The world's safari hottest destinations for 2014: countries

The world's hottest destinations for 2014: countries

The Hornbjarg sea cliffs in Iceland's Westfjords. Photo: Getty Images

Traveller's globetrotting contributors cast their votes for the big six countries set to make their presence felt next year.

COLOMBIA

As peace settles in Colombia and visitors seek to broaden their South America travel, this once-infamous country is the continent's slumbering tourism giant.

Lencois Maranhenses lagoons in Brazil. Photo: Alamy

In the past 10 years, tourism here has grown by 300 per cent but still there remains a small window of opportunity to visit before the tourism boom really strikes.

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What you'll find is a place of remarkable diversity and distinct regional identities. Its cities are surprisingly cosmopolitan and varied, from the cool mountain heights of Bogota, to rejuvenated stunner Medellin, or the sultry Caribbean vibe of Cartagena.

The country's natural wonder is Tayrona National Park, where baking Caribbean beaches lie in sight of the snow-tipped peaks of the world's highest coastal range.

Brazil's National Museum in Brasilia. Photo: Alamy

There's also the hiking playground of El Cocuy National Park in the Andes and the steaming volcanoes of Los Nevados National Park that back the World Heritage-listed coffee region outside of Pereira.

Visit the salsa dens of Cali, South America's second-largest carnaval at Barranquilla, and the 5000-year-old rock sculptures at San Agustin.

DON'T GO HOME WITHOUT ...Cycling in Bogota's Sunday ciclovia, when streets close to cars; lazing on a beach in Tayrona National Park; or taking a Pablo Escobar tour in Medellin.

A fruit seller on Cartagena's colourful streets in Colombia. Photo: Getty Images

- Andrew Bain

ICELAND

Even if you've never visited, Iceland seems familiar, with Reykjavik's nightlife and the Blue Lagoon almost tourism cliches.

Beach in Tayrona National Park, Colombia. Photo: Getty Images

However, this year's hit novel Burial Rites by Australian Hannah Kent, set in remote northern Iceland, has helped draw attention to an island beyond the fire and ice.

Hiring a four-wheel-drive vehicle and getting off the sole ring road in Europe's least densely inhabited country - population 320,000 - is a rare adventure. In the little visited but wildly beautiful Westfjords region, dirt roads wind through snow-peaked mountains, skirt plunging fjords and follow glacial valleys to the sea.

You can free camp behind empty beaches and kayak offshore among minke whales and seals. In neighbouring North Iceland,

Vanuatu locals. Photo: David Kirkland

there is diving in freshwater tinted like blue curacao in inland fissures, and on towering undersea fumaroles in Eyjafjord.

Icelandic people, warm and funny, and new Nordic cuisine, reinventing traditional dishes such as cod cheeks, add to the pull of what is, following 2008's currency devaluation, a much more affordable destination.

DON'T GO HOME WITHOUT ...Trekking on Hornstrandir, Westfjords' uninhabited nature reserve, closer to Greenland than Reykjavik; communing with puffins on 400-metre cliffs at Latrabjarg, Iceland's westernmost point; visiting gnarled magma fields, vents belching thermal steam and convulsive mud-pots around Lake Myvatn.

- Daniel Scott

MYANMAR

Myanmar is hot, hot, hot and for two reasons: firstly, the door has been opened on a piece of Asia that has been isolated from the pressures of development (and, indeed, tourism) for five decades; and secondly, it offers so much to the traveller it is hard to know where to begin.

The country has all the beauty of Thailand's coastal and mountain regions but only a fraction of it has been seen by outsiders.

Famous treasures such as the Shwedagon Pagoda, the temples of Bagan and the city of Mandalay are not only culturally important, they pack a serious punch.

And the river city of Yangon presents an intriguing blend, with half seeming as though nothing has changed since the British abandoned it in 1948, and the other half frantically redeveloping itself into a megalopolis.

Perhaps because the Asian century is homogenising so much of the region, Myanmar is truly a "last chance to see" (Malaysia/Thailand 30 years ago, Vietnam 15 years ago, Cambodia 10 years ago - take your pick).

But the "Burmese gold rush" is well-named, with foreigners rushing in to stake their claim on what's likely to be a fast and furious reinvention.

Tourist infrastructure is already taking a firm hold: mini backpacker districts are blooming and there are even five-star retreats, if you know where to look.

DON'T GO HOME WITHOUT ...Getting off the beaten track (even behind the domestic tourist hot spot of Lake Inle, there are mountain villages that have never seen a westerner); cruising the "Road to Mandalay"; or taking drinks on a Friday night in the bar of 1901 Yangon waterfront hotel The Strand.

- Max Anderson

BRAZIL

Exploring Brazil, a country bigger than Australia, can seem a daunting proposition.

However, a new alliance between LAN Airlines and Brazil's TAM has made getting around the country easier than ever before. That makes this a great time to create your own Brazilian cocktail.

Start off with a splash of natural wonder. The mighty Amazon, Iguacu Falls and the Pantanal wetlands are well known but Brazil has plenty of other lesser-known marvels, such as the surreal Lencois Maranhenses, a series of white-sand dunes studded with turquoise lagoons.

