Travel Wires

Going potty This is the column for people who like going places, so we proudly trumpet the news that the 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards are open. MyTravelResearch.com, describing itself with typically Australian modesty as “the world’s most valuable travel research site”, maintains clean, creative, quirky public toilets go a long way to boosting a destination’s image and generating tourism dollars. Categories include Best Economic Contributor (“when people stop at a toilet and stay on to spend more than a penny”); Best Location; Best Design; Quirkiest Experience (“relating to local heritage, fun, or otherwise noteworthy”); Best Accessible Toilet; Sanitation Progress (“developingeconomy destinations that have made big steps in public toilet provision”) and Overall Commitment to Toilet Tourism. Kawakawa’s Hundertwasser facilities must be a sitter. The price of freedom Kiwis still pay more than just about anyone else for a passport — $180 for a standard adult booklet. Aussies now pay $305, one of the most expensive in the world. In Turkey, where a passport can be difficult to get and even trickier to keep, it’s $272. The Swiss pay almost $195, Canadians $171 and Americans $165. Brits are complaining theirs now cost $160, but perhaps they didn’t have anything else to whinge about this week. Syrians pay $547 to renew passports, leaping to $1100 if required urgently. Travel Wires suggests anyone in Syria would require their passport urgently. Far, far away Disney is giving fans a double whammy, revealing details of two coming attractions — Pixar Pier at Anaheim and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Orlando. The pier will be split into neighbourhoods inspired by favourite Pixar films — The Incredibles, Toy Story and Inside Out. The fourth zone features flicks from WALL-E to A Bug’s Life. Galaxy’s Edge will revolve around a hotel that immerses visitors into a Star Wars story. “Guests’ journey through space will start when everyone departs together for a multi-day Star Wars adventure by boarding a starship alive with characters and stories that unfold around them during a voyage through the galaxy.” Staying high Dubai’s new 75-storey, 356m Gevora Hotel became the world’s tallest hotel when it opened last week. It is 1m higher than the nearby JW Marriott. Guests enter goldplated revolving doors to access 528 opulent rooms, four state-of-the-art health clubs and two luxury restaurants. They can make their way up to the rooftop pool bar and look across the street to the world’s tallest building, the 828m Burj Khalifa. You think those sheikhs have some issues? — travel@nzherald.co.nz