The Truth About Persistence

Persistence is often described as the ultimate key to success, but what most people don’t realise is that there are three different types of persistence.

 

The three types of persistence are:
(1) Blind Persistence
(2) Random Persistence
(3) Planned Persistence
Imagine for a moment that you are standing in front of a safe containing 10 million dollars. The safe has a 4 digit combination lock and if you can find the right combination within 24 hours, you can claim the 10 million dollars as your own.
Blind Persistence
The blind persistence approach is to decide that you know for a fact that the combination is ‘7318′ and to spend the next 24 hours entering this same combination and trying to open the door.
Random Persistence
The random persistence approach is to try different combinations at random and hope that you get lucky. The problem with this approach is that after a few attempts, you won’t remember which combinations you’ve tried and which you haven’t.
Planned Persistence
The planned persistence approach is to start with ‘0000′ and then try ‘0001′, ‘0002′, ‘0003′…until you reach the right combination. If you enter one combination every 8 seconds, it will take you just over 22 hours to try every combination possible. This approach therefore guarantees you success.
As you can see, blind persistence and random persistence rarely lead to success. The key to achieving your most important life goals is to learn to use planned persistence.
Here’s a real world example to show you what I mean.
Rob is trying to attract more customers to his automotive repair business.
Blind Persistence
He decides to put an ‘A’ frame sign in front of his shop and waits for the customers to come through the door. Nothing happens… He waits for three long weeks before realising that his approach isn’t working.
Random Persistence
His next approach is to try as many random marketing techniques as he can think of. He drops flyers into mail boxes, puts an ad in the newspaper and has a glossy brochure printed. He gets a few more customers but doesn’t know where they’re coming from.
Planned Persistence
Finally, Rob decides to sit down and think things through. He decides to run another ad in the newspaper and to monitor his results by asking every new customer how they found him. After three weeks, his results show that only one customer came from his newspaper ad while 12 customers came in as a result of his mail box flyers. He therefore decides not to advertise in the newspaper and puts the money he saves into expanding his mail box flyer campaign.
Rob is now using planned persistence and is on his way to achieving his goal of building a profitable business.
This Week’s Action Steps
(1) Decide on your goal and stick with it.
(2) Understand that to achieve your goal you need to use ‘planned persistence’ which involves carefully planned experimentation.
(3) Create a written plan of action of things to try.
(4) Try different techniques and monitor your results carefully.
(5) Discard what doesn’t work and move on to your next experiment until you find the combination that unlocks your dreams.
Until next time,
Dare To Dream!

 ~ $@G@R ~

The Wall of Doubt and Fear

There is a wall that separates each of us from our most important goals in life. The strange thing about this wall is that it is a barrier which we create for ourselves.

We construct this wall in our minds using bricks of doubt and fear.
Let’s take a look at how this wall is created:
When you set a new goal, it is natural to have a small amount of doubt about your ability to achieve your objective.

Initially as you start to work on your goal, you get a boost of self confidence because you are taking action and your level of doubt decreases. However, after you’ve worked on your goal for a little while, you come to the Point of Clarity.

The Point of Clarity is the point at which you first fully understand how much work and effort is actually involved with achieving your goal. It is usually at this point that the bricks of doubt and fear start to build.
The next thing that happens is that you encounter a significant problem and immediately your doubts and fears increase which adds to number of bricks in your wall.

You then become aware of another problem:

And then problems seem to come at you from every direction

With each problem you encounter, your doubts and fears increase. You start thinking things like:
“I’m not smart enough to do this”
“I’m not capable of doing this”
“I don’t have what it takes to achieve this”
“I’m too old for this”
“I’m too young for this”
etc.
If you ever catch yourself saying things like this, it’s important to remember that

“When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubts.” – Author Unknown

Unfortunately, many people give so much power to their doubts that the wall in their mind becomes insurmountable and they walk away from their dream.
However, something truly remarkable happens to the small group of people who continue to meet these problems head on and persevere in the face of adversity.
Eventually they come to realize that facing and solving these problems is an important part of the process of achieving their goal. With experience they also realize that they ARE capable of meeting and overcoming these challenges.
With this realization, they cross over to the Point of Self-Confidence

Once you reach the Point of Self Confidence, everything changes.
You continue to face problems, but now each problem you solve makes you more confident in your ability and you begin to eliminate the bricks of doubt and fear from your mind.
You solve a problem and remove a layer of bricks

Then you solve another problem

Each time you solve a problem your remove another layer of doubt and fear.

