Graph of the...week? month?

more graph humor and song chart memes

The World Atlas of Disappointing Holidays: A reminder

If you're looking for the celebrated World Atlas of Disappointing Holidays (and if not, why not? ) it's here.

If you have a tale of holiday-related woe that you'd like to share with us, your imaginary Internet friends, the form is here.

If you're looking for a book which simultaneously amuses, informs, and costs less than the price of a round of drinks, it's here.

Thanks for stopping by. Pop back any time.

America: One more reason not to go

See this thing? It's a Tarantula Hawk Wasp.

Not only does it have an unsettling appearance, it has one of the most painful stings of any insect. Rating a 4.0 on the marvellous and memorable Schmidt Pain Index the sensation of having fallen foul of this vast and intimidating insect has been described as "...immediate, excruciating pain that simply shuts down one's ability to do anything, except, perhaps, scream."

These creatures range over a vast territory from Argentina to Oregon. You might want to print this post out to have ready next time one of your relatives floats the topic of Disneyland.

Everywhere's abroad, depending on where you start

So before you start thinking "Ooh! London! That's not far! let's go there!" I'd like you to remember that many, indeed all, of the putative 'attractions' are not only wildly disappointing when you actually get down to it, they're also ruinously expensive.

Now, the unequalled joy of sunning yourself in your garden and sucking down a cold beverage isn't absolutely free, but the expenses engendered (mortgage/rent, TV licence to cover use of radio, six-pack of Heineken mini-kegs) are ones you would bear irrespective of whether you fall into the holiday trap or not.

Something to think about, I'm sure you'll agree.

The Friday Comic

First in a series of one, at most. There's no way I could pass this wonderful item up though. Click to embiggen:

via the always-marvellous Again with the Comics

The 10 most disappointing tourist sights..

..as enumerated by the fine people at Virgin Travel Insurance - who one might think would be in favour of people going on holiday, rather than pointing out what a colossal let-down it tends to be,

Anyway, by way of the Daily Telegraph, here they are:

• 1: The Eiffel Tower
• 2: The Louvre
• 3: Times Square
• 4: Las Ramblas, Barcelona
• 5: Statue of Liberty
• 6: Spanish Steps, Rome
• 7: The White House
• 8: The Pyramids
  
• 9: The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
• 10: The Leaning Tower of Pisa

And, demonstrating that you don't have to go as far as all that to be disappointed, here are the 10 crummiest attractions in the UK:

• 1: Stonehenge
• 2: The Angel of the North
• 3: Blackpool Tower
• 4: Lands' End
• 5: The Princess Diana Memorial Fountain
• 6: The London Eye
• 7: Brighton Pier
• 8: Buckingham Palace
• 9: The White Cliffs of Dover
• 10: Big Ben.

Isn't it nice to be special?

According to this more or less completely made up survey the British are the worst holidaymakers on Earth.

If we're that bad at it, perhaps we should just stop.

If you're the kind of person that likes specious surveys this one's still going! And it's got a map & everything!