Friday, April 14, 2006

Rabbits Eat Grapefruit?

Well that ends well

The adventure is over!
are after more than five and a half months in Africa, we both returned well in Switzerland and already we have the hard-ETH or RS-life caught up with ...

Friday, March 31, 2006

Probate Money How Long

sexual apartheid

Although UAE is one of the most western and most liberal countries of Arabia, seen here in many places the strong hand of Islam. In particular, the segregation is very strong and handled in the Emirates. In many places, women run, wearing black, enveloping garments to keep them only just a small slit for the eyes open. On the bus, the women go forward, there are extra seats reserved women, such as like us with the parking lots. Yes, and the toilets are separate course, but here is done in a sound attention to the dass mir irgendwie dabei die südafrikanische Apartheidregierung in den Sinn kommt.

Vein Clinic Of America

New Dubai

Jumeira - a word that stands for luxury and boundless megalomania. Jumeira is really just a beach west of downtown Dubai. But for a good five years to be realized this beach buildings that sounds utopian beyond. For example, the Burj al-Arab, the only 7-star hotel in the world. With a height of over 300 m and the cheapest room well over CHF 1000 per night, it is the epitome of the new luxurious Dubai. But the other hotel on Jumeira Beach have every luxury heart beat faster and shake any normal mortal's head. Over the next five to ten years, here are some other hotels built in the superlative, such as one that on several small islands, which would artificially constructed in the form of a palm tree into the sea. Who hath not seen with my own eyes, believe it can not!

Strangely, it is above all, many Russians, who forfeited the luxury and Neureichtum. Next to the Burj al-Arab is a water park, which is similar to our Alpamare. Since I've heard of this park a lot and it will purportedly be some really unique water attractions, I decide to pay the 70 Fri entrance to the park to do once. Even when I input the number of Russians to fall and also in the park drin sind viele Attraktionen sogar zusätzlich auf russisch angeschrieben. Daher mein Schluss, dass es vor allem neureiche Russen sind, die diese Hotels finanzieren.

Einige der Attraktion im Park haben es wirklich in sich. So zum Beispiel eine Wasserrutschbahn, bei der man mit einem Wasserstrahl noch oben rutscht, eine künstliche Welle, in der man Boogie-Board surfen kann und eine weitere Wasserrutschbahn, bei der man kurz schwerelos ist. Doch schlussendlich bin ich vor allem oft am Anstehen und kann nicht wirklich von der Vielzahl der Bahnen profitieren. Zudem ist bei mir die Faszination für solche Bahnen recht schnell verblast und so muss ich am Ende fast den Ausblick vom Turm der Wasserrutschbahn als grösstes Highlight des Parks call.

What Earrings To Wear With A Black Pencil Skirt

Old Dubai

Until five years ago you could count the skyscrapers of Dubai have on one hand. Today the town is in a building boom, which has no equal. But still be found along the "Creek" that flow through the old town, a touch of 1001. In narrow, winding streets are the gold district, the Spice Quarter, the cloth district, etc.

All this quarter, actually "Souks" called, give the otherwise rather postmodern appearing Dubai back a certain charm of bygone days. To the "Creek" to cross, offer the easiest, the countless "Abras" at. These small boats chugging inhabit the river in large numbers and form a nice contrast to the mirrored facades of skyline skyscrapers.

Of the many mosques in the old town can hear the chants and prayers of the muezzin. Many residents wear white clothes or religious sheik robes. This part of Dubai is certainly the most interesting and impressive the city.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Gas Powered Trolling Motors

megalomania

Dass in Dubai alles etwas grösser und schöner ist, dass habe ich bereits nach wenigen Stunden in der Stadt gemerkt. Die Strassen sind fast ausschliesslich vierspurig, was nicht heissen will, dass sie dadurch nicht auch verstopft wären, im Meer werden Quadratkilometergrosse künstliche Inseln in Form von Palmen errichtet, das höchste Bauwerk der Erde wird hier in den nächsten drei bis vier Jahren entstehen und das einzige 7-Stern Hotel der Welt, in dem das billigste Zimmer bescheidene 1000 Fr. pro Nacht kostet, das alles ist Dubai. Es gäbe noch unzählige solcher Beispiele, und ich hoffe schwere, noch einige davon genauer zu sehen und beschreiben.

