Blog - foXnoMad

Talking Near-Future Space Tourism On bloon With zero2infinity CEO Jose Mariano

by Anil Polat | Apr 7, 2011 | Air, Tech, Travel | 25

Jose Mariano is an MIT-trained aerospace engineer from Spain, a father of two children and an avid badminton player. In the year 2002 he authored a paper named “The role of balloons in the future development of space tourism”. He is bringing us that future now.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jose in Sofia, Bulgaria during the Space Tourism & Travel Trends Summit. Talking with him and hearing about bloon was captivating, and the idea of traveling beyond Earth will trigger your imagination as well..a reality in the very-near future.

What is the dream behind bloon?

Seeing with one’s own eyes that the Earth is round, blue and immersed in a black sea of stars.

How does bloon work exactly?

By lifting to the right altitude a closed pod where up to 6 people fit. The altitude is about 36km. To reach it we use the simplest means possible, that is the gas balloon. Then, after 2 hours enjoying the beauty of our blue planet, the pod separates from the balloon and falls back to Earth on a guided parafoil.

You get asked all the time what could go wrong, so, how safe is bloon?

We aim for the same safety as a small airplane or hot air balloon flight. Simpler systems are easier to make safer. Our solution is dramatically simpler than any guided missile modified to carry people. In bloon, there is no rocket, there is no high speed re-entry. We have no catastrophic failure modes. Just like on commercial airplanes, when something goes wrong, there are several redundant systems, for instance we carry 2 back-up parachutes in addition to the nominal parafoil.

bloon flag

How much does a bloon ride cost and when will the first travelers go up?

110,000 Euro for 1 person. We expect the commercial flights to start sometime between 2013 and 2015. I find it more prudent not to provide a specific date.

What motivates you personally to make bloon a success?

I was privileged to have a astronomer father and marvel at the beauty of the universe and our planet since I remember. I want to share that with as many people as possible. And I believe that if most decision makers, role models and other powerful people got to see the Earth from bloon and felt one with the planet, the world would be a better place.

Looking into a crystal ball, where does the technology behind bloon go – what could be next?

We humans have been flying for a very little time. Most of our flying vehicles are modified weapons. I’m sure human creativity, given the right incentives, will out-innovate our current WW2 legacy technology and come up with flying solutions that are cleaner, safer and more capable. To me bloon is just a step in that direction.

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions Jose, I look forward to the day that we can all look back down at our precious planet. You can learn more about bloon and zero2infinity on their respective websites. I also encourage you to follow zero2infinity on Twitter and on Facebook as well.

The Tree Of Life, Bahrain

by Anil Polat | Apr 5, 2011 | Pictures and Video | 16

tree of life bahrain

To boil it down, the Tree Of Life is essentially a very large mesquite tree growing quite randomly in the middle of Bahrain’s desert, surrounded by endless oilfields. About an hour’s drive south from Manama, it’s extremely difficult to find. As you drive outside Bahrain’s capital city, there’s a single sign pointing you south to the tree (as if there’s any other direction to go); from there you’ll have to wing it by asking any and everyone along the way. Maps of the desert roads aren’t very reliable, even for the navigationally-gifted.

I actually drove right by the Tree Of Life, thinking, “wow, that’s a rather large tree growing in the middle of nowhere.” That was until I ended up perilously close to the military base nearby (which you will too if you don’t make the final right turn). I was quickly turned away by a group of soldiers standing under a large sign warning people not to go near the complex. Let’s just say they didn’t find my poor sense of direction endearing or the least bit amusing.

Nobody really has a good answer as to how the Tree Of Life has grown so large with a severe lack of water, though there are several local legends. Whether it’s water gods or an undiscovered subterranean well, aisde from some graffiti, the Tree Of Life doesn’t seem bothered at all by its lonely surroundings. There is no cost to visit the Tree Of Life, though you’ll pay a hefty fee to visit by taxi (25-40 Bahraini dinar ~$70-110 USD). Like most of the other things to see in Bahrain, you’re much better off renting your own car.

The Tree Of Life is something I had been wanting to visit for a very long time. How I stumbled upon it originally I can’t say, though to enhance the experience I suggest you arrive around 4-7pm. Aside from the benefit to your photos by the light of sunset, you’ll catch the groups of oil workers returning to their camps in the desert. The sands become alive around this hour, with soccer matches between various groups of workers, and makeshift barbecues throughout the outdoor encampments along the oilfields.

