(CNN) – The world’s population hit eight billion this week, and sometimes it can feel like they’re all crammed into the same ride as you.
Here are the rest of the biggest travel stories of the moment.
Wild world
A video has gone viral of a baby elephant tickling Kenyan news reporter Alvin Kaunda until he collapses into laughter.
This gentle interaction was filmed at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s elephant orphanage in Nairobi, which provides sanctuary for elephants, rhinos and giraffes. Watch this CNN Travel video to learn more about how to get growing kids back on their feet.
A Montana TV reporter became a meme in 2020 after he posted a video of his reaction to an approaching herd of bison in Yellowstone National Park. The mighty beasts were out of bullet range but Deion Broxton’s darting eyes and muttering, “Oh no, I’m not messing with you” told the story.
Yellowstone then tweeted that his rapid exit was an excellent example of what to do when wildlife approaches him. Watch this video from October 2022 of a hiker who got lucky when I got close to some bison in Texas.
Destination inspiration
Guidebook Lonely Planet has revealed its best destinations for 2023, with Ghana’s capital Accra and the Central American country of El Salvador among those making the cut. The night train between Istanbul and Sofia also got a nod.
If you want to explore Turkey beyond the capital, the Aegean coast has a lot to offer. We recommend Alacati, known locally as ‘Heaven on Earth’, and Bozcaada Island Paradise. And don’t forget to sample some local wine.
The marine wonders of Indonesia’s Raja Ampat – featured in this newsletter a couple of weeks ago – also made Lonely Planet’s list. If you’re looking to expand your island hopping, try a luxury train ride through Java. The five-star Amanjiwo Resort offers a luxurious seven-hour ride from Jakarta to Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world.
Food and hospitality
Sublimotion is known for its long waiting list, but in Japan the frozen Kobe Beef Croquette brand is so popular, there’s a 30-year waiting list to get a box. It is best to wait two decades before putting the oven on preheat.
Finally, the world’s finest hospitality interior design was honored at the 2022 Dezeen Awards.
Kelly Wearstler’s Mexican folk art-inspired design for Downtown LA Proper was named Hotel & Short Stay Interior of the Year, and the muted mint green hues and recycled wood chairs of Art Gallery Café Connie Connie in Copenhagen won the hotel’s indoor restaurant and bar a win. year.
The second time lucky
There was a love story between an American woman and an Australian man in the 1980s, before they married other people. Twenty-three years later, they reconnect, and this time they are determined not to let love slip away.
Misbehavior of week travelers
A Frontier Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Atlanta on November 11 after a passenger was found with a box cutter. Then, two days later, an unruly passenger was removed from a United Airlines flight in Chicago after an onboard accident sent three people to the hospital. Be sure to smile and thank your flight attendant on your next flight: They may have had a rough week.
In case you missed it yourself
What do hotel star ratings actually mean?
A cruise ship with 800 Covid-positive passengers docked in Sydney on November 12.
A refugee who inspired The Terminal Died this monthafter spending 18 years inside a Paris airport.
The Most Magical Place on Earth is getting more and more expensive.
travel gifts
At that time of the year again. If you’re looking for inspiration for current ideas, our partners at CNN Underscored, a directory of product reviews and recommendations owned by CNN, have put together this roundup of 45 fabulous holiday and Christmas gifts perfect for frequent travelers.