21 Mac 2014

Heaven from above: NASA's stunning images

Most people daydream about tropical getaways through Google searches and beach resort advertisements, but the astronauts at the International Space Station get a slightly different view when they browse holiday destinations.
NASA has released remarkable images of some of the world's sunniest tropical islands as viewed from their satellites and International Space Statio, including French Polynesia, Hawaii, the British Virgin Islands and Marlon Brando's old holiday home.
It is estimated that there are up to 400,000 islands worldwide, and some, like the U.S. state of Hawaii have long been holiday destinations, while others, like the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia, which primarily exports vanilla, has seen recent growth in tourism since getting its first airport in 1999.

Hot stuff: NASA has taken studding God's-eye view photographs of the Earth's tropical islands, including Atafu Atoll, Tokelau, in the Southern Pacific Ocean
Hot stuff: NASA has taken studding God's-eye view photographs of the Earth's tropical islands, including Atafu Atoll, Tokelau, in the Southern Pacific Ocean


Born on the first day: Previously called Caroline Island, Millennium Island in Kiribati is the first to enter a new year due to the International Date Line, and was renamed as it was the first to see the year 2000
Born on the first day: Previously called Caroline Island, Millennium Island in Kiribati is the first to enter a new year due to the International Date Line, and was renamed as it was the first to see the year 2000


Home of a legend: The atoll of Teti'aroa in French Polynesia is a privately owned island which once belonged to Marlon Brando
Home of a legend: The atoll of Teti'aroa in French Polynesia is a privately owned island which once belonged to Marlon Brando


Heart of the ocean: The small atoll of Maupiti, in French Polynesia, home to just over 1,200 people, is almost shaped like a heart and has a volcanic island in the middle
Heart of the ocean: The small atoll of Maupiti, in French Polynesia, home to just over 1,200 people, is almost shaped like a heart and has a volcanic island in the middle


bahama mama: Cat Island in the Bahamas was long thought to have been the first island Christopher Columbus reached when he sailed to the Americas
bahama mama: Cat Island in the Bahamas was long thought to have been the first island Christopher Columbus reached when he sailed to the Americas


Island dreams: O'ahu is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, yet partly as a result of being home to the state capital Honolulu, it is the most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii
Island dreams: O'ahu is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, yet partly as a result of being home to the state capital Honolulu, it is the most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii


Take me to Tahiti: The island of Tahiti is home to the University of French Polynesia as well as a museum dedicated to the works of French artist Paul Gauguin
Take me to Tahiti: The island of Tahiti is home to the University of French Polynesia as well as a museum dedicated to the works of French artist Paul Gauguin


Surf's up: The largest and the southeastern-most of the Hawaiian islands, Hawaii, has moved on from sugarcane plantations and its economy is now mainly based around tourism
Surf's up: The largest and the southeastern-most of the Hawaiian islands, Hawaii, has moved on from sugarcane plantations and its economy is now mainly based around tourism


Nice view: This image taken by NASA  last week shows a portion of the Florida Keys taken by Astronaut Rick Mastracchio from the International Space Station
Nice view: This image taken by NASA last week shows a portion of the Florida Keys taken by Astronaut Rick Mastracchio from the International Space Station

Come fly with me: Mataiva island is a 6.2square mile coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia which primarily exports vanilla, but has seen a growth in tourism since getting its first airport in 1999
Come fly with me: Mataiva island is a 6.2square mile coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia which primarily exports vanilla, but has seen a growth in tourism since getting its first airport in 1999


Protection: The Sea Turtle Beaches on Eastern St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands provide critical habitat for several of the world's seven species of sea turtles
Protection: The Sea Turtle Beaches on Eastern St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands provide critical habitat for several of the world's seven species of sea turtles


Touched for the very first time: The British Virgin Islands are located in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico, and despite becoming autonomous in 1967, it's monarch is still Queen Elizabeth II
Touched for the very first time: The British Virgin Islands are located in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico, and despite becoming autonomous in 1967, it's monarch is still Queen Elizabeth II

Think your school run is bad?

This parent is giving a whole new meaning to ‘school bag’ as he helps a class of primary pupils safely cross a river by taking them in a plastic bag.
When the children in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi in northern Vietnam could not get to school due to spring floods, one father found an unorthodox solution.
As the nearby suspension bridge was out of action, he put the children in a plastic bag to keep them dry, and carried them across the flooded river.

Going in: This bizarre school run was filmed by a teacher in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi in northern Vietnam during the spring floods
Going in: This bizarre school run was filmed by a teacher in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi in northern Vietnam during the spring floods


Bagged up: When the local river flooded, preventing the children from getting to school, one parent took them across in a plastic bag
Bagged up: When the local river flooded, preventing the children from getting to school, one parent took them across in a plastic bag


Off we go: The unnamed parent took each and every one of the children across the river in the bag
Off we go: The unnamed parent took each and every one of the children across the river in the bag

His incredible devotion to the children’s education was filmed by their teacher Tong Thi Minh.
In the clip, one of the children’s fathers can be seen carefully wrapping up each child in a plastic bag before he launches himself neck deep into the raging torrent.
Once at the other side, the still dry child jumps out, before the man swims back to pick up another.
In the clip filmed last year, female teachers and students were seen waiting for their turn to traverse the Nam Po stream.
 

On dry land: Once a pupil got out of the bag on the other side, the parent returned to pick up another
On dry land: Once a pupil got out of the bag on the other side, the parent returned to pick up another



Safe on the other side: Teacher Tong Thi Minh pictured with the class who were taken across the river in bags
Safe on the other side: Teacher Tong Thi Minh pictured with the class who were taken across the river in bags


Keep Calm and Carry On:The father, clearly devoted to the children's education, takes another student in a bag across the river
Keep Calm and Carry On:The father, clearly devoted to the children's education, takes another student in a bag across the river

Vietnamese newspaper Tuoi Tre News said a local man was captured holding the bag in one hand and swimming across the water with the other hand despite the powerful currents.
Miss Minh told the newspaper: ‘It's normal. That's the only way to cross the stream because no bridge can stand floodwater.
‘I've taught here since September last year. At first, I did not know how to ford the stream so I had to follow what local villagers did later.’
According to Miss Minh, many parents in the village also bring their children to school that way to keep their uniforms dry when the area is flooded.

Staying 'safe': Despite everything parents tell you about not putting a plastic bag over your head, this parent ensures the bag is tied up tight
Staying 'safe': Despite everything parents tell you about not putting a plastic bag over your head, this parent ensures the bag is tied up tight

Staying afloat: The parent carried the bag in one hand and swam across with the children one by one
Staying afloat: The parent carried the bag in one hand and swam across with the children one by one

Ready for school: A girl getting out of the plastic bag the other side of the river in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi
Ready for school: A girl getting out of the plastic bag the other side of the river in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi

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