Planet’s Burma guide ‘unethical’

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Title – Planet’s Burma guide ‘unethical’
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 21st February 2008

I make no secret of being a firm believer that people should not visit Burma on holiday at this time, the argument for visiting are flawed and anyone who has a good understanding of how things work in Burma will know that the very simple fact is that they don’t, nothing is said and nothing happens without the say so of the military. This is the same military which is responsible for oppression, violence and extra judicial killing of its own people. The list of atrocities is substantial and truly disturbing. The recent demonstrations in September 2007 highlighted this further; peaceful demonstrations by Buddhist monks (by their very nature people who preach peace and tranquillity) quelled by a government with gun fire, beatings and indiscriminate violence. As if it was not enough to break up demonstrations, this was followed up by violent raids on monasteries, abductions incarceration of the monks that took part in the demonstrations and the same treatment for their families.

The Burmese military is such a secretive organisation ruling by fear alone that no one quite knows the number of people killed, injured or imprisoned but most agree that the official figures of 10 – 15 killed is probably at least ten times lower than the actual figures. As for those sent to detention camps far away from their homes in the remote north of Burma, the figures can only be guessed at but they certainly number in their thousands and there is never even the suggestion of a trial, let alone fair trial.

So should we blame Lonely Planet for all of this or for publishing a Burma travel guide? I don’t believe it is that black or white. As a staunch supporter of organisations like the Burma Campaign (http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk)i/ believe strongly that people should not visit Burma. It has long been the request of Anug San Suu Kyi that people do not visit Burma until the generals are defeated, she is the only legitimate leader and representative of the Burmese people and acknowledged as one of the world’s great leaders and greatest advocate of peace, so she should be listened to.

The argument about Lonely Planet for me is more than just the fact that a guide book promotes a country, it is the fact that in our free society we should let people decide for themselves if they want to visit Burma or not, otherwise we are not much better than the Burmese Generals. Democracy is about freedom and choice, we should defend that, but that does not mean that we should promote Burma as a travel destination. The lonely planet Burma, gives people the choice to visit and it gives them the chance to find out more about the country in a stark warning at the beginning of the book, does that warning go far enough? Probably not.

So for me we should campaign for Lonely Planet to go further with the argument and the facts behind Burma’s regime, tell the real horror story and make more of an argument about not visiting, make the Lonely Planet a tool for change in Burma waking readers up to the atrocities and the support they will give the Burmese government if they visit, not simply banning the book which censors our freedom of choice. I object to travel companies advertising Burma as a destination with phrases like 'an unspoilt paradise' or 'a place of serenity and beauty' as they are just lies, if travel agents tell the truth and if Lonely Planet tells the truth a bit more extensively then people will not travel to Burma anyway and we will not have to censor our books. The truth is always more powerful then hiding behind lies, the Burmese military have been fighting that for years and with the help of the world standing up for the innocent voiceless people of Burma the truth will defeat the Burmese Military and destroy their grip on the Burmese people.

Besides if Lonely Planet publishes more of the real story about Burma and presents the real facts, not the lies of the generals, the Burmese authorities will stop letting people bringing it into the country, solving the discussion at a stroke…

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Yellow fever crisis hits Paraguay

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Title – Yellow fever crisis hits Paraguay
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 20th February 2008

Paraguay’s fight against the mosquito has taken another turn, as they are fighting the rise in cases of Dengue the latest blight is Yellow Fever, and once again it seems to have crept across the border from Brazil and moved outside of its usual jungle habitat and into more urban areas.

So should you avoid Paraguay?

The answer is no, the is no reason to take Paraguay off your itinerary for now, certainly it is worth keeping an eye on developments, but good preparation and suitable vaccinations before you go, as well as deploying good bite avoidance techniques once you’re there should help ensure your trip is a safe one as far as is possible.

