Indonesia's public transport perils

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Title – Indonesia’s public transport perils
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 18th January 2007

When travelling to far flung parts of the world the sometimes oppressive feeling we have of being out of our depth and comfort zone is often appeased when you board a plane or other form of transport. These are familiar environments for you and you feel you better understand them, then the world just outside their door.

But this can be a false sense of security. As this article highlights, transport systems in many developing countries across the world are not able to invest as much as we expect transport companies and governments in the UK to do. The strict regulation we see at home that is always the first point of investigation after any kind of accident, simply does not always exists as comprehensively in the developing world.

In Indonesia 'serious incidents' within the transport system occur almost every week, but we don’t always hear about them unless foreign tourists are involved. But their regularity is quite frightening. But taking some simple common sense measures can reduce the risk you face; the most straightforward is not to put sticking to your schedule ahead of your safety and research goes a long way.
By attending our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop it allows you to have a better understanding of the culture of the country you are visiting, with this information you will travel with added confidence, reduce the culture shock and expand your comfort zones. We also examine personal safety issues and topics such as Travel Equipment requirements and Transport Options. Choosing where, when and who to travel with, reduces the risks you face significantly.

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.

Boss to swap city life for Africa

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Title – Boss to swap city life for Africa
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 11th January 2007

Gap years are traditionally taken either after finishing school or after finishing at University. The excuse has long been that it is at a turning point in life, that these experiences are most practical. But perceptions are changing, individuals are realising that life changes at so many different points and not just between the ages of 18 and 25.

Increasingly the world of Gap Years has opened its doors to people of all ages and from all backgrounds. Famously Alanis Morisette packed a backpack after her first hit album 'jagged little pill' and headed for India to regain her focus and enjoy new experiences. Career breaks are now accepted by farsighted employers as a way of retaining staff who they will loose if they don’t provide the facility for sabbaticals to be taken.

You don’t have to be a Managing Director or rock n’ roll superstar to be able to afford the experiences that can be gained from travel abroad. You don’t have to be a millionaire for developing countries to benefit from the help you can give while taking part in a volunteering project.
We can help you to prepare for the ultimate Gap Year or Independent Travel experience through our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop. We cover aspects including personal safety, Cultural Awareness and Travel Equipment needs as well as addressing the relevant issues related to your destination.

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.

Endangered Tourist Hotspots

Title – Wish you were here? Well, we’re not allowing you in
Source – Metro
Date – 22nd September 2006

The world is shrinking, getting to remote and beautiful locations is getting easier and easier, but these areas are starting to suffer as a result and many will disappear or be damaged beyond recognition. Unless their protection is stepped up and the industrialised nations of the world take note and start to realise that not only are these beautiful and unique environments threatened by climate change, but our own countries are as well, the situation is likely to deteriorate to the point where the road back may be all but impossible.

Reports of half of London being under water in the future due to rising water levels are not uncommon, consider then that the Maldives will disappear completely if the same scenario is used in that area of the world and we can all start to easily understand that this is one of the worlds most pertinent and urgent issues.

But there are other elements that are having a devastating effect as well. The advent of low cost airlines has made the whole airline industry reconsider its business strategy. Airfares are cheaper then ever and the world is accessible to many people especially in the heavily polluting developed world. I recently purchased a return ticket to Bangkok from London on one of the worlds most respected airlines for £250 including taxes. These are the same prices we used to have to pay for a return trip from London to Brussels. Not only does this mean that the pollution from airlines has risen dramatically, it also means that fragile areas of the world are experiencing dramatic increases in visitor numbers.

According to this article Goa in India and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia receive 2 million visitors a year, the tiny island of the Taj Coral Reef in The Maldives sees an incredible half a million visitors a year and this is an island you can walk round in less then 30 minutes.

We all have a responsibility to act conscientiously when we travel. International travel is here to stay and airlines are not going away, they are one of man’s incredible inventions and the advantage they give us should not be underestimated. But the harm they create can also not be ignored and as individuals we can put back some of what we take away when we fly. Until governments wake up and apply 'green taxes' to air fares (provided those taxes are actually used to reduce pollutants in other areas and encourage the development of more environmentally friendly energy sources) we all have to consider ways we can reduce the impact we have on the environments we live in and visit.
We are dedicated to providing information as part of our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshops, not only to allow individuals to travel more safely and to be better prepared for their adventures, but also how they can have a positive impact on the areas they visit, both while they are there and when they return home. We believe that although the very aircraft that people use to travel are one of the key factors in climate change and other related environmental impacts, there are ways your experience can ultimately be a positive one for you, your hosts and the environment.

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.

Africa leading gap year choice

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Title – Africa leading gap-year choice
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 14th August 2006

Although an African country topped the tables of the top 10 gap year destinations, Africa as a whole has many no-go areas and special care should be taken in many African countries, while some should be avoided altogether unless on organised tours where experienced guides help ensure your safety.

