World Travel Places Story

Buddhist art also flourished during this time.

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conversion, however, that gave a huge impetus tO the spreading of the word.

Buddhism flourishes
Dr J.B. Disanayaka, Prof Emeritus at Sri Lanka's Colombo University and our Gandhara Week guide, explained that "Gandhara was a holy land where the teachings of the Buddha flourished, espedally under the reign ofAsoka the Great."

"Buddhist art also flourished during this time. It is from Gandhara that the first image of the human form of Buddha emerged.

"Another important contribution Gandhara made was when the town of Taxila was developed into one of the first centres of Buddhist education. Princes from around the region were sent there to study not just philosophy but the sciences, archery, swordsmanship and even magic."

Taxila was built during the reign of the Kushans, a Turkish people who had moved out from China to take over Gandhara and other parts of present-day Pakistan at about 75CE. This was considered Gandhara's golden period during which art, particularly sculpture, flourished and the world's first visual representations of the Buddha emerged (as Prof Disanayaka mentions above).

Under the Kushan king Kanishka (128CE-151CE), Gandhara became one of Buddhism's holiest lands and attracted pilgrims from all over the world.

As with all Golden Ages, this period was followed by great decline and Gandhara collapsed under the onslaught of Muslim invaders led by Mahmood of Ghazni from the nearby Kabul valley towards the beginning of the 11 th century. Gandhara's very name was forgotten - though some say Kandahar in A/ghamstan was namea after this ancient Buddhist empire
Reviving past glory makes cents But Pakistan is trying to remedy that and re-introduce Gandhara to the world.

Indeed, Gandhara Week delegates this year were carefully chosen from countries with either a Buddhist majority or a significant Buddhist minority and/or past. Aside from the five Malaysians present, delegates from Sri Lanka, Nepal, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore were also present. Of course, uncovenng the ancient site's secrets will also help Pakistan's tourism industry - which is in sore need of a boost, reckons Sheikh Rashid Ahmed who was speaking in his capadty as Minister of Information (a day before a Cabinet reshuffle made him
Railways Minister).

'q'ourism is one of the biggest industries in the world, but we are getting peanuts -
we don't get even 10% of South Asia's tourism revenue! Tourism can change the shape of our economy.

"Also, because of human rights and security issues, the world has the wrong impression of Pakistan. I believe the attention given by President (General Pervez) Musharaff to boosting our image will improve this situation."

Indeed, showing that Pakistan, despite being a Muslim nation, is tolerant enough to
celebrate its Buddhist past can do nothing but good for Islam, which seems so embatfled in the West at the moment.

~ FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
what had happened, he had his queen executed - and by a miracle, Prince Kunala's eyes were restored! Letters from Asoka

~Ol~'S rock edicts at Shahbaz Garhi were a particular thrill as they are among the oldest historical "documents" found on the subcontinent. These are believed to date back to
257BCE.

Asoka was first an immense wamor who conquered much of the subcontinent and then a just king, who repented his violent ways and ruled based on the Buddhist philosophy of dhamma I"the eternal truth as taught by the Buddha").

Mark of different eras SIRKAP was one of the most important Greek settlements in Gandhara and was founded by the Bactrian Greek Demetrius.

"the Bactria lndo-Greeks (some call them Gandharan-Greeks) had a documented list of 39 kings and four queens who ruled for nearly 200 years an area that stretched from Kabul to Peshawar," explained Prof Firdaullah.

"Different eras can be traced in the ruins, as the Scythians eventually overthrew the Greeks before they themselves were replaced by Parthians, and then the Kushans from China."

Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Site

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From monastery to university

AS impressive as some of these constructs were, they couldn't match the sheer majesty of the Takht-l-Bahi monastery, which is a Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Site.

Built high up on a hill(one hell of a climb at 2pm after a rich Mogul meal, 1 can tell you !) the monastery was located near a spring on the hill's flat top. Amazingly, the guest quarters are located on a neighbouring hill - they must have been fit folk in those days!

Takht-l-Bahi dates back to circa 200CE and was probably active until 500CE. It occupies an area of 32.9ha and was excavated first by archaeologist D.B. Spooner (a curator of the Peshawar Museum) and then Harold Hargreaves from 1907-1911.

Prof Firdanllah painted a vivid picture of life in the monastery, beginning with, "Takht-l-Bahi was the most beautiful
monastery of Gandhara !

"One of the greatest achievements of monasteries was to set the pattern for universities in this part of the world. There were spiritual teachers and regular teachers./klmost all of it was oral "teaching as writing came very late.

"When it did come into being monasteries became book repositories. The monks also studied agriculture and architecture. In fact, the chief monk was the chief architect and usually his wife would look after sick students or travellers.

"There were many princes who would live in the monastery, sometimes with servants in attendance, but poorer students would have to work and study. Lectures were also open to non-students ... although the lower castes (chandel) were not allowed to enter the monastery."

The monastery contained a number of different units, including a court of many stupas, a main stupa, an assembly hall
(where fortnightly meetings were held), a courtyard, and a meditation centre.

The Buddha captured in stone
ACCORDING to Prof Firdaullah, one of the greatest contributions of Gandhara to Buddhist art was its focus on the life of the Buddha himself.

"Gandhara really offers a 'carved drama' of the Buddha's life. Interestingly, when the Buddha's image was first personified in Gandhara (during Asoka's reign, 273BCE-232BCE), they gave him the head of Apollo, because the Greek influence was still strong.

"Eventually, though, he became more Asiatic and lost his moustache, although the Buddha-image of Gandhara consistently has both shoulders covered (in the Greek style). here are also ample examples of each of Buddha's four poses, the dhayana raudra (meditation pose), abhaya mudra (reassurance pose), dharma chakra mudra (preaching pose) and bhuraipersai raudra (touching earth pose). The Wesantara Buddha (last life of the Buddha) is very popular among the artists of Gandhara."

Keeping treasures safe
ASIDE from Pakistan's oldest museum, Lahore Museum, which contains many important sculptures from Gandhara, we visited many museums in Gandhara itself including Taxila Museum, Swat Museum, Dir (Chakdara) Museum and Peshawar Museum, each more remark-
able than the last.

Often, the artefacts in a given museum would correlate directly to a site we had just visitc-d. For example, the Peshawar Museum, which has the most extensive collection of Gandhara art in the world, contained many of the sculptures that had onginally been found in Takht-l-Bahi. Unfortunately, thieves, vandals, and religious zealots have combined to ensure that these wonderful relics cannot be left in situ.

Dr Mohammad Ashraf Khan, Director of Archaelogy at Taxila Museum, explained, "Over the years we have discovered over 500,000 objects from the various civilisations of the past ranging from terracotta, tools and coins to more sophisticated sculptures. Our museum can only display around 10,000 objects, and so every couple of years, we change the display."

The sheer volume of historical sites means that the guardians of its rich past are constantly facing new challenges. Dr
Insan Ali, of the Peshawar Museum, gave us an idea of the scope of the task when he said, "There are now 2,578 known sites in Gandhara - just six years ago, we knew of only about 400r'

Colourful past of the South Asian sub-continent

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Gananara's wonders

THE rich, colourful past of the South Asian sub-continent with its many intriguing figures is still something of a secret in this Euro-centric world of ours. We may be aware of the odd important monument, like the Taj Mahai and the Golden Palace at
Amritsar in India, but how much of the region's history do we get exposed to, really?

Pakistan's Gandhara Week, from April 2,1 to 30, was an eye opener for me and the other 39 delegates who were taken to some amazing religious and artistic sites in the North West Frontier Province where the ancient Buddhist Empire of Gandhara used to be located.

The tour was particularly educational because we had as our "guide" one of Pakistan's leading experts on its Buddhist civilisations. Prof Firdaullah Sehrai is a former director of Peshawar Museum and University of Peshawar Archaelogy & Fine Arts department head, and, at 78, he showed an enviable passion for and knowledge of his country's rich history.

We saw the Jaulian monastery at Taxila, the legendary rock edicts of Asoka the Great at Shahbaz Garhi, a breath-taking monastery at Takht-l-Bahi, the Shingerder Stupa (said to be built where a mystical white elephant belonging to King Uttarasena expired), the Bactria-Grecian city of Sirkap, and the ruins of Butkara.

(A stupa is a solid, large - and much beautified! - funereal monument built by the Buddhists that often contained holy relics. It is actually the forerunner of the pagoda. It is believed that Asoka alone may have ordered the construction of some 84,000 stupas in the region!)

Legend of Prince Kunala
THE Jaulian monastery is situated at the top of a hill that used to in the suburb of Jaulian in Taxila, which was one of Gandhara's greatest towns for Buddhist arts and learning. The monastery is well preserved and contains a lovely votive stupa.

A legend from the great Mauryan dynasty (see timeline below) is associated with this area: Asoka the Great's son, Prince Kunala, caught the admiring eye of his stepmother, When he spurned her advances, she stole the royal seal and sent a letter
purportedly from Asoka saying the prince's eyes should be put out. Prince Kunala, being the noble sort, insisted that the order be carried out; however, when Asoka later found out

Sydney's famously unfathomable sprawl

2008-12-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

Strolling through Sydney

Sometimes adversity brings its own rewards. Flying via Sydney from Melbourne to Saigon, I found myself stranded in the New South Wales capital for two nights. I had forgotten to get a visa for Vietnam! Unfamiliar with Sydney's famously unfathomable sprawl, i took the advice i was given at the airport, and stayed in Kings Cross. The Vietnam Embassy is just down the road in Darlinghurst.

