Destinations
Reaching the peak when it comes to great travel experiences
While certain mountains hold more acclaim than others, there are hosts of them out there, and each provides its own experiences and stunning views. Here are some of our favorites that you might like to seek out on your next adventure.

People travel the world to witness and experience a whole host of natural phenomena. Our interests span all four of the elements. We look to the skies to see sunrises, sunsets, comet showers, and (perhaps most famously) the Aurora Borealis. Those of us who are a little braver or perhaps just more fond of adrenaline skydive, bungee jump, and paraglide. When it comes to water, we seek out lagoons, geysers, waterfalls, and seas. We sail across its surfaces on cruise liners, ferries, sailing ships, and speedboats. For more direct contact with the water, we dive into it on paddle boards, surfboards, and to swim. Though we are a little more wary of fire, hundreds of thousands of us still travel seeking volcanos and landscapes filled with bubbling molten lava. Now, earth may well seem like the dullest of the elements. We’re in contact with it on a day to day basis while we’re at home. Surely ground is ground, and you don’t have to travel very far to see that.
But, you’re forgetting one key part of our planet formed of earth and rock that can provide us with profound experiences: mountains. While certain mountains hold more acclaim than others, there are hosts of them out there, and each provides its own experiences and stunning views. Here are some of our favorites that you might like to seek out on your next adventure.
Mount Everest, Himalayas
Mount Everest is commonly acknowledged as the most famous mountain in the world and for good reason! It’s the highest mountain with its peak nearing 30,000 feet. It’s not surprising that it attracts some of the world’s most accomplished climbers. After all, if you want to prove your skill, there’s no better place to do it than here. Now, we wouldn’t recommend that anyone attempts to climb any portion of any mountain without being fully aware of the risks and the tasks that lie ahead of them.
But when it comes to Everest, over 290 people have died attempting to reach its peak and the last year when no fatalities were recorded was 1975. So, leave the climbing to the professionals and enjoy the scenery instead. Believe it or not, Everest is host to plenty of enjoyable opportunities for those who aren’t interested in long hikes. Why not book an Everest Flight which will take you over the mountains, allowing you to see the beauty of this natural landscape from the comfort of your plane seat? You could also visit the Shigatse valley at Everest’s base. This is filled with small villages where you can visit ancient ruins and wonderful markets.
Mount Bromo, Surabaya
Mount Bromo is a lot less well known than Everest, but this merely means that you won’t have to share it with quite so many other tourists. Located in East Java, it forms a part of the Tengerr Massif, and though it may not be the largest of the mountains in the area, it often proves the most popular. Technically speaking, it is an active volcano, but not to worry. Its activity is monitored, and warnings are issued if any potential dangers lie ahead. What is perhaps most unique about Mount Bromo is its unique location. It lies amongst vast plains! These are locally termed the “Sea of Sands”.
A great time to visit is during the Hindu Festival of Yadnya Kasada. On the fourteenth day of this celebration, the Tenggerese people of Probolinggo travel up Mount Bromo to make offerings of fruit, rice, vegetables, and flowers to the mountain gods. These wares are tossed into the volcano’s caldera.
Make your stay as comfortable as possible by immersing yourself in the local culture. Accommodation can be found at rumahdijual.com/surabaya/perumahan-murah. You can then try out local cuisine at nearby restaurants and take in the rest of beautiful Surabaya at ease.
Mount Fuji, Tokyo
If you’re going to be spending any time in Japan in the near future, you have to make sure to spare sufficient time to spend at least one whole day at Mount Fuji. Located on Honshu Island, this is Japan’s grandest offering at over 10,000 feet high. Again, this mountain has an active volcano (this time a stratovolcano), but it was last recorded as erupting between 1707 and 1708. If you are staying in Tokyo, this mountain can actually be seen from the city on a clear day. It’s only around 100km out of town, so can easily be accessed by public transport. So, what can you do once you actually arrive there? Besides gazing in wonder at the wonderfully symmetrical mountain’s snow-topped cap, you can visit one of the 25 different UNESCO heritage sites of cultural interest.
Perhaps top of the list to visit is the Fujisan Sengen Shrine in Fujinomiya City. This lies in the Southwestern foothills of the mountain and has become the head shrine of over 1300 Sengen and Asama shrines that have been built nationwide. This is the traditional shrine from which climbers begin their ascent of Mount Fuji, so is an ideal place to pay homage, whether you intend to climb the mountain or not.
There are numerous forests, waterfalls, and lakes nearby, so natural beauty doesn’t stop with the mountain itself. If you fancy taking a step back and seeing the mountain from a distance, visit the Iwamotoyama Park. This spot is perfect for taking photos of the mountain at large while having a relaxing rest stop.
These are just three beautiful mountains that the world has to offer. Remember that there are at least 109 mountains out there with elevations greater than 23,000 feet. So the world is quite literally your oyster if you’re planning travel around seeing some of these great Earthly giants. Just remember to always do your research. If you’re not going to be climbing the mountains yourself, you still want to ensure that there are plenty of other activities around to engage with and alternative sights to see.