The Best City To Visit Travel Tournament 2011 Winner Is Porto, Portugal

by Anil Polat | Apr 5, 2011 | Contests | 25

One month and 6 rounds later, the last city standing in The Best City To Visit Travel Tournament 2011 is Porto, Portugal. Congratulations to Portugal’s second largest city – getting by Madrid, Sydney, Bratislava, Jerusalem, Chiang Mai, and runner-up Prague was no simple feat. Originally nominated by Stephen, he’ll receive the contest prize of ~~$150~~ $200 for being a subscriber later this week.

best city to visit 2011 winner porto

best city 2011 championship

I’m Going To Porto Before The End Of The Year

I can’t not visit the city all of you nominated as the best one to visit in 2011, so sometime before the end of this year I’ll be going to Porto. Portugal is one of the few western European countries I haven’t been to yet and (relatively) nearby Lisbon is also where I’ll begin The Ultimate Train Challenge in September. That’s where I’ll attempt to break the world record for longest continuous train journey.

The Best City To Visit Contest 2012, A Macbook Air, And Another Trip For You

I plan on running the tournament again next year, with a few modifications – including allowing people to write posts to pitch their city (thanks for the idea Priyank), as well as having a pool alongside the voting. That way, you can still participate when and if the city you nominate is eliminated. The prize pot will also be larger.

5 Ultimate Tech Guide For Travelers Readers Will Receive $100 Apple Gift Cards: As I mentioned late this past February, March was a month of contests on foXnoMad. My hope with The Ultimate Tech Guide For Travelers is to make it an ebook that’s alive; so as promised, along with 6 months of included personal tech support, 5 people who purchased a copy in March will have $100 Apple gift cards waiting in their inboxes later today.

This summer I’ll also have a Macbook Air for one of you and later in the year hopefully send one of you anywhere in the world you want to go. I don’t want to inundate you with plans but sometime in the coming months I’ll probably be hanging out in one place, catching up on heaps of writing, along with putting together ideas to help you travel more, for less. The best way to find out about the various contests I run throughout the year is to sign up for my bi-monthly newsletter, that group always finds out first.

You can view the entire tournament bracket in full size or click the image to view in wide-screen.

A Month Of Photos Slowly Catch Up With My Travels

I hope you’ve enjoyed the travel photos from this past month, along with the larger image format and shorter, more personal stories. Although I haven’t quite caught up to my movements (not even mentioned Bulgaria yet), we’re at least a few steps closer. Through Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and my favorite city in the world, perhaps we’ll finally cross digital paths in Cairo, Tokyo, or somewhere else.

Don’t worry if you missed this contest, I run several throughout the year. You can be the first to find out about the next one by signing up for my email updates, RSS feed, or bi-monthly newsletter.

The Most Common Yet Irresistible View From Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern

by Anil Polat | Apr 1, 2011 | Pictures and Video | 33

istanbul basilica cistern

This is probably one of the most common travel photos from Istanbul, Turkey you’ll find anywhere. The Basilica Cistern, built around the 3rd century, is an elegantly simple structure with the added bonus that it’s nearly impossible to take a bad photograph of. Everyone who visits does, and straight on from the entrance is the most popular and overdone shot; though too alluring to resist. These large columns, lit up in an eerie red reflecting off the shallow waters that flood the interior, are basically that. What you see is what you get – angle upon stone angle. Some columns toward the back of the cistern have upside-down Medusa heads, which are hyped enough by the signs and pamphlets to make them inevitably disappointing beyond the 20 Turkish lira entrance.

The site was originally the location of a Roman church, before being destroyed and converted into a water repository (aka. cistern). Though meandering around the narrow wooden walkways you’re likely to conjure up images of monks praying in solitude, the cistern had a much more practical purpose for most of its existence. The Byzantines and Ottomans both used it as a water filtration system, although how this was accomplished is neither explained nor obvious in the construction.

What Turkish authorities should really do is advertise the fact that you can’t take a bad (or even mediocre) picture of the Basilica Cistern, which sits underground right across from Hagia Sophia (immediately over the tram tracks facing it). The Basilica Cistern can be easy to miss however, since the entrance is hardly remarkable, if not a bit creepy to be honest.

You can see more of my pictures from the Basilica Cistern and the rest of Istanbul here.

The Best City To Visit Travel Tournament 2011: Championship

by Anil Polat | Apr 1, 2011 | Contests | 8

It’s almost appropriate that Prague and Porto meet in the Championship of the Best City To Visit Travel Tournament this year. Both cities have been quite a force against against each opponent in every round thus far; and to be honest I can’t call or even begin to lean as to who will come out on top – winning $200 in the process. Of course, that’s all up to you. Your votes decide this year’s winner and who will hold the title of “Best City To Visit” in 2011. Register now to vote.

best city to visit 2011 championship

Rio gave Prague a run for its money but won’t be any easy rival to Porto. Vote to decide the best city to visit in 2011 – you must register to vote. The polls are open until next Monday, April 4th at 12pm US EST. (Email and RSS subscribers will need to click through to this page to vote.)

best city 2011 championship

You can view the entire tournament bracket in full size or click the image to view in wide-screen.

