Residents Bandung world record angklung with most players. The previous record was held by Jakarta in 2008 with the number of players reached 11,000 people.
"Today, as many as 20 704 citizens of Bandung play angklung. And it broke the world record," said Deputy Director of the Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI), Oscar Universe Susilo Harmony Angklung event for the World 20,000 People Playing Angklung Siliwangi Stadium in Bandung, Thursday ( 04.23.2015).
Oscar explained, independently they cooperate with the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) to calculate participants angklung players. You do this by using the barcode.
"Each player has a number barcode angklung checked at the entrance. With this system can only enter once. Even if the same barcode entry, will not be counted because they do not get into the system," he added.
Until 10:20 pm, Oscar continued, the number of participants according to the barcode has reached 16,000 people. Judging from that, he has had a world record will be solved. Solving this world record to prove to the world that it is owned Indonesian angklung.
In this way also, Indonesia will continue to keep the angklung is not extinct. He hoped that in the future there will be a lot of traditional music that broke the record. Because Indonesia has a wide variety of cultural and traditional arts. Charter Muri was directly submitted to Ridwan Kamil as a representative of the Bandung at around 11:30 pm.
The charter of the Guinness World Records will be given after the meeting in London, England.
"We pray that in the future there is good news we recorded in the Guinness World Records," said Emil.
For sure, a representative of Guinness World Records requested 20,000 participants play angklung back together. Under the command of Ridwan Kamil and representatives Saung Angklung Udjo (SAU), the participants played the song We Are The World Michael Jackson. After playing the song We Are The World, the event was closed with the song In thee State
News From kompas.com
Translete by Google
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Showing posts with label vacation and travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation and travel. Show all posts
ANGKLUNG At Kampung Ujo Bandung -Indonesia To The World
Saung Angklung UdjoWhat you are, what job you have chosen do it well, do it with well, do it with love, without love you’re dead before you die”******(deceased Udjo Ngalagena, angklung artist from Bandung, West Java)
Is Udjo Ngalagena otherwise known as Mang Udjo, a son of Sunda land which decides devoted his life to preserving the culture and Sundanese angklung. As a young man, fond of Mang Udjo studied Sundanese music and songs, martial arts, and Sundanese dances. Mang Udjo born in 1929, in 1966 started his Saung Angklung Udjo development, a conservation and education Sundanese angklung and culture in Indonesia.
Same with Walter Elias Disney, ideals and dreams come true after founded the Walt Disney died. Likewise with Mang Udjo, ideals and dreams come true when building Saung Angklung Udjo old and died. Both adhere to the principle of working and living with the love of what he does.
The result, four years ago angklung officially designated as Cultural Heritage Objects of Indonesia by UNESCO, the world body in charge of culture around under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). Furthermore, on 16 November set as the angklung world. Saung Angklung Udjo provide a large part of this determination.
Saung Angklung Udjo stage shows each day featuring a combination of traditional musical, theater, dance, and music angklung for guests. With tickets are quite affordable, Rp 60,000 for domestic tourists and Rp 100,000 for foreign tourists. Students are given a special ticket, Rp 40,000. Tickets include drinks and souvenirs in the form of pendants shaped bamboo angklung.
The place was comfortable. In addition to a large stage with sound and light trim, at Saung Angklung Udjo guests can shop a wide range of typical Indonesian souvenirs. There are cafes and canteens for a place to eat and rest of the guests. The place was shady, comfortable for just enjoying the cool air of Bandung.
To maintain this bamboo musical instrument, Saung Angklung Udjo also establish music education classes, dance, and shakers. His students ranging from children to college students and at no charge. Adin, one of his students at Saung Angklung Agklung Udjo start learning and other Sundanese musical instruments since 5 years ago. Now, Adin sits in 5 th grade. His house is not far from coincidence Saung Angklung Udjo Padasuka region, Bandung.
"No one is forced, I want to own," he said.
Every day Adin together about 200 students studying in the classroom for about 1.5 hours. Classroom atmosphere deliberately contrived play that the children happy. "No one is fierce. If truancy is also the most in the score of it, "he said.
Back to the beginning of philosophy, working with love. Although without pay and be paid, currently Saung Agklung Udjo has scored about 500 students who have spread all over the world. Not only in Bandung, Saung Angklung Udjo often represent Indonesia in the international arena.
Educating children about the music of angklung is also not easy. Actually, not all the songs can be played with the angklung. So since 1935, Pa Daeng Angklung Soetigna develop into tone or diatonic scales known "do re mi fa sol la si do".
It is unclear when this angklung started there. So far angklung estimated to have started there since 18 centuries ago. Angklung Baduy tribe who came from an original Sundanese community. Historically, the Baduy Angklung considered sacred. Not any time angklung be sounded at only the beginning of the season to plant rice. Some people suggests angklung is part of the cultural rituals of Hinduism in the archipelago.
"Angklung is the sounds of nature from a hunk of bamboo". That couplet poem sung on stage in commemorating Udjo Saung Angklung Angklung 4 years recognized as world heritage. Sounds of nature that signifies eternal beauty that will synergize with love for the man.
When asked how long will Adin at Saung Angklung Udjo? With a typical little boy smiled Adin replied, "Until my parents would at Saung Udjo he he he".
FROM***
BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com
Author: Fira Abdurachman
Editor: Ni Luh Made Earth F
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Cruise Indonesia With Princess Cruises
In response to the growing interest in cruising in Southeast Asia,
Carnival Corporation will be introducing the largest deployment by a
premium cruise line in the region when it brings the Sapphire Princess
to Singapore for a five-month fall 2014 to spring 2015 season.
The itineraries will combine the region’s major metropolises, such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur.
One unique itinerary of note is a 10-day Indonesia cruise that visits Jakarta, Bali, Komodo Island and Lombok. It will depart on Jan. 13, 2015.
“Princess Cruises will be the first premium cruise line to have ships based in Singapore for an extended period,” said Alan Buckelew, chief operations officer of Carnival in a statement issued to The Jakarta Post recently.
The 116,000-ton Sapphire Princess carries 2,670 passengers.
Approximately 40,000 passengers are expected to be carried during this first season of cruising from Singapore.
Passengers will be sourced from Singapore and throughout Asia, in addition to other international markets, including the US, the UK and Australia.
The 2014/2015 program features 15 cruises sailing round-trip from Singapore.
Cruises range from US$449 per person for a three-day trip, to $3,919 per person for a 21-day trip, based on double-sharing occupancy.
Princess Cruises was catapulted to stardom in 1977 when its ship, Pacific Princess, was cast in the starring role in the television show The Love Boat.
The weekly series, which introduced millions of viewers to the concept of a sea-going vacation, was an instant hit and both the company name and its “seawitch” logo have remained synonymous with cruising ever since. /(ren/nfo)
From : Jakarta post online
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The itineraries will combine the region’s major metropolises, such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur.
One unique itinerary of note is a 10-day Indonesia cruise that visits Jakarta, Bali, Komodo Island and Lombok. It will depart on Jan. 13, 2015.
“Princess Cruises will be the first premium cruise line to have ships based in Singapore for an extended period,” said Alan Buckelew, chief operations officer of Carnival in a statement issued to The Jakarta Post recently.
