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Adam Nebbs

 
Do the locomotion Fear of rail travel (eventually dubbed siderodromophobia) was as common in the 19th century as fear of flying is today, fuelled perhaps by a similar feeling of helplessness at being forcibly contained at high speed. Novelist Charles Dickens, for example, is said to have never travelled by rail without a bottle of brandy to calm his nerves after a train he was riding crashed, in 1865. Railway tunnels were seen as particularly daunting in the days of unlit carriages, partly for reasons best explained by Sigmund Freud, but also because thieves and robbers took advantage of the darkness. An anonymously written book, published in 1862, advised passengers that when "going through a tunnel it is always as well to have the hands and arms disposed for defence so that in the event of an attack the assailant may be immediately beaten back or restrained". The Railway Traveller's Handy Book also offers tips on what to wear, how to converse with fellow passengers and "how a gentleman might trick his wife into punctuality" when arriving at the station. Some of these points will, of course, be more relevant for the 21st century than others, but if you have a long journey planned, the book - reprinted this week by Osprey Publishing - should make an amusing if not entirely practical travel companion. You can find it at Amazon.co.uk for about HK$85.
 
Round the Bund The Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund (top) will have its soft launch this month. But like the similarly misnomered Hyatt on the Bund, Hotel Topsun on the Bund and Sunrise on the Bund, it is not actually on the Bund (obviously a much-sought-after address for hotels), but in the North Bund district (so named by the Shanghai government in the 1990s, allegedly to boost tourism and raise land prices). Each of the Banyan Tree's 130 rooms and suites overlooks the Huangpu River, with many offering views of the Bund proper. See www.banyantree.com for a virtual tour and opening rates.
 

Hands free About 11 years ago, a British inventor came up with a battery-powered suitcase that could follow its owner around by means of a transmitter carried in the pocket. Called Loyal Luggage, it seems to have subsequently disappeared without a trace. Now the idea has resurfaced, this time in Spain, in a rather more hi-tech incarnation called Hop (left) which uses Bluetooth connectivity to allow the suitcase to follow its owner's mobile phone. It even sets off a vibration alert and locks itself if it gets lost. It is a prototype, but can be seen in action on YouTube (type in "hop suitcase").
 
Deal of the week Tasmania seems to be overlooked by Hong Kong travellers, probably because there are no non-stop flights to Hobart (below). TLX Travel, though, is selling a package to either Hobart or Tasmania's second-largest city, Launceston, which includes Virgin Atlantic flights to Sydney and convenient connecting flights to Tasmania with Virgin Australia. Prices start from HK$6,499 for two nights at the Leisure Inn Penny Royal Hotel & Apartments in Launceston, with extra nights from HK$1,170. TLX can also arrange car rentals for those who want to drive around and explore the island, and open-jaw flights are possible (you can also stop off in Sydney once at no extra charge). Tours to some of Tasmania's better-known tourist sites such as Port Arthur, Huon Valley and Cradle Mountain's national park are also available. For a full list of hotels, tours and vehicles for hire, go to www.tlxtravel.com and select "Oceanica" (sic) from the destination choices under the "Packages" menu. For inquiries, call 2270 7600.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 


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The Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund

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