A Dangerous Heat Wave Bearing Down on Europe Once Again

Baby elephant Ben Long cools off on July 24, 2019 in his pool at the zoo in Leipzig, eastern Germany, where temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius.

JENS KALAENE/Getty Images

The second heat wave of the summer is bearing down on Europe and is threatening to break records once again.

On Tuesday, the French city of Bordeaux registered a temperature exceeding 106.1 Fahrenheit (41.2 Celsius), making it officially the hottest day on record, smashing the old record set in 2003.

The French weather service Mateo also predicts that the French capital of Paris could reach 107.6 Fahrenheit (42 C) this week, marking its highest temperature ever there as well.

France likely won’t be the last country to see record-setting temperatures this week as experts also believe the extreme heat is heading to Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, according to the BBC.

"As we saw in June [heat waves] are becoming more frequent, they're starting earlier and they're becoming more intense," Claire Nullis, a World Meteorological Organization spokesperson told the BBC. "It's not a problem that's going to go away."

London, Business Insider reported, is expected to reach 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 C) on Thursday, while temperatures throughout England could top the all-time record of 101.3 Fahrenheit (38.5 C).

"If these predictions are met, this heat wave would go down in the history books,” Andreas Friedrich, a spokesperson for the German Meteorological Service DWD, told RP Online. "As a meteorologist, I have never seen anything like this before."

The extreme heat is already being blamed for the deaths of at least two people. According to Global News, a 93-year-old man in Spain collapsed and died due to the heat. A 17-year-old also died of heat-related causes after jumping into a swimming pool in an attempt to cool off.

Travelers should ensure they stay out of the heat during the peak hours of the day and carry plenty of water with them as they explore. Though really, the heat waves may be becoming too frequent to avoid. This latest heat wave marks the second such weather event in as many months. In June, Travel + Leisure reported, temperatures across France, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Italy topped 100 degree Fahrenheit, with humidity levels making it feel much, much warmer.

“I’m worried about people who are downplaying this, who are continuing to exercise as usual or stay out in the sun,” France’s health minister, Agnès Buzyn, said in a statement at the time. “This affects all of us.”

Naomi Campbell at the Airport Is Surprisingly Relatable — Until It’s Not

Naomi Campbell’s flying ritual is surprisingly relatable — until it’s not.

In a video released on her YouTube channel last week, supermodel Naomi Campbell let fans into her airport and airplane rituals. Much like us, she easily succumbs to the siren’s song of the candy in the Duty-Free shop. But in an unexpected move, once she’s boarded the plane, she dons rubber gloves and disinfects “everything you touch,” to the delight of those around her.

The video starts with the supermodel passing through security at Nice International Airport. She is flying a Qatar Airways flight to Doha. “I love traveling. I was born traveling,” Campbell says. Much like us, she considers the airport a prime location for people-watching. “Of course I check out people’s legs,” she admits. “I check out everything.”

Before passing through the security scanner, she chugs water to get her bottle through — which is a surprisingly relatable move. But it’s once Campbell passes through security things get really good.

Campbell’s voyage through the Duty-Free shop is the stuff that memes are made of. “I’m getting this and I don’t care!” she proclaims while heading to the cashier with a bag of Twix. She then yells “Beauty!” while heading to the cosmetics section of the shop and applies a Chanel lip gloss. Things get deeply relatable as she passes a rack of Haribo candies and cries, “No!” but then purchases a couple of packets. She also peruses the magazines on display, praises the diversity of the models featured on the covers and purchases a copy of Vogue.

And then, Campbell becomes her iconic self. Once she’s boarded the airplane, she roots through her Louis Vuitton bag to locate a special Zip-Loc bag. It’s then revealed that this ZIp-Loc contains a pair of rubber gloves, which she always brings and keeps separate. She then procures a pack of antibacterial wipes and disinfects “anything that you could possibly touch.” She offers to share her pack with the woman sitting behind her. “This is what I do on every plane I get on,” Campbell explains. “I do not care what people think of me. It’s my health and it makes me feel better.”

In addition to the disinfectant, Campbell also keeps a seat cover with her, which she hand-washes at the hotel and changes out every week. (She just buys a new one at the airport in a color that makes her happy.) She also wears a face mask to avoid picking up germs. “This is my protection from people’s coughing and sneezing,” she says. “As much as I travel, I should get sick so much more with colds and stuff and I’m blessed that I don’t. And I really think that this helps me, my little routine.”

And now we’re off to upgrade our in-flight kits to Campbell’s level of germ-prevention.

Thousands of Spiders Covered This Greek Town in Spooky Webs Just in Time for Halloween

Aitoliko, in western Greece, is sometimes called “Little Venice” for its series of canals. But that’s no longer what the town is famous for.

