The World's Top 10 Airports

Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services. It conducts research for commercial airlines. It carries out international-traveller surveys to find the best cabin staff, airport, airline, airline lounge, in-flight entertainment, on-board catering, and several other elements of air travel. Apart from these surveys, Skytrax has an airline forum where passengers give other potential passengers the feel of an airline before choosing to fly with them. They also have flight reviews, flight checks, and satisfaction surveys. They are best known for their annual World Airline Awards and World Airport Awards.

The top 10 airports as per skytrax are:

1	Hong Kong International Airport
2	Singapore Changi Airport
3	Incheon International Airport
4	Munich Airport
5	Beijing Capital International Airport
6	Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
7	Zurich Airport
8	Auckland International Airport
9	Kuala Lumpur International Airport
10	Copenhagen Airport

In some of the other categories the top 3 were: 

THE MOST IMPROVED AIRPORTS

1. Abu Dhabi International Airport

2. Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi Airport

3. Cairo Airport

BEST AIRPORT FOR LOW-COST AIRLINES

1. Berlin-Schoenefeld Airport

2. Brussels Charleroi Airport

3. London Stansted Airport

 

BEST AIRPORT DINING

1. Hong Kong International Airport

2. Singapore Changi Airport

3. Munich Airport

BEST AIRPORT WASHROOMS
1. Hong Kong International Airport

2. Incheon International Airport

3. Kansai International Airport (Japan)

BEST AIRPORT TERMINAL CLEANLINESS

1. Zurich Airport

2. Incheon International Airport

3. Beijing Capital International Airport

BEST INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT AIRPORT

1. Incheon International Airport

2. Singapore Changi Airport

3. Munich Airport

BEST AIRPORT SECURITY PROCESSING

1. Beijing Capital International Airport

2. Incheon International Airport

3. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

BEST AIRPORT LEISURE AMENITIES

1. Singapore Changi Airport

2. Incheon International Airport

3. Munich Airport

BEST AIRPORT SHOPPING

1. London Heathrow Airport

2. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

3. Singapore Changi Airport

BEST AIRPORT BAGGAGE DELIVERY

1. Zurich Airport

2. Copenhagen Airport

3. Kansai Airport

BEST AIRPORT IMMIGRATION SERVICE

1. Kuala Lumpur International Airport

2. Beijing Capital International Airport

3. Singapore Changi Airport[source]

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World's Top 10 Most Dangerous Roads

1. The Death Road (Bolivia)

The North Yungas Road, also known as The Death Road, is a 61 to 69 km road leading from La Paz to Coroico (Bolivia's capital, to the Amazon region) in the Yungas region of Bolivia. It is legendary for its extreme danger: in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank marked it as the "world's most dangerous road. " One estimate is that 200-300 travelers were killed yearly along the road. The road includes crosses marking many of the spots where such vehicles have fallen from mountains.

At the end of 2006, after 20 years of construction, a new road (a by-pass) from La Paz to Coroico was opened for public. This new route features modern construction  multiple lanes, pavement, guardrails and many other elements that make it considerably safer than the original route. As a result, the original North Yungas Road is currently much less used by traffic, although an increasing number of adventure travelers bike it for the thrills.

 2. Guoliang Tunnel Road (China)

The road in Taihang mountains was built by local villagers: it took almost five years to finish the 1,200 metre long tunnel which is about 5 meters high and 4 meters wide. Some of the villagers died in accidents during construction. On May 1, 1977, the tunnel was opened to traffic. It is located in the Taihang Mountains, in the Hunan Province of China.

 3. Ruta 5: Arica to Iquique Road (Chile)

The road from Arica to Iquique is renowned for being dangerous; you drive past very deep valleys and wind your way through, spotting ever so often tell-tale vehicle skeletons at the bottom. The mono-hued and isolated scenery is well capable of endowing you with the capacity to have dangerous visions, so concentrating and avoiding the use of any form of hallucinatory substance is essential here.

4. Siberian Road to Yakutsk (Russia)

The Russian Federal Highway connects Moscow to Yakutsk, where the coldest temperature ever recorded outside Antarctica was recorded. Yakutsk is also the largest city built on continuous permafrost. Most houses are built on concrete piles because of the frozen ground.

5. Sichuan-Tibet Highway (China)

In China, the number of deaths caused by car accidents has nearly doubled in the past 20 years, climbing from 3.9 to 7.6 per 100,000 of the population between 1985 and 2005. The Sichuan-Tibet Highway, a high-elevation road between Chengdu and Tibet where landslides are common and is undoubtedly part of the problem.

