Who could have imagined that a treadmill (跑步机) on wheels would one day become a thing? The Lopifit is an unusual means of transportation that allows you to power an electric bicycle by walking on a treadmill. It's actually cooler than it sounds.

The Lopifit founder Bruin Bergmeester said it all started when he asked himself the question "How can I use a treadmill outdoors?" Then he spent the next few years figuring out a way to make it work He eventually came up with a functional design, added an electric engine, and the Lopifit was born. It's similar to an electric bicycle in that the motor only engages when the rider puts power in as well. Only while typical electric bikes are given pedal assist, the Lopifit senses when you walk on the treadmill and use the motor to turn a drive chain under the treadmill, helping you reach a top speed of 17 miles per hour.

To use the Lopifit, simply turn on the battery and use your foot to slide the treadmill backwards and then start the motor. Then get on and enjoy the ride! H you need speed, just walk on the treadmill, and if you want to coast, all you have to do is stay still and admire the view. To stop, you have two hand breaks. The right hand break stops the electric bicycle, while the left one stops the treadmill itself. It sounds and actually looks simple enough to use, but most of those who have tried it say that it takes some time to get used to it.

    The Lopifit first hit the streets in 2014 and, unsurprisingly, became an instant hit. That was actually quite challenging for the company, because it started getting calls for orders, but it was nowhere near ready for mass production. The unique treadmill bicycle became available this year, and the Lopifit is struggling to keep up with demand, despite the high price, $2,115.

    Whenever we talk about holidays, my mother teases my sister and me about how we “make out like robbers.” She is referring to the fact that we are half Jewish and half Indian, so we receive gifts on both the festivals of lights: Hanukkah and Diwali. Though my mother teases us, I do not mind getting two sets of gifts!

    Hanukkah is celebrated on the 25^th day of the Jewish month, which is usually sometime in December. On Hanukkah, like most Jewish families, we light a menorah and say a prayer each night. We also say a special prayer on the first night. After that, it is a tradition for my sister and me to do 'hot and cold' for our hidden Hanukkah gifts. When we walk towards the gift, our parents say 'hot' and when we walk further away, they say 'cold'. We each receive one present every night of Hanukkah. Another part I like about this holiday is seeing family members who we do not see often. My aunt usually stays for a few days, and we sometimes visit other relatives.

    Diwali is celebrated on the 13^th day of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwin (October/November). To celebrate Diwali, my family does a pooja, or prayers, in honor of the goddess Lakshmi. Since she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, the pooja includes washing silver coins in milk and water. In India, people decorate their houses with lamps, similar to the way you might light up your house for Christmas. My family just places a few candles outside. We also set off firecrackers, which is my favorite part. We often do this activity with friends to add to the excitement.

    Both holidays have different histories and stories. We celebrate them in different ways, yet they both have the same meaning. They both translate into Festival of Lights, and they both mean family and presents for me!

    It's a little hard to figure out the rules for sure,  but the baby African buffalo( 水牛) seems to have the upper hand. The two stand a couple feet apart, staring at each other. Behind them, their mothers look on with the kind of indifference(不关心) of mothers  everywhere who see their kids playing a harmless game.

    The alarm went off about half an hour ago, the second time tonight. Here, one bell means “elephant”, two, “rhino” (犀牛), and three and four, 1 really can't remember for what, because when you're awoken by bells in the middle of the night, your first thought won't be “Animal! ”.But as soon as I realized it was the rhino alarm.

    I was running for the stairs. Yet I'm the only one watching the animals stare-down. Either everyone else died of a heart attack when the bells went off, or l was the only one in the entire hotel who didn't turn the alarm switch to off before going to bed.

    The Ark, a hotel shaped like the biblical ark(圣经的方舟) , lies in the highlands of Kenya's Aberdare National Park, about 100 kilometers north of Nairobi. At the Ark's prow(船首) are huge windows overlooking a waterhole. Earlier tonight, I'd watched a pack of wolves, buffalos and elephants. And now, at three or so in the morning, I'm down for rhino bells. The first time, 2.5 hours ago, it was a single black rhino, which came down, got a drink, and left. I'd have been sorry for the lost sleep.  I've already arranged with a guide to take me out at sunrise for the so-called “should never miss” bird-watching, where we'll get to see 30 species, but really, how many times in your life will you get to wake up and say, “Wow! Rhino!”? Isn't that the definition of a pretty good night? Last week we went from Uganda into Kenya.  Before I left home, 1 thought I'd be happy with ten elephants and five or six giraffes on the whole trip. I didn't dare to dream the rhino.

