We’ve all been there. Fresh license in hand, buddies in tow, headed straight to the closest fast food joint. We’re talking about adventures in your first car and the sentimental value it musters over the years as you eventually fill the shoes of a man.

What people don’t ever talk about? When should a grown man officially call it quits on the old girl. Thus brings us to today’s ten cars, which likely would’ve carried you into manhood, but you should wave a sweet goodbye to once you hit the big 3-0.

Honda Civic

The poster child car for any boy racer who thought he was an actual racer, the 1992 Honda Civic did much for the street car scene during the 90s through to the early 2000s. It was a lightweight front-wheel driver with countless engine variations which accepted just about any form of modification one threw at it – and it had zero safety credentials.

Today? We’re calling it out and saying that as a respectable 30-year-old in society, one should probably consider trading up into something with a little more class and comfort. And a little less low.

Nissan Pulsar SSS

Another go-to staple car of the 90s boy racer scene was the 1995 Nissan Pulsar SSS (it stands for So Super Sick). The zippy hatchback was a hit amongst younger male drivers who needed cheap thrills, low maintenance and five seats for their homies. It featured a de-tuned 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine out of the turbo Nissan Silvias and was the perfect formula for an unruly first car.

If you’re still rolling in one today, your boys have probably deserted you for a family and minivan. Party’s over, bro.

Nissan Silvia

Considered one of the pioneers of the drift fraternity, the older generation Nissan Silvia was a great little coupe with a mighty 2.0-litre turbo 4-cylinder that made respectable amounts of power through a robust modification network. It was also extremely affordable with spare parts and body panels aplenty at the time from other smashed up S13s.

This made it the perfect culprit for novice drivers who wanted to try their hand at drifting with a no-nonsense rear-wheel drive car that could easily break traction on demand, slam into a tree, be cable-tied back together and then driven home. Not exactly a look you’d want as a 30-year-old in his prime.

Hyundai Excel

The venerable little mass produced car out of South Korea that was cheaper to own than a Netflix subscription grew a life of its own amongst young men and women in the 90s. Its styling was extremely bland, its engine was extremely reliable and it had the personality of a painted rock.

Still, that didn’t stop people from doing all kinds of weird things to the 1.3-litre car which is called ‘Pony’ in some countries. Body kits, massive wings, crappy wheels. You name it, the Excel has rocked it. Now miss, would you like to come for a ride in my Pony?

See – told you it doesn’t work as an adult. Unless you’re Genuwine.

Ford Capri Convertible

The cruiser of all Australian cruisers is the Ford Capri. Built and designed in the land down under, the Capri convertible garnered a small loyal fan base for its stylish 90s Italian looks without the price tag. It wasn’t to be though as it was quickly slammed by others and given the label of a lemon after a leaky roof incident.

The base model’s 1.6-litre 4-cylinder which produced 62kW of power didn’t do much to convince more buyers to come on board either, hence it only remained a reachable target for younger drivers of the day.

Don’t drive one now unless you want to look like a blind 90s hairdresser.

Kia Rio ‘STI Copy’

Back in 2004 Korean car maker Kia ran out of ideas. So they borrowed some off a little famous rally car known as the Subaru WRX. The rest as we know it would become history with the tiny Kia receiving both looks of suprise and then disgust when people realised what was going on.

The Rio STI model borrowed the iconic world rally blue, the rear wing and the gold wheels right down to a tee. It left out important bits such as the AWD, turbo power, fit and finish of a Subaru. Given that early WRXs are already cars that 30-year-olds should avoid, driving a copy of that car would just be an abomination. Even the cops would laugh at you and tell you to move along. Slowly.

Ford Laser

Everyone who’s had their hand at buying a first car would have crossed paths with a Ford Laser. There’s actually nothing bad about the hatchback – it was small, boxy, reliable and cheap. And it also came in a horrendous range of faded colours such as mouldy blue and chalky yellow.

These days you’ll see them lathered in pink fur seats, with dice still being rocked on the mirror and bits hanging off the side – in a junkyard. If you’re a respectable 30-year-old, you will avoid this car at all costs.

VL Commodore

As far as Aussie hoon cars go, the VL Commodore takes the cake and rips a burnout with it too. The mid-sized car was originally designated to family life but packed a serious punch under the bonnet in the form of various straight six and V8 engines.

