EXCLUSIVE Budget Travel Tips

LATEST BUZZ Africa’s First FIFA World Cup

3 EXOTIC EUROPEAN DESTINATIONSGreece Belgium Italy

500 events in Europe’s Cultural Capital

LIFE 360Issue 3

PLUS: Exclusive Interview with a Globetrotting Writer

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Though Mark Twain uttered these words of wisdom over a century ago, they ring true even to this day. Our latest edition of Life360 is a perfect tribute to the finest hobby ever discovered – travel!

Let us take you on an unforgettable journey to South Africa, which is hosting the FIFA World Cup, the very first in the continent of Africa. You are also invited to explore Europe’s many exciting locales this summer, using our guide to budget travel.

Richard Meng, seasoned globetrotter from China, speaks exclusively to us about his many adventures, his travelogues and launching his own travel website and magazine. Keep abreast with the latest technological developments through our special section, Geeko.

Plus, The X Factor comes to Cardiff, Wales take on Italy in the Six Nations Rugby Championships and Alice in Wonderland finally hits screens in the UK.

With so much packed into the issue, we are sure that you are in for an enjoyable ride.

If you want to wander on, our YouTube channel has a travel video that will show you the world through the eyes of natives from various countries.

So get ready to explore, dream and discover! Mitalee Kurdekar Editor

life360 Editorial

TO CONTACT EDITORIAL

Life360 MagazineCardiff UniversityBute BuildingKing Edward VII Avenue CardiffCF10 3NB

maglife360@googlemail.comhttp://journalism.cf.ac.uk/life360

YouTube Channelwww.youtube.com/user/LifeThreeSixty

Editor in ChiefTim Holmes

EditorMitalee Kurdekar

DesignersWei-Ju ChenVandana GuptaWenxiao HuangDevika JeetShirin MannXuan Zheng

Staff writersChioma AmaechiLe-Wei HsiMitalee KurdekarChangchang LiuYan PanShuya Zhang

PublishersXiaoyi FengSaloni KarnikBasha LiuShan LongCaitlin Ritchie

ConsultantsJane BentleySimon Williams

Life360 Volume 3 Monday

2010.3.15

Life360 staff (from left to right)

Front: Devika Jeet, Wei-Ju Chen, Vandana Gupta, Wenxiao Huang, Xuan ZhengMiddle: Xiaoyi Feng, Caitlin Ritchie, Jane Bentley, Tim Holmes, Le-Wei HsiBack: Mitalee Kurdekar, Chioma Amaechi, Yan Pan, Changchang Liu

Editor's Letter

Features Reviews/News

contents

4 360 View: Budget travelEnjoy a European holiday during Easter recess

4 Quadrant: Travel newsLatest updates for the inquisitive traveller

4 Exclusive Tips on budget travel in Europe during Easter vacation

4 500 events in TurkeyThe bridge between Eastern and Western cultures

6 Greece, Belgium, ItalyLearn about foreign cultures and enjoy traditional cuisines

3

Life 360

10 Exclusive interviewRichard and his seven continents and four oceans travelling map

6 Summer holiday to suit youEurope offers interesting holidays to suit every kind of traveller

8 Match of the centuryAfrica’s first ever FIFA World Cup, great football and a big party

10 Intersection: InterviewA global traveller’s dream around-the-world trip comes true

5 M-iWorld: InterviewJanet Harris’ experience of eat-ing strong goat meat with a nasty taste

5 Geeko: Tech worldNew gizmos and gadgets to make travel easy

11 Full Circle: Reviews The hottest movie, music, live shows, sports events and humour

On the Cover

8 Latest Buzz Africa’s first FIFA World Cup, great football and a big party

For the Easter holiday, travelling around Europe is a good option, especially for international students studying in Britain. Travelling around Europe will be more convenient as students

don’t have to travel from their hometown. In addition to this, with recession in the Eurozone, students can benefit from exchanging their currencies into Euros.

