Have a look at this lovely picture from the National Geographic site. It's actually quite rare to see an elephant swimming  ;)

Only a few weeks remain in National Geographic Magazine's International Photo Contest. Here's a standout from this week's batch of entries, taken by Cesare Naldi.

Nazroo, a mahout (elephant driver), poses for a portrait while taking his elephant, Rajan, out for a swim in front of Radha Nagar Beach in Havelock, Andaman Islands. Rajan is one of the few elephants in Havelock that can swim, so when he is not dragging timber in the forest he is used as a tourist attraction. The relationship between the mahout and his elephant usually lasts for their entire lives, creating an extremely strong tie between the animal and the human being.

For more images, visit the weekly galleries on National Geographic Magazine's site. The International Photo Contest ends October 31st, so submit your favorite images in the People, Places, and Nature categories now.

Original article here.

This is a sign I saw in Guatemala, the creature depicted is most likely a Coati.

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Paul Motter is editor of Cruisemates, which has been publishing impartial cruise reviews and news stories for a decade and is the writer of this article.

We checked in with Motter for some tips on how to stay "wired" while at sea.

Efforts to lighten a city's car load can reduce subway ridership; the eco-upside of stalled traffic

By requiring car drivers to pay a fee to drive in a city at peak hours, congestion pricing reduces traffic and raises money that can be used to support public transit—both worthy goals.