Last week, video emerged showing a 1,000 foot field in the town covered in thousands of spider webs. A layer of trees and other coastal greenery is trapped underneath a finely-woven blanket of spider webs.

But the scene is more spooky than scary. It’s a fairly regular phenomenon that can happen once every few years, based on meteorological events.

Maria Chatzaki, professor of molecular biology and genetics at Democritus University of Thrace, told Newsit.gr that the spiders are just taking advantage of high temperatures and humidity during their mating season.

“These spiders are not dangerous for humans and will not cause any damage to the area's flora,” Chatzaki said. “The spiders will have their party and will soon die.”

The spiders building the webs are likely of the Tetragnatha genus, sometimes called “stretch spiders” for their oblong bodies. Not only do they build elaborate webs, they’re capable of running across water.

The spiders are also likely doing humans an immense favor. They prey on mosquitoes that congregate around the water. And are helping the town get a head start on Halloween decorations.

See Rome Transformed into a Winter Wonderland After a Rare Snowfall

Those who happen to be in Rome this week have been treated to a rare spectacle as the city has been blanketed in snow for the first time in six years.

While Rome typically sees warmer temperatures in the month of February, with average highs of around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the snowfall is the result of a snowstorm dubbed the “Beast from the East.”

The storm, which brought snowy and chilly conditions from Siberia to countries across Europe on Monday, led to the closure of schools and roads across the city, with popular tourist attractions becoming the scene for a winter wonderland.

As those in Rome celebrate the rare occasion, we’ve rounded up a selection of images that show just how charming the city looks blanketed in snow.

The 10 Best Apps for Last Minute Travel

Snag a discounted hotel room for the same day or up to a week in advance in more than 1,700 cities. Look for properties with special Geo Rates, which target users based on their GPS location. For example, while you’re waiting for a flight at the airport, search for a room at your destination—you can sometimes get a better deal than if you wait to book after you’ve landed. hoteltonight.com

Budgeting for Vacation Never Works — Here's What You Should Do Instead

Pete Seaward/Getty Images

Originally published on May 12th, 2017.

America, you need a vacation. Seriously, you earned it, and according to Project Time Off, you’re not even using it. As the project found, more than half of American workers left vacation time unused in 2015, adding up to 658 million unused days. Clearly, you also need assistance in planning a vacation, and we have plenty of advice for you, but the most important thing to remember is this: Do not give yourself a budget for your vacation.

“I think the entire concept of budgeting is flawed,” Brad Klontz, a psychologist and certified financial planner, told New York Magazine. “Your emotional brain responds to the word budget the same way it responds to the word diet. The connotation is deprivation, suffering, agony, depression.”

According to Klontz, the idea of limiting ourselves for short-term gain (i.e. with a diet or travel budget), only leads to an inevitable sense of failure when you eat a piece of cake, or splurge on a massage during your Hawaiian getaway.

Charlotte Trotman/Getty Images

So how can you enjoy an epic vacation without totally blowing your entire life savings?

1. Plan.

For most of you, you know you have a set number of days off each year. At the beginning of the year, calculate just how much time you have off and divvy up how you’d like to spend it: A few days for three-day weekends, a chunk of time for the holidays, and a week off just for you.

Next, think about where you want to go. Live in New York and want to head to Paris for week? Great! Check out the flight options, hotels, and even a few discount sites like LivingSocial Escapes to see if there are any deals available. Tally up the total and make it a benchmark savings goals.

2. Squirrel away cash.

Each day, week, or month, put away a small amount of money into a separate savings account (better yet, try a money market account like Betterment to invest your vacation savings to potentially make a few dollars from the stock market along the way). Thinking in small increments will make paying off your vacation less stressful in the end.

3. Don’t forget to save for something special.

You know you’re going to Paris, but maybe there’s one restaurant you’re dying to try. Make sure to add in a little buffer to eat all the Coq au vin your stomach can handle.

4. Make peace with going over.

Hey, you saved all this money for your trip already, so when you see a beret in the window of a Parisian boutique you just have to have, go for it. It’s your vacation and your memories. Research even backs this one up: According to a study out of San Francisco State University, people who spend money on experiences rather things are happier and feel better about the money they spent. So go ahead, and have the time of your life.

The 50 Best New Travel Apps for 2017

Sidekix

This urban route planner will help you find the best way to get somewhere — which doesn’t necessarily mean the shortest route. Sidekix will choose the best walking directions based on your interests and preferences. Looking for a trendy cafe for a lunch on your way to an art gallery? The app is filled with curated suggestions from in-the-know locals. Currently available for use in more than 100 major cities, with more coming each week.