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Location, Location, Location host loses both parents in tragic accident

<p>In heart-wrenching news has shaken the world of television, beloved <em>Location, Location, Location </em>host Phil Spencer has spoken out about the devastating loss of his parents in a tragic accident on their family farm.</p> <p>Spencer paid a somber tribute to his father Richard, known affectionately as David, aged 89, and his mother Anne, 82, who were both tragically lost.</p> <p>In a poignant display of love, Phil, now 53, shared an image of the couple and wrote: "Very sadly both of my amazing parents died on Friday.</p> <p>"As a family we are all trying to hold onto the fact Mum and Dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. Which is a blessing in itself."</p> <p>Spencer went on to disclose the harrowing details surrounding the accident, giving a glimpse into the tragic events that unfolded on that fateful day: "The car, going very slowly, toppled over a bridge on the farm drive, upside down into the river. There were no physical injuries and I very much doubt they would have even fought it - they would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away.</p> <p>Spencer acknowledged the heroic efforts of his brother, who valiantly attempted to save their parents in the aftermath of the crash.</p> <p>"As many farmers do - my brother had a penknife and so was able to cut the seat belts - he pulled them out of the river but they never regained consciousness.</p> <p>"Although desperately sad and shocked beyond all belief - all family are clear that if there can ever be such a thing as having a 'good end' - this was it."</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Spencer also recalled a poignant conversation he had with his mother, a conversation now weighed down by the melancholy of hindsight: "Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch), Mums Parkinson's and Dads Dementia had been worsening and the long term future was set to be a challenge.</span></p> <p>"So much so that Mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking 'now it looks like we will probably go together'. And so they did."</p> <p>As he concluded his heartfelt statement, Spencer mused on the overwhelming nature of their passing, acknowledging the future comfort that might come from the knowledge that they departed from a place they held dear.</p> <p>"It feels horrendous right now, but after almost 60 years of marriage - to die together on the farm they so loved will, I know, be a comfort in the future.</p> <p>"Mum Dad are together which is precisely where they would have wanted to be. ❤️"</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwKpOWJr4Wj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwKpOWJr4Wj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Phil Spencer (@philspencertv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Kirstie Allsopp, Phil's co-host on <em>Location, Location, Location</em>, a dear friend, was among the first to respond, her words echoing the collective grief felt by many: "Such a brave and loving statement and so typical of you &amp; your lovely family. So many people have you all in their thoughts and prayers. xxx"</p> <p>Tragically, David and Anne were en route to a local pub for lunch when their car veered off the access road, plunging into a shallow river on their estate.</p> <p>Emergency services, fire brigade and police attended the scene, and an air ambulance landing nearby at the Littlebourne farm in Kent.</p> <p>Despite efforts to save them, Richard succumbed at the hospital, with Anne following suit shortly thereafter.</p> <p>Kirstie reflected: “I’ve spoken to Phil and it’s tragic for the Spencer family, but his parents were together and that’s something that is a great source of solace to them all.</p> <p>“The family is very loving and close. There are four children, Phil, Robert, Caryn and Helen, and they had eight grandchildren.</p> <p>“This is awful for all of the family, but they were together at the end and they were lovely people."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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5 memorable locations from ‘80s films to check out

<p>Everyone loves a good movie, and everyone loves a holiday, so what do you get when you combine the two? The time of your life! </p> <p>It’s widely known that the ‘80s spawned a whole host of films that went on to become cult classics - from the likes of <em>Heathers </em>to <em>Footloose</em>, <em>Dirty Dancing</em>, and <em>The Terminator</em> - and forged the way for cultural changes that ring true decades later. </p> <p>But did you also know that for many of these iconic films, real-life locations served as the inspiration for many memorable scenes? </p> <p>And while some may have changed slightly in the years since cast and crew flocked to them, some are like stepping into a time capsule - or a stage for you to re-enact the films as you see fit. </p> <p><strong>Lake Lure, North Carolina - Dirty Dancing (1987)</strong></p> <p>Anyone who’s seen<em> Dirty Dancing</em> can tell you that ‘the lift scene’ is one of the film’s most iconic moments. And it - along with a few others from the film - were filmed in North Carolina’s very own Lake Lure. And with the spot boasting its very own Lake Lure Inn & Spa - where, coincidentally, the movie’s stars stayed while working on the project - it could be the perfect getaway location for your next holiday. </p> <p><strong>Guesthouse International Hotel, California - <em>National Lampoon Vacation</em> (1983) </strong></p> <p>For those embarking on their very own<em> National Lampoon Vacation</em>, you’re in luck - the hexagonal pool is near exactly the same as it was when Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold enjoyed a nighttime swim with Christie Brinkley’s The Girl in the Ferrari. </p> <p><strong>New York Public Library, New York - <em>Ghostbusters </em>(1984)</strong></p> <p>The 1984 film sparked an entire host of sequels, games, parodies, and conventions for avid fans across the globe - as well as one incredibly catchy song. However, for those that would like to go above and beyond just calling their friendly neighbourhood ghostbusters, the  New York Public Library’s flagship Stephen A Schwarzman building is the spot where the team had their very first encounter with the film’s ghosts. </p> <p><strong>Griffith Observatory, California - <em>The Terminator</em> (1984)</strong></p> <p>Fans of<em> The Terminator </em>should immediately recognise this site as the one where Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator arrived in the nude, and basked in the glory of LA at night. It’s a popular location, and while a must-see for fans of the film, it also makes for a good afternoon out - the observatory itself boasts free entry, stunning views, and a range of fascinating exhibits inside to entertain the keen mind. </p> <p><strong>The Grand Hotel, Michigan - <em>Somewhere in Time </em>(1980)</strong></p> <p>The Grand Hotel was the primary location for romantic drama <em>Somewhere in Time</em>, and they’re proud of it. In fact, a poster for the film is reportedly even still on display there, and hosts weekends of celebration for the 1980 hit, too. </p> <p>The island the hotel is set on doesn’t allow cars, so anyone hoping to throw themselves back in time and fully immerse themselves in a ‘different world’, this National Historic Landmark may be just the place to do it. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty, Booking.net</em></p>