The 116,000-ton Sapphire Princess carries 2,670 passengers.
Approximately 40,000 passengers are expected to be carried during this first season of cruising from Singapore.
Passengers will be sourced from Singapore and throughout Asia, in addition to other international markets, including the US, the UK and Australia.
The 2014/2015 program features 15 cruises sailing round-trip from Singapore.
Cruises range from US$449 per person for a three-day trip, to $3,919 per person for a 21-day trip, based on double-sharing occupancy.
Princess Cruises was catapulted to stardom in 1977 when its ship, Pacific Princess, was cast in the starring role in the television show The Love Boat.
The weekly series, which introduced millions of viewers to the concept of a sea-going vacation, was an instant hit and both the company name and its “seawitch” logo have remained synonymous with cruising ever since. /(ren/nfo)
From : Jakarta post online
-->
Lion air failed landing at Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Before the incident an accident in the waters of Bali, aircraft belonging to PT Lion Air Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft with flight number JT 904, could serve two routes of flight, which departed from Palu, Central Sulawesi and ended in Denpasar, Bali.
"The plane was landing three times. Flew from Palu to Banjarmasin, then to London and finally to Denpasar," said Director of Operations of PT Lion Air, Edward Sirait in a press conference at his office in central Jakarta Lion Air, Saturday (04/13/2013) night .
Edward could not be sure, when the aircraft began flying from Palu to Banjarmasin. He only knows airplane from London at 12.30 pm and arrive in Bali at 15.00 pm with the rain bad weather with mist. Naas, before touching the runway Ngurah Rai Airport, the plane crashed into the sea Strait of Bali.
In the pilot steered the aircraft Widodo was there 101 passengers consisted of 95 adult passengers, five young passengers, one infant passengers and seven crew. All passengers survived, although 44 of them need to be treated at two hospitals, namely Sanglah Kasih Ibu Hospital.
Edward insists, worthy to fly the plane. Therefore, the U.S. aircraft manufacturer PT Lion Air was received in March 2013 and has operated one week later so it is still quite good. Moreover, there are no replacement parts and damage.
"Flight-worthy aircraft flown, the pilot was in good health. Pilot landing it could be five times in one day, so pretty, he said.
Edward claimed to have received definite chronological as well as the cause of the accident. He said he handed over the investigation to the National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) and the Department of Transportation.
editor:
Heru Margianto
"The plane was landing three times. Flew from Palu to Banjarmasin, then to London and finally to Denpasar," said Director of Operations of PT Lion Air, Edward Sirait in a press conference at his office in central Jakarta Lion Air, Saturday (04/13/2013) night .
Edward could not be sure, when the aircraft began flying from Palu to Banjarmasin. He only knows airplane from London at 12.30 pm and arrive in Bali at 15.00 pm with the rain bad weather with mist. Naas, before touching the runway Ngurah Rai Airport, the plane crashed into the sea Strait of Bali.
In the pilot steered the aircraft Widodo was there 101 passengers consisted of 95 adult passengers, five young passengers, one infant passengers and seven crew. All passengers survived, although 44 of them need to be treated at two hospitals, namely Sanglah Kasih Ibu Hospital.
Edward insists, worthy to fly the plane. Therefore, the U.S. aircraft manufacturer PT Lion Air was received in March 2013 and has operated one week later so it is still quite good. Moreover, there are no replacement parts and damage.
"Flight-worthy aircraft flown, the pilot was in good health. Pilot landing it could be five times in one day, so pretty, he said.
Edward claimed to have received definite chronological as well as the cause of the accident. He said he handed over the investigation to the National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) and the Department of Transportation.
editor:
Heru Margianto
Batagor From Bandung is Delicious
Bandung offers a large selection of culinary and souvenirs. One option favored by tourists, by when it comes to Bandung is batagor. For the Jakarta, culinary one is actually no stranger.However, it still feels incomplete if it did not enjoy batagor Bandung. Especially do not buy batagor Bandung to take home as souvenirs. Batagor stands out fried meatballs. Its uniqueness is eaten meatballs and fried tofu with peanut sauce is the main ingredient is peanut, chili, and garlic.
Currently, there are many sellers batagor in Bandung. Each offers similar flavors selintasan. But you could distinguish the sharp flavor.Some batagor more crisp or more crisp. Know who used to know a white or yellow out. Either softer or more solid. There is a large and small size.While the peanut sauce is more spicy and there is much sweeter. There is also much more pronounced savory and garlic. Different but one thing is sure, everything feels good. Just choose the appropriate course taste.
Batagor the most famous and hunted by tourists in Bandung are batagor Kingsley and Riri. The price is Rp 6000 per fruit. However, some are sold paketan contained 5 meatballs and 5 out.Many tourists from Jakarta to look for souvenirs batagor in both places. Even in batagor Riri has a packet to take home that has been cooked half done.Making it easier for tourists who want to take as souvenirs. Riri is located at Road Burangrang. While batagor Kingsley was in Jalan Veteran.
Batagor Isan are also known by local people Bandung. It's cheap and it was no less. That said, the work batagor batagor Isan is the first in Bandung. You can find batagor Ihsan Bojongloa Road.While batagor Abun including the bestselling hired by tourists. Size is large, the price is certainly more expensive. Curious as good as what the big batagor batagor Abuy belong? Can stop at Jalan Lengkong.
If you intend to buy batagor as a souvenir, do not forget to ask for fried meatballs and half-baked idea alone. Then, the peanut sauce ingredients mixed with meatballs and do not know. But wadahkan separately.Now, newly fried meatballs and know when it's back to take home and ready to eat. Packaging may also vary as to bring a souvenir of this. Some stalls batagor packaged with baskets.
info kompas.com/indonesia
Currently, there are many sellers batagor in Bandung. Each offers similar flavors selintasan. But you could distinguish the sharp flavor.Some batagor more crisp or more crisp. Know who used to know a white or yellow out. Either softer or more solid. There is a large and small size.While the peanut sauce is more spicy and there is much sweeter. There is also much more pronounced savory and garlic. Different but one thing is sure, everything feels good. Just choose the appropriate course taste.
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| image panduaneisata.com |
Batagor the most famous and hunted by tourists in Bandung are batagor Kingsley and Riri. The price is Rp 6000 per fruit. However, some are sold paketan contained 5 meatballs and 5 out.Many tourists from Jakarta to look for souvenirs batagor in both places. Even in batagor Riri has a packet to take home that has been cooked half done.Making it easier for tourists who want to take as souvenirs. Riri is located at Road Burangrang. While batagor Kingsley was in Jalan Veteran.
Batagor Isan are also known by local people Bandung. It's cheap and it was no less. That said, the work batagor batagor Isan is the first in Bandung. You can find batagor Ihsan Bojongloa Road.While batagor Abun including the bestselling hired by tourists. Size is large, the price is certainly more expensive. Curious as good as what the big batagor batagor Abuy belong? Can stop at Jalan Lengkong.
If you intend to buy batagor as a souvenir, do not forget to ask for fried meatballs and half-baked idea alone. Then, the peanut sauce ingredients mixed with meatballs and do not know. But wadahkan separately.Now, newly fried meatballs and know when it's back to take home and ready to eat. Packaging may also vary as to bring a souvenir of this. Some stalls batagor packaged with baskets.
info kompas.com/indonesia
Travel To Yogyakarta-Indonesia
Borobudur temple is located in Magelang regency, Central Java Province, and became part of the place when people come to visit the tour to yogyakarta.Yogyakarta who has his own province are special areas that have a government other than the governor also affected by the sultan's palace.
