NYC and Washington D.C.

Dear All,
I just got back from NYC and Washington D.C. on Jan 31 and would like to share with you an update on my space travels. Sorry for not having posted for a while, I have been quite busy (including all the traveling required by being an astronaut).

Unveiling Ceremony for Virgin Galactic White Knight 2 & Space Ship 2: On Wed 23^rd Jan in the morning at the Power House of The American Museum of Natural History in Central Park West at 79th Street. Sir Richard and Burt Rutan, the inventor, showcased for the very first time, the detailed scale models of WhiteKnightTwo & SpaceShipTwo, demonstrating the technology and revealing the new design and livery.

Press Conference: As Founders of Virgin Galactic, we had to wear our Galactic uniforms during the press conference, so that we could easily be identified. There were more than a hundred reporters from all over the world there. After the Unveiling Presentation, the Founders were interviewed live by CNN, Toronto Star, Japan TV, European TV, National Geographic etc.

The Year Of The Spaceship Party: On Wed 23^rd Jan in the night we attended this event at the Rose Center, which is part of the compound of the American Museum of Natural History. Sir Richard made a genuine and touching speech during the cocktail reception, thanking his parents and all of us involved, for our support and making our future dream come true, not only for ourselves, but our future generations. The party ended with almost everyone dancing bare-footed on the dance floor, till the early hours of dawn, I was told. Actually, my sister and I left a bit earlier thanthe bare-footed crowd viz. right after the Branson family.

HK Press: Soon after hitting the hotel pillow at around 3:50 a.m., I received long distance calls from HK Apple Daily, TVB, ATV & Cable TV. The TV stations wanted to interview me live for the evening news in Hong Kong and apologised, knowing that it was around 3:50 a.m. in NYC and that I was in the sack already. I took all the interviews in the toilet of my hotel room, so that I wouldn't disturb my sleeping sister. I had to refrain from using the tap or flushing the toilet because I was being taped live!!

University of Columbia: On Thursday Jan 24^th, I was invited to be one of the guest speakers at their Business School in the University Of Columbia. I was invited to share my life as an Asian woman VG Founder to a class of students who were studying about businesses relating to luxury goods, branding, space tourism and Virgin Galactic. With 30 pairs of eyes staring down at me, wondering what they were really thinking, quite honestly, made me nervous. After sharing my autobiography with them and throwing some humour into it, I was able to make most of them laugh. I had previously been invited to be a guest speaker for the 10th Anniversary of the Hedge Fund that was held last September 12 in Hong Kong, but, no matter how many times I speak in front of an audience, I still get butterflies.
Underage Drinking: After the class was over, I was surrounded by 4 or 5 enthusiastic young ladies, who said they loved my talk and that they wanted to take my sister and I out for a drink near their campus. I felt honoured and gladly accepted their invitation as I needed a drink after the session anyway! We all walked to the bar and before I could step foot into the door, an African American bouncer stopped me from entering and demanded to see my I.D. I wasn't sure whether to take it as a joke or a compliment, being the oldest in the crowd!! The dim lighting and my pony tail probably made me look underage??!! I showed him my H.K.I.D. card. He looked at it and then at me, with eyes bigger than saucer and his jaws dropped!!! He made my day!!
Washington D.C : After NY, we left for Washington D.C. and had a wonderful tour of the White House, the Pentagon, the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum, the famous Union Station which has been named the most beautiful train station in the world, the Kennedy Art Center, the giant Lincoln Monument, the theater that Lincoln was shot in and the house where he died. We also went to see the Arlington National Cemetery where JFK and Jackie are buried. The changing of the guard in Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers was very interesting to watch, too.
US Capitol Hill: With all the elections going on, unfortunately, we could only see George Bush on TV, even though he was only a room away from us at the U.S. Capital Hill. Washington D.C. is a very beautiful, historical and interesting place to visit and I recommend you to pre-book the White House Tour 6 months prior to your visit, if you're planning to go there. The F.B.I has to do a thorough background check before you're allowed into the White House. So plan ahead and dress appropriately i.e. no burkas or turbans!!
Next Stop - SWEDEN: My next adventure will commence on March 31, 2008. Virgin galactic has organised a trip for us to Sweden. We will stay at the Ice Hotel, go on the Husky pulled sledge rides, watch the launch of a Swedish rocket and hope to see the "Aurora Borealis/ Northern Lights" during our stay. I'll keep you updated after my trip.

All the best in The Year Of The Rat!!

Cheese...I mean, cheers!