Movies

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Fresh location being searched in Maddy McCann case

<p>Portuguese police have revealed they will resume the search for missing toddler Madeleine McCann who disappeared in the country’s Algarve region in 2007.</p> <p>Portugal’s Judicial police released a statement confirming local media reports that they would conduct the search at the request of the German authorities and in the presence of British officials.</p> <p>A spokesperson from the fire brigade said police were preparing to start searches at a dam in the southern region of Algarve about 50km inland from a beach resort where Madeleine disappeared from a rented apartment while on a family holiday.</p> <p>On May 22, Reuters TV footage showed police erecting tents and cordons in the area by the Arade dam, roughly 50km from Praia da Luza, where the three-year-old was last seen alive.</p> <p>Portugal’s investigative Judicial Police overseeing the operation declined to comment.</p> <p>Another source familiar with the investigation was not confident there would be a breakthrough, saying, “It will come to nothing”.</p> <p>In mid-2020, German police jailed German citizen Christian Brueckner, a 45-year-old convicted child abuser and drug dealer who was in the Algarve in 2007, for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same area of the Algarve where Madeleine went missing. He was identified as a suspect in Madeline’s disappearance but has denied any involvement.</p> <p>Brueckner remains under investigation on suspicion of murder in the McCann case but hasn’t been charged.</p> <p>German police said in June 2020 that Madeleine was assumed dead and that Brueckner was likely responsible for it.</p> <p>In April, a German court dismissed additional charges against him related to other Portuguese child rape and sexual assault cases that led to German prosecutors no longer having jurisdiction to investigate the McCann case.</p> <p>Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann were questioned by Portuguese police as formal suspects in 2007 but ruled them out the following year due to lack of evidence that cleared them of any involvement.</p> <p>The parents continue to campaign to attract attention to their daughter’s disappearance, and British public figures from business tycoons to authors and soccer stars have made appeals for information.</p> <p>Rewards for finding Madeleine have reached several million dollars.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

News

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Lynette Dawson's body: the location and the obstacles

<p>Police believe they know the location of Lynette Dawson's body, but say “there is no possible way to search” the area. </p> <p>Earlier this week, Justice Ian Harrison SC found former teacher and rugby league player Chris Dawson <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/stunning-chris-dawson-verdict-handed-down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guilty of the murder of his wife</a> Lynette in 1982.</p> <p>The 33-year-old nurse was last seen on Friday January 8th, 1982, when she spoke to her mother on the phone. </p> <p>She was never seen or heard from again, and her body was never found.</p> <p>Now, police believe her remains are somewhere in the Central Coast region, just north of Sydney. </p> <p>Chris and Lynette lived together in Bayview Heights after they got married, on Sydney’s northern beaches, within easy reach of the Central Coast.</p> <p>Police dug up that property but Ms Dawson’s remains were not found.</p> <p>“There was the theory that he travelled to the Central Coast on January 9th,” a police source told The <a title="www.dailytelegraph.com.au" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-nsw/detectives-who-investigated-lynette-dawson-case-believe-they-know-where-the-body-is-buried/news-story/50416949f5697b44a971633719782bec" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="50416949f5697b44a971633719782bec" data-tgev-label="truecrimeaustralia" data-tgev-metric="ev">Daily Telegraph</a>. </p> <p>However, the police said there was no evidence that suggested the body was in any particular location of  the Central Coast, which is around 550 square kilometres in size. </p> <p>“The problem is that there is a lot of regional bush area between their home and when he went up the coast.</p> <p>“There is no possible way to search it, it’s so vast,” the source said.</p> <p>In his marathon five-hour judgment, Justice Harrison said that Dawson had ample time to dispose of his wife’s body as his children were staying with a friend on January 9th. </p> <p>No one can vouch for his whereabouts during that time. </p> <p>“The Crown case is that (Dawson) used that time to dispose of the body,” Justice Harrison said.</p> <div data-type="factbox" data-id="1661757855704"> </div> <p>Without Dawson himself giving up her resting place, police are doubtful they will be able to find Ms Dawson’s remains. </p> <p>The family of Ms Dawson are losing faith that her body will be found. </p> <p>“This is a milestone in our journey, however she is still missing,” Lynette’s brother Greg Simms told reporters outside court.</p> <p>“We would ask Chris Dawson to find it in himself to do the decent thing and allow us to put Lyn to rest.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC</em></p>

Legal

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A regal tour like no other: New Zealand locations with a nod to royalty

