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	<title>Spot Cool Stuff: Travel</title>
	
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	<description>Reviews of cool destinations, hotels, restaurants, museums and travel gear with a WOW factor!</description>
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		<title>Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/QWj3DNX6F_0/</link>
		<comments>http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/hotels/unusual-hotels/free-spirit-spheres/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:31:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Camping & Glamping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cheap Hotels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eco-resort]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Treehouse Hotels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unusual Hotels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vancouver]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cocoon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eco-Resort]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hotel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lodging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[odd]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pod]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unusual Hotel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vancouver]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weird]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/?p=342</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Spherical treehouse accommodations on Vancouver Island]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/watch/swiss"><i>The Swiss Family Robinson</i></a> meets <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/watch/cocoon"><i>Cocoon</i></a> on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. </p>
<p>There, on the island&#8217;s western coast, is a a gem of an eco-resort where guests sleep in round pods suspended by ropes in the trees: the <a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Free Spirit Spheres</strong></a>.</p>
<p><span id="more-342"></span><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/gallery_eryn.htm" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/free-spirit-sphere-eryn-2.jpg" alt="Eryn Pod - Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" title="Eryn Pod - Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" width="575" height="304" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7662" /></a></p>
<p>The &#8220;Spherical Tree House&#8221; accommodations of Free Spirit Spheres are not exactly spacious. But they do make efficient use of the room that&#8217;s available, much like the sail boats that inspired their design. In fact, when a wind blows the pods sway much like a boat does. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/free-spirit-sphere-s.jpg" alt="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" title="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" width="310" height="449" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7663" /></a>There are three sphere-pods to choose from. <a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/gallery_melody.htm" target="_blank">All About Melody</a> is the newest; it is the most secluded and the most accessible, reachable by a flat and (mostly) steady foot bridge. The <a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/gallery_eve.htm" target="_blank">Eve sphere</a> is the coziest (by which we mean smallest); it only has room for one average sized adult or two small ones. Our favorite sphere is the <a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/gallery_eryn.htm" target="_blank">Eryn</a> (photo to the right) largely because it hangs highest above the ground (4.5 meters / 15 feet) and has a huge round window next to the bed.</p>
<p>The Free Spirit Spheres might be the world&#8217;s only resort that has a sauna and has its accommodations wired with a high tech stereo but doesn&#8217;t offer a bathroom with plumbing. Guests use an outhouse for their facilities, so bring a flashlight. And bring your <a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/buy/ipod" rel="nofollow">iPod</a>, hook it up to your sphere&#8217;s speaker system, and experience a whole new type of surround sound.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BOOK</strong></a> | <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="11" align="none" title="Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres" alt="Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres" /></div>
<p><strong>Related posts &#038; pages:</strong><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/canada/vancouver/cheap-cool-hotel-reviews">3 Cool &#038; Affordable Accommodations In Vancouver</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/canada/osoyoos-bc/spotted-lake-klikuk">British Columbia&#8217;s Weird Spotted Lake</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/thailand/soneva-kiri-beach-resort/tree-pod-dinning">Thailand Pod Dinning at the Soneva Kiri Beach Resort</a> &#8596; very cool<br />
<a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/travel/network-of-beds/somnus-neu">Smart, Interactive Pod Beds</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/amazing-sites/dr-seuss">Real Places That Look Like a Scene From a Dr. Seuss Book</a></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/spherem.png" alt="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" title="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" width="575" height="385" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-344" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-345" title="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sphere1-575x369.png" alt="Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres" width="575" height="369" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/free-spirit-treehouse-hotel.jpg" alt="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" title="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" width="575" height="431" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7665" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-349" title="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sphere5-575x381.png" alt="Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres" width="575" height="381" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-343" title="Unusual Treehouse Hotel: Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver" src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sphere6-575x381.png" alt="Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres" width="575" height="381" /></a></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.freespiritspheres.com/"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BOOK</strong></a> | <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/read/bcguides"><strong>READ</strong></a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a></p>
<p>Read more <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/unusual-hotels">unusual hotel reviews</a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/white.jpg" width="620" height="1" align="none" title="Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres" alt="Sleep Around in Free Spirit Spheres" /></div>

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		<title>The World’s Largest Car Dealership</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/7YfKcA7AFW4/worlds-largest-car-dealership</link>
		<comments>http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/autopia-europia/istanbul/worlds-largest-car-dealership#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:24:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Architecture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Turkey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World Record]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/?p=7667</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Istanbul's Autopia Europia features a rooftop racetrack!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Chances are that you have never visited an auto dealership purely for an afternoon of fun. That may change once construction is complete on a new car showroom megaplex. </p>
<p>Said new car showroom megaplex is not located in the United States, China or Germany, as you might expect. Instead, the Autopia Europia is being built in a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey. The massive building will be the world&#8217;s largest car dealership. Though we&#8217;d argue it will be much more than that.</p>
<p><span id="more-7667"></span></p>
<p>Read the rest of <a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/autopia-europia/istanbul/worlds-largest-car-dealership">this review on our design blog</a></p>

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		<item>
		<title>One Price For All You Can Jet in September</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/6ffbTscp5nk/all-you-can-jet-aycj</link>
		<comments>http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/airfare-deal/jetblue/all-you-can-jet-aycj#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:37:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airfare Sales & Discounts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Airlines & Air Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel Deals & Discounts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[air pass]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aycj]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bargain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jetblue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/?p=7636</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Unlimited JetBlue flights for a single rate, Sept 7th to October 6th 2010]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Spot Cool Stuff is about things that make you go WOW! The thing could be a product, a place, a <a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/">design</a>, a <a href="http://web.spotcoolstuff.com/">website</a>, a <a href="http://media.spotcoolstuff.com/music-songs-tunes">song</a>—or a sale. And the latest sale from cool low cost carrier <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/jetblue/vacation" rel="nofollow"><strong>JetBlue</strong></a> made us go WOW!</p>
<p>The sale is dubbed AYCJ. That&#8217;s All You Can Jet. And it allows passengers to do exactly that: To travel where ever they like on the JetBlue network, practically as much as they like between Sept 7th 2010 and October 6th, for a single fixed rate.</p>
<p><span id="more-7636"></span><a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-2966106-10661254" target="_top" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.travelocity.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img src="http://www.tqlkg.com/image-2966106-10661254" width="575" height="71" alt="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" border="0" title="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="16" align="none" title="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" alt="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" /></div>
<p>There are two AYCJ passes to choose from: The AYCJ-7 pass, valid seven days a week, costs $699; the AYCJ-5 pass, which does not cover air travel on Fridays or Sundays, runs $499. And, yes, those prices include tax.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s say you want to travel from Boston to San Francisco, departing September 14th (a Tuesday) and returning the 23rd (a Thursday). Booking a normal JetBlue ticket would cost $459. That&#8217;s how good a sale the AYCJ is—for an extra $40 you can not only take the aforementioned trip but any others you wanted as well.</p>
<p>The All You Can Jet pass is an especially marvelous deal considering that JetBlue doesn&#8217;t charge for the first checked bag and that the airline has a good route network around North America. JetBlue does not serve Canada (sadly) but does fly to most major travel cities in the United States (eg. NYC, Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas) as well as some small destinations you might not expect (eg. Martha&#8217;s Vineyard, Rutland, Vermont). The AYCJ pass is also valid for international flights including a large array of Caribbean destinations (eg. Puerto Rico, Aruba, Cancun). </p>
<p>So what&#8217;s the catch? There are surprisingly few. Among them:</p>
<ul>
• You have to book your AYCJ flights at least three days prior to departure.<br />
• While domestic taxes and fees are included in the flight pass cost international ones are not.<br />
• You don&#8217;t earn miles on individual flights, though you do receive a set amount when you purchase a AYCJ pass.<br />
• As ever, passes are only available for sale while supplies last.
