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Game on Computer games are changing. Take Yerevan Drive (below). In contrast to most driving games’ virtual worlds of over-sized autos and crime scenes, the first 3D game from Armenia features modest cars and realistic mock-ups of the capital city. Available from www.emergencysoft.com , it’s a refreshing idea and costs just US$14.95 (about £8). Another new game that thinks outside the [...]
Game on
Computer games are changing. Take Yerevan Drive (below). In contrast to
most driving games’ virtual worlds of over-sized autos and crime scenes,
the first 3D game from Armenia features modest cars and realistic
mock-ups of the capital city. Available from www.emergencysoft.com ,
it’s a refreshing idea and costs just US$14.95 (about £8).
Another new game that thinks outside the Xbox is Arabian Lords,
developed by up-and-coming maker Quirkat in Amman, Jordan
(www.quirkat.com). As a merchant in the ancient Middle East, playersmust attempt to build business and social networks. Non-violent, the
game rewards intelligent strategy. Priced at 99 UAE dirhams (about £14),
it’s available in most Middle Eastern Virgin Megastores and Toys ‘R’ Us.
D is for donkey…
A new literacy initiative is benefiting children in Sudan (whose capital
Khartoum is a bmi destination): donkey-drawn libraries. With a donkey’s
help, these mobile libraries are transported from school to keep young
learners entertained. You can help provide one for a Sudanese
community by donating £100 to Good Gifts, which offers presents
with a charitable, quirky edge. AA Milne’s Eeyore would be proud.
Good Gifts, +44 (0)20 7794 8000; www.goodgifts.org
BAT AND BALL
If you’re a cricket fanatic, you can now splash
out £8,000 on the new Lord’s Debenture
scheme. Members will be guaranteed tickets
in the Upper Grand Stand at Lord’s Cricket
Ground, London, for the next eight years.
For more details call +44 (0)20 7616 8726
or visit www.lords.org
Happy feet
If you’re looking for a bargain in
Chicago, try City Soles (+001 773
489 2001; www.citysoles.com), a
boutique shoe store with three
locations in the
city. Earlier this
year, it made the
news by offering
shoes that normally
had a price tag of
hundreds of dollars
for just five cents
when you bought a
second pair. Corso
Como is among the
brands carried by the
store, which caters
for both men and
women.
Room for rent
New website www.roomFT.com (short for
“Room For Travellers”) helps global travellers
find locals with a spare room. The idea is to
rent a room in a private home for a short stay
at far less than the price of a hotel. Unlike the
long-established The Couch Surfing Project
(www.couchsurfing.com), RoomFT permits
hosts to charge for their services. “It’s a unique
difference which make this the first business
of its kind,” founder Chris Ubah tells voyager.
But is staying with strangers sensible? “Our
safety measures include an eBay-style feedback
system and credit checks,” he assures us. He
can’t do anything about the lack of room
service, though.
Model opinion
London-based Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova, 26 – reportedly the seventh highest paid model in the world – chats to voyager
What have you been
up to this year?
I recently finished
my stint as the guest
editor of this month’s
issue of Russian
Vogue, which was
very exciting.
What are you plans
for 2008?
At the moment I’m
organising more
fundraising events
for my charity
[Naked Heart
Foundation, which
builds playgrounds
for disadvantaged
Russian children;
www.nakedheart.org]
which is a lot of work
but really worthwhile.
You’re based in
London now, but you
seem keen on being
an ambassador for
Russia. For example,
you were involved
in promoting the
annual Russian
Winter Festival in
Trafalgar Square…
There are so many
Russians in London
– it’s important for
people to see our
culture and for us to
share it with the world.
I like representing
my country.