The key to travel planning is to ensure you are as self-sufficient as possible, do not rely on the health service of the country you are visiting to provide the vaccinations or treatment if you get ill through failure to take sensible precautions before you leave. One of the key lessons to take away from stories like the outbreak of Yellow Fever in Paraguay is that the Yellow Fever vaccination is essential and that the health services in Paraguay are currently stretched to the limit trying to cope with their own citizens, they don’t need and may not be able to cope with visitors adding to that burden. No matter how much insurance you have you may simply not be able to get a vaccination or treatment in country if they do not have the resources.

With Yellow Fever it is imperative to get a certificate of vaccination otherwise you may well find on leaving Paraguay that many other countries (especially in Asia and Australasia) may not allow you entry as they are currently Yellow Fever free and desperately want to stay that way. Certainly with this first outbreak in 30 years, customs and quarantine officers at the points of entry will have been alerted to look out for recent Paraguay entry stamps in passports of travellers.

To many people ignore Travel Health and too many fall foul of diseases, viruses and illnesses that are wholly preventable. During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops we examine the most recent advice available and look at the risks of your chosen destination, arming you with the questions and suggestions you will need to take to your GP or Travel Clinic when you go for your vaccinations and prophylactics. But just as importantly we also examine what you can do to prevent and protect yourself from catching these diseases in the first place.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

You’ve been scammed

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Title – You’ve been scammed
Source – The Sunday Times
Date – 17th February 2008

It is one of the most common problems faced by travellers, the scam, rip off, con artistes, being over charged… to cut it short being taken for a ride by clever locals.

Some people dwell on it and let it affect their whole trip and their whole impression of the people in the country they are visiting, others unfortunately have no choice but to change their plans as they find themselves out of pocket, but in the most part sensible people accept it and move on, a little poorer, but also a little wiser.

Learning from other is a great way of avoiding the more common scams, but it would take a lifetime to learn them all and as people get wise to one scam another is born; to the point we have to accept it as reasonably unsolvable. But we also have to put it in perspective, most travellers will at some point during a long trip feel they have been hard done by or ripped off.

I have travelled widely and on each trip could probably recount at least one time I have been ripped off; the cab driver who strangely had no change; the bottle of water that seems to cost twice as much when I buy it as the local buying it in front of me in the queue; the fakes that cost a fraction of the real thing yet are still a rip off when I know what I could get them for and a real rip off when I get home and they shrink, fade and break; the tour guide who I spent hours negotiating with and who seemingly didn’t understand that a day trip means more then two hours on a boat with a hole in it; the boat we were told it was a safe time to leave in yet we found ourselves stuck in the middle of a tropical storm just an hour out to sea. Then there are the more complicated scams involving gem stones, drugs and other black-marketering that seems rife in some countries.

Avoiding scams does sometimes seem to be a full time occupation, but don’t let it ruin your trip, accept it as part of the experience and if it starts to grate on your nerves think back to your life at home; for me the solution is simple, whenever I feel I have been ripped off I think back to the cost of rail travel or a pint of beer at home and start to feel better. I may have been ripped off but actually what was most hurt was my pride and that is easily fixed.

The worst rip off I ever fell for was in Surrey (UK). I comfort myself that the many times I have had bits of equipment stolen or paid too much for products and services have not actually ruined a trip, but enriched a few locals and helped me avoid these scams in the future. During our Gap Year & Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops we examine the scams you might come across and the best ways to avoid them and how to react when you are caught out. The key is to try your best to avoid them, accept that they happen and move on when you are the 'victim' and not let it affect the rest of your trip or from taking future trips.


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Tourists warned of UAE drug laws

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Title – Tourists warned of UAE drug laws
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 8th February 2008

It is often difficult to understand what we perceive to be the ‘crazy’ laws of some of the countries we visit, even countries which attract as many tourists as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), especially Dubai. But whatever we think and whatever our beliefs, when in another country we have to abide by their rules and their laws, otherwise staying at home is our only option.

UAE is certainly not alone in having very strong laws on both legal and illegal drugs. Comparatively they may actually be more lenient than other countries where a mandatory death penalty is enforced. However it is their approach that is drawing attention to the risks of travel. Most people will accept that drug smugglers should face the consequences of their actions, even if they don’t agree with some of the harsh sentences. Few people can any longer be ignorant of the consequences of drug smuggling; put simply the penalties for drug smuggling anywhere in the world are severe and can result in a mandatory death sentence.