</ul>
<p>See the <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/jetblue/aycj" rel="nofollow">JetBlue website</a> for the rest of the fine print.</p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/jetblue/aycj" rel="nofollow"><strong>LEARN MORE</strong></a> | <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/jetblue/vacation" rel="nofollow"><strong>JetBlue VACATIONS</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> | <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
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<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="16" align="none" title="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" alt="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" /></div>
<h2>Where To Jet To?</h2>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/jetblue/vacation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/vermont-fall-s.jpg" alt="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" title="vermont-fall-s" width="308" height="399" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-7642" /></a>So let&#8217;s say you get a AYCJ pass. Where should go jet with it? Spot Cool Stuff throws out these suggestions to consider:</p>
<p><strong>Burlington, Vermont</strong> &#8211; While it is low season in JetBlue&#8217;s many Caribbean destinations, September is high season for travel around New England. The leaves will be turning. The weather will be ever changing but will include bright, brilliant blue sunny days for hiking, camping . . . and syrup tasting. </p>
<p><strong>Nantucket, Mass</strong> &#8211; In August the tourist population of this Atlantic island swells, along with its prices and inn occupancy rate. In September the island returns to its idyllic state.</p>
<p><strong>Las Vegas</strong> &#8211; There&#8217;s never a bad time to visit Sin City. The <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/las-vegas/best-swimming-pools">superlative Vegas swimming pools</a> will all still be open as will, as always, the craps tables. </p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="1" align="none" title="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" alt="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" /></div>
<p>
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/jetblue/vacation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/costa-rica-s.jpg" alt="Airfare sale to Costa Rica" title="Airfare sale to Costa Rica" width="308" height="399" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7644" /></a><strong>Costa Rica</strong> &#8211; Yeah, it is the rainy reason in this eco-rich Central American nation. But it isn&#8217;t a total-all-day-downpour sort of rain. It&#8217;s sunny days and dark clouds on the horizon in the afternoon that might or might not turn into a thunderstorm. Spot Cool Stuff will be traveling in Costa Rica ourselves during this time. The AYCJ sale is a great chance for you to also; JetBlue flies into the Costa Rican capital, San Jose.</p>
<p><strong>Bogata, Columbia</strong> &#8211; A friend of this website, a man who has traveled non-stop for the last 21 (!) years, claims that Columbia is one of the two most beautiful countries in the world. (Turkey is his other choice.) Spot Cool Stuff is not sure we agree, but the AYCJ sale is an amazing chance for you to decide for yourself. Especially since JetBlue&#8217;s September Bogata fares can be <i>more</i> than an All You Can Jet pass.</p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="1" align="none" title="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" alt="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" /></div>
<p>Of course, there&#8217;s no reason you have to choose. With the JetBlue All You Can Jet pass you can visit all of them.</p>
<div style="text-align:right; font-size: 0.8em; color: #BBBBBB">published: 17 Aug 2010</div>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="14" align="none" title="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" alt="One Price For All You Can Jet in September" /></div>
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<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/caribbean/affordable-cool-hotels-resorts-inexpensive">Affordable, Yet Cool, Caribbean Resorts</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/thailand-airline/thai-airways-take-out-meals">Thai Airways Airline Food Sold In Grocery Stores?!</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/review/best-travel-camera">Review of the Best Travel Cameras</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/travel-gear/reduce-air-travel-frustration">7 Items for Reducing Air Travel Frustration</a></p>
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		<title>Cool Outdoor Gear You’ll See In Stores Soon</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/E5kMl8LdeGw/outdoor-retailer-show</link>
		<comments>http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/best-new-travel-gear-gadgets/outdoor-retailer-show#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:27:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Best of Spot Cool Stuff]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[The best new 2010 travel gear and gadgets]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Spot Cool Stuff is freshly back from the Summer Outdoor Retailer convention in Salt Lake City where, along with approximately 20,999 others, we ooo-ed and ahhh-ed over the latest tents, backpacks, kayaks, shoes, bicycles, roof-top carriers, portable disposable toilets (yes, really), sunglasses, jackets, pocket knives, hammocks, energy bars, hiking GPS units and an assorted sundry of outdoor gear and gadgets. </p>
<p>Many products at the OR Show were newly released and several will not be available to the general public for several months. What were the coolest new items we discovered? Here&#8217;s a roundup of our 12 favorites—and a sneak peak at some products we&#8217;ll be reviewing more fully in the future:</p>
<p><span id="more-7503"></span><a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2966106-10571273" target="_top" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.altrec.com/cj/';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/image-2966106-10571273" width="575" height="71" alt="Gear for your Adventure - Shop Marmot at Altrec Ou" border="0" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="18" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
<h2>Terra Nova Ultra 1 Tent</h2>
<p>It might have been the product that amazed us most at the OR Show: <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/terra-nova" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>The Terra Nova Ultra 1 Tent</strong></a>. The &#8220;1&#8243; in the name could represent the number of people the tent sleeps comfortably. Or it could represent the weight: 1 pound and 1 oz. That&#8217;s about the same weight as a medium cup of take-out coffee!<sup>&#8224;</sup> And it makes the Ultra 1 the lightest double-wall tent in the world.</p>
<p>You&#8217;d think that such a light tent would be both absurdly flimsy and miniscule. In fact, the design, which relies heavily on rope tension, feels study. The interior—7.2 feet (220cm) long by 2.4 feet (74cm) at its widest point—has enough room for two (small) people to squeeze in. We also like the overhang between the interior and exterior tent walls for storing shoes and gear.</p>
<p>Available spring 2011 . . .</p>
<p>. . . but if you can&#8217;t wait, the excellent <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/terra-nova/photon-elite" rel="nofollow">Terra Nova Laser Photon Elite Tent</a> is available now; it weighs only 9.5 ounces more than the Ultra 1 but costs considerably less.</p>
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<p><sup>&#8224;</sup> <small>Assuming your coffee is 16 ounces (roughly 470ml) and comes in a paper cup.</small></p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/terra-nova" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/terra-nova-tent.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Terra Nova 1 Pound Tent" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Terra Nova 1 Pound Tent" width="575" height="349" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7554" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="18" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
