Visit One of the Most Beautiful Islands of Asia-Boracay Island Philippines

Boracay is a beautiful island of the Philippines located approximately 315 km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay beautiful beaches - the famous white beaches of the island of Boracay regularly appear in those, "Best beaches of the World" lists. Although unchecked tourist development did have the authorities declare the beaches contaminated and unsafe, the beaches have since been found to be at acceptable levels of pollutionand look pristine (You can look, but don't touch). Boracay is a beautiful island,accessible for all types of bugets.Here u can find a numerous hotels,luxury villas and budget accommodation. Leisure activities: Leisure activities available on or near Boracay include scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, cliff diving, and beach relaxation. Boracay is the site of a 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by
Graham Marsh.In addition, as of 2010, Boracay has in excess of 350 beach resorts offering more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodation.In addition, Boracay offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs. Events: Boracay is one competitive venue for the Asian Windsurfing Tour, with the week-long Boracay International Funboard Cup competition usually held in January on Bulabog Beach. In 2010, the event dates are January 25 – 31.[CNNGo, a division of CNN focused on travel/lifestyle/entertainment, selected the Boracay International Funboard Competition on the weekend of January 22–24 as one of its 52 weekend recommendations for 2010. The well-known Ati-Atihan Festival takes place each January in Kalibo on nearby Panay island. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated on Boracay, usually in the second or third week of January. Dragon boat races are held annually on Boracay under the auspices of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation, with teams coming from around the Philippines and from other Asian nations to compete. The races usually take place sometime in April or May. The 2012 Boracay Edition of the PDBF International Club Crew Challenge to is scheduled for April 26–28, 2012. The Boracay Open Asian Beach Ultimate Tournament, an ultimate frisbee event, has been held annually since 2003, usually during summer. TRANSPORTATION: Boracay island is separated from Panay island by a narrow strait. The island is located opposite the barangay of Caticlan in the municipality of Malay, Aklan. Transportation across the strait is provided by boats operating from the Caticlan jetty port Source: Sam Daily Times
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,
→

The New 7 Wonders of the World

The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
MEXICO: Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures - the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.
Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
BRAZIL: This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.
The Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy
ITALY: This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum's original design. Today, through films and history books, we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.
The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India
INDIA: This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.
The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) China
CHINA: The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal construction.
Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.), Jordan
JORDAN: On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.
Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru
PERU: In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu ("old mountain"). This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained 'lost' for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Source: Article
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,,,,,,,,,
→

Kenya wildlife reserves threatened as tourists stay away

Female elephants get into a protective formation around a pair of calfs on a grassy plain at the Ol
Female elephants get into a protective formation around a pair of calfs on a grassy plain at the Ol Kinyei conservancy in Maasai Mara, in the Narok county in Kenya

AFP/Talek, Kenya: In the majestic plains of the Maasai Mara, the coronavirus pandemic spells economic disaster for locals who earn a living from tourists coming to see Kenya's abundant wildlife.

Even before the virus arrived in Kenya mid-March, tourism revenues had plummeted, with cancellations coming in from crucial markets such as China, Europe and the United States.

According to the tourism ministry, the sector has lost $750 million this year -- roughly half of the total revenue in 2019.

‘We were fully booked in June but now we have zero bookings. Nothing. It's terrible,’ said Jimmy Lemara, 40, the manager of an eco-lodge in the private Ol Kinyei conservancy.

In the Maasai Mara, one of Africa's most highly-rated wildlife reserves located in the vast flat plains of the Great Rift Valley, the local Maasai community, traditional herders who make up 2.5 percent of the population, now depend almost exclusively upon tourism for their livelihood.

In a unique model set up to engage local communities in tourism, enabling them to see the value of wildlife and thus protect it, the Maasai now get revenue from renting their land to form private wildlife conservancies.

Some work as cooks, guides and security guards in the lodges while others give tours of their traditional homes or sell homemade crafts to tourists.

- 'Survival mode' -

People in Talek, a dusty town situated at one of the entrances to the Maasai Mara national reserve, are gloomily buckling down, hoping for better days.

Kenya has announced international flights will resume on August 1, but the high season is already lost.

‘Since December, work has been extremely low, and now we're in survival mode hoping to make 150 to 200 shillings ($1.4 to $1.9) a day, to be able to buy a meal,’ said Ibrahim Sameri, 38, whose small mechanic workshop can generate up to $30 a day in the high season.