Perveen Crawford
Virgin Galactic - Hong Kong Founder Astronaut

Interview by Metro Radio Station HK

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TVB Magazine Visiting

Universal Rides

Thank God this magic pill designed by the NASA Doctors to prevent vomiting worked for me. So, being smart and thinking ahead, I asked my instructor for an extra/spare pill for my Orlando Disney World rides. I took the roller coaster rides as part of my g-force and motion sickness training. The magic pill worked again on all the vicious rides. Banging my head against the metal seat, getting whip lashed and almost losing a shoe during an upside down dangling ride, beats vomiting anytime.
I guess, those who are still interested in my space venture, will have to wait for my next update. I am scheduled to go for my Centrifuge Training at the Nastar Facility in Philadelphia USA in mid September or November ...will keep you posted.

真的要非常謝謝NASA醫生處方給我的止嘔丸，它真的有效。所以我特別向我的指導員拿取額外的藥丸讓我可以在奧蘭多迪士尼樂園訓練我的止嘔術。我玩了很多機動遊戲，它們是其中一項令我訓練止嘔術的方法，那些止嘔丸都非常有效。幾乎我的頭撞向座位、差點兒我的鞋都要脫出來…….

大家如果仍然對我的太空冒險感興趣，就要期待我下次的更新。我將會於九月或十月前往美國賓夕法尼亞州進行離心力訓練。稍後我再為大家報導。

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Zero-G

My most amazing experience I've ever had in my life, was during my ZERO-G training! The stunts we were able to do were just mind boggling and no words can express the sensations I felt...!! My parabolic flight on June 9, I was able to float in mid-air with my hair standing on end, do slow motion acrobatic somersaults, eat floating M&Ms, drink floating blobs of water, crawl up the wall, onto the ceiling and crawl back down again like Spider Woman...!!

I could also zoom around like Superman or ricochet off the wall like a stray bullet...!! It was just amazing what we could do 'without' gravity. One thing we were not aware of was that the water still floating around the cabin, came splashing down onto our faces, when we hit gravity. Luckily, I was wearing my waterproof mascara!

I couldn't have survived all the stunts without my magic pill, specially formulated for motion sickness as designed by the NASA Doctors to prevent vomiting in the "Vomit Comet" during training. The pill gave me a few side effects, like drowsiness in the beginning, perky during training, thirsty and feeling tipsy by the end of the day. But the thirsty part was cured towards the end of our training by free flowing Champagne. We were all presented with our Zero Gravity Certification and had an awesome & tipsy celebration.

無重狀態訓練 在我一生人入面，最驚險的經驗就是這次無重狀態訓練。 我們做的所有驚險動作都令人極為驚訝，我的感覺簡直是「非筆墨所能形容」。6月9日，我進行了一連串的拋物線形的飛行動作，我在半空中飄浮、我的頭髮全都飄起來、我又好像一個雜技人一樣表演翻筋斗、吃飄浮著的朱古力豆、由牆壁爬上天花板，就好像蜘蛛俠的樣子。

我的感覺就好像一個超人一樣，最令人驚喜的就是我們所做的都是處於無重狀態之下。有一件十分有趣的事就是當我們降落地面而沒有處於無重狀態的情況下，所有水都從空中灑在我們的臉上，幸好，我當時用了防水的睫毛液!哈哈!

假如我沒有NASA醫生處方的「魔法藥丸」，即是我的止嘔丸，我一定不能夠生存下來。那些藥丸都會產生一止副作用，最初開始時我會覺得比較疲倦，中段的時間我會有點活躍的，尾段的時候我會感到很口渴和搖搖晃晃的。不過最口渴的問題最後被解決，因為我們可以飲用免費的香檳。我們在課程結束後，獲頒贈一張無重狀態證書及一個場面盛大的慶祝會

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My Buddy - Lucy Hawkings

During my ZERO-G training, I was teamed up with Steve Hawkings' daughter, Lucy Hawkings. Her father, Steve Hawkings, a renowned Scientist, famous for discovering the 'Black Hole' also had the opportunity to experience Zero-G at the Kennedy Space Center in April '07, with his team of doctors. As we all know, Hawkings came to visit HK last year and lectured at the University of Science & Technology through his computerized voice dialogue. Donald Tsang even presented him with an award and his daughter, Lucy, accepted the award on his behalf. They were televised on TV and given the VIP treatment. Steve and Lucy Hawkings will tour Japan & Korea next year and probably drop by HK again. Lucy told me that her father would answer any questions presented to him as long as he was given sufficient time to prepare and record his answers through the voice dialogue...so get your questions ready!! Sir Richard Branson has also reserved a Virgin Galactic seat for Hawkings. Hopefully, Space Ship II will be ready for take off in 2009.

