Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 1 - 2015 i ASIAN Geographic

Known as “land sculptures”, the Yuanyang Rice Terraces in Yunnan are masterpieces of ingenuity created by generations of the Hani people ( ››› ). The multicoloured reflections from these spectacular terraces transform throughout the day, offering photographers a magical landscape like no other. Soak in the mesmerising natural tapestry of Yuanyang and bring home the most amazing images of China. SUITABLE FOR SMARTPHONE, MIRRORLESS AND DSLR USERS 6 Days 5 Nights • Twin sharing S$1940 • Single room S$2078 Fees do not include airfares to and from Kunming International Airport. YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDES Steven Yee Pui Chung is a celebrated professional travel photographer and a full-time photography lecturer. Thierry Bornier is a French photographer specialising in Chinese landscapes and currently resides in China working as a professional fashion photographer. Zheng…

Lumbini, Nepal A small village on the Nepalese border with India, Lumbini is the place where the Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha circa 400 BC. The site is also close to the ruins of Kapilavastu, the ancient kingdom of the Shakyas, the clan to which Prince Siddhartha belonged. The ruins of the royal palace where he grew up still stand on the outskirts. “The Ganga, especially, as the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her racial memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India’s age-long culture and civilisation, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga.”– Jawaharlal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India, born on the banks of the…

What goes up must come down. All of the massed materials in and on the hills and mountains of our planet are constantly yearning to give way. In the long term, slopes are inherently unstable things. Eventually, mountainsides slip and crumble. This process is happening invisibly as the sediments travel downstream in the waterways, but it can also occur as terrifying events known as landslides. Landslides can come in many forms. They can be composed of rock, soil or mud. They can be fast and dangerous, or they can be creeping and unnoticeable. They can be visible as huge scars on mountain slopes, or they can be hidden below the ocean waves. They can be a short slumping of cliffs, or they can be tremendous waves of mud pouring down…

Red tide is the common name for a phenomenon known as an algal bloom, during which estuarine, marine or freshwater algae accumulate rapidly in the water column. These algae, more specifically phytoplankton, are microscopic, single-celled protists (a large and diverse group of eukaryotic microrganisms), plant-like organisms that can form dense, visible patches near the water’s surface. Certain species of phytoplankton contain photosynthetic pigments that vary in colour from green to brown to red, and when the algae are present in high concentrations, the water appears to be discoloured or murky, varying from white to almost black, normally being red or brown. In 2012, a stretch of sea off Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, was tinted, with water samples revealing a non-toxic algae bloom named Akashiwo sanguinea (Akashiwo means “red tide”). However,…

My name is Jacci Ingham from Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory. I am a local Nature photographer and storm chaser who has a passion for Northern Australia’s weather and the great outdoors. Since I was a child, I used to dive into non-fiction books about climate and weather, the type of books that may be considered unusual for a 10-year-old to be so engrossed in. I have always been captivated by the mysterious nature of thunderstorms – they can be both frightening, yet very beautiful at the same time. My passion for photography comes from my fascination with Nature and an artistic side that I have had since birth. I have grown up in the Territory for most of my life and have spent half of it living in Darwin,…

Mohammad Khar remembers exactly where he was the morning of Kashmir’s most severe earthquake: on a building site visit in Islamabad. He felt the tremor, 80 kilometres away from the quake’s epicenter, in Muzaffarabad, and rushed inside to switch on the news. When he heard what was happening in his hometown, he sank to his knees and cried. It would be nearly a week before he knew for sure that his wife and five children had died, crushed beneath their home as it fell. Mohammad’s story is far from unusual, and the pain in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy soon turned to anger: Nature cannot be controlled, but the earthquake should not have claimed so many lives. Sub-standard construction methods, less than rigorous disaster planning and stalled rescue attempts…

The plagues that befell ancient Egypt’s Pharaoh and his lands when he refused to set the Israelite slaves free is an enduring narrative that is present in all three major Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In particular, the plague of locusts is something that has permeated our collective consciousness. Of course, swarms of locusts destroying crops are common occurrences today, especially in Africa. Although proof of the Israelites’ Egyptian captivity remains inconclusive, scholars and archaeologists agree that the events that take place in the Book of Exodus – involving the plagues and the departure of the Israelites from Egypt – could have taken place at Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta during the reign of Ramses II in the 13th century BC. While thousands of pottery shards have been…