Das bis jetzige Highlight was diesen ungebremsten Grössenwahn angelangt, ist die „Mall of the Emirates". Nach langem Bussuchen und –fahren komme ich endlich beim schon von weiten sichtbaren Megakomplex an. Schon auf der ganzen Fahrt von der Jugendherberge bis zum Shoppingcenter sehen ich wie in Dubai an jeder Hausecke gebaut wird. Momentan gibt es in Dubai wohl mehr Kranen als Menschen, habe ich das Gefühl. Egal, im Shopping Center drin sehen ich erst die wahren Ausmasse dieses ultimativen Einkaufsparadies. Der „Carrefour" hat 52 Kassen und erstreckt sich über mehrere Hundertmeter in alle Richtungen. Der Food Court is ready for the most unusual palate the right (fast) food. Of all the boutiques and shops, I will not even begin to speak. trust

But my eyes do not really, I can only at the sight of the "Ski Dubai", a 450 m long and 85 m high ski center located in the shopping center, since I still mean, this year the winter and snow have beaten a trick to it just before the end of my journey takes me the icy season once more. the one hand, a smile on this "top of the artificiality and Kitsch", on the other hand, frightened by the enormous energy consumption and the stupidity of many visitors, I look at the artificial Snow scenery and skiers.

From the chairlift up to the toboggan run is all a beautiful ski resort in the Alps replicated, except that here right now 35 ° C in the shade outside, but inside that probably no one bothers.

Dubai the 'City of the non-cross-border opportunities. "As it amazed me, not that I know a little later, that should be available in coming years, the first" underwater hotel in the world!

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Bladder Polyps Smokers

"Have a flutter on the camels in this hotbed of exotic luxury"

After a turbulent but still end in Botswana I will now in the realm of Multi-billionaire oil sheiks and benches. Schalamaleikum ...


Click for Dubai, UAE Forecast

How Old Can A Fire Extinguisher Last

BIG TRIP: repair list

the theater to our car has indeed begun during the purchase (see "The Unbearable Lightness of car buying") following, but also during the 15,000 km stained with the pitch as the tires of the VW Polo. Time and again we have breakdowns and problems that are fixed times cheaper and faster, sometimes more expensive and time consuming. Here is the list of "additional costs" of our cars:

(axle (Maun) 500 P = 125 Fr.)
(trunk lock (Gab) 640 P = 160 Fri )
bulb rear (Jwaneng) 4 P = 1 franc
fender (Keetmanshoop) 20 = N $ 5 Fr
exhaust (Cape Town) 920 R = 184 Fri
Car Radio (Cape Town) 80 R = 16 Fr
exhaust / transmission / rear light bulb (Montagu) 260 R = 52 Fri
exhaust (Outs Horn) 40 R = 10 Fr
exhaust (Outs Horn) 60 R = 12 Fr
exhaust (Mtubatuba) 20 R = 4 Fr
Pneu (Steel Port) 450 R = 90 francs
fender (Zeerust) 300 R = 60 Fri

TOTAL: 720 FR .

How Does It Feel To Wear A Ball Gag

Raining Pretoria

The question of the capital of South Africa can not be answered quite so clear. Both Cape Town (seat of Parliament) Bloemfontein (seat of the Supreme Court) and Pretoria (administrative capital) are named as such. With 1.5 million inhabitants is the fourth largest city of Pretoria in South Africa and is also known as "Happy City" because the city until now thankfully been (still) not so much haunted by the crime wave of the adjoining Johannesburg.

me for Pretoria is more of the "Stress City" for the very first evening, when I reach after dusk the city, I've got her hands and feet so that, in the chaotic traffic jungle I find "Backpacker's" . In one hand the inadequate Lonely Planet's map, the other in the wheel, I curve under constant stress through the streets of Pretoria. One of the problems of orientation, there are the other road users not shown one-way streets and the malfunctioning gear of the VW Polo added. I think I need not explain more precisely, in such circumstances, not just driving a pleasure!

