Nerds Republic

The world “hostel” makes many people think of small, dingy hotels in western Europe…or possibly a very violent Eli Roth movie. The truth is, hostels can be a wonderful place to stay during a trip. More often than not, they are inexpensive. Not only that, but if you look hard enough, you can find truly wonderful places — like Book And Bed Tokyo.

According to their website, Book And Bed is “an accommodation bookshop.”

Book And Bed

Getting a good night’s rest isn’t necessarily the most important thing at this hostel.

Instead, the focus is on enjoying the city, exploring, and reading “just a little more” before bed.

Book And Bed

“Our concept is thus a reader’s haven – an accommodation bookshop. (Books aren’t sold, though. It’s just an expression.) Dozing off obliviously during your treasured pastime is the finest ‘moment of sleep,’ don’t you agree?”

A Compact shelf compartment is 80.7 x 33.5 inches and the Standard is 80.7 x 50.8 inches.

Book And Bed

The “rooms” will run anywhere between $32 and $50 per night, depending on the size.

The hostel was designed by Makoto Tanijiri and Ai Yoshida of Suppose Design Office.

A photo posted by BOOK AND BED TOKYO (@bookandbedtokyo) on Sep 17, 2015 at 11:00pm PDT

The hostel will be opening its doors on November 5, 2015. World travelers and bookworms alike should stop by this unique hostel — your evening will be relaxing, that is certain! Have a book day…and have a book night!

On this couple’s trip across Europe, they managed to motorcycle across 13 countries, including Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria.

They wanted to create a keepsake that would remind them of these good times, so they decided to film a series of five-second videos each day. When they got home, they compiled these video clips into one awesome film.

video-player-present

I’m going to go ahead and guess that these two crossed quite a few things off their bucket list on that trip. Even though they could never possibly forget these good times, this video will still serve as a reminder of their most epic adventure yet.

Half the fun of traveling is trying new foods in exotic places. While being open to adventure can lead to some unforgettable experiences, you have to make sure your stomach can always handle it. If you come across any of these local delicacies, however, you might be better off skipping a meal instead of risking an inevitable stomach ache.

1. Jellied Moose Nose.

Flickr/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters

This simple dish is a native Alaskan delicacy, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. First, you cut the nose off a presumably dead moose and boil it. Then you remove all the hair before boiling it again. Afterwards, you let the boiled water sit overnight, and voila! You have yourself some delicious jellied moose nose.

2. Stinkheads.

Wikimedia Commons

Stinkheads are a native Inuit dish that has existed for hundreds of years. In the centuries before modern refrigeration technology, fish, a staple of the Inuit diet, would spoil rapidly. As a way to combat this, the Inuit developed fermentation as a means to cook and preserve their food. Stinkheads are essentially salmon heads that are buried in the ground in fermentation pits. After several months, the heads have rotted down to something stinky, but edible. It’s a great way to get through those harsh Alaskan winters.

3. Sheep’s Head.

Wikimedia Commons

Americans like to forget that our meat once had a face. In northern Europe, however, they not only like to recognize this, but they sometimes make a meal out of the head. Take, for example, the Scandinavian specialty of whole-roasted sheep’s head. To make matters more unsettling, the eyeballs and the tongue are the most desirable parts of the meal.

4. Bat Soup.

Wikimedia Commons

Aside from being living bug zappers, bats are considered a delicious food source in some parts of the world. Depending on where you are, they’re prepared in different ways. However, the most well-known bat dish is fruit bat soup, which is served in parts of Asia. It would be yummy, but bats also tend to be disease carriers, so it might be best to avoid this.

5. Mongolian Boodog.

Wikimedia Commons

This ancient method of Mongolian cooking is actually pretty innovative. It’s often prepared with a whole goat, but marmots are also sometimes cooked this way. First, you kill the animal, bleed it, and break its legs. Then, you stuff scalding hot rocks into the carcass until you can’t fit any more. After that, you spit-roast it over a fire until it achieves its desired crispiness.

(via Culinary Schools)

I’m actually halfway curious to know what fruit bat soup tastes like. However, I don’t think I’ll take any chance with it any time soon.

Did you ever wish you could travel with the knowledge that your bed would always be comfortable? Do you wish moving was a little easier and perhaps didn’t require the seemingly endless circuit back and forth? Austrian design firm Juust, headed by designer Stefan Juust, might have the solution for you.

Now, you can have all this, but transport it with barely any effort.

Facebook / Stefan Juust

How is this possible? The Travelbox, as it’s named, carries a bed, chair, table, storage areas, and even a bike.

It all folds up.

Facebook / Stefan Juust

And we mean really folds up, right into this sleek metal box.

Facebook / Stefan Juust

Facebook / Stefan Juust

The box itself measures 6.8 feet long by 1.3 feet wide and 4 feet high. It weighs a shockingly light 132 pounds, and can be easily shipped just about anywhere. This means it would be perfect for new homes, sublets, and unfurnished vacation homes.

Facebook / Stefan Juust

When it’s not being used for travel or relocation, the Travelbox can also serve purposes at home. It can work as a room divider, and it also provides storage. Its modular nature can help people reduce their need to buy new furniture when moving into a new place, thus helping them save money.

The plan for the Travelbox, which shows where everything is tucked in.

Facebook / Stefan Juust

(via My Modern Met)

Imagine how much easier moving would be with something like the Travelbox. It could even spruce up a trip to an otherwise unfurnished cabin. Think of it as the modern evolution of the travel trunk of old.

You can see more of the Travelbox and other projects at Stefan Juust’s Facebook.