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Sometimes even a non-scientist like me feel like doing some experimentation. To find out how long a mobile phone battery will last if I want to listen to the radio via streaming vs. via broadcasting. The background? Harald A. Nissen, a politician representing “The Environment Party The Greens” (Miljøpartiet dei grøne) claims in Dagens Næringsliv, a Norwegian business daily, that DAB is not environmentally friendly and calls for distribution via DAB to be replaced by distribution via mobile internet. This may sound good and plausible to potential voters, Norway’s election is on September 9, but let us look at some background material. A report from Dutch independent research institute TNO states that in order to cover all of Holland, a mere 31,000 square kilometers, you will need 38,500 transmitters! To cover the same area with DAB+, you will need only 30 transmitters. And Norway is over 10 times bigger than Holland. The electricity used on the transmitter side is clearly much lower for DAB+ than for 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi, although I have not gone into detail of the transmitting side in this post. For DAB vs FM comparisons, see here. Let us also compare with FM. The two DAB networks that will provide 90 and 99.5 percent of the population with indoor digital radio coverage use half the electricity of the current FM networks. The two DAB networks will be completed late next year. But all of this is on the transmitting side of things. What about the reciving side? My mobile phone is a Samsung SIII. It is around 9 months old, but the battery (3.8 V, 2,000mAh) is still doing a pretty good job. I decided to put it to a small test, although completelly non-scientific. Battery life via streaming I recharged the battery completely and started listening to one of NRKs radio stations via streaming over 3G. The phone was at all times in an excellent coverage area. The phone was not used for other things, and the screen was kept off. I used earplugs at all times, with the volume at the maximum level. I could listen to radio for 6 hours and 53 minutes before the battery was flat and my phone died. Not bad, I’d say. I had expected worse. After all, when you stream a live signal, wether radio or television, the phone needs to do a lot of processing. Think of streaming as pressing the F5 button on your keyboard continuously, only much faster than what you are capable of doing manually. Everytime the data is being refreshed. Real-time entertainment or radio, television and recorded programs are examples of synchronous services. You will need a minimum of available bandwidth to your receiver in order to get an acceptable experience without buffering, and your device needs enough processing power in order to manage to decode the signal at the bandwidth in question. To do so requires power. The battery could in this case cope for less than seven hours. Battery life via broadcasting There are not yet any mobile phones with built in DAB available on the mass market, so I had to do the second test via FM which comes inside my Samsung SIII. I recharged the battery completely yet again. The phone was also now not used for other things, the screen was kept off and the volume was at the maximum level throughout. In this case I had to use earplugs as they also function as an antenna for the FM signal. An advantage with a broadcasting chipset is that the processing is done on the chipset, so the phone’s processor is used much less, and therefore requires much less power. I could listen to FM radio for 48 hours and 12 minutes on one charge. Although I did admittedly sleep through a lot of it, with the radio playing on maximum volume in my living room. As the battery lasted much longer with FM, I carried the phone with me in areas with different signal-strengths. The result could have been even better in “perfect” receiving conditions, as was the case with the streamed test above. DAB vs. FM How DAB compares with FM? Both DAB and FM come on the same chipsets and the power consumption of the two reception methods is almost identical. We do however see that DAB reception uses less power than FM reception on some modern chipsets. Conclusion These two measurements were done by me in an uncontrolled environment and I do not claim that what I measured proves anything from a scientific perspective. But I will say that there is a clear indication of differences in power consumption between streamed radio and broadcasted radio. You can easily test this yourself. Given that your mobile phone comes with FM or DAB. It doesn’t? Please write to Samsung, Nokia, HTC, Apple or your other preferred phone manufacturer and ask that they put it in in their next version. For the sake of the environment, the available services on your phone and its battery life. Radio via FM lets me listen over 7 times longer than radio via 3G. And what would happen if everyone in the country were to stop listening to broadcast radio and only listen to streamed web radio? You do the maths. For a political party to even suggest, on environmentally grounds, that radio should be distributed via mobile internet instead of broadcasting, is beyond any reasonable logic. And this is not even taking into account the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of additional transmitters needed for 4G to cover Norway. The costs of building 3G or 4G to 99.5% coverage in Norway would be enormous. Telenor, which is the biggest MNO in Norway, even says that Norway will never get full mobile coverage via GSM. Let alone via 3G. Let us finally not forget coverage issues, emergencies or available capacity. It is also cheaper to build DAB+ from scratch than to upgrade the existing FM networks.