Young locals did crazy things to it such as turbo charging, super charging, engine swaps and candy coloured paint with big fat wheels. It’s everything a man wanted in a car. If that man was living groundhog day as a 21-year-old kid.

Suzuki Swift GTI

The Suzuki Swift is one of the underrated hot hatches that received a bit of love from the young men who wanted something different in terms of badging, but had the same snappy performance as its competition.

Like the early Civics, the GTi was not a particularly safe car. No anti-lock brakes, no airbags and enclosed in a small body frame, the car would simply crumple under a heavy collision.

Regardless, the diminutive Japanese car received a great deal of aftermarket support which rocketed its popularity and hoon credibility during the 90s.

The cops loved it just as much as the willing drivers. If you’ve yet to outgrow the droning noise of a fat exhaust, lowered cars and a sparse interior with more plastic than Jackson, then this is your dream ride.

BMW Z3

Made famous by James Bond in the weird Pierce Brosnan era, the BMW Z3 quickly became the hairdressers car of choice. The two seater convertible was perfect for a weekend in the country or conveniently jammed in a river.

The market quickly realised the car was rubbish and was only produced for 7 years. Honestly we’ve not seen one of these on the roads in years, but if you do own one it’s time to let it go.

The post The Cars You Really Should Not Be Driving After Thirty appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

They say time is money and in the case of Montblanc’s latest boutique, the old saying has taken a rather literal approach.

Melbourne’s Chadstone Shopping Centre this week welcomed Montblanc’s seventh swanky boutique in the country and to mark the occasion, they’ve rolled out some of their most intriguing novelties ever created – a stopwatch worth AU$52,820 and a writing instrument (don’t-call-it-a-pen) worth AU$49,000.

As mind-boggling as those figures are, there’s actually a bit of heritage and craftsmanship built into these hero pieces from the German luxury label.

The Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter is limited to 100 pieces worldwide and comes as a re-imagination of the famous Rally Timer stopwatch produced by Minerva for recording the golden years of road racing during the 1930s.

What you’re getting in a luxury stopwatch:

• An innovative piece that can be transformed and used three ways: wristwatch, pocket watch and dashboard clock
• Converting it to a wristwatch and vice-versa involves attaching the black leather calf strap included or folding the strap attachments under the case and turning the case from 3 to 9 o’clock
• A hefty 50mm case that’s been machined from grade-two titanium with a brushed satin finish
• Knurled finishing on the case with black DLC details
• Opened caseback mimicking the shape of a car grill that reveals the in-house manually-wound monopusher chronograph calibre MB M16.29
• Chronograph functions including 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock and small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock
• A red chronograph second hand running along a tachymeter scale to calculate speeds over fixed distances
• 50 hour power reserve
• Hand-crafted finishings including the Côtes de Genève stripes, inner angles, circular graining and bevelling
• 30 metre water resistance

If watches aren’t your thing, you can fork out a similar amount of coin on one of the brand’s famed fountain pens, the limited edition Heritage Rouge & Noir Spider Metamorphosis which features a solid gold nib – slightly more up-market than that quad-coloured biro you used to rock in high school.

Montblanc’s latest boutique is now open in Victoria’s Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road.

The post Montblanc's Latest Australian Boutique Will Stock A $50,000 Stopwatch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’ve all been there: you go to bed one night and the person you love most in the world’s noisy breathing suddenly irritates the hell out of you.

Researchers say this happens when your ventromedial prefrontal cortex – the part of your brain that judges your partner – switches back on after the “1-3 year honeymoon period” wears off. You get your brain back, see your partner in unflattering detail, and the romance slowly dies.

Unless ‘petty’ is your middle name, in which case making it to the one year mark is probably a long shot. As is the case with some of these Reddit users, who recently shared their stories.

The Reddit thread posed the question, “What’s something you found out about your S.O that made you re-evaluate the whole relationship?”

While some individuals had some intense tales to tell, like: “About 1 year in he told me he was about to get full custody of his son.

I didn’t know he had a son,” and, “My husband wanted to start fires and kill police officers, and was planning on framing me for it so his girlfriend could move in while I did his time in prison for him,” others revealed they considered breaking up because of slightly more trivial matters.

