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[1/5] Passengers wait to board trains at Shanghai Hongqiao railway station ahead of the five-day Labour Day holiday, in Shanghai, China, April 28, 2023. REUTERS/Aly SongBEIJING, April 28 (Reuters) - China is bracing for a record-high travel rush over the Labour Day holiday, with popular sightseeing spots selling out of tickets and some cities warning would-be visitors away as domestic tourism rebounds after Beijing ended COVID curbs. Authorities are expecting 19 million trips to be made across China's vast railway network on Saturday, the first day of the five-day holiday, which would be the highest number of rail trips made in a single day in the country's history. Over the 40-day Lunar New Year travel period in January-February this year, 348 million trips were made in total, or about 8.7 million trips a day on average, according to the National Railway Administration. China's aviation authority said it expects air passenger trips to reach a total of 9 million over the five days.

☆ For Aging Homeowners, Elevators Give Luxury Properties a Major Lift
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Lia Picard | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

In 2020, Russell Franchi’s clients liked many features of a beach home in South Walton County, Fla., but it was missing one thing: an elevator. The clients, who had limited mobility, considered retrofitting an elevator, but ultimately walked away from the deal before finding a house that already had one installed. Kaitlind Meeks-Price, a sales representative of Delaware Elevator in Salisbury, Md., said that elevators are typically 3 feet by 4 feet, but she’s seen them go up to 15 square feet. A basic, three-stop elevator, including installation, typically starts around $32,000 to $35,000. When it comes to maintaining the lift, Ms. Meeks-Price suggests having it serviced at least once a year for the first five years.

☆ Take a look inside the largest house in the US — a Vanderbilt's 130-year-old private mansion with 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Libertina Brandt | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

According to the property's website, the Biltmore House was built in the late 1800s by George Vanderbilt and features 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. George Vanderbilt, a prominent businessman from the late 19th and early 20th century, began constructing the Biltmore House in 1889. Vanderbilt opened the Biltmore House in 1895. The Biltmore Estate, which now spans a total of 8,000 acres, is covered with gardens designed by American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The main house, America's largest, includes 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.

April 25 (Reuters) - Most of the vast, scenic valley at the heart of Yosemite National Park in California will close to visitors this weekend in a rare shutdown prompted by forecasts of floods from rapid snowmelt. The closure will start at 10 p.m. on Friday and last at least until Wednesday, May 3, possibly longer, depending on how swiftly melting mountain snow runs off into the Merced River through Yosemite Valley, the National Park Service said on Tuesday. About 100 miles to the north, the Merced River at the Pohono Bridge at the west end of the Yosemite Valley was forecast to top flood stage late this week, the park service said. The vast glacial Yosemite valley received a record 40 inches of snow during the winter, prompting the closure of the entire park to the public on Feb. 25 for three weeks. That shutdown marked one of the longest and most expansive weather-related closures in the park, according to park spokeswoman Nancy Phillipe.

☆ I left a high-rise apartment to live in a van. It's not that much cheaper, but I've saved $70,000 over 3 years and won't ever go back to a traditional home.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She described the joys of living in a van — and its less romantic sides, like showering at the gym. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a 38-year-old personal assistant about going from a traditional apartment to living in a van. For the first couple of weeks of living in my van, I would park in front of the high-rise apartment complex that I used to live in. I also learned that van life is very popular in the West. I'm never going back to traditional housingWhen I first got into van life, I didn't research how to make it work.

☆ How to put your best travel foot forward for Earth Day 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

But you don’t have to totally cut out travel or stay super close to home to be a good planetary citizen. You need a city that’s dedicated to getting it right to best enjoy an urban biking vacation. Here, we've curated 30 of our favorite corners, including the Thu Bon River, which flows through central Vietnam. A maze of rivers and caves, the UNESCO World Centre is defined by its craggy limestone facades and jade green water. Bruno De Hogues/Photodisc/Getty Images Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is heaven for spelunkers.

