It’s rare for travelers to hanker for airline food – until it’s in short supply on a 12-hour journey.

Crew staffing a British Airways itinerary over the weekend from the Turks and Caicos Islands to London Heathrow were faced with a food shortage when the airline wasn’t able to offer its regular meal service because of “unforeseen circumstances.”

“Our teams sprung into action and made sure our customers had something to eat,” British Airways said in a statement. While the airline didn’t elaborate on what it provided to passengers, posts on social media indicate that airline employees made a Kentucky Fried Chicken run during a scheduled stopover in the Bahamas.

BA flight 252 took off on July 23 from Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos, stopped in Nassau in the Bahamas and flew on to London.

The airline made reference to its unconventional in-flight menu in its pun-ladened statement.

“We apologise to customers that their full meal service was not available and we had to wing it on this occasion. We’re sorry if we ruffled any feathers,” the statement said.

The airline did not respond to questions about what circumstances led to the lack of in-flight meal service. One social media post referenced an issue with refrigeration.

@aktivandrew, a user on Twitter that was recently rebranded to X, posted that “@British_Airways just landed @HeathrowAirport after a 12.5 hour flight BA252 from Turks and Caicos with no catering! BA had to serve @kfc at Nassau giving some lucky passengers 1 piece of chicken. The container with the plane catering wasn’t chilled so all thrown away!!”

Another user, @Hanchell, posted a story about the incident from travel site One Mile At a Time, commenting, “It was the best KFC I’ve ever had.”

British Airways gave passengers refreshment vouchers when they arrived in London, the airline said.

Snazzy new liveries have been revealed for two of NASA’s hottest aircraft projects. These upcoming planes want to be the next generation of sustainable flight – and also to look good when doing it.

First there’s the X-66A, which NASA has been cooking up along with Boeing as part of its Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project. The US aerospace behemoths want to build, test and fly an emission-reducing, single-aisle aircraft before the decade is out. The X-66A is the full-scale demonstrator on which they’ll be doing all that.

“It’s our goal that NASA’s partnership with Boeing to produce and test a full-scale demonstrator will help lead to future commercial airliners that are more fuel efficient, with benefits to the environment, the commercial aviation industry, and to passengers worldwide, “ said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement in January. “If we are successful, we may see these technologies in planes that the public takes to the skies in the 2030s.”

The design that NASA and Boeing are working on could reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30% compared with today’s most efficient aircraft, according to the agency.

It’s called the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept, which relies on elongated, thin wings stabilized by diagonal struts that connect the wings to the aircraft. The design’s shape creates less drag, which means burning less fuel.

The new livery was unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and features a white body with a blue, orange and red striped tail.

‘An experimental aircraft’

“This is an experimental aircraft,” Bob Pearce, NASA associate administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said in January.  “This is not a commercial development of an aircraft that passengers are going to fly in today. And the reason we need to do this is because this is high-risk technology. We’re trying to validate technology.”

The first test flight of this full-scale demonstrator is set to take place in 2028. NASA hopes that one day the technology should serve about half of the commercial market through short- to medium-haul single-aisle aircraft.

Airlines largely rely on single-aisle aircraft, which account for nearly half of aviation emissions worldwide, according to NASA. Boeing estimates that the demand for the new single-aisle aircraft will increase by 40,000 planes between 2035 and 2050.

The goal is for the technology to serve about 50% of the commercial market through short- to medium-haul, single-aisle aircraft, Nelson said.

The other planes to get a new look are the hybrid electric aircraft that GE Aerospace and magniX are developing as part of NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EFPD) project.

The project’s goal is to enable a new generation of electric-powered aircraft. NASA is collaborating with industry partners on new technologies including lighter and more efficient motors, electronics and materials that can help improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

More flight testing to come

These technologies will be tested and demonstrated in modified existing aircraft.

A souped-up Saab 340B, with white and blue livery, with be used for ground and test flights on a megawatt-class hybrid electric powertrain being developed by GE Aerospace. (A powertrain, for the uninitiated, is the system that brings together all the components to drive a vehicle forward). NASA says the flights will take place by the middle of this decade.

A modified DeHavilland “Dash 7” aircraft, with red and white livery, is home to magniX’s hybrid powertrain, and it’s partnering with AeroTEC and Air Tindi on test flights.

It’s hoped the project eventually will benefit short-haul turboprop aircraft – the type that carry between 30 and 70 passengers – as well as regional, single-aisle commercial airliners carrying up to 180 passengers.