Throw in a dash of architecture to taste - either a colonial gem such as Paraty or Ouro Preto, or the ultra-modern fantasy that is Brasilia - then add an African inflection with a shot of Salvador de Bahia, former slaving port and now party capital.

Top it off with some big-city buzz courtesy of Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, add a sprinkling of beach time and that irresistible samba beat, and you have a true taste of Brazil.

DON'T GO HOME WITHOUT ...Kayaking the Amazon; grooving in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil's most African city; or savouring the colonial delights of Ouro Preto.

- Ute Junker

OMAN

Mega-cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi have experienced spectacular growth in the past decade or so, but for some, all that glitz is more headache than heaven.

That's why neighbouring Oman is having its moment.

A few years ago, this small country, which is still ruled by a sultan, was just opening up to tourists but in 2014, with the unveiling of two significant and stunning new hotel projects - the Alila resort at Jabal Akhdar in the rugged central mountains and the Rotana resort in Salalah in the lush south - there will be more options to experience Oman's breathtaking natural beauty, from poetic desert to green mountains to some of the most beautiful coastline on earth, edging a pristine sea that's ideal for diving and water sports.

Oman's capital, Muscat, is only a 45-minute flight from Dubai but it is like stepping into a page of exotica from The Arabian Nights. Sultan Qaboos has modernised his country and kept it one of the most stable in the region, but he has done so without compromising the authentic charms of an entrancing culture.

DON'T GO HOME WITHOUT ...Visiting the sublime Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Muscat; shopping in the exotic souk at Mutrah; or climbing the fort in the old capital, Nizwa.

- Lee Tulloch

VANUATU

Every year, an increasing number of Australians discover that Vanuatu is spectacular, landing in Port Vila and fanning out over the extraordinary archipelago of 83 islands.

With rumours swirling in Hollywood of a South Pacific remake, there's a good chance the world is about to be let in on the secret, too. This makes 2014 ideal for a bit of adventure: forget the cruise ships; pack a snorkel, and bunny-hop from Efate to one of the lesser-known spots.

Malekula is the place to go for astonishing cultural traditions and rugged jungle treks through old cannibal sites (malampa.travel); Espiritu Santo is famed for its diving, particularly around the sunken SS President Coolidge.

For something completely different - and utterly bizarre - head to Pentecost Island in April and May for the land diving festival (think bungee jumping off a tower made of sticks).

DON'T GO HOME WITHOUT ... Staking out a luxury safari tent on the private island of Ratua, Espiritu Santo (ratua.com/en); getting up close to one of the world's most accessible active volcanoes, Yasur on Tanna Island; exploring the abandoned detritus of World War II by diving at Million Dollar Point.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/the-worlds-hottest-destinations-for-2014-countries-20131127-2y9p8.html#ixzz2mSqKwVUz

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DUBAI Fireworks explode from world's tallest building in Expo celebration

Fireworks explode from world's tallest building in Expo 

celebration

Dubai beat off opposition from Brazil, Russia and Turkey on Wednesday to win the right to host the 2020 World Expo, 

sparking celebrations in the Gulf city and a stunning fireworks display at the world's tallest building.

City authorities declared Thursday a school holiday to celebrate the victory.

The Burj Khalifa tower, which stands 828-metres high, was lit up with the pyrotechnics, while fireworks were also set off elsewhere in the coastal city.

Fireworks illuminate the sky around Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, after the Emirati city was chosen to host the World Expo 2020. Photo: AFP

There were jubilant crowds at the foot of the tower and in Dubai's shopping malls.

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"I am so proud to be living in the city of the future," beamed Indian student Depika, who said he was born in Dubai and had seen the city "develop very quickly".

"This announcement makes me even prouder to be Emirati," said Yacoub al-Shamsi, whose wife donned a scarf in the colours of the UAE flag over her black abaya cloak.

Dubai won the right on Wednesday to host the 2020 World Expo, beating off competition from the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, Yekaterinburg in Russia and Izmir in Turkey in a vote by members of the world fair body.Photo: Reuters

The Gulf city beat Russia's Ekaterinberg in the final round of voting in Paris to clinch a prestigious event that is credited with delivering a huge boost to tourism and business in the host city.

Dubai, the economic and transport hub of the United Arab Emirates, won 116 votes in the third round, comfortably beating Ekaterinberg with 47. There was one abstention.

The four candidate cities, which also included Brazil's Sao Paulo and Turkey's Izmir, had pulled out all the stops during 20-minute presentations before voting by the 168 member states of the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE), headquartered in Paris, which oversees the organisation of the events.

The Emirates kicked off their presentation by pitching Dubai as a futuristic, glitzy city.

The victory for Dubai - home to the world's tallest tower, largest man-made island and one of the world's busiest airports - means the World Expo will be hosted by an Arab country for the first time.

It also confirmed the growing success of Gulf states in bidding for international events. Nearby Qatar, somewhat controversially, is to host the 2022 football World Cup.

"We renew our promise to astonish the world in 2020," Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, said after the win.

"Dubai Expo2020 will breathe new life into the ancient role of the Middle East as a melting pot for cultures and creativity," he said in a statement.

He promised the Dubai expo will "undoubtedly stand out as the best edition in the history of the event in terms of preparation and presentation".

