Pictures of the Week from MSN

Let's see what's around the world this past week according to MSN's 'Pictures of the week'.

Let's start off with this image of French climber Alain Robert. Also known as "Spiderman", this image shows him scaling the Tour Total skyscraper in support of the anti pensions reform strikers at La Defense financial and business district on Jan 13.

And closer home in The Philippines, a lightning streak is seen over Batangas as Taal Volcano erupts on Jan. 20.

And in Sydney, Australia, projections are seen on the sails of the Sydney Opera House in recognition of the communities affected by wildfires and to honor firefighters, on Jan. 11.

In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, a soccer player from the Haiti team, and survivor of the 2010 earthquake, in action during the 'Two Crutches And A Ball' event, held on the 10th anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti, on Jan. 11.

The next picture kind of reminds me of our yearly smog situation. This is of Melbourne, Australia - A general view of Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park with the city shrouded in smoke in the background, on Jan. 14.

The beauty of sunrise. Frankfurt, Germany - A woman walks her dog just before sunrise on Jan. 14.

In Lisbon, Portugal - Neighbors and environmentalists join efforts to plant trees in a park as part of the initiatives included in Lisbon European Green Capital 2020 on Jan. 12.

Agra, India - Tourists visit the Taj Mahal on Jan. 12. It is said the the Taj Mahal has very good feng shui features.

New York, US - Participants in the 19th Annual "No Pants Subway Ride" travel in the subway on Jan. 12. I didn't read about this taking place in Malaysia this year.

And finally, this one of Paris, France - A model presents a creation by Off-White, during the men's Fall/Winter 2020/2021 collection fashion show on Jan. 15.

For more images, check out MSN's Pictures of the Week.

Wall collapse in busy Melbourne street

Before my visit to Melbourne several years ago, friends told me that the city is windy. Indeed it is as we (my girlfriend travel companion and I) found out on our arrival one late winter/early spring day. The nights were so cold indoors even with the heater on. We stayed in a friend's apartment in the suburb of Prahran. Prahran is a part of Greater Melbourne, with many shops, restaurants and cafes.

I won't digress further but back to windy Melbourne, I just read about a collapsed wall that killed two pedestrians in Melbourne.

The Australian reported that:

TWO pedestrians were killed when a wall collapsed on a busy Melbourne street yesterday and an injured teenage girl is fighting for her life.

The young man and woman were killed when a wall on a vacant construction site fell onto a footpath on Swanston Street about 3pm (AEDT) yesterday.

Another woman, believed to be 19, was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and is in a critical condition after surgery.

Strong winds swept through Melbourne yesterday, and one freak gust of up to 100km/h just before 3pm made the 3m wall fall onto the victims.

Witnesses say passers-by desperately dug through the rubble to try to help the people trapped underneath. More..Wind gusts blamed for fatal wall collapse in busy Melbourne street

Thousands flee Wildfires in Tasmania, Australia

Oh gosh, I just read news about wildfires raging on the island of Tasmania, Australia. Thousands have fled from the wildfires that have destroyed at least 80 properties and leaving unconfirmed reports of one man dying in the blaze, according to the police.

The fires flared on Friday as much of the country suffered a summer heatwave which pushed temperatures above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Tasmania, a southern island state known for its cooler climate.

One of the worst affected areas was the small community of Dunalley, some 55 kilometres (34 miles) east of Hobart, where police estimate about 30 percent of the buildings have been destroyed, including the police station and school.

Bushfires are also burning in other parts of Australia, including South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

More: The Star..Thousands flee wildfires in southern Australia

School begins today; Flood situation in Queensland, Australia

Happy New Year! This is the greeting that's going around in the office today - afterall today is the first day after a long weekend. Some parents are still away taking their Standard One or kindie-going child(ren) to their first day at school.

