PHOTOSET: FRANCE By Andrew Williams
Full Story On Page 24 i
JANUARY FEATURES A Birthday Present to Myself i 10 *Angkor Wat still seemed an eternity away*
Photoset: France i
24 *The peering man of Spaghetti glares into your soul*
Travel, Documented i
34 *Every day in class my dream became more real*
COVER SHOT
From Flickr user “rubber bullets”, this month’s cover shot is a glimpse into daily life in Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple complex. In rubber bullets’ own words: “A lovely monk met at Angkor Wat, He runs an English school near Kampong Thom, and each of the pupils pays a fee of $0.25 a month. This isn’t enough to cover the materials costs so he digs into his own pocket to make up the difference.” Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/andrewdyson/4626606858
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Kevin Landry / editor@rovemag.com
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Andrew McLeod / sales@rovemag.com
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Nick Budden / nickb@rovemag.com
ABOUT
Rove Magazine is a free digital travel magazine, driven by the support of the online community, availible the first monday of each month on rovemag.com. Rove is an Estefania Media project.
RANDOM INFORMATION.
RECORD SETTING RIDE
Steve Moore must be irresistible to women. Ladies traditionally go gaga over men in fire trucks, but pair that with a dash of charitable work and a mind boggling world journey, and you have this years’ most eligable bachelor. After his father died from lung cancer he set off to see the world, shatter a record, and raise over £83,000 for three charities. FollowThatFireEngine.com chronicles the self funded journey of Steve and his rotating crew as he attempts the world record for longest continuous trip in a fire engine. Why don’t I ever get ideas like this? Top: Creative Commons - flickr.com/photos/ digitalsextant/2488397254/ Right: Creative Commons - flickr.com/photos/ dichohecho/2829933971/
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I ADMIRE YOUR PASSION...BUT WHY?!
It’s great to have a hobby - but it’s not so great to have mental instability you confuse with hobbies. Take Anthony Toth, a 42 year old director of sales at United Airlines, who instead of your more traditional hobbies like running, art, or taxidermy, settled on the unorthodox (and bordering on insane) hobby of airplane cabin reconstruction. He spent 20 years and approximately $50,000 to recreate a 1970’s era first class Pan American Airlines cabin in his garage. Adorned with all the wonderful touches from shag carpet to earphones in packaging, he hopes to one day turn it into a museum, and why not if it was only twenty years in the making. Check it out here: http://www.loqu.com/man-builta-first-class-pan-am-cabin-in-his-garage/blogs/ flyingcar2009-5164
RANDOM INFORMATION.
FOR THE NARCISSIST ON EVERYONE’S SHOPPING LIST
Ever get bummed out because while on vacation filming something interesting you are missing out on filming yourself and your reactions at the same time? Me neither, but I guess some smart people think there is a market in fixing that problem. Due to its two cameras, the twin video camcorder allows users to film both what they are seeing and their ‘oh so precious’ reactions to whatever it is they are filming at the same time. I never thought seeing peoples family vacation photos could get worse, but alas the modern world has once again astounded me. What’s next, version 2.0 that adds a mandatory repeating ‘Chariots of Fire’ soundtrack to the background?
I NEED DIRECTIONS FROM JAPAN TO CHINA
There are going to be some very confused motorists in Asia. Google maps has decided that more tourists should take the scenic route when travelling, either that or Google has invested heavily in water sport product manufacturers. Go to Googlemaps, and get directions for the following: 1. Starting Location: Japan. 2. Ending Location: China. 3. Click get directions, and have a look at step forty two, enjoy! *Spoiler Alert* Step forty two is: ‘Jet Ski Across Pacific Ocean!’
KIDS THESE DAYS It’s the night before your big term essay is due and you have a choice to make:
this just in: africa is bigger than you think
What do you do? If you said anything other than “outsource my essay to a cheating factory in a developing country for $2 a word and then hightail it for party-ville with Sally Benson” you are hopelessly behind the times my friend; actually doing your homework is so 1990’s. Websites like Freelancer.com are now regularly being abused by Australian, English, and North American students looking to get their papers finished by aspiring authors in emerging economies. PHD quality work with a 24 hour deadline allegedly goes for $54 per page.
Quick quiz: which is bigger, Greenland or Africa? If you said Africa, and you’re right, but my next question is how much bigger? If you are looking at a Mercator map, which is the cylindrical map projection format that has become the norm for maps across the world, you might say 50% larger at most. However, taking a closer look at the numbers you’ll find that Africa is over 15 times the size of Greenland (approx. 32 million km² as opposed to Greenland’s approx. 2 million km²). Mercator maps don’t accurately display the size of land near the poles, making them disproportionately large. In fact, by our calculations, Africa is so big that Argentina, America, China and all of Europe could fit inside if it (if squeezed together and shaped like Africa of course).
www.news.com.au/technology/indian-websites-do-yourhomework-for-2/story-e6frfro0-1225953223266
www.treehugger.com/files/2010/11/true-sizeafrica-continued.php
1) Go to Sally Benson’s big party while her parents are out. 2) Or finish the paper.