There are 198 countries in the world. 40 of them have no land borders to other countries, although both Singapore and Bahrain are connected to their neighbour via a road bridge or two. Russia and China border 14 countries each – more than any others, but in which countries do the border guards have the longest borders to cover? The shortest country border is between Botswana and Zambia where only 150 meters of border is shared between them, in the middle of a river. China leads this statistic as well, with over 22,000 kilometers to patrol, according to Wikipedia. Number nine on the list has less than half the border, but only has one neighbour. Canada has to deal with the US only. For better or for worse. The 10 countries with the longest borders 1. China: 22,147 kilometers 2. Russia: 20,017 kilometers 3. Brazil: 14,691 kilometers 4. India: 14,103 kilometers 5. USA: 12,034 kilometers 6. Kazakhstan: 12,012 kilometers 7. Congo, Democratic Republic: 10,730 kilometers 8. Argentina: 9,665 kilometers 9. Canada: 8,893 kilometers 10. Mongolia: 8,220 kilometers

There are some things you should never forget when travelling. I have discovered most of these the hard way. By screwing up myself. Through travels to 198 countries. 1. Download maps in advance Before you travel, download the maps to your smartphone. This will usually save you a lot of money in roaming charges, especially if you travel to a new continent. The GPS in your phone doesn’t cost anything to use, but to download maps will if you have to pay for data traffic. You can alternatively find a Wi-Fi spot after arriving, but don’t count on them being available for free in or near the airport, the train station or at the bus stop. Even if you find a spot, it will delay you when you should rather spend time exploring a new gem of a place. 2. Scout out your transport options Find out your options on how to get from your point of arrival. You may want to just take a taxi, but you should then know what it should set you back. There are unfortunately a lot of price elastic friendly taxi drivers in many countries, and their prices never flex the right way. There are 11 reasons why I usually travel by public transport when I can. Still insisting on going by taxi? Don’t forget this. 3. Make a note of the exchange rate Find out what the exchange rate is before you go. How else are you supposed to haggle? 4. Bring cash You know the phrase. Cash is still king, never forget. Norway may be the odd exception, Zambia, Panama and Tuvalu certainly are not. The latter out of those do not even except any credit or debit cards. US dollars will still create the biggest smiles in most countries, although Euros are not too bad in countries with a European colonial past. 5. Split your cash You will sometimes become involved in nasty situations. A policeman, someone who poses like one or other scam artists may for instance demand money. Have most of your money in one safe pocket or purse, but always keep small notes in another pocket for use in such situations. You can then empty that pocket and lose only the small notes that are there. 6. Never show off stacks of cash or valuables Common sense, ain’t it? 7. Print out tickets, schedule and contact details Some countries will not even let you into their country without a printed return ticket, while certain airports won’t let you enter without your itinerary on paper. And you will always need the address of your hotel or final destination. You do of course have it all on your tablet, smartphone or laptop, but flashing any of the above gadgets attract unwanted interest like your sweat attract flies when hiking a mountain. And don’t expect to pay less than normal to the taxi driver after having shown him a tablet that costs more than he makes in a year. Not to mention limited charging options in many countries around the world. Paper is king, especially in countries less travelled. 8. Remember the right adapter Not much is as annoying as not being able to recharge your favourite gadget. Often the only thing between you and a refreshingly green battery indicator and a new bragging photo on Instagram is that tiny adapter. And do not assume that the country you are going to has the same sockets or plugs as you do. Britain, the US, Switzerland, Israel, China, South Africa and most of Oceania have screwed up systems. To name a few places. The power plug is actually probably one of the few things the French got right. Said the Norwegian. 9. Backup everything Do not under any circumstances bring the draft of your groundbreaking genre changing novel, major thesis, proof of a mathematical problem or the newly developed cancer cure without a backup at home. Or better still, in the internet cloud. By using Dropbox, Google Drive or similar, you will always have all documents where you need them. Sort of. Given that there is an internet connection where you end up. And that you have power on your device. If you do not have a backup, your computer is likely to be stolen. Murphy said. 10. Use guidebooks to find out where not to go I hate guidebooks because they tend to influence people into seeing exactly the same things, often even in the same order. That means that service will get worse, prices will go up and you will be surrounded by other tourists. If that is what you are looking for, use guidebooks the way they are intended. If not, use guidebooks to find out where not to go. And discover why guidebooks are bad for you. Still not convinced? Read about Lonely Planet’s big travel hoax. 11. Dare be impulsive, plan as little as possible The more plans you make, the fewer of them you get to complete. Dare to accept possibilities for trying something new, getting to know someone new, tasting something new or to take part in activities you had not planned or didn’t even know existed. Having to follow a schedule even when I am on holiday is so not my idea of relaxing. It is also the reason why I shy tour guides like the plague. Even in North Korea, where you are required to have two guides by your side at all times I managed to find a loophole to legally get to explore on my own. Planning ruins the best thing about travelling; the surprises and the unknown you could never plan for anyway. 12. Eat local food Seriously! You didn’t go all the way to Asia to eat western junk? And worms are tasty too! At least they give you a slightly more special story to tell at home than one that involves the words big and mac. 13. Decide on who’s boss If you travel with someone you can never agree on stuff with, let each of you be boss one day at a time. For fun, give the boss a hat, a scarf, a ring or a horrible pink shirt. The boss will have limited powers, but should be able to pick restaurants, activities, which droute to take and other major minor details. The other(s) should still be able to veto in extreme situations if they really are not comfortable with the boss’ decision. 14. Be humble Yeah, I know you are a rich kid from New York, Paris or Seoul. Does that make you cooler than me? Think about it, would you act nicely against a stuck up prick? Toning down any arrogance will always be wise. There is a possible exception if you find yourself being conned. 15. Travel with hand luggage only It is more flexible and relaxed and you will never have to take a specific big taxi or be banned from a metro or a bus because of too bulky luggage. To travel light gives you more control over the travel experience. And 8 other reasons. 