Kings Cross is an enigma. Officially it doesn't exist as a suburb at all. It's just a locality. And in essence, it's really just a section of one mad - Darlinghurst Road. And when you step out onto the notorious strip that is "The Cross", you might be less than charmed. It's not just the fact that it's a red light district, it has a kind of cheerless air about it as well, and it's not for the faint-hearted.
Yet it's this Kings Cross that so many new arrivals in Sydney - indeed, Australia - first get to experience and see. There are literally scores of backpacker lodges in the precinct filled to the brim with foreign guests.

"Why on earth," I asked myself, "do they choose to stay here?" Well, the answer soon hit me, If you stay in the backpacker lodges or small boutique hotels, Kings Cross itself can be easily avoided and ignored. The suburb you are in is officially Potts Point, And it has its own share of quality attractions, Running at an angle off Daflinghurst Road is Victoria Street, with its shade trees and gorgeous period homes. Sprinkled here and there are inviting coffee shops and bars, friendly littIe places that are especially good for breakfast or brunch.

Darlinghurst Road itself soon gives way to Macleay Street, which also seems determined to wash its hands off "The Cross", The street is the commercial hub of gentrified Potts Point, It is cosmopolitan in flavour, and allows you to shop in chic designer boutiques and dine regally on anything from African to Thai.

Soon I came upon what for me was the icing on the cake. Strolling up Victoria Street, I got an unexpected glimpse of the Sydney city skyline, with the needle like AMP Centrepoint Tower as - yes - its centrepoint. And I realised then that the precinct here is situated high up on a ridge, one that falls dramatically away to a valley straight below - so steeply that there's not even a road.
But there are stairs - Butlers Stairs. They descend first to Brougham Street, change their name to Hills Stairs, and go onwards down to McEhone Street. Way down in the valley now, i had left Potts Point behind, and and moved to Woolloomooloo, which locals wisely refer to simply as "the loo". Turning right into almost any street here would lead me tothe coast and Cowper Wharf.
The enormous pier at Cowper Wharf is known as Finger Wharf, Semi-derelict for decades, it was revamped in the early 1990's, and is a mecca now for yachties and celebrities like Russell Crowe - duck your head!

I would never have dreamed that from here i could easily make my way to Sydney's premier tourist attractions - Circular Quay, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, Well, i could. But first things first.

Strolling west up Cowper Wharf Road I found another set of steps, this time going up. i just followed the commuters, and emerged at a park. This was The Domain, originally set aside for public recreation by Australia's first Governor, Arthur Phillip in 1788, the first year of colonial settlement in Australia.

The grand edifice here is the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It's an impressive neo-classic structure fronted by a giant colonnade, It appropriately mounts the city's art exhibitions, and does much to foster Aboriginal culture and art.

By now I needed - deserved - a coffee break, Across from the gallery, I found a conveniently located little garden cafe, Amongst other treats, it offered one of my favourites: Portuguese-style baked custard tarts.

Strolling through the parklands towards the city, more historical landmarks soon loomed. i was drawn to the soaring gothic spires of a church. This was St Mary's Cathedral. The church dates back to 1833, but its spires were not completed until just before the dawning of the new millennium. Who said Sydney was
always in a rash?

North of St Mary's and fronting Macquarie Street is a line of old colonial classics - the Royal Mint (1853), Sydney Hospital (1811) and Parliament House (said to be the oldest continuously running parliament house in the world). Macquarie Street continues up to Circular Quay - a 10-minute walk. To your right are the Botanical Gardens, which extend northwards from The Domain.
Now I was confronted with a choice - to get up close and personal with the Sydney Opera House, or get the famous Opera House view from Circular Quay. With a brilliant sunset imminent, I chose the quay.

Circular Quay is located in a cove, historically known as Sydney Cove. Arthur Phillip's first fleet docked here back on Jan 26,1788. The cove is flanked by two headlands. The Opera House graces the tip of Bennalong Point to the east. Dawe's Point on the opposite side is the site of the huge southern pylon of The Sydney Harbour Bridge. As you stand at the viewpoint, the great metal bridge looms almost above you to the right. From here you can also watch the city's famous green and cream ferries chngging in and out of the quay. The sunset duly arrived turning the Opera House a delicious tangerine.

So ended day one, and I took a taxi home. But I wasn't done yet.
One of Sydney harbour's natural wonders is the proliferation of those finger-like headlands that probe out into the bay. One such is Mrs Macquaries Point which lies due east of Circular Quay. So I figured that it must offer spectacular harbour views. I set out pre-dawn to see.
it was easy to get there. A quick right turn at the Art Gallery of NSW set me stepping along Mrs Macquaries Road. l joined early morning joggers and dog walkers, and voila! there before me was the classic Sydney Harbour view - the great sails of the Opera House seemingly hanging from the giant "old coathanger" bridge.

Heading back. I had time to explore the Botanic Gardens. They are among the biggest and most spectacular in the world. Highlights include the grand old gothic Government House. and a huge pyramidal hothouse, where in grows a veritable monsoon rainforest and al manner of tropical delights. Birdlife thrives in the gardens as well, and I was lucky enough to see a flock of iridescently hued rosella parrots, I ventured back home the same way I had come, and noticed not for the first time the great views you get from The Domain, of the high ridge on which sits the notorious Kings Cross.

I had managed to obtain my Vietnam visa or my first morning in town, and yes, I did finally make it to Saigon. There's a huge backpacker scene there as well, as I soon discovered. Amongst the travellers I met was a couple fron Sweden whose next stop would be Sydney. You might guess where I strongly advised them to stay.

new sport on Koh Poda Island that's been described as 'total euphoria'

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Splash down Krabi!

There's a new sport on Koh Poda Island that's been described as 'total euphoria'.
On the horizon, the distinctively stark limestone pinnacle Koh Poda Island rises up from the sea.

The tide is high. No sign of the white sandy beach that fans out from Koh Poda, which lies a 25minute boat journey from the beaches of the Railay peninsula in Krabi, Southern Thailand.

The long-tailed boat I am riding with five other adventurers bears down on Poda. Our eyes begin to make out the honeycombed pattern of the cliffs and a dangling rope promptly grabbed by Karim, our superman guide who moonlights as a circus fire juggler, Thai boxing instructor and runner with a 100% victory record, Today, Karim is running an introduction to "deepwater solo" (DWS), The trivial but tremendous craze from England takes the form of solo rock climbing that relies on the safety net presence of water at the base of a climb to protect against injury, No rope. You just ascend as high as possible and then let go, Pulling us close to a cliff, Karim asks: "Who wants to go first?"

From beneath his black baseball cap embossed with a skull-and-crossbones insignia, Karim eyes us intensely. In the shimmering high-season heat, no one
rushes to walk the plank, for three reasons.

The first is that we have each gorged on a box of egg fried rice, prompting talk of deep-water vomiting. The second is Karim's earlier disclosure that he dislikes jumping from high objects or even our boat. The third is that we associate jumping off cliffs with suicide - or its extreme sport close cousin, "tombstoning", which means jumping off a cliff under the influence and praying that the water is deep and devoid of submerged objects.

Keen to atone for chickening out of rock climbing earlier, I volunteer to go first. Karim waves me up onto the roof of the boat.

My plan is to attack the rock face fast and take the plunge before everyone starts coaxing and shouting out: "Jump!"

Briskly shinning up to the first ledge that comes into view, I hug a natural pillar set into the mck, laboriously wheel around and hover, facing the Andaman Sea that seems a long way down: a void I am not ready to be sucked into yet. Pretending to be mesmerised by the Andaman's emerald charm. I fret and reflect on recent detours.

I bare been travelling with a film crew shadowing fellow Singaporean, Hal-Yen Chong. a glamorous "ultra-marathon" athlete with a touch of the ballerina about her.

Yoked to this media circus, 1 kayaked through mangrove and open ocean before our timber boat took us to the sleepy island of Koh Yao Noi, which has just one 7-Eleven and more cats and buffalos than people.

In the morning, tailed by a cameraman on a moped, Chong jogged before posing for the camera in the fork of a tree silhouetted against the sea. Crosslegged in a field, she then gave an interview destined to be interrupted by a dribble of inquisitive goats.

Meanwhile. tasked to find a mysterious guide called Kitty with another journalist, 1 wandered along the island's perimeter road, calling: "Here, Kitty Kitty" and "Hello Kitty". Our quarry never materialised. But at a bar in the evening, an Eddie Murphy lookalike took the stage, batting his eyelashes and singing the Everly Brothers' All 1 Have to Do is Dream.

Now, still marooned on the cliff ledge, 1 snap out of my daydream and, feeling like Captain Bligh, watch the boat that brought me to my precarious point retreat. Paralysis follows. Eventually, 1 press my sneaker-clad feet together, hesitate then hop and drop like the doomed mythical flying man Icarus, flailing because I have forgotten to glue my arms by my side.

Splash down! Although l have effectively nnly jumped from the mezzanine not the penthouse, the jolt is dramatic.