The difference in UAE is the methods of detection and the requirements for conviction. A zero tolerance approach is not unusual, but it is what constitutes possession that is most worrying. The examples in this article certainly reinforce the idea that any contact with illegal drugs could be considered possession in UAE and this in itself is of concern, as many people will not even be aware that they are or have been in contact. New technology makes it possible to detect even the smallest quantity of illegal drugs. Let me put that into some kind of context; a recent study showed that almost every £10 and £20 note in circulation in the UK when tested contain cocaine residue… undoubtedly there are many cocaine users in the UK but we all carry £10 and £20 notes in our wallets even those of us who have never touched the stuff...

The situation with prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs is equally strict, but here at least there is something you can do about it. It should be in everyone’s travel plan to ensure they make themselves aware through embassy websites, the FCO and similar sources which drugs may be restricted at their destinations (including stop-overs). Certainly any prescription drugs should not be taken without a copy of the prescription and preferably a letter from your doctor highlighting the need for the medication. Copies of these documents should be treated just as carefully as your passport; with copies made and stored in different locations and electronically.

Our Gap Year & Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop provides candidates with guidance and advice on Travel Safety issues ranging from Travel Health to Documentation, Passport, Visa and Currency advice. We will help you to plan effectively for your trip, to avoid potential problems and to return home safely with just positive adventures to recount to your friends and family.

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And you thought your train was busy

Title – And you thought your train was busy
Source – The Metro
Date – 1st February 2008

Culture shock comes in many different forms and sometimes we just have to accept that staying away is better then the experience itself might be.

As a general rule I would say steer clear of crowds when you are in a foreign country or at least be on your guard and take additional precautions, where possible stay with a local guide or contact. Politically motivated crowds and crowd developing through local anger are even more of a no-go area and demonstrations generally are better avoided and in certain circumstances you should consider the option of leaving the area, city or country altogether.

Many crowds can however be predicted and happen regularly or even daily in some cities and you just have to negotiate them. Crowd control is a science and it has been studied at great length by psychologist, law enforcement and others, for generations. We understand some ways to deal with crowds and sometimes we apply them, but how a crowd in one country is dealt with can be very different to how they are dealt with in another country. In the frenzy the protection that you are often unwittingly given as a visitor is ignored when you find yourself surrounded by hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of thousands of locals, you become one and will be treated like one.

In Jakarta, Indonesia, a recent initiative to deal with serious overcrowding on trains forcing people on to the roof of the trains themselves, involved station staff developing a system of spraying those who climbed on the roofs with a pungent food dye that led to skin irritations, ruined clothing and resulted in their skin being stained for months. This was seen not only as an effective solution, but as a perfectly sensible on.

China saw some of its worst snow for a generation this year, leading to transport chaos at a time of year when traditionally the Chinese migrant workers get a few days off and travel home to visit and celebrate the Chinese New Year with relatives. At a time when transport is usually overwhelmed anyway, the cancellations led to such chaos that the Chinese Premiere offered an apology in person… anyone who has even the slightest understanding of Chinese politics will know this is not just unusual but unprecedented and demonstrates exactly how bad things were.

In a country where travelling is already difficult enough for non Chinese speakers, you really would not want to be thinking about buying a ticket or trying to push yourself to the front of the queue in this situation… Travel planning is essential, no one can predict what is going to happen with any accuracy in the form of weather, political turmoil, disease epidemics and all the other factors that need to be considered, but you can plan to reduce the risks to a minimum and avoid where sensible certain seasons, public holiday and other events that are predictable. You can also plan contingencies into your trip, when these scenes present themselves, our advice; go back to your guest house or hotel and enjoy a few more nights in Guangzhou, the Terracotta Warriors will still be there when you visit a week later. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops can help you plan effectively for your trip and understand the need to be flexible to stay safe.


Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com