From the point of view of some international students, the depreciation of Euro is an advantage of travelling around Europe. Cheng-Yeh Wu, from Taiwan, said, “Now, one Euro equals 43 New Taiwan Dollars. Compared with last year, this is a very good price. I have exchanged many New Taiwan Dollars into Euros. Moreover, Europe is far from Taiwan and takes at least 15 hours by air. It only takes a few hours from Britain and the ticket price is more affordable as well.”

Chris Yip, from Hong Kong, said, “Europe is far from my hometown and I will have to go back home after finishing my study. So, I’ll visit as many European countries as possible while I’m studying in the UK.”

Enjoy a European holiday during Easter recess In other words, it is a good time to travel around the UK for the

tourists from the Eurozone, and the British cannot benefit from exchanging British Pounds into Euros.

Catherine Jones, 49, a Cardiff resident and avid traveler, who is very experienced in travelling around Europe said, “Although it is not a good time to travel around Europe because of the depreciating British Pound, we can still have an affordable journey with the help of some budgeting tips.”

Tips for an affordable European journey

Use public transportation Many cities in Europe provide various passes in their public transportation, such as day-long, week-long and month-long passes. Tourists generally spend a week in one city, so week-long pass would be the best choice.

Buy your foods in local markets or supermarketsEating and drinking might be expensive during your journey, but normally the prices in local markets and supermarkets are much cheaper.

Travel during weekdaysTo avoid the weekend crowds, traveling during Monday to Thursday is better. Additionally, the ticket price of the transportation and some theme parks are also cheaper on weekdays.

Travel with your childrenEurope is a wonderland of family discounts. They usually offer price reductions for a group of three or more people with the same surname.

Take along some waterIn some European countries, water is more expensive than soft drinks and juices. Normally, a bottle of water costs three to four Euros, so do not forget to bring some water with you.

Le-Wei Hsi suggests how to travel around Europe on a budget

Go Green: The travel industry’s new mantra?

With most businesses turning eco-friendly, the travel

industry will need to follow soon. Aviation is said to be responsible for 2% of greenhouse gas emissions and the mass tourism in certain areas is leading to overcrowding, causing a strain on local ecosystems. By the year 2010, one billion people are expected to engage in travel globally, leading to adverse environmental effects.

QUADRANT500 events to honour “Europe’s Cultural Capital”

Since receiving the title of Europe’s Capital of Culture for

2010, Istanbul is expecting a 25 per cent rise in inbound flights. Travel to Turkey has picked up steadily, offering visitors a cheap and welcoming alternative. The Turkish tourism industry is now planning to host 500 events to honour the city’s status as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures.

Travel bookings made easy using mobile devices

With the world going mobile, the travel industry

is also resorting to the use of applications, websites and SMS alerts to make travel planning easier for their jet-setting consumers. Travellers can now do everything from planning a trip to managing their itinerary from the palm of their hand. A report by PhoCusWright predicts that mobile phone bookings will reach £106 million in 2010.

French Alps to host Altitude Festival

The Altitude Festival, a combi-nation of music, comedy and

skiing, will return to the French Alps this March. The festival, started by Irish comedian Andrew Maxwell, attracts around 35,000 visitors each year since its launch three years ago. The festival is set to take place between 20th and 26th March 2010, and will include musical acts by Newton Faulkner and The Quails and performances by comedians such as Al Murray.

Arc

4

It is still possible to have a budget journey in the Eurozone region

by Mitalee Kurdekar

“Created on earth, tested in space” the watch can work well in an allergic and with a high sustainability. It gets through the water and pressure test of 200 meters / 20 bar. It is an ideal choice for those who love adventure and would likely to travel to tough envi-ronment.

Keep computer accessories with

You

The product is perfectly fit for those who want to keep connect

with outside world, the little package contains” a USB mouse with retract-able cable, USB 4 port expander, retractable VOIP, mic/ear piece and retractable network cable.”

When you travel to different

countries around the world, you have to carry different kinds of travel plugs. To match the country and the plug you have to have different adapters with you when you travel to other countries. Now the new travel plug can be used in more than 160 countries in the world. You can give you electric items full power without worrying about the adaptor when you travel.