The surface shatters with a bubbling mar. Spiralling, my body drills into the depths until the water absorbs my momentum then shoots me back up towards the light like a rocket. The surface ruptures, erupts. My glad gasps are answered by a chorus of whoops and applause led by the irrepressible Chong, who is a bungee jumper and dragon boat racer in her spare time.

Next up, her ponytail scraped into a bun, she daintily weaves towards the top of the rock face.
Chatting, she succeeds in reaching a spot three times higher than the ledge where I lodged. Poised, Chong ritualistically steeples her arms over her head before lowering them and executing a perfect dagger descent.

After her DWS baptism, she is ecstatic. She describes DWS as "total euphoria". The sport is exhilarating, like taking a power shower after seven espressos-just not very deep.
Should you dabble, be careful about what cliff you recruit as a launch pad because, if a rock lurks beneath, your jump could be the last move you make. Remember to keep your legs together and your arms by your side and let go. Seize the day.

* For more information, go to www.andamanadventures.com

Spend a fortune on a trip to London

2008-11-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

Shoestring travel

You can spend a fortune on a trip to London but it doesn't have to be that way.
You may be surprised to find how many top attractions in London are free too visit. With a little bit of planning, and by keeping your eyes open, it is possible to get excellent value for your hard-earned money.

says
Accommodation is likely to be your biggest expense. Many London hotels are expensive, but there are ways to cut costs.
Pre-booked packages or special breaks can be excellent value, especially if arranged on-line through a reliable operator. For the best deals. book well ahead, or at the last minute. London is busy more or less all year round (mid-Jan/Feb is the "nearest it gets to low season), but many business hotels charge lower rates at weekends. It's always worth asking for a discount on rack rates.

Check whether breakfast. VAT and service charges are included. Several budget hotel chains are well-represented in London, including Travelodge, Premier Inn and Ibis (double or family rooms sleeping up to four start from around $50/RM310).
(www.premierinn.com, www.travelodge.co.uk, www.ihishotel.com, www.lastminute.com , www.piccadillybaekpackers.com )
A bed-and-breakfast or guesthouse can save quite a bit, especially if you're prepared to stay outside the city centre. Various agencies organise stays in private homes, which can be a pleasant and personal experience. Check the website of At Home in London for some ideas.
Apartments are good value for families or groups, and out of term, London's halls of residence offer student rooms on a B&B or selfcatering basis.

London has a good range of hostels too, including half a dozen very popular YI-IA ones. Most offer single or double rooms as well as dormitory-style accommodation.
An even cheaper hostel option is Piccadilly Backpackers, with nofrills dorm beds from as little as E12 (RM74).

Snacking
If you're on a strict budget, opt for self-catering. Buy ready-made sandwiches or market provisions and enjoy them in local parks or squares, as many working Londoners do during their lunch hours. Choose self-service cafes or snack-bars in less fashionable parts of town rather than conventional restaurants, though set-price lunches or pre-theatre suppers can be very good value, even in famous establishments.Well-known, reliable chains like Spaghetti House or Pizza Express can fill you up for a moderate outlay. Gastro pubs offer flexible dining and drinking throughout the day. The best serve excellent "modern British" cooking, but drinks can easily add as much to your bill as food.

Ethnic eating is amazingly varied in London. Brick Lane's Bangladeshi curries and Jewish bagels are famous, while in Chinatown you can stoke up on dim sum for very little money. For something more homegrown, try afternoon tea, pie-and-mash or fish-and-chips. Check your bill, and don't feel obliged to leave tips in pubs and bars, or if service is already included. (www.spaghetti-house.co.uk/, http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/)

Free attractions
London has well over 200 free museums and galleries, and many others cost less than a fiver. You can visit the permanent collections of world-class institutions such as the British Museum, the two "rates, the National Gallery, the V&A, and the Science and Natural History Museums free of charge. Not to mention dozens of smaller, specialist museums scattered all over the city.
Track down the Clockmaker's Museum, the Bank of England Museum, the Museum of Garden History and the weird and wonderful Sir John Soane's Museum.

It would take months to explore them all, and there's always something new on London's listings Latest treat is the avant-garde, admission-free Saatchi Gallery, which opens with a dynamic exhibition of contemporary Chinese art.

Then there are the commercial art galleries - all welcome visitors just to browse as well as buy.
(http://www.visitlondon.com/city_guide/budget/f free_museums.html)

If you're an avid sightseer and want to catch lots of pay-to-enter attractions as well as free ones, consider the London Pass (50+ pay-to-enter attractions), or the GoSee Card (a 3- or 7-day pass covering 17 galleries and museums). ( www.leisurepassgroup.com )

Shopping
There's no charge for windowshopping. You can visit the Silver Vaults and ogle designer wear at Harvey Nichols or jewellery in Hatton Garden without a penny in your pocket.
Sales nit London in January ana july, when canny shoppers turn out in force to snap up bargains. Bestvalue mainstream department stores are John Lewis ('never knowingly undersold') and Marks and Spencer.

Check out second-hand or discount shops like Rokit or Beyond Retro for vintage and designer clothing. London's markets are always full of life and colour.

Berwick Street and Borough are good for specialist food products, Columbia Road for flowers, Camden Passage and Portobello Road for antiques and collectibles, Greeuwich and Covent Garden for arts and crafts.

Best hunting grounds for secondhand hooks are Charing Cross Road or Riverside Walk under Waterloo Bridge (South Bank).
(www.virtual-london.com/information/shopping-and-markets/)

Showtime
Tickets for top West End shows may cost a mint, but lots of London entertainment is completely free.

Ceremonial occasions like the Changing of the Guard, the State Opening of Parliament and the Lord Mayor's Show attract many visitors, as well as street festivals and annual events.

Chinese New Year, the London Marathon, the Notting Hill Carnival and the Great River Race are regular fixtures on the capital's social calendar, while jugglers, buskers and mime artists please crowds all summer in Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square or the South Bank.

To save booking fees on theatre seats, book in person at the box office rather than through a ticket agency. Avoid touts - those tempting offers may not be genuine. Some theatres, notably the National, offer a handful of stand-by or cheap same-day tickets for every performance (early birds snap up bargains as soon as the box office opens).

The Globe Theatre sells 'groundling' (standing) tickets for just a fiver. Leicester Square's theatre ticket kiosk run by London theatres (known as Tkts) sells same-day topprice tickets at half-price (plus service charge).

Fringe theatre and cabaret or comedy shows at pubs and clubs generally start around the E10 (RM62) mark, compared with E25+(RM155) at most of the main theatres, while drama school pmductions (eg. at the Guildhall) may be free.
(www.officiollondontheotre.co.uk/tkts/)

You can pay E20 (RMI24) for a superior seat at one of the top West End cinemas in Leicester Square, but just a stone/s throw away in Leicester Place is the Prince Charles, and independent repertory cinema with showings from E4/RM25(even cheaper for members).
Mainstream chain cinemas such as Odeon or Cineworld sometimes offer cheap deals before midday, or on quiet weekdays.

Look out for free music in many of the city's churches (lnnchtime concerts take place somewhere most weekdays) or bands in public parks.

There are free jazz sessions at the National Theatre and the Barbican foyer, and live opera is sometimes relayed on huge outdoor screens in Covent Garden piazza or Trafalgar Square in summer.

Lunchtime rehearsal concerts are free or very cheap at London's music conservatoires (Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music), and studio audiences can attend BBC broadcasts from Maida Vale free of charge too (book well in advance for these).
Most famous of London's musical happenings are the Proms or promenade concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and Cadogan Hall, where sameday standing-room-only tickets are sold for E6 (RM37) or so.

Walks
To enjoy London free of charge -just walk through it. It's a huge city, but central areas are compact enough to explore on foot. Information centres provide ideas for self-guided walks. For an inexpensive sightseeing tour, take one of the many organised walks on offer; typically costing around E6 per person (some are free, visit www.walks.corn).

At any time of year, London seethes with activity and spectacle. Each of its neighbourfioods is different - even those well off the tourist trails can be full of surprises. A sharp-eyed stroll through London's historic quarters reveals a fascinating array of architectufe and public monuments - backdrop to a heady bustle of metropolitan street-life Look out for 'Blue Plaques' on buildings, indicating celebrity status of former residents. Discover the Square Mile's mazelike alleys,

where Roman walls rub shoulders with churches and glittering office blocks.
Follow the river along the Thames Path, or take a panoramic overview from any of its bridges. Soak up the scent of summer roses in Regent's Park, or the jewel-bright rhododendrons of Richmond Park's Isabella Plantation.

Rides
If your feet get tired, just hop on a London bus. It's amazing how much you can see from the top of a double-decker. Lines 9, 11 and 15 take you past many of the central sights (on an old-fashioned Routemaster bus, if you're lucky).

To see less obvious aspects of London, take the overground Docklands Light Railway through the rapidly regenerating East End (see story on page 18), or a tramride through the southern suburbs.

Cheapest way to use London's nubile transnort system is by prepaid Oyster Card, valid on buses, tubes, trams and the DLR (a TravelCard may be better value if you want to use the suburban rail network, visit www.tfl.gov.uk).

* For more information, visit www. visitbritain.com.my

A look at how Krabi has changed since the tsunami.