16. Go to unusual spots I find it intriguing that you enjoy standing in queues on your holiday. Or why else do you always travel to places where everyone else goes at just that time of year? Inspiration here. 17. Trawl the web for cheap tickets There are many ways to help you find cheaper tickets. Some tips here. 18. Dress smart That will get you better service. And suit jackets usually come with inner pockets which are great for keeping your passport, tickets and other valuables safe. 19. Always carry a pen A pen can be a great friend when travelling as you will far too often have to fill out some sort of a form when for example crossing a border. Not having a pen can see you fall way behind in the passport control or custom line, as you will have to wait to boorow one. And do not expect to be allowed to do so from one from the passport officers. They will not happily wait for you or accept that you hold up the queue. 20. And a note pad too You never know when you will end up in a place where no one speaks your language. Then a pen and a piece of paper may be your best friend. In a restaurant in Iran, this ended up being the way I would have to order food. Despite of my horrendous drawing skills, I managed to outline something slightly resembling a chicken and a cow. And what do you know, I got a chicken, my brother got a steak. Drawing beers don’t work in Iran, though. Unless you find the right people in the market. 21. Show no fear You may be nervous or even outright afraid sometimes if you are lost or find yourself in a dodgy neighbourhood. Do in that case try to not show that you are scared, but put on a determined face and walk straight to a point you can see, such as the next street corner, a shop or a taxi. People who are clearly lost or afraid make easy and attractive targets for criminals. Unfortunately. 22. Stay for free Stay for free on someone’s sofa using sites such as CouchSurfing or Hospitality Club. You will not only get a free bed, but a free guide and maybe even a great friend too. 23. Use local people for the best tips The best guides are usually the people who actually live in a place, and they certainly beat guidebooks. And who wants to plagerise the guidebook writer’s holiday anyway? Take part in your own trips, instead. Use people you meet at the sites mentioned above, or the person you rent an Airbnb flat from. Just be clear and let them know what you are after, and be clear to specify if you want gourmet, non-toruisty or cheap and cheerful. And do keep in mind that local people rarely know much about where to stay. I mean, how often have you stayed in a hotel in your home town (except for when you ended up in bed with that certain someone after a liquid night on time)? 24. Smile a lot Yes, totally free and very simple. Then again, it may not be to the shy among us. But try it, and you will suddenly find yourself invited to a party, a dinner, a mountain hike or even a wedding. I smile a lot more now than what I used to. And I guess it works. I was recently told that I am a postcard for happiness! 25. Decline overtime pay Have I gone mad? Not really, I just prefer to rather get time off work. After working too many hours, I can then take a Thursday and a Friday off work, and suddenly I have a super long weekend. I will then head for the airport after work on Wednesday, get to where I want the same evening (for short trips) or sleep on the plane (for longer trips). Several days of quality exploration then awaits before heading home Sunday evening or dead early Monday morning. I have often landed at the airport in Oslo early Monday, dropped my hand luggage at home, had a shower and gone straight to work. It’s all about creating more time. 26. Seek inspiration Talk to other people who travels a lot or read one of the many great books out there that will inspire you. There will be books almost regardless of what kind of travels you are into or where you think you want to go. I am of course happy to recommend my own book: “198: How I Ran Out of Countries*” with a chapter for every country. Or what it says on the back cover: “Gunnar Garfors has visited all 198 countries in the world – as the youngest hobby traveler – and has encountered people, places and situations most can only dream of. The globetrotter has deftly woven his experiences together into a story that takes the reader on an emotive ride and establishes a connection with him and his quest. Expect outrageous tales grouped in original themes, complete with own chapters for every country.” 27. Expand your horizon There are 198 countries out there. And you can fit many of them in faster by utilizing some travel hacks. 28. Notify people at home You will of course update all sort of status on social media, share photos and maybe even write your own blog. But why not even let people know exactly where you are too? It isn’t only NSA that tracks people, you know. 29. Prioritize your money and spend sensibly Almost everyone (in the Western world, at least) have the money to travel, it will however take some planning and require some prioritization. I work full-time at Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation – NRK, and I spend everything on travelling. And it is so worth it! I would never want to live without all the stories, the sight, the smells, the tastes and just soaking up thousands of different atmospheres. Who needs or wants a fancy red car, a posh penthouse flat, a CD collection or designer clothes when the option is memories like these? Not to travel would be an insult to my intellect. With the growth of low-cost airlines, virtually anyone can visit another country by booking tickets way ahead. And there are of course also trains, ferries and buses, not to forget hitchhiking and car sharing. For food and drinks, buy it in shops or markets, it is usually much cheaper than in restaurants. Except if you decide to come to Norway – then carry tinned food from home, it is expensive here.  You can also stay in a tent in many countries. 30. Practice Travelling is like any other activity. You need to practice to be great at it. You never travelled outside your country except that sunny resort down south somewhere? Do not start travelling to Somalia, Yemen or Afghanistan. Start slow, even inside your own country. Then expand and try to travel both alone and with others. You will gain experiences and learn which travel style you prefer. You will gradualy become better, possibly even reaching a level where you might decide to go pro and travel full-time. 31. Avoid jetlag I don’t do jetlag anymore. And you can avoid jetlag totally too, or at least reduce its effect by following two easy rules. Do not drink on the long flight that takes you eastwards or westwards, and most importantly, stay awake until at least midnight, local time, after you have landed. Do not, under any circumstances give in to the temptation of lying down on the comfy hotel bed before midnight – you will then fall asleep in an instant and suffer jetlag for days or even a full week. 32. Challenge yourself or your friend Nothing motivates me better than a challenge. How about motivating someone, and have them motibate you back? Not interested? Well, let me know and I will be happy to dare you. Check out my #CountryChallenge# and #Visit3 #Visit10 #Visit50 #Visit100 #Visit150 #Visit198 33. Excercise Hell yeah, don’t forget your body! It is allegedly your temple. You can of course excercice in fun ways by swimming in the sea, running on beaches with local spectators, kayaking or climbing coconut trees. And as a bare minimum, walk a lot. Why? Because you are on a big trip, having a lot of fun. Which means eating more than normal, probably downing a few extra drinks too. And you are likely to move less than back home. Just imagine the gruelling hours in cramped plane seats overcrowded buses or shared taxis, the short walk between planes in the airport and those long stretches on that particularly tempting sun bed. Travelling is less exhausting and much more fun when you are in shape! Potential dates are highly likely to agree. As a tiny bonus, should you be on the pull.

