Travellers warned over insurance

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Title – Travellers warned over insurance
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 29th June 2008

It is very easy to say always check the small print of your travel insurance, but in reality how many of us really do. Think about it have you ever actually read a 64 page policy cover to cover? Have you even ever checked your car or home insurance policy from cover to cover? Many people skirt over it, most simply read the ‘highlights’ presented by the company themselves in their booklets and trust them to point out the key exclusions and try and travel within these guidelines.

Knowing this you would think that insurance companies would make every effort to cover these points in their booklets and ‘key facts’ pages. Any company that has any understanding of Gap Years must accept that the temptation for ‘Gappers’ to use scooters, mopeds and even motorbikes as forms of transport in some countries can be overwhelming and sometimes not just the cheapest but often the only means of transport. Not only do they rent these, but often motorbike-taxis are a standard form of public transport.

I am not about to defend the insurance companies or those people that choose to hire motorbikes and mopeds in countries where they are not qualified, experienced enough or legally allowed to use them. But we also have to face reality as do the insurance companies, either accept it will happen and cover it or make it very clear it is not covered and warn people of the dangers.

James’s story is sadly far from unique and motorcycle accidents are one of the common causes of injury and death of gap year students. What seems like a fun, cheap, harmless and convenient means of transport can quickly turn to tragedy on the often ‘crazy’ roads of the countries ‘Gappers’ visit. The state of the roads, condition of the motorcycles they rent and the aggressive driving of other vehicles all play their part, add to this the invincibility that some people feel when travelling that leads them to think that alcohol or drugs will not impede them either.

But what about the motorbike-taxi, are you insured using these? Go to Cambodia for example and you will find them the cheapest and most common form of transport when visiting the great temples of Siem Reip, would you be insured when using them? Do the drivers have to hold a UK driving licence or will a local licence do? Must you have checked their drivers licence before you jump on the back? You may be waiting a long time to find one who has his licence on him and is willing to show you…

Many travellers have been injured on motorcycles some seriously as in James’s case; others were less fortunate; some get off lightly and survive with grazes; in countries like Cambodia a frightening number of people receive serious burns on their right legs from being a passenger on the back of a motorcycle and coming into contact with the exhaust pipe, these easily turn septic in the heat and humidity and can put an end to your trip.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop helps prepare anyone planning to travel to understand the dangers they will face and how to mitigate them. We always advise candidates against the use of motorcycles where they are not qualified or experienced enough to use them (This includes in the Cook Islands where you can obtain a motorcycle licence by sitting a test and paying a fee in a single day; the test is often ignored, but the fee is always strictly observed…). We make candidates aware of the consequences of having an accident if their insurance cover is insufficient and how it could result in them or a family member spending their life savings to repatriate them. At the very least we recommend that suitable safety equipment is used.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Plane Survival Lottery

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Title – Plane Survival Lottery
Source – Daily Mail
Date – 27th June 2008

I’m not convinced that articles like this one are going to particularly encourage those people who already have a fear of flying. But then how many people can really say they have never considered the prospect of a plane they are flying in crashing?

The facts however are still very clear, flying is a very safe means of transport; certainly you are at far greater risk of serious injury or death during your drive to the airport, than you are once you have boarded your plane.

It is strange that it takes a University study to prove what must be one of the most logical conclusions to make; the nearer you are to an emergency exit the greater the chance of escape in the case of an accident… how was that study ever going to show any other conclusion? Think about it logically; if the person sitting next to the emergency exit does not survive how does anyone else get out anyway? It does seem to be a bit of a waste of time, but at least we now have the statistics to prove it…

Certainly the fear of flying is not something to be taken lightly, it is a terrible burden for those affected and restricts their ability to travel dramatically. If it helps them to sit near the exit then they are welcome to that seat as far as I am concerned, will I be rushing to get as close to the exit seat as possible next time I fly Easy Jet? Not really, I have always been the guy who waits until the rush is almost over before boarding anyway and that is unlikely to change. Before you ask, no I don’t have a death-wish and no I’m not careless with my own safety. I just know that there are many more important things to worry about when it comes to flying.