BY Chioma Amaechi

1. Please tell us about yourself and your zeal for travelling?I am Janet Harris a PhD student at Cardiff University presently I am working on military coverage of war in Iraq. I just love travel. I have visited many places in the course of my job and I enjoy meeting different people. I have also travelled a lot within UK.

2. Can you give us a glimpse into your background? Though I am from Britain I was born in Africa, precisely in Ma-lawi. I lived in the city for a while when I was young and then moved to England. Later on I was in Italy for my University de-gree. I also worked with BBC which took me back to Africa and many places in Europe. I was in Iraq filming a documentary as an embedded journalist.

3. What is your inspiration for travelling?Fundamentally, it’s about people, what they like, what they eat and what they do. They inspire me a lot. I have interest in people’s culture and tradition.

4. What is your most memorable journey?I think everywhere I go has its own unique memory which could be good or bad. The good memories are there and often the bad ones are in retrospect, especially when you have an awful experience it can be funny later on. They are not as fantastic as the good ones but are memorable.

5. What in particular, do you hold in your heart about these places and why?I love Italy because of its beauty and nice architecture and in India I love the people. Bangladesh was really some experience for me because there were huge floods at the time I went there, it was very difficult for me to walk. Apart from that incident, I like the people and their food. I find travelling to Iraq quite interesting as I lived on ration of basi-cally rice and kebab.

6. What food do you enjoy eating while travelling?French food is really tasty. I love Mozambique food too. I can’t forget, once when I travelled to Mozambique there was a curfew due to the war. In spite of that, people welcome us warmly, killed a goat, and prepared it in a hurry for us. Even though the taste was nasty and very strong we ate it. I always remember this be-cause of the excitement, the fire, the smoke, and the people who welcomed us. To me it makes a lot of sense.

© FORTIS Uhren

Perfect watch for a fan of adventure

Electric Equipment Power

Travelling to Iraq

a TV News/Documentary Maker has had interesting experiences through travel and she shares her in-credible story with Life360.

Janet Harris

“You get to meet new people and the food and it could be good or bad. If you have got one chance make it count.”

GSM users of BSNL would have 12 TV channels available on their mo-bile sets (phones), which is a good companion for the short-distance

travel. You won’t miss your favorite TV program on your way, or keep an eye on what happening around the world.

Carry a 24-hour TV station with you!

GeekoGeeko

Janet Harris in Iraq

Life 360

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Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredearle/3855945736/

Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/please/184277455/

Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cesarcar-doso/344861572/

Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ousby/84339253/

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Feature

Summer Holidays to Suit Your Style

Summer is almost here and most of us are looking for-ward to taking a vacation away from the daily grind. But embarking on a trip that promises you exotic adventure, or perhaps even restful tranquillity, need not involve travelling half-way across the globe. Eu-rope offers some interesting holidays to suit every kind of traveller.

With summer just around the corner, it’s time to leave your mundane, routine life behind and

think about indulging yourself in a rejuvenat-ing break. If you feel troubled by the financial implications of such travel or are simply boggled by the choices offered, we are here to help you pick out a holiday that suits your needs and interests, while ensuring that you don’t burn a hole in your pocket. It’s all within easy access, with just the English Channel separating you from your dream vacation in Europe.

That’s right, if you are not looking to splurge on your summer travels, but want a short, memorable holiday, then the best option is a quick getaway in Europe. The continent offers endless opportunities for that unforgettable holiday experience. That raises another quandary: with infinite choices on offer what do you pick?

You can explore a variety of options across many European locales according to your individual preference. Whether it is spending time browsing through the collections of old museums, paragliding across hilltops, learn-ing about foreign cultures or enjoying tradi-tional cuisine, there is something on offer for everyone. Life360 has made a selection of a few varied holidays for you to choose from.

