20 Amazing Bridges

For the original article click here.

20: Pont du Gard, Remoulins, France

Completed between 40 and 60 A.D., the Pont du Gard Bridge crosses the Gardon River gorge in southern France and was built by the Romans to carry water from the spring in Uzes, France.

19: Akashi-Kaiky Bridge, Akashi Strait, Japan
At more than 6,500 feet, Japan's Akashi Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world. 

18: Brooklyn Bridge, New York, N.Y.
Since it opened in 1883, after 13 years of construction, the Brooklyn Bridge has become an icon of New York City.

17: Henderson Waves Bridge, Singapore
Pedestrians get the chance to stroll along part of Singapore's Southern Ridges nature trail on the Henderson Waves Bridge, which stands nearly 120 feet above the road and connects a pair of local parks.

16: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, Calif.
Amazingly, it took only four years to complete construction on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, which opened in 1937 and has since become one of the most photographed bridges anywhere in the world.

  

15: Royal Gorge Bridge, Cañon City, Colo.

The highest bridge in the world for more than 70 years, Colorado's Royal Gorge Bridge was built in just six months in 1929. It spans more than 1,200 feet across the Arkansas River near Canon City, Colo., within a 360-acre theme park with 21 rides.

14: Helix Bridge, Singapore

Inspired by the helical structure of DNA, Singapore's Helix pedestrian bridge opened in 2010 and features a computer-controlled lighting system to set the mood for pedestrians walking on it.

13: Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

Now well into its fifth century, the Rialto Bridge in Venice was built first as a floating pontoon over the Grand Canal, and later replaced by a wooden bridge that collapsed under the weight of a crowd watching a boat parade. The current stone bridge was completed in 1591.

  

{Dang banner got in the way of the picture!}

12: Stari Most, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Commissioned by the Ottoman emperor Suleiman the Magnificent in 1557, this arch bridge over the Neretva River in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina stood for more than 400 years until it was destroyed in the Balkans War in 1993. It was rebuilt after the war ended, and re-opened in 2004.

11: Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

Butchers once occupied the shops now filled by jewelers and souvenir sellers on this bridge that spans the narrowest point over the Arno River in Florence, Italy. Believed to date back to Roman times, the bridge appears in Italian records as far back as 996 A.D.

10: Øresund Bridge, Malmö, Sweden

Completed in 2000, this five-mile-long bridge that links Sweden and Denmark across the Øresund strait ends on the man-made island of Peberholm, the crossover point where the road from the bridge takes drivers into the tunnel beneath the strait.

9: Millau Viaduct, Millau-Creissels, France

When it opened in 2004 in the Tarn River valley of southern France, the 1,125-ft.-high Millau Viaduct Bridge shot to the top of the list of the world's tallest bridges.

8: Bosphorus Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

Completed in 1973, the Bosphorus Bridge is one of two bridges in Istanbul, Turkey, that connect Europe with Asia over the Bosphorus Strait.

7: Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

Built in 1602, Venice's Bridge of Sighs got its name from the English poet Lord Byron in the 19th century, based on the legend that the bridge was the last view convicted prisoners would see of the beautiful Italian city before being taken to their prison cells.

{Bad picture because it was night and there was preservation being done around the bridge}

6: Si-o-se Pol, Isfahan, Iran

Built between 1599 and 1602, the Si-o-se Pol is translated as the Bridge of 33 Arches, for the rows of arches that line either side of its double-deck span.

5: Sundial Bridge, Redding, Calif.

Completed in 2004, this bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Sacramento River near Redding, Calif., connects the museums at Turtle Bay Exploration Park with the Sacramento River Trail, a 35-mile-long hiking, walking and running trail that runs alongside the river.

4: Lupu Bridge, Shanghai, China

When it opened in 2003, Shanghai's Lupu Bridge was the world's longest feel arch bridge, a feat that has since been eclipsed by the Chaotianmen Bridge in Chongqing.

3: Langkawi Sky Bridge, Langkawi, Malaysia

You'll need to take a cable car to the top of Gunung Mat Chinchang on Pulau Langakawi, an island in the Malaysian state of Kedah, to walk along this curved pedestrian bridge, which meanders around the clouds of the mountain peak.

