Swiss man jailed for Thai insult

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Title – Swiss man jailed for Thai insult
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 28th March 2007

Walk along a road in London and deface a portrait or symbol of the Queen and the most punishment you are likely to face is a charge of criminal damage, usually resulting in no more then a caution or a fine. However in other countries the ridiculing of monarchs, politicians or religious figures can carry much more serious penalties.

An example in Thailand where the king is revered, left this man from Switzerland facing a gaol term of 10 years after spray painting posters depicting the king’s image. This sentence may seem unduly harsh, but in reality it was reduced from an original sentence of 20 year and could have been worse with up to 75 years term having been a possibility.

Very few people would find themselves in this situation, but this Swiss man will not be the first or the last to commit a 'stupid' crime when intoxicated after a night of drinking. But in Thailand even criticising the king can land you in very hot water. More importantly many of the Thai people will find it very insulting for you to make derogatory comments about their monarch and your input may be very unwelcome.

Generally it is a bad idea to talk about politics in foreign countries and certainly try and avoid starting these conversations yourself. One important factor is not to assume that the way of life back home is the right and only way for countries to be governed. Cultural difference across the world often dictate how countries are governed and work well in some countries and less well in others.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop enables individuals to travel with the knowledge of how to behave in the countries they visit, to avoid causing offence leading potentially to further problems. During the workshop we examine cultural differences in the different destinations where your travels will take you.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Was hiker killed by her own rucksack?

Title – Was hiker killed by her own rucksack?
Source – Daily Mail
Date – 10th March 2007

This tragic accident left a young adult dead and a family in mourning and forever destroyed by the most devastating memories.

The suggestion is that the weight of her backpack was a contributing factor in this accident and that a desire to retrieve lost equipment started the sequence of events that resulted in the loss of a young life full of promise.

Although the events leading to this accident may not have been foreseeable, the causes are more common then you might expect. Poor choices of equipment and over packing as well as an emotional attachment to often cheap and unnecessary equipment that is about to be lost, does result in many injuries that could easily be avoided.

During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop we examine the equipment that is useful and what you should pack and those items manufacturers will try and force upon you that are a real waste of money and you can afford to leave behind. The everyday benefit is simply the inconvenience of an excessively heavy backpack that holds you back, as well as a better understanding of the actual value of your equipment and the problems that can result if you try and stop it being lost or stolen.

We offer these workshops to help travellers going anywhere in the world to prepare effectively for their adventure from the very basics to specific needs at your destination. We examine your equipment needs and how to avoid spending hundreds of pounds on equipment you will rarely or never use.

Accidents and tragedies can not always be avoided and sad stories such as this one will continue to be written, but the more people that inform themselves about potential risks the less families will have to come to terms with loosing a brother, sister, son or daughter.


Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Ethnic violence flares in Vanuatu

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Title – Ethnic violence flares in Vanuatu
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 8th March 2007

Vanuatu is a nation of small islands in the middle of the pacific ocean. Rarely visited except by intrepid travellers and experienced divers, it has a wealth of attractions just waiting for the experienced traveller; world class wreck diving, accessible active volcanoes, friendly dugongs, cargo cults, great beaches, blue holes, authentic south pacific culture and is the birth place of the Bungee Jump in the land (vine) jumpers of Pentecost island.

Vanuatu recently shot to fame coming top of the Happy Planet Index (www.happyplanetindex.org) a new way of looking at the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is being delivered. So is Vanuatu really the happiest place on earth?

Certainly it has traditionally been a typical south pacific island, with a pace of life equivalent to a turtle on land, a people that smile when they meet you and are happy to talk and find out about you and your life at every opportunity, the palm trees to finish off the perfect picture postcard. But ask some of the locals and they may have a different point of view, most are certainly happy, but they still like anyone want to improve themselves. Better health care, better education and better prospects for their children, the same ambitions that people all over the world work for. Your tourist dollar can make a difference and help local people, if you use local facilities.