NASA says it plans to conduct at least two flight demonstrations within the next five years so the new technologies can be introduced commercially in the United States between 2030 and 2035.

Two Taiwan police officers are under investigation after a botched sting operation led to a minor being sexually assaulted, prompting public uproar and an official apology from the local police department.

The incident began in November 2020 when an unnamed 13-year-old girl met a man, Chang Ming-hsin, on a dating app, according to a court verdict handed down earlier this month triggering an investigation into police conduct.

According to the court verdict, Chang solicited sex from the girl, offering 5,000 New Taiwan dollars (about $160), and asked her for nude photos. They agreed to meet at a hotel several days later – and when the girl didn’t show up, Chang threatened to leak her explicit photos online.

She then reported the case to the Zhongli Precinct of the Taoyuan Police Department, in Taoyuan city, located just outside Taipei, the verdict said. The police put together a sting operation, with the girl agreeing to meet with Chang under the pretense of having sex with him, the verdict revealed.

A spokesperson from the precinct said last week that the girl had been accompanied by a guardian when she reported the case, when police took her statement, and when the operation took place. The guardian had agreed to the sting operation, the spokesperson added.

During the operation, the girl met Chang outside a fast food restaurant and asked him to step out of the car, with two police officers monitoring the meet-up on scene. But he repeatedly demanded she get in instead, and drove the girl to a parking space about 200 to 300 meters away (about 656 to 984 feet).

Chang ordered her to perform oral sex on him and she complied out of fear, the verdict said.

Afterward, Chang drove the girl back to the restaurant, where police arrested him. His case reached a verdict on July 13, when the Taoyuan District Court sentenced Chang to eight years in prison on three sexual offense counts, including coercion of a minor to engage in obscene acts and transactional sex.

But the police involvement in the botched sting has garnered further international attention and outcry.

Focus Taiwan, an offshoot of Taiwan’s official Central News Agency, reported that the girl had been instructed by police not to enter Chang’s car, and that when she did, the police officers on scene had tried to run after the car – but they were “not fast enough” to stop it.

The girl reportedly had not mentioned the assault during the following investigation by prosecutors and police, only disclosing it during Chang’s court trial, according to Focus Taiwan.

But on Saturday, a spokesperson from the Taoyuan Police Department, which oversees the police precinct, released a video statement apologizing for negligence of the girl’s personal safety and the harm caused to her.

The two officers involved in the sting operation have been referred to the district prosecutor’s office for investigation of their alleged negligence and failure in performing their duties, said the spokesperson. In the meantime, they have received demerits and been transferred to only handle administrative police duties.

Two other police officers, who had oversight of the operation, have also received demerits, said the spokesperson, citing damage to the police department’s reputation.

Some soccer players take time to adapt to a new club and country, but not Lionel Messi.

On Tuesday, Messi powered his Inter Miami team to a dominant 4-0 victory over Atlanta United in the Leagues Cup, scoring twice and assisting another in his first start for his new team.

The Argentine’s two goals mean that he has now registered three goals in 114 minutes since officially moving to the Florida-based club after his match-winning performance in Friday’s debut against Mexican club Cruz Azul.

When Messi arrived in Miami there was little doubt over the commercial viability and impact of his arrival, there were questions from some as to how the 36-year-old would fare in a sporting sense.

If his last-gasp free kick against Cruz Azul wasn’t enough to allay those fears, the ease with which he drifted off Atlanta’s defenders to bring down fellow new import Sergio Busquets’ pass in the eighth minute certainly would have surely convinced any remaining doubters.

Messi slickly gathered the pass before slipping a left-footed shot past the goalkeeper, only for it to rebound off the post back to his feet before the Argentine rolled it into the empty net.

After celebrating with his team, Messi slowed and gestured toward Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham – a reminder of the glitz and glamor, both on and off the pitch, that is transforming the DRV PNK Stadium into a genuine sporting destination.

Just 14 minutes later Messi doubled his tally, feeding Robert Taylor on the left wing before the Finn crossed into the box, leaving the Argentine World Cup winner with a simple tap-in for the 810th goal of his illustrious career.

Taylor’s unselfishness did not go unrewarded by the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, as Inter Miami took advantage of some lacklustre tracking back from the Atlanta defense for the fourth goal.

Messi drew the attention of three players before passing to Taylor, who finished with precision into the far corner to make it 4-0. It marked Taylor’s second goal of the game, having rifled a powerful shot into the right corner of the net just before halftime.