2: Chengyang Bridge, Liuzhou, China

Built in 1916, this bridge that spans the Sanjiang River in China's Guangxi province is known by several names, including the Yongji Bridge and the Panlong Bridge. Inside, the bridge features three floors and 19 verandas that look out onto the river.

1: Magdeburg Water Bridge, Magdeburg, Germany

Germany's Magdeburg Water Bridge connects the Elbe-Havel Canal with the Mittelland Canal along a navigable aqueduct over the Elbe River. Before the bridge opened in 2003, ships had to make a nearly eight-mile detour for a trip that now takes only minutes. 

{Source}

Willkommen to Oktoberfest in the USA

I have to say that when I first saw this Yahoo! article I thought for sure that my neighboring city of New Braunfels would have made the list since they celebrate this festival for half a month! But they did not...Here are the cities that made the cut. 

Leavenworth, Wash

For the past 15 years, the streets of Leavenworth, Wash., have filled with Bavarian cheer, not to mention beer. This Oktoberfest takes place in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, about 115 miles east of Seattle, and expects 35,000 visitors this year. Entry tickets cost $10 on Friday and $20 on Saturday; food and beer cost extra. 

{Source}

Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati hosts what's billed as the world's second-largest Oktoberfest celebration, after Munich's own. Perhaps even more impressive than its size, you can attend Oktoberfest Zinzinnati for free. Plus, unique Bavarian-inspired events add to its allure. You'll find the fest covering six blocks in downtown Cincinnati.

Glendale, WI

With its history of German immigrants dating back to the late 1800s, Glendale, Wisc., is a natural fit for an Oktoberfest celebration. Located just 10 miles north of Milwaukee, Glendale has hosted Munich-modeled festivities for more than 60 years. The event takes place in Glendale's leafy Heidelberg Park, along the banks of the peaceful Milwaukee River. General admission is $4 in advance and $5 at the door; food and beer cost extra.

Helen, GA

In the late 1960s, the city underwent a massive revitalization and became a replica of a German village, lending it a delightful alpine appeal. Soon after, city leaders organized a popular fall festival. This year, the idyllic locale is celebrating its 43rd Oktoberfest. Tickets cost $8 Monday through Friday and $10 on Saturday. Admission is free on Sunday.

Mount Angel, Ore

Starting Sept. 12, the city will host its 48th Oktoberfest. Expect a full program of Bavarian bands, music and dancing. Alpine food booths, laden with German treats like sausage and wurst, German chocolate cake, pretzels and more will line the streets of Mount Angel. Golden brews like Weihenstephan, Warsteiner and Konig Ludwig will fill your steins. Ticket prices vary from $4 to $14, depending on the time of day, and food and drinks are not included.

Denver, CO

The Denver Oktoberfest will celebrate its 44th year and organizers expect some 350,000 revelers to join the fray. Events like Keg Bowling, the Long Dog Derby and Das Hustlef Hoff 5K truly make this Oktoberfest one of a kind. While enjoying the jam-packed entertainment schedule won't cost you a dime, you will have to buy tickets for your bratwurst and beer. Each ticket costs $6 or you can buy four tickets for $20. 

San Francisco, CA 

Oktoberfest By the Bay — is short-lived, but it crams a full agenda of Spaten beer, Bavarian food and German entertainment into one weekend. While you nosh on soft pretzels and other German delicacies, local bands will provide some German-style tunes. You'll find the party on Pier 48, jutting out onto San Francisco Bay. General admission tickets cost $25, and include entry and access to the entertainment provided. 

Did you know that the Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to, and including, the first Sunday in October.

Under Bite: The Tail of Two Bulldogs

So this is a story about how our Coco ruined the design vibe we had going in our new house. First some back ground... After being in the new house a week my parents came to visit and brought our Coco back. We were excited for all to see the new place. After my parents left we put together our new FLOR rug. If you're not familiar with FLOR they are carpet tiles. Each tile costs about $15 and they are machine washable, perfect for dog owners!

{Sleepy babies!}

About 30 minutes after we put the rug together Coco broke out in hives! This was around 7:45pm so we had to take her to the ER vet and that = $$$! ggggrrrr! We got her there and they gave her a shot and things calmed down but they didn't go away 100%. Long story short, after a few days and Coco only being about 85% her normal self we took the new rug upstairs to see if that was the culprit and within 3 hours she was 100% back to normal. IT WAS THE ECO-FRIENDLY RUG!!!!