2008-11-10T05:17:00.000-08:00

Krabi, cleaned up
A look at how Krabi has changed since the tsunami.
I recently went to Krabi for the first time since the tsunami and was amazed at the number of tourists there. It was packed and there was a surprising number of

European children. 1 guess a lot of parents are taking winter breaks.
Krabi, just south of Phuket, has long been a popular tourist destination for its beaches and islands. The beaches include Ao Nang and those on the Railey peninsula, while the islands of Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta are all accessible from Krabj.

Whilst Ko Phi Phi and parts of Phuket were devastated by them December 2004 tsunami, Krabi didn't suffer as badly. I was interested to see how things had changed since the tsunami.

Krabi airport opened about seven years ago and now handles international as well as domestic flights. This, of course, has led to a huge increase in the number of tourists visiting the area.

From the airport, tourists have a choice of taxi or shuttle bus to Krabi town, or Ao Hang beach.
I chose to stay in town, as accommodation is cheaper than at the beach, and it's easier to get local food. I found hotel rates in the town have not increased much since the tsunami. There are several new guesthouses catering for backpackers, several of which offer WiFi access.

In town, I noticed a few of the old guesthouses and shops have been replaced by Intemet cafes, or more modem coffee shops, hand phone shops etc. A large new war, or Buddhist temple, is being constructed on the hill at the back of town, accessible by a wide flight of steps.

The main crossroads in town is now called Manus Boram Square, and there are large ape statues holding traffic lights at each of the four roads.

The statues are to commemorate the archaeological findings made in the Krabi district. These include 43,000-year-old human skeletons unearthed from under a cliff at the Tab-prik School in Krabi. Also 27,000-year-old human skeletons were found at Mor Keaw Cave, at Ban Na-Ching in Krabi.

The oldest finds are fossils dating back to 37 million years, found in a lignite mine. They are jaw bones of an ancient primate, later named Siamopithecus, eocaenus, (the signboard says Siam Moipithecus erectus, which is wrong), which could be an ancestor of humans.

Down by the river is a large stone eagle, similar to the one on Langkawi, but smaller. The siguage says it is a White-breasted Sea Eagle, took Awk, and goes on to describe the bird. At the waterfront, one boatman said that business was very bad, as most tourists preferred to stay at the beach, Ao Nang was busy with people. The beach road hadn't changed much since the tsunami and i recognised many of the shops from my last visit in 2002. But now there were more Western fast food places, coffee shops and small shopping centres opening up. And of course, new guest houses and luxury resorts.

One new luxury resort occupied the entire bay south of the main beach, and is reached by a boardwalk. With room rates starting at 6,000 baht (RM590), it is not cheap.
Despite the increase in the number of buildings and people, things seemed orderly. Thailand realises tourism makes up a huge part of the country's income. Therefore, the3/take steps to encourage tourists.

The main thing that struck me along the main beach was the number of ArM machines, located every few hundred metres. The authorities have reaiised that tourists spend money and need easy access to cash. And so they have set up ATMs everywhere, all of which take foreign credit cards.

One big change is that the boats to the islands and beaches are now all strictly controlled. The longtafi boats are all moored together in one area, which ensures the safety of people swimming in the other areas,

And there are two ticket offices, at each end of the beach. Gone are the days of the boatmen and their touts all shouting and jostling to compete for your custom. Now the prices are prominently displayed. Along the beach, there are numerous tsunami warning signs.

These tell you to go to high ground or inland in the event of an earthquake. And the signs point which way to go. I also counted around 20 massage stalls on the beach, with prices prominently displayed. At a mere 200 baht (RM20) an hour, the stalls were fully occupied.

There were also signs asking , smokers not to throw their cigarette butts into the sea - 'The beach and ocean are not an ashtray".

So many people treat the sea as a rubbish bin and this is particularly unpleasant for swimmers. And cigarette butts take years to break down. All the beaches were very clean. Having litter bins placed in many spots helped.

Restaurant prices at the beach have increased since I was last there, In Krabi town, you can still get a delicious meal, with free cold water, all for a mere 30 baht (RM3).

About 40% of Krabi's population is Muslim so there are halal eating places, including rot/shops, The rotis are always smaller in Thailand than in Malaysia, but the curry is delicious. One shop proudly announces that tourists are charged the same price as Thais.

The authorities certainly seem to be doing their bit to keep the place clean and safe, and to make sure things mn smoothly. Obviously, the ever increasing numbers of visitors will have an impact. Hopefully, this won't spoil the tropical paradise that they have come to see.

Eastern and Oriental

2008-11-10T05:08:00.000-08:00

Eastern and Oriental

Secrets of London's East End are revealed.
Grungy it may seem, but successive waves of immigrants have ent the East End. London's Cinderella, a rich and sometimes surprising history. Where else would a church become a synagogue, then be reborn as a mosque?

So many Bangladeshis, like the characters in the current release movie Brick Lane. based on Monica Ali's bestselling novel, have settled thereabouts that the so-called Banglatown has become London's curry capital. But those in the know now shun the cliched Bengali curry houses of Brick Lane with their tiresome touts to explore the back streets of Whitechapel in search of more authentic eateries.

From the seventeenth century. Huguenots (French Protestants fleeing persecution) settled in Spitalfields then fanned out across the East End. Within a few decades, these skilled weavers prospered sufficiently to commission fine townhouses and churches. Many remain landmarks today, like the exquisite Christchurch in Spitalfields; and of the half-dozen London churches built to designs by Nicholas Hawksmoor in the early eighteenth century, four still stand in this part of the city.

By the late 19th century, a wave of Ashkenazi Jews began arriving from Central and Eastern Europe, many finding work in the garment trade. With the passing of the years, their places were taken by Bangladeshi immigrants - and the former Huguenot chapel in Brick Lane, which by the turn of the had been consecrated as a synagogue, would become a mosque.

Today, another synagogue still stands in Fieldgate Street, coexisting peacefully beside its next-door neighbour, the huge East London Mosque facing Whitechapel Road.

In one East End primary school, an energetic principal opened our eyes to the challenges of teaching children whose families speak 40 different dialects in the home. Amongst the East End

Bangladeshi community, even standard Bengali is an alien tongue, let alone English, and education often counts for little.

Where do we begin?
The East End is bounded to the south by the curve of the Thames and its fringe of revitalised docklands, extending east from the Tower of London. Once throbbing with commerce, by the 1960s the Docklands had become an empty wasteland, only to be reborn within decades - but that's a story in its own right.
From Tower Hill, the Docklands Light Railway runs east through Shadwell then past historic Limehouse Basin where the Regents Canal meets the Thames, then drops into the burgeoning Canary Wharf financial district on the Isle of Dogs, formed by a loop in the river.
At Shadwell, explorer Captain James Cook was a regular parishioer at St Paul's, the 'Sea Captains' Church'. whilst the coloutful Cable Street Mural celebrates an historic confrontation with militant Fascist outsiders during the 1930s. My companion and I best remember our excursions to the Cable Street Community Gardens where local residents nurture their cauliflower, hubath, leek and cabbage on allotlents in the shadow of the overead railway.
From the west, strike out on foot from Liverpool Street and the City, or ride the Tube to Aldgate East. As you step out on to Whitechapel High Street, which soon becomes Whitechapel Road, look back to the "Gherkin", the gleaming blue pointy dome which is officially the Swiss Re building.
Across the road, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry boasts a venerable history - if you can't stay for a guided tour, you may yet steal a glimpse of the workshop from the outside.
Near Aldgate East, the unassuming Osborn Street quickly feeds into Brick Lane, which meanders up through Spitalfields on its way up to Bethnal Green. Take a stroll and stop in for a quick samosa, a sticky sweet cake and a cup of tea, but for a really good meal, seek out New Tayyabs on Fieldgate Street or the Lahore kebab House on Umberston Street. Be warned, you may have to queue at the door - or instead be amongst the first to spot the next up-and-coming curry house in the back streets of Whitechapel.
Sunday is the best day to stroll through Spitalfields, for now's the best time to explore one of London's most intriguing markets.
As you head up Commercial Street, the famous Petticoat Lane lies two blocks to the west, but these days the Sunday street market there is simply shabby.

Old Spitalfields market
The red brick halls of Old Spitalfields Market (which also opens Monday to Friday) house an eclectic mix of mouth-watering gourmet foods, organic or esoteric ingredients, retro and vintage clothing and handmade craft and jewellery, much of it the work of putative geniuses from the art and design college nearby.

We salivated over Parma ham, tubs heaped full of Greek olives, French regional cheeses and a dozen varieties of Turkish delight. Coffee shops and funky pubs rub shoulders in the surrounding streets - and across on the Fouruier Street corner stands Christchurch, an elegant haven of cool marble and calm.

For much of its length Whitechapel Road is lined with stalls selling cheap dothes, house-hold goods. ohone cards and dodgy DVDs to a motley crowd including burqa-shrouded women and bearded men in skull caps, plus off-duty staff from the sprawling Royal London Hospital, opposite the Whitechapel Tube station.

Never intended as a tourist attraction, the modern multi-storey regional library in Whitechapel Road repays inspection by anyone curious (or even cynical) about multiculturalism. The Bomugh of Tower Hamlets terms this complex an 'Ideas Store' and in the lobby, a group of migrant-born teenagers, giggling quietly over a magazine, hinted how nowerflfl this exercise in community-building might prove, providing a neutral yet fertile meeting place for enquiring minds from different ethnic communities.