It's back to getting up early and bracing traffic jams for some of us. Today is the first day of the 2011 school year after a 7-week long year-end school holiday. In case you (as a parent with schoolgoing child(ren)) haven't got a copy, here's something useful, an (FMM-published) School term and School holiday schedule for 2011. I know parents in my office appreciate such a schedule.

While we're busy getting back to regular year-beginning schedule, people in parts of Queensland, Australia, are having their lives disrupted by floods caused by cyclones. Some lives have also been lost.

Floods in north-eastern Australia are causing havoc of biblical proportions (according to the papers). News.com.au of Australia reported that the Fitzroy River will rise for three more days. With 75,000 stranded, the city of Rockhampton is still days away from peak floods - but that's not the worst of it... more cyclones predicted. Floodwaters could hit 30 feet deep and the ultimate damage could amount to exceed A$1 billion.

Visiting Australia soon? Check out The Weather Channel

Visiting Australia soon? When planning a holiday, we would want to know the weather conditions, particularly in relation to average temperatures and rainfall of the place we will be visiting. Here is one source that has weather forecast information around the globe. Better yet, as Australia is a popular holiday destination for Malaysians, The Weather Channel is just the perfect resource to aid holiday-planning.

The Weather Channel, launched in 1999, is Australia’s premier 24-hour meteorological media outlet providing subscription television viewers up-to-the-minute local, state and national weather reports together with LIVE detailed coverage throughout severe weather events. Viewers can expect the most up-to-date commentary and analysis from their expert team of Meteorologists and Presenters 24/7. While you are at it, do check out their blogs. They are chockful of interesting and realtime weather information you wouldn't want to miss. The Weather Channel has become a leading voice of meteorological commentary across Australia.

Looking for weather forecast information is practically effortless on The Weather Channel site. The set of navigation buttons on the homepage allows you to easily scroll to any town or city of your choice to get weather forecast for Now, 3-hourly, Today and Tomorrow. Weekly weather forecast is also available.

Do bookmark The Weather Channel to easily access the latest weather forecast and information to save you time and help you plan activities in advance. The site not only provides weather forecast, it also has other useful information including breaking weather news like the flooding in Queensland right now. For rural Australians, the Country Skies Report has the most up-to-date data. You can also get to know about great travel deals. For photography enthusiasts, check out the amazing images submitted by their viewers. The Weather Channel, everything weather forecast and more..

Life insurance in Australia

If you are in Australia and are looking for a life insurance policy, here's a source. iSelect, Australia's number-one health insurance comparison site (based on hits January 2007), can help you compare, select and purchase not only life insurance but a range of insurance products from Australia's leading life insurers.

Life insurance isn't just for the main salary earner, if you are a homemaker you should consider how your other half would be able to run the household and keep down a full-time job if you weren't around. Life insurance can therefore be invaluable for both partners in a relationship.

Wondering how much cover you would need? iSelect has a Calculator to help you work out what's right for you. Compare participating Life Insurers and get a quote to ensure your mortgage, income or life is insured. If you'd prefer to speak with someone, you can call them on their tollfree line. iSelect has access to some of the largest Life Insurance Companies in Australia, providing choice and professional advice on Life insurance to Australians.

Trading Post for Used Cars and More

If you are in Australia and are looking to buy a used car, Trading Post may be just the site for you.

Trading Post has a massive range of used cars for sale - all 60,000 of them, comprising small, medium, family & prestige cars, utes, 4x4's, sports & performance cars and vans and others. A wide range of makes and models can be found here.

However, if you have a car for sale, you can also do so at Trading Post. Creating an ad is an easy process, in just three simple steps - select item, add in description, checkout. Two out of three people sell within two weeks.

Trading Post is not only a site for buying and selling used cars, it also has a very useful used car guide and used car reviews. As the name implies, Trading Post deals in a lot more items including pets, furniture, home, travel and lots more. Check out the site, it's practically a one-stop shop.

