1 . People living on Rum are hoping it will be recognised as a Dark Sky Island. They have been preparing to achieve it.

In recent years, the community of just 30 people on Rum have tried their best to change the island’s lighting system(系统). There are no streetlights, hardly any buildings and no traffic. When the sun sets, locals and visitors can experience a naturally dark sky, and enjoy views of stars.

The island community has been taking readings with special equipment (设备)which is used to determine the brightness of the night sky. “We have to take these through our whole season so we get to know what the sky is like at different times of the year and night,” Mr Mumford, the island’s visitor services manager, said. “We need to make sure there are plans for the future in terms of what it’s going to look like and what this means.”

Dark Sky status (地位)would also help Manx Shearwaters, a bird which depends on the darkness to find the direction to South America every year.

“Manx Shearwaters are attracted to man-made light; they can be hurt at this time of year when they’re returning from migration (迁徙), and in September when young birds first fly to South America,” said Nature Scot’s Lesley Watt, a local.

“On that flight, if there are any man-made lights in the village, they could be attracted to those lights instead of reaching the sea for their onward journey. If they do get grounded, they have very little chance of making it out to sea.”

It is also hoped that by achieving Dark Sky Island status, Rum would be able to make use of this chance and bring in visitors.

“Most people aren’t coming to Scotland from October to March, which is the best time to view the night sky,” Mr Mumford said. “This is the perfect chance to help with that. We want to show off what we have here, and the work we’ve put in to protect that. We want to show people what we get to see every day.”

2 . The New Jersey State Botanical (植物学的) Garden (NJBG) is a part of Ringwood State Park, New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, Department of Environmental Protection. It appears on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Membership

It’s easy to join NJBG or renew your membership—or a gift membership—online, by phone or by mail. And it’s very important to the Botanical Garden. Your membership dollars help to protect the Garden, and provide educational activities for the general public. Thank you for your support!

To join or renew, please click on the section below for safe and convenient online payment. If you prefer to join by phone or mail, call the NJBG office at (973)962-9534 to get more information.

Membership Benefits

NJBG is an exciting and beautiful place to visit, with formal gardens, native woodlands, and about 5,000 species and varieties of trees, shrubs and flowers. Your NJBG membership enables you to purchase plants at a reduced price at plant shops.

Join NJBG Today

Renew Membership

3 . Why are you doing this? I often hear that or similar questions. Many people don’t understand why I like travelling by bicycle.     1     But for me, it’s the best way to travel.

When I sit on the bike, I am free and flexible. I can stop at any time to eat or start the stove to enjoy a coffee with breathtaking views. I’m not dependent on bus or train.     2     I come to places I would never have seen. My bike makes it possible for me not to plan beforehand, which leaves space for adventure. Because adventures don’t come around the corner during a planned hotel-vacation.

I am in the nature the whole day. The wind blows across my face.     3     I see monkeys hanging directly above me in the tree, whales swimming along the coast, a bear waving at us and many more animals. Smelling the blackberries, I’m stopping to fill my stomach. In the car, bus or train, I would have missed all of these.

    4     Some long-term cyclists spend 4,000 dollars per year or less. And I spend about 350-450 dollars a month. This is due to two reasons: I have no transport costs. And I also have the freedom of wild camping, during which I can cook for myself. All these factors contribute to a cheap travel.

I could tell hundreds of stories. Because of getting to know so many people, I have experienced a lot. The travel form itself invites many to ask questions. And the best thing about it is that all these stories make me rich. I’m rich in memories, of which I always think with laughter.     5    

4 . The local government of Zibo, East China’s Shandong Province, has issued two open letters in a short time to all citizens, extending its gratitude for their warmth and hospitality toward visitors who have come to enjoy the city’s signature barbecue, which has recently become a hit across the country. Such an unexpected success has shown the city’s spirit of unity and tenacity (坚毅), further boosting its tourism and economic development.

For a long time, Zibo was an average city in almost all aspects on the Chinese scale. However, since early March, Zibo local barbecue has caused a sensation (轰动) online. The little double-layer stove, small pancakes, green onions and sauce became icons among netizen. “Taking the high-speed train to taste barbecue in Zibo” miraculously became a trending hashtag (话题标签) for this non-traditional tourist city.

But how did Zibo rise to fame? This has not been some random coincidence.

First, it comes down to the city government’s ambition, determination and creativity. From July 2022 to February 2023, Zibo organized many trips to the city for university students. Despite reaching peak visitation numbers, there was no sense of panic. Instead, several supportive policies were promptly introduced, such as establishing a “Golden Stove Award”, forming a barbecue association, creating a map of Zibo barbecue restaurants, and launching 21 dedicated tourist routes that go beyond just barbecue. It also organized volunteers to guide tourists and appointed personnel to ensure public safety.