Nalokiti Sayialel normally sells bead necklaces and bracelets to tourists passing through.

‘It's been three months that I haven't sold anything,’ the 45-year-old told AFP.

‘This is terrible. Everything is stuck. Everything is shut down. (I have) never seen something like that’, said tour guide Petro Nautori who has had no work since January.

The Maasai Mara national reserve, run by the Narok county government, extends to the north with several privately-managed conservancies renting land from the Maasai who in exchange do not graze their cattle or settle there.

This model has since 2005 allowed the doubling of the habitat for wildlife in this area.

On average, each land owner earns $220 per month, far more than the minimum wage in the area.

However like other conservancies, Ol Kinyei is struggling and has agreed to only pay half the usual rent to the Maasai, after having to pay back deposits to tourists who cancelled their holidays.

The salaries of lodge employees have also been cut by half.

- Forced to sell livestock -

Some Maasai families are having to turn to selling their precious livestock to earn money.

‘Because we're getting little and it's not enough to sustain the family for a living, I had to sell two goats worth about 12,000 shillings to put on top of what I'm getting to keep me going,’ said Julius Sanare, 41, head chef at the eco-lodge in Ol Kinyei.

However livestock markets have been shut due to coronavirus prevention measures.

Residents said the Maasai are instead selling their animals on the black market for a pittance to unscrupulous buyers taking advantage of their desperation.

Mohanjeet Brar, managing director of Porini safari camps which run two conservancies and several lodges in the Mara, said the ‘catastrophic’ situation could threaten the existence of the reserves.

‘If the landowners are not getting any revenue, they can't feed themselves, they can't send their kids to schools, they would have no option but to look at other forms of land utilisation,’ he said.

‘Fencing it off, selling it to people, building businesses... all those alternate land uses don't go together with wildlife and elephants and big cats and so this would be completely lost,’ he said.

‘And once it's lost, if you look at Kenya and its very fast population growth rate and good economic growth over the last few years, it would be lost forever. It would be a real shame. ’Source: https://www.gulf-times.com/
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,
→

The Himalaya should be a nature reserve



Thirty-five years ago, at the beginning of my research career, I walked for weeks to study populations of the endangered Himalayan goldthread or mishmi teeta (Coptis teeta), an endemic plant in Arunachal Pradesh in the Eastern Himalaya that is used as a potent antimalarial drug by local communities. Himalayan species are intriguing. Like isolated islands, mountain peaks reveal how evolution works: by knowing where unique species concentrate, we can learn how speciation occurs.

It would be hard for researchers across Himalaya to do research treks today. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are now stationed across the high Himalaya. Mid-June saw the worst clash in 45 years, when India–China disengagement talks were followed by a fatal brawl that left at least 20 people dead, several from falls into a river gorge. It is the latest episode in a border conflict between two nuclear powers, and it is happening in a unique, fragile ecosystem.

The Himalaya, which straddles seven nations, already has one of the world’s highest rates of deforestation as a result of logging, agricultural expansion, a burgeoning human population, and the building of dams and other infrastructure. It is also thought to be the most rapidly warming mountain range on Earth. Alongside the animal species, Himalayan alpine meadows boast a wealth of herbaceous flowering plants — strange, colourful and delicate — often with medicinal properties. Nowhere else are so many native plant species found at such high elevations.

I have been studying this region for decades, mainly investigating the effects of dams, deforestation, land-use changes, conservation and policy. Roads and buildings to accommodate troops are encroaching on this fragile territory. Pangong Tso Lake, at an altitude of 4,280 metres, saw a military face-off in May. It is only one of many unique Himalayan ecosystems under boots. The lake is a specialized saline water body surrounded by alpine meadows. Militarization, land-use changes, and habitat destruction and fragmentation across the Himalaya are likely to push several species with small populations to extinction. Diplomacy is their only hope.

Here is my idealistic aim for this region. Alongside other multilateral strategies, the mountain range, or at least those areas between 2,600 and 4,600 metres high — whose famous inhabitants include the snow leopard and its prey, the Himalayan blue sheep — should be designated a nature reserve. I propose calling it the Himalaya-one-Nature-one-Reserve, or HONOR. It would ideally encompass much of the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern and Western Himalaya, about 740,000 square kilometres.