Job boom in tourist sector

According to UAE officials, 40 percent of the estimated 227,000 new jobs expected to be created as a result of Expo will be in the tourism and travel sectors.

The site chosen for the event, is spread over 438 hectares and located between the international airports of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirates.

Brazil, which is already gearing up to welcome the World Cup next year and the Olympic Games in 2016, had roped in famed Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil to play versions of Bob Marley's reggae hit "No Woman No Cry" and John Lennon's "Imagine" for its presentation. But it was in vain as Sao Paulo failed to get past the first round.

Izmir, a city on Turkey's western coast, was eliminated in the second round of voting. It had already bid for a chance to host the 2015 Expo but lost out to Milan.

Ekaterinberg's pitch included a video appeal by Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev to "give Russia a chance". With a population of 1.4 million, Ekaterinburg is Russia's fourth-largest city and had hoped to capitalise on its recent endorsement by Forbes magazine as Russia's best place to do business.

The World Expo, a modern-day successor to the Great Exhibitions of the 19th and early 20th centuries, showcases technology, architecture and culture.

Shanghai was the last host city and Milan is next in line in 2015. The Chinese city set a record by attracting a record 73 million victors to the event.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/fireworks-explode-from-worlds-tallest-building-in-expo-celebration-20131128-2ybr3.html#ixzz2mSpIbNqx

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Argentina Machu Picchu - the ancient city of the Inca Empire

Machu Picchu - the ancient city of the Inca Empire

I don't remember the beginning of our journey to Machu Picchu that well... Dima and I flew to Cusco (3600 m above the sea level), and after continuous bargaining hired a cab for local sightseeing. I felt sort of alright in the beginning, but when we arrived to Pisac, the ancient Inca Fortress (about 4000m altitude), my un-acclimatized body inevitably gave up to the altitude sickness.

We planned to spend a night on the way to Machu Picchu in Ollantaytambo at 2600-2700m altitude. I am grateful that Dima booked a hotel there and not in Cusco. I remember only one thing - dragging my feet from taxi to the hotel room and crashing on my bed.

Next morning we took a train to Machu Picchu. By the way, curiously enough there are two types of trains on route: Cusco - Ollyanta - Machu Picchu: one type for locals, and one for tourists (not sure if it is true for the rest of the country though). Meaning if you are a foreigner, you won't be able to purchase a local train ticket. It's definitely something to keep in mind when planning a trip.

The train arrives to a little town located at the bottom of the canyon. One can reach the ancient ruins by a long tiring hike, or by a tourist bus. There are no taxicabs here. In fact, the number of tourists and transportation is very limited here. One more "catch" for a forgetful traveler: if you didn't order your museum tickets online beforehand, you are doomed - there is no ticket registry at the entrance! Number of visitors is limited to 2000 a day for the general area of Machu Picchu, and some corners of the ancient City of Incas are even more restricted.

Being aware of the transportation challenges around Machu Picchu, Dima (sighing and grinding his teeth) booked us a room in the only hotel located by the very entrance to the museum: Sanctuary Lodge. Obviously, monopolization has never helped to maintain reasonable prices. Our very modest room for two with nice little yard was $1200 per night. Please note that the hotel is located a bit lower than the Incas City, so there was no view to speak of. This butter pill of the unspeakable price was sweetened by the fact, that it included everything: food (a modest dinner for two in a local restaurant would cost you about $100), a mini bar and even a Jacuzzi on one of the terraces in the jungle. However, the most attractive feature of them all for us was the location - only 50 meters to the museum entrance. And future events proved that we made a right choice.

And so we have arrived. I quickly assembled the helicopter and tried to lift it off right in front of our room. Despite the altitude of about 2500m, our machine worked just fine. Only our GPS navigator (same as in Nasca!) refused to detect even a minimum number of satellites. Good that we are quite experienced by now to fly this helicopter manually.

Prepared for the first flight, we headed to the museum entrance. The sight of our helicopter shocked the lady at the checkpoint. It took her a while to understand what we were saying about this equipment and how it's used. Following events did not go according to our plan. We were prohibited to bring this equipment onto the museum territory. We reached the Head Manager. This very important man, who spoke zero English, was adamant: "You can only use a professional photo equipment with a special permit from the Ministry of Culture in Cusco. (Round trip would take a whole day, and as we know from our Nasca experience, a person in charge may not even be there). If there is no permit - leave your equipment in a locker by the entrance."

All our attempts to explain (with the help of young museum workers, who volunteered to interpret for us) that we didn't have time to return to Cusco, and that we were willing to pay for the permit on the spot did not make any difference. We used up all our tricks: showing our photos of Egyptian pyramids and other wonders of the world, bagging, offering cash. Nothing! His face softened a bit, but it seemed that he had no interest in taking on responsibility and helping us. As I understood from the conversation with the young associates, the fact that it was no office, nor ticket registry near by meant that there was no way to sell us tickets for professional photography, like they did in Egypt. And we were not the first group that faced this problem in Machu Picchu.

One of the museum workers, who sincerely tried to help us, suggested to send a written request to Cusco and obtain the permit remotely. We jumped on this opportunity and sent an email to Cusco right way. Later we realized that the Ministry is not bothered by problems of foreign photographers who traveled through half of the world with a helicopter in their suitcase. Not that day, nor any of the following days we haven't received a reply.