1 ELEPHANTA CAVES Off the coast of Mumbai, Elephanta Island is home to the famous Elephanta Caves – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Featuring both Hindu and Buddhist rock art, the site comprises seven caves that are centuries old, connected by large halls, courtyards, inner cells and vestibules. 2 FILM CITY An exciting complex of close to 20 indoor studios in West Mumbai, Film City is the heart of the Bollywood action. While Film City is not open for public admission without special approval, it is possible to take a guided tour there to drive past actors’ houses and catch glimpses of live shooting. 3 MAHATMA JYOTIBA PHULE MARKET Formerly known as the Crawford Market, this is a bustling, lively place where visitors can buy all manner of everyday items,…

It is always a privilege to ponder over the pending New Year several weeks before the day arrives. While ASIAN Geographic constantly looks out for unique and rare stories to bring to you every issue, there is a greater sentimental undertow in the last issue of the current year and the first issue of the year ahead. How do you contemplate the immediate past and then the somewhat speedy future all at once? In itself, it is a phenomenon of sorts. What better way to pay homage to our individual persuasion and undying determination and fortitude than with an edition that commemorates our right to be part of this beautiful world? As we are part of Nature, we, as a race, will inevitably survive the best and worst of her…

With the potential to transform from microscopic particles that we unconsciously breathe in every minute, to terrifying storms that envelop entire cities and change whole landscapes, dust and sand are unavoidable aspects of the natural landscape. I stood on the balcony in New Delhi, looking towards the horizon as a dark cloud swooped towards the megacity. When it finally arrived minutes later, I raced indoors to escape. Despite shuttered windows and closed doors, a thick layer of dust collected on every surface, decorating everything in the apartment with a fine grey powder. Relieved that I was safely indoors, I wondered what this strange silt was, and where it had come from. Was this the sands of the Sahara? Or the precious topsoil of another nation? From Dust We Are Made,…

I first learnt of avalanches and their dangers on a hot summer’s day, eager and ready to climb a volcano. There on the flanks of the mountain soaring above us, the icefalls and glacier mass glinted in the sun. Slightly brighter, but less crystalline, the fresh snow of the last few days decorated the mountain in an uneven coat. Avalanches had, until then, seemed like such an abstract concept, but we could see the conditions clearly: there were loose slabs of snow hundreds of metres long, clearly delineated by cracks and poised to slide down and bury anything below. We didn’t need to see the slabs themselves, however, to know that the risk of avalanches was high. Weather and terrain conditions guided our decision, as well as some official advice…

In September 2007, and then again July 2010, a strange phenomenon occurred in the Gulf of Alaska where two waters of different characteristics met, giving rise to an ocean front – caused by freshwater with lower salinity coming into the sea. This occurrence reflects a recording in a verse from the Qur’an, speaking about a barrier between the sweet and salty waters that prevents them from mixing into one another. Centuries later, the scientific explanation for the uncanny “meeting without merging” scene has emerged. It begins from huge eddies, also known as slow-moving currents, that swirl out from the Alaska coast into the Gulf of Alaska. Those eddies often carry with them huge quantities of glacial sediment, thanks to rivers like Alaska’s 460-kilometre-long Copper River. Once these glacial rivers pour…

We all know the story of Noah and the flood, how the animals came in two-by-two, and how all those who did not find sanctuary on Noah’s ark were drowned. Although there are a handful of archaeologists who have spent their lives searching for the remains of the ark, very few of us take this Old Testament story literally. That said, even if the details have been elaborated upon as they were passed down orally through the generations, that does not mean the story doesn’t contain a kernel of truth. It seems increasingly likely that there was indeed a great flood, and the impact of it on local populations would have been devastating. There are two sources of evidence to support this claim: literary and geological. A significant number of…

When one thinks of the most endangered animals in the world, the Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is probably not the first that comes to mind. However, this once-abundant endemic species might be the first crocodilian in the world that becomes extinct due to human activity. Currently, it is estimated that fewer than 100 adult Philippine crocodiles are left in the wild. By means of comparison, there are around 1,600 pandas and more then 3,000 tigers worldwide, both of which symbolise the global biodiversity crisis better. Some scientists believe that even with the best conservation plan in place, the Philippine crocodile will not survive in the wild. But not everyone has given up hope just yet. In 2003, the Mabuwaya Foundation was founded and has already reached many conservation milestones. Their…

