Grand Canyon Skywalk

The Grand Canyon Skywalk has a soft opening ceremony lately and will be opened to the public on 28 Mar 07. The public could have a scenic view of the great Grand Canyon around it and which is also about 4,000 feet above the rock bottom of the canyon. Being one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the USA government is developing certain areas for tourism purposes.

For US$25 plus other fees, up to 120 people at a time will be able to look down to the canyon floor.
This particular piece of Skywalk was built on Hualapai Indian Revervation land, which has been allowed by the tribe itself. After considering the fact that a third of the tribe's 2,200 members are still living in poverty, the tribal government decided it needs the tourism dollars.
Construction crews spent two years building the walkway. They drilled steel anchors 46 feet into the limestone rim to hold the deck in place.

Last of all, you definitely require the Indian tribe's blessing as you are trespassing their ancestors' land. (source: AP via Yahoo News!)

Previous postings on this: Glass Bridge Skywalk at Grand Canyon and Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Tags: Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Skywalk, Glass Bridge, Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Hualapai Indian Revervation, Tourism, Travel, USA

80% Malaysians Studying Law in UK

UK Immigration Officer: Purpose of visit?

Visitor: I'm here to study law, sir.

Officer: You know, you must have a lot of lawyers in Malaysia.

Visitor: Why do you say that?

Officer: Well, i've been here for a good twenty years, and I'd say 80% of Malaysians I see here say they're here to read law.

Visitor: Oh, really? That's really something I never knew. Hard to believe in fact.

Officer: Just you watch, then. You just stand here until the next Malaysian comes along, and I'll bet he's here to read law.

*Visitor waits for 5 mins, Ah Chong from Malaysia comes to immigration counter*

Officer: Mr. Ah Chong, purpose of visit?

Ah Chong: Study lorr...
Tags: Jokes, Funny, Humor, Immigration, Law, Lawyer, Malaysia, United Kingdom

Why Man Utd Will Be EPL Champion?

Why Manchester United will be the English Premier League's 2006/2007 Champion? Just look at the pictures, that were taken during the Thaipusam festival in January 2007. Sorry to disappointment other EPL teams' fans but with such dedication in carrying a kavadi bearing Manchester United's emblem, divine help is definitely helping Manchester United all the way. Treble dream again?

Tags: Manchester United, English Premier League, Football, Thaipusam

Talent Wasted

Internal bickering in the Selangor Badminton Association, where 2 groups of people were jostling for party post, caused those under-12 years old badminton players to be left out in the coming national schools championship. These junior badminton players were champions in their respective categories in recent concluded state championship (of Selangor). By virtue of being champions they could have represented the state of Selangor against the other states in Malaysia.

If these junior badminton players were able to produce excellent results in the coming national schools championship, they would be drafted into the Bukit Jalil Sports School, an elite school for outstanding sportsmen/women, where training programmes (and studies as well) would be developed to nurture those national champions to represent Malaysia in future sporting events. Unfortunately, this has to happen.

Hoping for more repeats of Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong's feats in the future? Maybe still able to but not from the state of Selangor.

Another sports down the drain - the state of Malaysian football. It has dropped down the world rankings (no.154) terribly. Personally, I view that the management team of each state football team is the main problem. How much does a State Chief Minister or a royal family member knows about football? And yet they meddle with the management of the football team. Some of them had been the head of the management as long as they have been around/alive. From insider news, there is even racial quota on players (representing each major race in Malaysia) for each state team.

And yet some officials dare mention that Arsenal has agreed to train with the Malaysian football team if the Malaysian was based at the disputed Sports Academy in London.
Tags: Selangor Badminton Association, Badminton, Sports, Bukit Jalil Sports School, Malaysia, Koo Kien Keat, Tan Boon Heong, Football, Chief Minister, Arsenal, Sports Academy

Infant Massage?

An article in the Star newspaper today entitled "Miracle baby is two years old" stated that infant massage that was practised by the mother on the little baby when her chance of survival was slim encouraged the baby to grow healthily.