Veering off directly east, Commercial Road becomes a major artery feeding into the Docklands, yet even here a few fine eighteenth-century church spires soar above the semi-trailers and double-deckei buses. To the northeast lies Stratford, where construction of the London 2012 Olympic Games facilties has begun; once more the East End reinvents itself.

Where to stay and eat around the world

2008-10-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Where to stay and eat
HERE are some recommended hotels - from the really costly to the fairly affordable. Luckily, you can eat well and cheaply if you know where to go.

Parrot Cay P.O. Box 164, Provideneiales, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies; (877)
754- 0726, www.parrotcay.como.bz.
This private island resort has 59 rooms, suites, beach houses and villas. In its days as a hideout for swashbuckling sailors, it was called Pirate Cay. Now it's a home away from home for eelebs and wealthy travellers. Asian-inspire decor, yoga and a 1,500 sq km spa. Rates: US$525 to US$10,000 (RM1,653 to RM31,509) a night.

Grace Bay Club P.O. Box 128, Pmvidenciales; (800) 946-5757, www.graeebayclub.com.
Get a Caribbean vibe at this allsuite resort on striking Grace Bay Beach. Recently expanded and renovated, the resort has adults-only and family sections and fine dining at Anacaona Restaurant. Pools, spa.
Rates: US$501 to US$8,470 (RM1,578 to RM26,680) a night. P.

Somerset on Grace Bay Princess Drive, Pravidenciales; (877) 8875722, www.thesomerset.eom.
This year-old resort on the powdew sand of Grace Bay Beach exudes classic elegance, with British Colonial accents and fur-
nishings. One- to five-bedroom condos, infinity pool, fine dining at O'Soleil restaurant. Rates: US$275
to US$5,000 (RM86B to RMl5,750) a night.

Regent Palms Grace Bay, Providenciales; (800) 545-4000, www.regenthotels.com/thepalms.
Also taking up residence on Grace Bay Beach is the Regent Palms. with lush landscaping, formal gardens and 164 Colonialstyle rooms and suites in five buildings, as well as the elegant bar.
The rooms can be converted into one- to three-bedroom suites. Tennis court, 2,300 sq m) spa, pool and fine dining at Parallel23. Rates: US$325 to US$6,500 (RM1,023 to RM20,475) a night.

Silmnne Boutique Hotel, Grace Bay, Provideneiales; (800) 5281905, www.sibonne.com. Low-key,two-story beachfront motel with a
Caribbean feel. Rates US$110 to US$375 [RM346 to RMI,181 a night.

Comfort Suites, Ports of Call, Grace Bay Road. Providenciales; (877) 424-6423. www.comfurtsuites.com. Across from Grace Bay Beach. Rates US$115 to US$180 (RM3B2 to RM567) a night.

Club Med Turkoise, Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales; (800) 2582633, www.clubmed.us. Beachfront adults-only resort with many activities. Weekly rates begin at US$1,400 (RM4,410) per person and includes-food, beverages and activities, but check for specials.

Where to eat
Da Conch Shack & Rum Bar, Blue Hills Road, Providenciales; 1-649-946-8877, www.conchshack.tc. Conch salad and flitters are the specialty. US$1B to US$14 (RM31 to RM44).

Smokey's on Da Bay, Blue Hills Road, Providenciales; 1-649-941-7852. Breaded pork chops, curry goat and barbecued ribs. Dinner US$16 to u5545 (RM50 to RM141). O'Soleil, Princess Drive at the Somerset on Grace Bay; 1-649-946- 5900, www.thesomerset.com. Island-inspired dining in an elegant setting. Seared Pacific scallops, duck breast are favorites.
Entrees US$22 to US$45 (RM69 to RM141).

Travel at Hungary's gem

2008-10-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hungary's gem

With its very palatable mix of the modern and the ancient, Budapest in Hungary can please both the lone traveller and also the family entourage, writes SHIRANI TISDALE.

IF you're planning on visiting Hungary, a good map and an even better guidebook are a must. I'm not a linguist by any means, but with my smattering of French, German, and English, I could get by in most of the capital cities in the European Union.

Not so in Hungary. Magyar, as the Hungarians call their language, is one of the few modern languages that has no relationship to the more common indo-European Tongues. In tacit, it is considered one of the hardest languages for English-
speaking people to learn.

The characters and the pronunciations were totally foreign to me. So much so, that by the end of my family's four-day stay, the only word that I knew was pronouncing correctly was Budapest Hungarians say it with a "h" between the final "s" and "t',

Travelling to Budanest felt more exotic than many of the places we have previously visited. The adventure began with the airline that flew us them.

While it has a limited number of destinations. Wizz Air is still one of your best bets in budgst flights to Eastern Europe. Some bright entrepreneur selected a colour scheme for the airline that is unusual, to say the least. Both nianes end all the flight attendants, male as well as female were docked out in bright purple and hut pink.

We had to take a circuitous route from the airport to our hotel because we had, by accident, arrived during European Mobility Week. This event, held once a year, promotes Doblic transonrtation and the use of envirenmentally-friendly vehicles.

Now in its sixth year, the celebration's biggest day is when all the major roads in town are cordoned off and people stroll down them: Later in the day, we took advantage of the occasion to march down the middle of the main thoroughfare - an experience that was somewhat disorientating but very entertaining for my children.

One of my faveurite guidebook authors, Rick Steves, says that Budapest is one of the three cities in competition to secome the "next Prague"- a delightful mix of old and new, an amhitoctural .ewel just opening up to the West with a wide range of activities to suit every taste.(The other two competitors are Dubrovnic in Croatia and Ljubljena in Slovenia.)

Built on opposite banks of the Danube River, Budapest is actually two cities combined, Buda and Pest.The parliament building, Market Hall end most of the large shopping districts are on the Pest side of the river. On the Buds side rises Castle Hill.

Hungary's rich history reveals many mveslons and occupations. Budapest has seen the Romans, Huns, Magyar's, Turks and Hapeburgs in control at various points.

Perched at the top of Castle Hill is the Royal Palace. You can reach it by crossing the beautiful Chain Bridge with its massive stone lions and take a snort cable car ride.

From the palace, stroll to Matthias Church, a stunning example of Gothic architecture, and Fisherman's Bastion The latter is a set of ramparts overlooking the city, and the site of a former fish market. While we were there, some beep,s were dancing to polka music on e lower terrace.

In the middle of the sauare is a large monument to St Istven.

Istvan, or Stephen, was Hungary's first Magyar king who struggled to unite me country, converting the population to Christianity. His methods were violent, to say the least, and lead to some rather grisly tales.

On the Pest side of the river, we indulged in shopping and eating. The impressive Central Market Hall is a must for shoppers, The building is well lit and airy inside and you can find all sorts of fresh local produce.

The second floor boasts Hungarian handicraft as well as a variety of other goods. We stocked up on fruit, bread, meat and
cheese, to take back to our hotel apartment, and it was also the perfect place to try langos, delicious Hungarian fried bread covered in a creamy garlic sauce and sprinkled liberally with cheese.

If you're looking for the perfect souvenir for your trip, there is a large selection of colourfully embroidered clothing and eggs decorated in folk art style, as well as Hungarian soccer jerseys.

At the Oppesite end Of the street from Market Hall is a charming old- world cafe called Central Kavehaz. Sipping an espresso here, you can imagine what Hungarian upper crust society must have been like when Hungary was part of the Hapsburg
Empire and Budapest was the second Vienna.

At the other end of the scale, we did have a meal at Burger King. You can enjoy a filling and budgetfriendly dinner here. It is only the second Burger King to open behind what used to be the Iron Curtain.

Our children enjoyed a night exploring the underground maze below Capitol Hill. The tunnels were created by underground springs. The displays in the maze are rather tacky, but at night, they turn off all the lights and you can explore the tunnels with your own lantern.

There is even a grotto with a bubbling wine fountain in the middle. I wouldn't recommand the wine.

On another day, we heeded Out of the city to experience the Children's Railway. While driven by adults, it is the Only narrow gauge railway in the world staffed by children. Children aged 10 to 14 check the tickets and operate the switches and signals, doing all the other tasks, There are several stops where you can get off and take hikes. We opted to climb to the lookout tower at Janos-Hegy, which at 529m is the highest point in Budapest, and on a clear day, allows a great view of the city. We decided a visit to Budapest would not be complete without a family spa experience. Skipping the more luxurious Gellert Baths, we visited the Szechenyi Thermal Spa and Baths. Set in a beautiful, pale yellow

Baroque building; the baths offer a large variety of options. You can dip in fresh water or mineral water pools, move between indoor and outdoor locations and experience a varitey of temperatures.

Our favoerite was the huge balmy outdoor pools shere people can play chess while soaking! Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed.

There are many more things to be seen in Budapest and you can fill your days with ease.

Try a visit to Heroes Square, constructed in 1896 for the city's 1,000th anniversary. Or visit the Dohany Synagogue, the second largest in the world.

In its courtyard is the Holocaust Memorial, a beautiful silver willow tree with each leaf inscribed with the name of one of the Hungarians who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

The city abounds with museums and unexpected discoveries, like the Roman ruins contained within the lobby of a hotel on Castle hill-history encased in a modern shell.

