Friday 26 August 2016

The Lowari Pass, Pakistan



Lowari Pass is also called Lowari Top is a high mountain pass that connects Chitral with Dir in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Lowari Top / Lowari Pass is a relatively low pass, by far the lowest pass to enter Chitral, the others all being 12,000 to 15,000 feet. The Lowari Top crosses the Hindu Raj Mountains, a spur of the higher Hindu Kush, and on the Chitral side of Lowari Top are the people of Ashret, whose native is Palula language and were assigned by the Mehtar of Chitral to be the guardians of Lowari Top.

Although, Lowari Top is shut down by snow from late November to late May every year. During this difficult time, jeeps cannot cross so peoples must travel by foot. The local peoples are so strong and powerful, so they’re habitual of crossing Lowari Top by foot. This is extremely treacherous, as there are high mountains on each side of Lowari Top, and a fatal avalanche can come at any moment without warning. Therefore, in every winter a few individuals are killed by avalanches while crossing Lowari Top. So, their dead bodies are buried under the snow and it is only happens when the summer comes and the snow melts that their dead bodies are found and their fate learned. However, Lowari Top remains one of widespread place because it is the shortest route from Chitral to Peshawar. Although, the alternative way would be down the Kunar River to Jalalabad through hostile Afghan Territory or the much longer route across Shandur Top to Gilgit. 

Moreover on the other side which is called Der reside Khowars, some of whom make their living as porters carrying loads across Lowari Top. More than 60 years ago, when in 1954, the Mehtar of Chitral was killed when his airplane crashed into Lowari Top. However, in these days, even PIA pilots often turn back because of winds and fear of crossing Lowari Top. The word "Top" is thought not to be the English word "top" but a word from an ancient language no longer spoken there. The Lowari Top is one of the four major mountain passes to enter Chitral. Hence, the others are the Dorah Pass from Badakshan in Afghanistan, Shandur Top from Gilgit, and Broghol from the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. Furthermore, in 2009 the Lowari Tunnel was constructed beneath Lowari Pass by a Korean company.  Though, the tunnel was abandoned presently thereafter and has since fallen into shabbiness.

Wednesday 24 August 2016

World's Longest and Highest Glass Bridge Opens in China's.



If you love aerial view, then China’s latest glass-bottomed bridge is perfect site you can’t missed. The structure crosses two peaks in the mountains of Zhangjiajie, inspired with American blockbuster Avatar. It is easily called world’s highest and longest glass bottomed bridge. The massive number of visitors flocked on the grand opening day of bridge, hardly left any space to see sheer drop below. The bridge spans roughly 1,400 feet across two peaks and is suspended 300 meters above a sheer drop. The structure is 19ft 8in wide and made of some 99 panels of clear glass which can carry up to 800 people at the same time. 

So, it crosses a canyon that divides two mountain cliffs in Zhangjiajie Park, in China's central Hunan province. The visitors feel awe-inspired by this bridge never afraid, perfect safe place, offering a unique experience. The glass is robust quality, can’t even broke with hammer or drive car on it. Therefore, only 8,000 people each day will be allowed to cross the bridge and only 600 at any one time. However, cameras and selfie sticks are banned, and people wearing stilettos will not be allowed to walk on the bridge. A Hollywood photographer visited the area in 2008, taking images which were used for the film. So, whenever you visit China, it’s a must visit place will give you unique experience of life. 

Friday 19 August 2016

The World's First Rainforest Hotel

Dubai's new £230million towers will have a man-made jungle, artificial beach and spectacular 'sky pool. As the entire world familiar of Dubai, who is already renowned for the world’s tallest building, substantial artificial islands and mind-boggling luxury, but it will soon to be home to another remarkable claim to fame. Therefore, the world's first hotel with its own rainforest is planned to open in the desert city in 2018 and will have attractions of an artificial beach, splash pool and trees that spray mist. The estimated project cost is £230million. The Rosemont Hotel & Residences is the latest example of over-the-top luxury in the emirate, which has fast become a go-to destination for holidaymakers and a major hub for air travel between the West and Asia.