It is located in the middle of the island of Java, making this place visited by many travelers either from within or outside . travel from Bandung west Java is 7 hours journey by train excekutif, or can by using an aircraft with a 1,5 hours travel from each city in Java island, which provides domestic airport.
Yogyakarta is a province that still upholds customs applicable to the present. Yogyakarta is known for friendly and always smile for the visitors. yogyakarta tour are:
yogyakarta palace is a place which is always a lot of vacationing students who visit there, and used as material for the task of writing his school, because starting from lane 1 to present the history and images of the sultan's palace in Yogyakarta.
Taman Sari, a famous pool with its noble history of sultans who always chose his wife, through the window to be the consort of the king at that time.
and his very beautiful pool and manicured until now.
Jalan Malioboro, which is very famous for shopping tour by presenting a relatively cheap price and good. sold are various kinds and styles of batik, wood carvings for decoration and a lot of traditional painting with color and good pictures
For places to stay, ranging from cheap hotels to luxury available in the city better when going to visit this city, book hotel a month or two weeks earlier, to avoid a full hotel.
Borobudur Temple, is filled with sights of natural charm that is very beautiful. traveltime between Yogyakarta to Borobudur temple, reached by the time one hour by car.
This is the picture on the top of Temple and view of Parang ktitis Bantul who can reach by car 1,5 hours trip from Yogyakarta
It is located in the middle of the island of Java, making this place visited by many travelers either from within or outside . travel from Bandung west Java is 7 hours journey by train excekutif, or can by using an aircraft with a 1,5 hours travel from each city in Java island, which provides domestic airport.
Yogyakarta is a province that still upholds customs applicable to the present. Yogyakarta is known for friendly and always smile for the visitors. yogyakarta tour are:
yogyakarta palace is a place which is always a lot of vacationing students who visit there, and used as material for the task of writing his school, because starting from lane 1 to present the history and images of the sultan's palace in Yogyakarta.
Taman Sari, a famous pool with its noble history of sultans who always chose his wife, through the window to be the consort of the king at that time.
and his very beautiful pool and manicured until now.
Jalan Malioboro, which is very famous for shopping tour by presenting a relatively cheap price and good. sold are various kinds and styles of batik, wood carvings for decoration and a lot of traditional painting with color and good pictures
For places to stay, ranging from cheap hotels to luxury available in the city better when going to visit this city, book hotel a month or two weeks earlier, to avoid a full hotel.
Borobudur Temple, is filled with sights of natural charm that is very beautiful. traveltime between Yogyakarta to Borobudur temple, reached by the time one hour by car.
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| Parang Kritis Beach bantul |
Long-Haul Revolution
KOMPAS.com - Steve McKenna takes the rough with the super smooth on a rail epic through the Middle Kingdom.
WHEN I told her I was planning to zigzag across her country to savour Avatar-esque countryside, ancient imperial capitals and metropolises that never sleep, my Chinese friend Nan had a morsel of advice.
"Use eLong.net," she beamed. "It's amazing. Super-cheap flights. Cheaper than trains or buses, some of the time."
I didn't want to be rude but I had to tell her that she was wasting her breath. I'd already decided that I was going the whole hog by rail: from Guangzhou in the south, to Qingdao in the north, with stops at Guilin, Shanghai, Xian and Beijing along the way.
Despite the vagaries of long-haul train travel - I'd turned the air blue on occasions during previous trips across Europe, India and Vietnam - I've never been a big fan of flying internally, especially when you have time not to and particularly in a country such as China.
As well as its astonishingly rich history and culture, the Middle Kingdom has made no secret of the fact it wants to develop one of the world's greatest high-speed rail networks. The government is investing accordingly, with billions of yuan being splashed on new infrastructure, the target being a drastic cut in journey times and a further boost to the country's already rocketing economy. I felt it would be a shame to visit China and not see how it's all coming along.
Yet, as I stood in what was, frankly, a ridiculous queue in Guangzhou's steamy, clapped-out old railway station, I was reconsidering my grand idea. The prospect of having to endure these crowds every time I wanted to buy a ticket made me sweat even more.
"Don't all these people have to work? Where are they going on a Monday afternoon?" asked Mai, a chirpy, Mandarin-speaking Spanish tourist I'd met, who had offered to come to the station with me. An hour later, we were both standing at the counter, wiping our sodden brows. As I leafed hopelessly through my Mandarin phrase book, Mai spoke to the ticket women and the information flickered on the computer screen in front of us.
My ticket to Guilin - some 1030 kilometres west of Guangzhou - was 215 yuan ($38) for a hard sleeper, which is ostensibly a spot in a moving six-bed dorm room with no doors. The cheapest flight I could find on eLong, incidentally, was 450 yuan.
The following evening, after passing through airport-like security (bags are scanned, X-ray-style, at every station in China), I found myself in a terminal that was busy but nowhere near as chaotic as India - and much cleaner. Despite a few token English signs, nearly everything was written in Chinese characters. Fortunately, the times and train codes on the giant neon display of arrivals and departures were easy to fathom. Mine read: "T38: 19:47". Train services starting with the letters Z, C and D tend to be the best; with T and K more of a lottery, I found.
Compared with stations in Europe, Guangzhou's had sparse dining and shopping options - just a tiny KFC kiosk and a few mini-marts. The waiting rooms were packed with families, hunched together, scoffing pot noodles, while the smoking areas were full of men puffing away on cigarettes while playing cards.
As an indecipherable voice crackled over the PA system, railway staff marched along, barking into loudspeakers. Everyone gathered their things. I followed them and we were soon on a train that looked distinctly 1980s.
My cramped berth was filled by an elderly Chinese woman and four men - including a young chap in military uniform who pirouetted around the small compartment with the elasticity of a gymnast. I'd paid a little extra to have the bottom bunk and there was just enough room for my backpack and me.
As the train left the station, I began to explore. There was a mix of (fairly grotty) squat and Western-style toilets, rooms with washbasins and mirrors and several areas with warm-water taps - for drenching those pot noodles. I passed through the soft-sleeper carriages, which were carpeted and had four-bed, airconditioned rooms with lace curtains (these were almost twice the price of hard sleepers).
I sought out the dining carriage, where the menu comprised a dozen traditional Chinese options (25-40 yuan). I chose sour spicy beef with rice and vegetables. And green tea. "You no want beer?" asked the cheerful young waitress, who seemed shocked when I said no. She then struck up a little conversation, asking where I was from and whether I liked China.
"Sorry for my bad English. I'm trying to learn more," she said, immediately, and unintentionally, shaming me for my near non-existent Mandarin.
By now, the train was doing 150km/h, which is snail-slow compared with the Chinese trains of the future and even the present.
China already boasts the world's fastest train: the Maglev that bullets from Shanghai's Pudong airport to the city centre - covering 30 kilometres in just eight minutes at a top speed of 430km/h. Within a decade, it's hoped that this will be more or less the norm.