My dream is not as far-fetched as it sounds. In Antarctica, the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area covers more than 1.5 million square kilometres under a 25-nation agreement. The largest land-based protected area, Northeast Greenland National Park, is 972,000 square kilometres.

I am also inspired by other conservation efforts. The Mekong River Commission includes the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. A similar Himalayan River Commission, involving all the Himalayan head-water and downstream nations, needs to be explored. In the Himalaya, fledgling transnational conservation efforts and proposals, such as the Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative, and the Kangchenjunga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative, should be ratified and strengthened.

These ideas need to be on the table now, while tensions are so alarmingly high. None of the Himalayan countries wants war, so some sort of stand-down will happen — and conservation should come into the discussions. There is a de-facto code for military engagements at this border to avoid the use of firearms. Surely, not building more infrastructure is as feasible as soldiers not using guns.

The military infrastructure built so far in fragile parts of the Himalaya includes tens of thousands of kilometres of roads. The Chinese-backed US$75-billion China–Pakistan Economic Corridor is a 3,000-kilometre-long route comprising roads, a railway and oil pipelines. India’s Border Roads Organisation has been empowered to build 3,400 kilometres of strategic border roads, 61 in total, to cater for far-flung communities, pilgrims and border security.

Transporting fuel to inaccessible terrains to melt bitumen for the road surface is expensive and arduous. Woody plants such as rhododendrons, oaks and conifers, including extremely slow-growing shrubs such as Juniperus, are regularly used as fuelwood. A Belt and Road initiative of the Chinese government, which India is not involved in, passes through the most fragile Himalayan landscapes.

As the grasses and herbaceous plants disappear from these alpine valleys, so will a way of life. With no public health-care system, imperilled medicinal herbs are the only source of community medicine, and the only source of cash for highland marginal communities. The semi-domesticated yak in the Himalayan highlands, on which the people depend, cannot graze on the shrubs that are fast invading the meadows under the impact of global warming.

I dream instead of the Himalayan highlands transformed into a peaceful nature reserve, and that the huge public funds squandered on managing conflict are invested instead in infrastructure for health care, education, conservation and welfare. Perhaps this vision will inspire those urgently trying to bring peace to the roof of the world.

(Maharaj K. Pandit is director of the Centre for Inter-Disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment and at the University of Delhi. He is the author of Life in the Himalaya: An Ecosystem at Risk.)

This article was first published in Nature. Source: https://www.nature.com/
Read More........→ Categories: ,
→

Dreaming of the Tiger Spring


.Subscribe
Dreaming of the Tiger Spring is a spring and scenic, as well as historic, location in southwestern Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. The water from the spring itself seeps out from quartzite and is regarded as among the finest in China. The water is popular for brewing teas, such as the local specialty, Longjing tea. Tiger spring is also the burial place of monk Jigong. The spring itself and its statues of tigers and a dreaming monk. Source: en.wikipedia.org/, Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org,
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,,
→

Dettifoss Waterfall - Europe's Most Powerful Waterfall


.Subscribe
The waterfall Dettifoss is located in Vatnajökull National Park in Northeast Iceland, and reputed to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe. It is also the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of volume discharge, having an average water flow of 193 cubic meter per second. Its volume often increases, especially when the weather or volcanic activity prompts glacial melting on the Vatnajokull glacier icecap. The waterfall is so powerful that it makes the surrounding rocks vibrate, the vibrations can be felt by hand. Dettifoss is situated on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which flows from the Vatnajökull glacier and collects water from a large area in Northeast Iceland. The fall is 100 metres wide and have a drop of 45 metres down to the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon.
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,,
→

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary - India's oldes bird sanctuary in Tamilnadu