<h2>Klymit Inertia X-Frame Sleeping Pad</h2>
<p>What would make the perfect companion to the world&#8217;s lightest double-wall tent (above)? How about the world&#8217;s lightest camping pad. </p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.klymit.com/index.php"><strong>Inertia X-Frame</strong></a> sleeping pad resembles a flotation device with holes in it. Those holes, though, are strategically placed away from pressure points. When Spot Cool Stuff tried it out, what surprised us most was how comfortable we were when laying on our <i>side</i> as well as our back. Counterintuitively, the holes in the Inertia X-Frame also help provide warmth since your sleeping bag fills in those gaps and traps warm air there.</p>
<p>The large-size Inertia X-Frame weighs a scant 9.1 ounces (258g) or less than half that of the current lightweight sleeping pad market leader, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QWFD9O?ie=UTF8&#038;tag=spcs-20&#038;linkCode=as2&#038;camp=1789&#038;creative=9325&#038;creativeASIN=B001QWFD9O" rel="nofollow">Therm-a-Rest NeoAir</a>.</p>
<p>Pre-orders available now; ships October 2010.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.klymit.com/index.php"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.klymit.com/index.php" target=_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/lightweight-sleeping-pad.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Klymit Inertia X-Frame Sleeping Pad" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Klymit Inertia X-Frame Sleeping Pad" width="575" height="159" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7589" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="18" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
<h2>ExOfficio Sol Cool</h2>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/exofficio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/exofficio-sol-cool.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: ExOfficio Sol Cool Travel Shirts" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: ExOfficio Sol Cool Travel Shirts" width="320" height="417" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7591" /></a>There&#8217;s no shortage of garments that claim to be breathable, quick drying and moisture wicking. <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/exofficio" rel="nofollow"><strong>Sol Cool</strong></a>, from ExOfficio (a Spot Cool Stuff fave), is the first clothing line we know of that claims it will actively cool you. Sol Cool apparel is treated with xylitol (&#8221;zie-le-tawl&#8221;), a natural sweetener derived from birch trees. The idea being that wearing a Sol Cool shirt will keep you cooler than wearing any other shirt—or no shirt at all.</p>
<p>So, does the Sol Cool claim stand up to reality? Spot Cool Stuff tried out one of their shirts on a dry 90&#176;F (32&#176;C) Utah afternoon and was impressed enough to include it in this roundup. We&#8217;ll be conducting a field test of the Sol Cool claim in the tropical heat of Costa Rica shortly—check back on our <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/">travel blog</a> for that.</p>
<p>Available at <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/exofficio" rel="nofollow">exofficio.com</a> on January 1, 2011 (give or take a week).</p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="1" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
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<h2>nPower PEG</h2>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/npower-peg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/npower-peg-s.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: nPower PEG" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: nPower PEG" width="330" height="413" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7601" /></a>Traveling with an iPod, cell phone or hand-held GPS? With the creatively-capitalized <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/npower-peg" rel="nofollow"><strong>nPower PEG</strong></a> you may have no need for electricity, nor sun to alight solar panels, nor extra batteries. </p>
<p>The nPower PEG is the world’s first consumer kinetic energy charger for hand-held electronics. Carry this 12 oz (340g) rod-looking device with you while hiking, running or even driving on rough roads and the motion created inside the nPower PEG will charge its internal battery. The nPower PEG even &#8220;knows&#8221; what sort of activity you are engaged in and will automatically adjust the efficiency of its electricity generation. When you are ready to recharge your portable device plug it into the nPower PEG by way of a USB cord or an <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/igo-tips" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iGo adapter tip</a>. </p>
<p>The amount of electricity the nPower PEG generates varies greatly by activity. According to the manufacturer, one minute of walking with nPower PEG will produce enough juice to power an iPod Nano for one minute; it takes roughly 10 minutes of walking to power 1 minute of talking time on an iPhone 3GS.</p>
<p>Available now.</p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/npower-peg" rel="nofollow"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/npower-peg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/npower-peg.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: nPower PEG" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: nPower PEG" width="575" height="446" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7553" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="18" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
<h2>startmonkey200</h2>
<p>The <strong>startmonkey200</strong>, from the cool seller of mobile charging solutions <a href="https://powertraveller.com/">PowerTraveller</a>,  is the world&#8217;s smallest and lightest car jump start system. The device weighs a mere 1.4 lbs (660g) and is about the size of a water bottle. In that compact package there&#8217;s enough power to jump start a car eight times! </p>
<p>Three cool features we especially like about the startmonkey: First, its battery can be recharged via solar panels sold by PowerTraveller; so, theoretically at least, you can jump start a car using the sun. Second, you can use the startmonkey&#8217;s powerful 10,5000 mAH battery to charge other portable electronics including iPods, laptops and cameras. And, third, who wouldn&#8217;t like saying that they own a &#8220;start monkey?&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="https://powertraveller.com"><strong>MORE FROM POWERTRAVELLER</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://powertraveller.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/startmonkey.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: StartMonkey personal charger" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: StartMonkey personal charger" width="575" height="250" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7557" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="18" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
<h2>Goal0 Nomad 7m</h2>
<p>The abundance and quality of portable solar chargers was a pleasant surprise at the Outdoor Retailer show. One of the companies that stood out was Goal0. (That&#8217;s &#8220;Goal Zero&#8221;, not &#8220;Goal-Oh&#8221;). Their excellent <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/goal0/sherpa-50-kit">Sherpa 50 Adventure Kit</a> includes a powerful battery wrapped in a set of durable, waterproof solar panels. In full sunlight, the battery can charge in about 8 hours and stores enough juice to run an iPod for nearly a week of nonstop play! And the whole system weighs only 4.2 lbs (1.9kg). </p>
<p>So, what if you want a solar charger that&#8217;s even smaller and lighter? Enter the <strong>Nomad 7m</strong>. It weighs a scant 13 ounces (368g) though, unlike Goal0&#8217;s Sherpa chargers, the Nomad doesn&#8217;t include a battery. Instead you charge directly from the sun. Place the Nomad solar panels out on the ground, or hang it from the back of your pack, place your electronic device in the Nomad&#8217;s pocket and <i>voila</i>. According to Goal0, the Nomad 7m can charge a typical cell phone in 1 hour, an iPod in 2 hours and a <a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/buy/gopro" rel="nofollow">GoPro HD camcorder</a> in 4 hours. </p>