The Italian InvitationFor those of you who are looking to soak

up some sun, pack in a little sightseeing and also want a bit of art and culture thrown into your holiday, Italy is the perfect choice. It has been voted one of Europe’s most affordable destinations, yet it provides visitors with the best of both worlds, with the perfect blend of tradition and modernity. You can drive along the Amalfi coast while sipping an Italian cappuccino or visit the historic city of Rome, stopping to wish for something at the Trevi Fountain. On the other hand, you could shop at what is arguably the fashion capital of the

world, Milan, or marvel at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Whatever you choose to do, a trip to Italy will leave you recharged and begging for more.

Elizabeth Jones, 29, marketing execu-tive and self-proclaimed travel enthusiast, comments, “I love going on short breaks. They leave me feeling instantly rejuvenated. I especially like taking vacations with my girl-friends to new locations, where we can relax and unwind.”

A Greek EscapadeBut if you would rather just immerse

yourself in history, then Athens is the place for you. Immersed in hundreds of years of ancient culture and civilisation, the city offers tourists a chance to transcend time and return to the era where it all began with the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus and the

by Mitalee Kurdekar

The Trevi Fountain

One of Italy’s favourite landmarks, it is an absolute must-see for every visitor

Photo Credit: Valentina (www.flickr.com/photos/tearsand-rain/2661904926)

Athens offers a chance to tran-scend time and return to the era where it all began with the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus and the Parthenon.

life 360

7

Summer Holidays to Suit Your StyleParthenon. Don’t forget to visit the Pláka, a pedestrian-friendly area with interesting res-taurants and boutiques, for a truly authentic experience.

Alternatively for the adventure sports enthusiasts, some travel companies offer pre-booked diving tours in Greece, where you can explore the depths of the Aegean Sea. Travel companies even plan tours around specific activities such as walking tours in Madeira, where you can explore the ‘floating garden’ on foot; or golf tours specifically designed for the golfer in you. Tours are also designed around activities like kite surfing, body boarding and windsurfing, with everything pre-arranged to ensure that tourists spend maximum time enjoying their favourite hobby.

Caroline Thomas, 25, a travel agent based in Cardiff, says, “Although January is the busiest month for business, this is a very busy time of the year for us. Customers come in looking for varied holiday plans and we aim to cater to all kinds of tourists, regardless of whether they are looking for relaxation or adventure.”

But not everyone wants to embark on a pre-packaged tour. Some of you may want to do your own exploring. For this you can chart a different path, keeping your itinerary flex-ible. “Spontaneity is the most exciting part of travel for me,” declares Jonathan Jenkins, a 28-year-old graphic designer from Cardiff. “I usually go to a destination and decide once I’m there what I’d like to do.”

The Belgium BuzzA great place to visit for spontaneous

travel is Brussels, which offers visitors the original European experience with its stun-ning architecture and quaint little cafes. Walk around the city, with the Grand Palace at its centre, and take in the sights and sounds of this bustling capital. While there, you can bite into some of those famous melt-in-your-mouth waffles or take home some world renowned chocolates.

With such varied holiday options, it is easy to get confused about where to go. But the key is to research around your interests, ei-ther on the internet or with your travel agent and find a package that centres on your needs. If you still come up with numerous choices, pick one and save the rest for next time. After all it is important to enjoy varied experiences and travel is the best way to do so. So go on, live the adventure and get a 360 degree view of life!

Greece is the perfect blend of serene seas and hectic histories

Photo Credit: Vathiman (www.flickr.com/photos/15572139@N07/3936193007)

Brussels, with its charming little eateries, comes alive at night

Photo Credit: Rob Sheridan (www.flickr.com/photos/demonba-by/3688457096)

Travel information:

Thomas Cook (www.thomascook.com) offers pre-packaged tours for a little as £135 per person for a four day tour.

If you want to self-explore, try plan-ning your trip using sites such as:

www.visiteurope.com www.hotelsbycity.net www.eurotrip.com www.lonelyplanet.com/europe

Feature

8

Match of the Century Africa’s First Ever FIFA World Cup – Some Great Football & a Big Party

In the first two weeks of June, hundreds of thousands of football fans will be pouring in to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup. Preparations are going well. Sepp

Blatter, FIFA president, has blasted doomsayers. The South Africa World Cup, he says, is going to be a totally successful event. And it is easy to believe him. For sport loving fans this is good news.