Guest post by: Catherine Lavinia you’ve got cheap holidays on the agenda this summer, why not consider a holiday in Turkey? It’s got all the hallmarks of a great holiday – a scorching summer climate, plenty of great beaches, vibrant towns and well-equipped beach resorts. It’s bursting with culture and has a fascinating heritage spanning centuries of various settlements, civilisations, conquests and trade routes, so as you can imagine it’s quite a fascinating place to visit. Turkey’s glittering coastline is the perfect place to enjoy a summer holiday with all the key ingredients of sun, sea and sand. It’s like any other fantastic beach holiday, but better – because it has a wealth of culture and what’s more, it’s one of the most affordable holiday destinations in the brochure too. Turkey hasn’t yet joined the Euro, and its relatively low cost of living means that you can enjoy an affordable break – especially if you stray off the tourist trail. Head out and dine with the locals in nearby towns, and shop in markets or traditional stores rather than the recognised brand supermarkets, as this is usually a much cheaper experience – and more authentically Turkish too! For cheap holidays, Turkey is a great option. But that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on value or quality. You’ll find a fantastic selection of resorts and hotels to suit various tastes and preferences, especially when you book through recognised tour operators. Many hotels are geared up with families in mind, offering child-friendly features like splash pools, extensive menus, child-safe balconies and nearby attractions. The big resorts like Kusadasi, Marmaris and Icmeler have nearby waterparks along with great beaches and a wealth of local activities to keep all ages entertained. Turkey also boasts over 150 Blue Flag beaches along its vast coastline. So whether you’re after last-minute cheap holidays or a fun-filled escape with the family, Turkey is a fantastic choice. This is a guest post and is hence not written by Gunnar Garfors.

How to make people even more confused about international air travel? And to create additional nightmares for border control guards, while you are at it? Establish an airport that is actually based in two, or even three, countries. Yeah, whatever! Would anyone do something as stupid? Or as smart? You will after all save space and create synergies between town and cities in several countries. There are actually six airports in the world that sprawl more than one country. The most schizophrenic one actually serves three countries. That’s a truly international airport for you. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg You can even tell by the slightly geographically confusing name; EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg. Basel is in Switzerland. Mulhouse is in France. Freiburg is in Germany. The runway is actually located in France, but there are two customs areas, one Swiss and one French. Which country you leave from or enter into depends on the airline. The airport is furthermore only 4 kilometers from the German border and serves that country too. You can technically cross the border inside the airport terminal as long as you have a valid passport or an ID card. Crossing between the carparks outside the terminal is however not possible. And as if that wasn’t complicated enough, the airport even has three IATA airport codes, you know those three letter codes you see on checked in luggage. BSL is for Basil, MLH is for Mulhouse and EAP is for Freiburg, according to Airlinecodes.co.uk. Confusing? The luggage handlers must think so. Geneva International Airport The Swiss and the French must like the idea of sharing airports. Also the airport of Geneva in Switzerland can be accessed from both both countries, but the airport is physically located in Geneva. But only a few meters from France. Parts of the runway and the border line actually run in parallell. Sort of. The airport does however only have one IATA code: GVA. It is also by far the busiest airport of the six mentioned here, counting almost 14 million passengers annually, according to Wikipedia. 4 airports in USA and Canada There are also four smaller airports in both the US and Canada. All four are rather small and they have unusal IATA callsign consisting of two digits and a letter. None of them have scheduled air traffic. Piney Pinecreek Border Airport (48Y) was originally located only in the US, but a needed runway extension was only possible by expanding into the neighbouring country to the north. Del Bonita/Whetstone International Airport (H28) will see you take off on the US-Canadian border, but your aircraft can park on either side of the border. Coronach/Scobey International Airport (8U3) is owned by both the two governments. You can land there, but only during the opening times of the border crossing, and only after giving at least two hours notice. Sounds convenient. And finally Avey Field State Airport (69S) is a small privately owned and operated, yet unattended airport. It is located in the state of Washington and the province of British Colombia in western North America. The airport recommends that you do an overflight of the airport to rule out possible obstructions such as people, vehicles or animals. May I suggest that you bring a camera for that prize winning black bear photo? Any others? Did I miss any truly international airports? Please let me know. Tijuana Airport in Mexico, a few meters across the border from San Diego, is set to open a US terminal in 2014. In the meantime, see that none of the top ten air routes in the world are in North America on Europe.

