Editor’s note: subscribe to Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get destination news, plus the latest on aviation, food and drink, and where to stay.
CNN
—
In travel news this week: the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, why you shouldn't gift-wrap meth, plus infrastructure megaprojects around the world.
Crowd of bridges and tunnels
Many international infrastructure projects have been in the news this week, with a strong focus on digging.
Busy beavers and happy moles discuss revamped plans for a A $20 trillion transatlantic tunnel this could theoretically connect London and New York in just an hour using vacuum tube technology. That's 3,000 miles of excavation, which Newsweek estimates could take the better part of a millennium if construction proceeded at the same pace as Europe's Channel Tunnel.
As part of projects that are coming to fruition, Norway inaugurated its project last month Rogfast Projectwhich promises to be the longest and deepest underwater road tunnel in the world. Elsewhere in Northern Europe, the longest road and rail tunnel in the world, the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel between Denmark and Germany, is expected to open in 2029.
Southern Europe does not hesitate to launch one or two projects either. Construction of a new bridge The connection between Greece and Turkey could be about to start, the Greek journalist said on Friday.
Near the western edge of Europe, the United Kingdom is building one of the world's most expensive rail projects, known as HS2 (High Speed 2), which is now costing very Dear. $416 million per mile. However, many people think that there is no point in doing this.
It comes a few years after the UK resurfaced plans for what would have been one of the most ambitious bridges in the worldconnecting Great Britain and Ireland. It only had to cross a 19 kilometer stretch, but the waters were deep enough to submerge the Eiffel Tower. Then there was the issue of all the radioactive waste and unexploded ordnance. Unsurprisingly, the plans were abandoned.
A renowned musician who performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was forced to cancel a concert this week after Air Canada refused to give approval. cello worth several million dollars a seat on the plane.
For others, the problems only start at the baggage carousel, although progress has been made to alleviate some of it. United Airlines rolled out a new way to track lost luggage with AirTags, users can share location information directly with the airline. Other carriers, including Delta, Lufthansa and Qantas, are expected to follow suit.
Finally, Japan Airlines announced a baggage delivery service for travelers that will allow luggage to be dropped off at customers' hotels for a fee. The idea is to reduce overpopulation on public transport in Tokyo.
It's always a bad idea to put wrapped Christmas presents in your plane luggage: if they raise concerns about airport security, they risk being unwrapped.
It's an even worse idea when the “gifts” are actually 10 kilos of methamphetamineas happened at a New Zealand airport this week.
This Christmas we hope that your holiday will not be criminal, but happy – like the American Jennea and the Dutch Arthur.
Jennea's flight from Mozambique was delayed and she missed her train from London to see her loved ones for Christmas. Then she met her future husband on the platform.
If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself similarly in the winter cold this holiday season, but without the comfort of a loving hand to hold, you can always console yourself with a pair of heated gloves.
Our partners at CNN Underscored, a CNN-owned product ratings and recommendations guide, have tried and tested the best on the market.
Take a ride on a 250 km/h sleeper train to Hong Kong
Hong Kong's new high-speed sleeper trains launched in summer 2024. CNN rode the new 250 km/h service from Beijing.
A photo of a stuck squirrel has won the 2024 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
Let's hope it doesn't work out nut with the winnings.
A Bitcoin millionaire hid $2 million worth of treasure in the United States.
Here is how to find it.
A law change in 2022 has made it easier for Venice pickpockets to steal.
Meet the 58-year-old whose mission is to track them down.
In China, people hire “climbing buddies” for big money.
The more attractive they are, the more the higher the price.