☆ Renault revenues rise 30% in the first quarter on higher sales and prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

French car maker Renault said on Thursday revenues had grown by 30% in the first quarter thanks to a rebound in sales and higher prices. Revenues came in at 11.5 billion euros ($12.60 billion), compared with an analyst consensus of 11.08 billion euros provided by the company. It said its orderbook in Europe stood at 3.3 months of sales at the end of Q1, and would remain above the target of 2 months through 2023. Overall sales in Europe rose by 27.3% in the first three months of the year, outperforming a 16.2% average increase for the market. Renault ranked as the third EV brand for sales in Europe behind Tesla and Volkswagen last year.

☆ Beyond Kyoto: Japan recommends 11 lesser-known spots to visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Rob Goss | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Japan wants travelers to go beyond the country's iconic tourist sites — and consider spending their yen in lesser-known locations. CNBC Travel takes a look at what each of the 11 spots has to offer travelers — whether or not they're wealthy. Koichi Kamoshida | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesIse-shima is arguably the "model destination" most ready to welcome the JTA's wealthy targets. Kagoshima, Aso and UnzenThe island of Kyushu in western Japan feature everything from active volcanoes to glimpses of samurai culture. Okinawa and AmamiIn 2021, Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa's main island, and Iriomote Island were given joint UNESCO Natural World Heritage status for their biodiversity and endemic wildlife.

☆ Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route: Japan's 20-meter-deep snow corridor reopens for visitors
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A giant snow corridor near the otherworldly Mount Tateyama, one of Japan’s three sacred mountains, is reopening to travelers on April 15. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route offers stunning views of the Japanese alps. The opening of the Yuki no Otani walk also marks the resumption of traffic through the entire Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route at the end of winter. Tateyama Kurobe Alpine RouteTravelers can opt to stay in one of the mountain accommodations on offer. Travelers visiting the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route are advised to wear winter clothing and gear suitable for trekking or mountaineering.

☆ Pollution choking Thailand's north hits tourism, worries public
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, April 10 (Reuters) - High pollution levels in Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces are keeping tourists away and alarming locals, with the government on Monday urging residents to avoid outdoor activities. For several weeks last month the city was at the top of air quality information platform IQAir's global chart on poor air quality, ahead of Lahore and New Delhi. That is far short of the 80% to 90% expected ahead of this week's Thai New Year holidays, known as Songkran. Addressing the deteriorating air quality in the north, Thailand's health ministry urged the public on Monday to avoid outdoor activities and wear masks that can filter particles. Chiang Mai resident Pathsharasakon Po, 36, said she was concerned about allergies, or even cancer.

☆ Montenegro holds run-off presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A child plays with a ball on a street, a day before the second round of presidential elections in Podgorica, Montenegro, April 1, 2023. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaPODGORICA, April 2 (Reuters) - Montenegrins were set to vote in a run-off presidential election on Sunday, pitting long-time incumbent Milo Djukanovic against a Western-educated economist pledging to lift the nation out of a crisis marked by no-confidence votes in two governments. Djukanovic, 61, has dominated Montenegro as president or prime minister for 33 years, since the start of the collapse of the now-defunct federal Yugoslavia. Djukanovic wound up with 35.37% of the vote in the first round of the election on March 19, with Milatovic on 28.92%, necessitating a run-off as neither garnered a 50% majority, and analysts have predicted a tight race in the run-off. Although the presidential post in Montenegro is largely ceremonial, a victory in the election would bolster the chances of the winner's party in June.

☆ Montenegro run-off presidential election under way
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/13] A man prepares to vote at a polling station during the run-off presidential election in Podgorica, Montenegro, April 2, 2023. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaPODGORICA, April 2 (Reuters) - Montenegrins went to the polls on Sunday in a run-off presidential election pitting incumbent Milo Djukanovic against a Western-educated economist pledging to lift the nation out of a crisis marked by no-confidence votes in two governments. He led Montenegro to independence from a state union with much larger Serbia in 2006 and to NATO membership in 2017. Although the presidential post in Montenegro is largely ceremonial, victory in the election would bolster the chances of the winner's party in June. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro joined EU sanctions against Moscow and expelled a number of Russian diplomats.