“We currently haven’t spoken for 3 days, and she’s sleeping in the other room because I accidentally texted, “good night, sleep tight”, instead of just “good night”, because I was the one going to bed, not her. So in her mind, that text must have been meant for another woman. We live together, we work together, we share a car. How on God’s green earth could I have a side chick?”

Also.

“Every flat, clean surface can and will become a closet shelf.”

And the stories only got worse…

• “I was going out with a guy who was really paranoid I was cheating on him, all the time. Turns out he was the cheater all along, projecting his insecurities onto me.”
• “She lied about being financially responsible and was formulating a plan to murder me.”
• “She’s a f*cking anti-vaxxer!”
• “She would lie about tiny, inconsequential things. Made me question my own perception of truth and self-instinct. Eventually caught her in a lie, and she denied even when presented with full proof.”

Others were shocked by their partner’s selfish attitudes, as we saw in responses like, “What’s hers is hers, what’s mine is ours,” and, “We were driving home from a dinner in which we drove separately too and without knowing it she cut me off by merging into my lane last minute without using a blinker. I was annoyed at first, but when I recognized it was her car it made me feel very strange.”

In reply, one savy commentator said, “This is kind of like when you go for a run in your local park and bump into your cat and you’re both a bit awkward about it.” Cue the lol’s, etc. But the humour pales in comparison to one wife’s visible frustration with her (presumably) soon-to-be ex-husband’s bizarre fast-food feud.

“Every time we go to Dairy Queen he tries to order the same blizzard that has been discontinued for at least five years. They don’t even carry the ingredients anymore!! He refuses to try a new blizzard because “he likes that one”. He gets mad at the teenage cashier and it ruins the whole night. I don’t understand his obsession with this blizzard and it’s the only thing that he is unreasonably stubborn about but my god is it frustrating.”

“The other 99% of the time he interacts with service staff he is extremely polite and tips well. It’s something about this blizzard that us mere mortals cant understand.”

This story is only surpassed by the following tale of a man, his wife, and a dark, dark secret…

“My wife and I have very little boundaries… if one of us needs to use the bathroom we’ll just follow each other in the bathroom and continue talking. If the conversation is good enough, poop won’t hinder our dialogue. However, there are times when my wife is in the bathroom and locks the door. I always thought it was weird, but it didn’t bother me.

We’ve been married for 9 years now. We met at 15 and are now 28. We’ve grown up together. Graduated together. Travelled together. We know each other so well, and have nothing to hide from one another. Or so I thought.

This all changed one day. I was feeding our kids lunch and she was in the bathroom. Unbeknownst to her, she did not lock the door. When I walked in on her, I witnessed something that I never thought I would see. Something that lived in the back of my head, but I didn’t think it could be real…

My wife of 13 years relationship, 9 years of marriage, 3 kids together…was shaving her upper lip. She is Puerto Rican and has a little peach fuzz that you can’t even really notice- but she was shaving it like it was a full on mustache! She looked at me with this embarrassed look and I thought to myself… ‘What else is she hiding?’

I don’t know that I’ll ever look at her the same again.”

On the bright-side; “Now she doesn’t lock the bathroom door anymore.”

If this ever happens to you, whether you are breakup-er or breakup-ee, here are some tips from Melbourne’s leading dating coach, Chris Manak.

• High Intensity Interval Training – I know right, this is not advice that you would expect, but during a breakup, your neurochemistry is all messed up. You’re essentially on a come-down and in withdrawals. Without getting too much into the science, the right exercise will really help to balance that.
• Don’t rush getting over it – Let yourself really feel the pain/anger/sadness/frustration. If you don’t let this hurt heal properly, and you rush to meet someone else so you just can just “feel better already”, that hurt will indeed stay with you. It will fester in your soul until it rears its ugly head later.
• Leverage the frustration – This is absolutely my favourite piece of advice ever. If you use the pain, anger and depression from a breakup to propel yourself forward in life, and to to improve yourself, you will never regret a breakup. Every great thing that I’ve accomplished in life – moved countries, moved cities, started approaching women, started coaching, started my business – has come after a breakup.

RELATED: 10 Signs You Should Break Up With Her 

The post Bored Couples Reveal The Most Pointless Things They Ever Broke Up Over appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When in doubt, just add girth. That’s definitely not what your surgeon said, but it’s what Mercedes’ high performance tuning arm Brabus has done.

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class which debuted earlier this year has finally been given the Brabus treatment and the result is the 700 Widestar – and it’s as subtle as an eggplant on human growth hormones.