This bird sanctuary, with a 30 hectre wide lake, is the oldest in India(1858). Migratory birds come down here after the monsoon to make nests. Among them are heron, ibis, pelican, spoonbill, stork, cormorant, egret, greeve and other birds from tropical zones. Best time to visit the sanctuary is in the morning and evening and during November to February. But to get maximum number of birds December-January is the best. It is a treat to watch the birds collecting their food before retiring to their nests. No firearms are allowed in the bird sanctuary nor any body can go near the nests. One can watch the birds from the rest
house on observation tower with the help of a telescope. Hence, tourists should come here with their binocular. How to reach Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary: On Chennai-Trichy-Kottayam NH 45,75 km south of Chennai and 1 km to the east of Mathuranthakam is situated Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, a paradise for bird watchers. Frequent bus services and plenty of taxis make it a convenient place to visit. Kanchi is 61 Km , Viliupuram 91 Km and Trichy is 252 km from here. One can go there direct from Chennai Broadway Bus stand or via Mahabalipuram and Kanchi. From Egmore trains are going south wards to arrive at Chengalpattu (56 km) in one and half hrs. From Chengalpattu Old Bus Stand buses are available every hour to reach Vedanthangal Forest Rest House, 20 Km from there. Source: Travel India, Image: flickr.com
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,,
→

Season's first snowfall in Sikkim attract tourists


Season’s first snowfall in Sikkim has attracted tourists all over India. Indian tourists come in large number to such tourist places so Sikkim is also hoping to attract them. Higher reaches of the North and East districts of Sikkim experienced the season’s first snowfall on Sunday. Meteorological office chief K Singh said that Lachung, Lachen, Yumthang Valley and higher up, the Thangu region in the North district experiences about three feet of snowfall dipping the mercury to minus six degree. Nathula border, Tsomgo Lake and the Kupup village near Nathula in the East district sharing border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China (TAR) also experienced moderate snowfall. The frozen Tsomgo Lake added to the delight of the winter tourists visiting the State. Temperatures plummeted in capital Gangtok with the day temperature being about 12 degrees Centigrade and the night at about six degrees, which is likely to go down in the days to come. Source: iSikkim
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,
→

Trekking In The Land Of Gods

Trek is a long and an adventurous journey undertaken on foot, in areas where common means of transport are generally not available. It should not be confused with mountaineering. The Himalayan routes in India are famous for some of best trekking routes in the world, attracting a large number of trekkers. From trekking routes that challenges professional trekkers, to the routes easily accessible by even amateur and
first time trekkers, trekking is an awesome experience in the highGarhwal mountain ranges. Uttarakhand - the land of Gods and the home of Himalayas, located in the northern India, has many such trekking routes. It is the most popular area for trekkers form across the world. Uttarakhand is a region of
outstanding natural beauty, its marvels in its high Himalayan ranges and glaciers (towards the northern part of the state), while the lower reaches are densely forested. The state has always been a destination for mountaineering, hiking and rock climbing in India. With its gorges, deep valleys and lofty mountains
the geography of this land is idle. Roopkund is a popular trekking site among trekkers. The frozen Roopkund lake is famous for the mystery of skeletons, dating back to 850 AD, found in the lake, which was covered by the National Geographic Channel in a documentary. On the trek to Roopkund are also the beautiful meadows of Bugyal. The termination point for all these treks is Rishikesh. Rishikesh, a small picturesque spiritual town along the river Ganga, is located in foothills of the Himalayas . It is also considered to be the “Yoga Capital Of The World” and is a magnet for spiritual seekers. The place keeps
you spiritually enthralled, from the moment you enter Rishikesh, till you head back home. No wonder the Beatles choose Rishikesh for their  Transcendental Meditation at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Thereafter, Rishikesh catapulted to Western fame. Trek on to the beautiful lake, Deorital for an easy, relaxed walk in which you don’t have to put much vigor into. From where you can trek on to Chandershilla top, which is the only place from where you can get a perfect 360 degrees view of the Himalayas. Another
easy trek is to the Surya Top, which also offers a mix of everything a Himalayan trek has to offer. You can catch a Himalayan black bear, musk dear or even a leopard while on your up through the forests or watch out for pheasants, eagles, butterflies and many varieties wild flowers. And if you want to see rare Himalayan birds like the Paradise Fly Catcher and the Fork Tail Fly Catcher you can easily trek to Har Ki Dun valley. The best time to visit the hills of Uttarakhand is from October to June, when you can expect
clear blue skies. In the summer months of April to June, avoid the plainsand take to the hills instead. Rains occur from end June to September, and though the snow-clad Himalayan views may not be visible, the monsoons in itself could be quite delightful. Famous as an offbeat destination, some compare the place with the heaven. Source: The Holiday India
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,
→

