Wander Around Oslo

Oslo is the capital of Norway. It is considered a faraway city to Malaysian, where no one will ever thought of flying there for holidays. They are famous for being an expensive city, and also one of the great cities to live in. I believe one of the closest company or brand that we know from Norway is Telenor, the parent company of Digi.

I was fortunate to be able to explore this city, and managed to get it done in a day. Going there from Stockholm was easy but costly. I took the overnight bus trip by Swebus, and the journey was around 8 hours. This is acceptable to us, but to the Europeans, they will ask why didn't I take the plane and it is only an hour flight? No comments really.. This goes to show that we have different point of view in terms of time and money.

Below are some of the cityscape. It was autumn, and things look grey and dull. But the interesting things are usually found in the shops. In Scandinavian countries such as Sweden and Norway, the products are done beautifully and tastefully displayed. Just take a look at Ikea.

 

One of the most beautiful building is the Opera house, with its trapezium-shaped architecture and the roof that slopes down to the sea.You can even run up to the roof, but much stamina is needed.

I Joined Qatar Airways Photo Contest

Qatar Airways is organizing a photo contest called Qatar Airways Reflections Photo Contest that will end on 30 June 2012. There are 4 categories to choose and submit, namely Magnificent Cities, Vibrant Culture, Breathtaking Nature and Exciting Journey. Frankly, I do not know how to gauge what the organizer is looking for.

Below are my submissions for the contest. Since it is a global voting contest, and it is open also to professional photographers, I think my chance is close to nil. Anyway, it's good to try and see if miracles can happen how many times in a person.

The first picture was submitted under the Vibrant Culture theme. This picture is to show on the Chinese Northern China lion dance, which is different from the Southern China lion dance, especially in the appearance and movement.

               

                                                                               

               

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The 2nd picture was posted under the Magnificent Cities theme. I noticed that I was the first to post a picture of Stockholm, Sweden, and I thought this picture is suitable because of the overall nice view of a part of the Old Town, known locally as Gamla Stan. Since Qatar Airways flies to Stockholm daily, it fits to put this beautiful picture to attract more people to see how pretty this city is, especially Malaysian who are very unfamiliar with the Scandinavian countries.
 

               

                                                                               

               

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Green Travel Flourishing In Tahiti

Tahiti should be an attractive holiday destination for many people, especially sea lovers. The island of Tahiti boasts some of the most pristine beaches in the South Pacific. Besides this, Tahiti's interior wilds offer some of the South Pacific's best, most accessible eco-tourism excursions. Green tourism is very alive at this island, where it can claim to be greener than many similar mainstream resort destinations.

Go Green
Going green in Tahiti means travelling in a public transportation system consists of vehicles known as Les Trucks. It is a cross between a cargo-hauling vehicle and a passenger bus that ferries locals from town to town around the island and between major sites in the capitol city of Papeete.Scooters and bicycles are the other green options, and the island is not too big for any eager traveller to explore around the island.

Sleep Green 
There are plenty of smaller, cheaper and greener sleeping options, including bed-and-breakfasts, guesthouses and bungalows that Tahiti can offer. Even the luxury hotels are involved in adopting green practices. Bora Bora's InterContinental Resort uses a state of the art cooling system that pumps seawater from the depths of the ocean to be used in lieu of traditional air conditioning units with nearly twice as efficient, and produces no pollutants, and The Intercontinental on Tahiti gives regular financial support to Te Mana o te Moana, a conservation organization that works to protect wildlife and ecosystems in French Polynesia.


Eat Green 
Food carts called roulottes are the cheapest eating option. Shopping at Papeete's central market, Marche Papeete, is a great place to find locally grown fruits and vegetables, and eat green. This is a good alternative especially for travelers who are staying in a place with access to cooking equipment, such as a bungalow.

See Green
Besides the seaside, Tahiti also offers other beautiful landscapes that range from dense foliage to rocky slopes. There are hiking trails and guided tours that pass over the island's peaks, such as Mount Orohena and the Fautaua Valley boasts even more stunning waterfalls, rock formations and a distinct lack of tourists. Meanwhile, Tahiti Iti, the sparsely inhabited peninsular area of the island, is acclaimed to own the last place on Tahiti where visitors can find unspoiled coastline, with beaches that are accessible only from the water.

The island of Moorea is more rural and less touristy than Tahiti, and it is only a few minutes' boat ride from Papeete. Moorea comes with large areas occupied by farms and local life that is unhindered by the tourist scene, and it has the same type of hiking trails as Tahiti and a stunning peak, Mouaputa, that draws climbing enthusiasts.


A dream holiday in Tahiti is expensive, but to enjoy its beauty in a green way is possible by choosing a green resort and making an effort to step outside of the mainstream tourist scene and find yourself lost in some of the most natural landscapes in the Pacific.

*Note: This blog entry was written based on an article in www.cnn.com