Special version of Volvo V90 Cross Country

Volvo Cars has revealed a special version of its V90 Cross Country all-road estate to celebrate the start of the 2017/2018 Volvo Ocean Race, writes Trish Whelan.

Buyers of the car will also contribute directly to helping understand the health of our oceans. To support the Volvo Ocean Race’s Science Programme around ocean plastics, the company will donate €100 for each of the first 3,000 V90 Cross Country Volvo Ocean Race cars it plans to build. The total donation of €300,000 underlines the brand’s long-standing commitment to environmental care.

The Volvo Ocean Race Science Programme equips boats in this year’s race with a variety of sensors that will capture data from some of the remotest parts of the world’s oceans including temperatures, barometric pressure, currents and wind speed, which will help contribute to more accurate weather forecasts and climate models used by scientists globally. The boats will also measure levels of salinity, dissolved C02 and algae in the sea water around them. These will help create a more complete picture of the scale of plastic pollution and its impact on ocean life. The Programme’s science partners include the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). 

The car will also help tackle marine pollution as the carpet inlays are made from Econyl, a fabric made from 100 per cent recycled nylon including abandoned fishing nets reclaimed from the seabed.

The new car comes with all the standard features customers expect from a Cross Country model like all-wheel-drive, increased ride height and a chassis optimised for comfort and control in all weather and road conditions.

The initial production volume of 3,000 cars will be sold in 30 markets around the globe.

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Renault Zoe for Madrid car-sharing scheme

A fleet of 500 Renault Zoe electric cars will be on offer in a car-sharing initiative in Madrid in Spain next month, writes Brian Byrne.

Under a scheme called Zity, the carmaker has joined with urban transport services operator Ferrovial to provide the cars across the country's capital, accessible to customers via a smartphone app.

Madrid already restricts the use of cars with traditional internal combustion engines during times of intense air pollution, and plans to permanently ban ICE engines from its centre in the middle of next year.

Parking is free for electric vehicles in the city.

With a driving range of up to 285m in real world conditions, the supermini Zoe is Europe's best selling electric car.

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Teaser event shows next Sprinter dashboards

These are three levels of dashboard that will be available in the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, which will launch in Ireland towards the middle of next year, writes Brian Byrne.

They were shown at an event in Stuttgart on Monday which discussed the future of delivery systems against a background of an expected continuation of the boom in parcels deliveries that have resulted from online sales platforms like Amazon.

The new Sprinter, the third generation, has been designed as the central component of a so-called 'holistic delivery solution' vision of an integrated transport system to be offered by Mercedes-Benz to its customers.

The head of Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles, Volker Morninweg, said the Sprinter will have the ability to be 'a completely connected van as part of the Internet of Things'.

Some 3.3m units of the Sprinter have been sold since it was first launched in 1995, and it sells in 130 countries.

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[Hotel Review] Tokyo: A night at the upscale Centurion Classic Akasaka - Premier Family Suite

More and more of the hotels opening up in the Japanese capital Tokyo are catering towards foreign guests. With an increasing number of visitors preferring apartment-style accommodation that can accommodate larger family groups as well there are also hotels that try to adapt to this trend by offering wider rooms and the sort of equipment you'd regularly find in an apartment. This is also the case for The Centurion Classic Akasaka, a newly opened hotel situated in Akasaka, an upscale area north of Roppongi popular among wealthy foreigners.

 Check the room availability for The Centurion Classic Akasaka

Above: Hotel art (from hotel's page)

The Centurion Classic Akasaka is a designer hotel where all of the rooms feature unique design. The goal of the hotel is to ensure that guests can enjoy the time spent in their hotel room, making sure the stay in itself can become a memorable part of the time spent in Tokyo. 

Above: [Left] The hallway decorated with paintings [Right] We had room number 408

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The Guest Room

We spent a night at their Premier Family Suite with Tatami Area, which as you might have guessed was a Japanese style suite room. This 60 sq.m. room comes with 2 King Beds and 4 bunk beds and sleeps up to 8 people. The quality of your sleep is also taken into consideration, with mattresses from the popular brand Slumberland.

The 4 single beds in bunk bed style are hidden behind stylish Japanese shōji (障子) walls that can be partly opened and closed depending on your preferences. This ensures that a group of friends or a family can use the room and still have some private space.