<p dir="ltr">From Queen streets and Queen’s parks to the entire town of Queenstown (which was named after Queen Victoria), there are a host of spots named after New Zealand’s head of state that deserve a look-see on your next visit.</p> <p dir="ltr">It isn’t just the Queen who has a Kiwi namesake either, with Albert Town, near Wānaka, named after Queen Victoria’s husband and the town of Alexandra being named after her daughter-in-law.</p> <p dir="ltr">But many of these date all the way back to the Victorian era and places named after the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, are more select.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/queens-birthday-new-zealand-locations-with-a-nod-to-royalty/R7YE2WY5GEJYJEBGTY56HWMTAM/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>, this list of royally-inspired locations has dwindled to make way for new developments and because of natural disasters.</p> <p dir="ltr">Of those that remain, here’s a list of spots well-worth visiting.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Parks galore</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth has been the inspiration for two parks that should be on your royal travel bucket list: one in Masterton and the other on the Kāpiti Coast.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c7292c66-7fff-061e-67b9-758100f34854"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Stretching over 638 hectares, Queen Elizabeth Park on the Kāpiti Coast was opened by the monarch during her first royal visit, months after her coronation in 1953. It boasts a vast expanse of beaches, dunes, wetland and farmland, includes a large holiday park and an ancient pā site (a Māori hill fort).</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/qeii-park.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Queen Elizabeth Park features beaches, wetlands, and more, spread across 638 hectares. Image: Greater Wellington Regional Council</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0fb5a92a-7fff-22d1-49f4-03928b8c8d60"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Masterton’s Queen Elizabeth Park, on the other hand, was founded during Queen Victoria’s reign and later renamed. The park is known as one of the best and most child-friendly parks in the country, with a castle-like playground, flying fox, BMX track, steam-powered miniature train and pedal-boat rides on the lake. It also includes a deer enclosure accessed by a swing bridge across the Waipoua River.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/qeii-park2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Masterton’s park boasts one of the country’s most child-friendly parks, and even houses an deer enclosure.Image: Destination Wairarapa</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Recreation and sports</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">After Christchurch’s Queen Elizabeth II park - built to host the 1974 Commonwealth Games - had its stadium and pool complex damaged in the 2011 earthquake, the Taiora QEII Recreation and Sports Centre was built in its stead.</p> <p dir="ltr">The big draw for the park is its aquatic centre, with its hydroslide for big kids and its play pool for tiny swimmers, and its spa, sauna and steam room.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-60a61d2b-7fff-3d12-9e13-44cf67d0c24e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Destination Wairarapa / Getty Images</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Targeting shooters: technology that can isolate the location of gunshots

<p>Inexpensive microphone arrays deployed in urban settings can be used to pinpoint the location of gunshots and help police respond instantly to the scene of crimes, scientists say.</p> <p>The process works by recognising that a gunshot produces two distinct sounds: the muzzle blast, and the supersonic shockwave that follows it. Luisa Still of Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Germany, told a meeting of the <a href="https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Acoustical Society of America in Denver, Colorado</a>, this week that by using those two signals – in a process akin to that by which seismologists track seismic waves from earthquakes – police departments armed with the right equipment could pinpoint the location of the shot within seconds.</p> <p>It’s not as straightforward as it sounds. In an urban environment, buildings and other structures can reflect, refract or absorb sound waves, causing the sounds of the shot to come at the microphones from any number of directions.</p> <p>But it turns out, Still says, that it only takes two such sensor arrays to locate the source of a gunshot — and a good computer can do so very quickly.</p> <p>In tests, her team began on a rifle range, where they confirmed that a pair of such microphone arrays could indeed determine the location of the shooter to a high degree of accuracy.</p> <p>They then moved to an urban environment, where they repeated the experiment, though in this case the shooter was replaced with a propane gas cannon of the type used by farmers to scare away crop-eating birds.</p> <p>Again, two microphone arrays were all that were needed to zero in on the source of the “shot”.</p> <p>Not that this can work anywhere, any time. Still’s signal-location algorithms require maps of the surrounding buildings, the walls of which might affect the sound and, in extreme cases, create “blind spots” if microphone arrays aren’t properly deployed.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p192812-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p>She also notes that research is ongoing as to whether it is better to put microphones at ground level or atop neighbouring buildings. There’s also continuing research around how many might be needed in complex urban cores, where there are a lot of buildings of varying height and echo patterns can become very convoluted. “We still need to evaluate [that],” she says.</p> <p>There’s also the need to weed out noises that sound like gunshots, such as firecrackers, car-engine backfires and anything else that makes a sudden bang. “We are working on classification methods,” Still says, noting that these involve computerised “deep learning” methods that can be trained to distinguish such sounds.</p> <p>Could similar sensors be deployed within a school building in order to locate a school shooter even more quickly that is currently possible? Still was asked. </p> <p>“Oh, yeah,” she said. “I think that would be applicable.” Though she noted that it might also be acoustically “very challenging” to put into practice.</p> <p>Later that same day, 19 school children and two adults were killed in Uvalde, Texas, in America’s worst grade-school shooting in nearly a decade.  </p> <p>Would the death toll have been lower if gunshot sensors such as Still’s were widely deployed? Who knows? But it was one of the most stunningly prescient scientific presentations imaginable, because she spoke less than an hour before the Uvalde gunman opened fire. It was far too late for her research to be able to deflect the tragedy that was about to unfold, but close enough to it to underscore the urgency of what she was doing.</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=192812&amp;title=Targeting+shooters%3A+technology+that+can+isolate+the+location+of+gunshots" width="1" height="1" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/technology-isolate-location-gunshots/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/richard-a-lovett" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richard A Lovett</a>. Richard A Lovett is a Portland, Oregon-based science writer and science fiction author. He is a frequent contributor to Cosmos.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Technology

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8 spooky real life horror movie locations