Finally you solve the last problem that stands between you and your goal – Your self confidence soars and the final bricks of doubt and fear disappear.

You then look back to find that the wall of doubt and fear is gone – In fact it never really existed at all.
So today I’d like to encourage you to never give in to the doubts and fears that stop most people from achieving their goals. Always remember that the wall that stands between you and your objective only exists in your own mind.
Instead of walking away from your dream, focus on solving one problem at a time. As you gain experience, your self confidence will grow and the wall of doubt and fear will gradually disappear.
Until next time,
Dare To Dream!

The Key To Eliminating Your Problems

There is a big difference between solving a problem and eliminating a problem. This week I’d like to share with you a powerful strategy that will help you eliminate your problems for good.

Let me explain using a real world example.

Last week I visited my parents and found that my mum was looking for a phone bill that she needed to pay. She was frustrated because she couldn’t find the bill anywhere. My dad and I joined in and soon we were all busy looking in drawers, cupboards, and old telephone books. Eventually, Mum found the bill in her handbag! – Problem solved right?

Well sort of…

It was true that the immediate problem had been solved, but I knew from experience that this was likely to happen again so I tried to think of a way to eliminate the problem for good.

In the case of lost bills, the system I set up for my parents was simple but effective. It consisted of a red folder, a green folder and a hole punch.

System To Eliminate The Problem Of Searching For Lost Bills

(1) When a new bill arrives in the post, it immediately gets placed in the red ‘Unpaid Bills’ folder.

(2) When a bill gets paid it gets transferred to the green ‘Paid Bills’ folder

(3) At the end of the month, all the bills in the green folder get archived to a cupboard.

Now, I know this is a very simple example but it illustrates an extremely powerful concept.

Whenever you encounter a problem, instead of focusing on just solving the problem try and put in place a system that will eliminate the problem in the future.

Every time you put in place a new system to eliminate a problem you make yourself more efficient and more productive.

Now you may be thinking, "I don’t really like having systems", but the reality is we all have systems in place whether we recognise them as systems or not.

For example, my old ‘car key system’  was:

(1) Come home

(2) Drop car keys in a random spot

(3) Waste five or ten minutes looking for keys before leaving home in the morning

We have systems for every aspect of our lives. The key to improving your efficiency is to replace systems that don’t work with systems that do work (for example, having a regular spot to put my car keys when I get home!)

This Week’s Action Steps

Identify areas in your life that are inefficient. A good way to do this is to take note of any situation in which you feel frustrated. Instead of just solving your problems, take action to eliminate them forever by improving your systems.

Until next time,
Dare To Dream!

How To Use Fear

Generally speaking, most of us fear things which we don’t understand. Often, when something is unfamiliar, a negative part of our mind begins to imagine terrible scenarios based on our lack of understanding. However, fear can also be a valuable tool for achieving success if you learn how to use it properly.

The best way to utilise fear is to view it as a sign post to identify the areas of your life in which you need to acquire more knowledge.

Here’s an example to show you what I mean…

Sean was an electrician who was starting out in his own business. He was so busy trying to stay on top of his day-to-day appointments that he somehow never got around to understanding the Tax system properly.

Deep down, he knew that he didn’t understand how the tax system worked and this led him to constantly worry that he would receive a letter from the Tax Department demanding money.

Eventually, Sean realised that his fear of the unknown was holding him back from achieving success in his business, so he booked himself in for a weekend Tax workshop which was specifically designed for new business owners.

