Sipadan Island

post from Malaysia Asia on 01 January 2012 11:35:07 PM. © Malaysia Asia

Sipadan Island in Sabah Malaysia is one of the top ten diving spots in the world and is located in the Celebes Sea off the east coast of Sabah (which is on the island of Borneo). As I have been fortunate enough to visit this spectacular diving site two times in just under a month, I will vouch for this place as a must-dive for any scuba diver. My first trip here was at the end of October

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Going Underground's Most Visited Posts in 2011

post from Going Underground's Blog on 01 January 2012 11:22:19 PM. © Going Underground's Blog

I've been blogging for nine years. 2012 sees this blog going into its tenth year, which surprises me as much as anyone else. So, here's my second year of looking at which blog posts received the most views.

Yet again posts on Max Roberts' great curvy Tube map from previous years made it into the top 10 - his original post from June 2007 and a post where he revisited the map in February 2008.

If I take those posts out, here are the most visited posts, written in 2011, in reverse order.

10. Guess Where Tube 13 - Tube Mouse - Win a copy of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere

With big thanks to Neil Gaiman for Tweeting & ReTweeting about this, my end of year "Guess Where Tube" post, where I asked people to guess where the picture of this Tube mouse was taken, got into the top 10 (which isn't bad for something I only wrote in December - shows the power of a celebrity Tweet & ReTweet - Neil has over 1.6 million followers on Twitter). Amazingly, after all the traffic and guesses, no one got the answer right. It was Holborn!

9. Bob, Angel Tube Cat, gets Book Deal

It's my favourite Tube story of last year and got a lot of publicity from sites like Catster sort of like Facebook for cats. His book is published in March this year, look out for some posts on that.

8. Old Tube Stations could be re-opened

My interview with Ajit Chambers about his plans to re-open disused London Underground Stations. It was one of the first longer interviews with Ajit about his plans. Lots of people Tweeted about it and consequently it got publicity in the wider press, becoming a hugely popular topic which the vast majority of people would like to see realised. Look out for more on Ajit's meetings with TfL and the Mayor this coming year.

7. Old Street Tube in Whiteboard Message Wars

Old Street Tube enter the "battle" between Tube stations to see who has the best messages on white boards. Old Street gave up pretty quickly, so Angel Tube, Caledonian Road, Warwick Avenue, Oval & Shoreditch London Overground can carry on knowing that it was probably just a bit too popularist for a hip station like Old Street to continue.

6. Do Not try to Smoke on the Tube

A cautionary & grisly tale about someone who was smoking on the Tube. A London Undergrond passenger was decapitated when he fell while standing between two carriages trying to have a cigarette.

5. London Underground Map for 2015 and 2019

TfL do some star gazing and attempt to show us London's Tube & Rail Network Map for 2015 and 2019.

4. Limited edition Royal Wedding Oyster cards

As much as we would have liked the Royal Wedding Oyster card to have looked like the above mock up, it didn't.

3. Next planned Tube Strike - June 2011

Sadly Tube Strikes or the threat of them dominate my top three - largely due to a shedload of people searching for news of them. My post on a late June Tube strike was third most visited.

2. Tube Strikes Dates Announced for May and June

My post announcing the May & June Tube strikes

1. Tube Strike Dates Announced for June and July

After all of the air time & strike action in June, the strikes for July were called off.

That's it. Thanks to all the comments, tweets, follows & ReTweets over the year. Thanks to everyone who keeps visiting the blog and has been doing so for the last nine years. And a special thanks to all those who send me fun (and not so fun) London Underground stories, pictures, mash-ups, app news and videos. Please keep them coming. Here's hoping that 2012 will bring as many varied Tube stories. I imagine that posts on the Tube related to the Olympics and the Mayoral elections will feature strongly in the coming year.

Read The Full Article:
http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/01/going-underground-2011s-most-visit
ed.html

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Going Underground 2011's Most Visited Posts

post from Going Underground's Blog on 01 January 2012 10:22:22 PM. © Going Underground's Blog

I've blogged for nine years. 2012 sees this blog going into its tenth year, which surprises me as much as anyone else. So, here's my second year of looking at which blog posts received the most views.

Yet again posts on Max Roberts' great curvy Tube map from previous years made it into the top 10 - his original post from June 2007 and a post where he revisited the map in February 2008.

If I take those posts out, here are the most visited posts, written in 2011, in reverse order.

10. Guess Where Tube Mouse - Win a copy of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere

With big thanks to Neil Gaiman for Tweeting & ReTweeting about this, my end of year "Guess Where Tube" post, where I asked people to guess where the picture of this Tube mouse was taken got into the top 10 (which isn't bad for something I only wrote in December - shows the power of a celebrity Tweet & ReTweet). Amazingly after all the traffic and guesses, no one got the answer right. It was Holborn!