The opening match will be between the host country and Mexico, in Johannesburg. The first group of 16 countries will play each other, after which the highest points in each group will qualify for the next stage called the quarter finals. The semi finals are the next stage of eight countries and then there will be third place match. The last stage is the finals and the celebration of the big event. There will be bronze medal prize for third place, silver medal for second and a gold medal for the champions who will also go home with the cup. Thirty referees from 28 countries will be officiating in the tournament.

Four years ago, the Cup was held in Germany and in 2014 Brazil will host the World Cup. There are groups of A – H and they are made up of four countries. Thirty-two teams have qualified and will be playing in various stadiums across the country. It’s a great chance to see some fine football – and some fabulous places. This is the nineteenth FIFA World Cup. The first games kick off on 11 June 2010, and the final will be played on 11 July.

By Chioma Amaechi

www.flickr.com/photos/bruce-camera/4206285050

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Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban. The action kicks off here on June 11

“Italy are the defending champions. This year, bookmakers are favouring Spain.”

So who will win? Italy are the defending champions and they have won the title four times already. Their last win was a thrilling performance. At full time, the game was goalless. Then Italy scored in extra time. This year, the bookmakers are favouring Spain. England’s former captain John Terry has been quoted as saying that England and Italy will meet in the finals – though this was before Ashley Cole dropped out of the team with an ankle injury.

And then there are the outsiders – footballing Davids hoping to murder the world’s footballing Goliaths. Ghana will be the fancied side in South Africa 2010. Cameroon have made it to FIFA World Cup five times. The indomitable Lions of Cameroon are the favourite team in group E. Well, good luck to them. Their squad features the likes of world class striker Samuel Eto’o and a host of other talented players many of whom play for European teams.

The Nigerian Super Eagles team look like

the favourite in their group. “It’s tough,” Kingsley Okahia, a sport analyst, said. “Nigeria are a great team, and the only thing we can do is prepare ourselves well.” The Super Eagles have a richly talented and ambitious squad featuring players like John Obi Mikel, Kanu Nwankwo and others. He said they have gone through some rocky

times, but seem to be on the right track now, with a good balance of youth and experience.

Other great players to watch are Didier Drogba the star of Ivory Coast, Brazil star player Kaka, Wayne Rooney of England, El-Armine Erbate of Morocco and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. Ronaldo has said the FIFA World Cup in South Africa is going to be amazing. He says, “I have never been in South Africa, and I am really looking forward to the World Cup.” All players are especially motivated for this tournament and I think it will be fantastic. There is no doubt – it will be an incredible championship.”

The games will be played in 10

stadiums. They include Ellis Park Stadium, at the centre of bustling Johannesburg. Built in 1982, it has a long and distinguished history in sport. Durban Stadium is brand new, a glorious space spanned by two arches that soar above the roof. Also in Durban is the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, set on the shores of North End Lake is the first dedicated football stadium in the city. Green Point Stadium in Cape Town is one of the most exciting football venues in South Africa.

But, what about the party? There is more than football to see in South Africa.

According to a study done by FIFA, eleven million tourists travel every year to South Africa in search of sun, fun and scenery. Now with the football tournament there is an added advantage.

The Mangaung/ Bloemfontein has open spaces which reflect the openness of its people – friendly and warm. Durban is noted for its “Golden Mile” - a four kilometre stretch of beaches and restaurants, and holds pride of place culturally. And Cape Town, at the foot of iconic Table Mountain, is a cosmopolitan city in beautiful natural surroundings.