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A BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO MYSELF By Kuna Rajandran
Photo: Creative Commons - flickr.com/photos/29555564@N08/3976434385/
GOODBYE MALAYSIA ç I left on a sweltering Malaysian night from Seremban with nothing on my mind but my destination. Sleep didn’t come easily on the bus but at some point I dozed off only awakening at the Thai border. Tired, hungry, and irritated from my uncomfortable sleep, I was impatient and in no mood for the long queues at the Passport Control toll booths. The lack of bag checks was a mixed blessing; it did make my stay shorter but on the other hand, no wonder so much smuggling goes on in this area. Seeking transport to Bangkok, I secured a seat on a bus for 700B and was thoroughly disappointed thirty minutes later when the ‘bus’ arrived - it was a minivan with 11 other people already in it. Left with no choice I climbed in, and braced myself for the 16 hour long journey. Although grumpy I tried to see the positive side of the sweaty, bumpy, and cramped journey: I did get to see most of Thailand’s countryside which otherwise I would not have known existed. The route we took was truly off the beaten track. I checked in to my guesthouse almost a full day later and dropped my bag on the bed, emptied my pockets, washed my face and died on the bed. Angkor Wat still seemed an eternity away.
Originally dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, Angkor Wat is now a Buddhist holy place.
TO CAMBODIA ç This trip was to be a birthday present to myself but at this point it felt like cruel and unusual punishment. Enjoying an extra hour of sleep thanks to the time change did much for my mood and I sat down in the train car full of Thais and backpackers a much more enthusiastic adventurer. I was pleasantly surprised to see I wasn’t the only one who decided to travel to Aranyaprathet on a 3rd class ticket. Charging through the city, I saw Bangkok’s hustle and bustle up close, people crossing the railway track oblivious to its dangers, and food stalls mere inches away from the edge of the train. As we sped past Bangkok, leaving it looming in the distance, the
concrete and asphalt gave way to lush greenery, and relief from the stifling heat. Paddy fields surrounded us on the left and right of the track. They call Thailand the land of smiles, which is no surprise since that is what I was doing all the way to the border region. Many websites warned me to be cautious not to be ripped off by the touts in the Thai - Cambodia border. My paranoia fuelled my desire to get a good rate, so for me, negotiating a taxi to take me to the border of Cambodia was arduous. It took a few hours and a bout of standing in the pouring rain before a tuk tuk driver took pity on me and I finally secured a ride side by side with four Icelandic travellers. We soon found out why we were offered a good price.
The tuk tuk driver stopped and asked the four girls if they had visas. I was exempted from the visa, since I was from Malaysia, but the rest gleefully showed their e-visa which earned disappointing look from the tuk tuk driver and his cronies, left with no choice and no kickback from over-priced visas he planned to sell to the girls he sent us to
the border, we handed him the fare and walked happily into Cambodia, scam free. Having been on the road for almost 2 days, I was so eager to finish the 2 hour journey to Siem Reap and be done with it. We all got into the van with 5 backpackers from China, 2 from France, and 3 from Belgium and soon we were all
shooting through the paddy fields and little Hindu and Buddhist temples, bound finally for the home of Angkor Wat. That night I went up to my room and made sure my camera and my phone were charged and excitedly turned off the lights. I was to meet Mr. Mab, my guide, early the next morning.
THE BIG SHOW ç Cars were everywhere, exhaust fumes mingled with the scents of street carts and chaos found a home on the streets of Siem Reap. I hung tightly to Mr. Mab as he dodged through traffic on his motorcycle, weaving in and out all the way to the Angkor complex 10kms away. I started to see signs of tourists everywhere: buses, colourful stalls, and children running around barefoot and realized that I was finally there, the largest temple complex in the world. The thought of it sent a tingling sensation through my veins. How wonderful to have the opportunity to visit one of the world’s most celebrated architectural sites, just a week before my 30th birthday. Right before my eyes stood the magnificent main temple. Its grey stone streaked with century’s worth of wear. I just stood there and gaped in awe, totally oblivious to the hundreds of tourists, and the street kids of Cambodia trying to sell me whatever they had. There I was in Angkor; it was as though a picture book I always read had come to life.
Formidable Khmer arches greet you at the Cambodian-Thai border.