I could tell you my trick; count the seats between me and the nearest exit in front of me and behind me, so that when the cabin fills with smoke I can feel my way along to the nearest exit and not rely on the unconvincing floor lights that may or may not work after an accident. How useful is this trick? Far from full-proof, but who knows when it might prove useful…

However far far more important than these tricks or which seat I choose, is who I fly with. Going back to my earlier example, the reason I wouldn’t rush for an exit seat with Easy Jet is because they have an excellent safety record, to date they have never had a crash resulting in any fatality; I’m not saying it will never happen, but the chances are slight, less for example than being struck by lightning in the UK and yet I don’t run for a bunker in an electrical storm.

At Beyond The Blue our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop concentrates on what really matters. Every little thing that can reduce the risks is important but so is perspective. It is more important to consider the airline you intend to fly with then the seat you intend to sit in. During our workshop we examine your Transport Options and how you can risk assess your plans prior to booking to reduce the risk you face on any form of transport from flights to boat rides and rickshaws to horseback.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Hundreds are lost after ferry capsizes in typhoon

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Title – Hundreds are lost after ferry capsizes in typhoon
Source – The Times
Date – 23rd June 2008

Ferry travel remains the most popular form of transport for local people around the 7107 islands of the Philippines. The ferry service networks are extensive and as the cost of oil continues to rise and with it the cost of flying, ferries are set to become even more popular and therefore busier.

It would be easy to simply write that ferries in the Philippines should be avoided at all costs; ferry disasters are a regular occurrence in the Philippines and few would bet against further disasters in the future. The factors vary; poor maintenance; over-capacity; old vessels; terrorism; and as in this case the weather, especially the typhoon season. But it would be irresponsible also not to mention that the situation has certainly got better in the past decade and although the catalogue of disasters seems not to be greatly diminished since the world’s worst peace-time maritime disaster took place in the Philippines in 1987 with the loss of the Dona Paz sank with the loss of more than 4300 lives (1988 - 250-300 died when the Dona Marilyn sank; 1994 – 140 died when the Cebu city ferry was hit by a freighter; 1998 – 150-200 died when the Princess of the Orient ferry sank; 2004 – 116 died when the Superferry 14 caught fire, Abu Sayyaf claimed they had planted a bomb) it has to be put in some kind of context. Firstly the vast number of people using the ferry service every year and the vast number of ferries in service; secondly the common assumptions we make that all ferries are overcrowded certainly does not seem to be the case on this occasion, where although the numbers are disputed even the higher number of 845 is well below the official capacity of the MV Princess which was 1992.

The Philippines suffers almost every year from typhoons and extreme weather systems and although normally confined to June to November, they can strike at other times of year as well. In May 2006 while travelling through the Philippines, I found myself on Malpascua Island as the weather closed in. Due to a complete lack of information available on an island where electricity is only available sporadically, I had no idea that the rain that was slowly getting heavier was actually the start of a typhoon. With the rain ruining the visibility, the diving for Thresher sharks was no longer possible, I decided to go back to the ‘mainland’ of Cebu. What I didn’t know was that this Typhoon was catching us up. We were not on a ferry, but a small local boat. The 45 minute trip across the sea was the most terrifying boat trip of my life. 20 minutes in it was clear that this was more than heavy rain, turning back was not an option and going forward was just terrifying. It really was all hands on deck; tie down everything that moves, that might be washed away, more importantly that might fly around and hit one of the 5 crew or 4 passengers or worse knock them overboard. The most important thing, we all donned our lifejackets. The worst sign in such circumstances and the one that confirms exactly how serious and precarious the situation is, is when the Philippine crew don their life jackets. These guys are the ultimate seafarers, fearless, jovial and at one with the open ocean. I have never held on to anything in my life so tightly as the rail of that boat. Even the coastguard chastising us when we arrived in Cebu was a joyous experience, I would happily have spent time in a Philippine gaol had they decided to follow through with their threats against the crew for setting off in those conditions, because the sense of relief was so significant. If ever proof was needed as to how lucky we were, then the devastation, the downed trees, missing roves, floods and strewn debris all around us the following day confirmed it.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop provides you with the vital information you need when you are travelling. Through our Destination Advice we examine not only the political, criminal and health risks of your destination(s), but also the environmental risks and weather patterns. Avoiding typhoon, rainy and monsoon seasons as well as the extreme hot and cold seasons can make or break your trip. We also look at dynamic risk assessment and Transport Options while you are travelling. Understanding what to look out for and most importantly knowing and having the courage to change your plans when you see a perceived risk no matter what others tell you, will help to keep you safe on your travels.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

