Gap year students killed in crash

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Title – Gap year students killed in crash
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 19th March 2009

The tragic loss of 3 young men setting out on the adventure of a lifetime in such a terrible accident is not something any parent should have to deal with and not one I would even pretend to understand. My condolences go out to their family and friends.

This once again highlights the dangers of road travel in foreign countries and having driven on the roads in South Africa myself, I know not only how dangerous they can be, but also how the ‘rules’ vary considerably from what we are used to at home; how the speed cars drive at is astounding; how many obstacles there are to avoid (in the form of pedestrians, stray animals and general debris); and sadly how many accidents are head-on and lead to fatalities.

In the months I spent in

South Africa I sadly drove past many accidents where there had clearly been serious injury or fatalities. Several of these involved the local ‘minibus taxis’ which are usually crammed as full as they can be with passengers (as a rule of thumb count the number of seats and double it).

One of the parents assessment that these young men were just in the “wrong place at the wrong time” is probably the most accurate statement regarding this accident, sadly it does not make it any easier for them to bear.

We have recently commented on a number of tragic road accidents in this blog, which demonstrates the dangers travellers face on roads all over the world:

· Vietnam bus plunge ‘kills 10’
· Belgians die in Egypt coach crash
· Families pay tribute to Britons killed in Ecuador bus crash

At Beyond The Blue (Safe Gap Year) our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness Workshop (GYITSA) considers issues of Transport Options alongside sessions on Travel Safety, Travel Health, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more. Tragedies like this accident happen in every part of the world but I don’t believe there is a country in the world where the level of road traffic accidents should put us off travelling. There are however considerations and judgements we should make in regard to our transport options, to reduce the inherent risks they present.

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

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

Vietnam bus plunge ‘kills 10’

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Title – Vietnam bus plunge ‘kills 10’
Source – http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Date – 14th March 2009

Yet another story which demonstrates the road safety issues at some of the world’s popular destinations for independent travellers, we have commented on a number of these over the past year from Ecuador, to Egypt and now Vietnam:

·

Belgians die in Egypt coach crash
· Families pay tribute to Britons killed in Ecuador bus crash

Vietnam is another of the destinations where fatalities from road traffic accidents are high, with over 12,000 a year, it is an issue for independent travellers when they travel.

Unfortunately these types of accident are not always avoidable as the number of factors involved which are out of the control of the traveller themselves is high; but even if we can learn to reduce those few risks which we can control, it can improve our odds considerably.

This incident in Vietnam and these fatality figures don’t include the number of near misses which can have a dramatic effect on travellers. In our own experience we know of one such first time traveller who was involved in a bus crash in Vietnam where the bus ended up hanging over the side of a bridge; the passengers fortunately managed to escape out of the back window before help was summoned. It was an experience which ruined a trip and led to the individual returning home before their scheduled return.

It is a sad fact that many travellers do find a traumatic experience like this is enough to call and end to a trip and often that is the right decision at the time, as a loss of confidence can result in further problems; besides if the positives don’t outweigh the negatives then there is little point to the travel. The key is not to let it ruin future travel and we are pleased to note our friend has subsequently travelled independently and continues to travel to this day.

At Beyond The Blue (Safe Gap Year) our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness Workshop (GYITSA) considers issues of Transport Options alongside sessions on Travel Safety, Travel Health, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more. Tragedies like this accident happen in every part of the world but I don’t believe there is a country in the world where the level of road traffic accidents should put us off travelling. There are however considerations and judgements we should make in regard to our transport options, to reduce the inherent risks they present.

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

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

Airlines’ limit on liquid in hand luggage to be lifted

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Title – Airlines’ limit on liquid in hand luggage to be liftedSource – The Times
Date – 12th March 2009

It has yet to happen, but it does seem like the limit on liquid being taken onto flights will soon be lifted; or at least selectively lifted.

However we would still advise that you prepare your luggage and pack with the existing limitations in mind. It seems that at first there will be trials followed by a roll-out of the new machines which can detect those liquids which pose a risk to flights. But at £100,000 a machine the balance between the cost of installation and the additional cost of security at airports (not all of which will be cut back on thanks to these machines) will be difficult to balance.

The key to remember is that although we would imagine that Heathrow will be one of the first to install these machines, the airports you are flying into are less likely to have the machinery installed soon. This means that it is important that you plan not just for your flight out, but also for your return flight; take vessels for your liquids which you can use in both directions.

The best advice is to make sure you pack all your liquids in your hold luggage to avoid all possible problems. Remember also that the restrictions on knives, nail clippers, scissors and other ‘sharps’ will remain in place.

At

Beyond The Blue (Safe Gap Year) our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness Workshop (GYITSA) considers issues of Transport Options alongside sessions on Travel Safety, Travel Health, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more. Packing your bags should be done not just with your outward journey in mind but rather considering every journey you will be making on your travels. The way to pack for a flight is very different to the way you should pack for a 10 hour bus ride through the backbone of India, are very different.

