Okay, so this one hasn’t been introduced yet, but a lot of time and money has been spent fine-tuning the design by international mega-corp China TBS, which suggests it may happen. The Land Airbus literally ‘straddles’ other traffic on rails: passengers ride in compartments above other vehicles, which in turn are not forced to slow down when the bus stops to pick people up. Ding ding.
© Wen-Ting Yang Cat cafés are so old hat: trendsetting Tokyo has already moved on. These days it's about supping flat whites while looking at owls, both the real and stuffed varieties. The concept has spread its wings around the city, with five owl cafés open already. Owls about that then?
The lack of a drill holding you back in life? If you were in Berlin you could make a dash to Leila’s, aka the ‘Borrowing Shop’, which loans out power tools and other handy stuff for as long as you need them. You may be put on a waiting list for the power tools, but you should be in luck with the fog machine and inflatable boats.
It’s all very well having Boris Bikes, but France (France!) now has equivalent electric car programmes popping up all over the place: having kicked off in Paris in 2011, the Bluecub system’s now in sunny Lyon and Bordeaux too. You simply unplug the little motors and zoom off, dropping them back at any electric port when you’re done and paying as you go. Boris, dude, where’s our cars?
Yes, you read that right: Kenny G is big in China, but mostly for the soulful way he manages to empty places out. His 1989 track 'Going Home' is played in schools, gyms, shopping centres and stations across the country whenever it's almost time to hop it. Listen out for his other rumoured upcoming releases, 'Going to Work', 'Going Out to Buy Socks' and 'It's Saxy Time'.
© Alícia Roselló Gené/Flickr In need of a café pit stop but got no one to join you? In Tokyo you could make a beeline for the Moomin House Café, where person-sized cuddly Moomins are placed in the seat opposite lone diners, to make them feel less alone/even more lonely.
Rather than taking a doggy bag home then forgetting to eat its contents, in LA you can place whatever you couldn’t manage on to a community shelf, from which hungry or homeless (or hungry and homeless) people help themselves.
© Seleucid Project/Flickr While building new train tunnels in the nineties, engineers in Athens struck upon a bounty of ancient artefacts and buildings, because you can't toss a ceramic plate round there without hitting history. But rather than hiding the treasures away in museums, many have remained as exhibits within the city’s stations, allowing commuters a high-culture hit before they get straight back to blitzing Sudoku.
Website YemekSepeti enables Istanbulites to order from almost every restaurant in the city, whatever the cuisine, and have their chosen meal arrive at their door within 30 minutes, with no delivery charge. Abrakebabra.
Enrique Jose What does the idea of a city tour bring to mind? Typically guides waving flags and the unhappy discovery you have the same walking pace as the group weirdo. The addition of music and headphones solves all these awkward problems in a thrice in Melbourne. The city’s Silent Disco tours allow you to discover the city to a soundtrack shared with your fellow tourists. Dancing is optional, side stares from strangers guaranteed.
© Heng Wee Tan Waiting at a bus stop can be one of the most soul-destroying things to do in life. For the sake of our souls, then, let’s set up some swings near them, like they have along Montreal’s Promenade des Artistes. Part of an art installation, the swings make the sounds of various instruments, combining to make a tune of sorts (presumably in the swing genre).
© Pascal Terjan/Flickr Who wants a plastic bench when you can have an Ikea sofa, like they had on tube platforms in Paris in 2010, as part of a campaign for the Swedish furniture giant? Everyone’s less irked on an Ektorp.
© Filipe Frazao/Shutterstock We’d all be on our bikes, saving a wedge and tightening up our thighs if the majority of us weren’t scared stiff of hulking HGVs and sinister silent buses. Which is why we should adopt the Colombian capital’s cunning plan and close our roads to all other vehicles every sabbath. It clearly works over there – Cycle Sunday has taken place every week since 1976 – it's just such a shame it's always the day after Drink Yourself Stupid Saturday.
© Volodymyr Kyrylyuk/Shutterstock How do you spend your commute? Playing Candy Crush Saga? Straining your eyes reading someone else’s Kindle? In Canada you could be learning Spanish, you fool! Catch the West Coast Express in the right carriage every week and you could take an alarmingly early lesson for commuters, from 7.25am. Buenos días!
14 ideas from big cities that we’d love to see in London
Lifehacks: ingeniously simple ideas that can help us tweak – and improve – our everyday lives. Time Out rounds up the best hacks from across the globe – pilfer them pronto, London!
Things to do in London
Find the best of London with our ultimate list of things to do in the capital Welcome to the definitive guide to getting the most out of London: our list of the 101 best things to do in the capital, which has been put together by Time Out’s troop of expert writers and editors (along with suggestions from well-known London bloggers). Our roll call represents the very best this city has to offer – from top museums and cultural days out to great shops and markets and restaurants, with a few unique tours of London along the way. See the full list or choose a category below to get started... We want this to be the definitive list, so tell us: what have we missed? What's your favourite thing to do in the capital? We'll constantly be updating this feature so your ideas could very well make it on to the list. Have your say: on Facebook | on Twitter using #ultimatelondon or in the comments form below More great things to do in London Contributors' lists Some of London's best known bloggers and writers select their favourite things to do in London The people's 101 Check out the people's 101 and explore the city like a true Londoner. Secret London Uncover the capital's hidden spots and secret things to do More things to do Check out all the latest events and attractions, and make the most of the city... Choose your section Home The full list Culture Attractions Restaurants Shopping Nights out Book now People's 101 Time Out blog The Time Out Blog Your guide to city life
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