UK says UAE terror risk is ‘high’

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Title – UK says UAE terror risk is ‘high’
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 16th June 2008

Maintaining regular and up-to-date information on your destinations is an essential part of travel planning. Situations change from one day to the next; sometimes these changes should lead to changes in your travel plans and sometimes they should just make you more aware when you arrive.

That the Foreign Office have publicised this update in advice for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) so widely should certainly make travellers take it seriously as this is not common practice and certainly not for a country that has so far avoided any serious terrorist related attack and become a major tourist destination for travellers from the UK.

For the risk from terrorism to be moved to ‘High’ generally reflects the fact that there is a ‘known’ threat suggested by intelligence information. With the amount of business and the number of tourists travelling to UAE, you can be sure that the Foreign Office does not take the subject of souring the relationship with the kingdom lightly.

The FCO website should be the first stop for any travel planning; the second should be Beyond The Blue. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop will provide you with a wealth of information on planning your travels and on travelling safely. We will help you to make your decisions based on sound judgement following your own research and direct you in the most effective ways to plan your trip and revise it as you go along.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Living among the remnants of war

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Title – Living among the remnants of war
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 13th June 2008

Mention the Laos war and most people will look at you blankly, mention just the word Vietnam and people will list film after film and song after song at you; many will even now give you their opinion on the conflict there and the US involvement in that country. That makes the following statement so unbelievable:

‘Laos is the most bombed country on earth. The US dropped 2.4 million tonnes of bombs on it during the Vietnam war – more than the allies dropped on Germany and Japan combined in World War II’

In this relatively ‘small’ country with no significant infrastructure and covered in jungle they ‘inadvertently’ got involved in a war and yet never received the focus given to their neighbour whose name will be a by-word for a war for many years to come. The Laotians have been paying the price ever since, as unexploded munitions still litter the country and regularly result in serious injury and death to the Laotians.

Sadly the readily available source of metal that the systematic bombing campaign left behind has been far too tempting to leave untouched and as in so many parts of the world the locals have seen this ‘bonanza’ and exploited it. This does provide the most wonderful images for visitors and gets cameras clicking wildly; but the darker side it causes injury and death that massively outweighs the benefit.

Unfortunately visitors to Laos can through ignorance unwittingly add to the existing problems. Souvenirs made from this scrap metal can be bought in local markets and shops and tourist think they make a good talking point once back home. The sad fact is that perpetuating this trade means that locals will seek out the scrap to make into these souvenirs placing them in further danger. We would certainly recommend that you buy local goods to take back with you, but think about the consequences of what you buy. Avoid those items that cause harm to the local population, local environment and steer well clear of items made from animals or plant that may be prohibited when you return home or travel on to your next destination.

Whatever you do, if you are travelling in Laos don’t pick up, touch or attempt to take home any of this type of ‘scrap’; stories of tourists boarding planes with souvenirs that turned out to contain unexploded munitions are not unheard of in Laos. You don’t need to be an expert to figure out what the consequences are of attempting to take such items onto a flight…

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop examines aspects of personal safety, Travel Safety and Ethical and Responsible Travel giving you the perfect head start when you are planning your gap year or career break to any part of the world.

