In Search of Fjords, Atlantic Ocean Road in Western Norway, Spectacular Island Living and New Land in New York

 

 

 

The fjords in western Norway, inland lakes and the areas around Lofoten Islands in the northern part of the country.   +20 Tomasz Furmanek spends most of his spare time atop the waters of Norway's most idyllic nature spots +20 Using a GoPro camera fastened to his kayak, Tomasz snaps photos of the fjords he sees in his travels But for Tomasz the main reason he has spent so much time kayaking is because he finds it relaxing. He said: 'I kayak mainly because it is an easy way to get mental balance. 'You get close to nature in a kayak and can experience things that is not possible while hiking.'   +20 Simply breathtaking! The scenery in Scandinavia is not to be missed +20 Tomasz has visited many of the fjords in western Norway, inland lakes and the areas around Lofoten Islands +20 For the past two years, Tomasz has been documenting his trips to his 10,000 Instagram followers For the past two years, Tomasz has been documenting his trips and uploading what he calls an 'adventure blog' to his 10,000 followers on Instagram. 'I do not upload private pictures,' said Tomasz. 'The Instagram feed is more an adventure blog than a personal profile. 'The people that follow my account are mainly interested in kayaking, although I have some followers that do not do kayaking. +20 He insists that the reason he continues to do this is because he finds kayaking so relaxing +20 He also enjoys the fact that kayaking allows you to get closer to many environments than you would hiking +20 Ships ahoy! 'You can experience things that is not possible while hiking,' says Tomasz 'I had about ten thousand followers this summer before I went to Lofoten with Kristoffer Vandbakk who I met on Instagram. 'After three weeks of kayaking in Lofoten area, I gained about ten thousand new followers.' Tomasz mainly uses a helmet mounted GOPRO3+ camera for photos and videos and a Sony RX100mk2 in a waterproof box on the front deck of the kayak. +20 Tomasz gained even more Instagram followers after kayaking with a friend, Kristofer Vandbakk +20 The two travelled in the Lofoten area for three weeks and when Tomasz returned, he had 10,000 more viewers +20 This stunning sunset is just one of the many photos that Tomasz has uploaded to his 'adventure blog' +20 Currently, the intrepid kayaker boasts over 26,000 followers on social networking site Instagram +20 'I do not upload private pictures,' said Tomasz of his Instagram account +20 'The Instagram feed is more an adventure blog than a personal profile,' he says +20 Tomasz mainly uses a helmet mounted GOPRO3+ camera to capture these photos and videos +20 Tomasz works during the day as a software developer at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen +20 Shadow play! When travelling through narrow spaces, the sun reflects off the rocks in mysterious ways +20 The moonlight is reflected on the water in this stunning, peaceful shot +20 Tomasz occasionally also posts photos from his tent or while hiking the fjords themselves     In good weather, the five-mile stretch offers breath-taking scenery along the Scandinavian country’s western coast. But when the weather takes an ugly turn, cars are lashed by powerful wind gusts and pounded by large waves that send frigid water crashing over barricades or the rocky shore. Scroll down for video +9 Nice curves: Norway’s picturesque Atlantic Ocean Road includes the iconic Storseisundet Bridge Take a trip down the most dangerous road, in the world   +9 With a curve that protrudes over the Norwegian Sea, the 850-ft bridge plays a visual trick on approaching motorists +9 For approaching motorists it appears that the ‘bridge to nowhere’ drops off into the sea, but it’s just an optical illusion +9 Open road: In bad weather, cars are pounded by large waves and whipped by powerful wind gusts With stormy skies above and turbulent waters below, the nearly four-minute video shows the daunting journey from a driver’s point of view. One of the most popular spots on the route is its iconic Storseisundet Bridge, known locally as ‘the drunk bridge’ due to its unusual appearance. It has been featured in advertisements and lures thousands of tourists each year to a route that has been hailed as one of the world's best for a holiday road trip. +9 In good weather, the five-mile stretch offers breath-taking scenery along the Scandinavian country’s western coast +9 Atlantic Ocean Road has been hailed as one of the world's best for a holiday road trip +9 Atlantic Ocean Road passes through an archipelago and links mainland Norway with the island of Averoy With a curve that protrudes over the Norwegian Sea, the 850-ft bridge plays a visual trick on approaching motorists. It appears that the ‘bridge to nowhere’ drops off into the sea, but it’s just an optical illusion given the angle of the span. Offering a series of exhilarating twists and turns, Atlantic Ocean Road is unsheltered from the North Atlantic Ocean, putting it at the mercy of the elements. +9 Road trip: Storseisundet Bridge is one of the features that lures thousands of tourists to the oceanfront route every year +9 Atlantic Ocean Road is unsheltered from the North Atlantic Ocean, putting it at the mercy of the elements Now 25 years old, Atlantic Ocean Road passes through an archipelago as it links mainland Norway with the island of Averoy, and is one of the country’s official national tourist routes. Over the six years that it took to construct, workers struggled with the region's wild weather and were interrupted by 12 hurricanes, according to the country's tourist bureau.   