So that night we withdrew after our first attempt. We left the helicopter in the hotel and rushed uphill to shoot panoramas from a tripod. The museum security was ever watchful: any large bag must be left in a locker by the entrance. Even our panoramic head drew suspicious looks from security, so Dima had to swear that this was amateur equipment. They then left us in peace, but not for long - the museum was closing at 5pm. There was absolutely no way to stay for the sunset. The security couldn't be bribed, as they are afraid to lose their jobs, so money has no influence there.

Sad and disappointed we walked towards the exit. Trying to bug the big boss again we figured out that he - being a big boss - left earlier today. There was a small group of guides by the entrance. One of the guys asked us if we needed help.

- Yes, we replied, we need help. Let's step aside and have a talk.

After a long conversation the guy offered to take our helicopter through the security in his backpack. There was a chance of success, as they didn't check guides that vigorously.

Next morning we began with a raid behind enemy lines :) During the night I disassembled the helicopter, and in the morning three of us packed it parts into backpacks and pockets. I went first carrying remote control and about 7-8 kilos of power batteries in my backpack. I managed to snick in under the radar of yesterday's lady at the checkpoint along with the morning crowd. Our guide arrived to the rendezvous point in 10 minutes. Disembodied helicopter did not fit in his backpack, so we covered it with some plastic bags, which however didn't alarm the security. Dima joined our group in a few more minutes.

The guide suggested starting our session at Huayna Picchu (Wayna Picchu), the remote mountain, which allows a panoramic view of Machu Picchu. There is almost no security there, only tourists taking endless photos of Machu Picchu. In order to access this mountain one has to purchase online tickets beforehand and go through another checkpoint, which opens at 7am. Only 200 visitors are let through. Next group of 200 people can go in only after 10am.

We stood in line. While waiting for the checkpoint to open Dima went to take a few ground level photos of Machu Picchu, and I started filming a documentary. After a few of my comments in Russian for the film, a man standing right behind me introduced himself as "Konstantin from Russia". So we started to talk.

It is a very small world indeed. Konstantin knew about AirPano.ru, and even went to Greenland with one of our founders - Oleg Gaponyuk - a couple of months ago. Naturally, there were 4 of us going up the mountain after that. Our guide went first, jumping from boulder to boulder with ease, Konstantin followed him, then Dima and myself, breathing heavily under our backpacks.

Ascending Huayna Picchu requires good physical condition. The entire path is made of steep stone steps, where one has to use a rope or a wire stretched along side the trail. My mistake was to wear rubber "crocs" which are absolutely not appropriate for this type of climbing. Can't tell you how much I suffered on my way up!

We picked a spot to fly the helicopter. We were looking for the closest proximity to Machu Picchu, but anyway, to my opinion, this mountain didn't work for our purpose at all - too far away from the Inka City. Nevertheless we decided to take off. The guide wisely disappeared: he didn't want to loose his license in case the museum security gets to us. He never asked to be paid for his help. Thank you very much, good man! Only because of him people of Planet Earth will be able to admire Machu Picchu from bird's eye view :)

I quickly assembled the machine, took a deep breath and took off into the abyss. It was rather challenging to fly in strong wind currents near the observation point. However we managed to shoot several spherical panoramas. As soon as the helicopter landed we heard applauding behind our backs: quite a few tourists, apparently, have been watching us from different spots, enjoying our little show.

Unfortunately, after our second flight a piercing whistle came from the top of the mountain and in a couple of minutes we saw a museum worker running towards us. Breathing heavily he couldn't say anything but "Pasaporte!" for the first minute. He grabbed our passports and offered to walk back to the administration. It's worth saying that Machu Picchu security is organized very well. All personnel were in good shape, attentive, equipped with radio sets and apparently never accept bribes.

We had no choice but to pack and walk down. As soon as I took the helicopter apart and put it in the plastic bag, the security officer immediately grabbed it from my hands. Konstantin was taken to the administration with us too. I suggested he conveniently ‘get lost' on the way back, but he said that he was not afraid of the problems and would resolve this situation with us. Konstantin spoke Spanish, so this could help in our negotiation with the authorities.

Our escort grew as we descended. We walk through Machu Picchu under an impressive convoy: 3 security guards before us, and 3 behind us - straight to the Chef of the park police. With a help of one of the museum people named Marco, we once again told our story about our non-for-profit project, about lack of time for obtaining a permit, and about willing to pay for the photography right now. Dictated by Marco, the Chef has been writing a protocol for about an hour and a half. They questioned us about how we managed to take the equipment through the security with a special attention. As if people saw us with one of the guides, so "please, tell us his name". We told them that we knew nothing of a guide, that we carried the equipment in our backpacks, and nobody paid attention to it. Museum personnel and Chef of Police pretended that they believed us.

Then they invited their "engineer", who inspected our cameras looking for prohibited photos of Peru's famous sights. Improvising, we made up a new legend for the locals: we only made test flights, and so we couldn't photograph Machu Picchu. True enough, the engineer didn't find any "criminal" images in our cameras. But of course, the entire photo session was hidden on Dima, don't ask me where :)

Our hotel checkout time was approaching. Dima asked the police to let us go and take care of it, and to my surprise they agreed. They only asked to come back later to sign some paperwork and to collect our equipment.