Second, Zibo’s sudden boom in popularity also resulted from the post-pandemic tourism revival China has experienced. The city aims to recover its tourism industry and ensure sustainable growth. To achieve this goal, it has created a welcoming environment with convenient services for young people, particularly university students. For instance, non-local students can enjoy three free stays per year at youth inns, each lasting two nights. The city has also invited students from distinguished universities to visit Zibo for free, signaling its eagerness to attract talented young individuals.

6 . 2 Days Xi’an-Luoyang Tour by Bullet Train

Tour Overview

Xi’an and Luoyang are two of the four most famous ancient capital cities in China. Taking a bullet train from Xi’an, one will arrive in Luoyang in about 2.5 hours.

Day 1: Xi’an-Luoyang by Bullet Train

AM: At around 7:00, a local driver will pick you up from the hotel. Then you’ll transfer to North Xi’an Railway Station for the bullet train to Luoyang. Upon your arrival in Luoyang, you’ll meet a local guide holding a name board.

The guide will lead you to visit the Longmen Grottoes, which is a treasure house of ancient stone-carving artworks. There are over 100 thousand stone statues along the two banks of the Yi River.

PM: After lunch. you will pay a visit to the Museum of Luoyang Eastern Zhou Royal Horse and Chariot Pits. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty is the last slavery dynasty in Chinese history. The last stop is Luoyang Museum which is a historical museum of China and houses over 1,700 cultural and historical relics in 5 showrooms.

Accommodation: Hotel booked by your own

Day 2: Luoyang-Xi’an by Bullet Train

AM: After breakfast on your own, please meet your driver and guide in the hotel at 9:00 and then drive for about 1 hour 20 minutes to Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Martial Arts. Here you will see the Kungfu show performed by Shaolin monks.

PM: Finish the sightseeing, you will take the bullet train back to Xi’ an. Your 2 days Xi’ an-Luoyang tour ends here.

Tour Price Per Person

7 . When I checked into my hotel in Kaanapali, Maui, I was asked what brought me to the island. I told the employees at the front desk that I was writing a story about how to be a respectful tourist in Hawaii. One of the staff members nodded with a significant smile and said he thought tourists really have to be responsible.

What exactly does “responsible” mean? The state’s tourism board has created a program so that it’s easier for tourists to figure it out — and act accordingly. The Malama Hawaii Program is, on its surface, classic voluntourism. Visitors spend a day cleaning a beach, say, in exchange for a free night's stay at their hotel. But there are a number of experiences that focus on cultural stewardship (管理), and it’s that kind of responsibility and respect that Native Hawaiians are increasingly looking for.

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation offers one of these experiences. Tourists can volunteer to help the foundation with its archives (档案). The three-hour experience includes working with staff to describe historical documents and measuring artifacts (手工艺品), and a tailored tour of one of the foundation’s sites or museums.

Kalapana Kollars, the foundation’s cultural programs director, says he is seeing increased interest from tourists in the island’s cultural history. “That doesn’t mean that there aren’t other people that come here just to enjoy the weather,” he says. “But when someone comes through our door to join us here it’s a purposeful search.”

The experience runs just twice a week, which is intentional. Kollars says: “We haven’t scaled up (扩大规模) that much. We like our connection to be really high grade instead of touching a lot of people very lightly.”

Micah Kamohoali’i is a cultural ambassador. For the past 10 years he’s been working with the island's tourism board to better reflect Native Hawaiian culture and traditions.

Since, the tourism board has cooperated with Native Hawaiians to develop the experiences available to visitors and the stories shared. “I think it completely changed the face of our tourism,” Kamohoali’i says. “Now we’re actually proud of it. We can have people learn about our island in a responsible way.”

9 . Four of the Best Autumn Walks in Britain

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London

It houses the widest variety of living plants of any botanic garden (植物园) on the planet, including around 14,000 trees. Every autumn, its woodland delivers an extraordinary view of bright red and yellow as leaves of various trees begin to change. Join a guided trees tour and learn how different trees are dealing with the changing seasons.

Brechfa Forest, Abergorlech

Brechfa Forest covers some 16,000 acres in Carmarthenshire, Wales, making it easy for walkers to enjoy themselves in woodlands transformed (改变) by autumn’s finest colours. Follow the Gorlech Walk, which tracks the river Gorlech and passes Californian redwoods that become a mix of red and purple in November. After your walk, drive to Carmarthen, one of the oldest towns in Wales, for lunch.

Batsford Arboretum, Cotswolds

More than 1,300 different trees and bamboos are showcased at Batsford Arboretum, near the picture-perfect town of Moreton-in-Marsh. This private garden covers 60 acres, providing outstanding colours between late October and November. Highlights include its large areas of leaf shades ranging from red to purple. Pre-booking tickets during autumn is recommended to avoid a large number of visitors.

Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire

There are over 3,800 acres of parkland to explore at Clumber Park, a beautiful place featuring Sherwood Forest that shows different and changing colours in autumn. With over 20 miles of trails (小径), there’s plenty of ground to cover, so consider bringing your bike. Keep an eye out for the park’s birds, which is a main attraction for birdwatchers.