The most noticeable aspect is the SUV’s brutish wide body kit which sees a redesigned front and rear end paired to widened and vented wheel arches that add a total of 100mm to the stock body’s width. If that’s not enough to help you stand out, Brabus also offers a vented hood, an aggressive rear spoiler and a roof-mounted LED front light bar.

RELATED: Ridiculously Fast SUVs For Fun Loving Adults

Wheel size options range from 20-inch to 23-inches to accommodate for the big Brabus brakes but it’s the interior which will really impress. A sports steering wheel complete with centre marker strip is flanked with aluminium paddle shifters and beautifully stitched diamond leather with Brabus insignia just about everywhere.

Under the bonnet resides an engine that’s pretty much a reference to its name – a boosted 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 which now makes 700hp (520kW) and 950Nm of torque. These figures are enough to see the 700 Widestar complete the 0-100km.h sprint in 4.3 seconds.

A revised exhaust which has two modes of loudness will ensure your neighbours know when you’re home – or not depending on if you like them.

The post Brabus Add Girth To The Mercedes-AMG G63 For Their Monstrous 700 Widestar appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

You thought BMW was just a car company for upwardly mobile execs? Well it’s now placing a spoke into the world of aviation, with an unlikely partner. Taiwanese airline EVA air challenged BMW subsidiary—Designworks—to create a new business class seat, complementing the brand’s heritage, whilst moving towards a more unique design. Last week Designworks responded in style, unveiling its futuristic plans for those who like to fly flat.

From privacy and service to interaction, stowage, and amenities, the design team has considered everything—to present a vision of premium travel never before seen on EVA. A muted, warm colour scheme makes you feel like you’re in your lounge at home, while the wool carpet, natural leather and rich custom textiles make you feel like you’re in an upmarket photography studio.

Showcased on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, this focus on functionality and understated good looks is typical of the luxury car brand, with the idea being that EVA will eventually be able to compete (or catch up) to competitors like Singapore Airlines. The horizontal work surfaces are a bonus, while the seats are reminiscent of Qantas’ Vantage XL-style suites (23 inches wide and 76 inches long when flat), which will have business professionals seeking a productive, relaxing trip (to chuck on the “expenses” card) queuing up to book.

Design Director Johannes Lampela from Designworks’ LA studio said in a statement, “At a time where consumer expectations continue to rise across their daily brand interactions, mobility industries must constantly adapt to rapidly changing customer needs… For the aviation industry this means balancing flexibility with a structured environment, providing privacy without isolation, as well as complete connectivity within a premium and relaxed setting.”

“We recognised that EVA business class experiences needed to focus on bringing fresh and memorable interactions to its passengers, making service, design, and brand work together.”

Whether or not it will work as well as planned remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: it looks damn good.

RELATED: Best Value Asian Airlines To Fly Business To Europe From Australia 

The post BMW Are Now Designing Futuristic Business Class Seats For An Airline You'll Never Fly appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

What can this off-roading noob say about venturing into the world’s most daunting testing ground for four wheel drives…here’s a hint: It starts with ‘holy-mother-of’ and ends in ‘it’.

That’s the reaction most civilian drivers will get when they stare down a “road” that’s actually just a cluster of boulders lined in front of them with a shear cliff on one side and a guide convincing you to drive through it for six hours. Thankfully, we were armed with a formidable tool. Enter the shiny dirty new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, the car we flew 12,000km to drive through Lake Tahoe’s famed Rubicon Trail.

For those who weren’t aware (me), the Rubicon Trail is basically the Nurburgring of four-wheel-driving. If your 4WD production car can make it through this track without a rock spearing through your undercarriage, it’s worthy of wearing the off-roading badge with honour – a reputation that a many trail-rated Wranglers have worn to date.

Quick Facts

Cost: AU$50,000-plus (estimated)
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Power: 209kW and 353Nm
Availability: Arrives in Australia early 2019

1. The current JL Wrangler model took more than a decade to develop and the result is an insanely capable off-roading vehicle in factory standard form

The test vehicles we used on the treacherous +30km Rubicon Trail were all taken from the dealership floor with no modifications or upgrades made. Even the stock tyre pressure was retained at a tarmac-friendly 42psi – serious off-roading vehicles deflate their tyres to attain more traction. As you can tell from our adventure, these new Wranglers didn’t need it.