<p><span>You’ve watched these creepy flicks from the comfort of your couch, but would you have the guts to visit the filming locations in real life?</span></p> <p><strong>Camp No Be Bo Sco, Blairstown, New Jersey, from <em>Friday The 13th</em></strong></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844829/horror-spot1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3d2ff623ee7f4d9e99d53fe9e7f4645f" /></p> <p><em>Image: <span>Enzo Arcamone/Wikimedia Commons</span></em></p> <p><span>Well, what do you know? The kids’ summer camp terrorised by Mrs Vorhees in one of the most iconic horror movies of all time – and then her son, Jason, in umpteen sequels – actually exists. And it actually offers a summer camp program. For kids. Kind of boggles the mind, doesn’t it? The only real difference is that the creepy camp known in the movies as Camp Crystal Lake is actually called Camp No Be Bo Sco. And, of course, it isn’t the location of countless murders. It’s a good thing most of the kids that go to the camp aren’t old enough to have watched </span><em>Friday The 13th</em><span> or any of its sequels. Makes you wonder about the parents though.</span></p> <p><strong>Seneca Creek State Park, Maryland – <em>Blair Witch Project</em></strong></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844830/horror-spot2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3c329314a1ac40bf8cbbb254309578b1" /></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><span>Ever since the release of this now infamous “found footage” horror movie, tourists have flocked to the small town of Burkittsville, Maryland in search of the fabled Blair Witch. For an authentic experience, however, you should travel about 60 kilometres south of the small town to Seneca Creek State Park – that’s where most of the movie was actually filmed. Considering Burkittsville has a population of just 200 people, and probably not much of a night life, getting lost in the woods might just be the best way to spend your time anyway. If you do decide to pitch a tent and spend the night in the woods, make sure to wear bright clothes and watch out for hunters – the type that shoot deer, not the type that ritualistically murder you in the basement of abandoned houses.</span></p> <p><strong>Toms River, New Jersey – <em>Amityville Horror</em> house</strong></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844831/horror-spot3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ce24cea19367413998741acc6e7874af" /></p> <p><em>Image: <span>Seulatr/Wikimedia Commons</span></em></p> <p><span>It’s a true story: a man killed five members of his family before killing himself in his home. About a year later, the home’s new inhabitants claimed to be terrorised by ghosts, inspiring </span><em>The Amityville Horror</em><span>. The movie, however, was not actually filmed in the supposedly haunted house in Amityville, New York. Presumably looking to avoid shelling out money to otherworldly extras, </span><em>The Amityville Horror</em><span> was actually shot at a non-haunted home in Toms River, New Jersey. It makes sense. The Amityville home – a former crime scene – is one scary spot you might genuinely want to avoid.</span></p> <p><strong>Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood, Oregon – <em>The Shining</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844832/horror-spot4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/56941ce8f3474375b477b365425a99d2" /></em></strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><span>All work and no play making you, well, ready for a holiday? Why not visit the Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon? The now notorious hotel – known in Stanley Kubrick’s </span><em>The Shining</em><span> as The Overlook Hotel – is a favourite destination among horror movie fans hoping to catch a glimpse of ghostly twins or get lost in a hedge maze. Movie buffs should note, however, that the hotel was only actually used for some exterior shots in the movie. The rest was filmed at a studio. And Stephen King, author of the book that inspired the movie, actually pictured a different hotel when he wrote his spooky story: The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.</span></p> <p><strong>“The Exorcist Steps,” Washington, D.C.</strong></p> <p><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844833/horror-spot5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0c9d32e142da4d8db0ad7d280734a2f0" /></strong></p> <p><span><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></span></p> <p><span>Think it’s hard enough to get through </span><em>The Exorcist</em><span> with your eyes open? Try living in the neighbourhood where the movie many consider to be the “scariest of all time” was filmed. The house itself actually exists in a regular neighbourhood just steps from Georgetown University, but it isn’t quite as seen in the movie. For one thing, you won’t be able to see the window into Regan MacNeil’s room, where the possessed little girl famously terrorised her visitors – the interior of the house was actually filmed in a studio. Nearby, you’ll also find the stone steps down which Father Damien Karras plunged in a bid to purge the demon from his body. On October 30, 2015, the steps were graced with a plaque in honour of the location’s legendary status among horror movie buffs.</span></p> <p><strong>Monroeville Mall, Pennsylvania – <em>Dawn of the Dead</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844834/horror-spot6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ced6a8eea24b4290ba121d1b5afc5e57" /></em></strong></p> <p><span><em>Image: Daveynin/Wikimedia Commons</em></span></p> <p><span>It’s a mall that inspired a mega-horror hit. While walking through the Monroeville Mall – one of the biggest of its kind at the time – horror movie legend George A. Romero supposedly came up with the idea to pit humans against zombies in this temple of consumerism. Production of </span><em>Dawn of the Dead</em><span> took place in the mall, during closing hours, in the winter of 1977. One can only imagine what shoppers must have thought about all the fake blood-soaked rags and severed limbs stuffed in the garbage cans. The actual mall is now home to stores like Macy’s, American Eagle and Forever 21, but it pays homage to its role in horror movie history with annual zombie-themed events – including the occasional zombie walk (above).</span></p> <p><strong>Simi Valley, California – <em>Poltergeist</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844835/horror-spot7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8db0dd4778274c17adcb7bc0f522d01e" /></em></strong></p> <p><span><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></span></p> <p><span>As if </span><em>Poltergeist</em><span> wasn’t scary enough, some believe the movie, itself, is cursed. Since the making of the first movie in the trilogy, four cast-members have died. Most notably Heather O’Rourke, who played young Carol Anne in all three movies, died of septic shock from bacterial toxins in her bloodstream at the age of 12. The house the movie was filmed in – in Simi Valley, California – was not actually built on an ancient Indian burial ground, however.</span></p> <p><strong>Santa Cruz Boardwalk, California – <em>The Lost Boys</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844836/horror-spot8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8ca23b0d8bd54d528ba2eb05fc966053" /></em></strong></p> <p><span><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></span></p> <p><span>In order to avoid demonising real places with unsavoury plots, horror movie makers usually opt to invent fake settings for their films. When it came to the Joel Schumaker-directed ’80s favourite </span><em>The Lost Boys</em><span>, however, moviemakers didn’t work very hard to disguise the fact that the movie was shot in Santa Cruz, California. The movie takes place in a fictional city called Santa Carla and, in many scenes, clearly depicts the flashy Santa Cruz boardwalk, which offered a perfect contrast to the dark deeds of the vampires. If you visit the boardwalk in real life, however, you’re more likely to encounter a pickpocket than a neck-biter.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Written by Daniel Reid. This article first appeared in </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/8-spooky-real-life-horror-movie-locations" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reader’s Digest</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here’s our best subscription offer.</span></a></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Movies