By the end of the weekend, Sean finally understood how the Tax system worked and had a list of simple processes that he could use to run his business effectively.

What really surprised Sean was the huge boost in confidence that this new knowledge gave him. He was no longer worried about receiving letters from the Tax department because he now knew how the system worked.

This experience taught Sean a valuable lesson that he never forgot:

"With knowledge comes confidence
and with confidence comes success"
- Anthony Fernando

Today I’d like to encourage you to treat your fear as a signpost to identify the areas of your life in which you need to acquire more knowledge.

When you take action and acquire that knowledge, you’ll find that not only will your fear disappear, but you’ll also receive a huge boost in self confidence as you move closer towards achieving your goal.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

Busy or Productive?

One of the best ways to accelerate your progress towards achieving your most important goals is to understand the difference between being busy and being productive.

These days everyone is busy. We’re busy with work commitments, family commitments, community commitments and study commitments just to name a few. We all seem to start each day with a long and demanding ‘To Do’ list.
The big question is – Are the items on your ‘To Do’ list leading you towards achieving your most important goals?
Being truly productive does not involve simply getting a lot of tasks done. It involves identifying and completing the specific tasks that will lead you where you really want to go.
A great question to ask yourself at the end of each day is:

"Am I a step closer to achieving my goals than I was this morning?"

If the answer to this question is "Yes" then you’ve had a productive day. If the answer is "No" then chances are you’ve been very busy but not really productive.

The best way to make the transition from being busy to being productive is to follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify your most important current goals

Step 2: Determine the specific tasks that will move you a step closer to achieving each of your goals

Step 3: Schedule these tasks early in your day when you’re fresh and alert

For example, when I was a computer consultant, I was working up to 70 hours a week but deep down I knew that my actions were not taking me any closer to achieving my goals. I felt like a duck swimming against a fast flowing river. I was paddling as hard as I could but I just wasn’t getting anywhere.

Finally I realized what the problem was – I was always busy but never productive.

To break this pattern I set aside one hour a day as ‘My Time’ to work on my own business. This wasn’t always easy to find but I loved the feeling that came from knowing I was doing something productive each day to achieve my goals.

Eventually those one hour blocks of time led to the creation of PianoIsFun.com which in turn helped me to walk away from the corporate world.

So I encourage you today to make the transition from being busy to being productive by following the three steps above. When you know what your goals are and you commit to taking a productive step towards achieving them each day, your success really is just a matter of time.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream! 

 ~ $@G@R ~

How To Be Happy

At the end of the day, what most people really want in life is to be happy.

Many people believe that happiness comes from obtaining certain objects. They say things like,

"I’ll be so happy when I get my new iPod!"

However, the happiness associated with obtaining these objects is usually fleeting. Have you ever received something you really wanted only to have it end up sitting on a shelf gathering dust a few weeks later? I know I have!

So, if lasting happiness can’t be found by obtaining ‘things’, how can we increase the levels of happiness in our lives?

I believe that the best way to obtain lasting happiness is to bring happiness into the lives of others. The most amazing thing about happiness is that the more you give away to others, the more you receive for yourself.

Here is a step-by-step plan that will help you bring happiness into the lives of others and thereby increase your own levels of happiness.

Step 1: Select someone in your life that you care about. It could be your partner, a child, a friend, a nephew or niece etc.

Step 2: Identify that person’s current passion in life. To do this, just ask them what they’re up to or interested in at the moment.

Step 3: Organise an experience that combines spending time with that person and persuing their passion.

Here’s a real life example to show you exactly how this works:

When my nephew Michael was 8 years old, his main passion in life was dinosaurs. One day I arranged to pick him up to go on an ‘adventure day’. Our first stop was a hardware store where we puchased a chisel to go with the two hammers I had picked up from home.