South Africa as the most popular destination is generally a safe destination, although even in South Africa there are many areas that should be avoided and many that require serious planning. High profile “gapers” like Prince Harry, have certainly helped elevate the profile of taking a Gap Year and Africa.

But who comes top is not important; more interesting is on the list as a whole Africa, Europe, North and South America and Asia all feature. In fact the only continent that is missing is Australasia (and Antarctica, but although it is possible to travel there as well, opportunities are limited), yet Australia and New Zealand remain very popular destinations for independent travel. The global perspective that we all have these days’, means that experiences vary widely from one traveller to the next and the new frontier is being pushed all the time.
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshops will help anyone preparing to travel or take part in a gap year to do so with more confidence and more safely. We also help individuals and groups with travel planning by covering Travel Health, Travel Equipment and Destination Information such as Cultural Awareness. Our courses help you make the most of your experiences wherever they take you.

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.

Homeopathic practices 'risk lives'

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Title – Homeopathic practices ‘risk lives’
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 13th July 2006

Malaria is a killer, it kills more up to 1 million people every year and in Africa alone a child dies every 30 seconds from Malaria related illness. There can be no doubt that each and every person living in a Malaria endemic area would choose proven and tested medication over any other form of protection. Those of us living in the 'developed' world have the privilege of access to Prophylactic medications and no matter what your beliefs; they are proven to be the safest option in protecting yourself from this harmful and a potentially fatal disease.

Making sure that you have the correct medication is a vital part of any trip preparation; a visit to your GP will confirm what the latest advice is on your chosen destination and prescribe the most relevant medication for you. The market is flooded by alternatives and some have a little merit in deterring mosquitoes, but none are proven and you simply shouldn’t play Russian Roulette with your health, certainly not with a weapon as fully loaded as Malaria’s smoking gun.
During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop we examine the relevant diseases that blight the world and protection you can take, before you go and seek professional medical advice from your GP or Travel Clinic. Being well informed about the risks at your destinations provides you with, not just the protection awarded to you by medication prescribed by your GP or Travel clinic, but also the equally important ways of preventing infection in the first place. Both sets of advice are needed to reduce the risk from infection of the many virulent diseases that face the intrepid traveller and tourist alike.

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.

Healing Touch?

Title – Healing Touch
Source – Straits Times
Date – 25th June 2006

No expensive skin lotions endorsed by Hollywood stars here, this is the extreme of cultural difference to be found while you travel round the world, the haling touch of a terrapin is something we will not find in Boots here in the UK. Embracing the cultural differences between your own country and that of the one you are visiting will allow you better appreciate and enjoy your new surroundings, but some local traditions you may want to avoid by slipping a bottle of moisturising cream into your backpack before you leave.

We run Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops for anyone thinking of setting off to tour the world or a small part of it. These courses cover all aspects of travel safety as well as Cultural Awareness training to allow individuals attending to get a sound basis and understanding of each new country they visit and the benefits of embracing these cultural encounters. This not only enables you to appreciate the country you are visiting but also allows you to show respect to the people living in these countries.

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.

Bag with a bang

Title – Bag with a bang
Source – Straits Times
Date – 25th June 2006

Although this incident in Thailand is fortunately not replicated in the UK very often, the UK remains on high alert from terrorist attacks and there is always the danger of revenge attacks or civil unrest to contend with.

We also have to be aware that countries which on the surface seem like they are perfectly safe to visit can have an under-reported more dangerous side. For a simple one destination trip this doesn’t pose too many problems as the destination can be researched, however when on a longer trip involving overland routes, you may find yourself transported through the heartland of the conflict. Such can be the case in southern Thailand, a country that still attracts 750,000 British Tourists every year, but which in the south has been struggling with civil unrest for some two years and with over 1200 casualties reported (August 2006 figures).

Beyond The Blue run Gap Year & Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop to provide individuals with the information they require to travel safely throughout the world.

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.

Should tourists go to Burma?

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Title – Should tourists go to Burma?
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 19th June 2006

Burma is undoubtedly run by one of the most oppressive, brutal and corrupt governments that is in existence today. It is a country where people are regularly forced into hard labour and where the government actively partakes in attacking its own people with their own army. The list of reported atrocities varies depending who is reporting it, but there is no doubt that the ongoing detention of the democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi (who has been detained for over ten years) is only the most high profile of all the atrocities being carried out in the country.

The opinion on whether tourists should go to visit Burma is one that continues to be played out within pressure groups and the media. Lonely Planet has been openly chastised for printing a guide book to the country, yet even some Burmese pressure groups argue the case for visiting. The arguments in their crudest form revolve around the subject of what the Burmese people themselves want and they too are split into two camps. The first say that outside contact is a good thing as it makes the Burmese people feel less isolated and puts cash into the hands of he locals, empowering local people has long been the starting point for internal revolution. Others say that no matter how hard you try, you can’t help but provide the government of Burma with the much needed foreign exchange required to allow it to continue to oppress its own people.