Fortunately, I can relax finally found myself in the "backpacker's" a little and I am the next morning ready for the city to look at a short walk. It strikes me quickly once that in Pretoria still very much beautiful old building there. Unfortunately, these (almost) all witnesses of the apartheid government.

Fortunately, the times have now changed and I can even monitor how a rally of black just below the Paul Kruger statue takes place. In the days of apartheid were blacks who met for more than six - even if only for a beer - immediately arrested and imprisoned for several years (see "Robben Iceland").

On drive back to Botswana, the traffic chaos starts all over again (see "In the Nick of Time"). In numerous and sometimes quite schlecht angeschriebenen Autobahnen und Strassen gilt es die richtige Richtung Rustenburg zu finden. Das Problem ist aber eben, dass in Pretoria so ziemlich alle wichtigen und grossen Autobahnen Südafrikas zusammenkommen und das macht die Orientierung, vor allem allein im Auto, äusserst schwierig.

How Much Mechadolls.com

On the Edge 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

Neben dem weltberühmten Krüger NP ist im nordöstlichen Teil Südafrikas vor allem der Blyde River Canyon sehenswert. Da Leute, die bereits im Okavango Delta auf Safari waren, meist nur enttäuscht vom Krüger NP sind, beschliesse ich lieber dem Canyon einen Besuch abzustatten.

Von Sabie, wo ich wie so oft im Backpacker’s übernachtet habe, fahre ich zusammen mit einem Deutschen namens Björn, der den Canyon in einer zweitägigen Wanderung ablaufen möchte, zum ersten Viewpoint, dem „Pinnacle“. Hier hat es neben unzähligen Souvenirständen und grossen Reisecars einen James-Bond-mässigen Felsen („Der Mann mit dem golden Colt“), der recht imposant von der Felswand absteht.

Der nächste Viewpoint könnte dramatischer nicht heissen – „God’s Window“! Die Szenen gleichen sich, nur dass es hier noch mehr Souvenirstände und noch mehr Reisecars hat. Das „Fenster Gottes“ befindet sich auf einer ungefähr 1000 m high vertical cliff, from which one has a super view of the Lowveld with the Kruger National Park. Unfortunately when we arrived just thick fog from the Lowveld pull up the rock wall, therefore, our view is limited to a few meters. We have more time to us the various and beautiful plants of the Drakensberg small "(the name of the region) to look at.

invite a few miles later I Björn from the start of the trail and ride only the tourist road along to another viewpoint. This time I need to visit even pay admission fee, but I get an almost-not-staged Dance performance group had a black woman. This viewpoint is called "Bourke's Luck Potholes. "Potholes" (which can be translated as "potholes") so as to plunge the Blyde River and the River Shaker several meters deep in a gorge in the rock and left a true picture of the devastation.

It goes on. Right, the next viewpoint! This has the creative name "World's End" - for my taste a little too apocalyptic, but it's how it will, I'm just there to look. Again, I find myself perched in a nearly vertical cliffs and wide unten im Tal sehe ich den Blyde River, der sich mäandrierend (wer nicht mehr weiss, was das ist – siehe Blogger „Fish River Canyon“ oder Prof. Löw fragen; genau, derjenige mit dem Mikrophone) durch den Canyon „frisst“.

Der siebte und letzte Viewpoint (tatsächlich, einen hab ich noch!) heisst „Three Rondavels“ und ist von mir aus gesehen der schönste. Dieser Name stammt daher, da es auf der andern Canyonseite drei Felsen hat, die wie die typischen runden Hütten der Ureinwohner aussehen. Doch auch der Blyde River hat von dieser Stelle den schönsten Verlauf und die steilen Wände des Canyons besitzen eine fast schon rötlich rosa Farbe.