london airport heathrow

After nearly two decades of planning and construction, the highly congested London Heathrow Airport was finally on the verge of opening its much anticipated Terminal 5 (T5). With its completion, Heathrow would be capable of providing important new capacity for its tenant airlines and increase its overall revenue while improving its public image and status. On March 27th, 2008, T5 would become the new home for British Airways International (BA), currently occupying the largest amount of space at Heathrow compared to other airlines. As the profitable summer season approached, both British Airport Authorities (BAA) and BA would be hoping for a windfall of revenue as a result of this expansion.

london airport heathrow
london airport heathrow
london airport heathrow
london airport heathrow
london airport heathrow
london airport heathrow
london airport heathrow
london airport heathrow

london airport

London Heathrow Airport in 1965. Nearest the camera are two BOAC aircraft - a Vickers VC10 (with the high tail) and a Boeing 707. Then two PanAm 707s. (Between them I think there’s an Air India 707) The aircraft vaguely seen in the distance, on the far right, is a BEA Argosy (with twin booms). On the left in the background are two Air Canada DC-8's.

london airport
london airport
london airport
london airport
london airport
london airport
london airport
london airport

Malaysia Airlines Airbus

Thinking about making a short trip from Penang to Kuala Lumpur next week and looking at possibilities of using Malaysia Airlines to jet into the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) or AirAsia and land at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) or be propelled by Firefly into the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (SAAS) Airport, formerly known as Subang Airport.
However, the problem I see with Malaysia Airlines is the rather high cost of the ticket. After throwing in the taxes and what not, a return ticket on my intended days of travel will amount to RM515, and I haven't even added in the cost of the KLIA Express tickets (another RM70) and the travel to KL Sentral to catch the train. It's going to cost something like RM600 for the round trip.
AirAsia, well, they are so much cheaper at RM161 for a return trip (could become more expensive if I delay booking my flight tickets) and the cost of a bus ticket from the LCCT to KL Sentral and back is only about RM14. However, the flight schedule does not really appeal to me. I'm only free to travel in the afternoon but by the time I get to Kuala Lumpur, the whole day is gone and wasted.


Malaysia Airlines Airbus
Malaysia Airlines Airbus
Malaysia Airlines Airbus
Malaysia Airlines Airbus
Malaysia Airlines AirbusSo, taking flight schedule into consideration, I think that Fireflyz is presently my best option. The return flight will cost RM239 (more than I expected, actually, but I don't get to waste the afternoon and evening hours) and I think that I shall need perhaps another RM70 for travel from Subang airport to my destination in KL. Total cost is around RM310.According to the Firefly website, it only takes about 30 minutes of ground travel time from the airport to the Kuala Lumpur city centre. It doesn't elaborate but I think that Fireflyz meant the KLCC and not anywhere else. Where would the Kuala Lumpur city centre be if not the KLCC?
At the airport, taxi coupons must be purchased at the taxi counter near the Skypark information counter, and the taxi counter is open from 7am to 11.30pm. (I think it is a type error on the website because it says until 11.30am.) Anyway, cost per trip is RM35 to all destinations in Kuala Lumpur and RM23 to all destinations in Petaling Jaya, including the Kelana Jaya Putra Light Rail Transit (LRT) station.
Malaysia Airlines Airbus
Malaysia Airlines Airbus

New york city at day

What do you say about the greatest town in the world? Just like the show business theres no place like it. No place I know.

Most of my experiences in this city are an extension of the explorer in me. I enjoy going out and just finding new things. Although I love to read travel books and own a couple guidebooks for the city most of my finds are by random chance and word of mouth. Mostly these are restaurants and bar/lounges, the real focus of my travel pages and life.

Everyone knows the tourist sites. And I could easily fill this page with tips of the usual things. But it is the food and entertainment tips I treasure the most. I of course go to more places than these. Will add more as I can. I recognize that it is hard to read through large pages. VT sadly does not break down the city any lower into neighborhoods other than Greenwich Village and Chinatown. Author’s order or newest tips are the way to see these pages. You will find great places on each page but I try to put the best tips upfront before you get bored of page after page.

new york city at day
new york city at day
new york city at day
new york city at day
new york city at day
new york city at day

Alaska Northern Lights

The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are coloured and white flashing lights in the atmosphere north of the Northern Hemisphere. The lights are the result of the ionization of atmospheric molecules, at low temperatures, by solar and cosmic radiation. This phenomenon also occurs in the Antarctic, where it is termed Aurora Australis. This photo of the phenomena was taken over the Alaska’s night sky and has been selected as the Daily Cool Photo on Running Wolf’s Rant for the 20th of February 2011.