The 2,412km long Sichuan-Tibet Highway starts from Chengdu of Sichuan on the east and ends at Lhasa of Tibet on the west. The road stretches into Lhasa passing Ya’an, Garze and Chamdo. Sichuan-Tibet highway traverses 14 high mountains which average 4,000-5000m, spans dozens of famous rivers (Dadu River, Jinsha River, Lantsang River, Nujiang), crosses primeval forest and numerous dangerous sections. It has spectacular views along the line, with unique ethnic customs.

6. James Dalton Highway (Alaska)

The James Dalton Highway is a 414-mile gravel road. It heads straight north from the Livengood turnoff of the Elliott Highway, through arctic tundra to the farthest north reaches of Alaska. Alyeska built the 360-mile haul road, now known as the Dalton Highway. The pipeline bridge across the 1,875 mile Yukon River is the only span across that river in Alaska.

It is still the main supply route for the Prudhoe Bay oilfields, and you will be sharing the road with large tractor-trailers. Windshields and headlights are easy targets of flying rocks. Most rental companies will not allow you to drive their cars on the Dalton. Trucks speeding along the slippery gravel track kick up thick clouds of dust or mud, reducing visibility to absolute zero; potholes take a heavy toll on cars and services, gas, and repairs are practically nonexistent. Don't even consider driving the Dalton unless you have 4-wheel drive, a CB radio, extra fuel, food, tires, and a trunk filled with supplies.

7. Patiopoulo-Perdikaki Road (Greece)

This is a narrow busy dirt track that stretches from Patiopoulo to Perdikaki in Greece. This road is a steep climb or decent, it is dangerous because it has huge pot holes and very little grip for the vehicles that travel on it. It is a narrow road with a sheer drop on either side of its slope with no guard rails or an prevention to stop a vehicle from going over. Many people die on his road every year, it is used by pedestrians, livestock and trucks, buses and cars. A very dangerous road that has  no lines to determine where the edge is, this is especially dangerous at night, most of the accidents happen at night on this road.

 8. Trollstigen (Norway)

Trollstigen (The Troll Ladder) is a mountain road in Rauma, Norway, part of Norwegian National Road 63 connecting Åndalsnes in Rauma and Valldal in Norddal. A popular tourist attraction due to its steep incline of 9% and eleven hairpin bends up a steep mountain side, the road up is narrow with many sharp bends, and although it has been widened in recent years, vehicles over 12.4 meters long are prohibited from driving the road. At the top there is large parking place which allows visitors to leave their cars and walk for about ten minutes to a viewing balcony which overlooks the road with its bends and the Stigfossen waterfall. Stigfossen is a beautiful waterfall which falls 320 meters down the mountain side.

9. The A682 Road (England)

The A682 between junction 13 of the M65 and Long Preston is the worst road in England as it has claimed almost 100 fatalities over the last ten years. The 14 mile single lane A682 between junction 13 of the M65 near Nelson, Lancs, and Long Preston in North Yorkshire, had 22 serious accidents in the past three years - two of them fatal. Experts say it has an average of 0.5 deaths per 10 miles annually. It is a favorite for motorcyclists, especially early on a Sunday morning.

 10. Stelvio Pass Road Trollstigen(Italy)

The highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps --and the second highest in the Alps, after the Col de l'Iseran (2770 m)--, the Stelvio Pass Road connects the Valtellina with the upper Adige valley and Merano. It is located in the Italian Alps, near Bormio and Sulden, 75 km from Bolzano, close to Swiss border. 

While it might not be as risky as other deadly routes, it's certainly breathtaking. The tour books advise that the toughest and most spectacular climbing is from the Prato side, Bormio side approach is more tame. With 48 hairpins, this road is regarded as one of the finest continuous hairpin routes in the Alps.[source]

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Top 10 bollywood movies of all time

Bollywood is the Mumbai based Hindi Film industry in India. Raja HarishChandra was released in 1913 is the 1st featured film while Alam Ara is 1st talkie film. It has been nearly 100yrs to hindi film industry. During this time many superhits films have been released. Here is the list of top 10 Bollywood movies.

