Canary in a phosphate mine
Editor's note: CNN sent iReporter Johnny Colt on a trip to the remote island nation of Nauru in November 2010 to get the story about the last country on Earth to post an iReport . It's quite a story, as you'll see. Since then, the tiny island's story has gotten even bigger: Nauru was recently elected to take over as chair of the United Nations' Alliance of Small Island States, a group of 43 countries working together to slow climate change across the globe and keep the ocean from swallowing them up. (CNN) -- Endless hours of travel have left me more than a little raw. The 12-hour layover in Australia's Brisbane International Airport is a whiz-bang. I find myself shopping for crystal unicorns and staring at duty-free liquor. Two entire shifts of employees come and go while I down 14 shots of espresso. It's 14 hours from Atlanta to Australia, then one more flight to Nauru. Where? Exactly. It's a tiny island nation about 1,800 miles from eastern Australia. It's in the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, beyond Papua New Guinea, beyond the Solomon Islands. If the world were flat, this might be the last stop before you fell off. Nauru first hit my radar as the last country that CNN iReport waited on to complete its Global Challenge , a race to net an iReport story from every nation on the planet. Soon, Nauru will also hold the chair of the U.N. Alliance of Small Island States, a group of 43 countries working together to slow climate change. It's a new role for Nauru and its 9,000-some inhabitants. They'll be the voice of places like Tuvalu and Kiribati, tiny islands that might well be erased by rising oceans; tiny islands trying to make the case to the world at large to cut emissions and extend the Kyoto Protocol, lest the ocean swallow them up. A U.N. climate change panel in 2007 estimated the sea level would rise more than half a meter by 2100, but recent reports have indicated that ice sheets may be melting even more quickly, threatening places like Nauru, where most of the population lives in a low-lying band around the perimeter of the island. In a lot of ways, Nauru is something like a canary in a coal mine: It's a tiny place with more than its share of troubles, most of them the kind that might have been prevented. Nauru is battling a failed economy, widespread poor health and a natural environment ruined from the inside. They're the kinds of things that aren't altogether different from what's facing many of the rest of us, but they're magnified in a place that's only a tenth the size of Washington, D.C.
Melbourne Duty Free - News
I find myself shopping for crystal unicorns and staring at duty-free liquor. Two entire shifts of employees come and go while I down 14 shots of espresso. It's 14 hours from Atlanta to Australia, then one more flight to Nauru. Where? Exactly.
Donehue worked with other AFL clubs, including Hawthorn and the Brisbane Lions, before Carlton cornered his services, although he still works for NRL side Melbourne Storm. An unnamed official from another AFL club told Herald Sun reporter Sam Edmund
The race is so strong that Debussy, winner of the 2010 Arlington Million, is listed as a 66-1 outsider in his first start since a 15th-place finish in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free Stakes in Dubai in March. So You Think, trained by Aidan O'Brien,
The 22-year-old Australian, who penned a three-year deal with Fortuna, has opted against a break despite being involved in both of the Socceroos' friendlies last week as well as Melbourne Victory's 2011 AFC Champions League campaign over the past few
takes on the Cronulla Sharks this week in a match that is important for many reasons. After losing to bottom side the Canberra Raiders a fortnight ago, Storm has had plenty of time to think about that game given they had the bye last
InFlight: QF9 – Melbourne to Singapore
Route : Melbourne to Singapore
Flight: QF9
Carrier: Qantas
Class: Economy
Seat: 57A. This is a standard A380 window seat on the lower deck (note to get on the upper deck you’ll need a premium or business ticket). The curvature of the aircraft body makes the seat feel very spacious (especially as the middle seat is empty) however as others have noted it’s almost impossible to lean against the wall as it’s too far away. The windows look massive and from this seat you see how big the A380 wings are (seems to go on forever!). The armrest of the seat doesn’t go all the way up, but it can extend your thigh room if the seat is empty beside you. This is actually a little annoying when you recline as the armrest kinda sticks out awkwardly. The foot rest in economy is a little odd and takes some getting used to. It’s basically just a section of netting under the seat in front. I find its a little tight at the toes so prefer to just let my feet run free under the seat. Unless you have massively long arms you’ll need to stand to reach the air vent above, although fortunately the light control is in the seat control. There is plenty of overhead storage above.
Aircraft: Airbus A380 (VH-OQC). The space, comfort and lack of noise that an A380 gives you is second to none. Before take off the pilot said that during take off we would notice how comfortable the A380 is and he’s not wrong. Its so quiet it’s amazing! The space available is quickly filled with economy seats in a 3-4-3 layout however at the very back of he bus there is a self service snack bar and some room to stretch the legs. There is a spiral staircase to the upper deck but alas I’m not in able to access this area. The A380 is definitely a remarkable aircraft and adds to the comfort provided on the service.
Terminal: Melbourne’s International Terminal has been undergoing some significant redevelopment over the past few years. The new outwards duty free store is huge when compared to it’s predecessor. I’m sure departing tourists love it, but I never see the point of buying duty free at the start of a holiday so pretty much headed directly for the lounge (separate review to follow). The new concourse is pretty spacious and lacks any shopping outlets, so if you want to get away from the masses, head down there and watch the planes come and go.
Melbourne Duty Free - Bookshelf
Melbourne Encounter
Travellers over 18 have a duty-free quota of 2.5L of alcohol, 250 cigarettes ... refund at the designated booth located beyond Customs at Melbourne Airport. ...Lonely Planet Melbourne & Victoria 7th Edition
Travellers over 18 have a duty-free quota of 2.5L of alcohol, ... embassies are in Canberra but some countries have diplomatic representation in Melbourne. ...Melbourne, Victoria & Tasmania
Melbourne's Herald Sun (heraldsun.news.com.au) is the country's best-selling ... is knocked off in the Duty-Free stores, so you often find good savings on ...Asia & Pacific Review 2003/04, The Economic and Business Report
Queensland: Cairns (CNS), 4km north-west of Cairns, with duty-free shop, ... The main ports are at Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle. ...Parliamentary debates, Senate and House of Representatives
A Melbourne capitalist can go and buy a big steam-ship in London in the free- trade ... is duty free. It will go out of Melbourne as ships' stores in bond. ...Knowledge Base Directory
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JR/Duty Free
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Tax and duty free shopping at Melbourne airport ... When it comes to duty-free, Swiss travel-retailer runs the concession in the new terminal under the easy-to ...
Tennis - The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships - Melbourne ...
Novak Djokovic and Lukasz Kubot were in fourth round action Monday at the Australian Open. ... Copyright © The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2011. ...