THE BIG SHOW รง
The tour around Angkor was both marvellous due to the extravagant carvings and tiring due to the immense size of the complex. I took in Angkor Wat alone, savouring every nook and corner of this great piece of architecture. I even went up to Bakan, the highest dome, the view from which was a breathtaking vista of the floodplain speckled with other temples. Amid the climbing Khmer spires and carved cornices of the gray stone monuments I soon found another quirky element of the historic site: The children there were geographic whizzes. Trying to sell me everything, from postcards to guidebooks to hats and t-shirts these kids, having seen so many visitors, can speak fluent English, some with a thick accent mind you, and they appeared to know all the capitals of the world - truly remarkable given their circumstances. I toured the temple of faces with an entourage of young geographers, everywhere we looked, there were carved faces looking back at us. Rumour has it that the king built the temple to keep an eye on his kingdom. I wonder if the king was smug, or just liked cheesy puns in the form of large temples. Mid day drizzle interrupted my staring contest with the temple, powerful winds came from nowhere, creating a mild sandstorm. The view was so stunning that momentarily I stopped taking photographs and took in the sight. I could see all tourists froze, everyone was looking skywards and some were trying to run from the sandy maelstrom sweeping through the plaza.
Photo: Creative Commons - flickr.com/photos/scornish/456974837
It was a huge temple complex, my legs were throbbing just from the distance I had covered exploring the site but everything was just so amazing that I didn’t want to miss out and so I forced my weary legs onward. Thankfully Mr. Mab would zoom me here and there between temples on his slick motorbike, saving me miles of walking. Mr. Mab decided that I should see Ta Phrom, the location of the famous Tomb Raider movie, busily guzzling two cans of Coke I agreed that it was a great idea and next thing I knew we were speeding down another pock marked jungle road. Ta Phrom literally had images of the Tomb Raider logo and Angelina Jolie plastered all around the deep jungle backdrop. I loved every little nook and corner, recognizing spots from the film and mentally reminding myself to re-watch it sometime soon. You
Ta Phrom, Cambodia the real life site of the film “Tomb Raider�.
literally enter a door and come out through a different door into an entirely different place. I got lost a few times in the maze, completely losing my sense of direction and being quite content with that. The religious complex of former Khmer kings served as a crossroads for the area and a formidable meeting grounds in their sparkling empire - a fact that shone through when I ran into my Icelandic friends who joined my exploration. Thoroughly enjoying my foray into the labyrinth I was awash in emotions. Life is rarely as perfect as it was that day. Discovery, friends and a lifelong dream fulfilled It was a perfect gift to myself on the most memorable birthday of my life.
PHOTOSET: FRANCE By Andrew Williams
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Paris: Timeless.
Modern art, the peering man of spaghetti glares into your soul.
The French countryside is distorted through a stained glass window.
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The French skyline.
Protests: an integral part of the French way of life.
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32 Tall and narrow, space is a premium in France, forcing buildings up instead of out, where shutters in a rainbow of palettes decorate row houses.
My warning to you: if you like your life as it is stop reading here. This film seems to have a dangerous propensity to turn you into a wandering gypsy for the rest of your days.
In September of 2004, figuring that “a classroom did not do justice for the possibilities that exist in this world,” Alexander Reid and Thomas Douglas left university to make a film about backpacking and figuring it all out. Now, in early 2011 the movie is finally ready. Before the release slated for this winter Alex, now working with Rob Stewart (Sharkwater), took some time from his insane schedule to tell us more about the U movie, life choices, and making travel films.
Alex, traveling the world and making a movie is a dream come true for many of our readers; how did you get started in a business like this? There were two main people involved: Myself and Tommy Douglas. We were high school friends that went separate ways. In short: Tom was the guy with the “film knowledge” and I was the guy with the idea. Tom taught me what he knew about film, mostly at the beginning of the trip. And I told him what I thought the movie would be like. We discussed, we travelled, and we had one hell of a great time. Two young guys, out there in the world, with an idea, motivation, and a mode of capturing it all: digital video.
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You left with almost no experience and jumped into a huge project, you must have learned a lot along the way, what were your biggest challenges when filming? One was weight. Everything was so heavy. Even though I had a pretty small prosumer camera, it was still heavy. And as we filmed more, there
were more tapes, and those got heavy. Tom on the other hand, had a bigger camera, and a really big pelican case, so it was worse for him. Sound was problem number two. It was hard to know if we were getting the quality of sound we wanted. We researched before we left, but it was hard to really know if we were getting what we wanted. Did we? Sort of. The last real problem was how much
to shoot. The more our cameras were running, the heavier our bags were, but we didn’t want to miss anything (but we missed stuff anyway. You can’t always bring the camera. You need to live a little…). And problem number four, like you said was I didn’t realize the enormity of the project.
I am drooling over the film already,
so much so I want to make my own, any tips for aspiring film makers out there? Get help whenever you can. I made the mistake of not getting enough people to watch the movie until it was finished. I had a hand full of people watch the film, but not enough. I should have made questionnaires, got people’s feedback, had people that I did know and did not know watch the film. So, I would definitely do that! It’s worth it in the
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end, and I should have done more of that. On the whole though, catch the idea. Grasp it and be inspired by it. Listen to music and motivate yourself internally. Develop the concept and figure out a way to make it happen. Know in your heart and soul that it will work because you will not stop until there is a finished product. Be inspired. Listen to music that inspires and motivates you. And just keep given’r!