The Messi effect

Messi’s evening finished as you imagine many balmy nights in Fort Lauderdale will – leaving the field to adulatory appreciation in the 78th minute with his work convincingly completed.

Following the game, Messi traded shirts with Atlanta’s Argentine forward Thiago Almada – who missed his side’s best chance of the game when his late penalty kick was saved by Drake Callender.

Almada was a member of Argentina’s World-Cup winning squad alongside Messi – though he only featured in the group stage win over Poland. Almada became the first active MLS player to lift the hallowed trophy.

Inter Miami’s win means it has now qualified for the knockout rounds of the Leagues Cup as Messi looks to catalyse the turnaround in the team’s fortunes. The Leagues Cup, an annual tournament between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, was expanded this year to include all teams in each league.

While success in the Leagues Cup is no doubt welcome, Miami currently sits last in MLS’ Eastern Conference having won just five of 22 matches so far.

Twelve points currently separate Messi and co. from DC United in ninth, the final playoff spot. The arrival of Messi and Busquets, as well as replacing Phil Neville with Tata Martino as coach, should go some way to bridging that gap when the regular season resumes on August 21.

Its next fixture will be a single elimination game as one of 32 teams to progress to the next stage of the Leagues Cup. The Leagues Cup round-of-32 takes place between August 2 and August 4.

Although Apple TV doesn’t publicly release viewership figures, a video clip of Messi’s goal against Cruz Azul posted by the MLS got more than 214 million views and more than 15 million social media engagements, according to sports analytics company Zoomph.

His signing is also expected to be a boon for Apple’s nascent streaming package, MLS Season Pass. Sports Business Journal, citing industry sources, reports that the subscription packaging is “approaching 1 million subscribers” — and the company expects “that number to balloon even further once Messi starts playing.”

Women’s World Cup 2023: Live scores, fixtures, results, tables and top scorers

The second round of group stage fixtures at the 2023 Women’s World Cup is now well under way as teams look to join Spain and Japan in the knockout stages.

Thursday’s action is highlighted by a blockbuster clash between the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) and the Netherlands in a rematch of the final from four years ago.

Elsewhere, Portugal faces Vietnam and co-host Australia takes on Nigeria.

How to watch

In the US, the match will air on your local Fox channel. You can also stream the match by signing in with your TV provider at foxsports.com or on the Fox Sports app. Telemundo and Peacock are providing Spanish-language coverage.

Seven Network and Optus Sport are broadcasting matches in Australia and the BBC and ITV have the rights in the United Kingdom.

The USWNT takes on the Netherlands at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Portugal plays Vietnam at 3:30 a.m. ET on Thursday and co-host Australia looks to seal its spot in the knockout round against Nigeria at 6 a.m. ET Friday.

A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the FIFA website.

USWNT vs. the Netherlands

Tournament favorite the USWNT takes on 2019 runner-up the Netherlands in what is without a doubt the most hotly-anticipated match-up of the group stages in Australia and New Zealand.

Off the back of a comfortable 3-0 win over Vietnam in its Group E opener, the USWNT will now face a much sterner test against a Netherlands team and squad that boasts many of the same players that reached the final four years ago.

The Oranje got its campaign at this World Cup off to a winning start thanks to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Portugal. Despite missing star forward Vivianne Miedema through injury, the Dutch can still rely on the dangerous attacking trio of Daniëlle van de Donk, Lieke Martens and Jill Roord.

“We approach every game like it’s the biggest game, and this game is no different,” USWNT star Alex Morgan told reporters. “But we have played Netherlands historically in very important matches: 2019, Olympics, even before then.

“So this is going to be an incredibly difficult match-up. Very challenging. We watched the Netherlands the other night, and they have a lot of the same players as we played them in the World Cup four years ago.

“A little bit different of a formation, but still same personnel, and that’s important for kind of team chemistry. So just knowing that we know that we have to be at our best, and we’re doing everything we can at the training field, in the meetings, watching video, doing everything we can. It’s going to be a very good match-up.”

Portugal vs. Vietnam

Next up, it’s Portugal against Vietnam as both teams look to get off the mark after defeats in their opening games.

Vietnam gave a good account of itself defensively in the defeat to the USWNT, holding the World Cup juggernaut to just three goals in the face of far less flattering pre-match predictions.

Unsurprisingly, Vietnam failed to register a single shot in the one-sided match but will likely get more of a chance to show off its attacking abilities against Portugal.

