日本へようこそ ( welcome to Japan)

バイ エマ ケリー ( By Emma Kelly )

Fact file

• Flights : Dublin - Amsterdam - Tokyo

• Capital- Tokyo

• Currency - Yen (¥)

• Languages - Japanese - Ryukyuan - Ainu

• Hello- こんにちは (Kon'nichiwa)My name is - 私の名前はある (Watashinonamaehaaru)

• Goodbye - さようなら (Sayōnara)

• main religions - Most Japanese do not identify themselves as being

members of a single religion, instead they incorporate elements of

various religions. Japan enjoys full religious freedom & religions such

as Christianity , Islam, Hinduism are practised.

• Culture- the culture of Japan has evolved greatly over years. The

Japanese culture was influenced by Asia, Europe & North America.

• -Clothing: Traditional clothing in japan consists of a full length

garment called a Naga-gi which is worn on special occasions by

women , mean & children. Men mainly wear darker colours where

women tend to wear brighter colours. Younger women often

wear complicated abstract and floral designs

Transport

• - Transportation in Japan is modern & highly developed.

It stands out for its energy efficiency as it uses less energy

per person compared to other countries.

• - railway transport is very popular in Japan for travelling

from city to city.

• -Japan currently has 98 airports.

• - There are 22 major seaports in japan

Mount fugi• Mount Fugi is located on the Honshu Island and is the

highest mountain in Japan.

• Mount Fugi is one of japans ' Three Holy Mountains' along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku.

• Mount Fugi is a special place of scenic beauty and it is also a historic site.

• There are 4 major climbing routes, historical sites such as old shrines, teahouses & huts are found along these routes.

• There are 6 major sightseeing spots - an example is a site called Isawa located at the east side of the mountain, where there is a peach and grape production site. From August you can enjoy fruit picking and tours of wineries.

National museum of modern art

• The Tokyo Museum of Modern Art is a museum which only collects & exhibits modern Japanese art.

• The museum is most well known for its 20th century art, western art and nihonga art.

• Nihonga art is basically Japanese style paintings made with traditional Japanese techniques and materials such as washi ( japanese paper) and eginu (silk)

Lake yamanaka

• Lake Yamanaka is located in the village of Yamanakako , near Mount Fugi.

• It is one of the largest Fugi five lakes.

• The lake was formed by flowing lava which came from an ancient eruption of Mount Fugi.

• The lake is popular for boating, fishing, water-skiing, windsurfing, sightseeing and swimming.

• There are also cabins and tent sites available for camping.

CroatiaAround The World Trip

By Niamh Brannelly

Fact file • In just two weeks I’m going off to Croatia with a few of my

friends for 3 months. Here are all the places I am going to visit, and all the facts I have researched to prepare for my journey.

• Croatia is an independent second world country • Capital: Zagreb, it is the largest city in Croatia. It is a city of

green parks and beautiful scenery. • Currency: Croatian Kuna. At the moment the exchange rate is

1 Croatian Kuna for €0.13, but I have to keep checking it because I want to get the best rate for my money.

• Language: mainly Croatian Language but many educated Croats speak English. German and Italian are quite popular too.

• Government: presidential/ parliamentary democracy. Currently the president of Croatia is Ivo Josipovid.

• Main religion: Roman Catholic, with the rest either Orthodox, Muslim or no religion.

• Main things to do: I can’t wait to see all the fascinating sites. Here are a few of my favorites. Plitvice Lakes National Park, Brac, paklenica, Pula Arena, to walk the Walls of Dubrovnik and to go scuba diving on the Island of Mljet.

• Fun Facts: The White House in Washington DC was made from using stones from Croatia, dalmation dogs got their name after Dalmatia, a coastal region of Croatia, the smallest town in the world is in Hum, with only 23 people

•

•

Ivo Josipovic

Basic Words

Zagreb

Hum Town

Culture • Croats have many customs which are a lot like the Irish. When they greet

people they shake hands, only close friends would give a kiss on each cheek. When invited to parties, it is usually expected to bring flowers (never chrysanthemums) or an expensive wine. They also have eating customs such as when at dinner they place their napkins on their laps, and many more.

• Croats celebrate mainly the same festivals we do such as Christmas, Easter, News Years etc. something Croatia is very famous for is their music festivals every year. I am definitely going to see the Hideout Festival 2014.

• Food is a very big part of the Croats lives, as their saying goes “love goes through the stomach” one of their traditional meals is prsut, which is dry cured ham which is served with olives and cheese.

• The Croatian costume has very specific colours and shape. It is very unique.

transport

• On Wednesday 8th of January I am getting the flight from Dublin Airport to Zagreb airport in the middle of Croatia. It is very handy for me as I do not need to catch 2 planes.

