Category: Food and Travel

Quackery Lag

Bricks and Bluebottles

Brian Johnston over at Traveller looks at jet lag, or desynchronosis and dispels some of the quackery surrounding it.

Image via foods.com

It is caused by the disruption of our circadian rhythms, which regulate sleep, body temperature and blood pressure, and operate on a 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythms are regulated by melatonin, which is produced in the brain’s light-sensitive pineal gland, and light exposure is key to alleviating jet lag symptoms.

Bright natural light is more effective than artificial light, and blue light from computers and mobile phones can reduce melatonin levels and prevent sleep. Jet lag remedies are quackery, but a melatonin supplement taken close to bedtime can help. Pre-flight preparation, exercise, hydration and avoiding napping can also reduce jet lag symptoms.

Going Hull The Way

Bricks and Bluebottles

Virgin Voyages is shaking up the cruise industry with its adult-only ships and a focus on fun and wellness.

Image via cruisehive.com

Passengers have access to a variety of activities, including 80s-themed workouts, drag queen bingo, and BDSM workshops. The ship features a well-being pool, MTV-style safety video, and 13 onboard personalities who take over the role of the traditional cruise director.

The vessel is also designed for easy navigation, and boasts six specialty restaurants, private karaoke rooms, and a tattoo parlor. Virgin Voyages excursions include stops in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, and passengers can choose from a variety of cabin configurations, including solo cabins and rockstar suites. This new take on cruising caters to a younger demographic and offers a unique and exciting experience for travelers.

The best thing though are the puns. The name of the Mexican restaurant in the onboard is Let’s Taco Bout It. The gelato stand is Lick Me ‘Till…Ice Cream. Ship just got real.

The Last Queen

Bricks and Bluebottles

Boeing has delivered the last-ever 747, marking the end of more than a half century of production. The aircraft was handed over to US air cargo operator Atlas Air at Boeing’s plant in Everett, Washington in a ceremony that was broadcast live online.

It’s a sad, bittersweet moment for an iconic aircraft.

Image via autonews.autoua.ne

The “Queen of the Skies” revolutionized intercontinental travel and was instrumental in bringing affordable air travel to millions of passengers. The end of the 747’s career was hastened by airlines switching to smaller, more economical aircraft. There were once over 130 passenger 747s in service, but that number has since dropped to 44. Lufthansa remains the largest operator of the passenger version of the 747.

The world will never see something like it again.