Please visit our website at http://www.safegapyear.com/ or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Tackling Cambodia’s landmine legacy

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Title – Tackling Cambodia’s landmine legacy
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 11th June 2008

Cambodian landmine clearance projects are undoubtedly a great success and a credit to all those people who have over the years risked their lives and often paid with their lives in order to clear the estimated 5 to 6 million landmines that were laid in that country. This figure is almost incomprehensible when you take the time to think about it and then consider the excruciatingly slow process involved in landmine clearance. That it takes the average soldier just minutes to plant a landmine and takes a trained expert such a long time to firstly discover the mine and then clear it, does lead many to believe that countries like Cambodia may never truly be clear of them and clear of the horrific injuries they now cause the innocent civilians who come across them inadvertently.

The life shattering effects of the landmine are clear to see in every corner of Cambodia, a country that suffers the highest percentage of amputees of anywhere in the world. The situation is compounded in Cambodia not only because many people are effectively self sufficient and grow their own food or work in agriculture, but also that being one of the world’s poorest countries there is a lack of state aid for those no longer able to work. Add to this the effect that the 1 to 3 million people who were killed during the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970’s and the hole that this left in a population, the effect it had on nearly every family in Cambodia and it is not difficult to see why Cambodia lags behind some of its close neighbours in terms of the remarkable development that has occurred in South East Asia.

What is wonderful despite these three or four decades of trauma for Cambodia, is the Cambodian people themselves. It is such an open society, there is such honesty about their history, they parade it openly for the world to see and talk about it freely. They genuinely believe that this approach will stop it ever happening to them again. The overwhelming feeling you get from Cambodians is a feeling of being welcomed to their country and to their culture. You should not underestimate the positive contribution that tourism has on that country and country that in relative terms is still very new to tourism.

Landmines undoubtedly pose a danger to visitors to Cambodia, but it is relative. Mine clearance has been concentrated on areas of high population and on areas that attract large numbers of visitors, the real dangers lie in more rural areas and in the forests. But the risk remains and will remain for decades to come. Take sensible measures and listen to local advice. As travellers get more adventurous and as more remote and beautiful parts of Cambodia open up to tourism, the risk will undoubtedly rise.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop examines your destinations and the risks you will face during your gap year, career break or while travelling independently. We provide you with the tools to assess the risks enabling you to make informed decisions as you travel. Cambodia will remain heavily mined for years to come, but sticking to well used paths, regularly frequented areas and heeding local advice will allow you to experience all that this beautiful country and it fascinating ancient cultures has to offer in relative safety. Understanding the effect landmines and the Khmer Rouge still has on the people of Cambodia allows you to better understand the country and your hosts and will give you an insight that you simply will not get from a seat on tour bus round the temples of Angkor Wat.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Five divers rescued from remote beach after two days adrift

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Title – Five divers rescued from remote beach after two days adrift
Source – The Independent on Sunday
Date – 8th June 2008

That this story turned out to have a happy ending is quite amazing and don’t be surprised to see a newspaper or book deal come out of it for those who survived. What will be interesting is if there is any kind of substantial investigation in what went wrong in the first place.

I am not suggesting that this was anything but an accident with a happy ending or that anyone was culpable of neglect, but what is important is that others following on and diving in any part of the world don’t become complacent and think that happy endings are the norm. Even without all the facts being available, it does seem that these people have been very lucky indeed.

So from what we know already this group took part in a drift dive in an areas with strong currents. This in itself is a fairly usual approach for experienced divers. Drift diving is effectively dropping into the water at one point and then going with the current and at the end of your dive surfacing at a different location. One way for the boat to meet you when you surface is to end your dive at a predetermined location, this can be a difficult strategy, especially if there is a very strong current or you see something under water that takes you off the predetermined route. The second way of the boat finding you is for the skipper to follow the bubbles on the surface so they stay with you until you surface. This second technique relies heavily on the experience of the boat captain and on the conditions. It seems in this case that the conditions were unusually rough, this would make it difficult or almost impossible for even the most experienced captains to follow the bubbles.