The lights in my carriage went out at 10pm (standard procedure) and eventually I dozed off. Next morning I was nudged by the guard as we approached Guilin and the joy of rail travel once again revealed itself.
Glancing out of window, half-asleep, I was greeted by a landscape of beguilingly beautiful limestone karst peaks that reminded me a little of Pandora in the movie Avatar. Much better than the ceiling of a hotel room.
Traditionally, the Chinese are sticklers for punctuality; this is reflected in its rail service. Not one of my trains was late during my month-long, 6000-kilometre-plus adventure. Though sometimes gruelling, venturing around China by rail was an ultimately rewarding experience - and a fascinating insight into a country that's destined to stamp its mark on the 21st century.
You really get a feel for the sheer enormity of the place, as well as the fact that, despite new millionaires being created every day, most Chinese are not wealthy. More than 300 million farmers eke out an existence in the countryside, while millions more migrate to and try to find work in the sprawling cities.
While foreign tourism is increasing, you'll still be very much in the minority if you take the train. Because of this, curious stares will likely follow you everywhere but most Chinese I encountered were unfailingly polite. Although most Chinese travellers won't speak English, some will give it a go. Of course, it always helps to carry a Mandarin phrase book.
For the last leg of my adventure - Beijing to Qingdao - I headed to the capital's sparkling new southern railway station.
Compared with where I'd started my trip, it felt like I'd been propelled 20 years into the future.
Beijing South is a spotless, shiny, airy arena, sprayed by beams of sunlight and dotted with spindly palm trees. Self-service ticket machines and desks with bilingual staff sit alongside rows of coffee shops and restaurants.
Unlike in Guangzhou, the giant electronic departures and arrivals screen displays information in Chinese and English. The messages that drift from the PA system are in both languages, too.
Every 10 minutes or so, rapid-fire inter-city trains depart here for Tianjin, the 120-kilometre trip taking just 30 minutes.
I boarded the D55 to Qingdao, home of the famous Tsingtao beer and a launch pad to South Korea by ferry. Like the best trains in Europe, it was sleek, comfy and fast, (covering 888 kilometres in just over five hours and costing 275 yuan). Classical Chinese music was played over the carriage speakers and the toilets were super clean.
Anyone who visits China and merely plies the routes from Shanghai Airport or Beijing South may think the Chinese have already cracked the art of 21st-century rail travel. They haven't. The network is a work in progress, however, things are heading in the right direction.
WHEN I told her I was planning to zigzag across her country to savour Avatar-esque countryside, ancient imperial capitals and metropolises that never sleep, my Chinese friend Nan had a morsel of advice.
"Use eLong.net," she beamed. "It's amazing. Super-cheap flights. Cheaper than trains or buses, some of the time."
I didn't want to be rude but I had to tell her that she was wasting her breath. I'd already decided that I was going the whole hog by rail: from Guangzhou in the south, to Qingdao in the north, with stops at Guilin, Shanghai, Xian and Beijing along the way.
Despite the vagaries of long-haul train travel - I'd turned the air blue on occasions during previous trips across Europe, India and Vietnam - I've never been a big fan of flying internally, especially when you have time not to and particularly in a country such as China.
As well as its astonishingly rich history and culture, the Middle Kingdom has made no secret of the fact it wants to develop one of the world's greatest high-speed rail networks. The government is investing accordingly, with billions of yuan being splashed on new infrastructure, the target being a drastic cut in journey times and a further boost to the country's already rocketing economy. I felt it would be a shame to visit China and not see how it's all coming along.
Yet, as I stood in what was, frankly, a ridiculous queue in Guangzhou's steamy, clapped-out old railway station, I was reconsidering my grand idea. The prospect of having to endure these crowds every time I wanted to buy a ticket made me sweat even more.
"Don't all these people have to work? Where are they going on a Monday afternoon?" asked Mai, a chirpy, Mandarin-speaking Spanish tourist I'd met, who had offered to come to the station with me. An hour later, we were both standing at the counter, wiping our sodden brows. As I leafed hopelessly through my Mandarin phrase book, Mai spoke to the ticket women and the information flickered on the computer screen in front of us.
My ticket to Guilin - some 1030 kilometres west of Guangzhou - was 215 yuan ($38) for a hard sleeper, which is ostensibly a spot in a moving six-bed dorm room with no doors. The cheapest flight I could find on eLong, incidentally, was 450 yuan.
The following evening, after passing through airport-like security (bags are scanned, X-ray-style, at every station in China), I found myself in a terminal that was busy but nowhere near as chaotic as India - and much cleaner. Despite a few token English signs, nearly everything was written in Chinese characters. Fortunately, the times and train codes on the giant neon display of arrivals and departures were easy to fathom. Mine read: "T38: 19:47". Train services starting with the letters Z, C and D tend to be the best; with T and K more of a lottery, I found.
Compared with stations in Europe, Guangzhou's had sparse dining and shopping options - just a tiny KFC kiosk and a few mini-marts. The waiting rooms were packed with families, hunched together, scoffing pot noodles, while the smoking areas were full of men puffing away on cigarettes while playing cards.
As an indecipherable voice crackled over the PA system, railway staff marched along, barking into loudspeakers. Everyone gathered their things. I followed them and we were soon on a train that looked distinctly 1980s.
My cramped berth was filled by an elderly Chinese woman and four men - including a young chap in military uniform who pirouetted around the small compartment with the elasticity of a gymnast. I'd paid a little extra to have the bottom bunk and there was just enough room for my backpack and me.
As the train left the station, I began to explore. There was a mix of (fairly grotty) squat and Western-style toilets, rooms with washbasins and mirrors and several areas with warm-water taps - for drenching those pot noodles. I passed through the soft-sleeper carriages, which were carpeted and had four-bed, airconditioned rooms with lace curtains (these were almost twice the price of hard sleepers).
I sought out the dining carriage, where the menu comprised a dozen traditional Chinese options (25-40 yuan). I chose sour spicy beef with rice and vegetables. And green tea. "You no want beer?" asked the cheerful young waitress, who seemed shocked when I said no. She then struck up a little conversation, asking where I was from and whether I liked China.
"Sorry for my bad English. I'm trying to learn more," she said, immediately, and unintentionally, shaming me for my near non-existent Mandarin.
By now, the train was doing 150km/h, which is snail-slow compared with the Chinese trains of the future and even the present.
China already boasts the world's fastest train: the Maglev that bullets from Shanghai's Pudong airport to the city centre - covering 30 kilometres in just eight minutes at a top speed of 430km/h. Within a decade, it's hoped that this will be more or less the norm.
The lights in my carriage went out at 10pm (standard procedure) and eventually I dozed off. Next morning I was nudged by the guard as we approached Guilin and the joy of rail travel once again revealed itself.
Glancing out of window, half-asleep, I was greeted by a landscape of beguilingly beautiful limestone karst peaks that reminded me a little of Pandora in the movie Avatar. Much better than the ceiling of a hotel room.
Traditionally, the Chinese are sticklers for punctuality; this is reflected in its rail service. Not one of my trains was late during my month-long, 6000-kilometre-plus adventure. Though sometimes gruelling, venturing around China by rail was an ultimately rewarding experience - and a fascinating insight into a country that's destined to stamp its mark on the 21st century.