There are several tourist stops along the way, including the Kvernes Stave Church, the Bremsnes Cave and popular fishing spots, although the road and its rocky shore have a dangerous reputation. In 2013, an Israeli tourist was swept away after he fell into the sea while admiring the view from the roadside. A property developer has released incredible before and after images that show how the bustling railroad tracks leading into New York's world famous Penn Station have had a 2.6 acre concrete platform built above them to create space for a massive new real estate project.  On first view the area outside the station, which serves 600,000 rail passengers every day, appears to have gone from hosting a dozen railway lines transporting customers all over the United States, to the large concrete base of the $4.5 billion Manhattan West development. But in reality the tracks are simply hidden from sight and are the trains are now operating as an underground service beneath what will soon become the foundations for two 60 storey office towers on West 33rd Street and Ninth Avenue. Once completed the area will also an enormous retail park and a two acre green space for local benefit workers and to host community projects. Scroll down for video  +11 Skyline: The bustling railroad tracks leading into New York's world famous Penn Station have had a 2.6 acre concrete platform built above them to create space for a massive new real estate project +11 Before: Penn Station is New York City's main intercity rail terminal - serving up to a thousand passengers every 90 seconds +11 During: In order for the construction teams to build the platform without disrupting rail services, construction teams used a $7 million crane dubbed 'The Launcher' to lay 16 separate 400 ton bridges +11 After: The 'bridges' were shunted together to form tunnels through which the trains continue to travel while construction goes on overhead The Manhattan West development is the latest project by Brookfield Properties, whose workers have spent the past two years hovering precariously above busy railway lines as they built the massive concrete platform. The developer said its construction crews worked day and night for much of that time in order to have the foundation finished by the end of this year, in order to get the construction of the office towers underway in early 2015. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Brookfield CEO Dennis Friedrich said: 'We celebrate today the creation of land in Manhattan - new land, which doesn't happen very often and which will serve as the support and platform for new buildings to go up in the upcoming years.' In order for the construction teams to build the platform without disrupting rail services, construction teams used a $7 million crane dubbed 'The Launcher' to lay 16 separate 400 ton bridges, which were shunted together to form tunnels through which the trains continue to travel while construction goes on overhead. +11 Construction: The Manhattan West development is the latest project by Brookfield Properties, whose workers have spent the past two years hovering precariously above busy railway lines as they built the massive concrete platform +11 Changes: The area outside Penn Station has changed massively over the past two years. The office towers are scheduled to open for businesses to move in at some point in 2018     Transformed: As can be seen in these before and after images, the tracks have been hidden from sight. The trains are now operating as an underground service beneath what will soon become the foundations for two 60 storey office towers on West 33rd Street and Ninth Avenue As well as the 60 storey office towers, retail park and green space, Brookfield Properties plans to build an 800 apartment residential tower and a five star hotel on the site. It will also be working to convert other buildings in the area into glass-based structures in order for them to fit in with the new development.  Work on the residential tower is due to get underway early next year, with the first residents moving in at some point in 2017. The 800 apartments inside the building have not yet been put up for sale, Brookfield said. The office towers are expected to open the following year.  +11 At work: As well as the 60 storey office towers, retail park and green space, Brookfield Properties plans to build an 800 apartment residential tower and a five star hotel on the site. +11 Building site: Once completed Manhattan West will also an enormous retail park and a two acre green space for local benefit workers and to host community projects +11 Concrete: Work on the residential tower is due to get underway early next year, with the first residents moving in at some point in 2017 Penn Station, whose official name is Pennsylvania Station, is New York City's main intercity rail terminal - serving up to a thousand passengers every 90 seconds. It is the busiest passenger transportation facility in North America.  The original Pennsylvania Station was inspired by the Gare d'Orsay in Paris and was constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad from 1901 to 1910.  After a decline in passenger usage during the 1950s the original station was demolished in 1963 and replaced in 1969 with the current station.  Resurgence of train ridership in the 21st century has pushed the current Pennsylvania Station structure to capacity, leading to several proposals to renovate or rebuild the station.