We then drove to a local beach called ‘Fossil Beach’ where we spent a few hours chipping away at rocks. What made this experience so special was that we were spending time together pursuing his main passion in life.

My nephew found two small fossils and was unbelievably excited. His happiness in turn made me incredibly happy. This trip is still one of our fondest memories even though it happened several years ago. The total cost of our expedition was $8.50.

So, whenever you’re feeling a little low and need a dose of happiness, one of the best things you can do is to focus on making someone else happy. Remember…

Until Next Time,
Dare To Dream!

 ~ $@G@R ~

Pay Your Dreams First

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Pay yourself first” – It usually relates to the idea of saving a percentage of your paycheck as soon as you receive it and then living on the remainder. This is a much more effective approach than trying to save whatever is left over at the end of the month because we all know that there’s rarely anything ‘left over’.

What many people don’t realise is that this same principle applies not only to money but also to time and energy.
When you’re working full time and/or raising a family, you may find that at the end of the day you just don’t have enough time or energy left to work on achieving your personal goals and dreams.
In order to make your goals a reality, you must make two important decisions:

(1) Decide that your goals are important and make them a priority in your life.

(2) Decide to work on YOUR dreams before you work for other people.

Now you might be thinking. “Anthony – that sounds good in theory, but what does it mean in the real world?” – Good question…Let’s have a look at an example:

Here is a typical work day for most people:

Time	Activity
7:00am	Wake up and get ready for work
8:00am	Travel to work
9:00am – 6:00pm	Work for other people
7:00pm	Dinner
8:00pm – 11.00pm	Spend time with family / watch TV etc
11:00pm	Go to sleep

The most practical and effective system for making your dreams a reality is this:
Step 1: Go to sleep an hour earlier than usual
Step 2: Wake up an hour earlier than usual
Step 3: Spend the first hour of your day working on your personal goals and dreams
By following this system, you make your goals a priority and  “Pay Your Dreams First”
Let’s look at a revised timetable:

Time	Activity
6:00am	Wake up and get ready for work
7:00am	Work on your goals and dreams
8:00am	Travel to work
9:00am – 6:00pm	Work for other people
7:00pm	Dinner
8:00pm – 10.00pm	Spend time with family / watch TV etc
10:00pm	Go to sleep

Although it might initially be difficult to make these lifestyle changes, if you can adopt this as your new morning routine, you’ll find yourself on the fast track to creating the life you really desire. Each and every day you’ll be gaining momentum and moving steadily towards achieving your goals.
You really can change your life one hour at a time. Always remember:

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

 ~ $@G@R ~

How To Get What You Want

Asking people for what we want can sometimes be a difficult process involving awkward discussions and potential conflict. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

The secret to getting what you want from other people is to develop a genuine sense of reciprocity by giving before you receive.

The term ‘reciprocity’ describes the expectation that people will respond to you in the same way that you respond to them. So if you give another person something of value, they will be much more inclined to give you something in return.

Next time you want something from someone, instead of simply asking or demanding what you want, try using the following Reciprocity Formula.

The Reciprocity Formula

Step 1: Analyse the situation from the other person’s point of view and try to identify what they currently want. If you can’t figure out what they want, the best thing to do is to ask them.

Step 2: When you have identified the main thing they want, present your case by saying something like, "If I help you achieve… [what they want], could we discuss… [what you want]. Most reasonable people will be open to this approach because they are receiving before they have to give.

Step 3: Follow through and help the other person achieve their objective. The more time and effort you put in during this step, the more reciprocity you will develop.

Step 4: When you have achieved the objective you agreed upon, revisit your initial discussion and ask for what you originally wanted.

Here’s an example that shows how the Reciprocity Formula works in the real world:

Sherry worked as a Sales Rep in a software company and wanted to ask her boss for a raise. From previous experience, she knew that simply asking for a raise was rarely effective so she decided to apply the Reciprocity Formula.

Step 1: Sherry had lunch with her boss and asked him what his major goal was for the quarter. He informed her that what he really wanted was to sell 1000 copies of the companies new accounting software before the end of the financial year.