You really get a feel for the sheer enormity of the place, as well as the fact that, despite new millionaires being created every day, most Chinese are not wealthy. More than 300 million farmers eke out an existence in the countryside, while millions more migrate to and try to find work in the sprawling cities.
While foreign tourism is increasing, you'll still be very much in the minority if you take the train. Because of this, curious stares will likely follow you everywhere but most Chinese I encountered were unfailingly polite. Although most Chinese travellers won't speak English, some will give it a go. Of course, it always helps to carry a Mandarin phrase book.
For the last leg of my adventure - Beijing to Qingdao - I headed to the capital's sparkling new southern railway station.
Compared with where I'd started my trip, it felt like I'd been propelled 20 years into the future.
Beijing South is a spotless, shiny, airy arena, sprayed by beams of sunlight and dotted with spindly palm trees. Self-service ticket machines and desks with bilingual staff sit alongside rows of coffee shops and restaurants.
Unlike in Guangzhou, the giant electronic departures and arrivals screen displays information in Chinese and English. The messages that drift from the PA system are in both languages, too.
Every 10 minutes or so, rapid-fire inter-city trains depart here for Tianjin, the 120-kilometre trip taking just 30 minutes.
I boarded the D55 to Qingdao, home of the famous Tsingtao beer and a launch pad to South Korea by ferry. Like the best trains in Europe, it was sleek, comfy and fast, (covering 888 kilometres in just over five hours and costing 275 yuan). Classical Chinese music was played over the carriage speakers and the toilets were super clean.
Anyone who visits China and merely plies the routes from Shanghai Airport or Beijing South may think the Chinese have already cracked the art of 21st-century rail travel. They haven't. The network is a work in progress, however, things are heading in the right direction.
Revolution Hits Home
The race to bring 3D TV to Australia is on, with Sony yesterday demonstrating two models it plans to have on sale by July, just days after Panasonic unveiled its 3D rival.
But Samsung is likely to have the first 3D TV on sale in Australia in April. The company expects to release 3D LCD, LED and plasma sets by midyear, which is also when Panasonic expects to have models in store. It is believed they will cost the same as upper-range high-definition digital TVs.
Sony yesterday demonstrated two 3D models in Sydney. The top-of-the-range LX 900 Bravia features an integrated 3D sensor. The next-tier HX 800 and 900 models are what the company calls "3D ready", meaning they will display 3D with an add-on piece of hardware, at an additional cost.
Both work with glasses featuring electronic shutters to generate the effect of depth. It is estimated that glasses will cost between $200 and $400 a pair, though the LX 900 will come with two pairs.
The Panasonic Viera plasma TV demonstrated last week uses similar glasses, as will Samsung's range. All 3D TVs will also be able to be watched in 2D. Take-up of the technology could be hampered by a lack of content. TV programs are not produced in 3D and there have been few movies in the format, though that is changing with the success of Avatar. However, computer gaming is likely to be a significant driver of sales.
But Samsung is likely to have the first 3D TV on sale in Australia in April. The company expects to release 3D LCD, LED and plasma sets by midyear, which is also when Panasonic expects to have models in store. It is believed they will cost the same as upper-range high-definition digital TVs.
Sony yesterday demonstrated two 3D models in Sydney. The top-of-the-range LX 900 Bravia features an integrated 3D sensor. The next-tier HX 800 and 900 models are what the company calls "3D ready", meaning they will display 3D with an add-on piece of hardware, at an additional cost.
Both work with glasses featuring electronic shutters to generate the effect of depth. It is estimated that glasses will cost between $200 and $400 a pair, though the LX 900 will come with two pairs.
The Panasonic Viera plasma TV demonstrated last week uses similar glasses, as will Samsung's range. All 3D TVs will also be able to be watched in 2D. Take-up of the technology could be hampered by a lack of content. TV programs are not produced in 3D and there have been few movies in the format, though that is changing with the success of Avatar. However, computer gaming is likely to be a significant driver of sales.
Have Fun In 2010
Where will we go, what will we do and how much will we spend in 2010? Jane E. Fraser consults the crystal ball to discover the trends ahead.
Australian travellers will flood overseas destinations this year, driven by a powerful combination of affordable prices and pent-up demand. Cheap air fares, a strong Australian dollar and greater consumer confidence are expected to lead to a surge in international trips.
"There's no doubt that many are getting itchy feet to take off and explore the world after staying home last year," says a spokesman for Escape Travel, Colin Bowman.
"As conditions have started to improve, there's been an increase in interest in long-haul travel."
The managing director of Harvey World Travel, David Rivers, says forward bookings show Europe is "back" and the US is "a boomer", thanks to the strong Australian dollar and competition between airlines.
The executive director of the Tourism and Transport Forum, Brett Gale, says the trend to international travel is likely to continue for the next decade, with fewer people holidaying at home.
Overseas destinations
Lonely Planet's top 10 places include El Salvador in Central America, for hiking, surfing and low tourist numbers, and the Dutch-speaking Suriname in northern South America - the smallest country on that continent - for its cultural diversity and natural riches, including underwater wonders.
On the more traditional front, the US is "cool again" thanks to President Barack Obama, Morocco makes the list for its combination of "glam and grit" and Nepal is expected to be in demand now that peace has returned.
Interest in Germany is expected to be high, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, while Greece makes the cut for having "something for everyone" - from ruins to idyllic beaches - and Portugal is expected to draw in travellers as it experiences a "new wave" of modernity amid tradition. Closer to home, New Zealand and Malaysia round out the top 10 due to their natural beauty and diversity of experiences.
The US (particularly New York and Las Vegas) also makes the cut for Flight Centre's top 10 destinations, along with Vancouver in Canada, with the city hosting the Winter Olympic Games next month.
Botswana's plush tented camps are predicted to be in favour with the glamping (glamour camping) market, while Mexican and Caribbean beaches are back in fashion and luxury river cruising is expected to draw visitors to Vietnam.
Flight Centre joins Lonely Planet in including Greece (particularly Santorini and Mykonos) in its top 10, along with Malaysia (especially for shopping in Kuala Lumpur).
Rounding out Flight Centre's top 10 are Cadaques in northern Spain, "for a coastal yet cultural escape"; Provence in France for activity-based holidays such as cooking and art classes; and cruises from Australia.
Intrepid Travel is banking on interest in East Timor, with a new trip this year. The company says East Timor is "virtually untouched" by tourism and offers a combination of lush rainforest, traditional villages and Portuguese and Indonesian influences.
Transglobal Destinations says Turkey is emerging as a cheaper alternative to France, Spain and Italy, while World Expeditions says demand for off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Madagascar, Syria and Ethiopia has risen as confidence has returned.
Australian destinations
AOT Holidays, Australia's largest wholesaler of domestic holidays, says the Gold Coast will retain pole position this year, due to its ability to cater for all budgets and ages. Queensland islands are expected to be in second place, thanks to deals such as free nights and children-stay-free, while Tasmania is in third spot thanks to more fly-drive packages coming on to the market.
More-competitive accommodation and touring rates, along with improved flight access, is generating demand for Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania, with the Margaret River region, Kangaroo Island and Broome particularly attractive.
