1 . We must have been about halfway through our Contiki trip and we arrived in Rome, the capital city of Italy. On this particularly hot day after _________ many winding beautiful streets, we ended up at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Our tour guide jokingly said he had forgotten the _________ back to the hotel and asked if anyone knew how to _________ to the hotel. None of us did, but then Julie, an American girl, confidently put, “I can _________ it.” We all thought she was joking too, for Julie was nearly _________. But she said, “No. Seriously, I can take us all back.” Our team _________ her as she led us through the winding streets. Someone asked, “How can you _________ remember the way we _________?” She answered, “I just know. Feel how beautiful and cool the air is. We are by the fountain. This is where we turned left.” We continued. “I’m _________ freshly baked bread,” she said. “We turned right by this __________ and this is the café we passed by. I’ve recognized the __________ of that coffee machine. It is __________ to trust me.”

Sure enough, every turn had the things we hadn’t __________ before. Those things revealed themselves like hidden diamonds. We discovered more and more about the __________ of this city.

Finally, we made our way to the hotel. What struck me most was how Julie made us all see a rich and __________ city through her eyes. It made me experience travel in a totally new way.

2 . Taking an “eco-break” was once almost the same as a weekend’s hedge-laying or a summer spent conserving wildlife. Here is how things have changed: being a green traveler today is no longer restricted to one-off gestures but, rather, it’s a state of mind. Influences include, but are not limited to what we pack, how we reach our destination, where we stay and what activities we take part in.

Such change has come about thanks to both a growing understanding of climate change and the pioneering efforts of some travel operators to show the joy of going green. Luxury camping specialists Feather Down Farms and Forest, for example, led the glamping (豪华野营) revolution. Digital platforms such as Under the Thatch and Canopy & Stars have made booking low-impact rural accommodations easier. Adventure operators such as TYF, Intrepid and Much Better Adventures set the agenda for sustainable outdoor relaxation.

But the increased appetite for travel and the trend for replacing annual trips with multiple shorter breaks has seen a rise in carbon-intensive air travel. Meanwhile, key overland routes have been discontinued (such as ferry services to Scandinavia and overnight “train hotels” through France and Spain), and cuts in local transport services have severely impacted car-free access to rural areas. Dishonest and immoral businesses have also jumped on the “eco” travel wave, muddying the waters.

There are, however, signs we’re entering a golden age of green travel. Richard Hammond, founder of the Green Traveler website, shares over 20 years’ worth of expertise in his new guidebook outlying methods to explore the world sustainably. Many travel companies are also starting to provide tools to help travelers tell the genuinely green from greenwashing operations (Booking. com and Google, for instance, are working with not-for-profit Travalyst to flag up officially-approved and eco-certified hotels in their search results) while the upcoming national rollout (推广) of electric car charging, the modernization of cross-channel ferry services and the return of rail means choosing lower-carbon overland travel is becoming practical and more appealing.

Ever wonder how delivery drivers manage to hit so many different places in a relatively short amount of time? It’s because they’re using an app like Road Warrior to plan their routes to be as efficient as possible. However, while many other route planning apps only take things like traffic into account, Road Warrior includes lots of other time-sucking details. The subscription (订购) options start at $10 per month.

Gas prices have been something of a catastrophe (灾难) recently, so travelers are naturally focused on finding the lowest rates whenever possible. Gas Buddy is one of the most popular apps for locating affordable gas, especially on long road trips. Simply enter the starting point and destination, and then watch as all of the cheapest gas prices along your route appear suddenly. Like many apps, there is a free version (版本), as well as a premium (额外) option with added features.

For people who aren’t totally focused on getting from point A to point B in the fastest time possible, the Road Trippers app is a must-have. Users can plan their trip from start to finish with as many as 150 waypoints/stops when using the premium version of the app, which costs $29.99 per year. It won’t let you miss the famous sights along the way. It estimates fuel costs, allows for RV drivers to customize (定制) routes friendly to their particular vehicle and lets the user cooperate with friends who are also on the road.

Sure you could listen to music or watch movies, but sometimes it’s fun to throw it way back with classic travel games. The Plates Family Travel app is a modernized version of the classic license plate (车牌) game. There’s also a map feature that shows you exactly where you saw all the license plates on your road trip. This app is available for Apple or Google devices for free.

5 . In most places a traffic signal in the middle of the desert, especially one for camels, may well be a mirage, but in this case it is all too real. At the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Spot in Gansu Province, northwest China, the world’s first traffic light for camels was set up to manage traffic in the popular tourist area.

According to a Chinese state-owned wire service, the problem was that the walking paths for human beings often crossed camel paths, creating traffic chaos (混乱). As a solution, workers cut a gap in the walkway and created a separate route for the camels. The traffic light now manages the flow of traffic at the new crossing.

