Sunday 21 November 2010

SUCCESS STORY OF SHANGHAI

Dear my friends,

Shanghai

Literally means “above sea” – no wonder it has so much to offer as 
it is the city that never sleeps – exhilarating for those who seek an 
active lifestyle. To facilitate its crucial function as a gateway to 
China , it's integrated logistic and transportation systems manifestly 
reflect this main heart of activities. Easy and excellent accessibility 
by all modes of transportation, namely road, air, sea and rails is 
crucial.
  
Not withstanding the fact that it has a super duper public 
transportation system, it also has clean streets and surprisingly little 
air pollution which is clearly in contrast to other major cities. The 
city is also linked with thousands of bus lines apart from the 
Shanghai Metro (subway) which has four lines at present. All these 
facilities are made available for them to fuel demand of a highly 
educated and modernized workforce. Such infrastructures are 
crucially required to facilitate the movement of the labour forces 
domestically as well as internationally.
  
Not surprisingly to note the world first of its kind, maglev railway 
was erected there, from Shanghai’s Long Yang Road subway 
station to Pudong International Airport. It takes only 7 minutes 
to travel a 30 km journey with its maximum speed of 431 km/h. 
Such an advanced and sophisticated transportation mode is 
necessary in view of its huge population coupled with its 
attraction as a favorite tourist destination.

This city also has two airports; namely Pudong International 
airport, caters for both domestic and international flights, served 
as one of the most important hubs in China. Whereas Hongqiao 
Airport is mainly used for domestic flight purposes.
  
 To supplement its function as the gateway to China, numerous 
elevated roads are also added, apart from the three railways 
intersections in this grand city. You may find these elevated 
roads appear in expressway-like road conditions (direction 
separated lanes).

 These bridges/multi level highways in the centre of this great 
city, featuring the Chinese character “well”, link up the flow of 
traffic from every direction. This zig-zag crossing afloat and 
under the elevated highways truly reflected the glory of their 
local architectural designs. If you were traveling at high speed, 
you may feel like traveling on a roller coaster. Tunnels and 
bridges cleverly creep in to link up certain areas such as Puxi 
to Pudong.

Everywhere you find big crowds of people, truly reflects its 
real success as a tourists destination. Normally you may also 
find parades of buses bring in and out thousands of visitors, 
local and foreign, to and fro this grand city. As such, parking 
problem becomes a norm here. To overcome this problem, the 
drivers (locally called “Shi fu” or master) of all these tourist 
coaches usually stopped their vehicles at the road side of the 
main destination to drop their valued passengers. Thereafter, 
they have to drive to a destined parking area, which is a walking 
distance away from these tourist spots. What will happen if more 
and more people, whom majority at present are still using 
bicycles and scooters as their main mean of transportation, 
upgrade to motor cars.

Although it has well equipped with all these sophisticated 
transportation infrastructure, ironically we find some of their traffic 
rules are not in harmony with the international traffic laws. 
Pedestrians who are used to normal traffic rules, usually have to 
ensure that both sides of the traffic where two lanes of flowing 
directly opposite to each other, are clear before crossing, they 
have to be extra cautious especially when crossing the road. 
Pedestrians are legally obliged to give way to the motorists 
as the latter are legally obliged to slow down their vehicle, 
but not obliged to stop even when approaching a zebra-crossing
 – contradictory to the normal traffic rules. I was told that the 
local authority is looking into the matter seriously. I guess it 
is due to their own uniqueness where pedestrians and cyclists 
at one time form the majority far beyond when compared to 
motorists. That may be the reason why they think it is more 
appropriate to shift the legal burden to pedestrians, rather than 
the motorists. With the present situation, the Zig-zag traffic flow 
has complicated the above problem especially to the pedestrians.

Being one of its tourists’ main attraction spots, Shanghai Bund, is the 
classic image of Shanghai. Here, you will find huge crowds of 
tourists flooding the area day and night. It is worthwhile to note the 
elegant colonial architectural buildings and the new futuristic buildings 
actually blend in easy harmony, separated by the famous Huangpu river,
being the main attraction. Naturally it never failed to attract visitors, 
being individual or groups to snap their photos with such wonderful and 
rare background of its kind.

Taking a cruise along this famous river, which divide the majestic 
buildings dating back to Shanghai’s grandest days and the latest 
landmark area such as Oriental Pearl Towers and trade centre, you 
may find some fun and excitement.
  
Alternatively, taking such a cruise at night may prove romantic 
especially for young loving couples. The effect of the neon lights 
from those elegant buildings along the river, may be viewed as if it 
is candle lights from mighty candle stands. Just imagine you are at 
that scene, staring at the beauty of the lighting while you let other 
parts of body do the talking with your sweet and lovely partner – 
a real romantic and joyful sensation. The breeze blowing towards 
both of you, may add more sensation to their already intimate 
feeling. By snapping a photo with such a memorial and sweet 
moment is worth far beyond the effort.
  
For those who have already known of its port, being the largest in 
the world as of December 2004, will not find any surprise to see 
huge cargo ships frequently moving along this river. As such, taking 
a photo with such unplanned cargo ship as a background would 
become a norm here.
  
This never sleeping city brings in and out hundreds of thousands of 
visitors either domestic or foreign daily. Coaches forming beelines 
along the bund is a normal sight to the local people. Beggars; young 
and old, able and disable, are also seen trying to take advantages of 
the crowds.


Your Chief Servant,

James Oh

Founder and Group CEO

Skype me at james.oh18

Friday 5 November 2010

SIX PRINCIPLES OF LIFE


PRINCIPLES OF LIFE

  • No point using limited life to chase unlimited money.  
    • No point earning so much money you cannot live to spend it.  
      • Money is not yours until you spend it.  
        • When you are young, you use your health to chase your wealth;when you are old, you use your wealth to buy back your health. Difference is that, it is too late.  
          • How happy a man is, is not how much he has but how little he needs.  
            • No point working so hard to provide for the people you have no time to spend with.  
              Remember this -- We come to this world with nothing, we leave this world with nothing!
              Sue Divine
              Forgiveness is the final form of love..