1.Sholay(1975)

This is probably one of the movie which is the safest bet to put into any one's all time favourite list. The film directed by Ramesh Sippy and produced by G.P. Sippy became a new milestone in the Hindi film industry. Ironically when this was released in 1975, it didn't get critic's nod initially. It build up on the mouth to mouth reviews and soon it was a super duper hit. The power pack star cast comprising Amitabh Bachhan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev kumar and Amzad khan made this movie an all time blockbuster. The caracters like Jai, veeru, Thakur, Gabbar, Basanti casted a long time impression on everyone's mind. It was awarded the title of "Movie of millennium" by BBC

2. Guide (1965)

Directed by Vijay Anand and produced and acted by Dev anand, this movie released in Feb 1965 and became one of the all time super hit and critically acclaimed movie of Indian Cinema. This movie is also known for having wonderful music and song composed by great S.D. Burman. Decorated by best acting performance from Dev Anand and Wahida Rehman along with the story from awarded novel 'The Guide' by R. K. Narayan, it received 7 filmfare awards

3. Mother India (1957)

Released in 1957 starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rejendra Kumar and Raj kumar, it was one of the most critically acclaimed movie of that time. It was also nominated for the Oscar award for the best movie in foreign language. It is also often remembered for the brilliant act by Nargis who played the role of mother of Sunil Dutt. The pair went on to get married later

4. Mughal-e-Azam (1960)

Released in 1960, this movie went to became a master piece of Indian Cinema. It was produced by K. Asif and it took more than 15 years to get completed. Starring great Dilip kumar, most beautiful Indian actress Madhubala and Prithivi Raj Kapoor, it went to become the most beautiful love story and royal drama in Indian film industry. The song 'Jab pyar kiya to darna kya' is one of the most loved song of Indian Cinema

5. Dilwale Dulhaniyaa Le Jaayenge DDLJ (1995)

DDLJ released in 1995 also marked an era in Indian cinema when it started to look seriously one section of its viewer which was global Indian audience. Shot extensively in London and Europe this went to become the highest grosser at that time. It is still running non stop in one of the Mumbai theatre and broke the record of Sholay for most consecutive weeks run in any theatre. It also started the era of young director like Aditya chopra, Karan Johar and so on. Any list for all time favourite Hindi movie is incomplete without this movie in the list.

6. Deewar (1975)

This 1975 movie directed by Yash Chopra will go down in history as one of most successful movie of Amitabh Bachhan. This was the movies which set the 'Angry Man' images of Amitabh Bachhan and made him a super star overnight. Starring great Amitabh Bachhan, Shashi Kapoor, Nirupa Roy, Neetu Singh and Parveen Bobby, this story of a poor mother and two sons one of which is a cop and other a smuggler was also famous for its great dialogue deliveries. Another plus point of this movie was melodious music of great R. D. Burman. It earned 7 Filmfare award including best movie award that year.

7. Lagaan (2001)

This 2001 movie directed by Ashutosh Gowarkar and produced by Amir Khan was based in the pre independence era and also included the nation's biggest obsession, that's Cricket. Starring Amir Khan and Gracy singh and music scored by legend and Oscar award winner A. R. Rahman this movie was nominated for the Academy award for the best film in foreign language. It is also the most critically acclaimed movie of that year.

8. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994)

This movie was released in 1994 and directed by Suraj Bharjataya. This family drama was almost a copy of another Bhojpuri movie 'Nadiyaa Ke Paar' but was more commercialised and hence became more popular. Starring Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit, this movie will also be remembered because of its popular music. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun was the highest grosser at the box office at that time.

9. Border (1997)

some people may question the inclusion of this film in this list. But in my opinion, this movie released in 1997, directed by J. P. Dutta was the best war epic movie ever produced in Indian film industry. Starring Sunny Deol, Jackies Shroff, Sunil Shetty, Akshay Khanna, Tabu and Pooja Bhatt, it was not only critically acclaimed but also a box office success. It was based on a real story of Battle of Longewala during India - Pakistan war of 1971. Film's music composed by Anu Malik was also admired by the public. director J. P. Dutta won the Filmfare best Director award.

10. Taare Zameen Par (2007)

This 2007 movie produced, directed and acted by Amir Khan is a story of a nine year old boy who is suffering from dyslexia but no one really understand that. This widely acclaimed movies starring Amir Khan and Darsheel Safary won the 2008 Filmfare award for best Movie. Music was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy was another USP for the movie. The plot, the story and the message that this movie spread forced me to include this into my all time best Hindi movie list.[source]

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Top 10 facts about Universe

Interesting Facts About the Universe

So you think you know your universe? Let us know some amazing facts about the universe and the ocean of space time that we float in! 

1. Universe was ‘hot’ when it was young

The most widely accepted cosmological model is that of the Big Bang. This was proven since the discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation or CMBR. No one knows exactly what ‘banged’, we know from extrapolation that the Universe was infinitely hot at birth, cooling down as it expanded.

In fact, even only within minutes of expansion, scientists predict its temperature to have been about a billion Kelvin. Moving backward to 1 second, it is said to have been at 10 billion Kelvin. For comparison, today’s universe is found to have an average temperature of only 2.725 Kelvin.