But even in the happiest place on earth, trouble seems sometimes to be just below the surface and modern life creeps up and does the same damage that it has done for centuries in all corners of the world. Coming in search of work in the capital and in the main tourist hotspots, people from different ethnic groupings are forced to live together in conditions not fit for purpose; the negative elements seem to surface and the result is always the same, fighting and civil unrest. Even in paradise where the police carry no weapons, they have to draw on the worst of mankind’s inventions (the gun) to try and protect the happiness of the people.

Beyond The Blue provides details on your chosen destinations, examines the cultural experiences you need to be aware of and the risks you are likely to face when you reach your destination. During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop, we examine whole hosts of subjects essential to having a positive travel experience.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Five Britons kidnapped in Ethiopia’s ‘land of death’

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Title – Five Britons kidnapped in Ethiopia’s ‘land of death’
Source – The Independent
Date – 3rd March 2007

As tourists and travellers seek out ever more remote and unvisited destinations they increasingly find themselves in areas where they simply don’t have the skills or information to guarantee their own safety, but you don’t have to go to the remote and bandit ridden north of Ethiopia to put your own safety in danger, common destinations have their own threats.

Travelling is and should remain one of your life’s best and most memorable experiences, every corner of the world has fascinating sights, sound, smells and spectacles, but increasingly people are pushing their own boundaries are realising that they are under prepared for what they face when they arrive.

We appreciates that the average person could be scared to death if they were presented with all the facts relating to their chosen destination, civil unrest, theft, kidnapping, disease, natural disasters, war, industrial accidents and every day accidents are just the tip of the iceberg. But we are not here to scare you we are here to present these fact and figures in context and show you that most of the world is as safe as your home town, if you approach it in the right manner and prepare effectively for your forthcoming adventure. We want everyone attending our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop not only to leave feeling more confident, but to be excited about the adventure they are about to face. We want you to return home with just tales of fun and new experiences rather than horror stories.


Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Dengue sparks Paraguay emergency

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Title – Dengue sparks Paraguay emergency
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 2nd March 2007

Dengue is becoming an increasing problem in many parts of the world. In endemic countries it remains a constant threat but it is this type of outbreak that presents the biggest threat to travellers.

Having a good understanding of the dangers faced in the countries you are visiting and taking prevention measures is always sensible even when an outbreak has yet to be widely reported. Many simple measures can reduce the risks you face at your destination and keeping up to date with the latest information means you can avoid areas where the risks are unacceptable. In areas suffering an outbreak, local medical facilities will already be stretched with local casualties and don’t need the added burden of travellers adding to already difficult conditions.
Through our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we offer individuals planning a trip to any part of the world advice and guidance on personal safety issues, as well as Travel Health and Destination Advice and information.

Please visit our website at http://www.safegapyear.com/

The Gap Year gone wrong

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Title – The Gap Year gone wrong
Source – www.ft.com
Date – 2nd March 2007

This story of every parent’s worst nightmare, fortunately turned out to have a happy ending; but it doesn’t take away from the horror of the experience that this whole family had to go through. It all started with one of the most common accidents that young travellers experience; the scooter or motorbike accident. This time the results were serious and devastating for all concerned, more commonly these accidents are minor, but they can still cost individuals a fortune and ruin the experience of a lifetime. However some accidents are serious and often this is a result of inexperience and over confidence and ignoring the basic safety rules that are enforced by law at home and flaunted by travellers to other countries.

Few people would ever consider getting on a motorbike in the UK without a motorbike license, insurance and most importantly a helmet. But too many people get to their holiday destination and ignore all three of these basic rules and speed around resorts without a care in the world. Add to these risks, the danger of many of the world’s roads being impossible to navigate safely without the experience of having grown up understanding that it is normal to negotiate 5 lanes of traffic when there are only 3 lanes marked on the road…

There are many dangers for the average traveller setting off on a Gap Year, some are unavoidable and need to be addressed by good planning. Others such as your transport options are entirely in your own hands, certainly accidents happen, traffic accidents happen in Sri Lanka as well as Swindon. We can help you reduce the risk, but only you can implement the precautions you need to put in place to eliminate the risk that are simply not worth taking.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop will help anyone planning a trip to any part of the world to understand the risks and the way they can be reduced in all the areas of travel. As part of the workshop we examine Transport Options and personal safety issues.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com