To minimize the traffic congestion problem on Dubai Creek and provide relief to Dubai residents, Marine agency of Roads and transport authority in Dubai has launched a new Water Bus service to commute across Dubai Creek. As a part of first phase of a strategic plan for marine transport, this new service is expected to help RTA to achieve its goal of curbing the traffic congestion by 2020. The Water Bus lines cover various Government offices and service departments at the two banks of the Creek (Al Seef and Al Sabkha Stations. It will serve the congested central business districts of Deira and Bur Dubai. RTA has also introduced a smart card for the water bus service. People using Dh40 worth will also get a 10 per cent discount. Also, machines have been installed at abra stations from where passengers can purchase tickets. During the launch of new water bus service, Eisa Abdul Rahman Al Dossari, Chief Executive Officer of RTA’ s Marine Agency announced the launching of new lines to operate the Water Bus, including B1 Line from Al Sabkha Station to Bur Dubai.
Wish to take a stomach-dropping ride in the highest and heaviest outdoor elevator in the world? If yes, then you’ll have to head to China. Claimed to be the world’s tallest glass elevator, Bailong Elevator is built onto the side of a huge cliff in Zhangjiajie and takes you a whopping 1,070 feet high. Bailong Elevator has set three Guinness world Records i.e. World’s tallest full-exposure outdoor elevator, world’s tallest double-deck sightseeing elevator and world’s fastest passenger traffic elevator with biggest carrying capacity but due to the potential harm caused to the surrounding landscape, its future remains uncertain. Check out the pictures and a video below.
Never thought Afghanistan has such an outstanding natural wonder that would make people standstill with their wide-mouth open. Yes, this was quite a surprise to me! Just came across this place full of natural beauty so thought I’ll share it with y’all. Situated in the Mountainous Hazarajat at an attitude of 3000m, 75 km from Bamiyan, is a majestic blue lake is known for its exquisite beauty. Well-known as Band-e Amir, meaning Dam of the Amir it’s a place that is a naturally created group of lakes with unique geological formations and structure, as well as natural and splendid beauty. A beautiful comment in the old guidebook on Afghanistan clearly sums up Band-E-Amir lake. Band-E-Amir holds its place among the wonders of the world. The most famous things often fail to move; Band-i-Amir is above matters of taste, it is beauty itself. There are five wonderful lakes and the waters of these lakes are shockingly unique blue that seem very bizarre. But it’s genuine natural freshwater. Band-E-Amir is a beautiful place to relax and take in the spectacular scenery. Getting There: Band-E-Amir is easily reachable from Bamiyan. In good weather the trip from Bamiyan takes around five hours. If you don’t have your vehicle then I would suggest you to hire a vehicle as there is little transport available for the lakes. Private minivans are also available.
Are you getting close to 40 or 40 up and still want to climb Mt.Everest? Many guiding services will say that age doesn’t matter. It’s about your climbing frequency and mileage. But, age does matter when you are trying to climb the highest peak of the world. At least, according to statistics, age factor is imperative. After the pioneers Hillary and Norgay, at least a 1000 people have tried climbing to the rooftop of the world. Many have died trying to climb it. Back in 1953, when the two climbers stood on top of the world, they were probably the fittest, strongest and well acclimatized climbers. Also, they had to figure everything out on their own. So, age did matter then. Now, you pay about a total of 60,000 USD(Climbing permit), and clip in on the fixed ropes fixed by a sherpa team. I think age is not that much important when it comes to climbing Mt.Everest. But, a 60 year old can have some serious problems up there when the weather closes in and things start to freeze bigtime. Even though your body systems slowly start to shut down around the age of 40, it is still not a bad age for the job. But, once you reach 60, you are better off giving up your Everest climbing dream. People above 60 have tried to climb and failed. You need to feel at home on a rock and ice as well as carrying heavy loads to the top. Otherwise, it can be your last climb ever.
Most international travelers would shriek at the very thought of visiting Afghanistan. The image of Afghanistan popularized by the international media is mostly of a dusty terrain inhabited by suicide bombers and the Taliban. Despite the risks, Afghanistan is a country worth traveling or else where could you spend your time in boutique hotels and dine for just ₤1? Afghanistan is blessed with natural bounties. It is surrounded by the great Hindu Kush mountains, which are covered with snow during the winter. In the summer the valleys turn green with its rivers flowing across plains blossoming with tulips and gentians. The pertinent question which crosses every mind is how safe is Afghanistan? The truth is while the southern part of the country is still a war zone, the rest of the country is by large peaceful, save for a few stray untoward incidence. For any tourist the most attractive destination would be the Bamiyan Valley where the giant statue of the Buddha once stood. The Wakhan Corrider and the mountaneous north-east is a good trekking place. Kabul with its Swish boutique style Kabul Serena Hotel or the old colonial Gandamack Lodge and a walk in the Shahr-e-Nau park is popular among tourists. The cities of Herut and Samurkhand with their brightly tiled mosques will take you to an era long gone. Afghan food mostly consists of greasy meat and rice. In the autumn and summer months you will be able to pamper your taste buds with Afghanistan’s bounty of natural produce – its pomegranates, figs, peaches, apples and melons. So if you are thinking of visiting a place where the traditional and modern coexist amidst natural beauty then you can think of Afghanistan. It is for the interest of the people of Afghanistan largely dwelling in unspeakable poverty that more and more international tourists should visit the country.
