Looking for unique and budget-friendly lodging in Rio? Brazilian Guru recommends two cool hostels in the Leblon neighborhood.

Leblon and Ipanema

Written by Brazilian Guru

Traveling around the world on a budget? If one of your stops is Rio de Janeiro, I’ve got the places for you! The marvelous city has become very expensive for the common traveler. So during a short stay in Rio last year, I was on a mission to find affordable and cool places in town.

Mission accomplished. I found two great hostel options in the upscale and trendy neighborhood of Leblon. However, before making any pre-judgment, I booked a stay in both places to get an in-depth opinion of each establishment.

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The Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana might be familiar to viewers of the BBC TV motoring programme Top Gear. During a 2007 edition of the show, presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May became the first people to cross the Makgadikgadi by car. This was no mean feat as the pans are remnants of an inland sea and heavy vehicles tend to sink below the muddy surfaces and salty crusts found in the area.

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Graham Padmore on what makes Brighton the coolest and most visit-worthy city along the coast of England.

Written by Graham Padmore

Despite having all the usual seaside clichés of pier, fairground rides and candyfloss, Brighton has a very different side. Dubbed ‘London by the sea’, this hip and happening city continues to surprise and intrigue visitors who flock here for independent shops, award winning food, friendly locals and a thriving art and alternative scene. For hipsters everywhere, here are seven reasons to visit the coolest seaside city in England.

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Ski resort holidays are always popular over the festive period among holidaymakers and ardent skiers alike, providing the perfect location to celebrate Christmas and welcoming the New Year in style. These events might be over, but there is still huge opportunity to hit the slopes and take advantage of the fresh snow. What’s more, there is no need to worry about booking your ski trip in advance, as there is still an impressive range of last minute ski holidays available from sites such as Teletext Holidays — just waiting to be explored.

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London is the capital of many things: England, the United Kingdom and British fashion. It is also home to a number of exciting and historical events and activities. London recently saw the royal wedding and London will soon be home to the 2012 Olympics, which will transform the already bustling city into a hive of sporting activity. Even without these massive global events London is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world for good reasons. Here are a few things to see and do in this exhilarating city.

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Rufus Elliott explores a slice of Jurrasic Park in the South East of Indonesia.

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Written by Rufus Elliott

Last summer I decided to fulfill a dream of travelling to Indonesia. The motivation was simple; Komodo Dragons. At one of the far reaches of the earth sits the islands of Komodo and Rinca, the two last places on earth that these prehistoric creatures can be found in the wild. The islands are sandwiched between Flores and Sumbawa in the South East of Indonesia.

After days of travel we arrived at the island of Flores, the launch pad for everything in Komodo National Park. We rented a room and hired a boat for the following day. Our destination; Rinca!

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Kimberly Juchnowski recommends four alternatives to water that will beat the heat and leave you thirsty for more. For your visit in Thailand, consider Phuket holiday deals.

Written by Kimberly Juchnowski

One of my favorite things about living in Thailand is (you guessed it) Thai food. Known as one of the most distinct, delicious foods in the world, every single meal in Thailand is a culinary delight. I’ve written before about some of the more bizarre dishes I’ve tried out here, and they were strange plates indeed, but what really comes in handy in this climate is something cool and refreshing to drink.

When you come here, you’ll no doubt suck water down like it’s going out of style (as you should), and fruit shakes are every new traveler’s favorite treat — here, you can buy a fruit shake made from just about anything…from pineapple to mango to avocado.

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