Sight at night
The Malay Mail September 21, 2007 | Angie Tan WHEN Victorinox Swiss Army introduced the Night Vision II at BaselWorld 2006, it was a huge success. When the same watch was unveiled in Chiang Mai, Thailand to the Malaysian press, it was equally well received.
Set in the caves of Ching Dao, the launch turned out to be an exhilarating adventure! The game was to search for marked envelopes in the pitch-black caves and each envelope contained a number of stickers. The goal was to get as many stickers as possible.
To top it off, the dark and mysterious setting not only put the watch’s capabilities to test but our endurance level as well!
Firstly, what is unique about the watch? Well, as the second- generation flashlight watch to come from Victorinox Swiss Army, it is fully integrated with a concealed LED flashlight located at 12 o’clock. Using a simple technology, it is able to deliver five different lighting modes with just one multi-function button located at 8 o’clock. go to web site victorinox swiss army
Apart from its flashlight mode, which can be seen from as far away as 1km, there is also the strobe mode that shines over 2km and an intense signal mode, at 60 flashes per minute, which lasts up to seven days and seven nights.
Armed with this knowledge and two watches per team, we set off into the caves, stumbling, slipping and crawling our way through the spectacular and sometimes eerie rock formations.
The Night Vision II was our sole guiding light in the dark apart from the dimly lit lantern of our guide, a lady in her 40s who looked a lot tougher than all of us combined.
It was frantic and chaotic as we fumbled our way deeper into the caves. At one point, we lost a team member and even our guide later. The quiet, tranquil air of the caves was lost for the day as the shouts and screams of the 50-odd people might have even scared the bats away, for I saw none. But thankfully, at the end of the trail, we all assembled, some of us with fresh bruises and sore muscles. For the top two teams, it was even sweeter as they walked home with the spanking cool Night Vision II on their wrist.
The Victorinox Swiss Army Night Vision II retails at RM1815 (for a genuine black rubber strap) and RM2065 (for a stainless steel bracelet).
Flashlight SOS THERE’S more to the Victorinox Swiss Army Night Vision II that meets the eye. Going beyond the duties of a sturdy timepiece, this is a fun watch to own and it fits the wrist of any man or woman.
Here are some cool ideas on how to maximise its light functions.
1. When a blackout occurs, you no longer need to stumble up the dark staircase.
2. It helps to liven up the party. Turn on the strobe light function and dance away for that funky disco ball effect.
3. Put on your own wayang kulit show or a mini shadow play. Use the flashlight and let your creative juices flow.
4. Candlelight dinners can be romantic but dangerous when the flames are left unattended. Substitute the wax with your watch. Turn on the flashlight and cover it with a handkerchief to create that warm glow.
5. In the club or at a rave party when you get separated from your friends, just turn on the strobe mode and wait for them to come to you.
Inspiring times “A watch’s functionality is as important as its user- friendliness. Simplicity is the key ingredient that comes into play when I get behind the drawing board”, said Jean Bernard Maeder, Victorinox Swiss Army creative director at the launch.
And what inspires him?
“I would say I find inspiration from real life and, you know, special needs, which are not covered yet by other watches. We are inspired by the Victorinox Swiss Army knife and real people with real needs. We look at the simplicity of the knife and its efficiency. We try also, from an aesthetic angle, to incorporate the tough quality of steel into our watch design. For us, every detail put into the watch has to have a function, a goal”, he said. this web site victorinox swiss army
“It is also important for us to try to do something beautiful but not too pretty. Mainly, it has to be efficient in a real life situation”.
Maeder has clocked in over 35 years in the industry and was previously attached to various renowned watch brands before joining Victorinox Swiss Army in 2000.
“It is our aim to create high quality, Swiss-made watches with useful features, but at an accessible price. There are many high-end brands in the market now that offer high quality watches, but they are not attainable by all, only a very small group can afford them,” he said.