Tired but happy with our little victory we went to pack our stuff in the hotel. On the way, while thinking that we should have let more time to shoot Machu Picchu, Dima suddenly remembered that we had an extra day before our departure from Cusco.  Originally we didn't plan to stay in this little and very expensive Tourist Heaven, but after considering all odds we decided to repeat our "assault" of the City.

By the way, if you dare to spend one more night in the Sanctuary Lodge, you can get a discount. Usually visitors spend only one night here. We were lucky that they had vacancies, so we received a 30% discount for the second night.

After lunch we decided to go photographing the city from inside. We stopped by the police office and signed the protocol. They also asked us to seal our signatures with our index finger prints. How peculiar. I took my helicopter and brought it back to the hotel.

News about Russian violators of the air space spread in Machu Picchu like fire.  From that moment on every single museum worker knew our faces. Everybody smiled at us, greeted us, and at the same time watched our bags and us closely. We smiled in reply, took ground level photos of Machu Picchu and looked for a way to fly again. By the end of the day we found it.

Unfortunately, our Russian colleague Konstantin could not stay for one more night in Machu Picchu: his trip had to continue to Bogota (Colombia). In a few days he sent us a text message: he was robbed right on a street in Colombia, and so his camera, his backpack and all his photos taken in Peru were gone.

As for us, we decided to fly our helicopter in the morning right from the hotel. Officially the hotel was located outside of the museum territory, and - theoretically, if we flew really high - we could photograph the entire City.

It rained all night. In the morning a large cloud was right in front of our window. Our chances for success were close to zero. I won't event start describing our disappointment. Well, there was no other choice but to go back to the museum.

While Dima shot ground level panoramas, I made a short time-lapse: one hour in the life of the ancient Inca City. The film shows how quickly the weather changes; how clouds appear from nowhere and rapidly dissolve; how the wind changes its course. One moment the sun shines bright, and the next moment it's behind the clouds. 

So we got our good weather finally. Of course, there was no guarantee, because you cannot see the City from the hotel, but we were willing to try nevertheless in one of those short sunny intervals.

So I went out to the little yard in front of our hotel room and guided the helicopter up into the air. Not so high, not more than 100 meters. This immediately attracted the security, blowing whistles again. Paying no attention to them I changed the battery and took off as high as I could - the helicopter was almost invisible in the sky. Whistles became stronger, but they were helpless as they were on the museum territory, on the terrace, about 50 meters above us. After the second flight the sun was gone. We moved our equipment indoors, just in case. Interesting that nobody came to arrest us this time. Later I tried to talk people at the checkpoint into letting me fly from the bus station in front of the checkpoint, but they told me if I try it again, they'd call the police. Then, having left the RC helicopter at the hotel, we decided to climb the second mountain's top where the ancient Inca city lies down at the foot of the both mountains.  The first mountain is called Huyana Picchu, the second one - Machu Picchu, which is visited by the tourists much less.

The path to this mountain goes through about 500m elevation. The trail is made of stone steps. All steps are counted: 1700! Usually the path takes one hour and a half, but we spent about two hours climbing up with our backpacks. We got into the storm on the way and got soaked through and through.

The view of Machu Picchu from the top of that mountain was magnificent! It is absolutely worth time and effort. Unfortunately, there was almost no sun light on Machu Picchu. And after our descent the weather turned bad completely: it rained and rained till the dark.

Flying in the mountains in such weather is a suicide, so we quickly packed our equipment, and went to say good-bye to Machu Picchu, the most famous treasure of Peru. New travels and new photographic adventures awaited us: Cusco - Lima - Santiago - Easter Islands. But this is a completely different story...

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best pano Grand Canyon West , USA

Grand Canyon West, USA 

The deepest canyon in the world is one of the most famous US tourist attractions. And it's respectively called the Grand Canyon of Colorado Plateau: "grand" means "big, magnificent, enormous, great" and so on and so forth. The Grand Canyon was added to the famous UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979. The list itself was created in 1972, which makes the Grand Canyon one of its first entries.

The width of the canyon ranges between 20 and 6 kilometers. However, there is one spot where it narrows down to 800 meters. As it narrows down, the walls pull closer together reaching 100 meters gap at the rock bottom.

The canyon has been in the making for 10 million years. 4 different geological eras of Earth are represented in the canyon. Underground forces pushed the Colorado River bed up, forcing the water to gradually cut into the plateau and wash out the canyon's soft rocks. This process is still active: the Colorado River washes out about half a million tons of rock a day, so that even the hardest granite walls of the canyon surrender about quarter of a millimeter each year to this "filing".

The canyon doesn't look like a long narrow hole in the ground at all. It's randomly filled with rocks and cliffs of different shapes: giant pagodas, pyramids, towers, fortified walls and other incredible formations made by nature... Having been thoroughly studied by modern scientists, and being the most famous US tourist attraction, the Grand Canyon receives a lot of visitors. Many of the Grand Canyon cliffs now have their own original names. Such as, Vishnu Temple, Shiva Temple, and Wotan's Throne.