Camel-riding tours are a big attraction for visitors to the area. But visitors to the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Spot will now be safe from camel crashes, thanks to the new traffic signal, which turns green to let the animals cross and red to make them stop.

The Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Spot is already a tourist hot spot thanks to its breathtaking sand dunes (沙丘), an oasis (绿洲) and even the occasional snowstorm which create otherworldly scenery. The strange camel traffic signal could well become another attraction to enjoy on a visit to the scenic area.

The area is close to Dunhuang City on the edge of the Gobi Desert, and it used to be an essential resting point for travellers on the Silk Road. Dunhuang’s best-known tourist attraction is the Mogao Caves. The traffic signal is unlikely ever to reach the significance of the Mogao Caves, but at least it might help prevent a few camel traffic jams.

Chinese products shine among Hangzhou Asian Games participants

Chinese products won the admiration of many foreign participants at the 19h Asian Games, which     1     (conclude) in Hangzhou, the capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province, on Oct. 8th.

Oksana Chusovitina,     2     48-year-old Uzbek gymnast, expressed her admiration for the training     3     (facility) and comfortable accommodations. She even inquired about where     4     (purchase) the same mattress she used in the Asian Games Village. To her delight, the mattress manufacturer gifted her one after hearing about her interest. In     5     (add) to the athletes, former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal, who came to Hangzhou to watch the Games, bought a pair of stylish sunglasses at the market. Some international athletes also visited the Wulin Night Market,     6     they bought items like handmade silver jewelry, Chinese-style hairpins     7     (feature) plum blossom patterns. Among the items was a distinctive local mask recognized     8     a traditional cultural item.

Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) continues to draw international visitors. An athlete from the UAE bought wormwood heating compress packs,     9     another packed an entire suitcase with Chinese patent medicines for his family. He explained that his mother is a TCM lover and that such medicines are     10     (fair) hard to come by overseas.

9 . While temperatures continue to climb, visitors are still coming to see Death Valley National Park on the California-Nevada border. The park is known as the hottest place on Earth. This past weekend, the temperatures climbed to 53.33℃. Most visitors at this time of year make it only a short distance to any area in the park before returning to the cool air in their vehicles.

Early information from the park service shows that across the nation’s 424 national parks, at least four people have died this year from heat-related causes. That includes a 65-year-old man from San Diego who was found dead at Death Valley earlier this month.

Death Valley National Park suggests visitors be careful and not have expectations of rescue. While park rangers (护林员) drive on park roads and can aid tourists in need, it is unsure that lost visitors will get help in time.

Physical activity can make the heat feel even worse and leave people exhausted. Alessia Dempster, who was visiting from Edinburgh, Scotland, said, “It’s very hot especially when there’s a gentle wind. You would think maybe that would give you some slight relief from the heat, but it just really does feel like an air blow dryer just going back in your face.”

Death Valley is a narrow area that is below sea level and surrounded by high mountains, the park service’s website says. The dry air and small plant coverage let sunlight heat up the park surface. The heat then becomes trapped in the valley.

Still, several areas in Death Valley continue to draw tourists. Badwater Basin, made up of salt flats, is considered the lowest point in all of North America. The 183-meter Ubehebe Crater dates back over 2,000 years. And Zabriskie Point is a great sunrise viewing spot.

Josh Miller, a visitor from Indianapolis who has been to 20 national parks so far, shared that feeling. “It’s hot, but the scenery is awesome,” he said.

10 . In the daytime, you will admire Kunming’s amazing scenery. At night, the most exciting thing should be diving into the nightlife, which is extremely lively with busy night markets, bars and theaters.

·Kundu Night Market

As the heartland of Kunming’s nightlife, Kundu is a nice place for relaxing. There you can find cafés, tea houses, souvenir(纪念品) shops and KTVs. When night falls, Kundu is crowded with local people and tourists.

Address: 78 Xinwen Road

·Wenhua Alley

Being close to three colleges, this street is lined with restaurants, dessert shops, cafés and so on. You can taste all kinds of snacks unique to Yunnan, or order a cup of coffee and chat with your friends here. It is not only a place for students and local people, but also attracts many foreigners.

Address: Wenlin Street, Wuhua District

·Yunnan Impression Show

The impressive Yunnan folk dance performances are one of the most wonderful nightlife activities. It was directed by China’s famous dancer, Yang Liping, who was titled as the “Peacock Princess”. The highlight of this show is the peacock dance, which is performed by female dancers inspired by the movements of a peacock.

Address: Yunnan Art Theater, Dongfeng West Road

·O’ Reilly’s Irish Pub

The pub is decorated in an Irish style and offers a taste of real Ireland. It is said that it was the first Irish pub in southern China. After a whole day’s sightseeing, it is a good idea to spend some time in a bar where you can relax and have close contact with local people.

Address: Beichen Street B13