What made you go in the first place? You mentioned you were in university, did you leave? I was really bored at school. I went to university to study physics; the idea of time travel (okay, not possible...yet), space, and cool concepts in physics is what got me interested. However, once you’re there…at school... it’s a different world. And it was kind of boring. So I started to dream of being on a white sandy beach, having the rays of sunlight emit energy through my body, thinking of adventure and what else was out there. And so every day in class my dream became more real. And when the idea merged with making a movie I was gone before I even started.
And when you say gone, where exactly did you go to? Canada, Japan (for 18 hours!), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
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And are you thinking of perhaps showing off a bit more of the world in your next film? By the way what are your plans for your next project? I think I will call it the V movie. I was trying to think about this, and the easiest answer was right there. Who
knows what it will be about though (laughs). I am currently helping out Rob Stewart (Sharkwater) sift through footage for his next film, Rise Again. So, We’ll see how far I go with helping out there. I do have some documentary ideas,
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and drama ideas, but will need to secure some funding before anything is pursued. I am also finishing the book that I hope to release with the film. So keep your eyes open for that! As far as featuring other countries through film, I have been on many smaller adventures since filming the U
Movie. And by smaller, I mean shorter in time. I recently just got back from spending 6 months working and living in the UK, and of course travelling when I could. I then spent three weeks travelling in Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Iceland and just missed the volcano eruption. We actually drove through an ash storm…which was really cool. I
don’t have plans to make a movie about that trip though.
All this talk is getting me excited; can you give us a sneak peak at your film, or maybe just tell us about your favourite scene? I was in Tasmania, at a National Park, taking a walk through the woods by the shore with a Scottish friend I had met in Thailand. We were finished the walk, and it wasn’t a nice day – raining a bit. Ewen [my Scottish friend] was ready to go back to the car, and as I was about to follow him, I took one last look back on the lake, and saw the sun burst through the clouds. It had been a rainy, miserable day, and all of a sudden, “a light from the heavens” shone through the clouds. It was moving fast across the lake… and I captured it on camera. It’s in the movie. It’s an awesome shot.
Alright, here it is, this is your chance at an unadultered product plug, why should we see your movie? Have you ever been sitting at your desk in university dorm room, or in the library, or anywhere, and just gotten sick of it all? Because that’s where I was for so long and I just couldn’t handle it anymore. We had an idea, and left on an adventure to see what was out there,
Get excited for this movie, I am so excit
on www.theumovie.com. Wat what other people were doing, and to film and make a movie. The U Movie is the result from some young guy’s inspiration to get the hell out of the everyday routine and see what else is up. If you want a catalyst or some inspiration to start your own project, it could be anything…not just a movie: a book, a business, travel, go back to
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ted I practically hear voices whispering in my ear on a daily basis. Check it out
tch the trailer, pre order, and get all the heads up info on release dates. - Kevin school, then it hopefully is a good film to watch. Maybe you will get inspired by some music, what some people say, or some scenic shots. And when you find your moment, feel free to watch it again. If you watch the film and then wake up the next morning thinking about something in the film, or about your own life and what you are doing with
your precious time on this planet the film has done its job. So please watch it. And check out the merchandise section to buy the DVD on our site. It took one hell of a long time to make it. And I would say it is a nice “collector’s item” to have on board your train of life. Thank you.
WHY HAVEN’T I HEARD OF...
By Kevin Landry
Lofoten, Norway.
I like the idea of going to the arctic, especially in the summer. Long days with endless sunshine would be a rare treat, and in winter, aurora borealis would dance across the crisp sky. Unfortunately I detest the cold so I thought I would have to put any future arctic forays on hold until earth’s weather patterns stand on their head. Then, I heard about Lofoten. North of sixty degrees in Norway lies an archipelago which is an anomaly. Frigid temperatures dominate the region for most of the year but by some freak fluke of nature Lofoten enjoys an average temperature just below freezing in January and a year round average temperature which is above freezing. Just in case that didn’t sink in I will say it again, there is a place in the Arctic Circle where it isn’t abysmally cold. P-Top / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/victorvelez/4948745744 P-Right / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/victorvelez/4948154971/sizes/l/in/photostream
Oceanfront in the Arctic Circle.
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Not only that, but it has sandy beaches, a summertime water temperature warm enough to swim comfortably, a sun that doesn’t set from May 25 to July 17 and the world’s largest deep water reef. I am sure it was the Viking equivalent of Cancun. The local population survives mostly on the cod fishing industry, and has done so for the last thousand years. Iron Age Vikings discovered the rich waters were a spawning ground for yummy cod fish migrating from the Barents sea and have been there ever since. The abundant wildlife and robust nature provide a chance to explore the surrounding mountainous terrain in pristine fashion. The island was originally named Lofoten because of its similarity to a lynx foot - appropriate considering how many animals reside there. The trekking opportunities are unlimited here. Cycling, hiking, and mountaineering all leave their mark on the islands as well; tourists come to take advantage of the fjord-like scenery and all the sports it brings with it. Cyclists also enjoy the insomnia bike race taking place during the summers 24 hour daylight and stretching from one end of the archipelago to the other. Diving also is popular despite the less than lukewarm water temperatures.