2. Universe will be ‘cold’ when it grows old day by day

Observations made especially on galaxies farthest from us show that the Universe is expanding at an accelerated rate daily. Data that show that the Universe is cooling allows us to believe that the most probable ending for our universe is that of a Big Freeze.

3. The Universe is having diameter of over 150 billion light years

Current estimates as with regards to the size of the Universe it at a width of 150 billion light years. Although it may seem peculiarly inconsistent with the age of the Universe, this value is easily understood once you consider the fact that the Universe is expanding at an accelerated rate.

4. The Universe is 13.7 billion years old

The fact that we know this is better than 1% precision. Credit goes to the WMAP team for gathering all the information needed to come up with this number. The information is based on measurements made on the CMBR.

Older methods which have contributed to confirming this value include measurements of the abundances of certain radioactive nuclei. Observations made on globular clusters, which contain the oldest stars, have also pointed to values close to this.

5. The Earth is not flat – but the Universe IS

Based on Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, there are three possible shapes that the Universe may take:

a)     Open

b)    closed, and

c)     flat.

Once again, measurements by WMAP on the CMBR have revealed a monumental confirmation – the Universe is flat.

Combining this geometry and the idea of an invisible entity known as dark energy coincides with the widely accepted ultimate fate of our universe, which as stated earlier, is a Big Freeze.

6. Large Scale Structures of the Universe

Considering only the largest structures, the Universe is made up of

a)     filaments,

b)    voids,

c)      superclusters, and

d)     galaxy groups and

e)     clusters.

 By combining galaxy groups and clusters, we get superclusters. Some superclusters in turn form part of walls, which are also parts of filaments.

The vast empty spaces are known as ‘voids’. That the Universe is clumped together in certain parts and empty in others is consistent with measurements of the CMBR that show slight variations in temperature during its earliest stages of development.

7. A huge chunk of it is made up of many things we can’t see

Different wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum such as those of radio waves, infrared, x-rays, and visible light have allowed us to peer into the cosmos and ‘see’ huge portions of it. Unfortunately, an even larger portion cannot be seen by any of these frequencies.

And yet, certain phenomena such as gravitational lensing, temperature distributions, orbital velocities and rotational speeds of galaxies, and all others that are facts of a missing mass justify their probable existence. Specifically, these observations show that dark matter exists. Another invisible entity known as dark energy, is believed to be the reason why galaxies are speeding away at an accelerated rate.

8. There is no such thing as the Universe’s CENTER

The earth is not the center of the Universe, not even the center of the galaxy. And no again, our galaxy is not the entire universe, neither is it the center. Don’t hold your breath but the Universe has no center. Every galaxy is expanding away from one another.

9. Galaxies are in a hurry to be as far away from each other as possible

As mentioned earlier, they are rushing away from each other at increasing rates. In fact, prior to the findings of most recently gathered data, it was believed that the Universe might end in a Big Rip. That is, everything, down to the atoms, would be ripped apart.

This idea stemmed from this observed accelerated rate of expansion. Scientists who supported this radically catastrophic ending believed that this kind of expansion would go on forever, and thus would force everything to be ripped apart.

10. To gain a deeper understanding of universe, we need to study structures even smaller than the atom.

Ever since cosmologists started to trace events backward in time based on the Big Bang model, their views, which focused only on the very large, got smaller and smaller. They knew, that by extrapolating backward, they would be led into a universe that was very hot, very dense, very tiny, and governed by extremely high energies.

These conditions were definitely within the realm of particle physics. Hence, the most recent studies of both cosmology and particle physics saw an inevitable marriage between the two.

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Top 10 Travel Destinations For Singles -- Be single and ready to mingle

Before you go solo, checkout these top 10 travel destinations for singles. The bachelorhood is perhaps one of the best phases of our lives where there are no obligations and hardly any responsibilities. Bachelorhood is a symbol of freedom. It signifies the freedom to live life our own way where you do not have to answer any one for your actions.

However, there comes a time when you feel lonely and feel to travel to several new travel destinations. You log on to the internet and check out the places but alas you see innumerable travel destinations those suitable for couples. Now you can go through the following top 10 travel destinations for singles when you get the “I wanna travel a lot” feeling.

1.      Las Vegas, NV

This dream city of Nevada is one of the top 10 travel destinations famous for its shimmering casino lights in the dark of the night that makes it appear as a full blown day. This wonderful city was under the abyss during the early 20th century, however, now, in the 21st century, this city is a home of over several millions of people.

When you as a tourist, you are the “King” in this city where you can get anything that you wish for. Beware of the lures of the “Caesars Palace” as gambling is bad when you go out of the bounds.

