New Zealand, Japan and Samoa set to reopen to visitors

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In 2011, Russian firm Orbital Technologies announced its plans for a hotel floating 250 miles (about 400 kilometers) above Earth. There was no bar or even showers, but you could clean up with wet wipes.

News from the air

A passenger with no flying experience landed a plane at a Florida airport on May 10 after the pilot became incapacitated. An air traffic controller took the call and guided him step-by-step.

That news came after a Virgin Atlantic flight heading to New York from London had to turn back after it emerged that the first officer, though fully qualified, hadn’t completed Virgin’s final flying test.

Earlier this month, a United Airlines passenger was taken into custody after opening an emergency exit and walking on the wing, and in Bangkok, a man was arrested after allegedly going on an armed rampage at the country’s biggest airport.

And finally, a new survey reveals that customer satisfaction among US air passengers is declining across the board, from ticket cost to flight crew performance.

Spectacular stays

Stay at the Moulin Rouge: Airbnb is offering what it's billing as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to stay inside the Moulin Rouge, the famous cabaret in Montmartre, Paris.

Inside the red windmill: A hitherto unseen room inside the Moulin Rouge's decades-old red windmill has been converted into a bedroom.

Glamorous interiors: The interior has been decorated in sumptuous style to evoke the fin de siècle glamor of the Moulin Rouge, which opened its doors in 1889.

Expert touch: Airbnb and the Moulin Rouge team worked with historian Jean-Claude Yon to deck out the room in 19th-century style.

Outdoor terrace: There's also a terraced balcony area, which looks like the ideal spot for some singing beneath the stars à la Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman in the 2001 musical "Moulin Rouge!"

Temporary space: The venue is a temporary space, bookable on just three nights -- June 13, 20 and 27. Prospective guests can request to book from May 17.

Exclusive experience: Airbnb says it's not a contest, but only a select few people will be able to book due to the temporary nature of the arrangement. If you're lucky enough to a nab a night, it'll cost you a symbolic one euro.

Old meets new: Airbnb says the objects inside the room are a mix of the historic and the modern.

All-night experience: Guests who successfully book in for the night will also experience a show and dinner at the Moulin Rouge cabaret.

Airbnb approved: Anyone looking to book the space when it goes live must be an Airbnb member with a history of three positive reviews.

Photos: The atmospheric Airbnb inside the Moulin Rouge

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The world’s most loved hotel for 2022 is a Costa Rican resort with more than 50 bungalows and villas and a private beach, according to Tripadvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Awards. Spots in Brazil, Greece, Turkey and Switzerland also made the top 10.

For something even more exclusive, though, a very lucky few will be able to book a night this June at Paris’ famous Moulin Rouge, in a secret room inside the windmill itself. It will be available through Airbnb with a token one euro price tag, and would-be guests will be able to put in their booking requests from May 17.

If your accommodation preferences lean more simple and back-to-nature, however, you can take inspiration instead from these travelers who converted their own cozy campervans.

Food and drink

Torta ahogada, Mexico: This "drowned" sandwich features pork tucked into crusty bread doused in spicy red sauce.

Tramezzino, Italy: The tramezzino is a triangular Italian sandwich constructed from two slices of soft white bread, with the crusts removed, containing hard boiled egg and tuna fish

Shawarma, Middle East: While there are many variations, its base is grilled spiced meat shaved from a rotisserie and tucked into a light sleeve of pita bread, topped with things such as tomatoes, onions and parsley.

Pambazo, Mexico: The pambazo is a Mexican street food meal. It is made of bread, potatoes, chorizo, lettuce, sour cream and sauce.

Bánh mì, Vietnam: Classical bánh mì sandwich with sliced grilled pork tenderloin, shredded carrots and peeled cucumbers, jalapeno peppers and cilantro on white textured background.

Muffaletta, United States (New Orleans): In the NOLA classic, layers of chopped olives, Genoa salami, ham and various cheeses (often with Swiss and provolone) mingle.

