Who says you can’t have fun in Dull, Scotland?CNN
The week's strange travel news.
The magic of monotony
In Canada, Aug. 9 is best-known as the date Edmonton traded Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles. But in Oregon, legislators want to enshrine it as "Boring and Dull Day." The state House of Representatives voted for this initiative to highlight the partnership forged on that date last year between Boring, Ore., and Dull, Scotland, to promote tourism in the two communities. Boring's claim to fame is America's oldest guide dog training program, while Dull has a small parish church. Book your flights now.
Don't photograph your seat
Travel blogger Matthew Klint didn't get much love on Valentine's Day. The "Live and Let's Fly" writer was kicked off a United Airlines plane preparing to leave Newark for Istanbul. A flight attendant saw Klint photographing his business-class seat and informed him this violated United's policy against recording visuals or audio on board. The 26-year-old said: "I hope you didn't think I was a terrorist." Shortly afterward, Klint was told he'd made the pilot "uncomfortable," and had to disembark. The blogger pointed out later: "I have a picture of every airline meal I've been served for the last nine years." A less experienced blogger might vow never to leave his mom's basement again.
Shake, rattle and roll
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a wild dance video created on a Frontier Airlines flight in February raised eyebrows. Travelling to San Diego, members of Colorado College's ultimate Frisbee team, plus other passengers, did the Harlem Shake. This is a recent Internet craze where one person – here, a hockey-helmeted student in neon-green shorts – starts dancing and then is joined by a large group. The video appears to show the Airbus A320 cabin shaking. The students say they got the crew's permission, and the airline says it adhered to safety guidelines. Serious questions, however, remain unanswered, such as, "Isn't Frisbee something you play in the backyard?"
Sources: Time, NBC News, Oregon Live, NPR.