Crocodile bagged by hungry hippos

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Title – Crocodile bagged by hungry hippos
Source – The Times
Date – 17th November 2009

If ever proof were needed that Hippos along with other animals pose a danger to humans and travellers who are unfamiliar with these dangers, than this is it.

Ok I know that even the most foolhardy and unprepared traveller is not going to try running the gauntlet over the backs of a group of Hippos, but this does not take away from the fact that Hippos remain the most dangerous animal in Africa.

Taking a few simple steps can offer significant protection from these 2 - 3 tonne mammals. During our workshop we examine the various natural dangers faced by travellers who may be unfamiliar with their new surroundings, dispel the myths and reinforce the facts.

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 Travel Health, Ethical and Responsible Travel, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Transport Options, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com. 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.

One in four gap year students ditch ‘hedonistic’ tradition and invite parents along

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Title – One in four gap year students ditch ‘hedonistic’ tradition and invite parents along
Source – The Daily Mail
Date – 7th November 2009

I struggle with this story, for me it defeats the point of a Gap Year to some degree. We long ago started seeing ‘Gappers’ meet with family members at some point in their trip, but not generally for the whole trip...

On the other hand, that a Teddy Bear is packed comes as little surprise, people want some form of comfort and for some the Teddy is just that. There is nothing wrong with this, but we do always warn people that they should leave their valuables and items with sentimental value at home.

Anything you carry with you adds to the burden and while it may not seem that way while you drive to the airport, 2 months later you’ll be looking at any way of shedding every ounce of weight you can, as your pack starts to feel like a ball & chain. The gap year trail is littered with valuable travel equipment which has been dumped only a short time into a journey.

Teddys apart, taking your parents along does seem like a slightly excessive way of dealing with pre departure jitters…

There has been a steady increase in older independent travellers taking off round the world or undertaking volunteering after retirement or as a

Career Break, but let’s not blur the line; the rite of passage which is ‘the gap year’, provides experience, builds confidence, adds skills and develops independence in young people. With the right research or undertaking a workshop like ours, the risks can be reduced considerably, something which taking parents along does not necessarily do.

Everyone who enjoys travel, should travel. It opens eyes and transforms opinions in people from 5 to 95 years old.

What is very outdated is the concept that Gap Years are mindless hedonistic experiences. The press should credit young people with more maturity and respect the value they add to communities they visit. Hedonism is very rarely the objective of travel for ‘Gappers’; volunteering projects, cultural experiences, environmental adventures and sporting activities are almost always the primary objective. If the odd party occurs along the way, is that so terrible? We should let young people have a bit of fun….

In the UK we tend to demonise and criticise young people rather than guiding them and allowing them to explore for themselves. We should celebrate the many achievements young people on Gap Years achieve and the many communities they help along the way; not steel their thunder…

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 Travel Health, Ethical and Responsible Travel, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Transport Options, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com. 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.