An Arctic Cityscape: Lofoten from above. P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/ashfay/2485465498
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Two Fishermen Hang Cod to Dry. P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/sonvisen/4494861446/in/photostream
With such an abundance of culture and tradition mixed in with the finest beach life Norway has to offer (never thought I would write that sentence), this cold water Cancun, or arctic Acapulco, draws in many tourists each year. Most tourists flock to the town of HenningsvĂŚr, a town where locals practice a traditional way of life. Along the pier, houses hug the side of the pier and in some cases hang bravely over the edge. Fishing boats dock directly beside their homes, an ocean driveway of sorts. The rocky and bouldered land provides the foundation
for the rest of the village. Traditional glass buoys are still used to cast nets into the rich waters, and racks of drying cod wait to be dried out, their livers already turned to valuable oils, the entire town sings a tune of a bygone era. Far from being a one trick pony, the island chain has also had a notable effect on the English speaking world, it likely has affected you in a small but measurable way. We owe the word Maelstrom to this archipelago in Norway’s high arctic. The Maelstrom is a rugged tide that
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Picturesque Living. P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/victorvelez/4948744166/
flows through the island chain and has been described by authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Jules Verne. The locals, who are proud of the feature, mention on their website that the authors “write of a current that howls, that rumbles like a buffalo herd on the prairie, that drags ships under, smashing them to smithereens against the sea bed. They describe great whales bellowing as they submit to the Maelstrom’s vortices, while on land, the houses shudder at their foundations!� - poetic stuff. In reality the Maelstrom is one of the strongest currents in the world, it flows into the Vestfjord twice daily with a difference of about four meters (about 11 feet) in high tide and low tide. The
immensity of the moving water when the tide changes causes vortex and whirlpools to form, creating a natural hazard for the local fishermen. Aside from being the paradise of the north, the modern world is changing the way business is done in the archipelago. While fishing was once the main way of life, tourism has stepped in to fill the void that modern technology has left in rural towns across the globe. Now, in this day and age, after seeing thousands of years as an important fishery, locals are bringing tourism into the fold so that side by side the two industries can vault them through the next chapter in the towns history.
Lofoten street-art barn-art P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/kimjoarr/4857078074
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LOCAL KNOWLEDGE:
With Edwin Gould
Buenos Aires, Argentina. This month, The Paris of South America is the topic of heated debate as Kevin Landry drunk dials Edwin Gould, one of England’s lone representatives in Argentina.
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Buenos Aires Smog P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/lrargerich/2426658168
Kevin: Argentina in the world cup. What were your feelings? Edwin: What an aggressive question. I need to be careful not to offend anyone, my flatmates are listening. I wanted England to win of course, but second best would have been Argentina. They have a young squad and they looked like contenders. I felt bad when they were ousted. Since I didn’t have high hopes for England (being realistic) it would have been awesome to see Argentina win while I was here.
Is that because Maradonna claimed he would streak down the main avenue when they won? Is that why you were so excited? Because it got me rooting for you guys. Ewww, god no. But it would have been hilarious to see.
All that hair...[shudders] anyhow, I bet you’re wondering why I called you so late. Not really mate, you said you would call me about this, but I did expect the call a little earlier.
As usual alcohol is the culprit. I got distracted and tied on a few before I made the call. The long distance is going to kill me. Next question, it’s 3:00AM, why are you still up? I am going out clubbing, and it’s 4:00AM here. Time zones, remember? God, how much have you had to drink? You sound pissed.
To answer your question: plenty. Going to the bar huh? Ours just closed, I was there. Tell everyone why you’re going so late. Everyone, my interviewer is on the piss and I am going late because no one goes to the clubs here before four in the morning. People are still eating dinner at midnight, everything is just shoved back a few hours for no real reason. You go to the club at 4:00AM and come home at 9:00AM when the sun is up.
I knew that, I just wanted it for the record. How bout you tell me something cool about Argentina... I don’t know, it’s a great place to work, their Spanish has a big accent....uhhhhh it’s really tough when you give me a super broad question like that, your question is kind of shit.
Don’t worry man [rustling] I prepared a series of questions before-hand just in case this scenario arose. Found it. Question one: I played Polo once, making me an expert, my instructor said Argentina was good at Polo, was he lying? I don’t think so mate. Polo seems to be quite popular here but it isn’t a sport I follow whatsoever. I see it here on telly every once in a while but it isn’t something I look for. I know Argentina is popular for people who want to learn how to play, so no I don’t think he was lying.
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Seaside in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires. P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/5269826040
Ok but what about Ralph Lauren? He has made quite a name for himself in Polo. Did you just make a designer clothes joke? You really are pissed.