Rio, Chiang Mai, it was a great run but, alas, there can only be one. The final results will be posted next Tuesday, April 5th, so get your votes in now. Best of luck to Prague and Porto, may the best city win!

How To Save Money On Your Longer Stay In Argentina

by Anil Polat | Mar 31, 2011 | Guest Post | 13

This is a guest post by Marcello Arrambide, who has been working for freedom his entire life. He’s unlocked the secret through day trading and now wanders the world and shares his experience on his website: Wandering Trader’s Travels. He has visited over 30 countries on 4 different continents including the elusive Antarctica.

When I was living in Buenos Aires for over 3 months, I was able to not only get to know Argentinian culture, but actually see everything that it has to offer. Every single weekend I would pick up and go to a new city for a new adventure. There are so many things to see in the country that I even had to come back to Argentina when I moved to Chile. The country of Argentina has everything for any tourist; ranging from the bustling cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires, the animal haven of Puerto Madryn, or even the gateway to Antarctica for the diehard traveler. We all want to save money and time on our travels and there are certainly things you can skip in Argentina. Here are a few things you can avoid to save money in Argentina.

buenos aires living room

Getting a Hostel or Hotel Room Instead of Renting an Apartment

The cosmopolitan city caters to tourists and many times you can find a great apartment with Internet and air conditioning for as cheap as $200-$300 a week (or $600-$700 a month). You can also find 3G data services with many of the cell phone operators. Why stay at a hotel when you will be able to save on not only accommodation, but food as well? I was able to buy fresh, steroid free prime steaks for $2.50 each. Add the veggies and onions and you have lunch or dinner for $3.

car in salta argentina Don’t Give Your Car or Keys To Anyone in Salta, Argentina

There are so many things to see around the city of Salta that will cost you much more when seen via tour. Public transportation available but you’ll be severely limited to only a few places rather than getting full accessibility. Renting a car in Salta is strongly recommended and shortly after, finding a place to park will be your biggest dilemma.

Cars in Salta are broken into at a frantic rate and insurance in Argentina does not cover break-ins. Ask your hostel if they have a trusted garage or find a hotel nearby and ask to park your car there (a nice tip will help your chances). Under no circumstances should you give them your keys!

Enter the Country Through Buenos Aires International Airport

The United States and other countries levy high entrance taxes for tourists; and Argentina reciprocates. It’s not a matter of being able to get into a country as it is paying $100 or more every time you arrive. US citizens entering Argentina via Buenos Aires International Airport have to pay a reciprocity fee of $131 (Canadian $70, Australians $100), yet avoiding this fee is easy by traveling through the land borders. One such border is taking a bus from Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina. Though there is bad news, Chile exacts a $140 reciprocity fee for US citizens.

Don’t Take the Tours in Puerto Madryn

This is another location where there are many things to see outside the city. Flights are restricted to the Puerto Madryn airport for environmental reasons so most travelers enter through the airport in Trelew. It’s only about an hour away from Puerto Madryn! The famous Punta Tombo Penguin Colony is about 2 hours away from the airport and 3 hours from Puerto Madryn. Tourists go to this area of Patagonia to interact with animals, not to stand 50 feet away from them. If you take tours you won’t be able to stop in the middle of the tracks and walk to the beach to get close to both penguins and elephant seals. This of course, is where the picture (right) was taken.

Don’t Spend More Than 2 days in Either Cordoba or Rosario

These two cities are the second and third largest cities in Argentina, respectively. There aren’t many things to do in either city for more than two days. Cordoba does have very interesting towns about 1-2 hours away but the actual city won’t take you that long to explore. The first, Alta Gracia, is where you can find a great museum in the child hood home of Che Guevera. The second, Villa General Belgrano, is a very interesting German town where the supposed “third largest Oktoberfest” is held.

Things You Shouldn’t Do in Ushuaia

The End of the World train that is heavily marketed is a complete waste of time. Every local and tourist that I have spoken to has said the same, the $70 you spent could have gone towards to a good King Crab dinner (that’s actually what I prefer but you really should try that and the lamb). The track has been shortened so you pay all that money for a very short train ride through the forest.

puerto ushuaia

Lakes country in Ushuaia is also very expensive and not worth the trip. Global warming has caused a lot of weather changes in Tierra del Fuego which causes the weather to change every 15 minutes. You drive into the famous southern tip of the world to see a lake. When traveling to Argentina you can see lakes in Bariloche and Calafate that are more beautiful and much cheaper.

Thank you very much Marcello for your tips from Argentina; a country I have not written enough about myself! You can follow Marcello on his blog Wandering Trader, on Twitter @WanderingTrader, and on his Facebook page.

About Anil Polat

Hi, I'm Anil. foXnoMad is where I combine travel and tech to help you travel smarter. I'm on a journey to every country in the world and you're invited to join the adventure! Read More