Above: The room is even equipped with a Go board for those who like to play

The room also comes equipped with various amenities to help create the perfect stay. Here's the list of room amenities:

Bathroom and toiletries

・Hair dryer　・Towels

Entertainment

・DVD/CD player　・Free Wi-Fi in all rooms　・Telephone　・TV [flat screen]

Comforts

・Air conditioning　・Heating　・Humidifier　・Slippers　・Umbrella　・Wake-up service

Food and drinks

・Microwave　・Refrigerator

Clothing and laundry

・Closet　・Ironing facilities　・Trouser press　・Washing machine

Safety and security features

・In-room safe box

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The Bathroom

The bathroom came with a separate room for the toilet and the shower, and the bathroom was also equipped with a washing machine making the stay more convenient for long-staying guests

Above: Washing machine available making it extra convenient for long-staying guests.

Above: The hotel has its own organic amenity brand, and as the first in Japan this brand has been certified by the organic certification organization Ecocert

Above: Various amenities including complementary face masks to the left. Hair dryer and iron to the right

We spent a comfortable night at the hotel, and woke up completely refreshed the next morning. The hotel room was more than we could ask for as a couple. For families with kids, children under 5 can stay for free on existing bedding, and with the wide space and many beds I'm sure it would be a good fit for families looking for a comfortable place to stay too.

What do you think of this hotel? Please let me know in the comment session below.

 ◆Basic Info◆

• Hotel Name: The Centurion Classic Akasaka
• Star Rating: 3.5 ★★★
• Check in: 14:00 / Check out: 11:00

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This page contains affiliate links, and if you follow a link and make a hotel reservation through these links you help support this blog without any additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your kind support!

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Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
- Anette

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Travel Around The World At Gulliver's Gate - A Must-See Attraction In Time Square

Visiting New York or live there? Gulliver's Gate is a must-see attraction in Times Square to mark on your schedule because you'll discover the Empire State Building, Central Park, along with the Staten Island Ferry Building included in this amazing exhibit.

If you're a model train lover, you'll adore the version of Grand Central Station — it is sliced open to allow you to see three levels of transit at the same time – cars, commuter trains, and the subway system, as well as the main concourse.

There are so many wonderful details to see within Gulliver's Gate like the tightrope walker between the chandeliers, a grafitti artist tagging a wall, plus firefighters high-fiving each other as they rescue a cat from a tree.

Yes, you'll find the tiny details hidden throughout the exhibit that travels the world - yes, it's a global experience you, you're family and friends will not soon forget. Imagine, there are over 1,000 miniature trains, 12,000 wagons, 10,000 cars and trucks, and over 100,000 people – all in miniature form, with regions including New York, the Middle East, Europe, Britain, Niagara, Russia, South America and Asia.

Plan Your Visit To Gulliver's Gate

To explore more on this amazing Time Square attraction, and plan your trip to visit Gulliver's Gate go to https://gulliversgate.com/.

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Five Panama City Beach Events To Join In The New Year

Panama City Beach offers real fun and beautiful beaches, and they have plenty of exciting events to add even more fun to your trip. There are over 27 miles of award-winning beaches to enjoy, along with water sports and recreation, plus there's all the delcious menu options available at local restaurants. And, to help you plan ahead, here are some upcoming events to enjoy on your trip.

Get ready to celebrate in Panama City Beach at the New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop, which features a countdown, fireworks, and 10,000 inflatable beach balls being released from nets stretched over the streets of Pier Park. Use this link to read more on these events in Panama City Beach.

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Celebrate The National Christmas Tree Lighting At The White House

Tune in to Hallmark Channel on December 4 at 7/6c to celebrate the National Christmas Tree Lighting at the White House. Expect to see fantastic holiday musical performances and exciting special guests as we light our way into the holidays. For more updates, follow @TheNationalTree on Twitter and visit www.thenationaltree.org.

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New Year's Celebrations: Hanshan Temple Bell Ringing Festival

The celebration of New Year’s is filled with traditions, and we're sharing some of our favorite events from around the globe. So, as the clock starts to chime grab your broom and sweep away all the troubles of the past year, and welcome in the New Year with a fresh, clean start. 

In Suzhou, China you can literally ring in the New Year at the Hanshan Temple Bell Ringing Festival. The Hanshan Temple is among the most famous temples in China. In ancient times the monks at the 1400-year-old temple struck the bell at midnight to remind people a new day was dawning. 

According to local legend it is said that each layman has 108 kinds of annoyances per year. Of course, who has really stopped to count them all, but 108 sounds about right. To hear the bell toll is said to dispel one kind of annoyance. So, when you listen to all 108 bell tolls on New Year Eve you will have good luck and happiness in the coming year.

Join the New Year’s Eve feast before the bell ringing that includes performances of traditional music and dance. Within the ancient halls of the temple you’ll find colorful dragon lanterns and decorations evoking wishes for an auspicious New Year. As the evening progresses you’ll hear the monks chanting Buddhist sutras, and then silence as all who have gathered listens respectfully as the bell is rung 108 times. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the last echoes of the bell before the explosion of countless firecrackers celebrate the welcoming of the New Year.