Luxury travel specialist Travel Associates says more than 40 per cent of its forward domestic bookings are for Queensland island getaways, typically for three to four nights.
How we'll book
The general manager of Zuji Australia, Peter Smith, says figures collated by research agency PhoCusWright show the move to online bookings will speed up. While the overall market (leisure travel and independently booked business travel) is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent this year and by 9 per cent next year, online booking and sales growth is expected to be almost 20 per cent each year.
"In 2008, online share was 26 per cent; this is due to rise to 41 per cent by 2011," Smith says.
Webjet.com, a flight booking provider, is banking on healthy growth this year after reporting its October bookings were up 50 per cent on the previous year. Also expecting to see continued growth is online auction site ubid4rooms.com, which allows travellers to bargain direct with hotels by stating what a guest is willing to pay. The rapidly growing site, which features about 800 accommodation options, recently expanded to include houseboats and motor homes and has indicated flights and cruises are on its radar.
What we'll book
Travel agencies are reporting a trend to small-group tours and personally escorted tours as travellers seek more authentic experiences while not wanting to give up the convenience and safety of group touring.
A Travel Associates spokesperson says the company has experienced a 25 per cent increase in demand for small-group tours (up to nine people), as well as a 20 per cent increase in inquiries about women-only tours.
STA Travel, which caters for the youth market, says organised tours are "definitely cool again".
Travel Associates says food and wine tours and cooking schools are also in demand - up 35 per cent - thanks to television shows such as MasterChef.
Viator, an online tour booking service, says independent travellers are returning to traditional hop-on, hop-off tours, with bookings increasing 65 per cent over recent months, while cultural products such as museum tickets are up by more than 50 per cent and adrenalin-charged experiences have risen by more than 70 per cent.
Active holidays are expected to be popular this year, with UTracks reporting strong demand for its self-guided walking and cycling holidays and World Expeditions saying bookings for its Australian walking holidays are up by 25 per cent.
Travel.com.au says it is seeing demand for "shop-overs", with Australians stopping in Asia on their way home from Europe. It is also seeing demand for multi-generational family holidays.
Luxury walking tour operator bothfeet reports a 50 per cent increase in demand from families with teenagers, who are turning to activity-based trips rather than traditional touring.
Cruising is expected to continue its stellar growth, with Harvey World Travel's David Rivers saying voyages from Australian and Asian ports are particularly popular.
Specialist retailer Cruiseabout has noticed a trend to themed and special-interest cruises, from salsa dancing and Italian cooking to a cruise inspired by the Twilight vampire books and films.
The Tourism and Transport Forum's Brett Gale says he expects to see strong growth in nature-based tourism at both upmarket lodges and in the caravan and camping sector.
And STA Travel is predicting continued growth in "voluntourism", particularly short-term volunteer projects focused on community work.
How much we'll spend
Australians will have less disposable income, in real terms, than they had last year, according to a senior economist at ANZ, Julie Toth. While the dip is partly a statistical anomaly due to the effect of 2009's stimulus payments, factors such as weak jobs growth, inflation and high population growth will be at play.
"We're actually looking at quite a weak year for household disposable income," Toth says. "This is a delayed effect from the downturn ... people won't have any additional money."
However, Toth notes that spending on recreation remains in second place in Australia, behind outlays on a mortgage or rent but ahead of food.
"It's just a matter of how that [spending on recreation] is divided up," she says.
A demographer for KPMG, Bernard Salt, believes Australians will spend more on travel after staying close to home and choosing cheaper options last year.
"I think people will be bolder in terms of their travel aspirations," Salt says. "I think we'll see a greater confidence; there's a sense that we've escaped the worst of this [financial crisis].
"I think there will be a reasonable rebound ... as people enjoy a period of greater confidence and rising prosperity."
What we'll pay for
An aviation consultant for CAPA Consulting, Ian Thomas, expects continued restraint in the classes of travel people will book throughout the year. Premium economy will continue to grow at the expense of business class and low-cost carriers will continue to expand at the expense of full-service airlines.
"One of the biggest changes in the past year has been in premium travel - business-class travellers have moved down a notch and they don't seem to be moving back," Thomas says.
"People are looking for a fairly basic, comfortable product and they won't find it in economy but they might find it in premium economy."
When it comes to accommodation, research by online booking agency Wotif shows Australians are consistent in their standards, regardless of the economy.
A recent survey found 63 per cent of respondents budget for between $150 and $200 a night for accommodation, a figure consistent with previous years.
The general manager of Wotif, Megan Magill, says people tend to shorten their stay rather than lower their standards, with four-star accommodation and quality apartments remaining the most popular.
What we'll learn
Travellers accustomed to bargain-basement deals could be in for some shocks, with prices expected to steadily rise as conditions improve.
American Express is forecasting Australia will face some of the biggest increases in the world and industry leaders warn that the best deals may have been and gone.
"If demand continues to improve, it will inevitably become harder to get a bargain," says a spokeswoman for Flight Centre, Nicole Moy. "We will continue to see eye-catching special offers from time to time but the widespread discounting we saw last year is unlikely to be repeated."
Australian travellers will flood overseas destinations this year, driven by a powerful combination of affordable prices and pent-up demand. Cheap air fares, a strong Australian dollar and greater consumer confidence are expected to lead to a surge in international trips.
"There's no doubt that many are getting itchy feet to take off and explore the world after staying home last year," says a spokesman for Escape Travel, Colin Bowman.
"As conditions have started to improve, there's been an increase in interest in long-haul travel."
The managing director of Harvey World Travel, David Rivers, says forward bookings show Europe is "back" and the US is "a boomer", thanks to the strong Australian dollar and competition between airlines.
The executive director of the Tourism and Transport Forum, Brett Gale, says the trend to international travel is likely to continue for the next decade, with fewer people holidaying at home.
Overseas destinations
Lonely Planet's top 10 places include El Salvador in Central America, for hiking, surfing and low tourist numbers, and the Dutch-speaking Suriname in northern South America - the smallest country on that continent - for its cultural diversity and natural riches, including underwater wonders.
On the more traditional front, the US is "cool again" thanks to President Barack Obama, Morocco makes the list for its combination of "glam and grit" and Nepal is expected to be in demand now that peace has returned.
Interest in Germany is expected to be high, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, while Greece makes the cut for having "something for everyone" - from ruins to idyllic beaches - and Portugal is expected to draw in travellers as it experiences a "new wave" of modernity amid tradition. Closer to home, New Zealand and Malaysia round out the top 10 due to their natural beauty and diversity of experiences.
The US (particularly New York and Las Vegas) also makes the cut for Flight Centre's top 10 destinations, along with Vancouver in Canada, with the city hosting the Winter Olympic Games next month.
Botswana's plush tented camps are predicted to be in favour with the glamping (glamour camping) market, while Mexican and Caribbean beaches are back in fashion and luxury river cruising is expected to draw visitors to Vietnam.
Flight Centre joins Lonely Planet in including Greece (particularly Santorini and Mykonos) in its top 10, along with Malaysia (especially for shopping in Kuala Lumpur).
Rounding out Flight Centre's top 10 are Cadaques in northern Spain, "for a coastal yet cultural escape"; Provence in France for activity-based holidays such as cooking and art classes; and cruises from Australia.
