Wednesday, March 21, 2012

CNNGo.com

CNNGo.com

Hong Kong airport's third runway gets government nod

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 09:03 PM PDT

by Rachel Sang-hee Han

The Hong Kong government has conditionally approved the proposal to build a third runway at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).

The announcement came on Tuesday despite concerns of pollution and encroachment on the habitat of China's endangered white dolphins.

The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) says a quantitative survey held last summer, as part of a three-month public consultation period on the expansion of the airport, showed that 73 percent of the respondents preferred the three-runway option.

The alternative was maintaining the two-runway system, yet adding more facilities such as another passenger concourse. 

"Our airport's future development into a three-runway system is crucial if we are to maintain Hong Kong's status as a leading international and regional aviation center," said Dr. Marvin Cheung Kin-tung, chairman of the AAHK. 

read more

China: Where you can sleep wherever, whenever

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 07:21 PM PDT

by Gillian Bolsover

In a 24-hour country like China, it's natural that people get a little tired.

Fortunately, in China there's an extremely high social acceptance of public sleeping.

These public sleepers show how to get some quick rest in China.

More on CNNGo: Sleep street in Tokyo

Originally published August 2011, updated March 2012

read more

YouTube viral video gives Melbourne edge over Sydney

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 07:06 PM PDT

Double good news for Melbourne right after the Formula 1 circus hit town for the Australian Grand Prix -- not only has it has surged past Sydney on visitor numbers, but it has also spawned a YouTube viral sensation.

Credit goes to Victoria's "Play Melbourne" campaign, which launched last year in a bid to raise the profile of Australia's second city.

Aside from giving away free air tickets to Melbourne every week, the promo has also been running a quirky video highlighting what organizers see as the "fun" aspects of life there.

The flick shows a group of flighty young visitors racing through the city, finding delight and surprise in equal measure.

Lashings of fun

Backed by more than a million YouTube views, that's something those pulling the strings clearly believe matters to incoming travelers.

read more

7 reasons to love the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 03:05 PM PDT

Hong Kong Rugby SevensCelebratory hakka by the New Zealand team after winning in 2011.

The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens 2012 will take place this weekend, March 23-25. It is one of the few world-class international events to make it to this sports-starved part of the world. And fans make sure it counts.

Tickets to Hong Kong Rugby Sevens always sell out within hours because the rugby action on the pitch is excellent and the partying off-pitch is crazy, especially in the notorious South Stand. 

Here are some of the things Sevens fans look forward to each year.

Why do you love the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens like it's your own birthday? Let us know in the comments box below.

read more

World's greatest wildernesses -- a traveler's guide

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 10:58 AM PDT

by Anthea Gerrie

Few things give a sense of excitement-veering-into-fear like the moment you realize you're lost, alone and in the middle of a vast area with no cell signal. 

Thankfully, tours to these wild regions guarantee to get you out again safely. 

Also on CNNGo: How to be an explorer

1. Antarctica

AntarticaIt's not all dunes and dust.
The magnificent red dunes of the 9.4-million-square-kilometer Sahara, dotted with kasbahs, date plantations and camel trails, are most safely experienced from a tent under the stars in southern Morocco. 

As well as camel treks and hikes over the dunes and ancient lake beds, kasbah and plantation tours and visits with nomad tribesmen are all available in the world's biggest hot desert and second-biggest desert after Antarctica.

read more
at 9:32 AM