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Category Archives: Travel & Adventure

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The Vario Perfect 1200 Platinum Motorhome

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The new-generation Vario Perfect 1200 Platinum debuts at this year's Caravan Salon
The new-generation Vario Perfect 1200 Platinum debuts at this year’s Caravan Salon
Variomobil
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For last year’s Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, Variomobil introduced the fourth generation of its “Perfect” line of ultra-luxury motorhomes, revealing the Mercedes Actros-based Perfect 1000. How do you follow up such an impressive exhibition appearance? By climbing even higher up the ladder and revealing the larger, more exclusive flagship model, the Perfect 1200 Platinum. A little piece of exclusive real estate built onto a triple-axle Mercedes chassis, the new 1200 features a massive living space broadened by three electro-hydraulic slide-outs and enhanced with nightclub-grade audio and intelligent lighting, all the appliances of home, and an XXL garage large enough to bring along a high-powered grand tourer … say, a Mercedes-AMG GT. read more

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Volkswagen Expandable Camper

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Volkswagen teases the expandable tent system of its new Caddy Mini-Camper
Volkswagen teases the expandable tent system of its new Caddy Mini-Camper
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Following up on the full-size Grand California it launched in 2018 and the updated midsize California it launched last year, Volkswagen now turns its vehicle-camping mastery to its smallest van. A new-generation Caddy calls for a new-generation Caddy Beach camper, and in this case, a new name: the Mini-Camper. One of the smallest, cutest camper vans we’re likely to see until the eBussy Camper comes rolling into the real world, the new Caddy Mini-Camper sleeps adventure-loving couples and turns into a larger “glamping lodge” on demand. read more

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Proteus – An Undersea Space Station of sorts

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Fabien Cousteau's Proteus underwater research lab will be three times bigger than any previous design
Fabien Cousteau’s Proteus underwater research lab will be three times bigger than any previous design
Fuseproject

It’s been a big week for inventions named for the shape-shifting, fortune-telling Greek sea god, Proteus. On Monday we looked at Proteus, the world’s first manufactured non-cuttable material, and now there’s Proteus, the world’s most advanced underwater research station and habitat – though in this case the naming is probably more to do with Proteus’ status as the grandson of Poseidon himself. read more

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Aussie Hornet Trailer

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Maverick Hornet on its way to Outback adventure
Maverick Hornet on its way to Outback adventure
Maverick Campers

The new Maverick Hornet is one of the cutest compact camper trailers you’ll ever see off the beaten path. But don’t let its small size and cube-like dimensions fool you – it’s still a no-nonsense, galvanized-steel backcountry warrior with the most vacant, inhospitable stretches of Australian Outback in its crosshairs. The tiny body that barely overhangs the tire below slides, folds and swings into a comfy base camp complete with trailer-top tent, wraparound awning and outdoor kitchen.

If there are three things we’ve noticed about Australian off-road camper trailers, it’s that they’re insanely well-built, beautifully equipped and incredibly expensive. You can buy a luxury SUV for what a Patriot X3 will cost you. The Maverick Hornet appears as extremely well-built as other Aussie off-road trailers, but it slides in at a much lower price point by relying on a leaner standard equipment package, allowing buyers to build it up with options or equip it themselves over time. read more

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Weapon Wednesday – Navy’s First Submerged Circumnavigation

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BETTMANNGETTY IMAGES
  • For much of their history submarines have spent most of their time on the surface, only submerging to make attacks.
  • But the arrival of nuclear power allowed a submarine to stay underwater indefinitely.
  • Operation Sandblast demonstrated to the world that submarines could now spend an entire patrol underwater. read more
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Puch 230 GE Multifunctional Camping Vehicle

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Lorinser goes beyond a basic restoration, turning this Puch 230 GE into a full mini-motorhome
Lorinser goes beyond a basic restoration, turning this Puch 230 GE into a full mini-motorhome
Lorinser Classic

Usually the term “Swiss Army camper” denotes a multifunctional camping vehicle (or kit) with swiveling and folding components meant to quickly transform on the fly. Such designs rarely ever have any material connection to Switzerland’s actual armed forces. But in the case of this Lorinser Puch 230 GE, the term comes to mean a motorhome with verifiable Swiss Army roots. After finishing its military career in Switzerland, the 1993 G-Wagen becomes a worldly adventure rig, marrying an ornate high-roof camper body with a super-efficient two-sleeper interior complete with solar-backed power and microwave. read more

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BMW is Ready for Cruising Season

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BMW R18 Cruiser: the new 1.8-liter boxer twin looks enormous, both externally and internally
BMW R18 Cruiser: the new 1.8-liter boxer twin looks enormous, both externally and internally
BMW Motorrad
The biggest boxer engine to ever grace a BMW series production motorcycle is destined to take the fight straight to Harley-Davidson and Indian.

Less than a year after blasting onto the stage at the Concorso d’ Eleganza Villa d’ Este in Italy, what began as the Concept R18 has evolved to become a fully-fledged production model. Meet BMW’s big, burly, bare-knuckled Cruiser. read more

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Hundreds of New Species Found

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A red-eyed tree frog was one of the amphibian species observed during an expedition to the...
A red-eyed tree frog was one of the amphibian species observed during an expedition to the Lost City of the Monkey God in Honduras(Credit: Trond Larsen)

In 2012, centuries-old legends of a lost city in Honduras were confirmed when ancient ruins were rediscovered in the dense Mosquita rainforest. Now, scientists have conducted a three-week expedition to these ruins, known as the “White City” or the “Lost City of the Monkey God,” and found a trove of natural treasures. Living in the pristine forests around the city is an incredibly rich array of wildlife, including species new to science, some unknown in the area, some that haven’t been seen in decades and others that were believed extinct. read more

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CycleWing Bicycle Sail

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The CycleWing is presently on Kickstarter
The CycleWing is presently on Kickstarter

Although there’s nothing like cycling with a good tailwind, your bike and your body are only capable of catching a limited amount of that wind. The CycleWing was designed to help, acting as – you guessed it – a sail for your bike. read more

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$50 Million Will Get You 30 Days Aboard The International Space Station

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NASA has announced a plan to allow tourists to fly on the International Space Station starting next year.

Up to two private astronaut missions will be allowed per year, each lasting 30 days at most.

But, a trip to space won’t come cheap – with life support systems and all necessary supplies considered, it will cost an eye-watering $35,000 per night at minimum.

The announcement came as NASA unveiled its new business model on Friday, revealing a plan to incorporate more commercial and marketing opportunities ‘both in low-Earth orbit and around the moon.’

NASA has announced a plan to allow tourists to fly on the International Space Station for the first time starting next year. File photo

NASA has announced a plan to allow tourists to fly on the International Space Station for the first time starting next year. File photo

‘Today is a very remarkable day,’ NASA’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff DeWitt said in a press conference Friday morning.

‘NASA is opening the International Space Station to commercial opportunities and marketing these opportunities as we’ve never done before.’

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