[Sarcastic laughs] Ok then, next question: what are you doing in Buenos Aires? and how about a little background info on you. I’m originally from Newcastle, I started learning Spanish when I was in school and
P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/abanyai/3522201117/
then spent two years teaching English in Spain. I moved to Argentina partly for excitement and partly to start a new life because I was bored with my old one. Now I am working at an office here and speaking more English than Spanish sometimes, funny how that works out. Before I came here I had travelled throughout most of central and western Europe and like I said, I spent time in Spain. I had also been to India for a few months.
Super cool Ed, but you do know what they say about India... [Cracking a fresh beer] I have no Idea what you’re talking about.
You get’r into ya! [Chugs beer] Let’s talk about beer, what kind of Cerveza do you drink down there? God are you drinking more? You’re already making little sense. Quilmes is the only real brand of Argentinean beer that I know of. You can buy Heineken and Stella at stores but other than that it’s a bit of a beer monopoly. They have different varieties like dark and light, but it is all Quilmes. These days I prefer wine, which Argentina is well known for. Ever heard of Mendoza? It’s a wine region near the Andes where they produce some of the nicest wines. Argentineans are very proud of their wines; I am enjoying a nice glass right now actually.
Oh! They mix Coke with their wines here too.
[intrigued] Coke? As in... [laughing] Not drugs you idiot. Coca Cola. I know it sounds pretty off-putting but you should try it, they call it a Jote here, a Calimocho is what it is called in Spain. It’s a really popular drink.
I just happen to have both of those here, perhaps I will mix myself a little Jote right now. Talk about food there for a minute I promise I will be right back. [Sighing] The Italian is surprisingly good. I had some pizza that was comparable to that in Italy. Lots of pasta is really nice as well. I didn’t realize before I moved here but there is a lot of Italian ancestry, which explains the good food. The beef is legendary. The best beef I have ever had. I went to a spot called La Cabrera and got a huuuuge steak for about seven quid. The best thing I have ever tasted and I reckon it weighed close to two pounds. All the beef here is top notch. Locals also drink a lot of matte, some sort of tea with a weird cup out of an aluminum straw, nothing like a nice cup of tea back home but it isn’t bad. [Awkward pause] Kev? You there?
[singing] Hoooooooottttt pocketttttttss! Yeah I’m here but I think I burned my mouth. I have another question here for you written down: what should I be sure to do or see in Buenos Aires and for that matter what does Buenos Aires even mean man?
learn though I would take a few months because it really isn’t something you can become good at right away.
[words slurring] Sorry Eddy, I wasn’t really paying attention, I made another Jote though. How about this. Tell me something
Buenos Aires means good wind I guess. And the must see things in Buenos Aires would be Eva Peron’s grave.
Two things before you go on. One: this jote stuff isn’t bad, two: who is Eva Peron? She was the person Madonna played in Evita, the wife of the Argentinean president Juan peron. A very loved lady in this part of the world. People usually go see the obelisk too, it’s pretty famous. I would also go check out La Boca, It’s my favourite area of the city, the houses are wonderfully coloured and it has a very bohemian appeal to it. Not to mention it is the home of Boca Juniors stadium, where Maradonna used to play. If you are in town when they play River Plate you have to try and see it - one of the biggest rivalries in sports. The only other thing I can think of would be tango. Buenos Aires is famous for its tango scene so either take in a show or learn how to tango. If you are going to
Puerto Madero by Night.
P / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/tiagoluiz/32109
947641
Buenos Aires is and tell me something it isn’t. You should probably stop drinking, I know you can’t hold your alcohol. And don’t you have a job or something?
[hiccup] Answer the question. I would say Buenos Aires is the location with the most McDonalds I have ever seen, I feel like you can see three from every street corner downtown. Buenos Aires isn’t expensive compared to other cities of its calibre, it’s a world class city with the beauty of Paris and all the
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luxuries and conveniences of Europe and you can live off twenty quid per day. Plus the weather is fantastic.
Alright let’s role play for a minute here, let’s say I lost my job and only have enough money left to fly to Argentina and stay on your couch, what can I do for free there? Your worrying me, I hear clicking, you better not be looking at flights. For free, you can go see Evita’s grave for free, they ask for a donation but you don’t have to give one. You can stroll down Avenida Nuevo de Julio, and take in the obelisk and some of the
best architecture for free as well. There is also an abundance of Street art you can have a look at, they have actually started formal tours of the street art as well. And if you are anything like me you can just spend all day meeting beautiful Argentinean women.
The women are beautiful as well huh? Exquisite.
Perfect, just booked the flight for January sixth, I get there at 10:00AM, hope everything is as good as you said. Sorry, what?
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I said, any last advice for [burp] travellers going there...excuse me for a minute. Watch your stuff, someone used a razor blade to slice my pocket open and take my wallet while I was at a club.
[Several hours later] Jote was a bad idea. Tune in next issue as I continue to scour the world for knowledge, today though I am going to scour my apartment for some Tylenol and some Gatorade.