Step 2: Sherry then presented her case by saying, "If I can sell 1000 copies of the new accounting software by June 30th, would you be open to discussing a raise?" Her boss said he’d be happy to.

Step 3: Sherry got down to work and devised a viral marketing campaign on the Internet. She worked extremely hard and her boss could see that she was serious about achieving her goal.

Step 4: Sherry achieved her sales goal and arranged to have lunch with her boss again. In a three month time frame, she’d added a great deal of value to the company and in doing so, she’d also built up a genuine sense of reciprocity with her boss. Over lunch, Sherry’s boss confirmed that he would be happy to give her a raise.

Giving before you receive and developing a genuine sense of reciprocity is one of the most effective ways to get what you want from other people. So today, I’d like to encourage you to use the Reciprocity Formula to develop true WIN-WIN agreements that will help you achieve your most important life goals.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream! 

 ~ $@G@R ~

Seeds of Thought

One of the most important principals for achieving success is to understand that your mind is like a garden bed where you cultivate and grow the seeds of thought.

When you plant a positive seed of thought in your mind and nurture it carefully, it germinates and grows until it leads you to take action.
As soon as you begin acting on your idea, your seed of positive thought becomes a seedling of positive action.

If you continue to feed and encourage this seedling, it gradually develops into a tree of positive habit.

Once this habit has become solid and immovable, it is then only a matter of time before it blossoms to produce the fruits of success.

However it is important to be aware that the garden of your mind does not discriminate between positive and negative seeds of thought.
A negative seed of thought planted within your mind often leads you to take negative actions. These actions gradually develop into negative habits that will inevitably produce the fruits of failure.
When you understand that your thoughts lead to actions and your actions develop into habits and that it is your habits that determine your results in life, then you’ll appreciate why it’s so important to be careful about the seeds of thought that you plant within your mind.
One of the real secrets of success is to become a watchful caretaker over the garden of your mind and make sure that you only plant and cultivate thoughts that will develop into the positive habits necessary for making your dreams a reality.
So what does this mean in the real world?
It means that you should carefully monitor the thoughts that you are planting within your mind each day. Whenever you catch yourself planting or nurturing a negative thought, make the conscious decision to uproot and discard it.
For example, when Andrew went to see his doctor, he was told that he had high cholesterol and needed to lose 10kg. In response to this advice, Andrew joined his local gym and started exercising three days a week.
A few weeks later Andrew stood in front of his bed room mirror and assessed his reflection.
His first thought was, “I look exactly the same! All that hard work and I don’t look any different. This isn’t working at all.”
Then he stopped and realized that this was a negative seed of thought.
He knew that if he continued to nurture this negative perspective it wouldn’t be long before he started skipping sessions and pretty soon his exercise program would be a thing of the past.
Having recognized his negative seed of thought, Andrew made the conscious decision to uproot and discard it before it took hold in his mind.
He took a second look at his reflection and told himself, “Every training session is making me fitter.” This was a positive seed of thought that made him feel good about the action he was taking.
Over time, Andrew continued his training program while protecting his mind from the disempowering seeds of negativity. Eventually he reached his goal weight and brought his cholesterol level down to a healthy level.
So today I’d like to encourage you to become a watchful caretaker of your mind. Whenever you identify a seed of negative thought, uproot and discard it.
Remember, it is much easier to uproot a seed of negative thought than it is to chop down a tree of negative habit that has taken root over many years.
By planting and cultivating seeds of positive thought, you will set in motion a truly remarkable process.
In the same way that a tiny acorn develops into a mighty oak tree, your positive seeds of thought will germinate into the actions and habits that will ultimately lead you to success.
Until next time,
Dare to Dream!

