain-kids-have-felt-compelled-to-pick-up-crayons-and-put-their-experiences-to-paper-181458" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

10 life-changing travel experiences

They say travel is the only thing you can purchase that makes you richer, and the experiences you face while on holidays can change the way you look at the world. We’ve put together a list of 10 life changing travel experiences. To view the travel experiences, scroll through the gallery above. They correspond to the list below. 1. View the Northern Lights – Elusive and ethereal, <a href="/news/news/2016/02/amazing-photos-of-aurora-borealis-resembling-a-phoenix/" target="_blank">the Northern Lights</a> are one of nature’s great displays, and provides a humbling, uplifting experience for travellers. 2. Visit the Galapagos Islands – One of most famous wildlife-watching destinations<a href="/travel/cruising/2016/03/cruise-line-to-increase-galapagos-islands-tours/"></a> in the world, The Galapagos Islands features an array of fascinating animals at every turn. 3. Trek Machu Picchu – Incomparable by sheer scale and architectural audacity, Machu Picchu<a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/04/top-10-landmarks-to-visit-in-2016/" target="_blank"></a> is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites to view in the world. 4. Cruise the Amazon River – Feeding rivers and streams in eight South American countries, <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/01/what-to-expect-from-an-amazon-cruise/" target="_blank">the Amazon</a> is a region of immense diversity and glorious nature. 5. Explore Angkor Wat – Cambodia’s most-beloved and best-preserved temple, Angkor Wat<a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/04/top-10-landmarks-to-visit-in-2016/" target="_blank"></a> is one of the largest religious monuments in the world and amazing to behold. 6. View the Serengeti – Nowhere in the world is the view as spectacular as the Serengeti, wild and open country that opens out to dazzling light and fascinating nature. 7. Visit the Taj Mahal – The jewel in the crown of the sub-continent, and arguably the world’s most famous building, the Taj Mahal has a transfixing effect on visitors. 8. View the Grand Canyon – One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon is a mesmerising reminder of the strength and fragility of nature. 9. Tour the temples of Kyoto – Synonymous with ancient temples, traditional and centuries-old craftsmanship, a walk through Kyoto is one you will never forget. 10. Walk the Great Wall of China – a triumph of engineering, the Great wall provides a direct link with China’s past and provides a captivating site for visitors. No matter where you’re travelling to, making sure you know how to access your cash while away – and in the most affordable way – is very important. Easy to use and with countless benefits, the Over60 Cash Passport allows you to securely access your cash in the same way you use an ATM or credit card. <a href="https://oversixty.cashpassport.com.au" target="_blank">To apply for a card today, click here.</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/04/top-10-landmarks-to-visit-in-2016/">Top 10 landmarks to visit in 2016</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/04/landing-plane-on-bhutan-paro-airport-runway/">The world’s most difficult runway to land</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/04/top-10-museums-2016/">Top 10 museums to visit in 2016</a>

International Travel

Five top experiences to add to your travel bucket list

Ticking an unforgettable experience off of your bucket list is a highlight of any trip, but compiling your list of experiences to start with can be tricky. Lucky for you, <a href="https://tripadvisor.mediaroom.com/press-releases?item=126673" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TripAdvisor</a> has revealed a top five list of bucket list experiences from all over the world, based on authentic feedback left by fellow travellers over the past 12 months. Ranging from the red sands of Dubai’s Lahbab desert to going to new heights above Egypt’s ancient sites, here are five top experiences you simply must do in your lifetime. Premium Red Dunes, Camel Safari & BBQ at Al Khayma Camp - Dubai, UAE If you’re heading to Dubai anytime soon, the premium red dunes of the Lahbab desert should be on your itinerary. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfUNRRusndF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfUNRRusndF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Alpaca Expeditions Travel Peru (@trekwithalpaca)</a> </div> </blockquote> Along with enjoying the scenery, there are plenty of activities, including a 4WD dune bash, sandboarding, and ATV rides, as well as camel rides, interactions with falcons, and cultural activities at the Bedouin-inspired Al Khayma camp. Hot Air Balloons Ride - Luxor, Egypt Take to the skies with this aerial experience, where you can enjoy views of Luxor’s West Bank by the light of sunrise. During your flight, you will get to see vast temples and statues illuminated by the low-lying morning light, with plenty to learn about from your on-board expert guide. Cappadocia Balloon Ride and Champagne Breakfast - Goreme, Turkey The second hot air balloon ride to make the list, this experience will see you depart from the plains of Anatolia, Cappadocia, and take in the landscape of honeycombed underground cities and chimney-shaped rocks. Plus, this sky-high experience comes with a decadent breakfast buffet. Classic Inca Trail Trek 4D/3N to Machu Picchu - Cusco, Peru This four-day excursion from Cusco will see you immersed in a mix of cultural, historical and natural sights along the famous Inca Trail. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8HS4Yvp5m0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8HS4Yvp5m0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Radu B (@radu.barden)</a> </div> </blockquote> After passing through villages and archaeological sites, you’ll be in for a guided tour at the sacred mountain of Machu Picchu. Blackstone Beach, Cliff Jump & Hidden Treasures – Aruba A must for lovers of adventure, this experience will see you get behind the wheel of your own utility task vehicle (UTV) and explore the rugged, desert terrain of Aruba. One traveller who took part described it as “an experience of a lifetime” and an “amazing memory we will never forget”. For the full list of top experiences, head <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/TravelersChoice-ThingsToDo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Instagram

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