2. Virtually unbreakable against massive underbody hits and scrapes

Dropping the car over huge boulders and perilous inclines left us praying that we didn’t put a hole through the transmission or snap a steering column. We didn’t need to worry though since the screeching and knocks sounded way worse than they really were. All of the car’s vitals are protected by steel skid plates which come as standard on the new Wrangler Rubicon.

3. You could say that plastic flares look cheap…but they’re purely a functional appointment here

Think of what Jeeps have been designed to do since the 1940s and you’ll soon realise that exotic body work is not an option on these cars. The plastic flares and side mirrors aren’t there for cost cutting purposes, they’re there so that that they can be replaced should they ever get torn off when attempting trails like the Rubicon.

4. Speaking of interchangeable panels…

Top down, roof off, front windscreen down, no doors. You customise it and the new Wrangler can do it. It appears that Jeep’s ‘Go anywhere, do anything’ philosophy from WW2 still stands today. The car’s versatility is backed up by better power and fuel figures alongside a lighter aluminium body and improved build quality. It’s they type of car that would make perfect sense for an outdoor person with an unhealthy addiction to French bulldogs.

5. Riding with a smooth entertainer

The Wrangler’s entertainment system was a surprising performer. Smartphone connectivity was a breeze and the sound quality produced by the Alpine speakers made blaring Daryl Braithwaite’s One Summer through the rocky mountains effortless. More importantly the sound quality didn’t wane even with our roof off and exposed rear seat partition. A nice touch is the multiple USB ports which have rubber sealed lids incase water makes it into the cabin.

6. Interior quality is robust and functional rather than premium and flashy

Don’t expect European-spec levels of interior finishing here – the new Wrangler’s interior is purely functional without being ugly. Everything is tactically laid out for the urban commute, rough terrain, space purposes, weatherproofing and driver visibility. Yes, there’s lots of plastic, but it’s not a bad thing in this case. It’s also the first time we’ve ever had to make full use of a passenger glove box handle as the car tossed us around like a dirty salad on the Rubicon Trail.

7. Great seating position and cool climate control made life much easier when taking on the rugged outdoors

Our Wranglers came with leather seats and climate control. We thought that these features would be better suited in an urban driving environment but were proven wrong when the trail got to temps of 30+ degrees during midday. The nicer seats also helped as we were trekking three hours in and out of our campsite.

8. Ah, the cliche river crossing…

Sure it’s been done to death, but it’s a mandatory test for any car which claims to be a true off-roader. To the dismay of my co-driver, I launched our new Wrangler through a calm river crossing at full speed. He thought the engine would be flooded for sure. It wasn’t and we made it across without drama. Jeep has re-engineered the car with extra ground clearance and wheel articulation to afford a water fording of up to 76cm.

9. Road compliancy was an unexpected surprise

We’re not talking about driving a luxury grand tourer here, but we did expect the new Wrangler to be harsher on-road. It wasn’t. Driving around Lake Tahoe provided acceptable levels of road noise from the chunky 33-inch off-road tyres. They did track a bit on the Rubicon Trail which requires some man-handling to get the car back in line, but that’s expected from such driving conditions. There’s also Auto Emergency Braking built in for peace of mind.

10. Plenty of historic Jeep touches paired with modern technology

The new car features plenty of historic touches for a quirky-nostalgic appeal – think drop-down windscreen, removable panels for an open-air experience and a spare wheel that we were told will always remain on the rear door. As for new technology? The rear LED tail lights have blind spot sensors built-in.

11. Mopar raised version of the Wrangler Rubicon is a beast

A picture tells a thousand words. We  cleared almost every boulder the size of a plump child with the Mopar kit which saw bigger tyres and raised suspension. Funnily enough, the Jeep designers also managed to improve aerodynamics by 9 percent from the previous model by redesigning the front fascia and slanting that front grille. Is it race ready? Probably not. But it will save you a bit of petrol.

12. It comes in fantastic ‘outdoorsy’ colours

If you’re in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, there’s a high chance that you’ll see some leisure hours behind the wheel. The colours available play to this notion with bright greens, oranges and reds accompanying more subdued colours like metallic grey and white.