What are the ten busiest air routes in the world? Place your bets. Which cities did you guess? London-Paris? Wrong, they have too much competition from trains, boats and automobiles. Besides the British and the French aren’t particularly fond of each other. An Abba song allegedly caused some trouble. New York-Chicago? Wrong, the economy of the country is going down the drains. Besides, Americans love their cars, vans and trucks. Why fly when you can clock up some miles on the odometer? Petrol is still cheap “over there”. Compared to here, at least. Moscow-St. Petersburg? Wrong, there were too many journalists looking for Snowdon in the airport that there were no room for passengers to boost the volumes. None of the top ten routes are even in Europe or in North America. No joke. Number one is between an airport you haven’t heard about and an island you didn’t know existed. Or do you actually know where Gimpo airport is? It is the secondary airport of Seoul, South Korea. It mainly caters for domestic flights. And the most popular destination, by far, is Jeju Island, south of the country. Why? It is the beach paradise of Korea, where Koreans flock for weddings, stag nights, family holidays, mountain hiking, Korean barbeques or anything else you can think of. I have travelled the route myself, and have never seen so many airlines travel to the same destination. There were flights, as in plural, every hour. And I would recommend flying Jeju Air. The cabin crew will play rock, scissors paper with the passengers. The last passenger still in the game wins a prize. Creative! Seven of the top ten air routes are in Asia, the last three are on three different continents. And not in North America or Europe, but in Africa, Oceania and South America. Did someone say the western economies are going bust? Do not believe them! Only one of the routes is an international route, between Hong Kong, technically a part of China, and Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. Four of the routes are in Japan, according to Amadeus. Top ten air routes of the world 1. Jeju-Seoul: 10.1 million passengers. 2. Sapporo-Tokyo: 8.2 million passengers. 3. Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo: 7.7 million passengers. 4. Beijing-Shanghai: 7.2 million passengers. 5. Melbourne-Sydney: 6.9 million passengers. 6. Osaka-Tokyo: 6.7 million passengers. 7. Fukuoka-Tokyo: 6.6 million passengers. 8. Hong Kong-Taipei: 5.5 million passengers. 9. Okinawa-Tokyo: 4.6 million passengers. 10. Cape Town-Johannesburg: 4.4 million passengers.

There are some claims to fame that are more unusual than others. And we all know that something unusual or unique inevitably ends up on bucket lists around the world. It doesn’t usually take that much, though. Just check out Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Bragging about restaurants you have visited, drinks you have consumed, views you have experienced, clothing that you wear or celebrities you have slept with is commonplace. I am myself guilty as charged with several, but not all, of the examples listed above. P.S. New figures out! The World’s Least-Touristy Countries 2018 But let’s get down to business and concentrate on the important thing in life. Travelling. I have been to all 198 countries in the world, and written a book about it. It came out in English in July, 2015. Visiting countries that fit a certain bill are present on a lot of bucket lists. One of the more unusual that I have heard about are double landlocked countries. What they are? A landlocked country has no access to an ocean at its borders. 44 of the world’s 198 countries are landlocked. See the list below. A double landlocked country on the other hand is a country that is surrounded by landlocked countries. There are only two such countries in the world. Liechtenstein in Europe is surrounded by two landlocked countries; Switzerland and Austria while Uzbekistan in Asia is surrounded by five, all of them are stan countries (ending with “stan”). They are Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan is of course a stan country on its own. As there are seven stan countries in total, the only stan country missing is then Pakistan, which is 300 kilometers from Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is then of course the only country in the world exclusively surrounded by stan countries. Oh, the trivia you pick up here… The 44 landlocked countries of the world Afghanistan‎ Andorra‎ Armenia‎ Austria‎ Azerbaijan‎ Belarus‎ Bhutan‎ Bolivia‎ Botswana‎ Burkina Faso‎ Burundi‎ Central African Republic Chad‎ Czech Republic‎ Ethiopia‎ Hungary‎ Kazakhstan‎ Kyrgyzstan‎ Laos‎ Lesotho‎ Liechtenstein‎ (double landlocked) Luxembourg‎ Macedonia‎ Malawi‎ Mali‎ Moldova Mongolia‎ Nepal‎ Niger‎ Paraguay‎ Rwanda‎ San Marino‎ Serbia‎ Slovakia‎ South Sudan‎ Swaziland‎ Switzerland‎ Tajikistan‎ Turkmenistan‎ Uganda‎ Uzbekistan‎ (double landlocked) Vatican Zambia‎ Zimbabwe‎

Guest post by: Catherine Lavinia. It seems to a real phase at the moment – afternoon tea is no longer just for the middle class ladies of leisure, but is a big hit with all walks of life taking some time to appreciate the finer things in life. Afternoon tea is quintessentially British – drinking tea from bone china tea cups and eating delicate scones and finger sandwiches with their crusts removed. Tea rooms are popping up all over the country, with people travelling from miles around to sample a good afternoon tea. Bristol is no different and while a weekend trip to the city would mean you could stay at one of the Travelodge hotels, make sure you do take a little time out to enjoy one of the city’s afternoon tea experiences. There’s plenty of choice too, based on whereabouts you’re visiting and the type of experience you’d prefer. Take a look at these fantastic choices and get ready for a superb, indulgent treat. Afternoon Tea at the Marriott Royal Relax in a sumptuous setting and enjoy the Royal afternoon tea in style. Located right next to Bristol Cathedral, you could indulge yourself in the Royal Champagne Afternoon Tea, which will include sandwiches, pastries and scones as well as a choice of tea, coffee and the luxurious glass of bubbly. Prices start at £27.50 and availability of a table is between 3pm and 5pm every day – booking is essential! Cox and Baloney Tea Rooms Situated in Cotham, this quaint tea room is open daily for Lilly’s afternoon tea delights, which cost £18 for two. Served on your own