Travel
15 Facts you may not know about Emirates A380
To celebrate 15 years of the Emirates A380, below are 15 fun facts about the remarkable aircraft that you may not know.

This year sees Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, celebrating 15 years of operating the Airbus A380. Operating to 50 destinations* worldwide, Emirates is the largest carrier of this iconic aircraft, with a total of 116 of the aircraft in its fleet.
To celebrate 15 years of the Emirates A380, below are 15 fun facts about the remarkable aircraft that you may not know:
- Making History: When the A380 first began flying in 2008 many airports had to overhaul their runways and air bridge to accommodate, as the aircraft can weigh up to 575 tonnes – equivalent to two and a half times the weight of New York’s Statue of Liberty.
- Largest Ever Capacity: With space for as many as 615 passengers in a two-class configuration, the A380 is the largest passenger aircraft ever made, with over 550 square meters of usable floor space across two full-length decks. There up to 24 Emirates crew on every A380 flight
- Widebody Wings: The A380’s wingspan is a whopping 79.8 metres – which is as wide as 32 double-decker buses or an Olympic size swimming pool.
- First Class Luxury: The A380 also offers some of the world’s best in-flight experiences, with signature amenities in First Class such as the Shower Spa, which features Emirates Private Collection Bvlgari amenity kits.
- Suite Deal: There are 14 fully-enclosed Private Suites available in the A380’s First Class, where guests can enjoy an experience that gets as close as it comes to having their own private jet. You can select your own meal and bedtimes, with fine dining at any time. A short walk away is the on-board Shower Spa, as well as the ultimate Onboard Lounge.
- High-End Gastronomy: 1,800 chefs create more than 12,000 recipes a year to cater for Emirates’ fleet including the A380, catering for more than 43 million dine-in guests travelling on flights every year.
- Tasting the Stars: Emirates is the only commercial airline in the world officially serving Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon onboard, with exclusive agreements in place until 2024. Moët Hennessy Champagnes have been available for Emirates passengers onboard for over 30 years, with First Class guests enjoying unlimited champagne and caviar during their flight.
- Shortest and Longest: With a flight duration of under 2 hours 50 mins each way, the shortest route on the Emirates A380 is Dubai to Jeddah. The longest Emirates A380 route meanwhile is Dubai-Auckland, with an estimated flight time of over 17 hours.
- A Whole Lot of Luggage: The Emirates A380 can carry up to 20,000 kilograms in baggage allowance. The A380’s vast cargo capacity also means the aircraft carry a host of items for export including flowers, fresh meat and fish, luxury goods, and pharmaceuticals.
- Entertainment for Hours: Emirates’ award-winning ice inflight entertainment system allows passengers to choose from 6,500 channels of movies, TV shows, live sports and breaking news, alongside in-flight Wi-Fi. Films available on ice that were released when Emirates first launched the A380 in 2008 include The Dark Knight, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Mamma Mia!.
- In It For The Long Haul: The A380 is one of the longest-range aircraft in the world, capable of flying distances of up to 15,000 kilometres between take-off and landing.
- With a cruising altitude of 43,100 feet, the A380 flies at over 15 times the height of the world’s tallest freestanding building, the Burj Khalifa and over 42,000ft above The Shard. The vertical tail fin stands at an impressive 24m tall, capturing attention wherever it goes.
- The Emirates A380 is typically powered by four Engine Alliance GP72000 engines, with the over 290,000 lb of take-off thrust across the wing providing the horsepower equivalent of around 2,600 cars at 110hp each.
- Each wheel from the 22 that make up the A380’s full landing gear supports around 26 tonnes of weight, equivalent to just over one and a half fully loaded articulated trucks. These allow it to complete a 180-degree turn within a width of 56.6m.
- Overhauling: Emirates is in the process of carrying out a US$2 billion retrofit program, fully refreshing cabins across 67 A380s to include the latest products and interiors across all cabins, including new Premium Economy seats. There is also a new livery, which was unveiled on the first A380 in March 2023. It takes over 4,000 litres of paint to cover the entire 38,000sq ft surface of the aircraft.
Filipino customers flying through Emirates’ global hub in Dubai and beyond* can experience all that the iconic Emirates A380 has to offer, from the world-class customer service to in-flight features that continue to redefine luxury air travel as we know it.
To book a flight, visit http://www.emirates.com/ph/english/.
Travel
Synchronizing your internal clocks may help mitigate jet lag, effects of aging
Having a larger meal in the early morning of the new time zone can help overcome jet lag. Constantly shifting meal schedules or having a meal at night is discouraged, as it can lead to misalignment between internal clocks.

Traveling to faraway places is a great way to seek out new experiences, but jet lag can be an unpleasant side effect. Adjusting to a new time zone is often accompanied by fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and a host of other problems that can turn an otherwise exciting adventure into a miserable trip.