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Oops! Canadian fugitive caught after revealing his location on Facebook

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Canadian fugitive has made a major mistake that has led to his arrest as he invited police right to his doorstep.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jessie Dean Kowalchuk, 27, was wanted in westernmost British Columbia province for violating his probation which was related to three separate crimes in 2015, according to </span><a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/oops-canadian-fugitive-caught-after-facebook-location-reveal"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SBS.</span></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he spotted his photo on the website of television station</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> CFJC Today</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Kamloops, he sent a Facebook message to taunt the news show’s producers and revealed that he was in the capital of Alberta.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"News flash morons I'm in Edmonton and not coming back," Kowalchuk wrote, according to the station.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, despite Kowalchuk declaring he wasn’t coming back, he was unaware that the police could go to him. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police are pleased with the arrest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We're just really pleased that he sent the message advising where he was living in Alberta and that we were able to extend the warrants to Alberta so that we could bring him back here to face charges," federal police Corporal Jodi Shelkie told public broadcaster </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">CBC</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"You've got to face up to your actions at some point and you know it doesn't matter where you go - sooner or later, the police are going to find you," she said late on Tuesday.</span></p>

Technology

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Visit the Game of Thrones shoot locations and relive your favourite episodes

<p>After almost a decade of captivating audiences, Game of Thrones has finally come to an end for TV viewers. But if you still want your GoT fix, visiting one of the show’s filming locations may be the next best thing.</p> <p>Bursting onto the small screen in 2011, Game of Thrones was quick to garner critical acclaim and be catapulted into cult-like TV status. As well as launching its actors into the public eye, Game of Thrones also helped propel its filming locations into the travel hotspot stratosphere. With shot locations as diverse as Croatia, Iceland, Spain, Malta, Morocco, Northern Ireland and Scotland, travellers have the opportunity to enter the world of fire and ice as envisioned by George R.R. Martin. With the show’s final season now ended, you can begin your own pilgrimage to one (or all) of these majestic destinations and set out on your own quest for the Iron Throne.</p> <p><strong>Croatia</strong></p> <p>King’s Landing’s real-world location can be found within the mediaeval walls of <a href="https://www.webjet.com.au/cheap-flights/dubrovnik/">Dubrovnik</a>, a coastal city in the south of <a href="https://www.webjet.com.au/flights/croatia/">Croatia</a>. The city’s 16th-century Old Town is used for all King’s Landing exterior shots and is encircled by a three-kilometre ring of defensive limestone walls. Croatia has been used as the King’s Landing filming location since the second season and provides the setting for some of the show’s biggest plot points.<br /> <br />Lovrijenac Fortress is the backdrop for The Red Keep, the palace of King’s Landing occupied by the Lannisters. This limestone fortress is located just outside the western wall of Dubrovnik and stands 37 metres above sea level. The fort overshadows the two entrances to the city, by sea and by land, and sets the scene for the spectacular Battle of Blackwater Bay. The inner streets of Old Town have also played a part in bringing some major scenes from the books to life.<br /> Jesuit Staircase</p> <p>Head to the famous Jesuit Staircase to see where Cersei took her ‘walk of shame’ along St Dominic Street. This same street is also used in many of the series’ market scenes and was the spot where the gold cloaks killed one of Robert Baratheon’s biological children.<br /> Pile Bay, Bokar Fortress and Trsteno Arboretum</p> <p>Be sure to visit Pile Bay on your trip to Dubrovnik. Pile Bay most notably hosts the disturbing scene of the slaying of Robert Baratheon’s bastards from season two. Moving outwards from Pile sits the Bokar Fortress. The Bokar Fortress is one of the most recognisable structures in both Dubrovnik and Game of Thrones, in which this beautiful mediaeval construction features heavily in seasons two and three. The fortress hosts the scene where Varys discusses Tyrion’s work as the Hand of the King, as well as the deliberation of key battle strategies in the defeat of Stanis Baratheon’s army.<br /> <br />Moving out of the city of Dubrovnik, be sure to visit Trsteno Arboretum. This luscious garden which is positioned only 20 minutes’ drive outside of the city was built in the late 15th century, offering visitors panoramic views of the Adriatic Sea. The majority of the palace garden scenes that take place in the show are filmed in Trsteno Arboretum.</p> <p><strong>Diocletian’s Palace and Fortress of Klis</strong></p> <p>Another filming location worth noting is Diocletian’s Palace in the Croatian seaside city of <a href="https://www.webjet.com.au/flights/split/">Split</a>. The palace was constructed in the 4th century by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. This UNESCO World Heritage Site received modern fame for being the setting for where Daenerys trained her dragons and where the ‘kill the masters’ scene in season four took place. While in the region be sure to visit the grand mediaeval Fortress of Klis which is only a 30-minute drive north of Split. This dominant structure features heavily in season four and is the location in which Daenerys overthrows the Meereen, the greatest of the three great city-states of Slaver's Bay. The Fortress of Klis was built in the 3rd century into and on top of an isolated body of rock. The fortress is completely inaccessible from three sides and offers visitors panoramic views of Split and the Adriatic Sea.</p> <p><strong>Iceland</strong></p> <p>A trip to Iceland on a Game of Thrones filming expedition wouldn’t be complete without visiting Iceland’s most famous waterfall, Skogafoss. This breathtaking cascade of water is a national icon, a representation of just how picturesque and powerful the Icelandic landscape can be. As dramatic as the series, Skogafoss spews an enormous amount of water into the depths below. The waterfall features in the first episode of season eight where Daenerys and Jon Snow ride the dragons and perch next to a series of ice-covered waterfalls.<br /> <br />What other location in the world could play the part of The Wall as perfectly as <a href="https://www.webjet.com.au/flights/iceland/">Iceland</a>? Large glaciers in Snæfellsjökull, Svinafellsjökull and the hills of Höfðabrekkuheiði have been used to depict the Fist of the First Men and the Frostfang Mountains. Visit Dimmuborgir, a lava field with interestingly shaped rocks and great significance in Icelandic folklore and find yourself in the spot where Jon Snow and the Wildlings set up camp. Thingvellir National Park was also used for many of the exterior scenes beyond The Wall, and, during the warmer months, for Arya and The Hound’s travels in season four.<br /> <br />On your trip north of The Wall be sure to visit Hengilssvæðið to truly experience the rugged and confronting terrain that Iceland provided in the making of the series. Located a 30-minute drive from the capital (Reykjavik), the Hengill area was the filming location for the face-off between Brienne of Tarr and the Hound in season four, episode 10.<br /> <br />Moving further east of Reykjavik, the Þjórsárdalur Valley is a must see on every Game of Thrones diehard wishlist. It is here where the ransacking and destruction of Olly’s village in season four-episode three takes place. Olly is left as the lone survivor, leaving everyone and everything in his village dead and destroyed behind.</p> <p><em>This article first appeared in </em><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/visit-game-thrones-shoot-locations-and-relive-your-favourite-episodes"><em>Reader’s Digest</em></a><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRN93V"><em>here’s our best subscription offer</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Travel Tips