Of course these names are fairly new. Native Americans knew about Grand Canyon thousands of years ago and probably gave those rocks different names. However there is no written evidence of it, only petroglyphs.

The modern human history knows two Grand Canyon discoveries: first one happened in 1540 when a group of Spanish soldiers stumbled upon it in their search for gold.  Greedy Spaniards found no gold and no water there, and admiring Grand Canyon scenery wasn't in their plans, so they left and never mentioned this location. 

After this incident Europeans have forgotten about the canyon for several centuries. In 1869 professor John Wesley Powell organized first scientific expedition to Grand Canyon. Powell explored and described the canyon. By the way, another US tourist attraction was named after him - Lake Powell .

But let us go back to our canyons. Nowadays a trip to Grand Canyon is on top of the list for almost every tourist coming to the USA. And not so long ago (in the 1940th and 1950th) one could take a picture of the Grand Canyon without actually going there. The thing is that many passenger airlines, flying in this area, intentionally took a scenic route so their passengers could admire the view of the Grand Canyon. It was also common for pilots to make several circles and roll the plane to give the passengers the best view. This was permitted until the collision of 2 passenger aircrafts in 1956. Since then the "dancing" over the Grand Canyon has been prohibited.

Nevertheless, there are several other options for those who want to see the Grand Canyon landscapes: you can take a trip to the USA; or you can enjoy our virtual aerial photo tour. The length of the Grand Canyon is about 450 kilometers. Earlier we published the aerial panoramas' shotat the beginning of the Grand Canyon (link to the Horseshoe), and now we would like to show the West end of the Grand Canyon - which is approximately 100 kilometers from Las Vegas. Let's see!

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From Delhi to Jaipur and back in a VW Polo? You'll need a blindfold for that!

You might want this,' suggested my sister Leonie, handing me one of those sleepmasks you're given on a plane, as she chucked her suitcase in the boot. 

I must have looked puzzled. 'You know,' she nodded towards her little white car. 'As a blindfold? My friend James's mother found it very useful when driving around India. Sometimes it's better not to look.' 

Trunk road: Cars, coaches, rickshaws and elephants jostle for space on the road in Jaipur

She wasn't wrong. Driving in India has to be one of the most terrifying things I have ever done in my entire life. And I do consider myself to be quite brave. I've had my lips injected with collagen on live TV and I have wing-walked a plane. 

But Indian driving is something else. It is a heady cocktail of Wacky Races laced with the game of chicken. The normal rules of transport don't seem to apply. Lanes are optional. Traffic lights are a suggestion. Even the flow of traffic appears to be arbitrary. Over here, the Highway Code is clearly something they crack at GCHQ.

Motorways are for parking on, reversing down, or for having a nap/chat/fight. Everyone points their vehicle/camel/elephant in the direction they wish to go, keeps a hand on the horn, and advances as fast as they can, avoiding the pedestrians, chickens, monkeys, goats and cows, who persistently cross the road kamikaze-style, despite roaring traffic. 

So I agreed. Well I had to. I was entirely in her hands. You see, I am a bit of an India virgin. I got to first base ten years ago, when I went to Kerala on a luxury resort holiday full of unctions and plenty of lying down. It was my sister's idea to drive from Delhi to Jaipur and back. 'It'll be interesting,' she insisted. 'An experience,' she added. 'And anyway, Delhi Airport is always foggy at this time of year.' 

But as my sister informed me over the phone: 'Kerala doesn't really count. It barely touches the sides when it comes to India.' 

She would know. She lives there. She's been a Delhi resident for six years. She got married in Calcutta; her husband is English, but of Indian origin. 

Oh, and she even speaks Hindi. In fact, she could not be more Indian, without actually being Indian. So it was her call. 

The journey of 164 miles to Jaipur could take anything from four to seven hours, I was told. 

Thankfully it was our driver Sanjay, rather than Leonie or me, who was in charge of the VW Polo, although the fact he said a lengthy prayer as we got in didn't imbue me with huge confidence. We set off early to avoid the morning rush hour, then immediately got embroiled in exactly that. 

We crawled and idled and wove and zigzagged our way through honking cars, overloaded motorbikes and lorries wearing more bling than an oligarch's girlfriend in a nightclub in St Tropez. It took us an hour and a half to travel the 18 miles to Gurgaon, a sort of Indian Slough. It was clearly going to be more of a seven-hour trip. 

By lunchtime we reached Neemrana, an unprepossessing place with two secrets. Perched on a hill is one of the most perfectly preserved 15th Century forts in India. Meanwhile, the town proudly boasts half a dozen destination sushi restaurants.

 

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Neemrana has a deal with the Japanese government, which has created a large industrial and business zone, hence the myriad fine dining experiences. 'Culture then lunch?' suggested my sister. 'If you eat first, you won't want to move.' 

Built over six acres and across 12 levels, the Neemrana Fort was begun in 1464 and consists of seven palace wings. A succession of courtyards, high-ceilinged hallways and stunningly arched corridors, interspersed with lawns, secret gardens and a torch-lit amphitheatre, the fort was the first in the Neemrana Hotels collection of palaces and country houses restored to their former glory. 

