From the Editor: The best from myWanderlust this week

Introducing the kisser of life

4 mins

Like everyone else on the planet, I watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games last Friday night.

I can't say I'm a big fan of opening ceremonies. They tend to go on a bit too long for my liking. But, perversely, I do like the part where the teams spend 13 hours entering the stadium and wandering around in ghastly shellsuits.

Two reasons. One, it gives me a chance to brush up on my knowledge of international flags (I used to be able to pick out the flag for Zaire a mile off, but since the country become the People's Democratic Republic of Congo, I'm not so sure). Two, it confirms my uncanny ability to guess where someone is from by just looking at them (haircuts, footwear and the looks on faces are the biggest giveaways).

Judging by the response to Liz Cleere's post about the Olympics on the forum, you've all been watching the Olympics too. Although for DrG, it seems to be more a case of rocking up at his local in Greenwich, befriending the nearest foreign visitor and then spending the night drinking with them...

A quick browse through the responses to Liz's post suggests that it is the Equestrian events that have proved most popular, although that could simply be myWanderlusters trying to curry favour with editor-in-chief and well-known horse nut, Lyn (I should point out guys, that Lyn doesn't decide who wins the trip to PNG in our Travel Photo of the Year competition. She's only one judge in a panel of nine!).

My favourite moment so far was when the Italian Men's Archery Team took the gold against the Americans. The Americans were all clean-cut college boys. The Italians looked like they knew their way around a pasta bowl. And the Italian archer who scored a ten on his last arrow to secure the medal, Michele 'The Kisser' Frangili, had a disconcerting habit of smooching the string on his bow before letting it loose. It was a victory for the rest of us. Well, those of us who like to wear unflattering bucket hats and ease gently into middle-age.

But I digress. Elsewhere on the forum, Lyn asks what food you miss when you're away from home (Tim Tams, chips sprinkled with chicken salt, and king prawns, bought fresh from Sydney Fish Markets, if you're asking). Cosmic258 wants to know the ins and outs of crossing borders by train in Asia. And defyingnormality is keen to hear whether it's worth buying a Greyhound bus pass in Australia.

Just Back From and Julia69 gives us the scoop on Cape Town. Riding the cable car up Table Mountain or penguin chicks on Boulders Beach. It's a toss up, she says. Hmoat 01 has been wandering the streets of Dubrovnik at night and says it's the best time to soak up the town's undeniable charms. And billbain is back from Belarus, impressed at how it has bounced back from all that history has thrown at it.

Stef K is back from sipping Bitter-Kas in Aragon, Spain and reckons you should too. Julia69 recommends sightseeing in Namibia with a Cape Fur Seal. They smell of fish but are otherwise charming companions, apparently.

Over at Experiences, sonal08 spills the beans on Spiti, a hidden gem tucked away in the Indian Himalayas. David Higham visits the Kursk submarine disaster memorial in Murmansk, a moving piece made more so by the fact that David is an ex-submariner himself. He also got to visit the Nuclear Icebreaker Lenin as well.

Some old friends return from fields afar at the photo galleries this week. Peterj2002 is back with a beautiful set of pictures from Ngapali in Burma. Hmoat01 compliments her advice in Just Back From with some photos of Dubrovnik at night. And Sonal08's images from Spiti in India will only convince you even more that you need to get there ASAP.

As for me, I'm off to watch the Aussies win another silver medal. And cry.

It's been all down hill since I left, it seems.

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