three-tier stand, you will be able to choose from finger sandwiches, delectable homemade cakes and scones with clotted cream. There is also an extensive menu including pork pie and pickles, toasties and soups – perfect for a spot of lunch on a busy day. The Lido Restaurant Located in the popular area of Clifton, the critically-acclaimed Lido Restaurant is a unique establishment that sits in an old viewing gallery. The poolside bar serves what are claimed to be the best cakes and pastries in the city and also provides a choice of afternoon tea and cream tea options. The Lido afternoon tea includes lavish smoked salmon on toast and a glass of Prosecco as well as the cream tea, for £19. The River Lounge Open all year round, the River Lounge offers the traditional afternoon tea experience with a twist. Perhaps you’d like a cup of Jing tea to accompany your afternoon tea, or a Hendrick’s Gin cocktail? Berwick Lodge The classic afternoon tea that is offered at this venue includes an array of freshly made sandwiches, cakes and biscuits with a choice of accompanying hot drink, such as one of the local Lahloo teas or a fresh coffee. Add a dazzling summer cocktail to the experience or a glass of house champers. Prices start at £15 per person. Afternoon tea is more than just a refined tradition nowadays – it’s customary for many. Enjoy the experience in Bristol as part of your visit this summer. This is a guest post and is hence not written by Gunnar Garfors.

My suitcase is smaller than yours! Although it is quite often not even a suitcase but a backpack. In travel, size does matter. The smaller, the better. My choice of luggage container is still dependent on what type of trip I am on. When I travel for business I carry a suitcase. I need to carry a suit and shirts in a relatively creasless manner. When I travel for leasure or to informal meetings, I carry a backpack. If I don’t need nice shirts or a tie, I always go for the lighter and more convenient option. Carry on only There is a common denominator. My luggage always passes as carry on. Or hand luggage, if you want. And even my suitcase can convert into a backpack, thanks to the two hidden strap-ons (add bad joke here). The suitcase gone backpack will then be a heavy one, not very comfortable and somewhat bulky. But it can be carried where wheels are enemies of the ground. Why hand luggage only? It should be fast and easy to answer, but it all ended up as a list of 9. 1. It is lighter. That makes my journey more relaxed and less of a hassle. I will also be much more flexible with regards to what I can do, where I can walk, 2. It is greener. Not having a suitcase eliminates both the weight of the suitcase itself and its content. Less weight reduces emissions from planes, buses and taxis. It also reduces wear and tear of the luggage itself, making it last longer. 3. It is safer. I am much more mobile with handluggage only and can get away from potentially dangerous situations faster and by any means of transport. Any wannabe robber can see that I can’t possible be carrying much of value, so they are less likely to bother. 4. It is more relaxed. I look less serious with handluggage only and I might not even be considered a tourist. It looks like I’m just chillin’ and that I presumably know what I am doing, even in a new place. “He doesn’t even have a big suitcase, he must have been here before.” 5. It is faster. It would have taken me months of my life if I were to wait for my luggage after every flight I have ever taken. Not to mention the extra time it takes to check in. And the time it takes to pack all the stuff needed to fill up the suitcase. Even boarding will go faster for you and others. 6. It makes you worry less. No need to think about how your luggage is treated by luggage handlers, if the suitcase itself or something inside is broken or whether single items or the entire suitcase goes missing. 7. It is more flexible. You will never have to take a specific big taxi or be banned from a metro or a bus because of too bulky luggage. You can even walk from some airports to town. In short, to travel light gives you more control over the travel experience. 8. It is cheaper. You will not have to pay for luggage. Most proper airlines don’t charge extra for one piece of checked luggage, but more and more airlines do. You also seem like less of a tourist and may be less likely to be conned into paying more by taxi drivers or others. 9. It is more considerate. Your handluggage will take up less space, leave more room for others and speed up boarding and leaving aircrafts. Given that you only carry one piece and don’t carry a lot of luggage on board with you. My choises are a Tumi T-Tech wheeled combined suitcase and backpack and a Norrøna Integral 35 backpack (that exact model doesn’t seem to be produced anymore). I am very happy with both of them. The buts But will it not limit my dressing options when away? Well, of course one bag will not fit as many outfits as a big suitcase. But there is still room for washing powder inside, so you will manage while still maintaining acceptable hygiene levels. Just remember your toothbrush and a deodorant. And of course you cannot show off the latest, sexiest and most expensive suitcase while waiting around the baggage carousel in the airport. Nor will hand luggage only quite justify ordering the biggest limousine to pick you up, although even a small limo usually impresses the ladies and the gents. I also live in Norway, the most expensive country in the world, so I might as well buy extra clothes cheaper when I travel. Instead of wearing out my old ones and buying new clothing at a price when back home. I might even get something that is not even available at home. That could help me set a new standard for fashion! Then again, I am more likely to be punished for crimes against fashion. That fancy Afghan goat skin jacket or those pointed Kyrgyz shoes didn’t exactly do me any favours out on the town. But what if you will buy so much that you need a suitcase to bring it back home? Buy a big bag or a suitcase where you buy all your other stuff or just pack it all in a cardboard box before returning home. This little carry on only trick doesn’t work when going home for Christmas, though. Unless you are six and actually receive more presents than you give away. I am not. I have three brothers, three sisters, four nephews and a niece. My Christmas luggage is the exception that proves the rule.