 ~ $@G@R ~

Sany

Sany

B."TEaCH"-Solutions

B."TEaCH"-Solutions

8 Adventurous Spots Around the World

One of the many reasons why people travel is the challenge it poses. Diving into shark-infested waters, climbing the towering peaks or trekking through dense jungles – they all jolt adventure travelers to life. As my blood rushes with every adventure,  I am reminded of the meaning of travel. Once again, based on my own experience and observations, here’s my round-up of 8 adventures and where best to do them.

1. Mountain Trekking – Nepal

Home to the highest peak in the world, Nepal is the playground for climbers and trekkers interested in pushing themselves to the limit. There are numerous trekking routes to explore the Himalayas – the most popular being the Annapurna Base Camp Trail. Many find themselves tested both physically and mentally, returning home with a fulfilled sense of accomplishment.

        Flickr Photo by McKaySavage

2. Hiking through the Amazon Jungle – Ecuador

Few places in the world offer such raw adventure: trudging through the thick foliage of the Amazon in the sultry heat and stumbling upon wildlife and primitive tribes give modern-day travelers a taste of jungle life. Definitely the highlight of our trip through South America, a multi-day jungle trek brings you close to nature and back to basics.

3. White-water Rafting – New Zealand

New Zealand has always been known as adventure travelers’ stomping ground. Queenstown, famed for the variety of heart-pumping activities, promises some of the best white-water rafting opportunities in the world. From Kawarau River for the beginners, to Shotover River suitable for the experts, there is something for every rafting enthusiast. Rapids range from Class II to V. Holidays to New Zealand are sure to get your adrenaline pumping and make you feel truly alive.

4. Skydiving – Florida, USA

There is no other extreme sport that is more jaw-dropping or adrenaline-pumping than jumping off a plane, at an elevation of 1500 feet. There are over thousands of skydiving spots around the world, but many claim skydiving in Sebastian, Florida as one of the most scenic. The dropzone is situated directly on the east coast of Florida, offering a freefall over the beautiful Sebastian Inlet and Atlantic Ocean. Anyone can do it – no physical fitness required!

         Photo from TripAdvisor

5. Scuba Diving – Australia

The world’s biggest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia, has an amazing diversity of marine life never seen anywhere else– from huge barracudas, to schools of reef sharks and the famous green turtles. This dive mecca has always been on the top of many scuba enthusiasts’ bucket list. For the outdoor lovers, Australian holidays definitely provide the kind of action and adventure that few countries do.

         Photo by The Lightworks.

5. Sand boarding – South Africa

Just 40 minutes away from Cape Town stands the majestic Atlantis Dunes, attracting professionals and amateurs around the world. Its pure white dunes are extremely popular thanks to the perfect sand boarding conditions and the magnificent view of the city and its surroundings. Its gentle slopes make it an excellent spot for beginners.

6. Caving and jungle adventures – Borneo

Borneo is the Asian epicenter of adventure travel, drawing in travelers with the opportunities to do caving, wildlife watching and many other activities. The deep cave systems of Gunung Mulu National Park are some of the best systems to do caving: remember to explore the enticing Lang Cave and Clearwater cave. Outdoor enthusiasts will love to explore the surrounding jungle or climb the Mount Kinabalu peak.

7. Sea Kayaking – Thailand

Southern Thailand, specifically around Koh Phangan, offers out-of-this-world kayaking experiences, suitable for both first-time paddlers and the serious marine explorer. Unique and remote limestone islands sprout from the sea, making kayaking through the inlets an exploration on its own. Many of these isolated islands feature dramatic sea caves and sheltered, pristine beaches that can only be reached by kayaks.

8. Rock Climbing – Jordan

Top 8 Natural Wonders of the World

Massive volcanic craters, acres of raw jungle and stretch of deserted sand dunes: the work of Mother Earth is beyond our imagination. Thanks to these natural wonders, our Earth has been blessed with gorgeous landscapes and undulating backdrops. Without environmental protection, they might be gone faster than we expect. To pay tribute to these phenomenal sites, here’s my roundup (based on readings and travels) of the world’s top natural wonders.

1. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The world’s largest coral reef system stretches over 2,600 kilometers and can be seen from outer space. Supporting a wide diversity of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site since 1981. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as overfishing and tourism. A holiday to Australia would be ideal from November to May, when summer temperatures are pleasant and Queensland’s vibrant aquatic life is at its most active.

Photo by Sarah Ackerman

Photo by Brewbooks

2. Amazon Rainforest, South America

An extensive forest covering most of the Amazon Basin of South America, is spread across 8 different countries and covers over 5.5 million km sq. Home to proliferate wildlife and nearly-extinct primitive tribes, the Amazon Rainforest is the largest and most species-rich tropical rainforest in the world.
The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with Rio de Janeiro as the best place to enter the jungle from. We trekked through the Ecuadorian part of the jungle, visiting tribes and exploring the forest at night.

3. Grand Canyon, USA

A steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona is one of the most awe-striking natural site in the United States. The Grand Canyon is a creation formed by over two billions years of nature’s work. Aside from casual sightseeing from the South Rim, the floor of the valley is accessible by foot, mule or rafting. Other activities like whitewater rafting, hiking and running are especially popular.

Photo by Andy Won

4. Sahara Desert, North Africa

The Sahara is the world’s largest hot desert covering over 9 million km sq of area. Spanning most of Northern Africa (Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Chad and Algeria), it’s almost as large as the continent of Europe. Consisting of rocky formations and large sand dunes, a trip through the Sahara is one of mystique and desolation. Visitors can experience the various cultures around the desert through the little Saharan villages.

Photo by wonker

5. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Over 972km west of continental Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands have been secluded from humans for thousands of years, resulting in unique and endemic species of wildlife. This volcanic archipelago of 13 islands is sprouting with marine lizards, giant land tortoises and blue-footed boobies everywhere. An opportunity to visit the islands makes one feels privileged to experience such rare sights in this modern world.

6. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

The crater is a sprawling conservation land, with one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. As a natural sanctuary to thousands of birds, lions, zebras, black rhino, it is often called Africa’s Eden.
Known as the “largest unbroken caldera in the world”, the crater is 610 meters deep and 260 sq km. Only the indigenous tribe of Maasai are allowed to live in the land.The crater is most popular for bird watching, photography, walking safaris, and game viewing.

7. Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay – meaning ‘Descending Dragon Bay’ in Vietnamese- is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It features thousands of limestone karsts and oddly-shaped islets rising from emerald green waters. The evolution of these limestone karsts has taken over 20 million years to form, under the impact of the tropical wet climate. With such biodiversity and ecologically-rich grounds, there is also a thick cultural and historical side to the country. Vietnam holidays often involve a perfect mixture of the two.

Photo by Ethan Crowley

8. Iguazu Falls, South America

Located on the Argentinean-Brazilian border, the falls divide the countries, as if the waters were plunging off the edge of the tectonic plates. It has been compared with the Victoria Falls and Niagara Falls, but the Iguazu definitely offers better views and well-designed walkways. At the Devils’s Throat, you are standing in the midst of the torrential waters, surrounded by 360degrees of waterfalls. Visitors can see the falls from the Brazilian side (Foz de Iguacu) or the Argentinean side (Puerto Iguazu).

Why is China upset over Arunachal Pradesh?

The recent protest by China over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh may have surprised many. But why is China protesting, one may ask. Well, the story, rather the animosity, dates back to the British rule in India and the days of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a press meet

When the British were ruling India, they had demarcated the boundaries between India and China. This was called the McMohan Line. This Line runs to a large extent through Arunachal Pradesh's 1030-km unfenced boundary with China. Beijing never recognised the McMohan Line and has been consistently accusing India of taking away 90,000 sq km of its land. But China shows amnesia when it comes to the north where it occupies a chunk of territory in Kashmir that India regards as its own and it runs in to 43,180 sq km of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, China said the two countries had never officially settled the demarcation of their border, and that its stance on the eastern section of the China-India border was consistent and clear-cut.
India has taken the stand that Arunachal is not a disputed territory and that it is very much part of the Indian Union of States.
Said Foreign Minister S M Krishna: "Regardless of what others say, it is the Government of India's stated position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. We rest at that."
China has suddenly raised the issue of Arunachal Pradesh for two reasons: It is upset at the large scale democratic participation of the people of the State in the recent elections which resulted in a whopping voting figure of 72 percent.