If currents are exceptionally strong they can take you literally miles away from your starting position. Experienced divers will also take down a ‘safety sausage’, in effect a large (usually orange) fabric tube that can be inflated to about 2m to signal the location of the divers, but these can be difficult to see if there are high waves and great distance between the divers and the boat.

So why do I raise these questions? As an experienced dive master and having dived all over the world and spent a short time working in the dive industry, I am all to aware of the difference in standards within the industry from one dive school to the next. I have no experience of this particular dive operation or their standards, but I have come across criminally negligent as well as excellent dive centres in my time and have dived with both. I have drift dived with excessively strong currents, in very rough conditions and on challenging deep dives. I have dived with hired equipment that failed and with instructors and dive masters that should not be allowed to dive; let alone lead groups diving. On one occasion while diving in Chuck Lagoon in Micronesia with a local dive operation, the skipper of the tin-can boat we were in even threw the anchor out without securing it to the boat first and this before a very challenging 50m+ dive…

The key is to remember that standards vary enormously, so choose your dive operation carefully and if you are unhappy at any point don’t feel that you can’t say no, decide not to dive or end a dive half way through. Diving is a relatively safe activity if you follow basic safety rules. But it can be dangerous or even deadly and this is usually the fault of the people diving, poor decision making and / or greed by dive operators who should know better.

Always check out the dive operation before you book; look at the equipment they hire out to see how new and maintained it is; talk to the people running the dive operation and avoid the brash and arrogant centres; talk to people who have dived already and see what their impression were; check out the sea conditions, how rough it is, the level of visibility and the strength of currents; do not be tempted to dive outside of your comfort zone, outside of your experience and outside of your qualification restrictions; and most importantly trust your instincts. Remember the Dive Master / Dive Instructor is not responsible for your safety, only you are.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop examines the benefits of dynamic risk assessment in the choices you make that affect you ability to travel safely.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Two held in The Gambia on gay charges

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Title – Two held in The Gambia on gay charges
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 3rd June 2008

Understanding and accepting local cultures, local laws and local tradition is very different to agreeing with them. Clearly beheading people because of their sexual orientation is an abhorrent stance for anyone to take, let alone the President of a country. It is simply not a point of view that we would accept in the UK.

However travellers have to accept that if they travel to The Gambia that is the reality they face in that country at this time. The views expressed by the president and the laws in that country means that homosexuals face severe sanction. As much as people feel this to be fundamentally unjust, you have to accept that when you visit another country you have to follow the current laws of that country, to live by them and to ‘respect’ them.

If you disagree with the laws of another country the way to voice your opinion is to write, demonstrate and lobby their embassy in the UK and join international pressure groups. Going to that country and thinking that your status as a foreigner will provide you with some form of protection, is asking for trouble. If anything being a foreigner in many such countries will mean you are more heavily scrutinised.

This is an extreme example, but there are many cultural and legal sensitivities in other countries that we may not agree with, but we must always observe. If you can’t observe them or don’t want to, then stay at home, or travel somewhere you can abide by local laws. Too many people apply their normal principles from the UK at their destination and in many destinations our way of life, our values and our cultures are as alien to our hosts, as this law in The Gambia is to us.

As part of our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine Cultural Awareness and the effect culture shock has on travel, we discuss your approach to the different cultures you will encounter and how to behave at your destination in order not to fall foul of local authorities.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

US to tighten visa restrictions

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Title – US to tighten visa restrictions
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 3rd June 2008

It is always important when preparing to travel that you don’t assume nothing has changed. In a post ‘9/11’ world, governments across the world are looking for new ways to secure their borders and we can expect further restrictions and security measures to come and go in the months and years to come.

This new change in the US entry requirements does not add a layer of bureaucracy it just means people from the UK (and other visa waiver qualifying countries) will need to be more organised in completing an existing layer.

As we understand it what is effectively happening is that where previously half way through a flight to the USA the airline staff would walk down the aisle handing out ‘immigration cards’, you will now have to fill these details in online before you fly.