Perth - Hailstones as big as Golf balls

Last Sunday must have been one of our hottest days. This blog recorded a temperature of 95 deg F. This evening we experienced one of the heaviest downpours in a while. It was an electrical storm which got a number of car alarms going off in unison each time thunder struck.

This rain brought some relief from the heat as well as from the possible water rationing should the water level in our dams go any lower. In spite of the heavy downpour, the temperature is still high at 86 deg F at time of writing (11:45pm). Usually, night temperature here drops to around 75 deg F. Could this be proof of global warming, I wonder.

Talk about climate changes, Perth experienced something more bizarre. The city was rained upon by hailstones as big as golf balls! See The Star's picture below..

The freak storm caused landslides and floods and residents had to be evacuated. Trains stalled and buses could not enter the city as certain roads were closed. However, MAS flights between Kuala Lumpur and Perth were not affected.


Source: The Star

Perth is Where I'd Like to Visit Soon

Lots of Malaysians visit Australia for vacations. A short 5 hours 20 minutes will see you from Kuala Lumpur to Perth. Perth on the western side of Australia, is popular because it is a nearby destination from South-east Asia unlike travelling to Europe or to the U.S.

If you are planning to visit Perth, best to read up on what to expect. A site I would recommend is the WA Tourism website (http://www.westernaustralia.com/sg/Pages/Welcome_to_Western_Australia.aspx). Here, you'll get useful information on holiday ideas and packages, accommodation, the ongoing events and so forth. That's the site for Western Australia in general.

Perth offers a lot to see and do. Perth Metro Western Australia (http://www.perthandregionalwesternaustralia.com/perth.html) is a site that has information on Perth metro. You can go sightseeing on a bus or even join an aerial tour of the city. There's shopping, galleries and museums, sailing, diving and fishing, see the Perth sunset, or even take in a visit to Rottnest Island where you can go swimming, snorkelling or surfing.

If you are seeing Perth on your own, here are some attractions not to be missed - Barrack Square and The Swan Bells, Perth Mint, Swan River, Kangaroos on Heirisson Island, Kings Park, and Perth Cultural Centre.

Accommodations are aplenty in Perth. Cheaperthanhotels.com.au is where you can find some of the best hotels at affordable rates.

Whether you're visiting the City as a tourist, a city worker or simply to shop, there is a wide range of events, attractions and cultural activities to experience.




Image sources:
- cheaperthanhotels.com.au
- westernaustralia.com

Meet Sharks In Person

I have not been to Adelaide, Australia, but I have heard that it's a pretty city of churches, arts festival, botanical gardens, wildlife parks, harbour markets, wineries, car races, cruises and lots more. There is a broad range of affordable hotels in Adelaide near a variety of attractive locations. Some start from as low as AUD62.

Brisbane is yet another must-visit Australian city, more so if you love the outdoors of sunshine and beaches. Many people dream of a vacation of sunshine and white, sandy beaches and Brisbane is surely the place to realise your dream holiday.

There is never short of things to do in Brisbane. You could go for nature walks, visit vineyards and wineries, go snorkelling, diving or even fishing. For the thrill-seekers, there are theme and water parks to visit or you could go to the Underwater World oceanarium and come face-to-face with real life sharks or take a Greyhound pass to the Great Barrier Reef. For somewhere nearer, Moreton Island is a great place to explore. It's a 2-hour ferry ride away and frome the upper bridge deck, the views of Moreton Bay is spectacular.

As a famous tourist destination, you would expect that Brisbane accommodation is aplenty. You can find breakfast eco resorts to boutique hotels to luxury apartments and hotels. Whether it's Adelaide hotels or Brisbane hotels, you will be sure to find them readily available online.


Image sources:
- cheaperthanhotels.com
- thingstodo.com

Cheaper than hotels online

I should like to visit Australia again. I remember eating ice-cream outside the Sydney Opera House on a cold, windy afternoon in early Spring. It was crazy but the ice-cream was so tempting. Of course, the ice-cream and the Sydney Opera House are not the only attractions in Sydney.