13. Should you buy one?

Given that Australia has an off-roading culture that’s similar to that of America’s, the car already earns itself a dedicated market. For those who don’t have membership to the off-roading fraternity, the new Wrangler Rubicon is simply a legendary old dog reimagined for modern times with fresh tricks.

Will all buyers use its off-road capabilities to its full potential? Unlikely. But the same could be said for those who buy supercars and leave them in garages. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is about driving a statement as much as it is about traversing treacherous rock faces.

If the you’re the type who enjoys road trips as much as trips to the beach in an iconic cruiser, the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is the perfect companion that’s as tactile as it is versatile.

The post Breaking In The Most Capable Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Ever appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

He may have been the more serious of the James Bond call list but there’s no denying that Timothy Dalton’s final appearance as the iconic British spy was a special one.

1989’s Licence to Kill would also see 007 rocking a Rolex timepiece for the very last time before Omega would take the reigns six yeas on with Pierce Brosnan. Thankfully not all of that nostalgia needs to be lost.

The Rolex Submariner worn by Dalton’s stunt double in the film is about to head to auction and it will come with a big price tag. Punters are expecting the watch to fetch anywhere between US$80,000 – $120,000 once it goes under the hammer on October 30 via Fellows . Personally we think that’s a hell of a lot for a watch that wasn’t actually worn by Dalton himself, but hey, maybe there’s some hardcore 007 fans out there who happen to have a spare $100K laying around.

RELATED: The Difference Between A $500 & $5,000 Watch, As Explained By An Expert

Nonetheless, for that kind of coin watch collectors will get a Submariner (reference 5513) complete with a scratched sapphire crystal and matching oyster bracelet that has seen real action in the fantasy espionage world. The 007 Submariner will also be accompanied with original Rolex papers, photos from the set of the film, a booklet outlining the film’s production and a certificate of authenticity from the EON Production who backed the film.

You can hit up Fellows now if you’re looking to acquire a piece of James Bond history.

The post The Last Rolex Ever Featured In James Bond Will Cost You $100,000, But There's A Catch… appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

“Put down your phone and talk to your family,” although David Beckham‘s life advice is simple, consistently putting it into practice is hard. Whatever you might think about him, the man has 115 England football caps, 54 million Facebook likes, and his family fortune is worth a casual $400 million, so his “simple formula” for happiness is worth a listen. Even if it doesn’t magically transform you into a top-tier professional football player with more brand partnerships than you can kick a ball at, it will help you achieve a better work-life balance.The 43 year old father of four was in Hong Kong this Monday as an ambassador for AIA, Asia’s largest insurance company. Not just a retired football legend, Beckham has become something of a fashion and lifestyle guru. As such, his Hong Kong fans took his words seriously when he told them to put down their phones and spend more time with their family. As reported by The South China Morning Post, Beckham said, “I really believe in the need for people to take small steps to make healthier decisions and take better care of themselves.”

“From my perspective, my motivation is my family. It’s always been about family, how to help them live a better longer life, to let our children do the same.”

How do you achieve that? “Smile every day,” he said, “And at dinner with my family my phone will be turned off.” He also shared a few more insights, which may surprise die-hard football fans: “I think all exercise helps in having a healthy lifestyle. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to join a gym or commit to a football team; the simple things like going to the park, walking to school or taking the dog out can really make a difference and also you can spend quality time with your family” (Morning Post).

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Today I was able to visit The Great Wall of China for the first time. I feel so lucky that my work allows me to travel and to see beautiful places like this… AMAZING

A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham) on Sep 21, 2018 at 3:12am PDT

Beckham is in China helping AIA launch their new and improved “Vitality” programme, which markets their insurance services by providing rewards to policyholders who do more exercise and live a healthier life. This is part of an ongoing five-year-old campaign now operating in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, which has up to one million participants.“As Asians have become wealthier, they haven’t necessarily become healthier,” Stuart Spencer, group chief marketing officer at AIA, told The South China Morning Post. This is why it’s such a valuable (or opportunistic, depending on how you look at it) program, with Hong Kong ranking second lowest in terms of health satisfaction in the AIA Healthy Living Index. “It’s stress, and there are a lot of challenges when it comes to enjoying a work-life balance. Hongkongers work very hard, they work very late, and may tend to overdo it,” Spencer added.RELATED: David Beckham Shows You How To Wear A $55,000 Watch 

The post How To Live A Golden Life, According To David Beckham appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Yes: London is an incredible city of nightlife, Australians, history, culture, lager and tourism. But it’s so much more than that. It’s also a city of bedbugs, the bubonic plague and medieval-architecture. Unfortunately for some disappointed hotel guests, not all these things disappeared after the dark ages. Sure: you can ensure a hitch-free stay in a chic Airbnb, but if you go for a two star hotel let these reviews serve as a warning.

