MYTH: Parisians are often rude and arrogant

LIKE many people, I had heard stories of waiters spitting on people for not tipping enough, tourists being abused in the street when asking for directions and generally feeling unsafe when venturing out at night.

In my experience, this... Read More

A beautiful vision, unattainable, unfathomable, with their china-white faces, cupid's bow lips, layers of fabric and feet clad in little, white toe socks and shod in wooden thongs. But here at Kiyomizu-dera, a collection of Buddhist and Shinto temples on a hill in eastern Kyoto, they're... Read More

“Runway excursions are an all too common occurrence in commercial aviation… making up a quarter of all incidents and accidents in commercial air transport operations,” a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) states.

A blaring roar and bone-rattling vibrations jolted the 38 astronauts as the shuttle's engines fired up.

1. Touch down

His two- or three-hour photo walking tours are an excellent, hands-on introduction to a city that can otherwise seem overwhelming to visitors.

Shocked commuters were subjected to a saucy striptease with the woman stripping down to her underwear, before asking the packed train for money, reports BalkanInsight.com.

Pictures: See the saucy strip show

One traveller recorded the strip on a phone camera, and has posted the ... Read More

In the orderly queues boarding the train early this Saturday morning are dozens of young Japanese decked out in colourful ski gear. A quick trip to the snow is easy when the Asama Super Express takes only 90 minutes from Tokyo to reach Nagano Terminal and then it's less than an hour by coach to... Read More

It also has Hill of Content – a name owners Fiona and Howard Cody had little hesitation bestowing on their luxury, boutique-style retreat.

We make our way through the food hall, eyes agog at displays of delicate iced cakes and $80 rockmelons and as we walk up the centre aisle, every shop assistant bows to us, a Mexican wave of reverence given to the first customers of the day.

The others were the Coliseum in Rome, the centuries-old pink-coloured ruins of Petra in Jordan, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, and the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Mexico.

A private Swiss foundation l... Read More

Jetstar, which plans to use the aircraft on routes to Europe and the US, was aware that deliveries would be delayed but was expecting to receive its first plane in the second quarter of next year, reports The Australian.

It was Captain James Cook who christened the islands after discovering them on what he thought was a Sunday during the Whit period of Easter, 1770.

Boeing had initially planned to mount a first flight of the Dreamliner, seen as the future profit driver for the company, in late September.

AUSTRALIANS have thrown their support behind a Tourism Queensland "dream job" candidate who has become embroiled in a porn scandal.

The Catholic church event, which featured a visit by Pope Benedict XVI, helped attract 531,600 overseas visitors to Australia over the month - the highest July figure ever recorded.

Whether she's taking a Kabbalah course, adopting a baby or simply removing her clan from the public eye, the international pop-star is regularly spotted in far-flung spots. If you aspire to jet-set like Madonna, you'll need a significant chunk of cash - or at the very least, a willing benefactor.... Read More

This former British colony's style-conscious residents certainly know how to let their hair down. Here are some of the best insider options for a night out on the town in bustling Honkers.

Look the part

Before heading out, nip into the Jasmine Room, just steps from Lan Kwai Fong... Read More

In a much-needed win for the Harbour City, it snatched the prize from Brisbane - where Virgin Blue has its headquarters - Melbourne and Canberra.

MOST COMFORTABLE SEATS
Dom Perignon, a la carte menus, caviar, comfortable beds, and your own set of pyjamas. Airlines don't spare the expense in international first class, but the privileged few pay for their luxury and privacy with return ticket prices sometimes topping $13,000. Emirates... Read More

Passenger demand fell by 5.6 per cent in January compared to the same month last year, a full percentage point worse than the decline recorded in December 2008, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.

BAA made pre-tax losses of 316.2 million pounds (357 million euros, $479 million) compared to a loss of 55.6 million pounds in the same period last year.

At worst, it can be a dismal stomp through places that feel like bus-station cafeterias. To get the most from a day among the vines, choose a designated driver and bypass some of the myths about cellar doors.

Not only am I balanced precariously on the shoulder of a man I met just half an hour earlier, metres in the air, but Bear is standing on a surfboard, soaring on the waves of Hawaii's famous Waikiki beach on the island of Oahu.

There goes this year's holiday; we'll just have to stay home. But hang on a minute! We've worked damned hard - we deserve that break.

Barcelonins are still in front of the mirror by the time you're usually in full flight, bars are barely getting into their stride at 10pm and clubs (best on Thursday to Saturday nights) don't come alive before 2am.

It's a city where the horn never sleeps. After a few hectic days of shopping, restaurants and sightseeing, respite is called for.

Spare a thought for a family transporting a corpse home to New Zealand for burial who learned the body had been lost in transit.

The Samoa Observer reported human error was to blame for the mix-up when a defective plane caused flights to be rescheduled.

A container with the body... Read More

Tourism Queensland claims to be the first state tourism body to have developed an iPhone application that allows travellers to access detailed maps linked with a comprehensive range of tourism product information.