There are the spectacular Sydney and Darling Harbours, the famous Kings Cross and the City Centre, Chinatown (for something Chinese) and if you like visiting suburbs, you shouldn't miss Balmain. Balmain is one of Sydney’s oldest working-class suburbs and now boasts a great pub culture. Stylish cafés, bistros, pubs and restaurants burst with creative energy. It is a colourful and artistic suburb, home to some of Australia’s artsy people - writers, actors, film directors, musicians and artists. Its pulsating nightlife is a magnet for a cosmopolitan crowd. Naturally, hotels in Sydney are aplenty so there is no worry when it comes to accommodation.

A trip to Australia should also include a visit to Melbourne. The city of Melbourne is an interesting labyrinth of inner city laneways and arcades where you'll discover opulent bars, eclectic boutiques and fashionable restaurants hidden in alleys and behind non-descript doors. This year's Melbourne International Arts Festival is an event not to be missed, with a spectacular 17-day program featuring more than 700 local and international performers. Even though there is abundance of hotels in Melbourne, it is safer to book in advance. Online-booking will get you cheaper rates in a wide range of choices.
.

If you love the sun and the sea, Brisbane is certainly the place to visit in Australia. The city of sunshine and smiles offers options aplenty for leisure and pleasure with both outdoor activities and urban adventures. Again, no worries about accommodation as you'll be able to find hotels in Brisbane, some of which are definitely cheaper online.

A Visit to Sydney

Many Malaysians visit Australia for holiday. Australia being close enough to home, many Malaysian parents send their children to Australia for higher education. Sydney, being the gateway to Australia, is often the first port of call for holiday-makers. A holiday in Sydney need not be expensive as there are many cheap hotels in Sydney. In fact, there are so many hotels in Sydney that you can even get a hotel in Sydney at the very last minute. Best of all is that there are plenty of cheap Sydney hotels, all close by to Sydney's attractions.

Sydney, the oldest and largest city in Australia, has a seductive outdoor lifestyle and great natural beauty. There are lots to see and do in this vibrant city, one of the most beautiful harbor-cities in the world. A visit to the world-renowned Opera House is not to be missed. Another attraction is The Rocks with a colourful history dating back to convict days, The Rocks is a maze of sandstone lanes, cul-de-sacs and courtyards, jam-packed with shops, pubs and restaurants, warehouses and terraces that were built in the early 19th century.

The more adventurous can climb the span of the Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb or visit the Pylon Lookout. Museums and art galleries are also popular attractions in Sydney. Just as there is an abundance of hotels in Sydney, there is also an abundance of things a visitor can do in Sydney. You can go skiing, swimming (Bondi Beach is a world-famous beach), trekking, visit the famous Taronga Zoo or simply taking it really free and easy.


Australia is a colorful country of events all-year round. Their Australian Springtime Flora Festival is their biggest and best event. Close to 300 exhibitors celebrating the joys of spring and outdoor living. Other festivals include the Hats Off to Country Festival, the Oz Dance Championship, the Snowy River Festival and many others. Their Food and Wine Festivals also draw in big crowds. And, whether you’re a label hunter or a bargain hunter, you’ll love shopping in Sydney. All these attractions and events within reach of your hotel in Sydney either by bus, ferry, train, taxi or car hire.

There is really no shortage of accommodation in Sydney any time of the year. Hotels vary from boutique accommodation in places like North Sydney, Kings Cross, Edgecliff and the lower North Shore, to budget and luxury hotels. For those driving to Sydney from the country, Brisbane or Melbourne it is possible to find good motels just outside of the City Centre, but a useful tip is to note that some hotels provide free parking on last minute deals.

For the budget traveller there is an abundance of hostel and backpacker accommodation which also ranges greatly in quality and location.

Picture source: http://visitnsw.com