Intrepid Travel is banking on interest in East Timor, with a new trip this year. The company says East Timor is "virtually untouched" by tourism and offers a combination of lush rainforest, traditional villages and Portuguese and Indonesian influences.
Transglobal Destinations says Turkey is emerging as a cheaper alternative to France, Spain and Italy, while World Expeditions says demand for off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Madagascar, Syria and Ethiopia has risen as confidence has returned.
Australian destinations
AOT Holidays, Australia's largest wholesaler of domestic holidays, says the Gold Coast will retain pole position this year, due to its ability to cater for all budgets and ages. Queensland islands are expected to be in second place, thanks to deals such as free nights and children-stay-free, while Tasmania is in third spot thanks to more fly-drive packages coming on to the market.
More-competitive accommodation and touring rates, along with improved flight access, is generating demand for Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania, with the Margaret River region, Kangaroo Island and Broome particularly attractive.
Luxury travel specialist Travel Associates says more than 40 per cent of its forward domestic bookings are for Queensland island getaways, typically for three to four nights.
How we'll book
The general manager of Zuji Australia, Peter Smith, says figures collated by research agency PhoCusWright show the move to online bookings will speed up. While the overall market (leisure travel and independently booked business travel) is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent this year and by 9 per cent next year, online booking and sales growth is expected to be almost 20 per cent each year.
"In 2008, online share was 26 per cent; this is due to rise to 41 per cent by 2011," Smith says.
Webjet.com, a flight booking provider, is banking on healthy growth this year after reporting its October bookings were up 50 per cent on the previous year. Also expecting to see continued growth is online auction site ubid4rooms.com, which allows travellers to bargain direct with hotels by stating what a guest is willing to pay. The rapidly growing site, which features about 800 accommodation options, recently expanded to include houseboats and motor homes and has indicated flights and cruises are on its radar.
What we'll book
Travel agencies are reporting a trend to small-group tours and personally escorted tours as travellers seek more authentic experiences while not wanting to give up the convenience and safety of group touring.
A Travel Associates spokesperson says the company has experienced a 25 per cent increase in demand for small-group tours (up to nine people), as well as a 20 per cent increase in inquiries about women-only tours.
STA Travel, which caters for the youth market, says organised tours are "definitely cool again".
Travel Associates says food and wine tours and cooking schools are also in demand - up 35 per cent - thanks to television shows such as MasterChef.
Viator, an online tour booking service, says independent travellers are returning to traditional hop-on, hop-off tours, with bookings increasing 65 per cent over recent months, while cultural products such as museum tickets are up by more than 50 per cent and adrenalin-charged experiences have risen by more than 70 per cent.
Active holidays are expected to be popular this year, with UTracks reporting strong demand for its self-guided walking and cycling holidays and World Expeditions saying bookings for its Australian walking holidays are up by 25 per cent.
Travel.com.au says it is seeing demand for "shop-overs", with Australians stopping in Asia on their way home from Europe. It is also seeing demand for multi-generational family holidays.
Luxury walking tour operator bothfeet reports a 50 per cent increase in demand from families with teenagers, who are turning to activity-based trips rather than traditional touring.
Cruising is expected to continue its stellar growth, with Harvey World Travel's David Rivers saying voyages from Australian and Asian ports are particularly popular.
Specialist retailer Cruiseabout has noticed a trend to themed and special-interest cruises, from salsa dancing and Italian cooking to a cruise inspired by the Twilight vampire books and films.
The Tourism and Transport Forum's Brett Gale says he expects to see strong growth in nature-based tourism at both upmarket lodges and in the caravan and camping sector.
And STA Travel is predicting continued growth in "voluntourism", particularly short-term volunteer projects focused on community work.
How much we'll spend
Australians will have less disposable income, in real terms, than they had last year, according to a senior economist at ANZ, Julie Toth. While the dip is partly a statistical anomaly due to the effect of 2009's stimulus payments, factors such as weak jobs growth, inflation and high population growth will be at play.
"We're actually looking at quite a weak year for household disposable income," Toth says. "This is a delayed effect from the downturn ... people won't have any additional money."
However, Toth notes that spending on recreation remains in second place in Australia, behind outlays on a mortgage or rent but ahead of food.
"It's just a matter of how that [spending on recreation] is divided up," she says.
A demographer for KPMG, Bernard Salt, believes Australians will spend more on travel after staying close to home and choosing cheaper options last year.
"I think people will be bolder in terms of their travel aspirations," Salt says. "I think we'll see a greater confidence; there's a sense that we've escaped the worst of this [financial crisis].
"I think there will be a reasonable rebound ... as people enjoy a period of greater confidence and rising prosperity."
What we'll pay for
An aviation consultant for CAPA Consulting, Ian Thomas, expects continued restraint in the classes of travel people will book throughout the year. Premium economy will continue to grow at the expense of business class and low-cost carriers will continue to expand at the expense of full-service airlines.
"One of the biggest changes in the past year has been in premium travel - business-class travellers have moved down a notch and they don't seem to be moving back," Thomas says.
"People are looking for a fairly basic, comfortable product and they won't find it in economy but they might find it in premium economy."
When it comes to accommodation, research by online booking agency Wotif shows Australians are consistent in their standards, regardless of the economy.
A recent survey found 63 per cent of respondents budget for between $150 and $200 a night for accommodation, a figure consistent with previous years.
The general manager of Wotif, Megan Magill, says people tend to shorten their stay rather than lower their standards, with four-star accommodation and quality apartments remaining the most popular.
What we'll learn
Travellers accustomed to bargain-basement deals could be in for some shocks, with prices expected to steadily rise as conditions improve.
American Express is forecasting Australia will face some of the biggest increases in the world and industry leaders warn that the best deals may have been and gone.
"If demand continues to improve, it will inevitably become harder to get a bargain," says a spokeswoman for Flight Centre, Nicole Moy. "We will continue to see eye-catching special offers from time to time but the widespread discounting we saw last year is unlikely to be repeated."
Bandung : The Trade City of Jeans
Bandung is a capital city of west Java-Indonesia.Located about 2 hours drive from Jakarta.Bandung is one of the most student city,and always called " Paris Van Java" because architecture and flowers everywhere.These are our Bandung Information:
Speed at A Price but Is It Affordable?
Ever wondered why the old lady of the skies, the Boeing 747 jumbo, has such an odd, oblong shape with a bubble at the front? It's because Boeing feared that it would be a short-lived design that would be overrun by the faster, sexier supersonic Concorde flying at twice the speed of sound.
The 747, therefore, was designed primarily for a second life as a freighter where its entire contents could be loaded and unloaded through a huge front door by putting the cockpit on a giant hinge that swings upward.
You can actually see this marvellous configuration regularly on the freight apron at Sydney or Melbourne airport when a 747 freighter is in town.
The demise of the 747 and the rise of supersonic flight was actually forecast before the 747 first flew 40 years ago but, unlike the relentless march of new technology in all other fields of endeavor, the human race has collectively decided to go backwards when it comes to air transport.
We had the technology to fly us to London in 12 hours instead of 24 or to Los Angeles in six hours instead of 13 hours in the early 1960s: it was just a matter of getting the price right and putting a lid on the noise it would create.