    Most kinds of rose plants come from Asia. But roses are also native to other areas including northwest Africa, Europe and the United States. Some people say roses are difficult to grow. But you have a good chance of success if you start with a few suggestions from experts.

    You should plant your roses where they can get sunshine for about six hours on bright days. You can buy roses from a garden center or by mail order. You can buy potted（盆栽）roses, also known as container roses, or bare-root（裸根）plants. Each kind has its fans.

    Some gardeners say potted roses are easier to plant. They say the roots develop better. But Jeffrey Dinslage, president of Nature Hills Nursery in Omaha, Nebraska, points out that bare-root roses come without soil. So they weigh less to transport. If they arrive before you are ready to plant them, make sure the packing material is slightly wet. Keep the plants in a cool, dark place. You plant the roses while they are not active. The resting plants have no leaves but still need water.

    When growing roses, the soil should be wet. Watering should be done in the morning. That can prevent problem called black spots. But do not water too much. Jeffrey Dinslage says people often ask him about becoming discolored on rose leaves. He says the problems are usually caused by too much water. After heavy rains or too much watering, he advises pulling away mulch（覆盖物） from around the roots for a short time. This will help dry the soil. If your soil is very dry, you can add compost(堆肥), which returns nutrients（营养）to the soil.

    If you want to know more information, please click www. Planting.com.

    My father was attached to gardening by birth. One of my earliest memories is following Dad barefoot around in the garden with both hands blackened from digging in the soil. The garden was a wonderland full of possibilities.

    As Dad grew older, he still loved gardening. Even when he was diagnosed with cancer, he still planted all sorts of plants. Sometimes, I would come over to visit, and we would walk together in the garden. But then, something changed. Like the weeds that took over his garden, the cancer grew rapidly in Dad, and the doctor gave up. I stayed with Dad twenty-four hours a day and I found myself in all kinds of uncomfortable situations with Dad until I promised to care for the garden.

    Though I had heard the words of the doctor, what really made me believe that Dad was dying was the state of his garden. That year, he only planted tomatoes. Too tired to weed them, he simply tied them with strong strings to the fence and let them be. It made me sad to see them ignored, so I would come over and water them once in a while, and remove the weeds. I still remember the day I picked the last tomato from the vine(藤). That day was one of the saddest I had ever experienced in my life.

    Three years ago, I decided to plant my own garden. I decided I would start out with just a few tomatoes. That morning when I moved to the garden, something caught the corner of my eye and I had to smile. It was my eight-year-old son Nathan, standing barefoot in the soil, happily playing in soil.

    CLASSIC TOURS—COACH BREAK INFORMATION

    Luggage

    We ask you to keep a medium-sized suitcase per person, but a small holdall can also be taken onto the coach.

    Seats

    Requests for particular seats can be made on most coach breaks (巴士旅游) when booking, but since seats are booked on a first come, first serve basic, early booking is advisable. When bookings are made with us, you will be offered the best seats that are available on the coach at that time.

    Travel Documents

    When you have paid your deposit（订金）, we will send you all the necessary documents, so that you can receive them in good time before the coach break leaving date. Certain documents, for example, air or boat tickets, may have to be reserved and your guide will then give them to you during the break.

    Special Diets

    If you require a special diet, you must inform us at the time of booking with a copy of the diet. This will be told to the hotels on your coach break. The hotels for certain coach breaks are tourist class and they may not have the equipment to deal with special diets. Any extra costs must be paid to the hotel by yourself before leaving the hotel.

    Accommodation

    On any coach break there are only a limited number of single rooms. When a single room is available, it may be subject to an extra charge and this will be shown on the brochure page.

    Entertainment

    Some of our hotels arrange extra entertainment which could include music, dancing, films, etc. The nature and frequency of the entertainment presented is decided by the hotel and therefore not guaranteed and could be withdrawn if there is a lack of demand or insufficient numbers in the hotel.