<p>Available in August/September of 2010.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.goal0.com/"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.goal0.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/goal0-solar-travel-charger.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Goal0 Solar Travel Charger" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Goal0 Solar Travel Charger" width="575" height="296" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7610" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="18" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
<h2>Liberty Water Bottles</h2>
<p>Water, water everywhere . . . and plenty of water bottles to drink it from. No other product single product had as many companies at the Outdoor Retailer Show dedicated to its manufacture as did water bottles. The new producer that stood out most to Spot Cool Stuff: <a href="http://libertybottles.com">Liberty Bottleworks</a>. In addition to being the only water bottle made from 100% recycled aluminum, Liberty also had the only bottles that are 100% American made. That is, all of the manufacture and all the source material used in the manufacture is American. </p>
<p>Other qualities of Liberty water bottles that appealed to us: They have a patented no-splash edge, their exterior—as well as interior—is BPA-free and they are dishwasher safe. </p>
<p>Also cool: Liberty has contracted with local artists to come up with bottle designs. Those designs are printed using a six-color cylindrical printer. That printer can layer the colors such that, on a topographic map of the mountainous Denali National Park, for instance, you can feel the ridges; see left photo, below.</p>
<p>Available early October 2010.</p>
<p><a href="http://libertybottles.com"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://libertybottles.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liberty-water-bottles.jpg" alt="Liberty Water Bottles" title="Liberty Water Bottles" width="575" height="434" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7598" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="18" align="none" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" alt="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></div>
<h2>PacSafe RFIDsafe 50 Wallet</h2>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/RFIDsafe-wallet.jpg"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/RFIDsafe-wallet.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: PacSafe RFIDsafe Wallet" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: PacSafe RFIDsafe Wallet" width="320" height="299" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7593" /></a>Did you know that thieves are able to steal your credit card without ever touching it? Without you even using it? If your credit card is equipped with an RFID chip, someone with a hand scanner can steal all of your card details simply by standing near you, while you are standing in line at the store, for example. And it isn&#8217;t only credit cards that are at risk. Passports with RFID chips contain your travel history. Corporate IDs with RFID chips hold your personal information.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://epic.org/privacy/rfid/" target="_blank">Electronic Privacy Information Center</a> calls the issue of RFID theft a serious problem. And that&#8217;s lead to an emerging need for RFID wallets. There are <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/rfid-wallets" rel="nofollow">several RDIF-safe wallets already on the market</a>; most are either made aluminum or possess dubious RFID-blocking properties. The <strong>PacSafe SFIDsafe 50</strong> wallet stands above because of the material it is made from: a rip-stop conductive fabric integrated with a hot melt adhesive film comprised of a nickel and copper weave.</p>
<p>Available January 2011.</p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/amazon/pacsafe"><strong>PACSAFE AMAZON STORE</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
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<h2>Pentax Optio W90 Waterproof Camera</h2>
<p>About a year ago we compared what were then the two best value waterproof compact digital cameras: <a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/waterproof-camera-review/olympus-stylus-tough-8000-vs-canon-powershot-d10">the Canon PowerShot D10 and the Olympus Stylus Tough-8000</a>. Now, there&#8217;s a new camera in that class to consider: <a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/pentax/optio-w90" rel="nofollow"><strong>the Pentax Optio W90</strong></a>. The Optio W90&#8217;s 5x optical zoom surpasses that offered by the aforementioned Canon and Olympus models; the W90 also weighs less. It is waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, freezeproof and—perhaps most crucial for beach-goers—sandproof.</p>
<p>Perhaps the coolest feature of the Pentax Optio W90: the Digital Microscope mode. The W90 can shoot macro photos from as little as 1 inch (25mm) away. Three LED lights around the lens illuminate close-up objects allowing for surprisingly stunning macro photography in dark hidden-away places.</p>
<p>Available now.</p>
<p><a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/pentax/optio-w90" rel="nofollow"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/amazon/digital-cameras" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/scs-camera-amazon-575x71.jpg" alt="Shop Amazon.com for Camera Discounts" title="Shop Amazon.com for Camera Discounts" width="575" height="71" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7615" /></a></p>
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<h2>Save-A-Phone</h2>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/save-a-phone" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/save-a-phone.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Save-A-Phone" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Save-A-Phone" width="291" height="524" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7603" /></a>At the end of our <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/ipod-itouch-nano-accessories/best-waterproof-case">review of the best iPhone and iPod waterproof cases</a> we suggested readers who do accidentally drop their portable electronics in water immediately place their waterlogged device in a bowl of rice. That&#8217;s because rice is especially water absorbent.</p>
<p>Well, we are now changing that advice. If your portable electronics get wet we now suggest placing it in a <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/save-a-phone" rel="nofollow"><strong>Save-A-Phone</strong></a>. The interior of this pouch is so good at absorbing moisture that it can draw water away <i>from</i> rice. The Save-A-Phone requires between 24 and 72 hours to dry your electronic item back to life; color coding inside the pouch will advise you of the progress. Save-A-Phones are sold as one-use items but they are strong enough to reuse a few times. Though if you are consistently dropping your gadgets in the water, you may have other issues.</p>
<p>The small Save-A-Phone (eg. for iPods, cell phones, compact cameras) is available now. A larger pouch (eg. for iPads, netbooks) will be available winter 2010.</p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/save-a-phone" rel="nofollow"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
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<h2>Yurbuds Ironman Performance Raising Earphones</h2>
<p>The majority of our readers have probably bought multiple pairs of earbud headphones and found a majority of those uncomfortable. People who exercise with earbuds struggle with an additional issue—not only are in-ear headphones generally uncomfortable but they are prone to falling out. Yurbuds earbuds solve both issues. Yurbuds ear coverings (the company calls them &#8220;earbud enhancers&#8221;) are made of a soft, comfortable plastic and come in a variety of sizes. If you don&#8217;t know your size you can consult the <a href="https://www.yurbuds.com/get-fitted">Yurbuds website</a> or download <a href="http://media.spotcoolstuff.com/apps/itunes" rel="nofollow">their cool iPhone app</a>. Once you get a proper-sized pair of Yurbuds they won&#8217;t fall out even when you try jarring them loose by shaking your head.</p>
