Travel
Discover facts about travel. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Travel
First class seating started on boats rather than planes
Ocean liners used first class to separate elite travelers from the harsher conditions on lower decks.
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An early car-rental business charged by the mile
In 1916, Joe Saunders rented cars in Omaha for ten cents per mile. Charging for distance made occasional access to a car into a service, rather than requiring…
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In Swahili, safari means any journey
It can mean something as ordinary as walking to the market, not just a wildlife expedition.
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US highway 1 boldly stretches down the entire coastline
It winds through small towns and traffic lights, making it a slow route for drivers trying to get somewhere quickly.
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How an airport carpet became a cultural icon
Travelers made the Portland airport’s teal geometric carpet a sensation by photographing their shoes on it and sharing the images. The pattern inspired social…
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Why you should avoid a hotel’s top bedspread
Heavy bedspreads and duvet covers are less practical to wash between guests than sheets, so they may be laundered less often. Sheets and pillowcases are…
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Saltwater consistently freezes at much lower temperatures
Salt interferes with the formation of ice crystals, so seawater must get colder than fresh water before it freezes.
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Japan's Zao Fox Village is a managed enclosure, not a wild town
Visitors walk through an area occupied by captive foxes near Shiroishi. Designated feeding areas and safety instructions control the interaction; a fox…
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A Canadian town built a landing pad before any UFO booked it
St. Paul, Alberta, opened the pad in 1967 as a Canadian centennial project. It turned a concrete structure into a memorable statement of welcome and a tourist…
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A housekeeping knock is supposed to give you time to answer
Hotel training procedures describe knocking, identifying housekeeping and waiting before entering, then announcing again as the door opens. The pause serves a…
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Antipodes are the exact opposite side of earth
A straight tunnel through Earth would emerge at that point—but for most people, it’s in the middle of an ocean, not another country.
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An English railway convention became a global track standard
The 4-foot-8½-inch gauge spread with railways associated with George Stephenson and the expansion of British railway engineering. Once equipment and routes…
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The Caesar salad that never had chicken
The original, invented in Tijuana, used romaine, garlic, croutons, and raw egg—not chicken.
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How a flight can connect three countries
Fifth-freedom rights let an airline from one country carry passengers between two other countries, so a Middle Eastern carrier might fly a route between…
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The Indian post office that floats on Dal Lake
Built on a wooden houseboat, it serves people living along Dal Lake's waterways and even has a custom postmark featuring a boatman.
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Steering a pontoon boat feels exactly like driving a giant bus
Pontoon boats respond slowly to the steering wheel, so you have to plan turns well before you reach the spot where you want to make them.
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How escaped parrots took over San Francisco’s trees
San Francisco’s coastal environment proved hospitable to a few escaped pets, which established loud, green flocks in the city’s trees.
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Why asking for extra cheese can offend an Italian chef
In some Italian dining traditions, asking for extra cheese can suggest you think the dish needs fixing. If the chef hasn’t offered it, the request may come…
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Milk proteins can grab the molecule that makes chili burn
Capsaicin triggers the burning sensation, and dairy proteins can bind some of it. In a controlled study, increasing protein concentration reduced free…
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Why sleeper-train beds are too short
To fit more berths into limited space, sleeper trains can leave taller passengers with little choice but to curl up or let their feet hang into the aisle.
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Exclaves are orphaned pieces of land
An exclave is a piece of territory separated from the rest of its country by another region. Reaching the main part of the country may mean crossing someone…
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Whitehaven Beach's white sand can squeak underfoot
The Whitsunday beach is known for sand that is about 98% silica. Its pale, fine grains give the shoreline its distinctive appearance, and walking across them…
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Open-top sightseeing buses maximize traffic exposure
From the roof, you’re exposed to sun and exhaust as the bus crawls through downtown traffic.
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Royal clocks make daylight saving a conservation job
The Royal Collection contains historic timepieces that need individual care as well as setting. Changing the clocks across royal residences can involve…
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