{New wonderful rug!}

{Everything looked so nice!}

Thankfully FLOR let us return the rug! 

Anything like this ever happen to you?

Pinspiration

Hope y'all all had a great weekend! This months pinspiration I have been working on for about a month. It only took me so long because we had some rain on the weekends and I couldn't get outside to sand this dang table.

I wanted to try making my own chalk paint. Chalk paint shouldn't be confused with chalkboard paint, they are not the same thing. Here is the original chalk paint and why its so awesome, the first being you don't have to sand or prep the item. The reason I tried to make my own was because they didn't have the color I wanted...deep purple. Well turns adding water and plaster of paris into the paint didn't make it so deep anymore, oh well. I used a recipe found online:

2 cups paint
1/3 cup plaster of paris
2 tbs of water.

I sanded the top of the table to see how it would look with paint and I didn't sand the legs to see how those would look. Well I didn't like the way I would of had to do 2 coats on the legs if I didn't sand.

Anyway...here is the final product.

Happy Pinning! 

How to Earn Mileage Points

On Wednesday I talked about how Mike was able to get us a sweet redemption using our United mileage points. I also stated how I had over 205,000 of them! You may wonder how the average person collects so many points (we only take about one vacation a year so a small fraction of those were actually mileage points). Here is how we earned all those points:

1 - We got the Chase United Mileage Explorer credit card: You'll get something like 40,000 points just for signing up. Some of the perks are free bags and priority boarding. If you book your flight through United.com you'll get x2 the points and you get 10,000 bonus miles a year once you charge $25,000 on the card. Now we are not the kind of people to keep debt so we just pay off the credit card every month...and we literally use it for EVERYTHING!!! Even if its just for $3 at a gas station. (The card is free for the first year and $95 a year after that...worth it just for the free bags since one checked back is $50!)

2 - Mileage Plus Shopping: You can shop online at select retailers (through the mileage plus shopping web site) and get x2, x3 and sometimes x10 the amount of points. We have been doing this for home decor and pet supplies. (You have to register your card)

3 - Mileage Plus Dining: You can even earn x3 the amount of points just by eating at the places you love. We just moved close to a Which Wich and we love earning the extra points when we eat there! (Again, you have to register your card)

4 - e-Rewards: You can take online surveys and earn "dollars" that you can trade in for miles $25 = 500 miles

5 - Bonuses: They offer all kinds of big bonuses. They had one where it was 5,000 extra points if you signed up with Netflix or switch your energy provider to Company 'X' and get 15,000 bonus points, get 4,000 bonus miles for joining the wine of the month club (which I cancelled after the 2nd month). Try to take advantage of these if they work for you and your budget.

6 - Hotels: Instead of collecting hotel rewards switch it to airlines miles

7 - Mileage sales: United has sales on their miles every now and then so if your budget permits and you are really close to your needed amount I would snatch some up.

Those are just a few ways to earn miles for your next trip. And say you don't have enough miles for a flight, they can also be used for hotel stays and car rentals!

What have you used your miles on?

How to Use Your Rewards Miles

Well....maybe the title to this post is a little deceiving because I really don't know the secret. But I know someone that does. I first heard about Mike of iflywithmiles.com from J.Money of BudgetsareSexy.com. Every now and then J.Money hosts a Side Hustle series and back in January Mike was the guest post.

{Source}

I emailed Mike a few times since reading the post asking questions about how many points we would need for our trip to Thailand and Cambodia. After finally accumulating 205K points (been saving since Feb. 2012) we were finally ready to see how far that would get us. It got us an economy seat over and first class back. But since we weren't going to "destination" cites like Bangkok, Tokyo and Seoul it was going to take us three days to get to Siem Reap, Cambodia and then it would take us another three days to get back to Texas. In the end we couldn't justify 6 days of travel for 7 days of true vacation time. We needed a plan B.