<p>The problem with the standard Yurbuds earphones is that the sound quality they deliver is, shall we say, slightly above adequate. Not bad, certainly. And probably good enough for casual listeners. But not up to the expectations of audiophiles.</p>
<p>That will change with Yurbuds&#8217; new <a href="http://www.yurbuds.com/ybcart/product_details.php?category_id=0&#038;item_id=77" target="_blank"><strong>Ironman Performance Raising Earphones</strong></a>. The sound they produce is rich, especially at the base notes. That, while keeping the comfortable in-ear piece of the regular Yurbuds earphones. </p>
<p>Ironman earphones will ship with size 5 and 7 earpieces—that should work for about two-thirds of the adult populations. Those with other ear sizes can purchase a pair of <a href="https://www.yurbuds.com/ybcart/product_details.php?category_id=0&#038;item_id=7">earbud enhancers</a> separately.</p>
<p>Pre-order available now. Ships August 23rd.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yurbuds.com/ybcart/product_details.php?category_id=0&#038;item_id=77" target="_blank"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/yurbud-ironman-headphones.jpg"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/yurbud-ironman-headphones.jpg" alt="Yurbuds Ironman Earphones" title="Yurbuds Ironman Earphones" width="575" height="700" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7608" /></a></p>
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<h2>Indosole Sandals</h2>
<p>The beach-rich Indonesian island of <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/southeast-asia/indonesia/bali-island">Bali</a> has, sadly, whole landfills full of used tires. At least one company is finding a way to make good use of them. <a href="http://shop.indosole.com/"><strong>Indosole</strong></a> is employing local Balinese to cut off the tread of old tires and then to sew them onto the bottom of soft, comfortable sandals. Theirs are not the only footwear made using recycled materials; usually, though, those materials are reconstituted. Look at the bottom of a pair of Indosole sandals and you can literally see the tire tread and sense the years of road wear they&#8217;ve had.</p>
<p>Comfortable, great looking and environmentally friendly—it is hard to find a better Spot Cool Stuff combination than that.</p>
<p><a href="http://shop.indosole.com/"><strong>LEARN MORE &#038; BUY</strong></a>  | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow" target=_blank"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://shop.indosole.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/indosole-sandals.jpg" alt="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Indosole Upcycled Sandals" title="The Best New Outdoor Gear: Indosole Upcycled Sandals" width="575" height="312" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7604" /></a></p>
<div style="text-align:right; font-size: 0.8em; color: #BBBBBB">published: 11 Aug 2010</div>
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<p><a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-2966106-10446689" target="_top" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.altrec.com/cj/';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img src="http://www.tqlkg.com/image-2966106-10446689" width="125" height="125" alt="Deal of the Day" border="0" class="alignright" title="Cool Outdoor Gear Youll See In Stores Soon" /></a><strong>Related posts:</strong><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/travel-gear/reduce-air-travel-frustration">7 Cool Products for Reducing Air Travel Frustration</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/travel-clothing/review/scottevest-ipad-vest-jacket">Scottevest: The World’s First Line of iPad-Compatible Clothing</a><br />
<a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/barefoot-running-shoes/newton-vibram-five-fingers">Newton and Vibram: Barefoot Running Shoes</a><br />
<a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/ultrathin-netbook/dell-adamo-xps-review">The World’s Thinnest Consumer Netbook </a><br />
<a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/amazon-review/kindle-2-vs-dx-graphite-compare">Kindle eBook Readers Compared</a><br />
<a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/shade-beach-umbrella/sklz-sport-brella">Sport-Brella: The Better, Portable Beach Umbrella</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/review/best-travel-camera">Reviews of the Best Cameras for Travel</a></p>
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		<title>The World’s Largest Underwater Sculpture Park</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/sz6lCG5qoqA/underwater-sculpture-park</link>
		<comments>http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/cancun-mexico/unusual-museum/underwater-sculpture-park#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:00:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Art & Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scuba Diving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Swimming Pools & Underwater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unusual Museums]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World Record]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cancun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[underwater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unusual Museum]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/?p=6859</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Cancun's emerging subaquatic art scene]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ah, Cancun. The sun. The beaches. The shopping. The tequila shots. The drunken college kids on spring break. The massive underwater sculpture park?</p>
<p>Even those familiar with what Cancun offers above sea level will soon to be surprised at what they can find underneath it: a museum.</p>
<p><span id="more-6859"></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underwatersculpture.com/pages/projects/mexico.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/underwater-museum-s.jpg" alt="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" title="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" width="338" height="477" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7561" /></a>The project, abstractly named &#8220;The Silent Evolution,&#8221; is not the first underwater sculpture park some sources claim it to be—that distinction goes to a set of sculptures off the coast of Grenada. However Cancun&#8217;s subaquatic offering will easily be the world&#8217;s largest. By the time it opens to the public—either late 2010 or early 2011—it will contain more than 400 sculptures.</p>
<p>The sculptures that comprise this waterful exhibit will be placed at a variety of depths. Many will be accessible to snorkelers. Some will be viewable from glass-bottom boats. (We suspect there will be no shortage of local companies offering tours). But the cool way to explore the whole of the sculpture garden is to scuba dive.</p>
<p>The primary purpose of the sculpture garden is environmental. The sculptures are made from a special concrete that&#8217;s PH neutral and anti-corrosive. The idea being that the sculptures will eventually form artificial corals and support a variety of marine life. There&#8217;s also hope that the touristic value of the underwater sculpture garden will draw people away from the over-visited and severely degraded natural corals of the nearby West Coast National Park. </p>
<p>The idea behind Cancun&#8217;s underwater museum is undeniably cool. The artistic value of the sculptures, well, that&#8217;s more debatable. Virtually all the sculptures feature life-sized casts of humans. Some are posed in artistic arrangements (like the ring of standing figures in the top photo). But most sculptures resemble stone people in everyday situations: lying asleep, riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard and so on. The whole thing is like an underwater version of lava-hardened city of Pompeii. To us it&#8217;s all very creepy.</p>