I believe that individuals should be allowed the freedom to choose where they visit, that after all, is the very principle that the Burmese government is refusing to its own citizens. For this reason I do believe that Lonely Planet has the right to print a guide book and feel that the book reflects a balanced view of the country and problems it faces.

However I have decided to recommend people do not visit Burma and actually to warn against visits for a number of different reasons. There can be no doubt that the people of Burma live in fear and live under a heavy cloud of oppression and feel isolated from the world. But in Burma there is one sentiment shared by the overwhelming majority of the population, which is that the rightful leader of Burma is Aung San Suu Kyi. She has called for tourists to boycott Burma, as the representative of the country, I believe individuals should respect her wishes and stay away until such time as the military regime running the country falls, as it inevitably will, to reveal a county of real beauty and charm.
Beyond The Blue still believes that individuals have to make their own minds up on such matters but will not provide information such as Country Profiles, on Burma at this time and until the situation in that country has been resolved. We will also when asked, advise individuals not to visit the country, but will not judge people who do decide to visit, but just ask them to consider the facts before they leave. More information regarding the situation in Burma can be found at www.burmacampaign.org.uk.

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.

Kiss warning to Malaysia tourists

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Title – Kiss warning to Malaysia tourists
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 5th April 2006

Laws change and attitudes change with them, but it is not always the case, as it is mainly in the UK, that society becomes more liberal, here is an excellent example of how western attitudes are polarised from many other parts of the world. A country such a Malaysia is not considered to be extremist, yet to make kissing in public a criminal activity seems extreme to people living in the west.
We provide cultural awareness advice as part of our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop. We examine your chosen destinations and the differences you have to embrace when visiting any country in the world. We focus on the benefits of understanding the culture of the country you are visiting to help you better enjoy your trip and to allow you to behave in a manner that will show respect to your hosts. This in turn will allow you to be safer when travelling as respect shown is very often returned.

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.

Britain: Why no travel advisory?

Title – Britain: Why no travel advisory?
Source – The Island (Sri Lanka)
Date – 28th July 2005

This article was discovered by accident as the paper was used to wrap a gift, so although the scan clearly shows the effect of being used as wrapping paper for a year before it was discovered, the article is as relevant today as it was in 2005. It reads:

A man (non-white) who, the British police had reason to believe could be a suicide bomber was shot in the head as ordered by a police chief in London. After the killing the police issued a statement that they had established he was not a terrorist. That is all not one word of remorse. They have gone further and have confirmed that they will continue to shoot in the head anybody they suspect to be a suicide bomber.

Why shoot in the head? It is because it is only by shooting in the head that the victim’s hands could be instantly immobilised and prevented from setting off the bomb. There cannot be any other reason. That being the case it is obvious that instructions have been issued not to attempt to arrest because the suicide bomber will set off the bomb as soon as it is clear to him that his is going to be arrested. That is the reason why the order has been given to kill first and if it is an innocent man issue a statement that the police have established that the man is not a terrorist.

This procedure is to be carried out only after visually establishing that the victim is not an Englishman in spite of the fact that there are many Muslims who could pass off as Englishmen in a crowd. Britain should know that no instrument has so far been developed to detect from a distance a person with sufficient explosives for a bomb concealed in his suicide jacket developed by the friends of the British, the LTTE. Even if an instrument was invented to detect the slightest amount of explosives then every man carrying a box of matches, would be at risk of being shot in the head. The research will have to include the detection of plastic and all other types of explosives. Why not ask your friends the LTTE the type of explosives they use? That probably is what Al-Queda is using. Did the Al-Queda reinvent the wheel and develop the suicide jacket themselves or did they get it from their friends the LTTE. Can we believe that they have no communications with each other?

In view of what the police have done it is the duty of our government to issue a travel advisory as regards Britain so that those who go there know the risks they are taking.
It is now clear that paranoia has gripped the police and that is the first sign of their breakdown. Once the police breakdown the security of the entire nation gets undermined.
See how easily the Al-Queda is doing this? Before it gets to the point where the situation cannot be reversed, wouldn’t it be best to hold immediate “PEACE TALKS” with Al-Queda?
Beyond The Blue does not endorse the sentiments in this letter to the editor of 'The Island' newspaper in Sri Lanka, but rather uses it as a clear demonstration of the opinions of people from other parts of the world have of the UK and the current political climate in the west and Britain in general.

For the sake of clarity the LTTE is the 'Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam' commonly referred to as the 'Tamil Tigers' who are in conflict with the Sri Lankan government for control of the north and east of this island where they hope to establish an independent state.

It is very important that we start to understand and appreciate the views of citizens from other countries around the world and the impression they have of us, both when we travel and when we stay at home and work in our own environment. Beyond The Blue run Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshops for those people travelling for the first time and provide them with Cultural Awareness training as well as personal safety training, to help individuals better understand the parts of the world they are visiting. For people working in the UK we can help through our Conflict Management and Resolution Training and the work we do as Consultants in the Security Industry.

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.