Arunachal Pradesh in China : IPhone 4

Arunachal Pradesh in China as per IPhone 4

Apple IPhone 4, the iconic Mobile Phone by Apple Inc. of United State of America ( USA) shows Arunachal Pradesh of India in China. Apple has accepted Chinese advise to put Arunachal Pradesh in China looking at the huge Chinese market. There has no official reaction from Indian Government. It may be mentioned that, China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh and call it Zangnan. India and China fought a border war in 1962 over border dispute.

“The map that comes along with the new iPhone is censored to comply with the official stance of the Chinese government on border divisions,” according to one of the several local web sites and blogs including thebeijinger.com. iPhones sold in China shows Arunachal belongs to China, they said.
New users of iPhones in China also find the equipment is VPN-proof. Virtual private networks used by thousands in China to overcome the problem of censorship is not working in the case of the new phones when users try to access sites providing independent mapping services, reports say.
One blogger advised his readers to replace iPhone’s map icon with maps.google.com or simply use Google Earth in order to view reliable maps.

Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh belongs to us: China

New Delhi: Against the backdrop of Beijing's renewed claims to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, special representatives of India and China will hold two-day talks here beginning Friday to evolve a framework for final settlement of their decades-old boundary dispute.

Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Dai Bingguo will hold in-camera talks with National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan, almost a year after they last met in Beijing in September 2008.

Besides Dai, the Chinese delegation will include vice foreign minister Wu Dawei and officials of the department of boundary and ocean affairs.

The Indian delegation, headed by Narayanan, will comprise Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, a former ambassador to Beijing and officials of the external affairs ministry and the prime minister's office.

Ahead of the meeting, official sources here said the two sides were trying to expeditiously resolve the "complex" issue and are hoping for progress in the second phase of the three-stage process they agreed to six years ago. The discussions will also include "regional and other issues of mutual interest".

The 13th rounds of talks will take place against the backdrop of China's renewed assertions over Arunachal Pradesh, India's northeastern state that is claimed in entirety by both countries.

In March this year, China tried to block a development loan for India at the Manila-based Asian Development Bank on grounds that part of it was meant for Arunachal Pradesh, causing much disquiet in New Delhi.

Over the last year, Beijing has protested the visits by Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pratibha Patil, to Arunachal Pradesh to reassert its territorial claim over the state.

This was quickly rejected by New Delhi making it clear that Arunachal Pradesh was "an integral part of India".

The two special representatives are likely to focus on bridging the gap on the interpretation of political parameters and guiding principles finalised during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India in 2005.

The talks are aimed at arriving at a framework agreement for resolving the border question.

India and China fought a bitter war in 1962 and are now rapidly expanding their economic ties. They had adopted the special representatives route in 2003 to resolve the border issue from a political perspective after diplomatic negotiations failed to yield results.

India accuses China of illegally occupying 43,180 sq km of territory in Jammu and Kashmir, including 5,180 sq km Pakistan has illegally ceded to Beijing in 1963.

Beijing accuses New Delhi of occupying some 90,000 sq km of Chinese territory, most of it in Arunachal Pradesh.

In making repeated claims over Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing is seen here to be aiming at a maximalist position with an eye on the monastery town of Tawang that it claims on the ground that the sixth Dalai Lama was born there.

The Tibetans, including their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, have, however, never asked the monastery town to be returned to them.

New Delhi contends that the Chinese claim on Tawang goes against the grain of political parameters and guiding principles, which include not upsetting populated areas in a final settlement.