<p>Still, the Cancun underwater sculpture park is not the creepiest place we&#8217;ve seen in Mexico. That honor goes to <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/haunted-creepy-places/mexico/island-of-dolls">the Isla De Las Muñecas—the Island of Dolls</a>.</p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="16" align="none" title="The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park" alt="The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park" /></div>
<p><strong>Where to stay:</strong> At the time of writing <a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2966106-10752168" target="_top">the Hilton Cancun Golf &#038; Spa Resort had rooms for between an absurdly cheap US$69 and a more-than-reasonable $105 per night</a>. We are also fans of the five-star <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/cancun/le-meridien" rel="nofollow">Le Meridien</a>. As for budget options, there&#8217;s no beating the communal feel and and bargain-basement rates of the <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/cancun/quetzal" rel="nofollow">Hostel Quetzal</a>. </p>
<div style="text-align:right; font-size: 0.8em; color: #BBBBBB">published: 9 Aug 2010</div>
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<p><a href="http://www.underwatersculpture.com/pages/projects/mexico.htm"><strong>LEARN MORE</strong></a> | <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/read/cancunguides" rel="nofollow"><strong>FIND GUIDEBOOKS</strong></a> | <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/vacation-deals/cancun" rel="nofollow"><strong>CANCUN VACATION DEALS</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2966106-10749259" target="_top" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.cheapcaribbean.com/?&#038;WT.mc_id=cap';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img src="http://www.tqlkg.com/image-2966106-10749259" width="125" height="125" alt="Home of the 99 Hour Sale" border="0" class="alignright" title="The Worlds Largest Underwater Sculpture Park" /></a><strong>Related posts:</strong><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/unusual-museums/museum-of-bad-art-moba">The Museum of Bad Art</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/unusual-restaurant/cavern-mexico-santo-domingo">The World&#8217;s Only Two Cavern Restaurants</a> &#8592; one&#8217;s near Cancun<br />
<a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/barefoot-running-shoes/newton-vibram-five-fingers">Barefoot Running and Travel Shoes</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/unusual-restaurant/maldives/ithaa-undersea">The Maldive&#8217;s Ithaa Undersea Restaurant </a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/offbeat-bizarre-quirky-unusual-museums">5 Superb Shoe Museums Where Fashion Is Afoot</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/ipod-itouch-nano-accessories/best-waterproof-case">The Best Waterproof Cases for the iPod and iPhone</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/caribbean/affordable-cool-hotels-resorts-inexpensive">A Review of Inexpensive, Yet Cool, Caribbean Hotels</a><br />
<a href="http://tech.spotcoolstuff.com/waterproof-camera-review/olympus-stylus-tough-8000-vs-canon-powershot-d10">Waterproof Cameras: Canon PowerShot D10 vs Olympus Stylus Tough-8000</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underwatersculpture.com/pages/projects/mexico.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/cancun-underwater-museum-2.jpg" alt="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" title="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" width="575" height="383" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7582" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underwatersculpture.com/pages/projects/mexico.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/cancun-underwater-museum-3.jpg" alt="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" title="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" width="575" height="384" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7581" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.underwatersculpture.com/pages/projects/mexico.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/cancun-underwater-museum-5.jpg" alt="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" title="Cancun Underwater Museum &#038; Sculpture Park" width="575" height="381" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7579" /></a></p>
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		<title>3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/7hcul1maX0Y/inca-trail-alternatives</link>
		<comments>http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/peru/trekking/inca-trail-alternatives#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:30:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Amazing Views]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hiking & Trekking]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[machu picchu]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/?p=7439</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Machu Picchu through the back door]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Inca Trail is probably the most renowned trek in the world. It sits alongside Everest Base Camp, The Annapurna Circuit and Kilimanjaro a must do for traveller bragging rights. But with spaces limited and busy trails, what are the alternatives for the growing band of anti-populist travellers who don&#8217;t like to follow the crowds? How can you get to Machu Picchu through the back-door? </p>
<p>Back in 2008 entry to the epic Inca Trail became controlled by a limited permit system. These permits tend to sell out at least three months in advance and the problem is exacerbated in the peak summer months. Even if permits are available not everyone relishes the prospect of trekking such a well-worn path in the company of so many others. </p>
<p>Luckily Machu Picchu is surrounded by fantastic trekking and the Inca Trail isn&#8217;t the only option on the table, there are now an ever growing number of alternatives for your dose of Incan culture and mountains. And although none of them can serve up the wonder of crossing through the Sun Gate for that first glimpse of the majestic ruins, they are all worthy alternatives.</p>
<p><span id="more-7439"></span><a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2966106-10661254" target="_top" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.travelocity.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/image-2966106-10661254" width="575" height="71" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" border="0" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/white.jpg" width="620" height="16" align="none" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /></div>
<h2>Best for culture vultures : The Lares Valley Trek</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/906-lares-valley-trek-to-machu-picchu" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lares-valley-s.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: The Lares Valley Trek" title="Inca Trail Alternative: The Lares Valley Trek" width="310" height="269" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7455" /></a><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/906-lares-valley-trek-to-machu-picchu">Lares Valley</a> is the off the beaten path alternative to the Inca Trail, offering wonderful insights into the traditional cultures of the Andes. The valley itself features the beautiful Andean views of snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes that you would expect, but it is the colours of the communities and markets full of local textiles that make it special. The trek itself is easier than the Inca trail, but still involves plenty of high altitude exertion. Unfortunately, it doesn&#8217;t end at Machu Picchu, instead you are transported by train and bus to the ruins at the end of the trek. Takes about four days.</p>
<h3>Pros &#038; cons</h3>
<ul>
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> Off the beaten path &#8211; much quieter than the alternatives<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> Traditional villages<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> Stunning mountain scenery<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> (Relatively) easy trekking<br />