[retching noises from the background] He’s gone. Well listen everyone, I think he is recording this so be sure to come down, I absolutely love it, Argentineans are a very welcoming people and this city is the best I have ever lived in. I hope he was joking about the flight, I’ll try to let him know about that in the morning. I’m off to the clubs, hasta luego.
P-Left / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/lrargerich/2496548445 P-Right / Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/25454193@N08/3080128397
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REVIEWS
By Kevin Landry
2010: Sharks & Spaceships. How do you describe a year? I’ll give you a hint, when you’re hung over you use words that people usually don’t understand but are too lazy to look up or question if they even make sense in the situation, which is why 2010 was undoubtedly a synergistic and quaffable year. Sharks attacked red sea vacationers, a volcano I cannot even pronounce but was possibly named by someone mashing a keyboard caused logistical catastrophes, and yet another abused member of the hospitality industry called it quits in diva fashion: this is the year 2010 in review.
Story that made me reevaluate swimming, and even bathing in large bathtubs ever again:
Story that made me glad my parents actually care about my wellbeing: Girls sail solo around the
An Oceanic White Tip shark made international headlines by eating a few tourists; strangely enough all of them were Russian. Perhaps sharks have developed a taste for vodka soaked flesh, perhaps they have been inspired by finally seeing the movie Jaws or perhaps America, in a last ditch effort to restart the cold war, has developed a new and lethal form of Russian eating shark buoy, either way me and my vodka are going to stay far away from oceans over there.
Three girls under the age of seventeen attempted solo round the world sails in 2010. Australian; Jessica Watson, American; Abbey Sunderland and Dutch girl Laura Dekker all attempted the arduous journey. Jessica made it, Abbey was nearly drowned in the Indian Ocean and Laura is in the Caribbean until further notice. Where do you get parents like that? “Sure sweety, brave the terrors of deep sea travel, I would come along but you know, work is just insane, oh you’ll be gone for a year in my boat worth more than my house? Well fine I guess, but no drinking!”.
Shark terrorizes Egyptian red sea resorts.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middleeast-11891450
Story that I was sad to hear was fake: Drunken Serbian becomes hero by killing devil shark.
world.
www.news.com.au/travel/news/jessicawatsons-daring-adventure-to-make-hermillions/story-e6frfq80-1225867277129
Story that makes me wish I made more money than some small countries: Virgin Galactic.
Spielberg solved his shark problem with a bullet and a scuba tank, Egypt opted for a drunken high diving Serbian. The story went that Dragan Stevic landed on the shark while high diving blackout drunk, becoming the Egyptian version of Rambo. Unfortunately it was hard to find sources to back it up and is likely an internet fake. Truly the let down of the year
I’ve been reviewing my finances lately, and if I save vigorously for the next forty years I should be able to have a hope of retirement, or take a flight to space. Richard Branson, the handsome devil he is, decided to construct a spaceport in New Mexico and will soon be hawking space flights for 200k.
www.mediaite.com/online/this-exists-serbianman-becomes-a-hero-after-accidentally-killinga-terrifying-shark-while-drunk/
www.news.travel.aol.com/2010/03/23/virgingalactic-makes-one-giant-leap-for-spacetourism/
Story that inconvenienced the most people: Eyjafjallajökull. The most controversial thing to come out of Iceland since Björk, the infamous clouds of Ash spewing from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano disrupted trans-Atlantic flights for months. On the positive side though, more people got exposed to the fine art of airport sleeping. www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/04/ icelands_disruptive_volcano.html
Story that inconvenienced me the most: Machu Picchu closed for two months after January landslides.
One of the world’s most popular tourist sites, Machu Picchu, was closed for months last winter after heavy rains and landslides destroyed the only routes into the Incan Citadel. Fortunate enough to get in on the day of reopening, I risked life and limb for the privilege (read about it in our first issue: www.rovemag.com/issue-01 ). www.nowpublic.com/world/machu-picchureopens-after-landslides-2600062.html
Story that made me wish more ex-supermodels worked for airport security: Scanners and
groping.
We’ve all heard about the new airport scanners that reveal you practically naked and dose you with potentially
harmful radiation. We have also all heard about the battle raging between civil rights activists arguing that it is just another step down the road toward a police state. You can however opt for an intimate pat down if you decline the scanner, but I think we should all be mature about it and simply enforce naked flights. www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/ story/2010/01/05/bc-airport-scannerscivil-liberties-vonn.html
Click Below To View a News Report on the Attacks in Egypt
Story that most made me want to quit my job but then made me realize I could never do it in as grand a fashion as this man: Flight attendant quits mid
shift.