Airlines: http://Wizzair.com/
Hotel Search Engine: http://www.venere.com/home/ (we stayed at the Radion Inn.)
Children's Railway: http://www.gyermekvasut.hu/english.html

Japan is not cheap, it's true, hut this partially stems from the scarcity of land

2008-08-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

See Japan cheaply

Pick up tips on getting around Japan.

Japan is expensive, so they say. A holiday there would make your ringgit disappear faster than a politician's promise.

Naturally, this makes many would-be travellers to the Land of the Rising Sun think

twice. Can you have an affordable holiday in Japan and come back with good memories

and not feeI like a pauper?

Japan is not cheap, it's true, hut this partially stems from the scarcity of land. There is little available land for construction. Subsequently, the high price of land contributes to Tokyo and Osaka being among the most expensive cities in the world.

However, there are ways to make a holiday in Japan much more affordable. But you need to plan your trip properly.

A lot of travellers head for Tokyo first, or use it as a base. And why not? Tokyo has all

the thrills and spills that a capital city should have, and it is renowned for its shopping.

Its various districts - Roppongi, Ginza, Shibuya and Akihabara for example - will slake the thirst of even the most devoted of sbopaholics, and there are genuine bargains

to be found.

Nevertheless, even the Japanese complain about Tokyo prices. For the traveller, the problem with using Tokyo as a base - apart from the high cost - is that it is a long way from everywhere else. If you really want to experience Japan, there are other places that can better serve as your starting point. Kyoto, for example.

Kyoto was once the capital, and is still the cultural centre, of Japan. Steeped in tradition and with more shrines and temples than you can poke a stick at, the city is considered by many to be an absolute must,

However, why just "do" Kyotu? Why not stay there and use it as a base since it is right

in the centre of the country? It avoids all the hubbub of a major metropolis and is conveniently nestled between Japan's two next major cities, Osaka and Nagoya.

Osaka's Kansa] International Airport also has regular direct flights to and from Kuala

Lumpur. These cities are 15 and 40 minutes from Kyoto on the Shinkansen (bullet train

respectively.

Once in Kyoto, you'll find immediately that things make sense - everything is in English.

This city is geared towards tourism like no other in Japan. Signs are easy to read and

follow, and most people in a public service capacity speak at least some English - or are

willing to give it a try. They also go out of their way to help those in need.

Travellers marvel at the masterpiece of glass and steel that is Kyoto Station. a transport hub, shopping mall and landmark all rolled into one. It is also a perfect place to take a look at the city, with its panoramic views and Skyway elevated walkway.

Accommodation-wise, a single room in a moderately-priced hotel will set you back from about "47,000 (RM219) to $11,000 (RM344 for a double) a night, There are cheaper rooms, but these are popular with stranded businessmen and are often booked.

The city itself is a real jewel with some of the most spectacular buildings and backdrops. The Golden Temple (Kinkakuji) and Kiyomizu Shrine (Kiyomizudera), for example, are simply jaw-dropping. Kyoto is a designated Unesco World Heritage Area and richly deserves this accolade. Kiyomizudera was recently shortBsted as one of the

wonders of the modern world.

There are so many wonderful places to visit in Kyoto that it isn't possible to do them

all in a day, or even two.

The real joy though, is the price. Cultural attractions in the city usually cost between

$300-$600 (RM9-RM18) for an adult (half that for a child,). And with a daily $500 (RMI6) bus pass, a tourist can get around the city comparatively cheaply.

However, Kyoto doesn't have much more to offer besides culture and food, particularly for children. Things improve a little in Nara, roughly 40 minutes by train from Kyoto.

Unlike most Japanese cities, Nara has a lot of open space and lacks that claustrophobic feeling of buildings closing in. The city is well known for its deer. The story goes that the god Takemikazuchi rode into Nara on a white deer. Now a protected species, the deer are quite tame and used to tourists - especially kids - and don't mind being petted.

Inside Todaiji Temple is the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall), reportedly the largest

wooden structure in the world, which houses the Daibustu, or the Great Buddha, a 16m-tall bronze statue. Kasuga Shrine is als0 another gem worth seeing, but is a bit of a hike up the mountain.

The thing about Nara is that while there is a bus service, it is much easier to walk. There is an easy-to-follow tourist trail that will take you around the city.

For real excitement, though, Osaka is the prime destination.

Japan's second largest city of about five million inhabitants lays claim to be the heart

of the country. Where Kyoto boasts culture, Osaka is known for embracing life. Osakans are noted for their sense of humour and more approachable attitude.

The city's one-day bus/subway pass is available from any subway or bus station for

$850 (RM27) - and it is well worth it. One thing to note is that despite the city's many

boasts, the subway system is infuriatingly in Japanese only.

One way to sidestep this hurdle is by downloading the subway map in English from www.kotsu.d~.osaka.jp/foreign/english/sub~ay/img/map.pdf - a real lifesaver,

There is a multitude of things to see and

do in Osaka.

Tennoji Park, for example, incorporates an art museum and zoo. The impressive Osaka

Castle, which dominates the city centre with its huge grounds and ornate structures, is

impressive to behold, Meanwhile, in the port area, there is a maritime museum and an

aquarium that houses one of the largest tanks in the world.

All these attractions are available for few hundred yen.

Osaka also lays claim to good food. There are more takoyaki (fried octopus), okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza) and yakiniku (indoor barbecue) restaurants than the city knows what to do with.

However, the piOce de In resistance would have to be Universal Studios Japan. The

Hollywood studio's Asian theme park caters to thrill seekers of all ages and competes

directly with the Disney franchises based in Tokyo. The adult one-day tickets are similarly priced as Tok'yors at ~5,800 (RM181).

Ouch That's nearly RM200.

This is probably one of the biggest ironies of tourism in Japan. The government bends

over backwards to try and keep its prices low but the private companies charge a lot of

money for their services.

Also, eating out in Japan is not a cheap affair. Food from roadside or market stalls are

fairly cheap but restaurants can be daunting.

Bills of several thousand yen per person are not uncommon, for the Japanese love good

food and will travel and pay handsomely for it.

Something else to remember here is money. Exchange rates are much less favourable than at your "friendly" bureau de change back home, so it's wise to get currency in Malaysia.

The Japanese do not haggle. The price you see is the price you are expected to pay.

Often, it is a fair price as the Japanese consider overcharging to be dishonourable - although the country is not without one or two rip-off merchants.

Also, Japan is a cash economy. Credit cards are not widely accepted: and usually only in large chains.

With all this in mind, is it really worth it to visit Japan?

The answer would be a definite "Yes".

Of course, Japan isn't the cheapest country in the world but when compared to coun-tries of similar economic stature, ke the US,UK, and Western Europe, things do make more sense (see s/delmr). It is also arguably the safest country in the world and it welcomes foreign visitors.

For those who want to experience something completely different, or who are just curious, lapan has something to offer.

Purchasing train tickets

You can buy a seven-dayJapan Rail (JR) Pass from travel agents for

It about $28,000 Ifor an adult) or RM875. which allows unlimited travel on any JR train - Shinkansen or local. This seemingly high price does pay dividends for those who like to get about.

Of course, the more conventional local JR train will also get you to your destination at around half the cost but also at half the speed - and will probably include at least one annoying change and wait.

Cultural attTaction entry fee comparison:

Kiyomizu-dera IKyoto): $300 $RM9)

St Paul's Cathedral (London): ~10 IRM63)

The Empire State Building (New York):

$19 (RM61.75

Theme park comparison (one-day pass):

Tokyo Disney/USJ: ~5.800 (RMI81)

EuroDisney: g49 (RM251)

Disneyland 'California): $66 (RM214)

Noosa where? Noosa may be Australia's best kept secret

2008-08-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

Noosa where?

As far as Malaysians are concerned, Noosa may be Australia's best kept secret, but not for much longer.

Noosa is Australia's best kept secret,” said the brochure. “just 90 minutes' drive from Brisbane, visitors love Noosa for its pristine beaches, temperate climate, world-class dining, sophisticated shopping and outdoor adventure activities.”

While it had yet to make it to the Typical Malaysian's Top Ten Travel Destinations, the seaside town in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland seemed to inspire rave reviews from people who had been there.

“it is not for nothing that people from all over the world come to Noosa for a visit and never leave....one day of brilliant sunshine blends effortlessly into the next,” one travel blogger wrote.

By the time I hopped onto a plane, I still didn't know much about my destination. Then again, flying blind is the best way to explore uncharted territory, yes?

Is that a bird?

As our group of two Malaysian and two Singaporean journalists entered Noosa, my first feeling was of overwhelming relief.

All those superlatives in the brochures were justified, at least where its natural beauty was concerned. From dramatic headlands, lush forests and sprawling farms on the outskirts, the landscape became progressively chic the closer you went to the town centre.

Hastings Street, where we put up for the night, was packed cheek to jowl with art galleries, bookshops, low-rise hotels and picturesque houses, more restaurants than you can poke a breadstick at, and... "Is that a bush turkey?" somebody squealed.

Indeed it was, standing pertly on the doorstep of a designer boutique. Even more extraordinary, none of the pedestrians seemed to think it was strange.

"It must have wandered out from the Noosa National Park at the end of this street," Keith, our guide, explained, smiling at our expressions.

"Nature literally sits on Noosa's doorstep. If you come at the right time, you can even spot the Humpback whales when they bypass our shores during their yearly north-bound migration."