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Police locate couple who dropped engagement ring down New York drain during proposal

<p>While all wedding proposals are unforgettable, one couple’s engagement has made headlines for all the wrong reasons.</p> <p>Security cameras captured the horrific moment an engagement ring fell down a drain at Times Square in New York after a man got down on one knee to propose to his partner.</p> <p>The video footage, which was retweeted more than 20,000 times, shows the mystery couple unsuccessfully trying to retrieve the lost valuable.</p> <p>NYPD officers were able to locate and clean the piece of jewellery but found it difficult to find the couple who it belonged to.</p> <p>They shared the video on the New York City Police Department official Twitter account, hoping that online users would be able to assist in their manhunt. </p> <p>But now, the New York City police have happily revealed that they have been able to locate the tourist couple and return the special ring to them.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Thank you, Twitter. Case closed!<br /><br />Love, <br />John, Daniella, and the NYPD. <a href="https://t.co/G7eB1Ds7vP">pic.twitter.com/G7eB1Ds7vP</a></p> — NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/1069307942749515776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>"The [now] happy couple is back in their home country, but thanks to your retweets they heard we were looking for them!" the NYPD wrote on Twitter.</p> <p>"We're making arrangements to get them their ring back. Congratulations!"</p> <p>Times Square receives more than 350,000 visitors every day but thanks to Twitter, John and his fiancée Danielle were located in record time.</p> <p>The couple shared a photo of them celebrating after being reunited with the stunning ring.</p> <p>Have you ever lost your engagement ring? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Beauty & Style

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The story behind Australia’s most haunted locations