Alaska Northern Lights
Alaska Northern LightsProbably one of my most successful shots. I planned the shot of the Igloo with the Northern Lights for quite some time. Unfortunately mother nature does not always cooperate with photographers. After we built the Igloo, which took us two days, the weather changed (almost as "usually" beforte a "big shot"). It was frustrating to have the Igloo ready for days but the weather would just not work with me. I spent night after night out here hoping for a gap in the clouds and freezing my butt of at the same time. Temperatures sometimes were below 40.

After a few days the weather finally cleared and I was happy that clouds did not longer block my view into the cold Alaska nights. If I remember right, it was the third night that finally weather AND northern lights were on my side. I actually planned this shot on my 8x10 large format camera, but I had to set up the camera waaay before dark, by the time the northern lights arrived the shutter was frozen and I could not open the aperture. It was quite painful after all the waiting, sitting and freezing - but not everything was lost. I used my Contax 6x4.5 with a external battery pack, I was able to keep the camera "warm" all day and night so I did not run into the same problem.


Alaska Northern Lights
Alaska Northern Lights
Alaska Northern LightsI set inside the Igloo a Coleman Lamp which provided a warm enough light, I messured all the details before the Aurora borealis started dancing. After about 30 seconds into the shot I had to switch the Lamp off to make sure the Igloo will keep all the details and will not be washed out. Although I can't recall today the exact shutter speed I used I remeber that it was around 5 minutes, which makes sense when you look deep into the picture and focus on the stars which left a short star-trail behind.

The Igloo with the Northern Lights is still one of my very favourites - not only because it was a lot of hard work involved.
Alaska Northern LightsAfter a few days the weather finally cleared and I was happy that clouds did not longer block my view into the cold Alaska nights. If I remember right, it was the third night that finally weather AND northern lights were on my side. I actually planned this shot on my 8x10 large format camera, but I had to set up the camera waaay before dark, by the time the northern lights arrived the shutter was frozen and I could not open the aperture. It was quite painful after all the waiting, sitting and freezing - but not everything was lost. I used my Contax 6x4.5 with a external battery pack, I was able to keep the camera "warm" all day and night so I did not run into the same problem.

Eiffel tower wallpaper

eiffel tower wallpaper
eiffel tower wallpaper
eiffel tower wallpaper
eiffel tower wallpaper
eiffel tower wallpaper
eiffel tower wallpaper
eiffel tower wallpaper
eiffel tower wallpaper

Dubai rotating building

This one I like. Imagine having a different view each day from your home or office. No wonder similar towers are being planned for Moscow and New York. (Though I doubt if such a tower would be built in China. Feng Shui masters would go nuts.)

The rotating tower is just one of the many amazing buildings that can now be found in Dubai. Below, the tallest and the only seven-star hotel in the world, the Burj Al-Arab.



But wait, there's more! Below is the proposed Al Burj. As one can see from the illustration that follows, it will dwarf the Burj Dubai and all the other skyscrapers that came before it. However, no one knows when it will be built, if ever.



Personally I think the architecture doesn't allow for such a height. It doesn't taper off at the top to compensate for the extreme weight that the foundations have to bear. Also, it isn't aerodynamically-shaped like the Burj Dubai, considering the great wind forces that will act on it. And more importantly, is it even feasible enough to construct? The cost would probably equal the GDP of a small country. How will it pay for itself in terms of its maintenance and upkeep?



But wait, there's still more! Rumor has it that Saudi Arabia (perhaps feeling a little insecure with all the construction projects going on in Dubai) is set to build a mile-high tower (5,250 feet)!

Now that, to me, is pure bollocks. Until intelligent robots or nanotech materials are developed to replace construction workers, it cannot be built. Steel workers, welders and masons would freeze to death at such a heights.