Once a sleepy fishing village, Noosa is being hailed as Australia's next tourist jewel. Aware that tourist development often comes at a price, its environmentally-savvy community has worked hard to maintain the town's clean and green ethos. As part of its commitment, there is a ban on high-rise buildings, roundabouts are used to direct traffic instead of lights, and a population cap reduces urban sprawl.

"For its efforts, Noosa was awarded the prestigious Biosphere Reserve status by Unesco," Keith revealed proudly.

Oh, and four cars at any roundabout is considered a serious traffic jam.

"Can I move here already?" someone piped up.

Intoxicating

Terry Sampson from the Noosa Hinterland Tour briefed us the next morning.

"Noosa's Hinterland region has long been hailed as a fondle mecca, thanks to the combination of fresh, locally grown produce and some of Queensland's most innovative chefs.

Many of these producers are small, family-operated businesses tucked away in the pictur-esque corners of the region, We take small groups to visit producers who are not open to the public or simply hidden away. It is a rare opportunity for overseas visitors particularly to meet real Aussies, away from the tourist venues, and sample a slice of their daily life."

As enthusiastic as he sounded, I still had my how exciting could a farm-hopping marathon be?

First up was a tour of Noosa Reds, a hightech hydroponic tomato farm that employed

state-of-the-art technology to grow tomatoes in a space-age-looking greenhouse, where

temperature, humidity and solar radiation could be controlled. The tomatoes were allowed to ripen naturally on the vines, as opposed to gas-ripened commercial tomatoes.

Hanging heavily from their vines, the Noosa Reds looked plump and juicy. Our hosts, Gary and Glenda Coleman, invited us to sample some freshly-sliced fruits. Sweet, firm and succulent - little wonder the farm sells a tonne of these babies to restaurants around the region weekly.

After this luscious mid-morning snack, we hightailed it to an Organic Tropical Fruit Farm, where a light morning tea was on the cards.

Light morning tea was a gross misrepresentation. Plates of warm scones, fresh whipped

cream, home-made cake, grilled brandy-drizzled bananas, and pots and pots of home-made fruit jam that Glenda had made just that morning awaited us. It was a feast fit for a queen.

When Gary invited us for a stroll around his fruit farm, we gladly seized the chance to work off the calories.

"We have 24 acres (9.7ba) of farmland which yield fruits all year round," Gary said. "We're lucky to be in a strategic location, and escape the frost that afflicts other parts of Queensland. While some fruits like avocado and rosella are seasonal, bananas and papayas grow through-out the year. The fruits provide raw material for the jams which Glenda makes and sells, about 20 bottles on a good day."

"It sounds like a lot of work," I remarked. "And how many people do you employ?"

"Just me and my wife Glenda."

A shocked silence ensued. Two peole, running a 24 acre farm? We could certainly learn a thing or two about maximising resources from these self-sufficient farmers.

Breakfast barely digested, we were then whisked to a wine-tasting and lunch at the Dingo Wine Vineyard, which consisted of a quaint wooden farmhouse which had been

converted into a restaurant, surrounded by lush vineyard and undulating fields. After ushering us to the patio, where a table had been set with silverware, napkins and wine

glasses, our host Marg Gillespie said modestly, 'I've cooked a simple lunch for yon."

We had kangaroo sausage (delicious and not gamey at all), light buttery quiche, sparkling fresh salad and scrumptious damper bread, while imbibing Dingo's home-made wines. It was so relaxing, I could feel my pulse slowing down.

"Why would anyone want to dine at some stuffy restaurant?" I wondered aloud. "When

you could eat this beautifully prepared meal amidst the great outdoors?"

"Hear, hear!" my group echoed, clinking our glasses.

Suitably wined and dined, we then took a slow drive to Kybong Crayfish Farm, where a informal lesson in biology, freshwater Redclaw crayfish and one of the liveliest guys I've ever seen, awaited us.

If our previous hosts had been warm and laid-back, Hilton Kudzor was a live wire who

reminded me of Australia's other charismatic nature-savvy rock stars like Steve Irwin and Paul Hogan. He ]eapt into our van, dittstreaked shorts and shoes, and announced,

"Hello everybody! My name is Hilton – no relation to Paris though..."

During the drive to one of their 42 crayfish ponds, which Hilton and his wife manage all by themselves, he explained: "We breed the RedClaw species because it is robust, has a simple life cycle and straightforward production technology, and is economic to produce. And because it looks like lobster, it is positioned at the premium end of the crustacean market."

With soft red sides and gleaming eyes, the crayfish were beautiful creatures, that it

seemed almost a pity to eat them. But all it took was one bite of freshly boiled crayfish,

with a light squeeze of lemon, and our humanitarian inclinations disappeared as quickly as the critters did from the plates. No wonder they were giving lobsters a good run for their money.

Our tour ended at Belmondos Fresh Food Market, where we relaxed over coffee, browsed through the amply-stocked aisles of gourmet items and compared our notes for the day.

Great food, picturesque scenes and highly educational too - who would have thought

that farms were such fun? I never thought l'd say this, but if you had only one day to spend in Noosa, you should go for the Hinterland tollr, rio nuestinns asked.

Montville in the mountains

If you've decided to spend several days at Sunshine Coast, why not go a step further

and drive up to Montville for some crisp mountain air?

Set in lush green rolling hills and gentle pastures, Montville is just an hour north of

Brisbane. Think cosy cafes, quirky galleries and whimsical craft shops housed in log and

stone cottages, and you'll get what I mean.

Vintage lovers will go gaga over the primitive handmade dolls, wooden wares and

quilts at A Countw Lane. Even adults would be awed by cavernous Shabby Lane, a temple to fairy-tale fixtures with its floor-to-ceiling stocks of Christmas and cutesy ornaments. (Clue: a prominent Witch's House signboard graces the shopfront.)

As they are one-of-a-kind knick-knacks made by local artists and designers, do ask for

permission before taking photographs. They might even help you take a photo, like the

sweet old lady who obliged while I hammed it up beside the life-size Pinnochio wooden

doll at the counter,

On the way down to a seafood lunch at the award-winning restaurant Terrace at Melaney's, we drove past more picturesque national parks, scenic walks and inspirational lake views, No wonder Montville is a popular getaway destination for Australian City dwellers. While this highland resort town hasn't made a firm foothold in our Asian travel itineraries yet, it's worth at least half a day's tour.

Have camel, will trave

No motion sickness? Thrill-seeker? Beach-lover? If your answer is yes to all these questions, you'll love camel riding at Noosa North Shore. Think Lawrence of Arabia with an aquatic theme, and oh, don't believe everything you read.

"Aren't they supposed to kick, spit and stink like mad?" somebody whispered fearfully,

Though often dubbed the divas of the animal kingdom, the truth is far from it. Linked together caravan-style, each tethered to the one in front, they lied tamely on their stomachs as we mounted them awkwardly, and seemed more docile than my pussycats.

With one mighty heave, they rose to their full height, and our fleet of eight camels were

soon rocking and swaying through gritty Australian coastal bush, before finally lumbering out to the beach, where the open shores and strong coastal winds awaited.

"You having fun yet?" I yelled to my partner Maria.

She yelled back, "Uh huh. It's like a cross between a horse ride and the I-gallop."

The camels did a loop around the beach, before returning to the bush clearing. Our collective groins and butts felt a tad tender but other than that, I could have easily gone

much longer than 1.5 hours. Through it all, our beasts of burden were as well-behaved as

professionally-trained butlers.

At the cameleer's cue, the camels collapsed like poles and sank to the ground. My camel, Chan, knelt on his front legs and folded his hind legs so that I could remove myself from the stirrups and dismount.

Back on terra firma, I studied my 2-metre high, 750kg new friend closely. With his milelong eyelashes, his graceful, athletic legs and regal smile, he looked unmistakably aristocratic. So that's why camels are called ships of the Desert, I thought.

2008-05-11T04:38:00.000-07:00

If you have the moolah, head for these Caribbean islands, the playground of the seriously rich and often famous.
Lendary rocker Keith Richards was out of uniform. No dangling cigarette, no wailing guitar, no stormy look. As a matter of fact. he was grinning. And scratching he tummy of a shaggy black munchkin of a dog.

It was late January, and the Rolling Stones
con was chilling on a wooden dock overlook-
ng the turquoise waters surrounding Parrot
2ay, a Caribbean islet that bills itself as "the
,vorld's most exclusive resort."

The 405ha private island is in Turks and Saicus, a semi-obscure archipelago east of Suba that has been propelled into the ]imeJght by its rising popularity with the gliteratL

The multimillion-doliar beach house wned by Richards shares the sandy white
shoreline with the homes of Bruce Willis, Shristie Btinkiey and Donna Karan.
The mind boggles just thinking about the oeighbourhood's holiday parties and summer
barbecues.

I spent several days exploring their chichi slice of paradise, snorkelling in electtic-blue
waters, sinking my toes into sun-bleached sand, breathing the balmy air, OK, so maybe 1
was out of my league playing on their tuff, but I faked it. You don't have to be rich to
have fun here.