<p>Hollywood may be home to the modern horror film, but when it comes to actual haunted houses Australia certainly has its fair share of things that go bump in the night.</p> <p>These spine-tingling tales are sure to get you in the Halloween spirit, or at the very least – have you sleeping with one eye open tonight.  </p> <p><strong>1. Monte Cristo Homestead; NSW</strong></p> <p><strong>The history:</strong> Murder, torture and suicide are all part of the macabre history of “Australia’s most haunted house”, The Monte Cristo Homestead. A caretaker was murdered in the home in 1961, a mentally disabled boy was kept in the homestead’s cottage for many years, a boy died falling down the stairs, a maid fell from a balcony and a stable boy died from injuries after a fire. Many of the ghosts who appear in the residence are believed to be spirits of these people who died there including former lady of the house Mrs Crawley.</p> <p><strong>The hauntings:</strong> With 10 distressed spirits to its name, it’s no wonder reports of invisible force fields, poltergeist action and screams have unnerved even the most hardened mediums. Guests often report seeing strange lights, feeling strange presences, and many who choose to stay overnight report seeing Mrs. Crawley herself.</p> <p><strong>2. Oakabella Homestead; W.A</strong></p> <p><strong>The history:</strong> Often said to be the most haunted house in Western Australia, this homestead is located between Geraldton and Northampton, Oakabella Homestead was established in 1851 by James Drummond on 44,000 acres (17806 ha) of land. Its history includes that of confrontations between local indigenous tribes and natives and the pioneers, a number of child deaths, including that of one child who fell while climbing through an open window breaking their neck, and in 1973, previous occupant George Jackson met an untimely death while sitting in his room cleaning his gun when it went off killing him.</p> <p><strong>The hauntings: </strong>There has been much reported paranormal activity at Oakabella, doors opening and closing on their own, the feeling of a “presence”, strange lights, smells and temperature drops. There are stories of curses, death, strange accidents, great sickness, affairs and a murder that make up the homestead history. Some believe this place is a spiritual portal – a place built on native sacred ground that is a “magnet” for spiritual energy. So much so, that the current caretaker dreamt of a similar homestead as a child and believes she was brought to the place by a spiritual pull. </p> <p><strong>3. Blundell’s Cottage; ACT</strong></p> <p><strong>The history:</strong> Built in 1860, Blundell’s Cottage existed even before the city of Canberra. It was originally inhabited by the Campbell family before the Blundell family moved in, in 1874 and stayed for 60 years, thus giving the cottage its permanent title. Tragically, in 1892, Flora Susanna Blundell, while wearing a white crinoline dress, burnt to death when the dress touched a hot iron, immediately engulfing herself in flames.</p> <p><strong>The hauntings:</strong> The cottage is said to be haunted by the ghost of Florrie Blundell who died at the age of 16 from illness after an accident ironing. She’s been seen several times standing in the gardens of the property and tour groups often complain that the house smells like burned flesh.</p> <p><strong>4. Franklin House; TAS</strong></p> <p><strong>The history:</strong> A sprawling property with gardens and a massive colonial house filled with antiques, Franklin House was built in the late 1830s by Britton Jones, a former convict who moved into brewing and innkeeping. Four years after it was finished, he leased the property to a schoolmaster, William Keeler Hawkes, who turned the mansion into a boys’ academy.</p> <p><strong>The hauntings:</strong> A not-for-profit group which volunteered to find out what happened on the premises after dark reported many experiences of paranormal activities; objects moving by themselves, noises in empty rooms and shadow figures in empty wings. High levels of electromagnetic energy and whispers were reportedly recorded in an upstairs bedroom, when asked “what is your name”, the group recorded a disembodied voice replying “Will”.</p> <p><strong>5. Gooloowan house; QLD</strong></p> <p><strong>The history:</strong> High up on Denmark Hill in Queensland, a 148-year-old Gooloowan house sits with a dark past. In the year 1889, a maid working at the house by the name of Rose Dold became pregnant by another worker. She went to lengths to conceal her pregnancy, had the child, then decided it would be best to lob it down the household well.</p> <p><strong>The hauntings:</strong> In the years following this abominable act, residents and passers-by claimed they could hear the cries of a baby coming from the well. Visitors and occupants at Gooloowan also reported seeing a female apparition stroll about the grounds in old maid’s clothes, while in some rooms – which have remained virtually unchanged all these years – a palpably foreboding presence could be felt, as if someone was watching one’s every move.</p> <p><strong>6. The entire town of Picton; NSW</strong></p> <p><strong>The history:</strong> If tales of a single haunted house isn’t enough to give you goosebumps, then perhaps stories of an entire haunted town will. Picton is reputed to be Australia’s most haunted town, so much so that they made a documentary about it. Of the haunted locations in Picton, the most famous is the disused Redback Range Tunnel, a 592-foot (180 m) railway tunnel. In 1916 a middle-aged woman named Emily Bollard, lived near the tunnel. Her brother lived on the family farm on the other side of the hill. Rather than climb the hill to visit, Emily would take a short cut through the tunnel. One Sunday afternoon Emily set off to visit her brother. Unfortunately, it is believed that Emily forgot to check the railway train timetable. Halfway down the tunnel she met a train. She was killed instantly and her body was carried on the front of the train into Picton.</p> <p><strong>The hauntings:</strong> In the years that followed, reports were made of a woman acting strangely in the tunnel. It is believed by locals that Emily still walks the tunnel. There were many other deaths and suicides in the Redback Range Tunnel while it was in use, and their spirits are said to also haunt the location. Visitors reported seeing unexplained lights and shadows, feeling gusts of wind, and occasionally seeing the ghost of a girl who hanged herself at the entrance of the tunnel.</p> <p>Have you ever been to these scary destinations?</p> <p><em>Written by Pauline Morrissey. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Domain.com.au.</span></strong></a></em></p>

International Travel

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7 cruising locations you never thought to visit

<p>Go off the beaten track and discover an unexpected cruise port.</p> <p><strong>Port Elizabeth, South Africa</strong></p> <p>Want to add a safari to your cruise? Then stop at Port Elizabeth, a town on the coast of South Africa halfway between Cape Town and Durban. The Samwari and Lalibela game reserves are close to the port and easily accessible in a day trip. You can see the big five (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo) as well as incredible birdlife.</p> <p><strong>Muscat, Oman</strong></p> <p>The hidden gem of the Middle East, Oman has only been open to tourists since the 1970s. The capital, the stunning white city of Muscat, is nestled in a harbour of the Gulf of Oman and home to the glorious Grand Mosque. Ships dock in the old part of town with its well-preserved traditional architecture, winding lanes and bustling souks.</p> <p><strong>Albania</strong></p> <p>Albania is one of the few regions in Europe that remains relatively undiscovered, so you won’t be greeted with the megaships and huge crowds you find across much of the continent. It’s an incredible beautiful country, dotted with rugged mountains, ancient towns and surprisingly good wine regions, all flanked by beaches that are as good as anywhere else in the Mediterranean.</p> <p><strong>Jeju Island, South Korea</strong></p> <p>Known as the Island of the Gods, Jeju is a hugely popular holiday destination for Koreans, Chinese and Japanese, though most Australians have never heard of it. Kilometres of eerie lava tubes run beneath the island and South Korea’s highest mountain rises above it. The beaches are excellent and you can visit the honeymoon favourite Loveland, an amusing sex-themed adult amusement park.</p> <p><strong>Sub-Antarctic Islands</strong></p> <p>This World Heritage-listed collection of islands sits to the south of New Zealand and are home to an incredible range of rare wildlife and plants. Visitor numbers are restricted to preserve the natural environment, so cruise visitors are among the only people who can visit this remarkable destination.</p> <p><strong>Papua New Guinea</strong></p> <p>It’s our closest neighbour, but PNG attracts only a tiny number of visitors. Tourism infrastructure is limited to a cruise is the best way to go. You can explore untouched wilderness areas, visit remote villages where life is lived much as it was thousands of years ago and snorkel or dive on some of the best reefs in the world.</p> <p><strong>Sea of Cortez, Mexico</strong></p> <p>Jacques Cousteau once called this region ‘the aquarium of the world’ and the waters are teeming with whales, sharks, dolphins, rays and thousands of species of fish. There are no ports here, so small ships will make stops along the shore for zodiac excursions, whale watching, snorkelling and more.</p> <p><em>Image credit: World Travel Guides via YouTube</em></p>