Chivito, Uruguay: This small South American country delivers a big taste with thinly sliced steak (called churrasco), ham, bacon, lettuce, mayonnaise and melted mozzarella.

Pan bagnat, France: Sliced in half (but not completely through), the bread hinges open to reveal layers of raw vegetables, anchovies, olives, sliced hard boiled eggs and chunks of tuna.

Smørrebrød, Denmark: You can find this traditional open sandwich at Copenhagen food market stores. You'll see sandwiches on display with seafood, smoke salmon and meats.

Spatlo, South Africa: This tasty sandwich is made from a quarter loaf of bread that's been hollowed out and stacked to the max with meat and much more.

Montreal smoked meat sandwich, Canada:
Smoked meat sandwiches sit on the counter at Schwartz's Deli in Montreal. It's made with smoked beef brisket layered between slices of light rye bread and drizzled with tangy yellow mustard.

Po' boy, United States (New Orleans): NOLA strikes again, this time with the classic po'boy, which is stuffed with fried oysters (or perhaps fried shrimp or roast beef) and piled with lettuce, tomato and pickles

Fricassé, Tunisia: A deep fried yeast bun is the exterior, and a savory mash-up of tuna, potatoes and boiled eggs are found inside.

Cuban sandwich, Cuba/United States: This pressed sandwich is layered with boiled ham, roasted pork, pickles, mustard, Swiss cheese and butter.

Cucumber sandwich, United Kingdom: So fancy! Extra soft white bread with the crusts removed gets layered with razor-thin English cucumbers (peeled, please, then lightly salted and drained), butter and a light dusting of fine pepper.

Chip butty, United Kingdom: So not fancy! This starchy wonderland features buttered white bread and stuffed with fries (aka chips in its native Britain). Condiments range from ketchup and malt vinegar to mayonnaise.

Katsu sando, Japan: A deep-fried pork cutlet -- pounded and breaded with panko and tucked into a fluffy Japanese white milk bread called shokupan -- is the base for this cult-favorite, convenience store snack

Reuben, United States: This classic features sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian or Thousand Island-style dressing.

Croque monsieur, France: It comes in male and female versions. For the croque monsieur, slices of white bread are topped with grated cheese and stuffed with thinly sliced ham and emmental or gruyere inside are dipped into egg batter and fried. For the croque madame, the egg component is served fried atop the sandwich instead.

Philly cheesesteak, United States (Philadelphia): This delectable hot mess is layered with ribeye steak sliced thin, oozing with cheese, sauteed peppers and onions to your liking.

Broodje haring: Netherlands: Served cold, broodje haring features crunchy baguette-style bread filled with thin slices of chilled herring that's been cured in salt and piled with diced onions.

Falafel pita, Middle East: Who said vegetarian isn't delicious? Crunchy fried balls of falafel -- made from soaked, ground-up chickpeas mixed with herbs -- are pushed into a warm and fluffy pita pocket with lettuce, tomatoes and tangy tahini sauce.

Choripán, Argentina: Sausages splashed with mustard and chimichurri sauce are the makings of this classic mouthful whose name is a mash-up of chorizo (sausage) and pan (bread).

Lobster roll, United States (New England): These are piled with big chunks of steamed lobster meat that's usually mixed with lemon juice, mayonnaise and herbs and tucked into a roll resembling a hot dog bun.

24 of the world's most delicious sandwiches (photos)

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France is facing a foie gras crisis, and this time it’s not because of pressure from animal rights campaigners, but a bird flu epidemic.

Next door in Italy, we’ve been looking at Nutella’s classy ancestor gianduiotto: a melt-in-the-mouth blend of cocoa and the premium hazelnuts that grow in Piedmont’s Langhe region.