In the 1990s, the supersonic revolution seemed a certainty to begin early this century. America's space agency, NASA, had spent about $US1 billion in the 1990s proving the technology for a 300-seat plane that could fly at twice the speed of sound for only 20 per cent more than the price of a subsonic airline ticket.
The sticking point was that such a supersonic transport (SST) would still be limited to over-water routes while research continued on new body shapes limiting the sonic boom - a shock wave of noise that radiates from an aircraft flying supersonically for up to 40 kilometres radius.
Researchers now believe they can minimise the sonic boom for flights over land and maximise the fuel economy for supersonic flight - but the horse has already bolted. In the 1990s, the airlines told the manufacturers that economy was king and they weren't prepared to wait for technology that could deliver supersonic flight if it cost any more than the fare for subsonic flight. Soon after, supersonic research programs in Europe and the US were abandoned.
Ironically, one of the manufacturers, Boeing, is now in deep strife as a result of an ambitious program to certificate the airliner with the cheapest unit operating costs in the history of flight, the 787 "Dreamliner", which is running at least two years late because "plastic" composite materials designed to radically reduce the aircraft's weight keep failing stress tests.
It's doubly ironic that the 787 design started life as as the "Sonic Cruiser", designed originally to fly faster than any other subsonic design, saving up to 20 per cent on flight times.
Now the voice of 26 million Australians and New Zealanders may not count for much on a global scale, but I'm tipping that people Down Under, already probably the most travelled in the world, are getting heartily sick of the time it takes to get where they're going.
The same goes for Europeans and Americans, for whom 12-18 hours is a major disincentive to get to the Asia Pacific region, which is expected to be accounting for more than half the world's air travel in the next few years.
Sumber : sidney morning herald
The 747, therefore, was designed primarily for a second life as a freighter where its entire contents could be loaded and unloaded through a huge front door by putting the cockpit on a giant hinge that swings upward.
You can actually see this marvellous configuration regularly on the freight apron at Sydney or Melbourne airport when a 747 freighter is in town.
The demise of the 747 and the rise of supersonic flight was actually forecast before the 747 first flew 40 years ago but, unlike the relentless march of new technology in all other fields of endeavor, the human race has collectively decided to go backwards when it comes to air transport.
We had the technology to fly us to London in 12 hours instead of 24 or to Los Angeles in six hours instead of 13 hours in the early 1960s: it was just a matter of getting the price right and putting a lid on the noise it would create.
In the 1990s, the supersonic revolution seemed a certainty to begin early this century. America's space agency, NASA, had spent about $US1 billion in the 1990s proving the technology for a 300-seat plane that could fly at twice the speed of sound for only 20 per cent more than the price of a subsonic airline ticket.
The sticking point was that such a supersonic transport (SST) would still be limited to over-water routes while research continued on new body shapes limiting the sonic boom - a shock wave of noise that radiates from an aircraft flying supersonically for up to 40 kilometres radius.
Researchers now believe they can minimise the sonic boom for flights over land and maximise the fuel economy for supersonic flight - but the horse has already bolted. In the 1990s, the airlines told the manufacturers that economy was king and they weren't prepared to wait for technology that could deliver supersonic flight if it cost any more than the fare for subsonic flight. Soon after, supersonic research programs in Europe and the US were abandoned.
Ironically, one of the manufacturers, Boeing, is now in deep strife as a result of an ambitious program to certificate the airliner with the cheapest unit operating costs in the history of flight, the 787 "Dreamliner", which is running at least two years late because "plastic" composite materials designed to radically reduce the aircraft's weight keep failing stress tests.
It's doubly ironic that the 787 design started life as as the "Sonic Cruiser", designed originally to fly faster than any other subsonic design, saving up to 20 per cent on flight times.
Now the voice of 26 million Australians and New Zealanders may not count for much on a global scale, but I'm tipping that people Down Under, already probably the most travelled in the world, are getting heartily sick of the time it takes to get where they're going.
The same goes for Europeans and Americans, for whom 12-18 hours is a major disincentive to get to the Asia Pacific region, which is expected to be accounting for more than half the world's air travel in the next few years.
Sumber : sidney morning herald
Bali-Indonesia
BALI
Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. Bali offers not just various customs but also various "adrenalin pump" parks. Many exciting amusements are available in Bali, with something new opening all the time. The number of offshore and inland attraction are on the rise because many tourists want them. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. After white water rafting that has gained popularity in Bali, comes offshore rafting or ocean rafting. The more adventurous sort of amusement has now become an alternative sport for tourists. Meanwhile white water rafting is still a popular activity with trips on Ayung, Telaga Waja, Unda Rivers, etc. The tourists can refresh their mind by watching beautiful scenery along the route. Those are not enough, some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.
Bali is small island, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.As for recreation, there is no shortage of options. Nature walks, horseback riding, diving, surfing - even bungy jumping and white water rafting - await the adventurous here.
Geographically
Bali is volcanically active and extravagantly fertile. Bali has an area of 5620 sq km, measures approximately 140 km by 80 km and is just 8 degrees south of the equator. Mount Agung known as the 'mother mountain' is over 3000 meters. South and north of the central mountains are Bali's fertile agricultural lands. The southern region is a wide, gently sloping area where most of Bali's abundant rice crop is grown. The south-central area is the true rice basket of the Island. The northern coastal strip is narrower, rising more rapidly into the foothills of the central range, but the main export crops, coffee, copra and rice, are grown here. Cattle are also raised in this area.
Info : indonesia-tourism.com
Bali is volcanically active and extravagantly fertile. Bali has an area of 5620 sq km, measures approximately 140 km by 80 km and is just 8 degrees south of the equator. Mount Agung known as the 'mother mountain' is over 3000 meters. South and north of the central mountains are Bali's fertile agricultural lands. The southern region is a wide, gently sloping area where most of Bali's abundant rice crop is grown. The south-central area is the true rice basket of the Island. The northern coastal strip is narrower, rising more rapidly into the foothills of the central range, but the main export crops, coffee, copra and rice, are grown here. Cattle are also raised in this area.Info : indonesia-tourism.com
Explore Giorgia
Georgia offers some of the most diverse, fishing opportunities in the Southeast. Whether it’s fly fishing, deep sea fishing or the unending quest for the next world record bass, Georgia’s 500,000 acres of reservoirs and over 12,000 miles of warm water streams give all the opportunity to GO FISH. Head to Florence Marina State Park to get in on some of this “rod and reel” action. Situated at the northern end of 45,000-acre Lake Walter F. George, this park offers the perfect setting for those who love water sports. It is adjacent to a natural deep-water marina with an accessible deep-water fishing pier, boat slips and boat ramp.
While at the park, be sure to check out its other great amenities. Birders are sure to see herons and egrets, and possibly bald eagles. Perfect for the kids, the park’s Kirbo Interpretive Center teaches visitors about Native Americans, nature and local history, and it displays snakes, turtles, fish and artifacts from the prehistoric Paleo-Indian period through the early 20th century.
While at the park, be sure to check out its other great amenities. Birders are sure to see herons and egrets, and possibly bald eagles. Perfect for the kids, the park’s Kirbo Interpretive Center teaches visitors about Native Americans, nature and local history, and it displays snakes, turtles, fish and artifacts from the prehistoric Paleo-Indian period through the early 20th century.
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