After only narrowly losing 1-0 to the Netherlands, Portugal will be confident going into Thursday’s match.

Goalkeeper Inês Pereira shone with a couple of smart saves to keep her team in the match and Portugal could have snatched an equalizer inside the final 10 minutes through substitute Telma Encarnação.

Australia vs. Nigeria

Co-host Australia is up last on Thursday as the Matildas look to book their place in the last 16 following the opening game victory over the Republic of Ireland.

Missing captain and star forward Sam Kerr, Australia looked disjointed for large spells of the match but secured the three points thanks to Steph Catley’s nerveless penalty.

Kerr will be missing again for the Nigeria match and head coach Tony Gustavsson knows the team will need to show an improvement against tougher opposition.

Nigeria impressively held reigning Olympic champion Canada to a goalless draw in its opening match, thanks largely to the heroics of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

The Nigeria captain made a number of vital saves throughout the contest, the most impressive coming as she saved Christine Sinclair’s penalty and then swatted away the follow up.

Argentina forward Yamila Rodríguez has defended herself for having a tattoo of Cristiano Ronaldo inked on her left shin, saying that favoring the Portugal star is not a sign she does not appreciate their World Cup-winning talisman Lionel Messi.

The 25-year-old, who also has a tattoo of Argentina great Diego Maradona on her left thigh, said she had been receiving criticism on social media for the tattoo of Ronaldo, Messi’s great rival.

“Please stop, I’m not having a good time. At what point did I say that I’m anti-Messi?” she wrote on Instagram.

“I’m not having a bad time because of you (fans) but for the atrocities that are said, without mercy. Can’t you have an idol or a player you like?

“Messi is our great captain in the national team but the fact that I say that my inspiration and my idol is CR7 (Ronaldo) does not mean that I hate Messi.”

Rodríguez said she saw no problem in having a Ronaldo tattoo as the Portugal forward, who has scored over 800 goals in his career, inspired her.

“What is the problem? We are not all obliged to only love the players of our country,” she said.

“Please understand that this is football and everyone has appreciation, their preferences and highlighting one does not mean burying the other. Enough, it tires me, it hurts me.”

Rodríguez was a late substitute in Argentina’s 1-0 defeat by Italy in their Women’s World Cup group opener. They next play South Africa on Friday.

Women’s World Cup 2023: Live scores, fixtures, results, tables and top scorers

Spain and Japan became the first two teams to book their spots in the knockout stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup on Wednesday.

Japan comfortably beat Costa Rica 2-0 to all but guarantee its qualification before Spain’s dominant 5-0 win over Zambia assured that both teams made it to the last 16.

The two sides will face each other in the finale of Group C on Monday, July 31, knowing that the winner will face the runner-up of Group A and the loser will face the top team of Group A.

Tournament favorites?

After its straightforward opening win against Costa Rica and with a plethora of stars at its disposal, many are tipping Spain to make it deep into the Women’s World Cup.

And La Roja once again proved its title credentials from the opening exchanges against Zambia at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.

Its slick interchange between its attacking talent – including Jennifer Hermoso, two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and her Barcelona teammates Aitana Bonmatí and Salma Paralluelo – had the Zambia defense lost at sea and was a delight to watch.

But it was the team’s holding midfielder, Teresa Abelleira, who broke the deadlock in emphatic fashion.

In the ninth minute, Abelleira picked up the ball on the edge of the box before smashing it into the top corner – the fastest goal of the tournament so far.

Just five minutes later, the lead was doubled as Hermoso headed home from the far post after an exquisite Putellas cross set the 33-year-old up on her 100th national team appearance.

With an early lead, Spain turned on the style, leaving the Zambia defense flummoxed as it attempted to stop the waves of attacks.

After the halftime break, Zambia put in a much more impressive display, offering much more of an attacking threat to a Spanish defense that had been rarely tested throughout its first two matches.

However, Spain once again put the ball in the back of the net, with halftime substitute Alba Redondo coolly rounding the goalkeeper before tapping home in the 69th minute.

The lead ballooned to 4-0 just a minute later when Hermoso slammed home her second of the game – the goal was initially ruled out for offside but later awarded by the video assistant referee (VAR).

Despite bringing so much positivity and energy to the World Cup, Spain’s fourth goal seemed to dent Zambian spirits as the realization that their World Cup exit had been all but guaranteed.