<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> Machu Picchu is more of a bolt at the end than an integral part of the trek<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> There are no ruins to see along the trail
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/906-lares-valley-trek-to-machu-picchu"><strong>LEARN MORE</strong></a> | <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/read/machu-picchu"><strong>READ</strong></a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/906-lares-valley-trek-to-machu-picchu" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lares-trek-2.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: The Lares Valley Trek" title="Inca Trail Alternative: The Lares Valley Trek" width="575" height="381" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7453" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/white.jpg" width="620" height="16" align="none" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /></div>
<h2>Best for serious trekkers: Salkantay</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/905-the-salkantay-trail-to-machu-picchu">The Salkantay trek</a> winds through through humid jungle and high passes. Salkantay itself is a towering alpine peak with dramatic steep sides. At the highest point of the trek, the Salkantay pass (4,650m), expect the full alpine vista of mountain streams, snow covered peaks and highland forest, whilst at lower altitudes, you&#8217;ll be trekking through temperate plantations. Although you won&#8217;t be tackling the peak itself, there is some serious up and down involved and whilst you  don&#8217;t need to be a serious trekker, a decent level of fitness and oodles of determination is seriously advised. Plan on five to six days of trekking.</p>
<h3>Pros &#038; cons</h3>
<ul>
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> Stunning mountain scenery<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> More varied trekking than other options<br />
<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> This trek ends close to—but not at—Machu Picchu<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> There are no ruins to see along the trail<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" />  It is a real slog in the wet season
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/905-the-salkantay-trail-to-machu-picchu"><strong>LEARN MORE</strong></a> | <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/read/machu-picchu"><strong>READ</strong></a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/905-the-salkantay-trail-to-machu-picchu" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/salkantay-peru-1.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: Salkantay Trek, Peru" title="Inca Trail Alternative: Salkantay Trek, Peru" width="575" height="383" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7472" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/905-the-salkantay-trail-to-machu-picchu" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/salkantay-peru-2.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: Salkantay Trek, Peru" title="Inca Trail Alternative: Salkantay Trek, Peru" width="575" height="268" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7471" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/905-the-salkantay-trail-to-machu-picchu" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/salkantay-peru-3.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: Salkantay Trek, Peru" title="Inca Trail Alternative: Salkantay Trek, Peru" width="575" height="384" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7470" /></a></p>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/white.jpg" width="620" height="16" align="none" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /></div>
<h2>Best for contrarians: Choquequirao</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/934-choquequirao-trek-alternative-to-the-inca-trail" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/choquequirao-peru-s.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: Choquequirao Trek, Peru" title="Inca Trail Alternative: Choquequirao Trek, Peru" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7460" /></a> For those of us who shun populist choices, <a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/934-choquequirao-trek-alternative-to-the-inca-trail">Choqeuquirao</a> is Machu Picchu&#8217;s much lesser-known Inca sibling. The Choquequirao ruins are more spread out and the arcihitecture more functional than Machu Picchu, but what you sacrifice in photogenic vistas you can certainly make up for with the joy of connecting with your inner Indiana Jones. There are no luxury train services and visitors are few and far between so you get a far better sense of discovery exploring the ruins. The trek itself from Cachora to Choquequirao involves two days there and back by the same route consisting of a daunting 1500m (5000 foot) drop followed by a 1800m climb—so as with the Salkantay (above), expect tired muscles and aching knees. The whole trek typically take five days.</p>
<h3>Pros &#038; cons</h3>
<ul>
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> Enjoy fantastic ruins in peace<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/pro-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> Quieter than the Inca Trail<br />
<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> The Choquequirao ruins are great, but they aren&#8217;t Machu Picchu<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> It&#8217;s a tough trek<br />
<img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/con-review.gif" height="10" width="10" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /> No good in the wet season
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/934-choquequirao-trek-alternative-to-the-inca-trail"><strong>LEARN MORE</strong></a> | <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/read/machu-picchu"><strong>READ</strong></a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/SpotCoolStuff" target="_blank"><strong>JOIN US ON TWITTER</strong></a> / <a href="http://spotcoolstuff.com/facebook" rel="nofollow"><strong>FACEBOOK</strong></a> |  <strong><script src="http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?tabs=web%2Cemail&#038;charset=utf-8&#038;style=rotate&#038;publisher=a0b0327c-7226-4899-982b-1c59a0e75f93&#038;headerbg=%23fdbd08" type="text/javascript"></script></strong></p>
<div><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/934-choquequirao-trek-alternative-to-the-inca-trail" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/choquequirao-trek-2.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: Choquequirao Trek, Peru" title="Inca Trail Alternative: Choquequirao Trek, Peru" width="575" height="431" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7461" /></a><br />
<small>[via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickmccharles/188364223/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Rick McCharles</a>]</small></div>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="12" align="none" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /></div>
<p><a href="http://www.tourdust.com/products/934-choquequirao-trek-alternative-to-the-inca-trail" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/choquequirao-trek1.jpg" alt="Inca Trail Alternative: Choquequirao Trek, Peru" title="Inca Trail Alternative: Choquequirao Trek, Peru" width="575" height="261" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7463" /></a></p>
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<p><i>Lofty thanks to <strong>Ben Colclough</strong> for <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/guest-post-travel-writer">guest writing</a> this post. Ben writes for the <a href="http://www.tourdust.com">adventure travel</a> company <a href="http://www.tourdust.com"><strong>Tourdust.com</strong></a>. To find out more about the Inca Trail, read his guide to <a href="http://www.tourdust.com/blog/posts/trekking-inca-trail">trekking the Inca Trail</a>.</i></p>
<div style="text-align:right; font-size: 0.8em; color: #BBBBBB">published: 8 Aug 2010</div>