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

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

Just how cheap are those no-frills flights once the hidden extras are taken on board?

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Title – Just how cheap are those no-frills flights once the hidden extras are taken on board?Source – The Independent
Date – 8th March 2009

I recently commented on this blog about

Ryanair threatening to charge for the use of toilets on it’s flights and I then came across this article highlighting the ‘real’ costs of ‘budget flights’.

Before we look at all the add-ons to the advertised cost of these flights I should point out that with the advent of the ‘budget airline’ the options for the independent traveller have substantially increased and they continue to grow. The launch of an Air Asia service from Stansted to Kuala Lumpur and beyond have added a whole new dimension to the possibilities for independent travel.

Traditional travel agents who always used to be the best option for multi-stop long-haul flights, now have real competition. Anyone wishing to take a trip to South East Asia or even Australia can find cheaper alternatives on-line. But be warned there are positive and negative sides to this change.

But back to the short-haul budget flights….

The table in this article gives you some idea of the extras; but be warned they are likely to continue changing on a regular basis, so make sure you check all the booking conditions before you hand over your credit card (yes there is a charge for that too…)

Remember also to factor in all the other costs as well. It is all very well getting a cheaper flight with a low cost airline, but make sure the airport they are flying from and to do not mean that the increase in cost of getting to / from (or parking at) the airport outweigh the benefits; make sure you clear the cookies on your computer before you book (yes they track your activity and it can increase the cost); take your own food and drink as it saves buying overpriced food and drink on board and it will taste better; make sure you book as early as possible as this will generally make it cheaper (I even know of people who book multiple flights many months in advance as they are unsure of their dates, but know that even if they discard most of their flights in the end it will still be cheaper then booking at the last minute.

At Beyond The Blue (Safe Gap Year) our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness Workshop (GYITSA) considers issues of Transport Options alongside sessions on Travel Safety, Travel Health, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more. The options for the Independent Traveller seem to get greater and greater each and every year, but it is almost getting to the point where the options are so great that it has become confusing and getting the best deals means a lot of research or finding someone you can really trust; many will claim to offer you the best and ‘only’ option, but this is rarely the case. We can help you reduce the number of options you need to investigate and direct you to those which will best suit your plans.

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

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

Nation of swimmers shuns the sea as fresh shark attack confirms a gathering menace / Are shark attacks on the rise and can anything be done about them

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Title – 1. Nation of swimmers shuns the sea as fresh shark attack confirms a gathering menace / 2. Are shark attacks on the rise and can anything be done about them?
Source – The Times / The Independent
Date – 2nd March 2009 / 3rd March 2009

I certainly don’t want to add to any slight hysteria there may be as a result of Australia’s recent spate of shark attacks and I have defended the risks before in this blog; see:

I tried to gouge its eyes: surfer battles to drag girl from jaws of 16ft shark

Obviously there is no upside to any attack, but if some of the indicators are correct and the increase in shark numbers are due to an improvement in water quality and thus the increase in the number of small fish which the sharks prey on; then at least there is a positive twist in all of this.

The overwhelming danger to swimmers in Australia is not the shark or even the salt water crocodile, but rather drowning; which accounts for several hundred times more fatalities then shark attacks.

I’m not trivialising these attacks as clearly they are devastating for those involved and their families, but we need to keep a clear head about the probability of a shark attack. The point is that fatalities from shark attack have not dramatically increased and remain at around 1 fatality per year in Australia; still below the number of fatalities from domesticated animals…

What is interesting and important to take from this article is the steps you can take to reduce the risks. Firstly know that very few of the 400 species of shark are actually known to be dangerous to humans; those which are worth worrying about are the Bull Shark, Tiger Shark, Oceanic White Tip and the infamous Great White. There are a few others worth giving a wide berth to and don’t forget that different countries give these sharks different names; for example the Australians refer to the Great White as a White Pointer and the Bull Shark as a Bull Whaler (or a Zambezi Shark in Africa). As an experienced diver, these are the four which would get me out of the water. The reason I fear them is that they are generally very aggressive sharks and tend to bite in order to taste you…

As a diver you are not an attractive prospect for any shark, so it is as a swimmer that I take most care and when swimming it is the Bull shark that I consider the highest risk. They have a tendency to come into shallow water, ‘dirty’ water and can live in brackish water. This ability to live in brackish water means they frequent coastlines, estuaries, entrances to rivers and mangrove swamps which they share with swimmers and sport fishermen; making contact inevitable. Bull shark attacks have taken place in muddy, murky waist-high water without the victims ever knowing they were in any danger.

At Beyond The Blue (Safe Gap Year) our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness Workshop (GYITSA) considers issues of Travel Safety alongside sessions on Transport Options, Travel Health, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more. Sharks should not keep independent travellers out of the water, they just need to take certain risk avoidance measures and seek local advice on ‘safe’ places to swim. There is nothing better when travelling in the tropics then a cool dip in the sea or snorkelling and seeing the amazing marine life; sharks should not ruin that they should enhance it.

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

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.