France has been transported to China, with the Eiffel Tower and Even Napoleon Bonaparte. No, I am not rumbling…tourists visiting the renowned snow carving festival in the Sun Island in Harbin, a city in northeast China, would feel just that. The festival goes back a long time. It was started off in 1963 and rejuvenated in 1985 following the cultural revolution in China. Hundreds and thousands of wander-thirsty tourists throng the festival every time, braving the sub-zero temperature. The theme of this year’s ice festival happens to be France. The culture and history of France has been etched on snow with unparalleled skill, marked by incredible accuracy, down to the minutest intricacy. The snow replica of the Eiffel Tower looms high and proud, while Napoleon Bonaparte on his horse looks as powerful and vigorous as he must have when he ruled. A larger-than-life sculpture inspired by Rodin sits contemplatively, dwarfing all those in the vicinity. Some of the structures are created by piling up ice blocks, carved with chisels and chainsaws, to make huge models of buildings. Lights are frozen in the middle of them creating the beautiful displays of colour. When the neon lights are lit during the night, it all takes up the aura of a fairy-tale land. Wow! Isn’t it a sight worth dying for! A million bows to the genius of man! A million kudos to his artistry, his hone of talent, his indomitable zeal!
The market is almost full of toys made out of plastic, but Japanese traditional toys still make their mark. They are charming and they have been used as toys for centuries in Japan. The toys are made of wood and are colorful. This beautiful art has been practiced since the 18th and 19th Century. Takeji Nakagawa of take-g toys uses this art and mingles it with his own innovation to create beautiful and modern toys. Like all cultural art, Kyuodo Gangu has been confined to Japan and its surroundings only. Some people argue that the reason behind this is the conscious efforts of traditional thinking people. Popyah- another contemporary traditional style has been doing the rounds as well. Popyah seems to be more into clay and ceramic figurines. Although they are cute and colorful, the building material is not exactly what you would like for a toy. The art being confined to regions makes it difficult to buy them. So, if you are interested in buying a piece of this art, you may have to travel all the way to the parts where it’s made.
Chinese heritage workers declared that they have discovered well-preserved frescoes about 2,000 years old in East China’s Shandong province. Painted with blue, green, black and red hues, the frescoes were found on the walls of a tomb at an old residential yard in Dongping county, southwestern Shandong, when a real estate company was excavating the foundation for a planned shopping mall. Yang Hao, deputy director of Dongping Cultural Heritage Administration Bureau, told that the paintings included images of drinking, dancing, cock fighting, women servants and historical stories. Yang also said that the frescoes were the best preserved ones discovered in the region so far and would be valuable in the study of funeral, folk customs and painting arts during the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-25 A.D.). One of the valuable paintings depicted a meeting between the two famous Chinese philosophers Laozi (about 600 B.C.-500 B.C.) and Confucius(551 B.C.-479 B.C.). Wang explained that the painting was of great importance to scholars because they had long argued about the real appearance of Confucius. The discovery of the frescoes comes as an exciting bit of news for those who have a penchant for historical artefacts and the rich Chinese culture .
It is the most renowned and looked for global contest that celebrates individual and team athletic excellence. Preparations of the next edition of Olympics, scheduled to take place in Beijing from August 14-24, 2008 is starting to get underway. In a bid to encourage and participate in the spirit of the games’ languages abroad, an non-profit organization based in the US has organized a unique volunteering programme. Titled ONE WORLD, YOUR ADVENTURE language touring package, the programme is designed for those who would like to be in Beijing during the lead up excitement of the Olympics. Thrilled at the possibility this progrmme offers, one of the volunteers who has already signed up for the programme, John Baker, an MBA student from Toronto said, I can’t wait to go. I mean, being in Beijing in and of itself is wonderful, but to be there during the final preparations for the Olympics is like a dream come true. I’m just glad I’ll have a place to stay without having to pay ridiculously expensive prices. The Olympics are a big attraction across the world, specially so this time because it is happening in Bejing, which is gateway to several fascinating tourism locations in China’s Northern region. Numerous parks, temples, and market places dotted across 18 districts that comprise Beijing, entices visitors with shopping offers. Apart from shopping is the attraction of one of the greatest monuments to human ingenuity, The Great Wall of China just a short distance away. Volunteers feel that this is a wonderful opportunity to break language barriers that often mar the ability to fully enjoy the cultural aspects of a foreign country. But then the kind of a travel opportunity offers a chance to learn from the native speakers of the language. The quest to achieve personal excellence motivates both the student of international languages as it does the pupil of athletics. Dreaming to achieve one’s goal is only physically manifested with the discipline to practice with the best tools that are available. Learning the various mechanics of a language requires dedication, but the reward is tremendous as it is for athletes who transcend the initial discomfort derived from strenuous conditioning. To learn more about the ONE WORLD, YOUR ADVENTURE program in Beijing visit the Languages Abroad website.
Bored of the same old routine travel packages? Game for some real life adventure? How about teaching your kids geography practically? Head towards Philippines this time and catch a glimpse of the volcanoes that are like sleeping giants waiting to erupt with bright orange lava out of their bellies. Well, Philippines has tapped man’s fascination for volcanoes into profitable money spinners by luring tourists to take the adventure package of climbing live volcanoes or to experience nature’s fury first hand! Philippines has over 300 volcanoes that are scattered all over the country and of these 22 are active and 27 of them are ‘potentially active’. The cone shaped Mayon volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Phillipines. Eruptions are frequent here and the worst eruption that occurred in 1814 killed more than 1200 people and destroyed towns surrounding it. When this volcano erupted last year, tourists flocked in thousands to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking sight. The diverse shapes of these volcanoes add to the excitement of seeing something new each time. Mountaineers seem to enjoy climbing up these steep hills and entrepreneurs are quick to cash in on this new exciting development by putting up spas, campsites and fancy restaurants for the weary tourists. Throw in some hot springs, fumeroles and fuming vents as a part of the package and they have a great money-spinner in their hands. Efforts are also on to see that the frenzy of the excited tourists does not disturb the native wildlife or the existing ecosystem in a bid to bring in more dollars. Ready for a volcanic adventure?