If you're on the lookout for your next property venture then why not consult the 'islands for sale' list?  Private islands are available from as nearby to the Isle of Man as Ireland, to as far away as Australia.  The idea of owning your own private islands seems like a luxury most of us can only dream of, but some are actually more affordable than you might think, while some may well indeed remain a dream. +12 Venice Island, in the lagoon of Venice, is our most expensive one on the list at £9.6 million ($15 million)  +12 King's Island outside Copenhagen, Denmark, is the largest artificial island in the world and will set you back £8 million ($12.5 million) +12 Captain Willy`s Caye near to Belize is at the cheaper end of the scale of islands to buy at £226,386 ($355,000) +12 Little Island, near Manitoulin Island, Ontario, is our cheapest offering of the world's for sale islands, at £62,624 ($98,000) Whether you’d want a quiet island to quickly escape to from the stressful city, a tropical island with white sandy beaches to relax on, somewhere to take the family on a fishing trip, or even an island big enough to turn into a holiday resort for others to enjoy here is an infographic of the very best private islands available to suit everybody’s dreams. Would you choose the island that John Lennon and Yoko Ono used to live on? Or how about the island with its very own fort? One island is Taiwan comes with its very own pair of volcanoes. +12 Dumunpalit Island near Palawan, Philippines, is known as 'Turtle Island' as the volcanoes at either end look like turtle fins +12 Belden Island, Branford, Connecticut,  at £2.56 million ($4 million) has its own sandy beach and 100-year-old farmhouse that adds character to the setting +12 The house on Belden Island looks like a new build and will offer unbeatable views out to sea +12 Dorinish Island in Mayo, Ireland, was once owned by Beatles legend John Lennon, and his wife Yoko Ono CEO of Private Islands Inc. who market the list of 700 islands for sale and rent all over the world, Chris Krolow told MailOnline Travel: 'Our typical client is one who is looking for a project, and looking to put their own mark on an island. 'It is very rare to get people who say the islands is perfect as it is; they may want to redesign the buildings, repair the boathouse, make extra developments to make it their own. 'Our clients are not there to lay back and relax and enjoy it as it comes, they are there to work at it.' Mr Krolow, who founded the company 16 years ago, and who also runs Private Islands Magazine as well as hosts/produces Island Hunters for HGTV in the US added: 'Selling or buying an island is very different to doing the same with any property, the only thing the same is the paperwork. 'Most of our clients know what they want, say they've been boating around the Bahamas and they realise that they want that island they kept passing. 'But we would always say you can try before you buy; it is a unique lifestyle and not everybody is cut out for it. There are islands available to rent and it gives you a chance to work out all the logistics like travel, time spent there.' +12 St Athanasios Island, near Itea, Greece is on the market for £1.2 million ($1.9 million) and comes with an abundance of olive trees +12 +12 Dolphin Jump Key near Florida, US, is listed for £643,675, ($1 million) and is home to the only living coral reef in the States The most expensive island on our list is Venice Island, located in the lagoon of Venice itself. It's on the market for a cool £9.6 million ($15 million). Only a short boat ride to Venice where you can enjoy luxury shopping and eating, the island boasts four buildings including an exquisite villa. 'For the right person, Venice Island is an absolute steal,' added Mr Krolow. 'It's a great opportunity as it's so close to Venice, and the fact that it already has existing structure is a huge factor as regulations in Italy are strict with this.'  Visit www.privateislandsinc.com for more information on some of the islands for sale and rent and www.visitiom.co.uk/blog/private-islands for more. For forty years, it was a tropical heaven on earth, built with love and determination - but now the stairs are too much. This four-story Hawaiian tree house built from an empty plot by Steve and Irene Au is finally getting left behind after 40 years as their 'personal Eden'. A protected plot of land, which cost just $125,000 in 1975, has been painstakingly developed to house as many as seven people, farms and gardens. And now, complete with the Au fantasy home, the plot is being marketed for $3.8million. +13 Tropical getaway: Steve and Irene Au built this four-story treehouse on Oahu, Hawaii, in the 1970s +13 Towering: The home, which was built on land worth around $125,000, is now on the market for $3.8million +13 View: The home offers an unobstructed Pacific vista, with the Mokulua, or Twin Islands, directly visible +13 Spacious: The home was built smaller than originally planned, but its four floors provide a lot of room +13 Efficient: The house was built with open shelving to save on the cost back when the Aus couldn't afford expensive development +13 Labor of love: The Aus built the house and have lived there for 40 years, raising several children there The paradise, which has four floors of magnificent views over the Pacific, was built tall as a concession to economy and space. The Aus saved money by skipping on doors, as each room in the 'free-flowing' home is on its own level. It occupies a prime spot on the hillsides of Oahu island, not far from Honolulu, and the Mokulua, or Twin Islands, are the centerpiece of the prospect, Yahoo! Homes reported. The couple's lack of ready funds in the 1970s also brought about other features in the home - cabinets were skipped in favor of cheaper, open shelving and there is no oven, leading the couple to rely on cooking with a wok. Food is also plentiful around the house thanks to a 'secret garden' Irene nurtured, after breaking up the inhospitable soil around the plot and composting the soil until it was lush and fertile. Now mangoes, pomelos, avocados, papayas, cherries and starfruit can all be plucked from just outside. However, the rigors are gardening, lugging compost and - especially - climbing all the steps inside their home is no longer a vision of paradise. When asked why the couple want to leave, Steve said: 'We're just ready. I'm 81 years old, and I've been running up and down these stairs for 40 years.' The home is listed with Lynn Young Soldat of Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties. +13 Lush: The compact bedrooms are flooded with light and give a majestic perspective on the Pacific +13 Lots of levels: The Aus made the most of their plot by building upwards - with the result that this bedroom is on a separate level +13 Prospect: The enviable home has been dubbed a 'personal Eden' thanks to its paradisaical trappings +13 Compact: The Aus decided to forgo and oven for cost purposes, and do most of their cooking on these burners using a wok +13 Sit back: The room is decorated with authentic wooden furniture which matches the shelving units +13 Calming: The home towers over surrounding settlements on Oahu island, which is also home to state capital Honolulu +13 Walkway to heaven: The home, which the Aus hope to sell soon, includes outdoor portions exposed to the Hawaii air