Our Plan B came after about a week of discussion on what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. We finally settled on a Trafalgar tour starting in Amsterdam and ending in Paris! I am so excited! I emailed Mike back and apologized for our indecisiveness. I gave him our dates and he was able to find something pretty quickly. We are flying a combo of United and Lufthansa business class for 100K mileage points each (and some additional money for taxes and surcharges)! I know that if I was to book though United's website for that same flight it would cost either $8,000 or 500K mileage points!!! I think its safe to say Mike is awesome!

And there is a bonus! I guess when booking overseas you get a free domestic layover (staying in a city for a night) and since we didn't take advantage of that we could book an inbound flight to any city - we chose Chicago. So we are going to Chicago next year too! I am so excited for both our trips and I cant wait to go!

Let the planning begin!

Extreme Travelers: Warrior Princess

Mindy Budgor was a California girl living the California dream. She had a great job, drove a nice car and was able to shop at all the expensive stores such as Gucci and Prada. But she still felt empty inside.

Mindy decided to take a humanitarian mission on Kenya to help build a health clinic in a Kenyan game reserve. While she was there she learned about the Maasai tribe from a member that was also a local chief named Winston and he spoke English. Winston told her about the tribe's warriors and how they protect their community. When Mindy asked if women could be warriors he said no because "women aren't strong enough or brave enough to do it."

This didn't sit well with Mindy and she made a deal that if she could leave behind her old glamorous lifestyle then he would take her through the traditional rites of passage to become a Maasai warrior.

Mindy returned to California where she trained for 6 weeks with a personal trainer to make sure she was in shape for her upcoming challenge. Mindy returned to Africa with a friend ready to take on the challenge but Winston reneged on his offer. Mindy wasn't going to let that stop her so she found Lanet in Nairobi and he agreed to take her and her friend on.

{Source}

They headed into the African bush with "essentials": tartan sheets for clothing, metal tips for spears and, for Mindy, a bottle of Chanel Dragon red nail polish (“It just made me feel fierce,” she said) and a pair of pearl earrings to remind her of home. 

Lanet and six other warriors then led them through a month of surreal tasks that were both physically and mentally challenging: sleeping on the ground in a communal bed of leaves and branches, going days without food, getting bloody blisters on her hands as she practiced spear-hunting skills, and, incredibly, suffocating a goat to death and drinking its warm blood (which Mindy vomited up immediately). 

During this whole time Mindy never put a brush through her hair, she would wash herself with the same water cows and buffalo used, but yet she still felt beautiful. She felt strong. She felt proud.

In a final test of bravery, Mindy speared a massive buffalo, inspiring cheers from her warrior trainers. She had passed, and was deemed a warrior, and succeeded in changing the Maasai gender policy; this year, 12 girls in the village she had been in will go through the warrior training. 

{Source}

Since leaving the Maasai tribe she went on to graduate from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and currently lives in New York.

{Original Yahoo! article}          {the Guardian article}          {Glamour article}

{Warrior Princess: My Quest to Become the First Female Maasia Warrior}

Staying Cool with Indoor Water Parks

Summer may be officially over but its still pretty hot in some places, we're still in the 90s here in Houston. So if you are looking to stay cool and stay out of the sun here is a list of indoor water parks for you to enjoy. See more here.

Klondike Kavern at Wilderness Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Hotel guests only

wildernessresort.com

Palmetto and Palm Water Parks at Dunes Village Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC

Hotel guests only

dunesvillage.com

Silver Rapids Indoor Water Park at Morning Star Lodge, Kellogg, ID

Hotel guests only

silvermt.com

Wings & Waves at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, OR

evergreenmuseum.org

{Source: Wings and Waves Waterpark}

Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park, Erie, PA

splashlagoon.com

{Source: Splash Lagoon}

Schlitterbahn Indoor Water Park, Galveston, TX

schlitterbahn.com

Water Park of America, Bloomington, MN

waterparkofamerica.com

{Source: Amy Rubey Lencowski}

Kahuna Laguna at the Red Jacket Mountain View Resort, North Conway, NH

Hotel guests only

kahunalaguna.com

{Source: Red Jacket Resorts}

Kalahari Water Park at Kalahari Resort, Sandusky, OH

kalaharimedia.com

{Source: Kalahari Resorts}

Avalanche Bay, Boyne Falls, MI

avalanchebay.com

{Source: Avalanche Bay}

UNESCO's Newest Wonders of the World, 2013

Each summer, UNESCO convenes to announce new picks for the World Heritage List. These sites are chosen for their cultural, historical, and environmental importance. Check out this year’s new batch of wonders; read the original article written by Deb Hopwell here.  