– I love Norway, it is so beautiful here! I often overhear such comments in Oslo, Norway’s capital where I live. Visiting friends, colleagues and business contacts from abroad often say the same. It usually turns out that they have never been outside Oslo. They do in other words have no clue what they are talking about. I usually enlighten them and let them in on the secret. Do not get me wrong, Oslo is a great city which I love dearly. Despite it being more expensive than any other. But it isn’t especially beautiful. Compared to the rest of the country, that is. I’d say that you haven’t really been to Norway until you have been to the West Coast and Northern Norway. That’s where you find the real scenic pearls, rubies and diamonds. Islands and fjords, glaciers and mountains, rivers and waterfalls, streams, lakes and forests. And mindblowing views. In air that defines fresh. And you can enjoy it all! Free of charge. In the most expensive country in the world. In Norway, there is a right called “allemannsretten.” It literally means the right of every man and it means that anyone can enter another persons land in order to enjoy Norwegian nature. You are however required to respect nature, farmers, land owners, other users and the environment in general. “Allemannsretten” distinguishes between domesticated land (farmed land and land that has been built on) and land which is “untouched”. Anyone can use the latter as long as you respect the land and other people. That means that you can put up a tent free of charge for up to two days in one place and that you can pick berries, mushrooms and nuts. Or fish in the sea. For pollock, cod, halibut, salmon or trout. Similar rights also apply in the other Scandinavian countries. Throw in the midnight sun, the northern light and a very rural country with small villages, towns, cities or just isolated farms in the most unexpected location, and you have a limitless source of exploration ahead of you. Of course Oslo and the other cities are still were you should go for nightlife, restaurants, galleries and most cultural experiences, but for the scenery that makes up one of the most beautiful countries in the world, you have to look elsewhere. I am certainly biased, but here it goes. I have two favourite places in Norway. Skjomen is a fjord south of Narvik. My dad was born in a farm next to the fjord, and I have built a log cabin there. The end of the fjord is surrounded by such steep mountains that German war ships used it as a hiding place during WWII. British bombers simply couldn’t go low enough to hit the ships. The fjord and the surrounding area has an unusually mild climate for its latitude. You can find the second northermost 18 hole golf course in the world here and rock carvings prove that houseless people lived in Skjomen as early as in the stone age. The second is Naustdal, where I grew up in Sunnfjord on the Norwegian West Coast. The name means “boat shed valley” and vikings were known to live there. It lies next to The Førde Fjord and boasts many mountains and Nausta, one of the best salmon rivers in the country. The area is very diverse with a coastal climate in the south west and an inland climate in the north east. Only 2,700 people live in Naustdal which is only 10 kilometers from regional center Førde with shopping centers, cafés, bars and the odd restaurant. So, whenever you visit Oslo next, please do consider taking a few days outside the biggest city in the country. It will so be worth it. Of course, merely visiting a country’s capital city rarely shows you “the real country” and I always prefer to visit different regions of a country to get more of a full picture. The difference between capital city and the rest of the country applies to most countries, except for tiny Monaco, Nauru (which doesn’t even have a capital) and the Vatican. But I’d still say more so in Norway than in most countries. Have you got other amazing photos from Norway? Please share and I will add them underneath this article.