It wasn't all play. though. I spent three days touring resorts - very high-end resorts. The
kind where you might run into a star, someone like, oh, Conan O'Brien. I saw him hiding
under a baseball cap pulled so low over his face that I might not have recognised him but
for skin so white it was almost blue. News flash: People with skin that fair should vaca-
tion in Seartle, not the tropics.
But tourists like O'Brien have helped make
Turks and Caicos Islands, or TCI, a success
story. Twenty years ago, these 40-some
islands and cays had few paved roads or ser-
vices. Now this British crown colony has one
of the world's fastest-growing economies; its
33,000 residents share their islands with
about 300,000 tourists annually. There are a
dozen or so high-end resorts where overnight
stays often top US$1,O00 (RM3,152) a night
and a booming real estate market that caters
to multimillionaires.
The soaring popularity of the tiny West
Indian territory isn't surprising. It's a 75-
minute flight southeast from Miami - close
enough to make it an attractive short-holiday
destination for the American East Coast plat-
inum-card crowd. Other pluses: The currency
is the US dollar, crime is minimal, locals are
amiable and everyone speaks English.
And, of course, there are the stars. Where
they lead, others follow.
Everywhere I went, people talked about the
luminaries who were visiting: Cindy
Crawford at the Grace Bay Club, Will Smith at
the Somerset on Grace Bay, Alicia Keys at the
Regent Palms, Kelly Ripa at Amanyara. The
four luxury resorts are on the island of
Providenciales, a.k.a. Pmvo, TCrs main tourist
centre. The other islands and cays are low-
key, except for Grand Turk, the capital, where
a Carnival Cruise tines port opened in 2006.
gut Provo has the momentum; it's home to
an international airport, along with great
beaches, fine restaurants, a small casino and a

golf club, all packed into 98 sq kin. I spent
most of my time in Provo, peeking below the
brims of baseball caps for famous faces.
Visitors who aren't interested in stargazing
can find other diversions. For instance, 1
hopped on a boat in Provo and headed out to
sea. In less than 30 minutes I found an isolat-
ed sandy cay (80% of TCI's islands are unin-
habited) populated by osprey, flamingos and
iguanas. Nearly 777 sq km of the islands have
been designated as parkland and wildlife
sanctuaries.
One of the biggest draws is underwater,
where divers and snorkellers come eye to eye
with a cokiur-saturated world populated by
an array of sea life, Many people visit to
explore the coral reef, one of the world's
largest. Divers also can scuba down a vertical
sea wall where the continental shelf drops a
mile.
And then there are the outstanding beach-
es, especially Provo's 19.2km-long Grace Bay
Beach, covered by ultra-white, very fine sand
and lapped by dazzling turquoise waters. Jet
Skis and other noise-makers are prohibited,
The coral reef that fringes the island creates
something akin to a lap pool.
Although high-end tourism is the name of
the game here, you can see these islands on a
budget. A couple of motels on Grace Bay
charge US$100 to US$200 (RM315 to RM630)
a night, and dining where the locals do saves
money, too. These places may not feature foie
gras or filet mignon, but they have an unbeat-
able Caribbean vibe.
Smokey's on Da Bay, for instance, is the
place to be on Wednesday nights in Provo.
Reggae music blares from huge speaker tow-
ers while cooks grill dinner. The diner-style
restaurant is in Blue Hills, a small settlement
on Provo where the locals live, shop, play. It's
a handful of miles from the elegant resorts on
Grace Bay.
On Wednesdays, Smokey's indoor-outdoor
restaurant has a fish fry that draws British
and American expats as well as locals - who
are called Belongers and make up about half
the TCI population. These descendants of
early settlers and African slaves came to the
islands more than 200 years ago to work cot-
ton plantations.
I arrived just in time: Corn on the cob, lob-
ster and snapper were sizzling on the outdoor
grill. Overhead, a full moon sparkled, its light
reflecting off Grace Bay. The dark silhouette of
a small sailboat bobbed on the water at
anchor, Another patron seemed just as capti-
vated by the scene as 1.
"Ten years ago," he said, looking across the
bay to where hotels lined the water, "I'd look
down the beach and see two lights. Now
there are lights everywhere. It's like Miami
Beach."
He wasn't complaining. Like most of the
Bekingers I talked to, he was happy about the
changes, which have brought jobs and new
opportunities.
I went back to work on my lobster, crack-
ing open the shell and sucking out meat that
was so fresh and succulent I knew it had
come out of the water earlier that day. When
I was done, I hunted down owner Smokey
(real name: Anlden Smith), complimented
him and noticed a saying posted inside the
restaurant: "Thank God for life, enjoy it and
smile. Don't let nothing spoil it for you."
The next day, still enjoying life and smilin:
about my dinner, I headed back to Blue Hills
to try another local favourite, Da Conch Shac
arguably Provo's best-known cafe (actually
couple of brightly painted huts with white
picnic tables). Fish can't get much fresher
than it is here. Live conch (pronounced conk
are held in pens until diners order. They can
watch their conch as it's brought up out of
the ocean and cracked open.
My drives to Blue Hills had taken me awa'
i-ore the tourist zone, so I decided to go a bit
artber afield and explore the island inland.
~,way from the stunning turquoise water, the
4ew didn't seem much to look at: sandy soil
md low scrub brush.
I already had realised there weren't many
~hops; the airline lost my luggage for a few
lays, and I had to scramble to find something
o wear. But my search then had been hur-
'led.
Now I took my time, weaving through
~mvo on well-paved streets. The island has
hree national parks, two of tbem marine
~arks, and another inland called Chalk Sound.
~. fellow traveller told me it was full of
'incredibly blue water," but I didn't think it
:ould compare with Grace Bay.
1 was wrong. When I topped a small hill
:hat overlooked the sound, I saw a dozen
;hades of turquoise water in a shallow lagoon
;tudded with green islets. Low hills framed
:he horizon, landlocking the quiet pool.
3verbead, white cumulus clouds floated
~cross a deep blue sky.
Most of Grace Bay's newest resorts are
;pare-no-expense, uber-luxurious palaces
:hat rival the Caribbean's top resorts. But the
,~randdaddy of them all on this prime curve of
;and is a familiar name with no such preten-
sions of grandeur: Club Med.
The French company pioneered the tourist
industry here when it cut a road from the
Providenciales International Airport and
opened its doors to GMs (gentil membres or
"gracious members") in 1984.
Club Med Turkoise has been going strong
ever since, doing its own thing in a sort of a
quirky vacuum that ignores the world outside
its gates. The club, for instance, sets clocks
forward an hour. creating its own time zone.
Nonetheless, Club Mediterranee Turkoise is
overwhelmingly popular with guests - one of
the most popular Club Meds in the Americas.
It caters to couples, singles and groups of
friends 18 and older.
I spent a couple of days here. It's all-inclu-
sive, which means I could eat, drink, play and
dance the night away for one set price. So 1
did. No one was more surprised than I at how
much fun it was. Everyone was friendly, the
Grace Bay Beach location couldn't have been
better and the recently renovated rooms were
fine, if a bit spartan. It was sort of like staying
at a Holiday Inn with perks.
"A friend talked me into this," said fellow
GM Kusi O'Hemeng. "Before I came, I thought
it was so '80s." He said he nearly left on the
first day of his vacation, but by the second
day, he was happy he hadn't.
"I met so many, great people. You can
decide to have a lot of fun or to be by your-
self. Either way, it's terrific."
Parrot Cay, the exclusive island that's home
to Richards and other superstars, receives the
credit for bringing a buzz to Turks and Caicos
and proving that the area was ready for high-
end tourism. Now other developers are eager
to take advantage of that wave of interest
with their own private-island projects.
One balmy afternoon, I hitched a ride from
Provn to the uninhabited island of West
Caicus, site of Molasses Reef, a new Ritz-
Carlton project. The 125-room hotel, along
with privately owned villas and cottages, is
under construction. Prices range from
US$2.2mil to US$fmil each (RM6.93mil to
RMl8.gmil)
More than 25 oftbe vacation homes have
been sold to a moneyed clientele, many of
whom have a net worth of more than
US$5Omil (RM157.5mil). The development,
which is being promoted as "the ultimate
escape," is scheduled to open in late fall.
Mandarin Oriental is also getting into the
private-island business here. It is scheduled
to break ground on Dellis Cay this spring
and open a small hotel in 2009. Eventually,
71 waterfront villas also will be built on the
cay.
For the time being, however, Parrot Cay
seems to hold the aces. A 35-minute boat rid
from Provo, it offers privacy, exclusivity and
proven track record. And the commute is fan
tastic-
I took a morning ride to the island one day
happy to be on that aquamarine sea. I
watched quietly as uninhabited cays slid by
on the horizon.
I saw little sea life, though, and asked the
captain, 2B-year-old Gerard Brown, about
dolphins and whales.
Humpbacks migrate through these waters,
he said, and are often seen from January to
April.
"Haven't you heard about Jo-Jo?" he asked
I hadn't.
"Jo-Jo is our famous friendly dolphin. He
follows the boats. One day a lady leaned ove~
the side to pet him and he kissed her." He
laughed.
I laughed, too, then turned quickly back to
look at the water.
I had done pretty well spotting celebrities
on this trip. Maybe I would get lucky and spc
Jo-Jo. At least he wouldn't be hiding under a
baseball cap. Hard as I tried, though, I couldn
get a glimpse of him. He was the only super-
star I really missed. - LAT-WP