Check back for more New Year's Traditions throughout the month!

Plan your Trip To The Hanshan Temple Bell Ringing Festival

To learn more about the Hanshan Temple Bell Ringing Festival and plan your visit go to their website.

What is your favorite way to ring in the New Year?

Photo Credits: China Daily, Official Travel and Tourism Website for Suzhou

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Take A 360 Degree Tour Of South Africa

For the first time you can take a 360 degree tour of South Africa thanks to rangers, nature enthusiasts, guides and tech fans. These volunteers trekked for 12 months, and covered more than 900km on foot with a Google Street View camera, to map out 232 points of interest across all nine provinces in the country, including 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Coordinated by loan program partner Drive South Africa, we can now see prominent tourist attractions including Kruger National Park, Table Mountain and Cape Point – as well as 17 previously un-trekked nature reserves – via Google Street View. What's amazing are the experiences these volunteers had while mapping the locations. On their journeys, the volunteers stumbled across some of the country’s most famous wildlife, including cheetah and elephant. To see them there - in the wild as nature intended instead of a zoo must have been stunning, and now we can zoom in to experience these beautiful landscapes ourselves.

Andre Van Kets, outdoor enthusiast and founder of the Cape Town-based travel company, approached Google about loaning the Street View Camera in order to, showcase South Africa to travellers around the globe.

Van Kets comments: “We’re delighted to be able to showcase some of South Africa’s best sites to people all over the world, including incredible untrekked nature reserves. Travellers and nature enthusiasts can explore some of the most beautiful areas in South Africa as though they are there themselves, all from the comfort of their armchair.

“The Trekker camera is a 22kg custom-made backpack fitted with 15 cameras pointing in all directions. The on-board technology plots the camera’s exact location on the trail. While recording, the camera takes a 360-degree photo every two-seconds. It’s basically the off-road equivalent of Google’s Street View cars.

Street View users can now walk in the footsteps of struggle icon Nelson Mandela, climb seven new trails to the top of Table Mountain, hike the famous five-day Otter Trail, track cheetah on foot and walk with elephant and other incredible wildlife.

Six of South Africa’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites are now waiting to be experienced. Users can see Mapungubwe Hill, home to an ancient African civilisation, the Richtersveld with its arid moonscapes, the towering Drakensberg Mountains, and iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa’s oldest UNESCO site and a critical habitat for a range of species.

The new trails extend the existing Street View imagery of South Africa’s wilderness areas to include all 19 national parks, 17 previously ‘un-trekked’ nature reserves and many sites of natural, cultural and historical significance in all nine provinces of South Africa. 

Take A 360 Degree Tour Of South Africa

To showcase the launch of South Africa’s new Street View imagery, Drive South Africa has launched a microsite that gives would-be travellers a virtual experience of South Africa, South Africa 360.

The microsite South Africa in 360 - inspired by a similar project showcasing the US National Parks - is an immersive VR-adventure through South Africa’s four top tourist destinations and a collection of its lesser-known gems.  The site is a culmination of Street View imagery with video, photos and stories from the trail, offering viewers unique perspectives.

More than 200 South African volunteers from across the country were involved in the 12-month project, mapping out the parts of South Africa that they call home. Many were SANParks, CapeNature and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife rangers and guides. Others were avid hikers, nature-lovers and tech enthusiasts.

We thank them all for bringing these natural treasures to the world!

Follow this link to take the 360 tour of South Africa.

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Indianapolis Symphonic Choir Presents A Festival of Carols

The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir are preparing for the annual tradition presentation of a Festival of Carols. Tickets for the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir’s annual holiday performances are on sale now, with performances beginning this weekend.

The upcoming performances of Festival of Carols feature the 200-voice Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, which is among the largest and oldest choruses in the nation, and will be joined by the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. This year, Festival of Carols also features two Spotlight Choirs: Center Grove High School, performing at the Schrott Center, and Avon High School performing at the Palladium. The Spotlight Choir series works to benefit high school choral music programs and achieve a balanced, complete education for young people.

Although the Symphonic Choir is best known for performing classical music, Festival of Carols features a selection of fan-favorite and traditional holiday music performed by chorus and orchestra. Tony Award-winner Alice Ripley will join the 2017 lineup at all five performances as a special guest soloist. Ripley is no stranger to Indiana; she attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., and performed professionally for the first time at the Red Barn Summer Theatre in Frankfort, Ind. 