<div><img src="http://spotcoolstuff.com/space.png" width="620" height="14" align="none" title="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" alt="3 Cool Alternatives to the Inca Trail" /></div>
<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/luxury-camping-glamping">5 Wonderfully Earthy Glamping Sites</a> &#8592; also by Ben Colclough<br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/amazing-views/7-circular-geological-oddities">7 Amazing Circular Geological Oddities</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/amazing-views/cliff-side-edge-temples-monasteries">5 Temples &#038; Monasteries on Perilous Cliff Sides</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/amazing-views/best-rice-terraces">Top 10 Destinations For Rice Terraces</a>  &#8592; one is in Peru</p>
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		<title>Stay Outdoors, Indoors, at Joshua Tree</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/-xtGiXq1FHo/acido-dorado</link>
		<comments>http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/california/joshua-tree-np/unusual-rental-home/acido-dorado#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:04:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/?p=4482</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A night at the architecturally cool, undefinable Acido Dorado]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Trying to categorize the lodgings offered by the <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/prettyvacant" rel="nofollow"><strong>Acido Dorado</strong></a>, located on the edge of California&#8217;s Joshua Tree National Park, is like trying to solve a Zen k?an. </p>
<p>Acido Dorado isn&#8217;t a house—it is too open to the elements for that. It isn&#8217;t a <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/camping-glamping-sites">glamping</a> (glamorous camping) experience and certainly isn&#8217;t a cabin—the setup is way too luxurious. The accommodations here aren&#8217;t indoors, though nor are they outdoors; rather, it is some ingenious melding of the two.</p>
<p><span id="more-4482"></span> <a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-2966106-10771510" target="_top" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.travelocity.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"><img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-2966106-10771510" width="575" height="71" alt="Stay Outdoors, Indoors, at Joshua Tree" border="0" title="Stay Outdoors, Indoors, at Joshua Tree" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/prettyvacant" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joshua-tree-house-10.jpg" alt="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" title="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" width="575" height="383" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7495" /></a></p>
<p>What Acido Dorado certainly is not is one of those naturalistic, blend-into-the-environment sorts of places. The architect describe the style as &#8220;peppy-glam.&#8221; This place is like where Liberachi might live were he to relocate to the California desert. Gold-mirrored ceilings mix with glass and concrete cinder blocks at angles weird and wonderful. Fabric covers the refrigerator. Ornate roses are welded into metal. The whole thing is set amidst stark brush and rock. No wonder so many fashion photographers clamor to shoot here.</p>
<p>The coolest part: Open up all various windows and sliding doors and nearly 80% of the house is directly exposed to the elements. The living room basically has no roof (the advantage of being in a near-rainless location). The shower is open too and the walls full of windows and gaps.</p>
<p>Another Spot Cool Stuff favorite feature: the iPod dock hooked into seven speakers scattered throughout the house. Feel free to crack up the 400-watt stereo system—there aren&#8217;t any neighbors around to complain—through there&#8217;s something blissful about the absolute quiet too.</p>
<p>The Acido Dorado can comfortably accommodate up to six people. A weekend night will set you US$440 plus a $50 cleaning fee at the end of your stay. If that&#8217;s too steep for you consider the nearby <a href="http://www.prettyvacantproperties.com/pages/view/rosa-muerta/">Rosa Muerta</a>—it&#8217;s roughly half the price of the Acido Dorado and every bit as undefinable. But that&#8217;s the separate article.</p>
<div style="text-align:right; font-size: 0.8em; color: #BBBBBB">published: 6 Aug 2010</div>
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<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/amazing-sites/dr-seuss">Real Places That Resemble Dr. Seuss Illustrations</a><br />
<a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/unusual-architecture/upside-down-houses">7 Upside-Down Buildings</a><br />
<a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/architecture/rotating-dome-house">Rotating Dome Homes</a><br />
<a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/spain/architecture-high-design-hotel/gehry-marques-de-riscal">A Review of the Frank Gehry Designed Hotel Marques de Riscal </a> </p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/prettyvacant" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joshua-tree-cool-1.jpg" alt="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" title="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" width="575" height="383" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7494" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/prettyvacant" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joshua-tree-house-1.jpg" alt="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" title="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" width="575" height="383" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7496" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/prettyvacant" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joshua-tree-dusk.jpg" alt="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" title="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" width="575" height="383" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7492" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/book/prettyvacant" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/acido-dorado-floorplan.jpg" alt="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" title="Cool Lodging: Acido Dorado, Joshua Tree National Park, California" width="575" height="370" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7497" /></a></p>
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<p><a href="http://design.spotcoolstuff.com/architecture">Read more cool architecture reviews</a></p>

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		<title>A Two Minute (YouTube) Walk Across America</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spotcoolstuff/travel/~3/eX9EChoQh9Q/two-minute-walk-across-america</link>
		<comments>http://media.spotcoolstuff.com/best-of-youtube/travel/two-minute-walk-across-america#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:04:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Spot Cool Travel Stuff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hiking & Trekking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/?p=7484</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Follow a cool, continental time-lapse journey]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Is it possible to walk across the United States, from <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/new-york-city">New York City</a> to <a href="http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/category/destinations/united-states/california/san-francisco/">San Francisco</a>, in two minutes? It is through the magic of stop-motion photography and the trickery of time-lapse video. There&#8217;s even time along the way to snap a few photos of Washington D.C. monuments and to take in Mt Rushmore. </p>
<p>Here&#8217;s the video of how such a journey would look . . .</p>
<p><span id="more-7484"></span></p>
<p>See the videos in our <a href="http://media.spotcoolstuff.com/best-of-youtube">Best of YouTube section</a></p>

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