The President of the Maldives has made a bold, green statement – the islands will become carbon neutral within ten years.
Mohamed Nasheed said this would be achieved by switching completely to renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
He said the Maldives understood better than most what would happen if the world failed to tackle climate change; his tiny country – made up of some 1,200 tropical coral islands - is one of the lowest-lying on earth and extremely vulnerable to rises in sea level.
He said that going green would cost a lot of money, but refusing to act now would ‘cost the earth.’
“We don’t want to sit around and blame others, but want to do whatever we can; hopefully our carbon neutral plan will serve as a blueprint for other nations to follow,” said the President.
by Andy Moreton
For those who want to taste a little bit of paradise, Luxique offers ten luxury hotels in the Maldives.
The competition’s hotting up for what’s been dubbed ‘the best job in the world.’
As widely predicted, the prospect of becoming the laid-back caretaker of a desert island in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland for a handsome salary proved highly attractive. There were 34,800 applicants.
Each had to provide a 60-second video, from which Tourism Queensland selected 50 from 22 different countries. A short-list of eleven will eventually be invited to an interview process on the islands; ten will be chosen by the organisers and the other will be the ‘wild card’ whose video gained the most internet votes (www.islandreefjob.com).
There were some highly enterprising efforts – my favourite was the Canadian guy who made his pitch through a one-minute musical production number in the street with full supporting cast.
It’s unlikely that the short-listed interviewees will need to pack formal attire. The process will be on the lines of team challenges and a series of physical, skill-based and aptitude tests.
The winner will be announced (with some fanfare, I suspect) on May 6th.
by Andy Moreton
Don’t forget that even if you’re not in the running, you can still enjoy the magic of the Whitsunday islands at the Hayman Island Resort, bookable through Luxique.
I’ve just been re-visiting an old haunt – the seaside resort of Brighton on the south coast of England.
Coincidentally, I see it’s one of the Great British Getaways for 2009 recommended by our friends at the magazine, Condé Nast Traveller.
Brighton became popular towards the end of the 18th century through the patronage of the Prince Regent. He spent much of his leisure time in the town and had the Royal Pavilion constructed. The Victorian era saw the building of many other attractions, including the Grand Hotel and the Palace Pier.
These days, Brighton is a vibrant town with attractive architecture, plenty of shops of all kinds - especially antiques and clothing - and restaurants. And it’s all neatly contained within a small area. With a big student population, it has a young feel.
Brighton is only about an hour’s train ride from London and there are some really chic boutique hotels to enjoy. We agree with Condé Nast that two of the coolest are Drakes, which is set in two Regency townhouses with great sea views, and Myhotel Brighton, where cutting-edge design meets feng shui.
by Andy Moreton