Other places worth thinking of seeing are Nelson Mandela Bay/ Port Elizabeth city, with its 40 kilometre stretch of immaculate beaches in a protected bay. Johannesburg is the financial juggernaut of the African continent. Pulsating with energy and drive, Johannesburg is a hub of culture and excitement. Rustenburg is another place to be, the city is brimming with natural beauty at the foot of the Magalieburg Mountains. Hyacinth Ogu, a Cameroonian businessman and sports fan, loves Johannesburg. “The World Cup is a great excuse to travel and explore the culture and architecture of Africa. But Johannesburg is famous for its crime as well as its energy – so be careful!”

So come to Africa this June and whether your team wins or not, you will have an incredible time in South Africa!

Life 360

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Five things to see while in South Africa

1. National Park in Nelspruit2. Diamond big hole in Kimberley3. Mountains (Durakensberg, Magliesburg)4. Immaculate beaches5. Nelson Mandela Bay

Useful web sites

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/www.footballworld.comwww.mundial2010.ad

Tickets are on sale everyday.www.worldcupticketservice.com/2010

South Africa Escorted tour including shark diving, whale watching, legend golf course and Hector Pieterson Museum will cost £1,599.99.

www.flickr.com

/photos/lumkness/186093917

“The games will be played in 10 stadiums, including the historical Ellis Park”

“Eleven million tourists travel to South Africa every year in search of sun, fun and scenery.”

Global traveller: ....M

eng’s Footprints... Dreams come true

You have a lot of identities, a very suc-cessful entrepreneur, a global travel-ler, photographer and publisher, which

title do you like best?

Richard: I think I am a free person. It can be said that I am the happiest one in the world. I made my own decision to do the travel thing, although it was connected to my work until I had my own magazine company. I still like having fun, which is very im-portant to me, I think it would not be perfect if there is no fun during a trip.

How many types do you think that travel can be divided into, and what changes have you experienced?

Richard: Well, from my own experience, trav-el can be divided into some general types. At first people just want to go out during the vacation, and then road trip, the higher level travel type is environmental friendly trip.

How much percentage does travel account for in your life?

Richard: A very large percentage. My wife said that I spend much more time with steward-ess es than with her, only because I travel by plane all the time.

Lots of people believe travelling alone is too lonely, what’s your opinion?

Richard: I always take my mp3 player and the music reminds me of the feelings of the place after I come back. Only lovelorn people

can write a sad song, so you can write a poem once you are alone and upset. When you’re faced with the Sahara and no one could talk to you, compared to the trip to Australia with my wife, there was no freedom and I could not write any word.

Could you give us some advice on travelling?

Richard: Safety is the most concerned problem to people. I can give them some advice from my own experience, lots of local people will push you out of their places, but it would not be too bad if you are nice to them, people will

not hurt you if you make them laugh. But robbery always happens, so you should put your cards and cash in different places once you have arrived in a place. Another one is to be careful not to show your money in public, your trip will be perfect if you bear this advice in mind.

Is there any special experience you get from your trip?

Richard: I can say I am kind of a “people am-bassador”, I interviewed the West Point with a camera because I told them I am not a jour-nalist but a traveller, and I just came to be a non-governmental messenger occasionally.

Do you think travel changed you and your life?

Richard: Travel changed me and also changed my life. I was a photographer 20 years ago be-cause I liked it, but it is not a prosperous job

“Do not forget your dream and always believe that it will come true one day.”

especially since I have a family, so I have to earn a lot of money to bring my dream

back.

Born in 1 9 6 0 s

and had been engaged in advertise-ment and photography for seven years. When going ahead with his career in 1999, he started to realize his grand dream of taking a round-the-world trip at his own expens-es. Up to now, his worldwide travel has covered all the seven continents and four oceans. Starting from June 2007, Richard Meng had pub-lished seven travelogues in succession, and established his own travel website and promoted a travel magazine, he has also signed contracts with many TV stations.