How not to climb Mount Fuji

.
By VICTORIA JAMES: If you're considering trekking Mount Fuji this year, look sharp — just four weeks remain of the official open season. But if you're making last-minute plans for an ascent of those conical 3,776 meters, think carefully about what you're taking on. Unless, that is, you've always pictured yourself summiting on all fours during a white-out, drenched to the skin. As I did. I'd lived in Japan for six years but had never quite got round to climbing its national icon, although I'd absorbed all the lore: that Fuji was a doddle; that busloads of sprightly Japanese centenarians hiked it every year; that the summit at sunrise was the most beautiful sight in all Japan — if not the universe. I also knew the famous proverb about climbing the mountain — and I'm going to attempt a world-first in Fuji-hike literature by not including it here. The day I decided to return to my British homeland for good, I wrote a bucket list of things to do before I left. At the top was: "Climb Mount Fuji." The only difficulty was that it was already late July; the following weeks were my last chance for a climb. But that was all right. It wasn't as if I needed to prepare or anything. After all, Fuji was a doddle! So I roped in assorted friends and we laid our plans: Take a bus to the Kawaguchi-cho 5th Station, stroll for a few afternoon hours along the Yoshida trail (one of four
Once in a lifetime: Your rashly intrepid correspondent (on the left in both photos) poses with panache in comfortable conditions on the lower slopes of Japan's highest mountain (left). By the time the summit was reached in freezing mist, it was all she could do to "grin like one demented" for a photo (below right).VICTORIA JAMES
routes to Mount Fuji's summit), stop at a mountain hut at the 8th Station for a bowl of ramen and a good kip, then launch a final assault in time to watch a spectacular sunrise seated comfortably on top. I donned comfy trainers, cotton trousers and a T-shirt — ideal for the sticky summer heat. I packed a light sweater, which might be needed high up, and at the last minute threw in a fleece — it'd make a good pillow when sleeping, I thought. I was briefly disconcerted by one friend's gear: stout hiking boots and an all-weather jacket, a walking pole and head-torch. But she was German, I reassured myself, and German people are famously said to leave nothing to chance. That was probably what she wore to pop out to the corner shop. We sauntered up the slope in wide, lazy zig-zags. The scenery was raw and otherworldy: volcanic scree feathered with vivid grasses that thinned as we ascended. We made a photo stop at the 7th Station, then powered on to the 8th Station and dinner. I counted it off on my fingers: Stations 5 to 8 in two hours; that left just 9, 10 and the summit. I estimated another 90 minutes of climbing, max. But
Mount Fuji view from an airplane (Source)
then, I failed math in high school, so I should have known better than to trust my digital arithmetic. The 8th Station was enchanting: tier after tier of long, low stone huts strung with prayer flags, just as I pictured the Buddhist mountain kingdoms of Tibet and Bhutan. We stepped through a wooden doorway into a room steamy with ramen broth. I slurped down my noodles, congratulating myself on a job well-nigh done. Our allotted sleeping space looked more like three people to a mat than the tatami apiece we'd imagined. The girls in our group nominated the guys to go on the outside, and we all huddled together. It felt too uncomfortable to sleep, but I must have dozed off because soon someone was shaking me, urging me up. It was midnight; time to resume our ascent. The first inkling that my preconceptions were a little awry came when I stepped out into the night. The temperature transition was a physical shock — like rolling in snow after clambering from a hot-spring pool, only distinctly less pleasurable. I pulled on my fleece. It was drizzling. And pitch black. That was fine; I would follow my German friend with her head-torch. During the hours we'd spent in the hut eating and resting, half of Honshu had flocked to Fuji's slopes. The night was full of shambling figures, voices raised on all sides, among them the unmistakable cries of tour-group leaders. A squad or two of those sprightly centenarians had clearly arrived — and they were ahead. As the rain intensified, and the cold, too, I shrank into my sodden fleece. My breath was becoming more labored — I blamed my unfitness, never imagining I was high enough to be feeling the effects of altitude. My German friend disappeared into the darkness, last seen scrambling nimbly over a stack of boulders. Older members of the group dropped behind. A fellow Brit stayed with me in a manner that near brought a lump to the throat. "Not far!" she cried, just as I was flagging — and I triumphed inwardly that though it had cost a bit of puff, I was there. Atop Mount Fuji! — atop Japan, no less! That was until I saw the wooden sign for the 9th Station. Deflated, I insisted we stop for cocoa, and pretended
High rises: A zoom lens makes Mount Fuji appear much closer than its actual 100 km from the center of Tokyo and the Shinjuku district's massed ranks of lofty ambitions.
not to notice as yet more speedy seniors surged past, following their leader's flag. The hours after that were a blur. I only remember that they were hours. My fingers went numb. My flimsy cotton trousers were soaked through, though my burning muscles warmed me. We passed several people lying by the trail, retching or immobile. My friend fed me tomatoes: "They help," she urged kindly — and they did. Occasionally, over boulders or steep sections, I inched forward on hands and knees. As dawn broke (I can't say "as the sun rose" because we were in dense cloud, so the arrival of day was heralded by the fading of blackness into grimy gray, then dull white) the two of us were stationary in a line that snaked up to the summit viewpoint, like children queuing desperately to have their photo taken with a particularly popular department-store Santa Claus. Then I realized I couldn't see the line ahead of us. I peered into the whiteness — had we strayed off course? I could just about see my own hand, so it wouldn't be hard to have lost sight of the people in front. My friend tugged my sleeve and pointed down to a wooden sign: Gomi wa mochikaerimashō (Let's take our litter home). Then, as she fished out her camera and handed it to a blurry figure in the fog, I saw there were other characters on the board — and that they spelled: "Mount Fuji Summit." Journey's end. I could barely see our impromptu photographer, but I grinned at the camera like one demented. By that stage, I probably was — though warmed anew with pride at our achievement. I learned a lot on that Fuji trip, mostly about doing my homework. When I trekked to Everest Base Camp this year (see "A lifelong dream comes true on Everest"), I trained for six months and was fully kitted out. Mount Fuji doesn't demand anything so extreme, but to get the most out of Japan's magic mountain, treat it — just as generations of Japanese have done — with a little awe and respect. (See box below.) Reaching the summit of Mount Fuji is the thing I'm most proud of from my bye-bye Japan bucket list, and also the most memorable. To this day, I'm thrilled to have done it. But ... well ... we all know the second half of that proverb I won't mention. I reckon it holds true, too. Victoria James is a London-based writer who blogs at www.bettertotravel.com. Contact her at victoria@bettertotravel.com or tweet @TrailMinx. Source:The Japan Times Online, Open Images In Tab Or Window To Find Its Source Of Sharing.
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,,
→