9. Bob, Angel Tube Cat, gets Book Deal

It's my favourite Tube story of last year and got a lot of publicity from sites like Catster sort of like Facebook for cats. His book is published in March this year, look out for some posts on that.

8. Old Tube Stations could be re-opened

My interview with Ajit Chambers about his plans to re-open disused London Underground Stations. A hugely popular topic which the vast majority of people would like to see realised.

7. Old Street Tube in Whiteboard Message Wars

Old Street Tube enter the "battle" between Tube stations to see who has the best messages on white boards. Old Street gave up pretty quickly, so Angel Tube, Caledonian Road, Warwick Avenue, Oval & Shoreditch London Overground can carry on knowing that it was probably just a bit popularist for a hip station like Old Street to continue.

6. Do Not try to Smoke on the Tube

A cautionary & grisly tale about someone who was smoking on the Tube. A London Undergrond passenger was decapitated when he fell while standing between two carriages trying to have a cigarette.

5. London Underground Map for 2015 and 2019

TfL do some star gazing and attempt to show us London's Tube & Rail Network Map for 2015 and 2019.

4. Limited edition Royal Wedding Oyster cards

As much as we would have liked the Royal Wedding Oyster card to have looked like the above mock up, it didn't.

Sadly Tube Strikes or the threat of them dominate my top three - largely due to a shedload of people searching for news of them.

3. Next planned Tube Strike - June 2011

My post on a late June Tube strike.

2. Tube Strikes Dates Announced for May and June

My post announcing the May & June Tube strikes

1. Tube Strike Dates Announced for June and July

After all of the air time & strike action in June, the strikes for July were called off.

That's it. Thanks to all the comments, tweets, follows & ReTweets over the year. Thanks to everyone who keeps visiting the blog and has been doing so for the last nine years. And a special thanks to all those who send me fun (and not so fun) London Underground stories, pictures, mash-ups, app news and videos. Please keep them coming. Here's hoping that 2012 will bring as many varied Tube stories. I imagine that posts on the Tube related to the Olympics and the Mayoral elections will feature strongly in the coming year.

Read The Full Article:
http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/01/going-underground-2011s-most-visit
ed.html

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Thoughts of Angel Happy New Year Messages

post from Going Underground's Blog on 01 January 2012 08:23:03 PM. © Going Underground's Blog

Didn't have to use the Tube over the New Year but good to see that the guys and gals at Angel London Underground station decided to open up their whiteboard to everyone travelling through the station, where Thought of the Day was changed to New Year Wishes

The board was a lot more successful than the staff thought it would be with people sometimes queuing up to write messages.

Here's a few photos and you can see the rest at Thoughts of Angel's site

Look seeing to more of their own thoughts throughout 2012 and you can follow @ThoughtsofAngel on Twitter for their daily message.

Related Posts
Thoughts of Angel Tube Big in Japan
Angel Tube's Thoughts of the Day go Online

Read The Full Article:
http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/01/thoughts-of-angel-happy-new-year.h
tml

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PHOTO: Musicians From All Over the World Come to
San Batolome to Buy These Handmade Guitars

post from Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel on 01 January 2012 02:46:02 PM. © Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel

Read The Full Article:
http://holeinthedonut.com/2012/01/01/ecuador-san-bartolome-artisan-guitars/

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PHOTO: Musicians From All Over the World Come to
San Bartolome to Buy These Handmade Guitars

post from Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel on 01 January 2012 02:46:02 PM. © Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel

Read The Full Article:
http://holeinthedonut.com/2012/01/01/ecuador-san-bartolome-artisan-guitars/

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Salad in a Jar

post from Things You Should Eat on 01 January 2012 02:22:06 PM. © Things You Should Eat

Source: fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

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http://thingsyoushoulddo.blogspot.com/2012/01/salad-in-jar.html

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NY Historical Society offers January discount

Throughout January, the New-York Historical Society will offer a $5 coupon off its regular $15 adult admission as part of its culture spot of the month designation by the city’s tourism bureau.Located on the Upper West Side next door to the[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewyorkologyANewYorkTravelGuide/~3/eMthAFnCeEA/ny_
historical_s_7.php

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The Kingdom of Yangdon

post from altum viditur's travel and leisure tips and trips on 01 January 2012 11:22:47 AM. © altum viditur's travel and leisure tips and trips

KINGDOM OF YANGDON Kingdom of Yangdon, is a landlocked state in Southern Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by thePeople’s Republic of China. Yangdon is separated from the nearby country of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim, and fromBangladesh to the south [...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AltumViditur/~3/WSD7zZdhqBU/

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Chinatown Restaurant Week set for March 9 through
18

Chinatown will get its own restaurant week this year, featuring prix fixe three-course dinners for $18.88.Chinatown Restaurant Week is set for March 9 through 18, but restaurants have not yet been announced.In the past, there were Taste of Chinatown[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewyorkologyANewYorkTravelGuide/~3/yLs6KIEBYPo/chi
natown_resta.php

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