The key here is in the planning, forget to do it and you are likely to face sanction, be prevented from boarding your flight or deported on arrival. Although there is a ‘provision for last-minute travel’ this is likely to come with a caveat that you have good reason for late travel and not simply that you forgot. You must fill in the form online at least 3 days before you travel and it will be effective for 2 years; our advice is to fill it in as soon as you know you are going to travel, you can then tick it off your list of preparations.

Customs and immigration can present hurdles to any trip, but there is no point in arguing with them. They are notorious at following the rules to the letter and the rules can be quite strict. Answer all and any questions as honestly as you can and in most cases they will be reasonable, if ever you are unsure then always err on the side of caution. For example, going from Asia to Australia (where quarantine laws are very strict in order to protect their fragile ecosystem) many travellers will have bought souvenirs that will need to be declared. Declare them, even if you are unsure. Quarantine officers will happily examine your article and tell you if it can be taken into the country and sometimes items that might otherwise be refused will be treated for you to remove any concerns they may have. Do it the other way round and not declare it when you are unsure and when they find the offending article (as they inevitably will), be prepared for a fine, the loss of your item and potentially more serious consequences including in the worst cases deportation and / or conviction.

Be sensible when you are going through borders, joking when it comes to the question asking ‘are a terrorist’ or joking that your water bottle contains something other than water, will only end up in long delays, missed flights and arrests. There is always a time and a place; customs, immigration and quarantine are a time and place to be very honest, very serious and very open.

During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine all aspects of travel planning including visa requirements for your destination(s).

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

German tabloid mocks UK tourists

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Title – German tabloid mocks UK tourists
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 3rd June 2008

No doubt some people will take great offence at the article in ‘Bild’ and how will they respond, well it’s simple they will resort to all the old German clichés. The odd thing is that they will be wholly unaware that they are doing exactly what they are complaining about. How many times have our tabloid press stepped well over the line when describing our European neighbours, especially when it comes to Football; how many of the songs sung on the terraces at internationals are derogatory of our opponents. Possibly we should for once listen to our own sayings, ‘if you can dish it out then you also have to be able to take it’ or ‘what goes around comes around’.

The sad fact is there is some truth in what the Germans are mocking us for here, how strange has our country got that someone can win damages from a court, because they were surrounded by ‘foreigners’ when they went abroad? But then should we be that surprised by it; go to many of the most popular southern European resorts and you will find more ‘British’ pubs advertising ‘authentic British grub’ and selling the uniquely ‘British Pint’ then any local dishes or delicacies.

But there is a more serious point we should take from this story and that is the image the British have in other countries round the world. As travellers we have two responsibilities, firstly to understand and accept the current view people have of us and deal with the consequences and secondly we have to try and change that view by our actions.

Britain has undoubtedly lost some of its gloss in the eyes of rest of the world, once held up as a bastion of democracy, progress and politeness, the more modern view of Britain revolves around our actions in Iraq, our unquestioning loyalty to the USA, the sporting failures of our national teams, the associated hooliganism and the behaviour and arrogance of many of our tourists when abroad. We have to realise that all the good things that come out of the UK may not be reported on across the world, but the killing by police of and innocent Brazilian on our tube system, the compliance of our government in rendition flights are. In exactly the same way we view other countries through the media we are characterised by the negative aspects of our country. If we think of Syria, we naturally think of terrorism, extremism, middle east conflict, yet if you visit Syria, you will be treated as an honoured guest, the very friendly people will welcome you and treat you with respect; hardly the image most of us have of that country.

It is not all negative, you will find the UK still held in great respect in many countries; there are many countries where although language barriers prevent you from communicating the language of the Premier League will transcend these barriers and start heated debates about which team will win the next seasons competition. I have been to remote parts of the world and frequently meet people who know every player in every team and results dating back years that my knowledge simply can’t compete with, that they view Britain as a wonderful country is because of David Beckham, Micheal Owen and the great Steven Gerrard.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop discusses your destinations and what preconceptions local populations might have of the UK and how your behaviour and plans should reflect these to make your travel safer and more enjoyable.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.