In view of the coming festive season, some express bus operators are overcharging customers with exorbitant fares for express bus services. Complaints have been made against certain express bus operators for charging a fare as high as RM220 for a trip between Johor Bahru to Penang when a budget flight only cost as low as RM79.99 excluding tax and surcharge. Even the remaining seats on budget airline for the same route on 15 Feb costs RM239.99. Although it is slightly higher than the express bus fare, it is much worth to fly given the shorter time taken to travel.

The authorities should round up all the overcharging express bus operators. Meanwhile, commuters should purchase bus tickets only from genuine companies that do not overcharge. Whether festive season or not, the fare of express buses are standardized. Express bus companies are only allowed to impose a minimal surcharge on additional trips where they lease school and factory buses to provide the additional services.

With only about 3 weeks to the Chinese New Year, every commercial center are decorated with ornaments and lanterns to welcome the Year of the Pig. Festive lights and lanterns are also present along major streets.

Many shopping malls also offer kiosks of various items highly sought after during Chinese New Year, along with lion dance, acrobatic and traditional arts performance to entertain shoppers. At 1 Utama Shopping Center, Bandar Utama, a Chinese Garden with the theme Blossoming Ties is set up from 26 January. And like previous years, I took the opportunity to have myself photographed at the Chinese New Year set up. With 15 selected photographs, you may view them at http://www.jolmy.com/jgallery/20070126/1/ from page 1 to page 5.

Officially, the Chinese New Year date for 2007 is Sunday, February 18. However, this is only true for a small part of the world. Based on rules determining the Chinese calendar, the first day of a lunar month is the day the new moon occurs, i.e. anytime between 00:00 to 23:59.

As the official Chinese calendar originates from China which is observing the GMT+8 time zone, the calendar is only valid in countries observing GMT+8 time zone such as China, Malaysia and Singapore.

So when exactly is Chinese New Year? For GMT+8 time zone, the new moon occurs on Sunday, Feb 18, 00:14 hours. Hence, Chinese New Year is on Sunday, Feb 18 in China, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries observing GMT+8. Chinese New Year also falls on Sunday, Feb 18 in countries towards the east, such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand and so on till the International Date Line as the new moon occurs on Sunday, Feb 18.

However, for most other countries, from Thailand towards the west including Europe and America until the International Date Line, Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, Feb 17. In Thailand (GMT+7), the new moon occurs on Saturday, Feb 17, 23:14 hours while in UK (GMT+0), the new moon occurs on Saturday, Feb 17, 16:14 hours.

Therefore, Chinese New Year is to be celebrated on the day in which the new moon occurs, according to their respective time zones. However, most people assume the Chinese calendar released in China is authentic worldwide. What a mistake!

After experiencing spring, summer and autumn at the Four Season Temperature Garden, Malaysia Agriculture Park, Shah Alam, finally I experienced the winter season.

Photos can be viewed at http://www.jolmy.com/jgallery/20070102/1/

Wishing everyone a happy & prosperous year 2007.