Travel 01 (May 08 - Jun 11)

[winston]

Shanghai

My friend stayed at the following place and it was quite nice and reasonable. It is behind Citic Square at Nanjing Xi Lu:-
Central View Suites,
288 Shanxi Road North
Tel: 3218-4555
www.cvsh.com.cn

[ishak]

Singaporeans advised to postpone travel to Bangkok
CNA, 02 Sep 2008

ingapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised Singaporeans who do not have a pressing need to travel to Bangkok to postpone their travel plans to a later date.

This follows the declaration of a state of emergency in the Thai capital on Tuesday morning.

Singaporeans intending to travel to Thailand should closely monitor news developments there, said the MFA.

Should they decide to travel, they are advised to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at its website at http://www.mfa.gov.sg.

An MFA spokesman said this would enable the ministry and the Embassy in Bangkok to contact Singaporeans and render them the necessary consular assistance in case of emergencies.

When in Bangkok, Singaporeans are advised to avoid areas where there is a risk of disturbance, like the Government House. They should also take the necessary precautions for their personal safety.

The MFA stressed that during this period of uncertainty, Singaporeans are advised to monitor the local news diligently and be prepared to face inconveniences in their travel. They are advised to buy comprehensive medical and travel insurance.

Should Singaporeans require assistance, they can contact the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok or the MFA Duty Officer.

The telephone number in Bangkok is 001-66-(81)-844-3580, while the Singapore numbers are 6379-8800 or 6379-8855.

The MFA said that as a close friend of Thailand, Singapore has been following the recent political developments there with sadness and concern.

Responding to media queries, an MFA spokesman said Singapore hopes all parties will respect the law and exercise utmost restraint to enable normalcy to be restored as soon as possible.

[kennynah]

expect geylang business to pick up....

[winston]

Spa Magazine
www.spamagazine.com
The online version of the well-known print magazine offers information on more than 200 spas worldwide. Search for spas by location, activity or services such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy or Pilates. Spa Specials feature dozens of special packages, some of which are exclusive to the site. Want to get away with your friends? Try the girls-only SpaJama package at Florida's Safety Harbor Resort that includes hair styling and a shopping excursion. Limited number of articles for non-subscribers and no archives but be sure to check out 10 Affordable Spa Vacations.

BEST: Very readable content includes spa recipes, a glossary of spa terms and information on aromatherapy.
WORST: Spa information varies from spa to spa. Some profiles include activities, spa services and cuisine, while others only offer quick facts such as Web site and phone number.

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: A Museum of Museums

If there's a museum in another city - or even another country - that you've been wanting to visit, you can - today! Whether you're interested in art... the greatest LP covers of all time... Cold War fallout calculators... or squished pennies... there is a museum for everything and everyone. And hundreds of them can be found at MoOM: The Museum of Online Museums.

MoOM has everything from "The Virtual Museum of Vintage VCRs" and the "German Hosiery Museum" to the distinguished Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian. Each featured museum displays some of its current and/or past exhibits, along with descriptions of what you're looking at.

(Source: coudal.com/moom/)

[ishak]

Tiger Airways turns 4, offers 100,000 40 cents seats
Sale of tickets for flights across its Asian network is on till Sunday
BT, 09 Sep 2008

Tiger Airways Singapore is offering 100,000 seats at 40 cents apiece plus taxes and surcharges to celebrate its fourth birthday next Monday. The seats - to destinations across its Asian network - are on sale now until Sunday.

'It has been four great years since Tiger Airways brought its true low-fare model to the Asia-Pacific region,' said Rosalynn Tay, managing director of Tiger Airways Singapore. 'Millions of people have been able to fly to destinations that were previously out of their reach due to our competitors' high, high fares.'

Tiger, set up in late 2004, has expanded rapidly. Compound annual growth in revenue has averaged 90 per cent and passenger numbers have risen by an annual average of 48 per cent.

The Singapore-based budget carrier, 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines, unveiled a net profit of $37.8 million for the year ended March 2008, despite tough competition and massive fuel costs.

The strong bottom line was on a 56 per cent rise in topline revenue to $271 million. At March 31 this year, Tiger had a cash balance of $19.6 million, five times the $3.9 million a year ago. Its Ebitda margin came to 26.1 per cent and its trading margin, 8.8 per cent.

The airline has 13 Airbus A320 planes and will take delivery of 59 more as it expands its Singapore and Melbourne-based operations.

However, its plans for a joint venture carrier in South Korea hit turbulence recently, with four Korean low-cost carriers, jittery about competition, filing a complaint with their country's Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs.

Nevertheless, in preparation of aircraft deliveries to its successful Singapore and Australian units, Tiger is employing more pilots, cabin crew and support staff.

[winston]

New Security Rule in China

1) Assume that you are on a plane and they announce that your flight will delayed for 4 hours, say for bad weather

2) Assume that you decide that you want to fly another day as a 4 hour delay could end up as an 8 hour delay

3) In the past, you can just take leave the plane and then change your ticket to another day

4) Now, you would be required to wait in a room, until the plane that you were on, reaches it's destination

[blid2def]

New Security Rule in China

1) Assume that you are on a plane and they announce that your flight will delayed for 4 hours, say for bad weather

2) Assume that you decide that you want to fly another day as a 4 hour delay could end up as an 8 hour delay

3) In the past, you can just take leave the plane and then change your ticket to another day

4) Now, you would be required to wait in a room, until the plane that you were on, reaches it's destination

That's for domestic flights only or all flights?

Ah lol... that's what you were doing that day... so end up if it's a long haul flight it's better to just suck it up and accept the delay.

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: The Best-Mannered City

Charleston, SC has been named the nation's #1 Best-Mannered City for 11 years in a row on an unofficial list compiled by etiquette expert Marjabelle Young Stewart. The good manners of this city don't stop with the genteel behavior of its citizens... you can see it even in the city's architecture. Decorative pineapples - the Southern symbol of hospitality - appear everywhere.

(Source: Associated Press)

[winston]

It's Good to Know: Beating the Weather

Delayed flights waste time for the flyer, and time and money for the airline. Happily for both, a new computerized tool could get many weather-delayed flights off the ground.

A prototype used in New York last year cut delays by 2,300 hours and saved $7.5 million in operating costs. It's called RAPT, the Route Availability Planning Tool, and was created by researchers at the Michigan Institute of Technology.

Relying on satellite and radar systems, RAPT will help air traffic controllers make more-informed decisions as to whether or not a particular flight is advisable in bad weather.