It didn’t end there though for the African debutant with Hermoso missing out on a chance for a hat-trick by hitting the bar before Redondo got her second of the game with a calm finish from the center of the box.

The late flurry capped off an emphatic overall performance from Spain which sees it and Japan through to the next round where both teams could face any of the teams in Group A with all outcomes possible with one game left; all of Switzerland, New Zealand, the Philippines and Norway can make it to the knockout round.

In form Japan

Having comfortably beaten Zambia 5-0 in its opening game, Japan continued its impressive showing at the World Cup against Costa Rica.

Through its slick passing maneuvers and tactical rigidity, it looked a class above the world No. 36, creating chances at will.

The breakthrough finally came in the 25th minute, Naomoto emphatically punishing an ill-timed mistake from a Costa Rican defender, powering the ball into the bottom corner to open the scoring.

And just two minutes later, the Asian nation had its second of the game.

19-year-old forward Fujino, showing some tight dribbling skills and explosive speed to evade one defender, burst into the box before smashing the ball past Las Ticas goalkeeper Daniela Solera at her near post.

With its lead, Japan never let up, continuing to show its effective combination build up play and hard work off the ball as it stifled any Costa Rican attacks.

Although it will face much stiffer tests going forward, Japan has shown its credentials for competing for a second World Cup title.

As for Costa Rica, it will be eliminated from the World Cup if Spain avoids defeat against Zambia.

Dangerously high temperatures that have already proven deadly in multiple states are expected to remain for at least one more week, as they also threaten ocean ecosystems and fuel wildfires that emit harmful particulates.

Tuesday continued to bring unprecedented heat to parts of the US, particularly in Texas, Arizona and Florida. And over the next seven days – at least – more than 85% of Americans will experience temperatures 90 degrees and higher.

The stifling forecast has pushed Connecticut’s governor to activate the state’s extreme hot weather protocol on Wednesday to provide cooling centers for vulnerable residents.

“We’ve experienced a pretty warm summer so far, but it’s expected to get particularly hot this week, including during the evening hours,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said.

And the heat has been affecting everyone: Last month was the hottest June on record dating back to 1850, according to a climate report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Globally, June 2023 set a record for the highest monthly sea surface temperature anomaly of any month in NOAA’s 174-year record,” the agency said. “June heat was not limited to the ocean surface; the Southern Hemisphere had its warmest June on record and the Northern Hemisphere tied 2019 for its warmest June.”

Scientists agree that human-induced climate change is the main culprit causing record high temperatures, which have led to hospitalizations and deaths in the US. Additionally, wildfires burning in Canada and US have been exacerbated by the unrelenting heat, tanking the air quality for many in both countries.

The vicious, weekslong heatwave has been inflicting triple-digit temperatures and unbearable humidity to parts of the West and South, where temperatures remained quite high even during night hours, leaving little room for relief. Ocean temperatures around Florida are so high that experts reported a mass event of coral bleaching, which could worsen if the extreme warmth persists.

After putting millions under heat warnings in the South and Southwest, the sultry heat is expected to move east into the Mid-Atlantic region by Thursday, where the air could feel more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

And before temperatures begin to subside next week, here are some of the impacts it had on communities in recent weeks.

A fatal heatwave

Dozens of people across Arizona and Nevada have died this year from the physical impacts of extreme heat.

In Arizona’s Maricopa County – home to Phoenix – 25 deaths have been reported to be heat-related so far this year as of Tuesday, the county said in a weekly report. Another 249 deaths are under investigation for whether heat was a cause.

Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the US, killing more people than hurricanes or tornadoes.

And it also leads to illnesses. Last week, at least 570 hospital visits in Arizona were related to heat-related complications, the state department of health services said.

“Fire departments and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers have reported treating an increasing number of patients for heat-related illness too. These incidents are only the tip of the iceberg. We urge Arizonans to take this extreme heat extremely seriously,” the department said in a statement Tuesday.

“I chose to hike alone, without water, and I did not check the weather. When I returned, I was clammy, shaking, ash gray, had a splitting headache and felt nauseous. It took over a day to recover. Always have plenty of water.” https://t.co/0BOZ4yzAL0 #NMwx pic.twitter.com/PPNhqp2osr

— NWS Albuquerque (@NWSAlbuquerque) July 24, 2023

Wildfires plummet air quality

Another health risk extreme heat has brought is the fueling of wildfires, which inevitably decreases air quality for millions.