DAB is cheap enough to be used even by a small local radio station using only one transmitter, as shown before. That still doesn’t mean that this way of thinking is not valid for a larger area. It is, although the costs will of course be higher. The bottom line is that DAB will almost always be cheaper than FM. The capital of Norway Let me try to explain. I’ll start with Oslo, Norway’s capital. Between 600,000 and 700,000 people live in the center, almosta million in Greater Oslo. Three local stations here are available both via FM and via DAB+. They require one transmitter each for FM (1+1+1=3 transmitters), but only one transmitter combined for DAB+ (and this transmitter can even handle 17 additional radio stations). The coverage areas for DAB and FM are comparable. I’ll stay in Oslo a little longer. Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) has three FM transmitters for NRK P1. There are 4 DAB transmitters, although one of them primarily covers an additional area. How to measure coverage? NRK P1 is the radio station that is required by the government to cover “everyone in Norway” via FM. 1,111 transmitters are needed to do so. But how many is everyone? These 1,111 transmitters cover “99.95%” of the population in mono, given that they have a receiving outdoor antenna 10 meters above ground level. Almost no one has installed such antennas, so this is not a good nor accurate nor user friendly way of measuring coverage. The DAB 99.5% indoor coverage corresponds to the FM 99.95% outdoor 10 meters above ground level coverage, and is a better and more precise way of measuring. We may even call it future proof. The 765 DAB transmitters broadcast from 765 sites (“towers”), and each and every transmitter transmits up to 20 radio stations. The radio stations are all the same throughout the country, but some regional content differ throughout the day on certain radio stations (made possible by using seven multiplexes – all 765 transmitters could however have been configured to one multiplex). The 1,111 FM transmitters on 1,111 sites do transmit one radio station only, to the same amount of people. Some of the programs on NRK P1 are fed locally in order to accommodate regional content at certain times of the day. 99.5% indoor coverage DAB+ will cover 99.5% of the population when the network is finished in 2014. And yes, we are talking about indoor coverage and a lot more roads than what FM will ever cover. 765 DAB transmitters are needed to do so. More about that here. DAB does in other words require substantially fewer radio transmitters and sites than FM. And the electricity used for DAB is under half that of FM. The future is digital, even for radio.

Digital radio is very expensive. Or at least so we are usually told by wannabe experts. I have previously shown that is not the case. To build a DAB+ network from scratch is actually cheaper than staying on FM. But what is the real cost of building digital radio in Norway? The mountainous country demands 765 DAB+ transmitters to cover 99,5% of the population with up to 20 radio stations. NRK P1, the main radio station of Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, currently reaches the same percentage via FM. The government demands that the broadcasters will cover the same amount of people with DAB+ as with FM. But DAB+ will also cover a lot more roads than FM has ever been able to. With more radio stations. One FM transmitter can only carry one radio station, whereas a DAB+ transmitter can carry up to 20 radio stations. Not to mention road tunnels. There are 1,200 road tunnels in Norway, 500 of which are 500 meters or longer. These 500 tunnels will be covered by DAB+ by 2017 and also double as an emergency system. In case of a fire or an accident, authorities can override the normal radio stations and distribute potentially life saving information to motorists. FM currently covers 200 road tunnels. The cost to distribute DAB+ in tunnels is marginal, as there are huge synergies with the emergency network which is currently being built to cater for communication between emergency services. The bill to cover the tunnels with emergency services and DAB+ is being picked up by the Norwegian Road Authority. 925 transmitters on 765 transmission sites In Norway public service broadcaster NRK and the commercial broadcasters have joined forces to build the network. Or networks, as there are actually two, but they share sites and antennas. That saves costs for everyone. NRK needs 765 transmitters on 765 transmitter sites to cover 99.5% of the population. The commercial broadcasters need an additional 160 transmitters on 160 of the same sites as NRK to cover 90% of the population. Or put differently, covering the last 9.5% of the population requires 605 transmitters. That is almost five times as many as the first 90%, although the last 605 are on average much less powerful than the first 160. There are 5 million people in Norway. The prices for the two networks are then as follows. To build the two DAB+ networks costs almost 1 billion NOK (126 million Euro). That is an average cost per transmitter of only 1.1 million NOK (137,000 Euro). Running costs each year the next 20 years amounts to approximately 200 million NOK (25.2 million Euro). The yearly running costs for FM are currently 190 million NOK (24 million Euro). The DAB+ networks will, when finished in 2014, use less than half the electricity of the current FM networks. And people all over Norway will get between 15 and 40 radio stations. Why such a difference? Around half a million people will receive NRKs 15 or so radio stations by the end of 2014. The remaining four and a half million will receive almost 40 radio stations from NRK and private broadcasters by the end of 2013. The DAB+ networks in Norway are expanding by the day. They now cover approcimately 85% of the population. No cinemas, no pubs Currently, around half the Norwegian population receive as little as between 1 and 5 radio stations via FM. These people do not live in cities or large towns. They do in other words not have access to operas, theatres, cinemas or a decent selection of restaurants, cafés or pubs. Some do not have web access, let alone broadband. To many of the rural Norwegians, a huge increase in the number of available radio stations therefore matters. I should have a certain idea, I am from rural Norway myself. Many people that are critical to DAB are from the big cities. They already have a wide selection of entertainments on offer. Including a lot of radio stations via FM. Luckily, the Norwegian government includes less urban people. They know how great radio is and what a difference it can make in people’s lives. The government has been brave enough to decide to switch off FM in 2017 so that broadcasters can concentrate on making great programs that will be available to everyone. The British are about to follow suit.