Before the arrival of oil, Kuwait’s economy was largely reliant on the international sea trade, shipbuilding and the pearl industry. Early Kuwaiti architecture was similarly humble, as the traditional Kuwaiti house was conceived at a time when traditions and rules drawn from Islamic precepts had the upper hand. It was also built in a natural setting, characterised by extreme temperatures, producing a vernacular architecture highly compatible with various aspects of its environment. After oil was discovered in the Gulf region in 1930, a distinguished change manifested in the style of Kuwaiti architecture – infusing Islamic elements and Middle Eastern themes to create modern designs. The best-known example of contemporary architecture is none other than the Kuwait Water Towers, consisting of tall, pointed conical spires placed above a spherical water tank.…

When the United Nations and the World Bank brought together the best minds in ecology from around the world to assess the state of the planet in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2001–2005), they reached a surprising conclusion. Desertification or the loss of productivity on 10 to 20 percent of the world’s dry lands affects more people than any other global environmental scourge. With six to 12 million square kilometres of the planet already degraded, chronic land erosion and soil deterioration produce famine, poverty and considerable human misery, especially in Africa and Asia. The grim statistics and discoursing trends are particularly regrettable because few global challenges can be as easily resolved with existing technologies. Israel’s experience, especially in planting forest on semi-arid lands, suggests that soils in desert regions can quickly…

A phenomenon known as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) – also dubbed El Nino’s close cousin in the Indian Ocean – refers to the difference in sea-surface temperatures between the western and eastern parts of this oceanic division. Until recently, it has been one of the most influential, yet least understood natural forces affecting climate – as confirmed by an international team of scientists, led by CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship’s Dr Wenju Cai. A more advanced understanding of the relationship between the IOD and extreme weather events will enable farmers, industries, communities and governments to better anticipate and prepare for droughts and increased bushfire risk, up to six months in advance. Just as the El Nino Southern Oscillation affects weather patterns across the Pacific Ocean, the IOD influences weather…

One countermeasure to mitigate disasters in tsunami-prone Japan is to monitor ocean waves far offshore. In a buoy equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System), antennas are fixed on top of a buoy that is floating at the sea surface, to continuously monitor changes in sea surface height. A simple filtering technique can then distinguish tsunamis from higher frequency wind waves or lower frequency changes due to astronomical tides. Japan’s current wave-monitoring network is called the Nationwide Ocean Wave information network for Ports and Harbours (NOWPHAS). During the March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake off northeast Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami alert within three minutes of the onset of earthquake, based on seismological data only. This alert indicated a wave height of more than six metres, which was a significant…

1 Papua New Guinea Average precipitation: 3,142mm / year 2 Solomon Islands Average precipitation: 3,028mm / year 3 Malaysia Average precipitation: 2,875mm / year 4 Brunei Average precipitation: 2,722mm /year 5 Indonesia Average precipitation: 2,702mm /year 6 Bangladesh Average precipitation: 2,666mm /year 7 Fiji Average precipitation: 2,592mm /year 8 Philippines Average precipitation: 2,348mm /year 9 Seychelles Average precipitation: 2,330mm /year 10 Bhutan Average precipitation: 2,200mm /year DID YOU KNOW? Genesis 8:4 says: “[T]he ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” “Discovery” of the Ark: In 1948, the Associated Press reported that a Kurdish farmer named Reshit claimed to have discovered the remains of Noah’s Ark high up in the mountains of Ararat. Heavy rains that year, combined with several earthquakes, had apparently exposed a boat-shaped formation from the…

Beautiful Bombay, the city of my childhood. I lived in an old bungalow on Cuffe Parade. Across the road were mangrove swamps, and there was an elevated pavement where my parents and I would take our dogs for an after-dinner walk. As we enjoyed the sea breeze, we could see Marine Drive and the entire bay. In today’s Mumbai, the bungalows of Cuffe Parade have disappeared, as have the mangrove swamps. Land has been reclaimed and filled with high-rise buildings, and both the view and the elevated pavement are gone. In many ways, this one street reflects the massive changes that have occurred in the city of Bombay as it changed to Mumbai. From a population of around three million in the early 1960s to 22 million today, this megacity…