As of Tuesday, there were nine wildfires in each of Arizona and New Mexico, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Also, smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning across Canada continued to waft south, tanking air quality and polluting air in Chicago and Detroit. Both cities were among the 10 top cities with the worst air quality in the world, according to IQAir, with Chicago ranking fifth and Detroit ninth as of early Wednesday morning.

“Today, air quality in the City of Detroit will be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (AQI Orange) range,” the Detroit health department said Tuesday. “The air quality is being impacted by the presence of fine particulate matter (PM-2.5).”

In addition to the poor air quality, Detroit is also facing extreme heat this week, when some areas are expected to feel as hot as 99 degrees Thursday and Friday, according to the city’s National Weather Service.

“Very hot and muggy conditions are likely later this week with heat index values approaching 100 degrees,” the weather service said on Twitter.

Extreme heat impacts oceanic ecosystem

The consequences of dangerously high temperatures have stretched beyond land.

The record-breaking heatwave led to surging water temperatures off Florida’s coast, where multiple reefs around the Keys area are currently completely bleached or dead.

The mass bleaching event unfolded in two weeks, according to coral experts, who said they expect the “complete mortality” of the bleached reefs in just a week.

Because it is extremely sensitive to temperature changes, experiencing too much heat for too long causes coral to bleach and turn white as they expel their algal food source and slowly starve to death.

The water is typically in mid-80s in the region, but experts have recorded 90-degree temperatures, according to Cynthia Lewis, who heads the Keys Marine Laboratory at the Florida Institute of Oceanography.

“It is very alarming,” she said in a news release.

Teams from the University of South Florida and the Florida Institute of Oceanography Keys Marine Laboratory conducted a rescue mission for more than 1,500 corals by harvesting them from at risk sites and bringing them into a temperature controlled laboratory.

Sweltering temperatures are also posing a risk to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current, a vital system of ocean currents which includes the Gulf Stream.

A study published Tuesday in the journal Nature found the current may collapse around the middle of the century or as early as 2025.

The AMOC is a complex tangle of currents that works like a giant global conveyor belt. It transports warm water from the tropics toward the North Atlantic, where the water cools, becomes saltier and sinks deep into the ocean, before spreading southwards.

It plays a crucial role in the climate system, helping regulate global weather patterns. Its collapse would have significant implications, including much more extreme winters and sea level rises affecting parts of Europe and the US as well as a shifting of the monsoon in the tropics.

Kanota, Rajasthan, is a dusty obscure hamlet these days.

But it once bridged India’s two ancient kingdoms: the Mughal court in Agra and the Royal court of Jaipur. On this road lies the Villa Palladio boutique hotel and resort.

A colorful history

Jaipur is known as “the pink city” for its pastel buildings. The Villa is half an hour away, but it feels like its own world.

For one thing, it’s not pink. It’s also not decked out in the floral or geometric patterns Jaipur is known for.

Instead, the structure has walls in a shade of scarlet borrowed from the Roman Catholic cardinals, pomegranates inspired by the paintings of Botticelli and palm trees, a symbol of Roman status.

The Villa was once a residence of the royal family of Kanota and was converted into a boutique hotel by Italian entrepreneur Barbara Miolini and Dutch designer Marie Anne Oudejans.

Both are now Jaipur residents.

Miolini grew up in Switzerland, came to Jaipur in 2005 on what was supposed to be a sabbatical, and ended up staying for good.

She spent the early years of her career in the Venetian countryside, influenced by historical and architectural references of one of the greatest Italian architects of the 16th century, Andrea Palladio.

Palladio was known for combining the elements of Renaissance and contemporary French practices, creating an altogether unique style known as Anglo-Palladianism.

Miolini wanted to create something similar, blending the Indo-Mughal and Italian Rococo styles to create something unique.

“The Jaipur court has been the center of Indian luxury production for nearly 300 years, while Venice was the capital of European luxury for centuries,” Miolini says. “There is incredible sophistication and presence of history in the aesthetics of both cities, and when conversing, they speak together beautifully.”

Winning over the locals

The building that became Villa Palladio has a brief but fantastic story.

It was built by the Kanota nobleman Abhay Singh in 1960 in a Rajasthani heritage style, with open pavilions, scalloped arches, courtyards, turrets, and fort-like walls.

Miolini says that the structure was in good shape and had been well cared for. “This place had a sense of Italian nostalgia for how one would encounter abandoned homes and castles on once-historical routes. I wanted to keep the structural interventions to a minimum.”

