THIS years Burning Man festival in the received a record attendance, despite many revellers experiencing a bare bum blasting of sand.More than 49,599 people attended the week-long Nevada desert festival, known for its radical self-expression of art, music .However, the attendance could have been higher had many partygoers not been chased away by a sand storm, which occurred before the festival’s explosive climax.US Bureau of Land Management officials said the crowd stood at 36,260 at noon Sunday after thousands of participants had headed home. However, event organisers said they were still able to go ahead with the traditional torching of its 40-foot signature effigy, complete with fireworks and music.
Daily Archives: September 2nd, 2008
SOME Virgin Blue passengers had to pay $20 to check in their luggage yesterday as the airline’s new baggage charges came into effect.Virgin Blue (leading budget airlines of ) announced two weeks ago passengers would be charged $8 upon booking to check in up to 23kg of baggage.But those who did not pay the $8 at the time of booking were slugged $20 at the airport.The charges are intended to offset soaring fuel and security costs.Virgin Blue spokeswoman Amanda Bulger said yesterday the transition went smoothly, with the few people who had not paid $8 online prepared to pay the $20 at the airport.”My understanding is that it wasn’t that many people, and those who did have to pay the $20 were aware of the charges,” Ms Bulger said.
AUSTRALIAN holidaymakers stranded in the Thai island of Phuket since Friday are due to arrive in Sydney this morning after Jetstar sent a charter flight to collect them.About 260 Australian holidaymakers became stranded on Friday when Phuket and two other airports in Thailand’s south were closed after political unrest in the country.A Jetstar charter flight left yesterday at 12.27pm (AEST) an hour-and-a-half after it was scheduled.Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said the permit to land at Phuket took longer than anticipated to obtain from the civil aviation authority in Thailand because yesterday was a public holiday in the country.The airport was reopened yesterday after protesters in Phuket dispersed.The stranded Australians are expected to land in Sydney between 7.30am and 8am (AEST) and all Jetstar passengers from other cities will then be transferred to the next available flights so they can return home.Passengers who flew on other airlines to get to Sydney will be responsible for organising their own way home.Mr Westaway said anyone stranded in Phuket who could not take the charter flight yesterday for any reason would be able to catch a scheduled Jetstar service today.Anti-government protests in Thailand are centred on Bangkok, where up to 25,000 people have occupied the main government complex calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej sought a peaceful solution yesterday to end a week of anti-government protests, but thousands of protesters remain camped at the main government complex in central Bangkok.
TWENTY-six snowriders battled it out on Perisher Blue’s Front Valley in the hope of setting a world record for the longest ever rail slide on skis.The Salomon Rail Slide, part of the Boost Mobile Sno Sho staged over the weekend at New South Wales’ largest alpine resort, drew a strong field of competitors keen to take on the 100m-long rail.Charles Reid from slid into the record books after breaking the official world record for the longest ever successful slide.Reid travelled 54.8m to eradicate Ryan Thorley’s record of 54.15m set during in last year’s rail slide event.”I’ve never slid that long on a rail before so I’m stoked,” Reid said after his record-breaking ride.Reid walked away with $5000 in prize money.The win wraps up an awesome week for the Canadian snowrider after he won the 28 Stair Rail Jam at the Stylewars event held under lights in the village of Victorian resort of Falls Creek on August 28.