“Words barely capture the excitement I have with a star-studded cast like this for our 2017 Festival of Carols performances,” shares Artistic Director Eric Stark. “With a Tony Award-winning singer like Alice, combined plus full chorus and orchestra, the magic of the holiday season leaps off of the stage and into our audience’s hearts and memories.”

“The Symphonic Choir’s Christmas concerts have grown significantly, especially in the past 5 years,” states Executive Director Michael Pettry. “Part of the concert series’ growth stems from our strategy of using radio and television broadcasts, CDs, iTunes and other media to expand our audience reach. At the same time, it really comes down to the beauty and joy of holiday music that draws audiences to the performance. There’s nothing else like it!”

Order your Tickets To The Festival of Carols

The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir is honored to be one of the nation’s established and dynamic musical institutions. The Choir reaches in excess of 25,000 people each season with more than 25 performances and a comprehensive educational outreach program. For news about the Symphonic Choir and to order your tickets for upcoming performances visit the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir website.

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Soneva Kiri Invites You To Discover Koh Kood In Thailand

When looking for a unique experience for your next trip consider Soneva Kiri in Thailand. Those who book a stay in March of next year will receive complimentary experiences to discover the hidden secrets of the Thai island, Koh Kood.

While Koh Kood is Thailand's fourth largest, it is the least populated island, and home to the all-villa resort Soneva Kiri. With the new Secrets of Koh Kood offer, you'll receive complimentary experiences to explore as you immerse yourself in the culture of the island, which is home to more biodiversity than the entire island of Great Britain.

Soneva Kiri offers an unrivalled combination of luxury, an integral environmental approach, authentic Thai experiences and mouth-watering organic food. Soneva Kiri Resort comprises 36 vast pool villas on beach level, hillsides or cliff tops, all overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. Available to rent or purchase, all have impossibly chic furnishings, personal electric buggies and impeccable service courtesy of Mr./Ms. Friday private butlers. Highlights include the open-air Cinema Paradiso, a home-made chocolate and ice cream parlour, a high-tech Observatory, a manta ray shaped children's Den and the spectacular Treetop Dining Pod.

Complimentary Experiences Include:

• Koh Kood Discovery Tour to see the highlights of the island
• A visit to Koh Rang National Marine Park including snorkeling and lunch
• Koh Kood Butterfly Quest with a local guide
• A Thai cooking class and market tour with Soneva Kiri's celebrated Chef Benz
• Stargazing with the resort's resident astronomer at the on-site state-of-the-art observatory

Plan Your Trip To Soneva Kiri 

To explore this and other experiences offer and book your trip with Soneva visit their website.

The Secrets of Koh Kood offer is only applicable for new bookings and is valid for stays at Soneva Kiri from March 1-31 in any villa category. All five experiences are available for guests during their stay and subject to availability, however only one experience can be arranged per day. The offer is applicable for individual bookings only and can be combined with other applicable promotions from Soneva.

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Get Ready For Disney's Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire

As fans of Star Wars we're excited to see the next chapter in the Skywalker saga in theaters. We are also looking forward to the thrilling immersive experience Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire that is coming to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando in Mid December. Plus, it will also premiere at Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim in January.

“We are so excited about this magical collaboration between three boundary-pushing companies in the burgeoning out-of-home VR entertainment sector,” says Curtis Hickman, co-founder and chief creative officer at The VOID. “We can’t wait to share the experience of hyper-reality with everyone.”

These new additions to Disney offer a total immersion in the Star Wars universe. It's going to be amazing for us to be able to walk freely and untethered throughout the multi-sensory experience with friends and family. The Star Wars  experience takes on a adventure in groups of four, with teams going undercover as Stormtroopers to capture Imperial intelligence vital to the budding rebellion’s survival.

“People have longed for a chance to step into the Star Wars universe and this incredible new hyper-reality experience will allow them to do just that in a totally unique way,” notes Vicki Dobbs Beck, executive in charge, ILMxLAB. “It’s a group experience that evokes the senses in bold new ways.

Discover More About Disney's Star Wars  Experience

The VOID combines physical sets with real-time interactive effects to let you step beyond reality, engaging all senses in new and unimaginable hyper-realistic worlds. You can learn more about the new hyper-reality experience, and get your tickets for Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire now at www.thevoid.com.

Over at ILMxLAB, a Lucasfilm’s Immersive Entertainment division, they combine compelling storytelling, technological innovation and world-class production to create truly impactful, immersive entertainment experiences. And, they develop experiences for virtual reality, augmented/mixed reality, real-time cinema, theme park entertainment and narrative-based experiences for future platforms. For more information follow @ILMxLAB on Twitter.


Photo Credits: Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Company

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