Marie Ann Oudejans, the Jaipur-based Dutch designer who collaborated with Miolini, adds: “The countryside has given me visual inspiration: the women in the fields, the royal princesses in their finery and veils. I mixed it with the exuberance of Italian flair.”

From there, the Villa started taking a shape.

The castellated watch towers were converted into guest rooms, painted in candy stripes. Italian sun umbrellas and spindly loungers were installed around a Mughal-style swimming pool.

The hard work and attention to detail paid off in a place that can sometimes be unwelcoming to new designs.

“Jaipur has its own distinct style,” Dr. Vibhor Mukul Singh, who has done architectural projects in both Italy and Rajasthan, says. “It is indeed challenging to get an acceptance for some foreign architecture here. The key is that Villa Palladio is Italian on the face and at the same time deeply rooted in the land.”

One way of staying true to the Villa’s heritage was by involving local craftspeople as much as possible. Miolini explains that the hotel’s comforters, cushions, rugs, lamps and chairs were all made in Jaipur.

In many cases, the local artisans had never been to Italy and didn’t know its traditions, but they followed Oudejans’ handmade sketches to create everything.

That didn’t come as a surprise to the designers.

“In our projects, we have realized that simple craftspeople have best understood our design and sensibility,” says Miolini.

The end result is a place where two countries cooperate rather than collide.

Villa Palladio, Abhay Niwas Palace Sumel, Jamdoli Chouraha, Rajasthan 302031, India; +91 141 296 9762

A vacation with your pals should be the perfect opportunity to unwind, catch up and have fun with some of your favorite people in – ideally – a fabulous setting.

But coordinating large groups isn’t always easy. We’ve all heard travel horror stories of fighting over finances, itinerary arguments and barbed comments over cocktails.

Whether you’re currently planning a future friend vacation, or about to embark on a long-awaited group trip, here are some top tips to keep the trip as smooth and fun as possible.

Think carefully about who’s coming

So first things first, who are you inviting? Maybe the answer’s obvious because you’ve got a gang you always travel with, or a ready-to-go group of close pals who you’ve always wanted to vacation with en masse.

But if you’re planning a trip with a friend group that’s never traveled together before, or you’re thinking of bringing together a mix of friends from different parts of your life, it’s worth considering the potential group dynamic.

It sounds obvious, but if you’ve got friends who prefer outdoorsy hikes and adventures, they may or may not gel with the group who enjoy bar-hopping and city breaks.

Plus, travel can be stressful – some friends might get on really well at social events, but their personalities could clash when they’re under pressure to make a flight, or dealing with a vacation rental that doesn’t live up to the listing.

So, generally speaking, the closer the group, the more likely the vacation success. But traveling together can also be a great way to get to know people better, so definitely don’t rule out an invitee just because they’re a newer addition to your circle.

A vacation could also be a great opportunity to get to know a friend’s partner a little better, so extending the invite to significant others could be a great shout, just – again – keep the overall dynamic in mind. If the trip suddenly goes from a college pals reunion to a couples trip featuring a sole single friend, that might be a less-than-fun outcome for that one person who’s not coupled up.

Of course, everyone is different, and there’s no general rule for any of these situations – it’s just worth being considerate and thoughtful in the inviting.

On that note, also bear in mind the potential for a friend being offended if they’ve not made the cut. Not everyone can come to every trip, but be mindful that you don’t want to lose friendships before you’ve even boarded the plane.

Have a budget and stick to it

Talking about finances can be awkward, but it’s part and parcel of vacation planning. The best strategy is to set a budget early on for accommodation and travel costs.

If you want to make sure no one is priced out, ask everyone to be upfront from the beginning and make sure there are no surprise extra costs later down the line.

Chelsea Dickenson, the 33-year-old founder of website Cheap Holiday Expert, suggests one way of avoiding anyone feeling uncomfortable in the group chat is to set up a Google Form that everyone can fill out anonymously, detailing their preferred budget and any other concerns or thoughts.

How you split costs both before and after vacation will depend on your group dynamic, your respective financial positions and your own preferences – but whatever the answer, it’s best to have that conversation before you embark on the trip.

While some friends might be happy to adopt an “I paid for the Uber, you buy the drinks” policy, others may feel more comfortable knowing everything’s been split evenly.

Apps like Splitwise do the complicated sums for you, keeping tabs on who spent what when. Or if everyone in your party happens to use banking apps like Monzo or Revolut (both of which generally allow spending internationally without extra fees) you can set up a shared tab and pay as you go.