Steven Slater may have had the most impressive mental breakdown ever recorded. After years of dealing with disgruntled Jet Blue passengers he finally snapped, cussed out a passenger
on the loud speaker, grabbing a beer and leaving out the inflatable slide of the plane while it was still on the runway. I often wonder where Jerry Springer gets his material and now I know: hospitality workers. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/ article-1301798/JetBlue-flight-attendantSteven-Slater-quits-job-style-luggage-rowpassenger.html
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TRAVELER PROFILE:
KONAN ZANE WENDT
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Bio When I’m not roughing it in the bush saving fists full of cash for the next trip, upgrading my scuba qualification, shredding the slopes to update my snowboard instructing, big stylin’ from a bungy jump, rocking my mankini on a famous beach, driving a monster truck, taking my pants off in
public, my hobbies include everything else fun, such as; wakeboarding, soccer, photography, videography, event planning, DJ-ing, writing for my blog, playing the latest installment of Call Of Duty or most importantly, making others smile.
Occupation Silviculture Project Manager. Where Have you been? How much time have you got? I’ll keep it simple and just stick to countries for now. I’ve been to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Germany, North America, Panama, El Salvador, and Mexico. Most Memorable travel experience: Ahhhh I don’t even have to think about this one. Everything Australia!!! Let’s see. I became PADI open water certified on the Great Barrier Reef, got my adrenaline fix doing the Big Day Out at A.J. Hacket’s bungy site in Cairns, spent 4 days with 11 amazing strangers stuffed into a 4x4 Ute and organized a Goon Olympics on Fraser Island, I got to sail on one of Australia’s fastest yachts, the Card, through the stunning WhitSunday Islands. I saw fairy penguins march to the beat of their own drum on Phillip Island, I witnessed the 12 Apostles while on the Great Ocean road. I Camped in swag and ate a Witchetty grub in the outback, Mic Dundee style. I got to skin dive next to a spectacular 5m long Whale Shark on the West coast. I took full advantage of every opportunity thrown at me. The stuff I did, the people I met, and the sites I saw jammed into 7 months was truly unique and the best experience of my life, bar none. Everywhere I’ve visited
since then has been a distant second to the land down under. If I could I would toss my life into a backpack and move there tomorrow. Best and worst thing you have eaten on the road: On the road eh? Funny you should ask. In my university days a few of us were standing around my buddy’s driveway wrestling over a bag of Ruffles Rippled Cut chips accompanied by a tub of Hellavagood Chip Dip and the person holding the dip compromised the feast by dropping the dip on to the drive way. Hellavagood Chip Cip stays true to the name and we refused to let its delicious contents go to waste. So
that my friend is the best thing I’ve literally eaten on the road. And maybe not the worst thing but the most interesting thing I’ve consumed on the road was a Witchetty Grub. This little larvae feeds off the roots of a Witchetty bush found only in the outback of Central Australia. Our tour guide dug one out of the roots of a Witchetty bush and offered to the rest of us. Me being the only Canadian on the tour I foolishly stepped up to the proverbial plate and threw back the squirming 3 inch bright white, wood eating living larvae. Aboriginals ate these as a source of protein. I ate it because I wanted to experience life in the Outback. Yummmay! Most Awkward Travel Moment Trying to wheel a stunning young vixen at a discotheque in Panama not realizing she didn’t speak or understand a lick of English. Note to self, learn Spanish.
giants would waken from their slumber. 5 hours later my window of opportunity had opened and I can assure you it was the most painful walk to the lavatory Worst Plane Ride in my life. Consider an isle seat for 26 hour return flight from Australia. 3 your next trip and steer clear from the hours in and the complimentary beers temptation of a free bevy. were taking turns punching me in the bladder. Luckily for me I was pressed up against the window while two wildly Fictional Character you would most like to travel with and why obese sleeping beauties defended the isle like a couple of line backers. Dora The Explorer, I mean if she was All I could do was hold my crotch like legal. For obvious reasons she loves a 4 year old boy and pray one of the
The thing I miss most when I travel Friends, family, and my PS3. Travel tip Always try something new. Next trip The 1st quarter of 2011 is shaping up to be an eventful one. I’m looking to shred off the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb, work on my tan for 2 weeks in Grenada, spend a weekend in Aspen to scope out the X-games, and when March rolls in like a lamb I will be skulling back a week’s worth of pints during the St. Patricks day celebrations in Dublin, Ireland. I can’t wait.
to explore, she speaks two languages one of which is Spanish, and she helps people in troubled times. It also doesn’t hurt to have the travel advice and guidance of MAP. Best thing you ever spent $20 on while traveling A combination lock for my back pack. I bring a lot of tech gadgetry when I travel.
Travel is __________ My passion. What do you do to pass time on long bus/plane rides: Prepare fresh material for my blog or catch some much needed rest. I must ______ before I die I must spike a football on the moon before I die. I bet Neil Armstrong never did that!
KONAN ZANE WENDT
73 Place I wouldn’t recommend going Dark Alleyways. No good is going to come out of a dodgy alleyway unless you have a craving for day old donuts. In terms of destinations I think people should experience them all good or bad. What could be disappointing to one might be an amazing discovery to another.
THANKS FOR READING
next issue coming th monday feb. 6 on rovemag.com