The fort was recovering from a rather raucous wedding. There were flowers scattered on the grass, deckchairs left in the grounds and some sleepy looking guests in the reception. But the views of the valley and towards the hills of Rajasthan were worth the hike up the hill. Lunch was a little less successful. 

View, we made it: : Leonie and Imogen visited the stunning Amber Fort after safely reaching Jaipur by road

Although both of us put on a brave face, it was frankly inedible. Perhaps the restaurant's emptiness should have been a clue. Or that the menu was indecipherable. We put it down to experience. 'Next time,' said my sister, 'we'll stop at a roadside cafe and eat like kings for £4.50.' 

Some five honking, weaving, over and under-taking hours later we arrived in Jaipur as the sun was sinking. The sandstone walls of the Pink City glowed a dark russet and the sky was full of hundreds of dancing, swooping kites, flown from the rooftops. 

The packed streets heaved with bicycles, pedestrians and elephants on their way home from a hard day ferrying tourists up to the Amber Fort, a 16th Century citadel that rises above Maota Lake, six miles outside the city. 

Tired and in need of a very stiff drink, we arrived at the Rambagh Palace hotel. I have stayed in some posh places in my time, but the Rambagh Palace is in a league of its own. Set in 47 acres of verdant elegance, it was once the Maharaja of Jaipur's residence and the man clearly had an eye for opulence that makes Buckingham Palace look like a garden shed. There are lawns, fountains, covered corridors and a stunning open courtyard. 

The Polo Bar beckoned and there are few experiences that beat a large cold vodka, sitting next to your own personal brazier (January nights are chilly) while listening to peacocks preparing for bed. Next day we were at the Jaipur Literary Festival. It's christened 'the greatest literary show on Earth', and it was not hard to see why. 

Thousands packed in to see Sebastian Faulks, Aminatta Forna and Zoe Heller, plus local and international talent. Never have I seen a bookshop more busy or a crowd more engaged. But we were on a mission. There was the Palace of the Winds to see, a wafer-thin honeycomb building where the ladies of the court could spy, unseen, on the street below.

I had to get to the Amber Fort on an elephant, buy a ridiculously expensive rug, photograph the Jal Mahal water palace and stare at jewels. You can't visit Jaipur without checking out the bling, and the blingiest of bling shops is the Gem Palace. 

Poshest of the posh: Imogen found it hard to leave the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur

Jaipur is the emerald capital of the world and the Gem Palace boasts rows and rows of glass cases full of them, glittering and winking at you. But it is in the back room where all the interesting stuff lies scattered around on bits of black velvet, like an interrupted bank job. We tried on diamond necklaces the size of dinner plates; there were rubies like strawberries; but best of all was a golden chainmail belt with an emerald buckle the size of fist. 

Sadly unable to afford them, we went around the corner to Anokhi to shell out on handblocked clothes. Leaving the Rambagh Palace was a terrible wrench, especially when I knew we faced another four to seven hours of road rage. But then Leonie suggested an excursion to Bhangarh, the most haunted place in India. How could I resist? 

It was 43 miles in the wrong direction and soon became a five-hour detour. However, it was one of most beautiful wrong turns I have taken. As State Highway 55 slowly disappeared into a single-track road with no passing spaces and Sanjay indulged in a protracted game of head-on chicken with buses, cars and lorries, I took in the stunning Rajasthani countryside. Idyllic villages, green fields, banyan and neem trees, mongoose and Chitra deer. 

One village was shrouded in white dust and resonated to the sound of chipping. Piled at the side of the road were hundreds of half-finished marble statues – elephants, gods, large-breasted women. As we slowly passed, the white dusted faces of the craftsmen turned to inspect who was in the car. The legend is that the town of Bhangarh was cursed by a lusty Tantric whose advances were spurned by the Princess Ratnavati. 

The town was seized by famine and she was crushed by a boulder. Many believe the troubled spirits of the townsfolk and the princess still roam, so much so that it is supposed to be a centre for black magic and it is prohibited to visit the ruins after dark. 

Even by daylight the deserted cobbled streets were creepy, as were the ruined temples and palace. The roads were lined with giant banyan trees whose hanging branches and crooked roots only added to the eerie feel. 

Restored to former glory: The historic Neemrana Fort is now a luxury hotel

The journey back to Delhi was even more scary. Having meandered through the countryside for the best part of the day, by the time we hit the highway it was dark. There were clouds of dust, and visibility was almost zero. 

But still the trucks kept coming, the motorbikes weaved in and out and the cows and pedestrians charged across. I winced at every hazard as we crawled along. And then, come 8.30pm, it suddenly got a whole lot worse. 

The trucks started to park along one side of the road, then they parked on the other, leaving only the middle clear. 'What's going on?' I asked my sister. 'Oh no,' she shook her head. I didn't like this sudden lack of confidence. 'They're queuing up. Trucks aren't allowed into Delhi until after 9pm, so they've pulled over to wait. They're having a nap.' As we both looked out of the windscreen, the road ahead disappeared. 

The trucks were on each and every side, closing in; there was no escape, no room, no road, nowhere, nothing. We were about to be crushed. I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, tucked my elbows in. 'Leonie?' I whispered. 'Have you still got that mask?' 