I met a medical doctor on Sunday who had been practising for the last few decades. He said that this new development has not been taught before in medical stream. And he said jokingly that in future, people will develop a new technique called "unborn baby massage". I think it may materialise as well as the Medicinenet's website has a topic on Bonding With Baby Before Birth already.

From the Childbirth's website on What Is Infant Massage?, what has been explained was infant massage was related to touching by the parents that would generate bonding which aids growth and development. So, it's no big deal after all. Every parents have been doing that all this while.

But the International Association of Infant Massage has developed a course to produce Certified Infant Massage Instructors that will train parents and caregivers to massage their babies.

Is this Infant Massage a new medical breakthrough or some practise being commercialised to a larger extent throughout the whole world now?
Tags: Medical Breakthrough, Health, Infant Massage, International Association of Infant Massage, Certified Infant Massage Instructors, Bonding, Parents

Pangkor Laut Resort (IV)

This is Emerald Bay, on the other side of the private island. The sand here is just like the talcum or baby powder, really soft.

We got here via the internal transportation arranged by the resort. Just a phone call, either a van or a 4WD will pick us up to our preferred destination. Excellent service.
Behind was the Chapman's Bar where food/drinks could be ordered. We took our lunch here as well.
The whole stretch of the beach was filled with deck chairs for the resort customers. We were there at 11am plus and it was empty.
The crowd only came after 12noon, maybe after their lunch.
Most westerners were having a nice time sun-bathing at this beautiful and quiet serene beach.
Small waves coming into the beach. Very calm and peaceful place that you could stay here for the whole day. The bar was serving everyone cold water with a dash of lemonade. As long as your cup is empty, they will serve you another cup. Extreme pampering!!
Sunset was setting in. Stayed till 4pm and went back to the swimming pool area.
This was the fully air-conditioned toilet that was just beside the Chapman's Bar. The resort really did ensure that you would enjoy the facilities there.

The surrounding area of the beach area. Well kept.
A fully equipped gym near the swimming pool.
Took this picture while walking along the jetty to board our ferry.
Last picture before departing.
At first I thought the open air ferry was our transport. To our relieve, the same fully air-conditioned private ferry arrived right behind.
About 20 plus persons departed together and we need not worry about our luggage the moment they took it away from our villa when we checked out. We only need to collect our luggage
at the Pangkor Laut Resort's office in Lumut.

Tags: Pangkor Laut Resort, Malaysia, Travel, Leisure, Holiday, Lifestyle

Malaysia vs. Indonesian Blogger

Not exactly the whole nation but Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism against Nila Tanzil from Indonesia. She was sent to Malaysia under her employer's name, SCTV, who was invited to send representatives to cover Malaysia's tourism activities during the Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

Thereafter, upon her return to Indonesia she put up some comments in her blog (seems to have been edited now) which were deemed unfavourable by Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism who put up a protest. Nila has been suspended until further notice due to that. And in an indiret manner, Nila was referred to as a liar by the Malaysia's Minister of Tourism, Tengku Adnan. There goes the war of words.

Even Indonesian websites have picked up this on-going battle of words:-
* Nila Tanzil: Mana yang Tak Benar? - DetikINET
* Menteri Malaysia Cap Blogger Indonesia Tukang Kibul - DetikINET

Reading: Ku Nan blooper: Backlash in Indonesia - Screenshots
Reading: Malaysia Tourism Board Disappointing - Maverick Indonesia (got Nila's picture from here)

If you say the wrong things (deemed wrong usually) as a blogger, no matter how far you are, you won't escape. It seems that people nowadays can't take constructive criticisms. A shot in the foot for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 as well.

At this moment, Indonesia is aiming for at least 1,000,000 Malaysian tourists to visit Indonesia this year out of a Malaysia population of approximately 24,800,000 (which represents 4%). Based on Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism's database for year 2006, only 1,217,024 Indonesians visited (the legal ones, of course) Malaysia out of an approximate population of about 234,600,000 (which represents 0.52%). Can Malaysia match Indonesia's 4% target as well which works out to about 9,284,000 Indonesian tourists?
Tags: Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, Nila Tanzil, SCTV, Indonesia, Tengku Adnan, DetikINET, Tourist