(CNN) — In travel news this week, Spain is offering free train travel, Southwest Airlines is making its vouchers valid forever, and we’re taking a look at the world’s best hiking trails and Iceland’s best swimming spots.
Wild world
As Shark Week draws to a close, we’ve got some tips on how to avoid being attacked by one of our spiky friends. This may interest you : How do I start playing with my voice in video games?. Don’t wear bling into the sea, avoid river mouths and fishing areas, and if one of the big guys starts circling you, be sure to maintain eye contact.
If you’re brave enough, you can watch this video of a diver approaching a massive Great White. And in another video from Hawaii this week, a woman was attacked by a fur seal while swimming.
Meanwhile in Israel, rising water temperatures have created ideal conditions for swarms of beautiful but poisonous jellyfish, costing the tourism industry millions in lost revenue. Watch here.
Bridges and trains
Europe is getting a little easier to navigate. Read also : There is no objective history in video games – each player’s experience is different. The long-awaited bridge has just been opened in Croatia, connecting two parts of the Adriatic coast and eliminating the need for border checks across Bosnian territory.
In June, Germany launched a very popular summer travel scheme, allowing people a whole month of unlimited train travel for €9 (just over $9). Now Spain is following suit: from September, some train journeys will be completely free.
There is also an effort to expand the continent’s high-speed rail network, to provide a reliable and sustainable alternative to air travel. Here is the progress on this issue so far.
One step ahead
Taiwan is urging visitors to keep their mouths shut and their ears open as they walk the world’s first “certified quiet walking trail” around the country’s Cuifeng Lake. This may interest you : When life gives you lemons, video games may be the escape we need. The lowest measured volume on the trail is less than 25 decibels, allowing wanderers to tune in to birds chirping, humming instincts, frog calls and wind blowing through rustling leaves.
Further west in the Land of the Thunder Dragon – better known as Bhutan – the 250-mile Trans-Bhutan Trail is open to travelers for the first time in 60 years. The historic pilgrimage route passes through the Himalayan kingdom from the Tibetan border to the edge of India.
And rounding off our month of hiking stories, we’ve looked at 23 of the world’s best trails, from Spain’s Camino de Santiago to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Aviation news
The strike that hit Germany’s national airline Lufthansa this week led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights and more than 130,000 passengers.
Texas-based Southwest Airlines had a better customer relations week: It announced that starting July 28, all of its airline vouchers will be valid forever.
And finally, an unruly passenger on a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Los Angeles caused the flight to be diverted to Salt Lake City; A 39-year-old man allegedly tried to bite a female passenger.
Iceland
Iceland has underground volcanic springs to thank for its endless supply of geothermal water. Here are the best swimming pools to enjoy all year round.
In case you missed it
A pilot captured a video of a mysterious red glow over the Pacific Ocean.
Warning sirens have been sounded regularly across France since the Cold War.
Colorado start-up Boom Supersonic has unveiled a new design for its supersonic jet.
Its Overture spacecraft is expected to fly with its first passengers before the end of the decade.
Snack decisions
Stomach rumbling is a risk when traveling, but eating on the go isn’t always easy. Greasy, sticky fingers, melted chocolate or crushed treats — it’s a big old headache. Our partners at CNN Underscored, the CNN-owned product review and recommendation guide, have selected the 24 best travel snacks to take with you on your next vacation.