Hill Forts of Rajasthan, India
These six forts are set among the rocky outcroppings of the Aravalli Mountains in India’s “land of kings” and remain a standing testament to the power that Rajput princes enjoyed from the 8th to 18th century. The defensive walls are up to 12 miles around and incorporating natural defenses such as hills, deserts, and rivers to protected the ornate palaces, temples, and other buildings.

University of Coimbra–Alta and Sofia, Portugal
This university, founded in 1290, once had its own court of law and its own prison for students and scholars. One of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world, the institution grew and evolved for more than 700 years within the old town. It now includes the 12th-century Cathedral of Santa Cruz, the Royal Palace of Alcáçova, and several 16th-century colleges. 

Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, China

{Source: Courtesy of UNESCO/Hani Terraces Administration of Honghe Prefecture}

For the past 1,300 years, the Hani people in southern Yunnan have used a sophisticated system of channels to funnel water from the top of the Ailao Mountains to the terraces below. These 41,000 acres of terraces also form a unique integrated farming system—using buffalo, cattle, ducks, fish, and eel to support the production of red rice. 

Red Bay Basque Whaling Station, Canada

{Source: Courtesy of UNESCO/Chris Samson}

Beginning in 1550 and continuing for more than 50 years, 600 Basque mariners and 15 whaling ships from southern France and northern Spain would make a summer voyage to remote Red Bay, on the far-eastern shores of Newfoundland. Visitors can observe the rendering ovens, cooperages, and living quarters that make it one of the best-preserved examples of the European whaling tradition.

Namib Sand Sea, Namibia
Stretching 1,200 miles along the Atlantic and covering roughly 10 million acres of desert and buffer zone, the otherworldly Namib Sand Sea is the oldest desert in the world and is almost completely uninhabited by humans. Dense fog is the primary source of water and, combined with the sandstorms, makes this one of the world’s top storm-watching destinations. 

Levuka Historical Port Town, Fiji

 {Source: Courtesy of UNESCO/Steve Reid}

When American and European traders began building on Levuka’s coconut and mango tree lined beachfront in the early 19th century, they were considerably outnumbered by the islanders. Rather than foist Western architecture on the landscape, they integrated local building styles into the stores, churches, schools, warehouses, and homes, giving a distinctive look to Fiji’s first colonial capital.

Medici Villas and Gardens,  Tuscany, Italy

{Source: Courtesy of UNESCO/Adriano Bartolozzi}

During the Renaissance, any self-respecting Florentine family of means owned a vast farm outside the city gates. But when the powerful Medicis began building princely country estates, these wealthy patrons of the arts innovated a whole new approach to form and function—living in harmony with nature with an eye toward leisure and learning. These 12 villas and two pleasure gardens are exquisite examples of an architectural and landscape ideal that lives on today.

El Pinacate and Gran Desierto 
de Altar Biosphere Reserve, Mexico
Desert bighorn sheep, black-tailed jackrabbits, Gila monsters, and the endangered Sonoran pronghorn all survive among the sand, cinders, and playas of this 1.75-million-acre reserve. The dramatic landscape includes 10 enormous, nearly perfectly circular craters, sand dunes that reach up to 650 feet, and granite massifs that rise 2,000 feet from the desert floor. 

Wooden Tserkvas, Poland and Ukraine

{Source: Courtesy of UNESCO/National Heritage Board of Poland}

Poland and Ukraine came under the influence of rival Christian centers (Rome and Constantinople) more than a thousand years ago. But their shared traditions include tserkvas found in the Carpathian region: shingled wooden Greek Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches built between the 16th and 19th centuries. They honor the holy trinity with buildings typically constructed in three parts, with wooden domes, cupolas, and bell towers.

Al Zubarah, Qatar
Nowadays petrodollars fuel Qatar’s economy, but at one time pearls supported the realm. The fortified town of Al Zubarah—an abandoned pearl fishing and trading port that thrived on the Persian Gulf coast beginning in the mid 1700s—provides a glimpse into everyday Arab life before the discovery of oil and emergence of the modern Gulf States. 