☆ Drive Like James Bond: 3 European Road Tours Inspired by 007 (and His Aston Martin)
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Brigid Mander | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SET-JETTING Pierce Brosnan in an Aston Martin DB5 at the Casino de Monte Carlo in Monaco for the filming of “GoldenEye” (1995). GREAT VACATIONS leave daily life in the dust—none more so than driving tours that involve a supercar worthy of 007 and an itinerary with thrillingly scenic roads. Consider a getaway even Dr. No would say yes to: a jaunt that kicks off in Monte Carlo , Monaco, offered by Ultimate Driving Tours based in Melbourne, Australia. These road trips are booked by both sexes, said Julie Hunter who co-owns the company with her husband Anthony Moss. “Our tours couldn’t be farther from an adrenaline-fueled boys’ trip,” she said.

[1/4] A taxi waits for pedestrians at a street crossing under a pre-election billboard of candidate Jakov Milatovic in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 30, 2023. Montenegro, whose economy relies on tourism generated by its scenic mountains and seaside, ditched a state union with much larger Serbia in 2006 and declared independence. A row between lawmakers and Djukanovic over his refusal to name a new prime minister deepened the political paralysis. "I am here to lead Montenegro to success because for too long we have been led by the unsuccessful," Milatovic told a campaign rally. After the invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro signed up to EU sanctions against Russia.

☆ A 27-year-old professional athlete landed a gig at Benchmark. Here's how she's balancing a Nike sponsorship, elite running, and working at the VC powerhouse.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Vanessa Fraser is a professional runner sponsored by Nike. As a professional runner for Nike, she's stared down American records, competed at national championships, and raced to make Olympic teams. These days, she's bringing that intensity off the track and into the world of venture capital. So when the call came from a recruiter working with Benchmark, Fraser was open to listening. In some ways, stepping back from full-time professional running and adding variety to her days have made Fraser an even better athlete, she said.

☆ A 26-year-old influencer tried working from Mallorca for a month. She realized she can explore during the day and still keep East Coast hours.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Olivia Marcus is over the lack of work-life balance in the US, so she tried working from Spain. Her 9-to-5 on the East Coast is a 3-to-11 gig in Mallorca, giving her all day to explore. While in Mallorca, Marcus continued to work her 9-to-5 job, but on a 3-to-11 schedule. (Mallorca is five hours ahead of the east coast of the United States.) She said working East Coast hours while in Spain was more than doable.

☆ India's Jammu and Kashmir gets first foreign investment from Dubai's Emaar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Fayaz Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SRINAGAR, March 20 (Reuters) - Indian Kashmir is to get its first foreign investment, with Dubai’s Emaar Group due to build a $60 million shopping and office complex, as the government looks to stabilise a region where Muslim separatists have for years battled the government. The 5 billion rupee ($60.50 million) development will include a shopping mall and multi-purpose commercial tower in Srinagar, the capital of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region, Emaar announced at an investment summit in the city. The announcement on Sunday of what the region's government said was its first foreign investment comes after the central government said last week that Jammu and Kashmir had received record investment of 15 billion rupees ($181 million) in the first 10 months of the 2022-23 (April-March) fiscal year. Emaar Properties (EMAR.DU) CEO Amit Jain told reporters that the investment would have a ripple effect. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in full but rule in part, and have fought two of their three wars over it.

☆ Will ‘Akuna’ Robinson Found a Path to Mental Health in Hiking
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Emily Bobrow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

In 2016, physical and emotional injuries from his military service in Iraq had made life feel unbearable for Will “Akuna” Robinson. “Between my chronic pain, nerve damage, blood pressure, depression, anxiety and insomnia, I was taking almost 30 pills a day,” he recalls. “I had never been hiking before in my life.” Within weeks he was at the PCT trailhead in Southern California. Three years later, in 2019, he became the first known Black man to have conquered the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide scenic trails—America’s triple crown of hiking. In 2021 ESPN anointed him “the trailblazing superstar of thru-hiking,” the term for hiking a long trail end-to-end.

☆ Adventure Awaits in the Scottish Highlands—for Those Who Make the Trek
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Matthew Kronsberg | Photographs Robert Ormerod For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

I HAVE LONG been of the mind that the harder a place is to reach, the better it must be. That bit of folk wisdom hasn’t always worked to my advantage, but a trip to the west coast of Scotland left me more convinced than ever. The odyssey began at the former fishing village of Badachro, a 70-mile drive west from the city of Inverness. Those driving the scenic North Coast 500 route detour here for elevated pub grub at the Badachro Inn, with its views of Loch Gairloch. He issues each visitor a passport; mine was number 14,933.