R i c h a r d Meng

Blog address:

http://blog.sina.com.cn/126wt

Intersection/ Full Circle

By Changchang Liu

Richard Meng in travelling

10

From:http://www.126wt.com/maya/Footprint.html

ReviewsPreviews&

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Alice in Wonderland (2010)Director: Tim BurtonWriters (WGA): Linda Woolyerton (screenplay) Lewis Carroll (books)Release Date: 5 March 2010 (UK)Genre: Adventure / Family / Fantasy

The collaboration of director Tim Burton and actor Johnny Depp has become a legend. This time, they

try to give the audience more surprises by adapting the fairytale Alice in Wonderland. T h e movie is about Alice, but instead of the spunky girl we remember, she is now a stern 19-year-old Victorian in-genue who is visiting the place for the second time. She reunites with her old friends and experiences some-thing new. She learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. After its world premiere, Kate Muir in The Times calls it “spectacular’’ and “a 3-D epic for the next generation’’. Geoffrey McNab’s review in The Independent is more pointed -- “a wildly inven-tive film straight jacketed in conventional narrative...that grows increasingly one-dimensional and simple-minded.’’

1 MOVIE

Official Website:h t t p : / / a d i s n e y . g o . c o m / d i s -n e y p i c t u r e s / a l i c e i n w o n d e r l a n d /I’m the Rain

(2010)Artist: Sophie ZelmaniRelease Date: February 24 Genre: Folk/IndieTrack:01. If I Could02. The Years03. You Can Always Long for May04. Ready05. Interior Design06. Not With You07. I’m the Rain08. Our Man09. It Knows10. To be Forgiven11. Song of the Night12. To Know You

2 Music

Sophie Zelmani is a Swedish singer and songwriter. Her career started over 13 years ago with her self-titled de-

but album, the album got picked up by the audience quickly and became popu-lar in Sweden and the Far East. People always compare her music with Joni Mitch-ell and Jewel, because they are singes/songwriters, and their voices are gentle and fabulous. However, Sophie is that kind of person who makes people feel close and warm. Her voice has a kind of strength which can touch your heart and soul. In this latest album, she continues her style as usual, singing for love and life with her heart.

Official Website:h t t p : / / w w w . s o p h i e - z e l m a n i . c o m /

The X Factor is hot. There are 19.1 mil-lion viewers, 62 percent of the televi-sion audience watched Joe McElderry

win The X Factor final last year. Now, The X Factor Live Tour has begun. No matter who you like: gentle Joe, funny Olly, or sexy Sta-cy, all of the 12 finalists will give wonderful

performances on this live tour. The tickets are avail-able for £82.49. If you want to

experience the charm of The X Factor by yourself, book a ticket before it sells out.

The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union com-petition involving six European sides:

England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. It was the first international rugby union tournament in the Northern Hemi-sphere. The winners are also known as the European Champi-ons. At the last three matches, Wales and Italy both lost two and won one. Therefore, the game on March 20 will be essential for both teams, and it will be the first match between Wales and Italy this year.

Welsh funny-man Chris Corcoran will be performing his new stand-up show What Goes on Tour, Stays

on Tour at the Wales Millennium Centre on March 14. Another famous Welsh Comedian Rhod Gilbert evaluated Chris’s show as “Hilar-ious - a totally unique experience. If all com-mittees were this fun I’d buy a blazer, grow a moustache and run for the council.” The Sunday Times give four stars to Chris performance, and praise his show as “Affec-tionate and charming”.

The X FactorWhere: Cardiff International Arena, Mary Ann St, Cardiff, CF10 2EQWhen: 22.3.2010~25.3.2010 Timings: 7:30pm till lateTicket price: £82.49

Website:http://xfactor.itv.com/2009/

Where: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff When: 20.3.2010 - 2:30pmTimings: 2:30pm till lateTicket price: £66.00--£214.50

Website:http://www.millenniumstadium.com/

Welsh funny-man Chris CorcoranWhere: Wales Millennium CentreWhen: 14.3.2010 & 1.4.2010Timings: 8pm till lateTicket price: £8 - £12

Website: http://www.

wmc.org.uk/index.cfm?alias=chriscorcoran

ShowsIn Cardiff

Wales VS Italy Six nations rugby

Life 360

Chris Corcoran

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LIFE 360Issue 3