Whats in a Name?

With the recent name change of AirAsia to Vanilla Air I thought you might be interested in some pretty wacky airline names that have come and gone. Here we go:

Lord’s Airline:  Florida to the Holy Land

Happy Air: Based in Thailand

Hooters Air: Based in Myrtle Beach

Robin Hood Aviation:  based in Austria and flew a tiny fleet of turboprops

Wizz Air: This Hungarian-based discounter styles itself the Ryanair of Eastern Europe 

{Source, Chris / Flickr}

Bingo Airways: The Polish line started flying charters last year to Mediterranean destinations like Greece, Turkey and Israel

Song and Ted: Discount airlines-within-airlines — launched by Delta and United to fight back at JetBlue 

Gandalf Airlines: Gandalf was a short-lived regional airline based in Italy

See the inspiration for this post here.

9 Dirty Secrets from the Travel Industry

I found this article about some dirty secrets the travel industry probably wants to stay hidden. Some are actually dirty and others are just tricky. You can find the original article here.

Airlines Lie about Estimated Arrival Times
How many times has your plane taken off late only to "make up the time" in the air and arrive on schedule? Turns out, your pilot might not be speeding through the sky: Airlines often say a flight will take longer than it really does in order to inflate their on-time-arrival stats. 

On our first flight back from Hawaii we left about an hour late and somehow arrived on time so we could catch our next flight...now I know its a trick they play!

There Are Really Only Three Rental-Car Companies in America
Avis owns Budget and Zipcar, Hertz owns Dollar and Thrifty, and Enterprise owns Alamo and National. 

No wonder they all have the same price. 

Your Plane Is Probably Old
The average age of the major airlines' fleets including American, Alaska, Delta, Southwest, United and US Airways is about 14 years old. American and Delta have the oldest planes averaging 16 years old.

Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia told CNN, "From a safety standpoint, a lot of the older planes were built tougher, and with proper maintenance, there's no reason why a plane can't stay safe for 25 to 30 years."

I don't ever feel nervous or scared when I get on an old plane, I'm usually bummed since they have less amenities (like each chair having a TV).  

Some Cruise Lines Are Harming the Environment
At sea, untreated cruise-ship waste (including raw sewage) can legally be dumped directly into the ocean as long as it's at least three miles out from shore (think about that the next time you're swimming).

Pilots Are Overworked and Underpaid 
A typical workday in the life of a regional airline copilot — one who makes about $28,000 per year to be on duty 12 to 13 hours a day, four days a week, often enduring a long commute and even sleeping in the airport just to get to his first flight.

Hotel Beds Are Disgusting
It's bad enough that most hotels don't change the bedspreads between guests (only the sheets), but did you know that the mattresses themselves are probably pretty filthy as well? Many hotels don't use waterproof mattress covers to protect the mattresses from the millions of skin cells, bodily secretions, bacteria, dust mites, and other allergens that guests leave behind.

I even asked for ours to be changed when were staying at the hotel in-between houses. They said it wasn't a problem but they never cleaned it or replaced it.

Flight Attendants May Delay Your Flight on Purpose

"If a flight is late, the airline might have to pay us overtime. If the flight is going to be late anyway, we've been known to delay it even further in order to make sure overtime kicks in, which on our airline means up to double the hourly pay. We might find some minor defect in the aircraft or use some other ruse to make up for the money we don't get paid waiting for takeoff." 

Some Hotel Housekeepers Polish Glasses with Furniture Polish
Housekeepers cleaning hotel-room drinking glasses with Pledge. Apparently it keeps glassware looking spotless and streak-free — so you may want to admire the sparkle and drink from disposable cups instead.

I will now wash all my hotel glasses before using them!

Airplane Water Might Not Be Safe to Drink
Tests conducted by the EPA a few years ago found that 14 percent of tank water in planes tested did not meet federal safety standards and contained bacteria like E. coli. Some airlines use tank water for more than just the airplane bathrooms. They use it to make coffee and tea, to fill the large bottles of water on the beverage trolley, and to make ice. Thankfully, not all airlines follow these practices. But do you really want to chance it?

Note to self: always bring you own water!

Do you have any experience with any of these dirty secrets?