Corbigoe Hotel

Some hotels believe the key to a steady stream of income is a steady stream of satisfied guests. The Corbigoe Hotel laughs in these hotels’ faces. The key to their success? Skimping on kitchenware, intimidating guests into not drinking too much coffee and snipping away at the cleaning budget.

“Breakfast was very basic and I was scolded when I got a cup of very weak coffee without asking.”

Apart the breakfast ordeal guests (allegedly) also had to risk third degree burns on their privates to go to the toilet.

“The toilet cistern was rigged up to the hot water system and was piping hot, there were flees in the carpets and stains in the beds and sheets.”

Other disturbed (disturbing?) reviews included:

• “The mattresses were worn and saggy, but not the most uncomfortable bed I’ve slept in.”
• “The window in the bathroom did not close properly and there were ants crawling on the floor. The doorknob for the bathroom was a small drywall screw.”
• “THIS HOTEL SHOULD HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING.”
• “The staff do not like people.”

The money saving tactics didn’t go down too well either:

• “The kettle had black things floating in it as the element was so corroded.”
• “The carpets looked like they haven’t been hovered since 10BC and the smell… even thinking about it now makes me heave. It smelt like stale urine and regret.”
• “We received only one towel and the receptionist was very indignant when I requested more towels.”

And the guests’ conclusions?

• “I’ve had camping experiences at festivals more clean than this hotel, I would rather kip in a portaloo!!”
• “If you are looking for a poorly run 70s themed hotel this is the place for you!”
• “Awful slum hell hole.”

Aquarius Hotel

Aquarious appears to subscribe to the, “Treat ’em mean keep ’em keen” ethos. The problem: hotel guests typically aren’t masochists, neither are they dating the hotel. But hey: at least the results are entertaining. And although some guests managed to keep optimistic (“cheap for being in London”), when the most positive reviews you can find are, “Really good for what it is,” and, “Not that bad,” you know you’ve made a serious mistake.And it only gets worse:

• “Terrible check in experience.”
• “I thought I was getting a single room with a window, instead I got a cupboard with no window and barely space for the bed.”
• “Bring shower shoes.”
• “Woken in morning by police knocking on room next door who had been using crystal meth.”
• “Place smelt of curry badly.”
• “Room no bigger than a prison cell, really tiny dirty bed sheets and the shower and toilet looks like hasn’t been changed since the 70s. Every time a underground train went past the walls shock aswell—was woken up every half an hour.”

Conclusions:

• “I should have stayed with air bnb.”
• “I wouldn’t give it half a star.”
• “Genuinely the worst hotel experience I have ever had.”
• “Should be called hostel instead of hotel.”
• “Would never stay again.”

Hartley Hotel

Hartley Hotel is a hostel masquerading as a hotel, that makes even hygiene-averse backpackers cringe. Top reviews hit its key features nicely, pointing out its abysmal price to value ratio and less than stellar conditions: “Cheap for a reason,” and, “Absolutely horrific.”This came amid a number of other less than savoury discoveries:

• “There was a used condom on window sill, dirty stained bed base and a horrible stench in our room.”
• “Overwhelming stench of mould.”
• “Stank of cigarettes and damp/mould everywhere. Bathroom disgusting. Room hideous.”
• “Breakfast ok but sausages dreadful.”
• “There was a smell similar to urinal cakes permeating the room.”
• “Upon bedding down for the night my husband was itching but i thought he was just being paranoid until he screamed to put the light on as he ft something crawl across his face and saw something moving and yup you guessed it BEDBUGS.”

Although, “The staff were nice and breakfast was decent,” this didn’t make up for the other negative factors, leading to some scathing conclusions:

• “I wouldn’t send my worst enemy to this place.”
• “Cannot stress enough that you should not book this place.”
• “DO NOT BOOK”
• “This place needs torching!!!”
• “Caution: you will get disease.”

RELATED: The Most Hilarious Reviews Of Paris’ Worst Hotels 

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