Getting there

Cox & Kings (coxandkings.co.uk, 0845 1548941) offers a seven-night luxury tour of India's Golden Triangle from £2,495 including three nights at the Taj Mahal hotel in Delhi, one at the Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra (oberoihotels.com) and three at the Taj Rambagh Palace in Jaipur (tajhotels.com). The price includes return flights with Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow, private transfers and B&B.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2428045/Holidays-India-From-Delhi-Jaipur-VW-Polo-Youll-need-blindfold-that.html#ixzz2mLHoi5eo
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Well somebody had fun! Matt Damon and wife Luciana Barroso giggle and hold hands after Sin City weekend away without the children 

It might have only been about 48 hours, but the little mini-vacation seemed to have done the trick! 

On Sunday, Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso were spotted walking hand-in-hand through LAX as the couple returned from Las Vegas. 

It was only on Nov. 30 that Damon was seen departing for Sin City, but the quick jaunt to the Gambling Capital of the World seemed to have worked, as the couple exhibited PDA through the airport. 

Happy returns: Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso are all smiles after landing at LAX on Sunday from a short weekend trip in Las Vegas

The 43-year-old Oscar winner was beaming as he exited the escalator near the baggage claim, smiling ear-to-ear as he held his wife's hand. 

The 37-year-old former bartender wore a demur smile as she walked beside her husband, with whom she has been married for eight years. 

The duo wore matching travel outfits, as both donned faded denim jeans, black shoes and black coats. 

Mini getaway: The couple were only in Vegas for almost 48 hours, but returned in high spirits

Barroso wore a glittery silver shirt under her black blazer and carried a grey leather hobo bag on her shoulder. 

Damon demonstrated hometown pride as the Massachusetts native proudly wore a hat displaying the logo of the Boston Red Sox, his favorite baseball team.  

The couple originally met in 2003 while Damon was filming the comedy Stuck on You in Miami. Barroso was working as a bartender at the time.

Hometown pride: Massachusetts-born actor Damon proudly wears a Boston Red Sox cap

They married in a private civil ceremony in December 2005. The loving couple recently renewed their vows on April 13, 2013.

Damon recently finished work on the film The Monuments Men, co-starring his Ocean's Eleven cohort George Clooney (who also wrote and directed the film), John Goodman, Cate Blanchett and Bill Murray. 

The comedy adventure story follows a group of World War II soldiers tasked with the job to save priceless and important pieces of art from destruction. The film is set to open on February 7, 2014.

Happily ever after: The couple married in 2007, but recently renewed their vows

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2516694/Matt-Damon-wife-Luciana-Barroso-giggle-hold-hands-Sin-City-weekend.html#ixzz2mL4VQf00
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Pictured: Zac Efron displays swollen face and large scar on his chin after accident which saw his jaw wired shut

He was forced to have his jaw wired shut after slipping in a puddle of water last month.

And now the 26-year-old actor has been pictured for the first time since the incident, with swollen cheeks and a large scar on his chin.

Zac appeared to be in pain as he was seen leaving a physical therapy office in Los Angeles last Tuesday afternoon. 

Injury: Zac Efron displayed a large scar on his chin as he stepped out in Los Angeles last week for the first time since an accident last month which saw his jaw wired shut

With sunglasses on, Zac was seen gingerly sipping a green smoothie as he headed home from his appointment. 

However, Zac's spirits later picked up as he was pictured riding on his skateboard after the therapy session. 

It was reported last month that Zac had tripped outside his sprawling Hollywood Hills home, with a source telling E! News: 'Efron slipped at the entrance of his L.A.-area home on Sunday in a puddle of water he didn't see.'

Swollen: Zac appeared to be in pain as he headed home from the physical therapy office

Casual: The actor wore a white T-shirt and blue cardigan with khaki shorts for the outing

And in addition to wiring his jaw shut, the former High School Musical star suffered from a gash so big he had to get stitches.

However, later reports suggested that Zac hadn't slipped on a puddle, but in fact had been partying at home alone before he fell into a glass coffee table.

'Zac was alone at home, and he leaned forward and fell into his coffee table,' a source close to the actor reportedly told Star magazine via RadarOnline.com.

Scarred: Zac had stitches in the gash as well as having his jaw wired shut

Brave: Zac's spirits appeared to be raised when he was seen on a skateboard later in the afternoon

Gently does it: Zac was seen sipping his green smoothie delicately through a straw

It was first revealed back in September that Zac had secretly checked into rehab twice this year.

Sources told People that after he ascended to A-List status following the second High School Musical movie, he got in with a dangerous Hollywood crowd.

He allegedly used cocaine and experimented with MDMA, which is the active ingredient in ecstasy tablets and known as 'Molly' on the street.

His reliance on escapism is thought to have worsened when he failed to match his success in High School Musical with his post Disney escapades.

Efron was alleged to have beaten his demons - even avoiding alcohol - after a second visit to a clinic, which was prompted by a relapse while shooting Seth Rogen comedy, Neighbours.

Wrapped up: Zac attempted to go incognito by wearing a beanie hat and sunglasses

Stand up straight! Zac slouched his way back to his house after the appointme

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2516817/Zac-Efron-displays-swollen-face-large-scar-chin-accident-saw-jaw-wired-shut.html#ixzz2mL29Mbts
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