“Taking from the concept of the pocket tool, now we have created a wrist tool that comes with a flashlight. Just like a Swiss Army knife, which is a must-have in any kind of situation, we are looking to move the Night Vision II in the same direction as well”, said Alexander M. Bennouna, managing director of Victorinox Swiss Army, who was also present at the event.
Bennouna added that in Europe, the sales volume of Night Vision II has already surpassed the first generation Night Vision launched in 2003. He is also confident with the strong growth of the Asian market in countries like China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and India.
Angie Tan
I’m an ala carte traveler. I have never done a package deal. I like to have more control on over my vacations. ha
The “control” is a big thing for me, too!
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Like you pointed out-I tend to get better rates when I book separately!!
Though- I always keep my eyes open. I’d certainly book one if I saved beaucoup bucks!
I hear ya!!
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great post!! I would definately recommend booking seperately. The first and only time I booked a “deal” for a one week vacation in los angeles, I got to the hotel only to find out that it was going under major construction. I was relocated to another hotel in a less than desirable location (let’s just say that the “safe” neighborhood was a $60 cab ride away). It’s a good idea to look at deals to get an idea of prices, but, like you said, it’s often cheaper to book directly through the hotel.
Also, airlines often have last minute deals on airfare. It’s better to be patient and plan out the trip than spring for a package without doing research.
Oh no. That stinks. That is another reason not go with tours, as well. You are at their mercy!!
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I have been on a couple of package holidays. One was 2 weeks in Malta (from London incl flights, insurance, hotel, half board and airport transfers) for the huge sum of £220!!! Definitely could not have gotten a better bargain that that. ANother time we went to Sharm-el-Sheikh (huge tourist trap – would NOT return there!) for a week over xmas/ NY which was 250e per person for flights and full board at a 5* hotel so that was also worthwhile IMO.
Other than that I don’t like staying in big hotels but it sure is a good (and sometimes cheap) way to take a relaxing holiday with all the planning taken out if that is what you are after.
Oh and just remembered this now, but we also did a package deal once at a club med, New Caledonia. That was pretty awesome. That deal was one person got a free flight and half price room out of every pair that booked. So we saved a lot then. We were going to do a triathlon and ended up spending a lot less than everyone else who booked flights and (lower standard) accom separately, with the added benefit of having all meals free, great facilities and heaps of activities etc organised at the resort. Best holiday I ever had!
Oooh, lucky you. Those sound fantastic, Vanessa. If you ever find something like that again, be sure to let me know!
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good advice Cherrye….it’s always a good idea to do your homework. I always compare hotel and flight prices by going to the hotel or airline website as well… I’ll do initial searches on sites like Orbitz and then directly to the ones I’m interested in.
I do the same thing. It is all about research!
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When I put together a package here at the inn, I do it with the guest’s TIME in mind. Many guests have never been to Maine, don’t know what there is to do and don’t want to bother doing the research. That’s where I come in!
I do the research, buy the tickets, make the reservations, etc and hand the guest their ‘package’ when they arrive.
You might get dinner for 2, tickets to a museum you might not have found on your own, a tour that might have been pre-booked, etc.
And, yes, had you wanted to do all the calling and research, you might have gotten it for less. But, if you don’t want to do that, it’s done and you can just relax and ‘follow the map’ as it were to all of your sights or events.
For the ’7 cities in 7 days sort of person,’ the package works. For the leisurely traveler who wants to ‘discover’ the area on their own, not so much.
All of that said, tho, I’ve generally found that when I’ve booked a package, it’s cost me more than if I had done it myself! A $10 entry ticket cost me $45 with the ‘package’! I don’t do that sort of overcharging when I prepare packages!
Thank you for your comment. Since I think that researching and planning my trip is half of the fun, I wouldn’t want to give that authority over to someone else. However, for people who have less time or desire to plan their own trips, services such as yours are vital and customers should be willing to pay for your expertise. Thanks for pointing out a good point that I overlooked.
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