1 . Bike Rental & Guided Tours

Welcome to Amsterdam, welcome to MacBike. You see much more from the seat of a bike! Cycling is the most economical, sustainable and fun way to explore the city, with its beautiful canals, parks, squares and countless lights. You can also bike along lovely landscapes outside of Amsterdam.

Why MacBike

MacBike has been around for almost 30 years and is the biggest bicycle rental company in Amsterdam. With over 2,500 bikes stored in our five rental shops at strategic locations, we make sure there is always a bike available for you. We offer the newest bicycles in a wide variety, including basic bikes with foot brake (刹车), bikes with hand brake and gears (排挡), bikes with child seats, and children’s bikes.

Prices

Guided City Tours

The 2.5-hour tour covers the Gooyer Windmill, the Skinny Bridge, the Rijksmuseum, Heineken Brewery and much more. The tour departs from Dam Square every hour on the hour, starting at 1:00 pm every day. You can buy your ticket in a MacBike shop or book online.

4 . 4 Best Places to Travel in 2023

2023 is the year when travel returns in a big way. To get you started, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to travel in 2023. All you need to do is pick the place that appeals to you.

Copenhagen

With its fantastic houses, clean streets and colorful architecture, Copenhagen is regarded as the most livable city on the earth. Named the World Capital of Architecture for 2023, Copenhagen will offer a series of major artistic events and programs sure to delight architects and design lovers.

Bhutan

For travelers with a sense of adventure and a love of discovery, Bhutan has always been a must-go destination. In 2023, travelers can once again explore the Trans Bhutan Trail, which runs 250 miles from east to west, offering visits to the century-old communities along the journey. The trail spans (横跨)18 major bridges and national parks and connects more than 400 historic and cultural sites.

Bordeaux

The coming years will be sporty in the historical wine region of Bordeaux in France. In 2023, the city will host the Rugby World Cup, an intense and stressful game. Beyond sports, Bordeaux is one of the favorite historical cities, with more than 350 structures that are either nationally or regionally listed as historical monuments.

Namibia

Wildlife and adventure lovers looking for a unique path in African Safari trips should head straight to Namibia in 2023 — this country in southern Africa is the perfect place to travel to reconnect with nature and escape the modern stresses of life. On the wildlife front, you may see lions along with giraffes and elephants.

Hangzhou is recognized as the “City of Well-Being” in China. Hangzhou made its name     1    (know) to the world in 2016 by hosting the G20 Summit. Blessed with pleasant cli- mate and few wars, Hangzhou has gradually formed     2    (it) own urban character.     3    busy Shanghai, you will slow down and relax once you are here. It seems that Hangzhou people don’t have many things to rush to in their     4    (day) life. No wonder Hangzhou is expanding    5    (annual) by 500, 000 to 600, 000 people.

The lifestyle, however, was laid down by two historical men of letters. One was Bai Juyi,     6     rebuilt the West Lake and made a new bank    7    (benefit) the locals. People love him. When it comes to him, it doesn’t sound like one is talking about a person who     8    (live) a thousand years ago. The other was Su Shi. His open-minded personality     9     diligence for his people left many much-told tales. Seemingly,     10    (mention) his name gives people joy even after a thousand years.

Surely, it will be even more brilliant in 2023 when it hosts the 19th Asian Games. Let’s look forward to it.

8 . The morning that Devanshi Mavani reached the top of Kilimanjaro, the conditions were bitter. She had set off, like most hikers, the night before to time her arrival at the summit (山顶) with the sunrise. Immediately, heavy snow began to fall. “Normally people see Kenya on the other side. When we got to the summit, we saw nothing,” she says. “It was like a ski slope (斜坡). But I was crying with happiness.”

Just 17 months earlier, this trip had seemed impossible. In May 2017, Mavani was diagnosed with type I diabetes (糖尿病). She says, “I felt so low, thinking, ‘What am I going to do now in life, stuck with this?’”

The news put in jeopardy all Mavani’s hopes of travelling. She retired the year before and her son eventually flew the nest. “I felt free. It was my chance. I thought, ‘Hooray, I can enjoy life.’” But her diagnosis made Mavani scared to leave the house. Her elder sister came to help, but Mavani “couldn’t walk to the local park” without feeling unwell. Very slowly, Mavani built herself up from walking around the block to taking gentle gym classes. It was there that she met Hazel, who invited her to a talk about climbing Kilimanjaro.

When Mavani returned home that evening, she told her husband that it was something she really wanted to do. “The hike was the following year, when I was turning 60. He said, ‘You’ve got time.’ It was the best thing I did. It took my focus away from worrying about my disease to something completely different. How am I going to get fit again? How am I going to cope with this huge hike so far outside my comfort zone?”

During the seven-day trek, Mavani had to inject (注射) herself five to eight times a day. “It was -16℃ outside; I had to take off all my clothes, lying on a snowy rock. I overcame all that,” she says. “I thought, I don’t fear the diabetes. If I can do this, I can do anything.”

Mavani recently completed the West Highland Way and the Cotswolds Way, and has booked a trip to Machu Picchu in Peru.

10 . The best places for wild sleeping in England and Wales

Challacombe Meadows, Devon

Best for: privacy

Challacombe Meadows is close to miles of walking trails near Widecombe. Basic toilet facilities and running water are a short walk away, and there’s a cosy pub and a farm shop also nearby, for when it’s time to return to civilization. Tents from £ 45 per tent.

Bush Farm, Cornwall

Best for: freedom of choice

At Bush Farm, campers are offered the freedom of choice. Map in hand, you can put up your tent wherever you please. Days can be spent wild swimming, wandering through the countryside and, come the evening, there’s star gazing beneath ink-black skies. Tents from £12 per person.

The Wildman Woods, Carmarthenshire

Best for: life on the riverbanks

At this little-known site, you can put your tent on the banks of the River Sawdde. The Wildman Woods are as simple as they sound, with leafy pitches scattered among the trees near the water. During the day, it’s the perfect place for a paddle. Tents from £10 per person.

Penrhos Isaf Bothy, Gwyned

Best for: packing light

Bothies, simple huts traditionally used as mountain refuges that are open to all and free of charge. They’re a great alternative to wild camping if the weather is looking unstable and you don’t mind sharing with other travellers, who can arrive at any time.