Moreover, renderings of the five-star hotel and apartment project, which will be operated by the Hilton brand Curio, proposal a glimpse into what the 75,000-square foot, man-made jungle will look like when it opens to visitors.  Further, it will be placed inside a five-storey podium at the base of two 47-storey towers, and filled with exotic plants to make for an exclusive guest experience. The stunning attraction will cater to all families’ acknowledgments to its artificial beach and pool, and it is believed to be the first rainforest in the Middle East. The hotel will comprises of 450 guest rooms and suites in a tower that will also have a lobby on the 26th floor, an upper-floor pool that spreads over the edge of the building, fine dining, VIP lounge, and spa and meeting rooms.

So, other family-friendly facilities include an adventure play area for children, a bowling alley and trampoline park. It is located on a three-acre site, the project, owned by Royal International, also calls for 280 private residences in a serviced apartment tower with shops and places to socialize. Moreover, the hotel and apartment towers were designed by ZAS Architects, which has offices in United Arab Emirates and Canada.







The Aeroplane Graveyard of Thailand

The below haunting photographs show the eerie tourist attractions where abandoned jets have been thrown to rot in Thailand. The derelict shells of two abandoned aeroplanes left by a cash strapped investor in Thailand to rot. The MD-82 jets were earlier operated by Orient Thai Airlines, are now at the mercy of the elements in Bangkok after a business venture to use them as a bar failed. 

 This year, 36 year old photographer Dax Ward took the stunning images of unconventional site, to take a peek inside the stripped aeroplanes. The Bangkok based photographer took the hobby photography as a challenge. He’s is actually a technology teacher explains, the aeroplanes were supposedly placed here few years ago by a foreign investor to create a special outdoor bar using the fuselage as a stage for the bands and service rooms for the bar crew. Hence, the project was a fiasco and the foreign investor left the site as it is. Currently, there’s no plan to move them, as land upon which they rest is extremely expensive. 

However the registration numbers of the two aeroplanes have been painted over, so it is difficult to decipher when the planes were operated or retired. The plane interiors were mostly stripped away to show the bare bones of massive crafts, but the carpeting overhead bins and bathrooms remain intact. Moreover, echoing the obliteration of a plane crash, oxygen masks, safety manuals and other debris are also scattered about the hollowed out craft. Indeed, it is very eerie in the graveyard. The children toys and other personal objects scattered around left by people who have stayed there for whatever reason, almost making it feel like a crash site. 

The Thai culture often observe such places as haunted, no one has actually passed away at the location. The tourists are charged 300 baht per person and the place is looked after by a lady who lives on the site with her extended family in some converted fuselages. Thailand is a country that thrives with culture, and such lively cultures tend to also include a deeply-rooted spiritual dimension. So, it's is filled with ghost stories and irrational belief regarding spirits and locations which are haunted by them. Such dogmas of a haunting can also arise simply because a site looks scary, which is why I think the graveyard would have such an image. 

Hence, I'm pretty happy exploring the site alone and take these photos. Also, there is generally someone hanging around the locations, be it human or animal, so I’m rarely completely alone.  As I'm not acquainted with aeronautical design so it is interesting for me to see the diverse levels in the plane and to get a sense of its actual size. In fact it is really impressive feat in engineering and physics that permits for such large, heavy objects to be propelled through the sky at high speeds.













Stunning Aerials View of Bangladesh Landscapes



In this eerie photo series, you can see majestic bird's-eye view of beautiful Bangladesh, dramatic landscapes and endless traditions captured in spectacular aerial snaps. A Bangladeshi pilot Shamim Shorif Susom has captured fascinating bird eye photographs that show river, lakes and green landscapes in his home country. The Bangladeshi pilot took these stunning photos, while flying across the South Asian country mainly famous for small villages, serene countryside outside the busy capital of Dhaka.

 He tries to give an exclusive look at daily life of villagers, whose life span is fertile farmland and paddy fields, and fisherman who set out every day on rivers or lakes in traditional boats. Susom was belonging to a small village, change his life by moving to Dhaka for higher study, and eventually became a pilot. His passion never dies for his country, has never forgotten his roots.  He says, I’m very fortunate enough to fly and fortunate enough to see my root, my village, my urban life from a different perspective. Therefore, at the end of day, I’m trying to capturing memoirs of my reconnection. I’m revisiting my country my past, and especially my childhood. I love my past, my village, my roots, and my country as well.