☆ Mitsubishi Motors to sell only EVs, hybrids by mid-2030s
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A Mitsubishi Motors signage is pictured next to a Mitsubishi Motors electric car at the Tokyo Motor Show, in Tokyo, Japan October 24, 2019. Mitsubishi considers plug-in hybrids (PHEV), hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEV) as electrified vehicles. Electrified vehicles accounted for about 7% of the company's total new car sales in fiscal 2021. Mitsubishi, an early mover in EVs in the early 2010s, currently has no BEVs in its line-up in Europe. Of the other 14 models Mitsubishi plans to launch, seven will be purely combustion engine-powered ones, five will be hybrids and the remaining two will be BEV, the company said.

☆ California, Northeast menaced by late-season winter storms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Brendan O'Brien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A general view shows flooded streets in Pajaro, California, U.S., March 12, 2023, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. On the West Coast, the storm targeted areas of northern and Central California already saturated from the unusual bout of bad weather. It promised to dump as much as seven inches (18 cm) of rain in higher elevations and up to three inches elsewhere, the National Weather Service said in its forecast. The growing frequency and intensity of such storms amid bouts of prolonged drought are symptomatic of human-caused climate change, experts say. The storm in the Northeast threatened to produce wet snow that could topple power lines and trees, causing power outages.

☆ 2024 Ferrari Purosangue: A Touring Wagon That Howls
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Dan Neil | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

GOOD SPORT The Purosangue’s front-mid-mounted V12 typically sends torque only to the eight-speed, dual-clutch rear transaxle, ensuring a super-sporty, rear-drive character. The AWD comes by way of a power takeoff and two-speed gearbox that transfers torque to the front predictively when the dynamic controls sense slip at the rear. IN ITS WISDOM, Ferrari staged the global press launch for the new Purosangue AWD wagon in February, in the Dolomites, near Madonna di Campiglio in northern Italy. Unfortunately, the region’s mild winter meant that scenic, snow-covered mountain trails were in short supply. While I waited my turn, visions of tree-slapping the six-figure, 12-cylinder Purosangue raced through my mind.

[1/5] View of boats stuck in a sea with invasive green water hyacinth weed at the Hartbeespoort dam, informally known as "Harties", a small resort town in the North West Province of South Africa, February 16, 2023. REUTERS/Shafiek TassiemHARTBEESPOORT, South Africa, March 1 (Reuters) - The Hartbeespoort dam in South Africa used to be brimming with people enjoying scenic landscapes and recreational water sports. Now, the visitors are greeted to the sight of boats stuck in a sea of invasive green water hyacinth weed. Scientists and community members have, however, found a unique way to deal with the invasion by introducing a water hyacinth eating bug called Megamelus scutellaris. The insect army has previously reduced the expanse of water hyacinths to a mere 5% on the dam, Coetzee said.

☆ Looking to move to a mountain town? Here are 6 cities from Alaska to Tennessee with scenic peaks and homes you just might be able to afford.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

States known for their mountains had the biggest net inflows of residents in 2022, MoveBuddha says. Here are six cities in these states where housing costs are below or close to the national median. A new study found more than half of the most popular states where people sought new digs in 2022 were known for their mountain towns and cities. "It's no secret that mountain towns were sanctuaries during the pandemic," MoveBuddha researchers wrote in their report. With that in mind, Insider compiled a list of mountain cities in these states where housing costs were mostly below the national median of $359,000.

☆ An easyJet pilot did a loop over the sea to give everyone on board an incredible view of the Northern Lights
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A pilot made a mid-flight loop on Thursday so that all passengers could see the Northern Lights. One newly engaged couple was able to see the lights after missing them during their Iceland trip. "Our crew will always go above and beyond for our customers and we're delighted to have been able to share this special view of the Northern Lights with them," an easyJet spokesperson said. FlightAware, InsiderOne passenger who was on the flight told Insider that being able to see the Northern Lights was particularly meaningful for him. Adam Groves wanted to propose under the Northern Lights, but did so on the south coast of Iceland in daylight instead.

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