Pick your destination and accomodation carefully

So the gang’s assembled and the budget’s confirmed. Now you’ve just to figure out where you’re actually going.

If you’ve not already had to consider the word compromise in the planning process, here’s where it’s almost guaranteed to come up. Maybe one of you fell in love with the beauty of Sicily while watching “The White Lotus” and is desperate to fly to Palermo, but someone else already ticked Italy off their bucket list and is dreaming of hiking the fjords of Norway. Maybe some of the group love the idea of spending evenings chilling in a secluded cabin with a hot tub, but your other friends would prefer to stay in a buzzy city hotel with a rooftop bar.

A group vacation is – generally speaking – more about the group than the destination. After all, while exploring a fantastic place together is theoretically the purpose of your trip, if you wanted free rein to go wherever in the world you like, you’re better off traveling alone – or picking just one like-minded travel buddy.

If you’re going on a friend vacation, you’re going somewhere to hang out with your friends, so you should consider their needs and preferences as much as yours. That doesn’t mean totally abandoning your dream trip, it just means being candid and going into the experience knowing what everyone wants out of the trip and making sure you’re all, more or less, on the same page.

And even if the group ends up voting on a destination you’ve visited before, returning with a different group at a different stage in life is always going to be rewarding.

Know your individual strengths – and your group dynamic

Some people are natural organizers. Others are great at map reading. Some people love driving. Others are pros at finding the best flight deals. Some bring the vibes on the day, arriving with a speaker and vacation-approved playlist.

Knowing your own strengths – and those of your friends – will help you plan and orchestrate the vacation as smoothly as possible.

If you’re vacationing with people you’ve never traveled with before, this dynamic might be a little more of an in-the-moment surprise, but you’ll still likely cotton on to people’s natural roles early on.

And depending on how big your group is, some people will naturally step up into organizing roles, while others might take a backseat. If you’re all natural organizers, you might have to reluctantly cede control to a friend – but if they’re your close pal, you know they’ll do a good job and that you can trust them. Enjoy taking a backseat for once and go along for the ride.

Plan in advance – but also leave room for spontaneity

You don’t want to force your friends to commit to a by-the-hour schedule, but it’s worth having some idea of what you’re hoping to see and do on the trip before you set off.

This is especially important the larger the group – if there are 12 of you vacationing together, you might need to prebook restaurants or organize museum entry in advance. Plus, having a pre-planned schedule avoids 12 different people wasting hours each morning just agreeing on the day’s activity.

To avoid ideas getting lost in a torrent of messages in the group chat, you could create a shared Google Doc pre-vacation and encourage everyone to add in ideas and research they’ve done in advance of the trip. As departure day gets closer, you can highlight the favorite ideas, or wait and go through them upon arrival, glass of wine in hand.

And while planning is always useful, some of the best moments in travel happen spontaneously. Don’t commit to a concrete schedule that can’t be switched around in the day, or leaves no room for improvisation.

Some of your best memories are going to be made at that little cove you randomly stumble upon, or the bar built into the clifftops you spot last minute, or just lying on the couch in the evening enjoying quality time with your best pals.

Take time to yourself when you need it

In a big group, people might naturally go their own way over the course of the vacation – everyone has different interests and it’s unrealistic to expect you all to stick together for the whole trip.

Plus, no matter how close you are to your friends, you might find yourself craving a bit of alone time as the days roll on. Don’t be afraid to take time to yourself, if and when you need it – whether that’s popping out for a solo coffee or taking yourself to see that landmark that only you’re interested in seeing.

If you find yourself getting frustrated with any of your fellow vacationers, taking some me time is also a good way to diffuse the situation without ending up doing or saying anything you’ll regret.

Resist the urge to badmouth a friend to another friend mid-trip. If you really want to vent, text someone neutral back home.

Cherish the moment

Long after you move past the weird Airbnb your friend booked, or the restaurant that would never have been your first pick, or the slightly fraught conversation about splitting the grocery store bill – you’ll remember the quality time you spent with your friends.

It sounds cheesy, but cherishing the moment is the most important tip on this list. A getaway with your friends can become harder and harder with the passing years, as life’s commitments build up and people become more settled in their homes and jobs.

No one is flawless, and no trip is perfect, but there can be perfection in that imperfection. Love your friends for their quirks – which may be out in full force on vacation – and they’ll love you for yours.

And before you know it, you’ll be back home sharing your favorite vacation photos and planning the next trip.