Further south in Umbria, there’s the region of Lake Trasimeno, which is known for its traditional dishes that differ wildly from its neighbors. Forget pizza and pasta: We’re talking fishy friends such as perch, pike and eel.

And finally, a humble stodgy staple loved by people of all nations: We rounded up 23 of the world’s best sandwiches.

Travel rule changes

New Zealand has announced that it will fully reopen to international visitors on July 31, two months ahead of schedule. Japan has also announced that it will be relaxing its strict border measures in June, although dates and details have yet to be confirmed.

The Polynesian island country of Samoa will open its international borders in August, although again, further details are yet to come. Earlier this week, its neighbor Fiji moved down from Level 3 (“High”) to Level 2 (“Moderate”) on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel advisory for Covid-19 risk. Just one destination – a Caribbean favorite – moved up to Level 3.

In Europe, the Covid-19 Aviation Health Safety Protocol has been updated: From May 16, its recommendation is that face masks need no longer be mandatory in air travel in all cases.

Rail adventures

West Highland Railway, Scotland: Offering the "greatest hits" of Scotland's best landscapes, this beautiful line runs 120 miles from Glasgow to Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis -- the UK's highest mountain -- and delivers a parade of lochs and glens, desolate moors and brooding mountains.

Trans-Iranian Railway, Iran: One of the most spectacular feats of modern engineering, the Trans-Iranian Railway negotiates two formidable mountain ranges with audacious bridges spanning isolated valleys and spiral tunnels that twist locomotives up and down steep gradients.

The Ghan, Australia: This epic 1,851-mile route across the parched Australian Outback links Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the north, a trip taking more than 53 hours.

Qinghai-Tibet Railway, China: Known as the "Railway to Heaven," the 1,215-mile route from Xining to Lhasa tops out at the Tanggula Pass, 16,627 feet above sea level and uses pressurized carriages to minimize the affects of altitude on passengers.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, India: Nicknamed "The Toy Train," the relic of the British empire climbs 7,000 feet over a tortuous 55-mile route between New Jalpaiguri and the hill station of Darjeeling.

Oslo-Bergen Railway, Norway: This 308-mile trip links Norway's two largest cities -- the capital Oslo, and the west coast port of Bergen. The line, completed in 1909, crosses Europe's largest high mountain plateau -- the Hardangervidda.

Bernina Express, Switzerland: Over river deep and mountain high, this spectacular rail journey traverses the watershed where melting snow can run away to the North Sea, the Mediterranean or even the Black Sea. It's the highest rail crossing in the Alps.

The Canadian, Canada: Possibly the best way to experience Canada's widescreen landscapes, this rail voyage takes four days to complete 2,775 miles between Toronto and Vancouver, passing forests, lakes and seemingly endless prairies. plus the spectacular Rockies.

The Little Yellow Train, France: Hugging the sides of the deep, rocky valley of the River Tet in the Pyrenees mountains, the line winds between forests, chasms and gushing streams, passing traditional villages, historic fortresses and a precariously perched hermitage.

The TranzAlpine, New Zealand: The TranzAlpine takes four and a half hours to cover just 139 miles, but packs in diverse landscapes ranging from the Canterbury Plains to the snow-capped mountains of the Southern Alps, remote alpine meadows and the lakes, streams and forests of the island's West Coast.

10 of the world's most beautiful, epic rail trips (photos)

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In case you missed it

From China’s “Railway to Heaven” to the Australian Outback adventure of The Ghan, these are some of the world’s most incredible train rides.

We have the technology to end the airport liquid ban.

So why is it still in place?

Here’s how to survive an alligator attack.

Don’t provoke and don’t panic.

From hip, vibrant Lima to pre-Columbian Peru.

When Anthony Bourdain visited Peru for “Parts Unknown,” now available as a podcast.

Best travel pillows

There’s nothing better than setting off on a new adventure with your main squeeze, by which, of course, we mean your favorite travel pillow. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have selected their best travel pillow for 2022.