在無重狀態訓練期間，我被編排與史蒂芬‧霍金的女兒 - Lucy 一組。她的父親是一位著名的科學家，他就是發現黑洞的人，亦在2007年4月於甘迺迪太空中心與他的醫生們感受過無重狀態。眾所周知，去年這位科學家曾經來到香港，並於香港科技大學利用他的電腦儀器進行演說。行政長官曾蔭權亦向他和他的女兒頒贈獎項。各大傳媒紛紛報導他們的消息，亦接受眾人的貴賓款待。霍金和他的女兒將會於明年前往韓國及日本，更可能會在香港短暫停留。Lucy告訴我，只需要有足夠時間讓她的父親利用電腦儀器準備和記錄答案，他一定會回答所有對他的提問，所以你們要盡快準備一些問題了﹗布蘭森爵士預留了座位給霍金他們二人，希望太空船二號可以在2009年預備升空﹗

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the Space Shuttle

I just got back from my Zero-G training at the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando a few days ago. The second most amazing experience for me this trip, was to see the Space Shuttle, Atlantis, launch into space on June 8. It was a spectacular and unforgettable event to see Atlantis rocket into the sky and leave a trail of cloud behind. The power behind the rocket was mind boggling too!! Have a Look!

數星期前，我在美國甘迺迪太空中心完成了無重狀態訓練。在這個旅程的第8天(6月8日)，恰巧讓我遇上另一件驚喜的事情，就是看太空穿梭機 - 阿特蘭提斯號升空。驚動一時、場面壯觀的場面令我一生難忘。當穿梭機升空的時候，天空留下一條長長的雲霞軌跡。穿梭機的力量亦是令人極為驚訝的﹗觀看片段﹗

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Change Is Beautiful

高佩雲夠鐘上太空

每個人都總會有理想、有目標，高佩雲就鐘意每十幾年揚名一次。零八年年底，她將會成為亞洲首個女太空人。今年四十多歲的她，多年來創舉不斷，後生時代表香港參加邁阿密首屆國際航空小姐選舉摘冠，十二年前就成為香港首位女飛機師，今日佢又話要搞新意思闖太空。你懷疑她乘機宣傳﹖她就解釋只係自己夠鐘增值。「我每幾年就學一樣新嘢，上完太空，我又要諗另一個創舉。我要做榜樣啟發女性，話俾女性聽我哋結完婚，生完仔，不代表人生就完，人生其實可以多姿多采。」 更多...

Cable TV Channel 27 Interview

Part A


Part B


Part C


Part D


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Part A / Part B / Part C / Part D

排毒一個月後

我正在使用機匯的「九日排毒燒脂」套裝…保證於9日內減去5至15磅!!為了成功地燒脂減磅，我現在實行一個非常嚴謹的有機排毒的餐單，防止毒素在體內細胞內形成。這是一個持續的計劃，一個月內我成功完成兩次「九日排毒燒脂」並減去10磅。

我感到非常健康和充滿活力。我15歲的兒子，Michael亦加入了排毒的行列並於9日內減去8磅。Michael仍然需要減去額外20磅才可以達至正常的年齡身高比例。排毒後，他比以前更開心、更有自信。

兒童癡肥已經成為現今社會一個流行問題，食物內加入過多的防腐劑、糖份及人工荷爾蒙導致種種的致肥問題。在排毒的過程中，必須要防止進食糖份和澱粉質，因為它們會阻礙身體排出毒素。這樣說，好像有點困難、令人驚訝，不過一陣子之後就會發現有機食物味道很不錯，絕對是身體的期望得到的﹗

我完全看到身體在一個月後的極大改善，距離我的目標還有20磅﹗幾個月後，我將會進行第一次太空人體格檢查，合格後才可以參加下一階段之訓練。我肯定我可以在兩個月內通過測驗。

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Perveen 1 month after detox

I am on a 9-Day Detox/Burn Fat Program, guaranteed to lose 5-15lbs in 9 days. I must emphasize to you that I am on a very strict "ORGANIC" detox diet because in order to lose weight successfully, we have to get rid of our toxin built-up hidden in our cells, before we can burn fat and lose weight in a healthy and a long term way. This is a continuous program and I have already lost 10 lbs of toxin after doing our 9-Day Detox twice in this month.

I feel very healthy and very energetic.I put our son, Michael who is now 15 years of age on my detox program as well and he has lost 8lbs in 9 days. Michael still needs to lose another 20lbs more for his age and height. He is now happier and has more
self-esteem.

Obesity in children has become an epidemic in today's society because of all the preservatives, sugar and artificial hormones found in most food. Please note that it is very important to (omit gluten and sugar totally) from our detox diet because sugar and gluten hinders our body from releasing toxin. It may sound like a lot of fuss and extra work, but after a while, organic food stands out, tastes better and that's all my body craves for!!

I am already feeling/seeing a great improvement in my body after a month. I still have about 20 lbs to lose, but I have a goal and I'm going to reach it very soon!!
I will have to go for my first Astronaut Medical Assessment in a couple of months before I can proceed to the next level of Astronaut Training. I'm sure I'll pass my physical test in flying colors in two months time!!

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壹周刊訪問現場實況 17-05-2007

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