• When I get to Croatia I will have no car, I am relying on public transport. I am hoping to get a part time job while I am there to earn some money.

• It is a well run city with many trams and bus routes.

• There is a tram app that allows you to know when the next tram is due, and there is never a tram too far away. Day trams run every few minutes until midnight.

Accommodation

• I arrive on the 8th and I will book in to the Villa Mali Raj which is situated in Zagreb. It is a 3 star hotel, which is all I need, because it offers me all my necessities. It is also within my budget.

• The room has air conditioning, a couch, a wardrobe and a balcony. The room has a private bathroom with a shower. There is a TV for my spare time. It offers free Wi-Fi which is my source of communication with my family and friends.

• There is a restaurant, and grocery store to buy any thing I need.

• There is a bus stop that is 50 umetres away that brings me to the middle of the Zagreb

Plitivice lakes national park

• The first place I am going to visit is the Plitvice Lakes National Park. It is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe.

• Seeing the pictures of this amazing national park, I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

• The beautiful sites were made when the rivers flowed over the limestone, the karst landscape for thousands of years creating natural dams, waterfalls and lakes.

• There are about 20 pure blue lakes. There is a 18km wooden foot bridge that brings you through all the fascinating sites.

• Not only is there the amazing scenery, there is also the animals that flourish in the untouched land. The main animals are the wolves and bears, along with the smaller animals, the rabbits, badgers etc. It is also full of different species of birds. It really is the full package. I can’t wait to take a tour.

Brac

• Brac is an island in the Adriatic Sea.• The limestone part of the coast is rocky and steep, while the rest is

rather low and sandy, with some of the most beautiful beaches.• Brac seems like a very relaxing and interesting place to visit. The

beautiful beaches and blue skies are definitely very attractive.• The island is mainly karst limestone, which has been a source of

stone for building that is quarried out. This happens to be the stone that was used to make the White House.

• It is very active, there is constantly boat rides and sailing so you will never be bored.

• I can’t wait to spend some time here with my friends.

Pula arena

• This is an ancient Roman amphitheatre. It was built in 27BC-68AD and it is one of the 6 largest Roman towers that is still standing today.

• It is mainly made of limestone. It was built for about 23,000 people. A series of underground passages were also built. You can also see the gates where they released the gladiators and animals.

• Since the Roman times it has been used for different purposes such as grazing and tournaments, but today it is used as a venue for concerts and tours.

Tuvalu

By Aoife Galvin

• I decided to travel to Tuvalu because it is known as the ‘lonely’ country. Being the worlds 4th smallest country and only slightly bigger then the Vatican, it is a country that Inever knew existed. Although the country gets a small dozen tourists a year , I thought the scenery was breath taking and the history and geographical side very interesting. The country is small and there is not a lot to see. Here is my project on why I chose this 3rd world country as my location to visit. Enjoy-

Fact file • Capital – Funafuti

• Official language – English & Tulavuan

• Currency – Australian dollar & Tulavuan dollar

• Transport – Mainly motorbikes & bicycles for with public transport mainly in the capital (minibuses & taxis)

• Religion – church of Tuvalu

• Government – Elected parliament & Prime Minister officially headed by the reigning British Monarch.

• Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries on earth (26 sq km in total)

• It is halfway between Australia & Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.

Travel & accommodation

• When travelling to Tuvalu , I would travel in

June as this is tropical season. During the

months of November to march it is ‘storm’

season with heavy rain and wind.

• I would have to travel from Dublin to Fiji and

get a flight from fiji to Funafuti international

airport.

• To travel from island to island there is boat

trips regularly throughout the day.

• I would stay in the vaiaku lagi hotel in

Funafuti which is only a short distance from

places of interest:

Nanumanga caves

• The underwater caves are 2km off the island of Nanumanga. These are also known as the ‘fire caves’ because charred coral fragments lie on the floor of the caves. The interesting thing about this is that the caves are 37-46 m below sea level & were only above see level roughly 8,000 years ago – but historians say that the first people to come in contact with these islands was 3,000 years ago.

• The story goes that the caves were found because of a local legend that a ‘large house’ was under the sea and upon hearing this story 2 scuba divers explored the coral in 1986 to find out if the legend was true or not.

• The caves are a great tourist attraction because it

allows tourists to swim into the caves and look at what

is known as the biggest mystery to the island.

• It allows tourists to swim in the corals of Nunumanga

and look at the spectacular view of the species

underwater while scuba diving.

• The caves are located 2km down the coral wall of

Nanumanga & are easy access – they are also for free

so make sure not to give the caves a miss.

Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau

• The Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau was established

on January 1st 1976 - on this day Tuvalu was

established as its on separate British colony as

Tuvalu was formerly apart of the Gilbert and

Ellice islands. These stamps were produced for

specific use in the post offices of Tuvalu. They

are of rare design and are very popular around

the world.

• Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau also produces a

newsletter several times a year – it includes

information on general interest about Tuvalu ,

upcoming events & information on new

stamps.

• Inside the Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau is a mini

museum with displays of rare stamps and

newsletter containing all the events from 1976.

Entry is free and is filled with historical

information about the islands past.

Motufoua Secondary School

• As the country is the 4th smallest in the world & the country itself comes from the list of 3rd world countries – Tuvalu does not lack education.

• The school is a boarding school for boys & girls. It is on the island of Vaitupa. It includes teachers from Tuvalu & other countries and accepts volunteers who are on the island and would like to help out.

• The school plays and important part in the development of the country as it produces young students with knowledge – the aim of the school is to provide all students who attend the chance of an education and good rights to better jobs both on and off the islands.

• Volunteering to work in the school is greatful from

staff and students . Not only do you provide the

students with other knowledge but you get to learn

yourself the life of students in a 3rd world country

and how the education is different.

• The schools show you how cheap the education is

and how little students can afford to attend.

• I think to go to a local school would really be

worth while during your stay in Tuvalu.

Australia

By caoimhe mc closky

Whitehaven beach• One of the reasons why I’d like to go to Australia is

because of the beaches. It is said that the nicest beach in Australia is Whitehaven Beach. It is the most photographed beach and has been named "Queensland's Most Beautiful Beach" by 'Keep Australia Beautiful‘, which has to mean something. Self-sufficient boaties and campers can even anchor overnight off the beach, or book a national park campsite and camp on the southern end of the iconic Whitehaven Beach itself. I’ve also discovered that at Whitehaven Beach they have this sand that is called"silica sand" Siclia is a substance that is contained in an extremely high-purity form of sand, with extremely fine grains that make it very soft to the touch and also prevent it from getting too hot underfoot, which is great as it is supposed to get really hot in Australia!

Here is a picture of white haven beach

This is a picture of the great barrier reef

The great barrier reef

• The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. The Great Barrier Reef is between 15 kilometres and 150 kilometres off shore and around 65 Km wide in some parts, is a gathering of brilliant, vivid coral providing divers with the most spectacular underwater experience imaginable. A closer encounter with the Great Barrier Reef's impressive coral gardens reveals many underwater attractions including the world's largest collection of corals (in fact, more than 400 different kinds of coral), coral sponges, molluscs, rays, dolphins, over 1500 species of tropical fish, more than 200 types of birds, around 20 types of reptiles including sea turtles and giant clams over 120 years old. The main reason why someone would visit the great barrier reef is because its very beautiful

Fraser island

• Fraser island is a place of exceptional beauty, with its long uninterrupted white beaches flanked by strikingly coloured sand cliffs, and over 100 freshwater lakes, some tea-coloured and others clear and blue all ringed by white sandy beaches. Ancient rainforests grow in sand along the banks of fast-flowing, crystal-clear creeks. Fraser Island stretches over 123 kilometres in length and 22 kilometres at its widest point. With an area of 184 000 hectares it is the largest sand island in the world. Fraser Island is the only place in the world where tall rainforests are found growing on sand dunes at elevations of over 200 metres. The low "wallum" heaths on the island are of particular evolutionary and ecological significance, and provide magnificent wildflower displays in spring and summer.

This is a picture of ayers rock

Ayers rock

• Ayers Rock is one of the most impressive landmarks in Australia. A huge chunk of sandstone and a ‘true’ monolith, it resides in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, down towards the southwest corner of the Northern Territory and close to the geographic centre of Australia. Visitors can climb Ayers Rock as well as explore the base of it, which is around 10kms by footpath. The trip up takes a good couple of hours there and back, although if you’re fit and hotfoot it, it can be done in 20 or 30 minutes. It is best to observe the rock during sunrise and sunset, when its terracotta hue morphs into a violet/blue tinge.

This is a picture of Sydney harbour bridge

Sydney harbour bridge climb

• The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia's most well known and photographed landmarks. It is the world's largest steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 134 metres above the harbour. It takes people around three and a half hours to climb up the bridge. There are exactly 1,002 steps. It seems to be a great experience if you aren’t afraid of heights and it is said to be a lovely view while you are on top. It is also great exercise and a great achievement. It looks like a very fun thing to do and it is something I’d definitely do if I visited Australia.

There is a flight from Dublin airport to Australia on the 3rd of January that arrives at Darwin airport with the airline Etihad AirwaysI would return home on the 31st of January from Darwin airport back to Dublin airport .Altogether the price of the travelling expenses would be €1,873.75

I found this out on this websitehttp://www.ebookers.ie/flights/Australia.d15/