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Everyone knows that living in the city can get pretty crappy at times. Crowded public transport, congested roads, unfriendly shop keepers - it’s enough for people like us to want to get out to the country or to another country altogether. Traveling can be the quest to find out if there’s something better out there.

Well, now there’s an index to find those places we need to go.

The New Economics Foundation of Britain reckon they have found the happiest country in the world.

And the winner is… Vanuatu!

The rating combines marks for life satisfaction, life expectancy and environmental footprint (measured as the amount of land required to support the population based on energy consumption).

I guess the rating doesn’t take in the happiness of dogs that are rumoured to be used as live sharkbait in the idealic island nation.

While Vanuatu takes out the top spot at the other end of the “Happiest Country in the World” index, which we can only assume is the “Crappiest Country in the World” is Zimbabwe.

I wonder if Mad Bob Mugabe is going to make an acceptance speech?

This great photo was taken in the catacombs under Paris.

They’ve been there since Roman times when they were quarries, and were used as burial chambers from the late 18th century when a hygiene situation in Paris started to get out of hand with disease and other nasties. They were later used by the French Resistance in WW2 as well as the Nazis.

While you’re not officially allowed to visit the catacombs of Paris, except on a government approved tour, there are plenty of ways to get down there and take some photos. In fact, there are a bunch of entrances around Paris that lead down to the almost 300 km of tunnels under the city (try not to get lost).

Lately it’s becoming a common destination for urban explorers, but you might also bump into a few homeless people or other folks who like to head down there.

There are a few things to watch out for too, like the occasionaly cave-in, flooded chambers and the usual odds and ends of urban exploration. Probably best to take a guide with you.