Cruising

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How to save your parking location on Google Maps

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. </strong></em></p> <p>You know those times where you wander around trying to trace your steps and find your car in a new location? Boy, do we have a great tip for you.</p> <p>New Google Maps feature enables you to save the location of your car park, so you can navigate back to your car spot!</p> <p>Here's how:</p> <p>1. Once you've parked your car safely, open up the Google Maps App</p> <p>Suppose we had just parked our car on Stewart Street, Richmond (for the sake of this exercise, let’s pretend this is a new unfamiliar area to us.)</p> <p>2. In Google Maps, tap on the location icon (bottom right) to find your current location</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39201/1_499x665.jpg" alt="1 (191)"/></p> <p>3. A blue dot marks your current location</p> <p>4. Tap on this blue dot, and a menu appears</p> <p>5. Tap on Set as parking location</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39202/2_499x665.jpg" alt="2 (183)"/></p> <p>By Setting your parking location, the blue dot is labelled, "You parked here"</p> <p>Down the bottom of your screen, you'll notice a label which says, "Saved Parking"</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39203/3_499x665.jpg" alt="3 (155)"/></p> <p>When its time to head back to your car park location, tap on the Saved Parking button, and Google Maps will direct you back to your car!</p> <p>You can even choose which mode of transport to get there: car, walk, bike ride</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39204/4_499x665.jpg" alt="4 (130)"/></p> <p>Luckily, I parked a short stroll away for this exercise!</p> <p>If you have any similar tech tips let us know in the comments below.</p>

Technology

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Unlikely locations that have become tourist hotspots

<p>Thirty years ago, everyone would have thought you were crazy if you'd announced you were taking a holiday in Cambodia.</p> <p>As the Dead Kennedys sarcastically suggested, people would have checked you into a facility.</p> <p>No one wanted to go to Cambodia back in the 80s, and even for a good part of the 90s. The country was in the very early stages of recovery from the Pol Pot regime, a totalitarian dictatorship responsible for the slaughter of about 25 per cent of Cambodia's entire population. Doesn't exactly sound like a relaxing holiday destination.</p> <p>And yet today, Cambodia is a mainstream attraction. Your parents have not only stopped discouraging you from going there – they want to visit as well. Everyone wants to see the temples of Angkor around Siem Reap. They want to see the Killing Fields outside Phnom Penh. They want to hang out on the beach at Sihanoukville.</p> <p>It seemed unimaginable 30 years ago, but Cambodia is now a hugely popular tourism destination that relies on that industry to prop up its economy. You won't meet many backpackers who haven't been there.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36755/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (294)"/></p> <p>This popularity is indicative of a fairly reliable phenomenon: today's warzone is tomorrow's tourist attraction. The places that seem like no-go zones today will eventually become the hot destinations of tomorrow.</p> <p>The progress is easy to track. First the conflict ends, then the backpackers arrive, and then as word gets out and the infrastructure improves, so the mainstream tourists begin to trickle in. Pretty soon you have a hugely popular destination.</p> <p>It happened to Cambodia, thanks to world-famous attractions like Angkor Wat, as well as the country's location, within striking distance of much of Asia and Australia, and its affordability.</p> <p>It also happened to Peru, one-time home of the Shining Path militant group, a no-go zone for all but the most intrepid explorers, which now receives more than 4.5 million overseas visitors a year. It happened to Vietnam, and Myanmar, and Korea, and Cuba, and Germany, and many other countries besides.</p> <p>What attracts tourists to these places? Is it the thrill of being able to visit a country that was once off limits? Is it the voyeurism of seeing a place you've only ever read about in the serious part of the newspaper? Is it the intrepid nature of being one of the first to arrive?</p> <p>It's probably all of those things for various people, but it could also be none of them. For many travellers the cessation of war is merely a chance to get in and explore a country they'd always wanted to see anyway. People would always want to see Machu Picchu, and Angkor Wat, and the temples of Bagan – the fact there used to be trouble around those sites is immaterial.</p> <p>It does make you wonder, though, where the next hotspots will be. What are the current centres of conflict that we'll all be visiting in 20 or 30 years?</p> <p>Iran is already on its way to becoming the next one. It will be a conventional destination before too long, provided the US' sanctions don't change things too drastically. The local people there are too friendly, the historical and religious sites too amazing, for this place to stay off the mainstream radar for too much longer.</p> <p>That's fairly predictable. Egypt, too, while going through a few issues at the moment, is sure to bounce back as a popular destination in the near future.</p> <p>Of the others, I would sincerely hope that Pakistan can begin attracting tourists in the next few decades. Afghanistan, too, could one day be a hub for those chasing a more intrepid adventure. Maybe we'll all be talking about going there in 20 years time.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36756/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (295)"/></p> <p>Yemen has some truly amazing attractions that people will eventually be able to go back there to see. Even Iraq, you'd hope, will one day see an influx of tourists keen to explore the historical sites that still stand there.</p> <p>In fact of the current conflict zones, it's only really Syria and Somalia, sadly, that it seems difficult to imagine as tourist attractions of the near future.</p> <p>In the case of the latter, I'm not sure what would draw people to visit Somalia, even without the conflict. For Syria, so much has been destroyed, and the road to recovery seems so long, that it would be bizarre to think of it as a genuine tourist destination in the coming decade. Syria needs plenty of support, but that's probably not going to come in the form of mainstream tourism for a long time yet.</p> <p>Hopefully, however, one day the thought of a "holiday in Syria" will be the same as we now think of a holiday in Cambodia: a great idea. Until then, there's always Angkor Wat.</p> <p><em>Written by Ben Groundwater. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

International Travel