Rapid Travel Chai

Big backlog at Chai Digest so I am battling the Chinese ‘Great Firewall’ to get this out.

Quote of the week from the FT’s Lucy Kellaway in Should I plot the downfall of our dean?:

Most of the academics I’ve ever come across find long running feuds and resentments are vital for their wellbeing as they provide them with a sense of purpose and emotional charge that is often sadly lacking in the day job.

News:

• How China Stopped Its Bloggers (China Digital Times). Can’t seem to load this page even behind VPN.
• Under the Spell of Yoga by William Dalrymple (The New York Review of Books). The yoga phenomenon.
• Holy Ignorance by Garry Wills (The New York Review of Books). As the Vatican wades into climate.
• What Makes the Expat Lifestyle So Addictive?, Seven Things You May Not Know About Expat Life, and When U.S. Expats Return From China: Readjusting to American Business Culture (all from WSJ Expat). I am enjoying WSJ Expat…
• Too bad they axed two more of the Real Time blogs, Korea and Indonesia. Bah!
• Makers of Chinese animated film ‘Autobots’ swear it’s not a Disney rip-off (Shanghaiist). The art of the multi-layered Chinese 山寨, er rip-off. Take from Disney, Transformers, and that’s just the poster.
• Former Georgia president shakes up Odessa (NYT). Officials paving roads at their own cost to cover-up their prior looting.
• Being paid to quit? Tread carefully on buyout offers (USA Today). Good tips.
• I own guns. But I hate the NRA. (The Washington Post). Not that we are allowed to have sensible debate or policies in the US on guns. Lamentably, when King George knocks on my door, I won’t be ready.

Travel:

• Binter Canarias establishes new Cape Verdian subsidiary (ch-aviation). New options for hopping around West Africa. If you ever need to buy a Binter flight, just pay the fees to book from their website, everything else I tried like major OTAs could not issue their tickets. They fly ATRs like many island airlines. Request a seat in the back.
• Get a free Lonely Planet New Zealand guidebook from Air New Zealand (Everybody Hates A Tourist). Just in time for a new edition to come out.
• The 25 Least Visited Countries in the Whole Wide World (Globetrotting by Gunnar Garfors). I have been to 10. My big gaps are in Africa and South Pacific.
• My Google Project Fi Package Has Arrived – Cheaper Global Data! (Running with Miles). I am following developments. I am happy with my T-Mobile and not going to buy an expensive handset to try this new service out.
• “The $100 Startup” is not a very good book (The Free-quent Flyer). I am cautious of the siren song of all these internet lifestyle hucksters, and Chris is at the center of many who tie in a travel-themed independent lifestyle to selling inspiration.
• Places With Selfie Stick Ban (Michael W Travels). Grow the list! Facing a Selfie Election, Presidential Hopefuls Grin and Bear It (NYT).
• Second Half of 2015 Travel (Jason Around the World). Great storyteller.