Monday, March 31, 2014

Steve Areen Builds His Magical Dream Dome Home In Remote Northeastern Thailand...

When Steve Areen, inspired as he had been for years by his friend Hajjar Gibran, decided he'd like to build his dream dome home in the same remote area of northeast Thailand on Hajjar's mango farm, he wasn't expecting it to be finished in only six weeks a a relatively modest cost of nine thousand dollars.
But he was more than pleasantly surprised.
You might be too.
Steve tells his story here...

















Sunday, March 30, 2014

Men Of North Korea, Says Kim Jong-Un. I Order You To Have The Unkindest Cut Of All...

It seems that all men in North Korea have been ordered to have the State Approved haircut which is the same as their beloved and revered leader, Kim Jong-Un.
State Approved haircuts, eighteen different styles for women and ten for men have been the thing in that part of the freedom loving world for some time but now the Kim Jong-Uncut is being described as the unkindest cut of all...

Saturday, March 29, 2014

This Crazy Swing At La Casa del Arbol In Ecuador Is For Adrenaline Junkies Only...

To get to the Crazy Swing at this tiny tree house called La Casa del Arbol, you'll first need to get to Bellavista from Banos de Agua Santa in Ecuador. But that's easy.
When you get there, not only will you find this little tree house is also a seismic monitoring station but you'll probably find yourself in the good company of other adrenaline junkies.
You might notice as you swing 8,550 feet above terra firma some stunning views of the Tungurahau Volcano. Then again you mightn't.
You may very well have your heart in your mouth and your eyes very firmly shut.
This trip on your common old playground swing hanging from the branch of a tree has no safety features whatsoever.
But if it did, it wouldn't be fun... 












Friday, March 28, 2014

A Tibetan Mastiff Puppy Sells In China For Two Million Dollars...

The puppy on the left, a one year old golden haired Tibetan Mastiff puppy was bought recently for twelve million yuan or nearly two million dollars at a 'luxury pet fair' in China's Eastern Province of Zhejiang.
By a Chinese property developer.
The puppy on the right, I'm sure you've noticed, is a much inferior puppy and sold for only
six million yuan.
The dog's breeder, Zang Gengyum explains these dogs are very rare, just like China's nationally treasured Pandas, which makes
the prices so high.
And that the mastiffs have become prized status symbols among China's wealthy for their lion-esque looks and enormous bodies. Descendants of dogs used for hunting by nomadic tribes in central Asia and Tibet the breed are fiercely loyal and protective.
I must remember to get one when I'm next
near a pet shop.
How much is that puppy in the window...


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The Flying Tortoise Freedom Camping At Tolaga Bay...

My lifestyle of choice would have been to be married, living in a mortgage free home in a retirement village, having drinkies with others at five a clock every day prior to eating some unidentifiable greens, mashed potatoes and some four day old fresh fish.
Then ice cream and and jelly prior to falling to sleep in front of the soaps.
But no that sort of idyllic lifestyle wasn't the hand that the cards dealt to me.
Oh no, I got none of a kind in my hand.
My losing hand has me going around in a little house on wheels ridiculously called The Flying Whatever and visiting dreadfully horrible places like Tolaga Bay on New Zealand's East Cape.
I do what they call 'freedom camp' which means
I don't go to those nice motor camps.
Well I would, but they prefer white tupperware containers on wheels to my funny old Bedford and when I light the fire, well, the looks on their faces! And they get their inhalers out and shake them at me.
So here I am cast out of society, just like a gypsy, an itinerant with no fixed abode, catching fish, enduring boring beaches and occasionally meeting a like minded soul.
As you can imagine, hating every moment of it.
But that's the way the ball bounces, the cards shuffle, the fish flops, the sun sets...









Tuesday, March 25, 2014

It's Decribed As Neo-Primitive, Small, Simple, Funky And Attention Seeking...

This structure, call it what you will is described as neo-primitive, small, simple, funky and unashamedly attention seeking.
It's also called The Mobiation Project and since August 2012, the world's first Mobiators, yes the world's first Mobiators, Geert, a carpenter, welder, designer and tattoo artist and his vegan cooking, artist, writer and eco-architect collaborator Calanne Moroney been living and playing in the Mobi 01.
It's a mobile, off-grid open home experimental space that's been moving around Amsterdam playing a social role and providing an alternative place where new ideas on living are constantly being discussed and challenged.
Mobi 01 folds somehow to become a twenty foot container and hey presto or something similar, it's in transport mode.
There's more about this fun and funky project here and here.
Urban nomads spreading the word...