The night clubs, strip joints and the highly hedonistic lifestyle truly pertaining to the famous adage “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” are truly legendary.

Though not for the families with children, Las Vegas is the best travel destination for singles looking out for a night full of fun.

2.      London

The Europe’s largest city, London is home for almost eight million people. The river Thames is the most famous landmark of this beautiful city. This city is so diverse ethnically that you may not feel like an outsider at all.

Within a matter of time you may find someone that speaks your own language that makes things easier and the whole experience unforgettable. The people living in this city all together speak about over 200 languages that make exploring this city much easier for the non-English people.

The fantastic museums, art galleries, opera houses, attract you to this city all the more. Millions of tourists come to this magnificent place every year to view the Buckingham Palace, the St.Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and much more.

3.      Cancun, Mexico

The city that literally thrives on a political will, Cancun is now a home for over millions of people and almost two million people visit this city every year.

In Cancun, you can find ultra modern buildings near the soft sandy beaches. Being a single, you can also indulge in your dream sports like Parachuting, Jet skiing, Para gliding, Scuba diving, golf and much more.  If you have lots of money, then this place is perfect vacation destination for you.

4.      Buenos Aires

Once you log on to the internet you will find a huge list of innumerable clubs where awesome models visit regularly for their night parties.

Even if you run out of your luck and miss seeing your favorite model, there are several chances that you will bump into a charming companion that makes traveling all the more exciting for the singles and have met other people like them.

All thanks to the popular dance form “Tango” you might get to know a lot of other singles as you know that it takes “Two to Tango”. On the tunes of Tango, you can seduce your way into the hearts of several other charming singles.

5.      San Diego, CA

The bachelorhood evokes a feeling of freedom that makes you want to touch the sky. This city in California has the clearest of skies that are absolutely free of smog that greatly enhances your sense of freedom.

Being the second biggest city in California, San Diego is one of the top 10 travel destinations, rich but never overbearing. This city loves the people with easygoing attitude who believe in living life to its fullest.

Exploring this wonderful city of San Diego is easy because there are no knotty freeways that flummox you.

6.      San Juan, Puerto Rico

For the lovers of artistic history and the sandy beaches where you can encounter several singles, this city is perfect for singles travel like you. With its large chain of restaurants with excellent food options, this city really impresses the big time foodies.

The beautiful turquoise waves splashing around the renovated relics of San Juan enhance the beauty of this Puerto Rican capital. You can also make trips during the day time to the Luquillo beach, the Rio Camuy Cave Park, the El Yunque rainforest and several coral reefs.

For the singles, San Juan is the best travel destination with wonderful lodging options.

7.      Miami

Being a Baywatch lover, you must love the bikinis and the beaches equally. Miami city brings along your favorites together on its innumerable sandy beaches.

Make sure that you learn the sexy tunes of the famous dance form “Salsa” so that you can attract other singles to your moves too. If you are a great book and music lover then you can also explore several book shops.

You can also visit beautiful art galleries and have a chance to meet up yet another single with budding artistic talent.

8.      New York City, NY

The city of hustle and bustle, New York is an exciting travel destination for singles that believe in living in the fast paced life. You will indeed fall in love with the towering skyscrapers that literally make you want to see higher and higher with increasing awe.

As modern this city is, it also takes you back to the old times with its magnificent historical places when the lords and dukes courted the shy ladies with poise, dignity and patience that makes you feel deeply romantic.The experience onboard the Staten Island Ferry is beautiful beyond the words.

9.      Amsterdam

What more do you want when you enter the wonderful city of Amsterdam that lets you live the way you want. This is one of the top 10 travel destinations for singles as you can be what you want and go on about your own wild escapades.

The tabooed avenues like the sales of marijuana and the famous “Adult night life” at the Red Light District that certainly makes the cheeks of several females redden with blush when they think about it are permitted and regulated in this wonderful city of Amsterdam.

Being single, you often are on a look out for a charming member with whom you can stroll over 1000 parks walking hand in hand and snuggling in each other’s arms in over 160 canals present in the Amsterdam city.

10 Rome

Your room is filled with historical romances and you always dream of a dark lover that lovingly whispers in your ears “Ciao Bella” (Hello beautiful). If you have nodded your head and smiled while reading the above lines then Rome is surely the best vacation destination for singles like you.

Get ready to get wooed by the Italian men when they lovingly offer you the famous Carbonara and Chianti during a lovely starry night on the Piazza Navona.

What are you waiting for? If you are single and ready to mingle then head straight to the above top 10 travel destinations for singles[source]

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