Changi Airport to Grow ENORMOUSLY

Singapore is planning a bit of growth at Changi Airport.

T4 is coming soon but then Terminal 5 [ T5] is basically going to double the size of the airport again.

So by 2030 there will be  third runway and it will be a whole lot bigger.

More here -
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/-/world/18555440/singapore-to-double-capacity-of-changi-airport/

Crazy Weather in the Tropics

Fires are creating an enormous problematic smoke haze over Singapore and Johor Bahru state in Malaysia - fires in Indonesia.

And while this seems to happen almost every year in the dry season, it has been exceptionally bad this week with the haze and smog reaching dangerous levels that can be very unhelpful to your health.

It might have cleared a bit today, but still NOT good.

The Top End is beset for over a week with overcast windy cloudy weather and a few light rain showers around the region.  None in our gauge, but certainly been rain around with falls up to 3-4mm, but most 1-2mm.  It is still very cloudy tonight, and wind has dropped, so humidity is up.

Might be a bit sunnier and clearer tomorrow, or so they say.

Cloudy weather means the solar hot water system needs an electrical boost, and with our current shortest day of the year it is currently just tepid - not good for showering!


So............cloud on both sides of the equator.  Not common at all!

UPDATE - on 26 June, HAIL recorded in Singapore.........definitely crazy.

smoke haze Singapore June 2013

 

smoke from Sumatra streaming across Singapore
 

Ours is not that bad!!! 

Great New Buildings of Note - Gardens by the Bay - Singapore

http://www.news.com.au/travel/world/living-the-high-life-worlds-coolest-new-buildings/story-e6frfqai-1226422425029

One of these of considerable interest to those in Darwin might be the new Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.

These include the Supertrees along with two new fantastic conservatories with controlled climate conditions, which for hot and steamy Singapore means both dry and cooler conditions.

It opened at the end of June, and I have only seen the outside. Although there have been a few pictures around of the insides.

The conservatories are to the left of the photo, out of view.  The "Supertrees" do look better at night and are well lit up.  No doubt they will be even more intriguing once they are plant covered.

Fuel Shortages in Darwin?

The Shell refinery in Singapore has been on fire since 28 September.

This refinery is supplying between one third and one half of the total in Singapore's refining capacity, and all of the NT fuel comes in as refined fuel by ship from Singapore.

What will be the situation in the NT?

Refineries do not get repaired quickly.

More here -http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/43324

and here - http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-29/shell-to-shut-singapore-refinery-after-extinguishing-worst-fire-since-1988.html

[ photo from news.com.au 29/9/11]

Red Bull Art of Can

Red Bull is a well known sports drink, and they sponsor a very exiciting aeroplane race at locations around the world too.

And they also sponsor an art prize............ for art made from aluminium cans. Darwin is well known for the Beer Can Regatta where the boats are made from cans, and a local from Darwin also constructed and sailed a beer can boat from Darwin to Singapore in the 1980s. But an art prize for cans???



In 2010 it is in Singapore and the art work is truly spectacular. The on line catalogue does not do the art work justice - photos I think are a little washed out, and slightly over exposed, for what are shining examples of creativity by Singaporean artists.


Have a look at : http://www.redbullartofcan.sg/ [not - .com.sg!!] for more information. Links to earlier exhibitions too.


Art show closes 11 July.......at *Scape in Singapore............but the web site will remain.

The top photo is titled - Samurai, but it is not listed in the catalogue. Definitely my favourite. Lower photo - title is "Very Happy'.

More photos being posted shortly at http://www.flickr.com/ at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/surfie999/4795292361/in/photostream/?rotated=1&cb=1279182337843