Brand USA promotes tourism in Indian market

New Delhi: Brand USA, the new tourism marketing entity responsible for promoting the United States to world visitors, organised its first-ever travel mission from September 9-14 in India. The mission consisted
of 50 delegates representing 35 US destinations and companies who visited New Delhi and
Mumbai. Earlier, this mission was organised by the US Travel Association, making this the sixth travel trade mission from the United States to promote tourism in the Indian market. The agenda of the USLas Vegas Strip in HDR
delegates was to meet travel agents, airline representative, tour operators, and the travel trade media.
Brand USA’s objective in-market is to rekindle the holidaymakers’ love affair with America – reclaiming the USA’s share of the market and positioning the country as a diverse destination with nearly limitless Niagara Falls at night
opportunities and experiences. By highlighting the country as a fresh and unexpected destination, Brand white house
USA’s intention is was to promote the US as the world’s leading tourism destination. “With President Obama recognising tourism as an important sector of the US economy, we are hopeful of maximizing our
nation’s potential as a leading tourist destination for Indian travelers,” says Caroline Beteta, interim CEO 
and Chair-Elect of Brand USA. The United States welcomed a record 62 million international visitors in 2011, 2.5 million more than the year before. According to the US Department of Commerce, 663,000
Indians visited the United States in 2011, ranking the country 12 in the world in terms of arrivals. HoweverYellowstone 01
in 2011, Indians ranked 10th in the world in terms of spending, and spent a record-breaking $4.4 billion -
an increase of nearly 10% when compared to 2010. “India is one of the key markets for us with theAutumn at Denali National Park
number of Indians traveling to the United States growing from 309,000 in 2004 to 660,000 in 2011 - an Golden Gate Bridge
impressive 115% growth in travel during that  time. We are hopeful of generating nearly 1.3 million arrivals
from India in 2016 and by bringing this largest ever delegation of US travel representatives, shows our commitment towards achieving this goal,” adds Paul Cerula, Chief Business Development Officer, Brand USA. Source: Financial Express
Read More........→ Categories: ,,,,,
→
Subscribe to:Comments (Atom)