Jet lag is caused by a difference between the circadian system — the body’s internal clock — and the surrounding environment. Around the turn of the century, scientists began to recognize that the body has multiple internal clocks, calibrated in different ways, and that jet lag-like symptoms can result when these clocks drift out of sync with each other. This can happen in several ways and grows more prevalent with age.
In Chaos, from AIP Publishing, a team of scientists from Northwestern University and the Santa Fe Institute developed a theoretical model to study the interactions between multiple internal clocks under the effects of aging and disruptions like jet lag.
Modern research has shown that circadian clocks are present in almost every cell and tissue in the body. Each relies on its own set of cues to calibrate; the brain’s clock depends on sunlight, for instance, while the peripheral organs calibrate at mealtime.
“Conflicting signals, such as warm weather during a short photoperiod or nighttime eating — eating when your brain is about to rest — can confuse internal clocks and cause desynchrony,” said author Yitong Huang.
At this point, little is known about how the body’s various internal clocks affect each other. The added complexity of accounting for multiple clocks means researchers tend to use simplified models.
“Most studies primarily focus on one particular time cue or a single clock,” said Huang. “Important gaps remain in our understanding of the synchronization of multiple clocks under conflicting time cues.”
Huang and her colleagues took a different approach, building a mathematical framework that accounts for this complex interplay between systems. Their model features two populations of coupled oscillators that mimic the natural rhythms of circadian cycles. Each oscillator influences the others while simultaneously adjusting based on unique external cues.
Using this model, the team was able to explore how such a coupled system could be disrupted and what makes the effect worse. They found that common symptoms of aging, such as weaker signals between circadian clocks and a lower sensitivity to light, result in a system that is more vulnerable to disruptions and slower to recover.
They also landed on a new method to speed up recovery from jet lag and similar disruptions. According to their results, the way to better sleep is through the stomach.
“Having a larger meal in the early morning of the new time zone can help overcome jet lag,” says Huang. “Constantly shifting meal schedules or having a meal at night is discouraged, as it can lead to misalignment between internal clocks.”
The article, “A minimal model of peripheral clocks reveals differential circadian re-entrainment in aging,” is authored by Yitong Huang, Yuanzhao Zhang, and Rosemary Braun. It appeared in Chaos.
Destinations
PH’s Hot Air Balloon Festival to stage comeback in New Clark City in 2024
The Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF), the country’s only airshow experience, will officially be back in the skies from February 16-18, 2024 (Friday-Sunday). The three-day event will be held at a new venue: New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

The Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF), the country’s only airshow experience, will officially be back in the skies from February 16-18, 2024 (Friday-Sunday). The three-day event will be held at a new venue: New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
After a three-year hiatus, “A Weekend of Everything that Flies” will once again give families, friends, and aviation enthusiasts a chance to witness non-stop flying exhibitions from regular and special-shaped hot air balloons, helicopters, skydivers, paragliders, radio-controlled aircraft, kites, and drones, all in one venue.
Attendees can also look forward to different enjoyable and educational activities through aviation career seminars, fly markets, food booths and family entertainment. Evenings will be capped off by a magical hot air balloon night glow and concerts. According to Capt. Joy Roa, Event Director of the PIHABF, “Since restrictions have been lifted, we now have a chance to gather families and friends for a meaningful event. By inviting aviators from all over the world to participate in the flying exhibitions, we continue to share with everyone a real airshow experience, just as we have done for over two decades.”
The 24th rendition of the PIHABF will take place in New Clark City, a sports hub founded by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which features a 20,000-seater Athletics Stadium, aquatics center and various open grounds. The PIHABF has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with BCDA for New Clark City to host the airshow event for 2024. The MOA was signed by Capt. Joy Roa, Event Director of the PIHABF, and Engr. Joshua Bingcang, President and Chief Executive Officer of BCDA. “We are thrilled to welcome the PIHABF to New Clark City, their new home. This modern-day festival, which brings joy to the young and old, deserves to be celebrated at the world-class facilities of New Clark City that are comfortable, spacious, and convenient for eventgoers,” says BCDA PCEO Engr. Joshua Bingcang. “We hope this partnership is just the start of many more events in the coming years.”
The event is in partnership with Clark Development Corporation, and the Provincial Government of Tarlac. Governor Susan Yap shares the same enthusiasm for the event, “The province of Tarlac welcomes the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, which, for more than 20 years, has consistently staged a highly entertaining and educational aviation event, bringing a lot of tourism and business opportunities in this part of Central Luzon.”
For more than two decades, the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, known as “A Weekend of Everything that Flies,” has been the most highly anticipated and longest-running sports aviation event in Asia. Over the years, it has stayed true to its longtime objectives: to spark interest in aviation; to instill discipline in young pilots; and to impart a spirit of volunteerism to the whole community.
For tickets and up-to-date information about the event, follow PIHABF’s official social media channels: Facebook – www.facebook.com/pihabf, Instagram – @philballoonfest, TikTok – @philballoonfiesta. Watch the teaser video here: https://fb.watch/mBo_XAOdbP/.
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