They made us laugh, roll our eyes and some even made us cringe. Wrap up your work week with some of the funniest, random travel news stories we could find.
1. Tourists get a little too chesty
A group of male tourists are said to be in hot water for fondling the breasts of a naked Chinese marble sculpture.
Labelled as ‘uncivilised behaviour’ by Chinese officials, the men visiting Huaqing Pool were seen taking pictures with their hands cupping the breasts of a popular city in Xi’an.
An icon in the growing tourism destination, the sculpture is a representation of historical figure Yang Guifei – the wife of Tang Dynasty Emperor Xuanzong who ruled somewhere between 618-907.
She is also dubbed one of the four ‘Beauties of Ancient China’.
The pictures of the men fondling the icon went viral on social, with many accusing them of being disrespectful, while others claim officials were to blame for allowing the sculpture to be erected.
Just a bit of fun or completely inappropriate? Let us know what you think.
2.That was close!
Too close for comfort or incredible?
A documentary maker is making headlines after a close encounter with a female great white shark in South Australia.
Dave Riggs and his crew were in a boat near the Neptune Islands when the shark appeared.
According to the filmmaker, the female popped her head out of the water to inspect the boat using her mouth.
Although many would go into a state of panic, Riggs said it was an ‘incredible’ moment.
“I think it’s a perfect illustration as to why we need to preserve it; it really is the last living relic of a bygone era.”
Dave Riggs, Filmmaker
Check out the video above.
3. Boss takes 6,400 staff members to France
A boss in China has treated more than half of his 12,000 employees to a holiday in… France!
No joke.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the chairman of Tiens Group booked out around 84 commercial planes and 140 hotels in Paris for a nine-day trip to the capital.
The trip, which is expected to set the company back by around $18 million, saw the large group making mass visits to popular tourist spots like the Lourve museum.
The group were treated to three- or- four-star accommodation, while higher up employees and the director received luxurious suites.
In addition to their time in Paris, the group also received a VIP welcome in the southern resort town of Nice, which included luxury department store Galeries Lafayette closing its doors to all shoppers except the 6,400 employees.
What has your boss done for you lately?
4. Is this Australia’s wackiest hotel?
Who needs five-star suites with multiple rooms and en-suites when you can spend the night in a cell?
YHA is arresting its guests in Western Australia, with a new property that offers a nineteenth century prison experience.
It may seem wacky to some, but to others (*cough* me) it’s a little like living on the edge, without actually living on the edge.
Fremantle Prison YHA opened this week in the World Heritage-listed building that was used over 100 years ago as a jail.
5. Would you get married here?
Sunny beach side weddings are so yesterday, today is all about glacier weddings.
Iceland has dug deep inside a large block of ice to open the world’s biggest man-made ice cave featuring a chapel.
Stretching 2,642 feet into the Langjökull glacier, the glacier gives visitors the chance to stand with 1,900 feet of ice below their feet.
Set to open on 1 June, guests will not only be able to tie the knot but also see west Iceland scenery during the helicopter trip to the glacier.
The idea for the ice cave came from adventure tour operators, Baldvin Einarsson and Hallgrímur Örn Arngrímsson in 2010.
They wanted to give travellers the opportunity to not only see the glacier but experience this remote natural wonder.
So what do you think? Ideal wedding location?
