Adventure Travel
2023 Global Peace Index
On June 28, the 17th edition of the Global Peace Index from international think-tank, the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) was released, and things are not looking great.
The analysis showed that conflict deaths are at their highest level this century causing world peacefulness to decline.
Some key findings in the report »
On 15 November 2022, the world’s population surpassed 8 billion people.
Earth’s population continues to explode » from 1 billion in 1820 to 2 billion in 1930, to 3 billion in 1960, to 4 billion in 1974, to 5 billion in 1987, to 6 billion in 1999, to 7 billion in 2012, and 8 billion in 2022.
Following are the 50 most populated countries using the latest figures available »
Min says she’s the happiest she’s been in many years.
Alex Myall, writing in Exploreweb »
She saved her $300 monthly pension and combined it with her savings to buy a white Volkswagen Polo hatchback. She researched everything she could about traveling on a budget — which apps are most helpful on the road, tips to save money — and when the twins started school, she fixed a rooftop tent to her car and hit the road.
Leaving Zhengzhou last September, she has covered more than 13,000km and has visited some of China’s most famous sites — historical Xi’an, mountainous Sichuan, the old town of Lijiang — and is currently on her way to Guilin, famous for its lumpy karst hills and cormorant fishermen. She’s been traveling for more than six months.
Her husband, who ridiculed her decision, has not seen her since she left, and while Su shudders at the thought of their eventual reunion, she is relishing her freedom.
150 travellers who completed epic cross-continental cycling journeys were surveyed.
Alee Denham at CyclingAbout.com writes »
Each of the 150 cyclists got three votes to cast, and I simply tallied up the results. In the end, 80 different countries were favourited, which is pretty cool because that means most corners of the world have something, for somebody.
These are their top picks for the best countries for long-distance cycling »
10. 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
9. 🇨🇱 Chile
8. 🇲🇽 Mexico
7. 🇦🇺 Australian
6. 🇮🇷 Iran
5. 🇮🇳 India
4. 🇨🇳 China
3. 🇹🇯 Tajikistan
2. 🇺🇸 USA
1. 🇹🇷 Turkey
In December of 2020, China and Nepal made a joint announcement about a new measurement for Mount Everest: 8,849 meters. This is just the latest of several different surveys of Everest since the first measurement was taken in 1855. The reasons why the height has fluctuated have to do with surveying methodology, challenges in determining sea level, and the people who have historically been able to measure Everest.
While Everest is the peak’s English name, the Nepalese have long called it Sagarmatha, and Tibetans call it Chomolungma – “Mother Goddess of the World.”
More » The Story of the First Sherpa to Climb to the Top of Mt. Everest – by Christopher Rand, The New Yorker, May 28, 1954
More » Indian mathematician Radhanath Sikdar first to identify Everest as highest mountain peak – The Economic Times, Jun 01, 2015
A morning shot of Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat. » Photography by Imrankhakwani
A full length (1h:10m) documentary video of a four-month motorcycle adventure from London, UK to Sydney, Australia, taken by two friends — David Darcy and Darren Higginson — back in 2012.
American alpinist Adrian Ballinger climbed K2, the “Savage Mountain” in 2019, reaching the summit of the second tallest mountain in the world without supplemental oxygen.
Via YouTube »
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) on July 10, 2020 at it’s meeting in Paris, designated 15 new Geoparks. There are now 162 designated sites across 44 countries.
UNESCO said »
These sites of exceptional geological and cultural significance showcase the beauty and diversity of planet Earth. Today 162 sites across the world document our planet’s evolution over 4.6 billion years, unlocking our history preserved in the rock record to learn from the past and support local communities.
More » UNESCO
More » Wikipedia entry for UNESCO Global Geoparks
For Switzerland, the 2020 ranking is the the fourth consecutive yearhas been judged No. 1 by residents of 36 countries. Canada was chosen second, overtaking Japan in the U.S. News’ fifth annual survey.
The Best Countries report, produced from an annual global survey of more than 20,000 people in 36 countries including the United States, reflects increasingly negative views of the world and within countries. Nearly half of survey respondents say conditions around the world have worsened in the past year. Likewise, an increased percentage of people say the gap between the rich and poor has grown and that nationalism is increasing.
According to the ranking, here are the Top 25 Countries in the World
The Bottom 5 of the U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings are
© 2023 Your Mileage May Vary
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