Yellow Fever alert alarms Brazil

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Title – Yellow Fever alert alarms Brazil
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 11th January 2008

Travel Health should be near the top of anyone’s agenda when they are planning to travel. Some vaccinations can take weeks to organise or involve a series of treatments over months. Generally you should visit your doctor or travel clinic at least six weeks before you plan to set off, to ensure you will be able to complete any vaccination process prior to departure.

There are sporadic outbreaks of different diseases across the world at any one time, some are just worth knowing about so you can take a little extra care, others will require you to seek additional medical advice and others still can require you to change your plans completely. Where there is a serious outbreak of disease, the local medical facilities may barely be able to cope, the last thing they need is more people (tourists) turning up, falling ill and further stretching their facilities.

This recent outbreak of yellow fever does seem to be serious, but also seems to be under control, but travellers should still seek specific advice from a medical practitioner before travelling.

As with all mosquito borne diseases, effective prevention measures can reduce the risks substantially. On our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop (GYITSA) we examine diseases including yellow fever and dengue and we discuss what prevention and protection solutions there are from insect borne diseases.

The risk of yellow fever may be reduced by effective prevention techniques, but only you will know that. Many countries will expect you to have a yellow fever vaccination certificate to gain entry to their country, if you have previously visited an endemic yellow fever region of the world.

Dengue fever is also a great concern, with no effective vaccination or cure, prevention is doubly important. Do not be fooled by the 'relatively' low fatality rate (98 out of 438,000 in Brazil in 2007). Although the odds of survival are 'relatively' good, it is a very debilitating disease. It will certainly cut short your trip and can take months to recover from even with supportive medical care. Don’t take risks, protect yourself! If you want to find out the best way to do this attend our workshop.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Tibet tourism ‘hit record high’

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Title – Tibet tourism ‘hit record high’
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 17th December 2007

Once the last frontier of adventure travel, exploration and expeditions, Tibet became a favourite with backpackers and Gap Year travellers and is now teetering on the edge of becoming a mainstream tourist destination. With 4 million tourists visiting Tibet (a substantial increase will have come from Chinese tourists) each year, it can hardly be described as the final frontier of adventure travel any more.

But independent travellers should not be deterred, Tibet still has a lot to offer and will be a spectacular destination for anyone not having visited the Himalayas before. Anyone truly willing to put in the effort will still find untouched landscapes and hiking trails which the masses choose to ignore or don’t have the time or fitness levels to attempt.

Politically Tibet is sensitive, many are calling for the Chinese to leave and autonomy to be restored. Undoubtedly the Chinese influence is a negative and repressive one and one that threatens (some would say already has) to permanently ruin one of the countries greatest attractions; the spiritual heart beat which has survived centuries, but is critically threatened by Chinese 'development'. As long as his Holiness The Dalai Lama is exiled from his spiritual homeland, Tibet will be missing its heart beat.

Tibet is a perfect example of a country where tourists and travellers should choose where they spend their money wisely, support local Tibetan businesses when you choose your hotel, dinner, guides and choose authentic local crafts as gifts to take home rather then cheap Chinese imports.

We believe that every individual should be allowed to choose where they decide to travel to themselves, but that they should be informed of both politically sensitive areas, politically unstable areas, medically dangerous destinations and culturally sensitive destinations before they make their final choices. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop provides candidates with comprehensive Destination Advice and safety tips specific to your destinations to allow you to make informed choices. Where we determine the destination to be unsuitable for safe independent travel we may refuse to offer advice, but this is determined before the booking process is completed.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Malaria risk ‘higher’ this year

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Title – Malaria risk ‘higher’ this year
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 3rd December 2007

Having accurate and up-to-date information about your travel destination is vital for any travel you are planning.

Travel Health is an essential part of any travel plan and Malaria is one of the more serious risks faced by travellers to certain parts of the world. When the risk increases, such as is the case in South Africa currently, then the protection you afford yourself needs to be redoubled.

We take Travel Health seriously and protecting yourself from Malaria and its devastating effects is to near the top of our list. Both a proactive and a prophylactic approach is called for and we advise candidates on our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop (GYITSA) of the best ways to protect themselves against Malaria and other travel health issues.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Rift valley fever deaths in Sudan

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Title – Rift valley fever deaths in Sudan
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 15th November 2007

Rift Valley Fever is just one of the many afflictions parts of Africa have to deal with and it sometimes seems that Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from the scourge of almost every tropical disease know today.

Travel to the Sudan is not common, the reputation of a country synonymous with war, famine, Dafur, Al-Qaeda and so many more news headlines means that most people cross it off the list early when deciding where to travel to, but it is still on the list of some intrepid travellers mostly on organised tours.

Disease is prevalent on every continent except Antarctica and no travel should ever be planned without an in-depth look at the dangers disease causes the locals and therefore travellers to those areas. Fortunately instances of Rift Valley Fever are relatively rare, but the same can not be said for Malaria, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, Typhoid, heatstroke, altitude sickness and many more.

A trip to any part of the world needs to be planned in conjunction with a programme of appropriate vaccinations, prophylactic drugs and most importantly sound preventative measures. A basic understanding of the symptoms and incubation periods of diseases from the areas of the world you are travelling to also helps, when it comes to diagnosis. Malaria for example can have an incubation period of several months; the symptoms are initially similar to a common cold, so when you visit your doctor with a cold 3 months after you return from your tropical adventure, the knowledge you have will allow your doctor to make a more accurate diagnosis.

Making plans is more than just choosing which countries to visit, it’s about planning for the worst case scenario and leaving as little to chance as is practicable. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops help you achieve this goal.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Libya changes tourist entry rules

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Title – Libya changes tourist entry rules
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 13th November 2007

Travel is often not straight forward, different countries change their entry and exit rules on a regular basis, often on a tit-for-tat basis as a result of arguments between governments and those it affects most is the travellers simply seeing what the world has to offer and what they can learn along the way.

Fortunately this type of sudden unannounced change which results in plane loads of tourists being refused entry doesn’t happen very often and you are generally warned before your departure by your tour operator or airline.

But visa and documentation requirements can be a nightmare in the planning stages of any trip, especially when travelling to a number of different countries on the same trip. Even a stamp from another country in your passport can raise an eyebrow or lead to unending questions of where you have just come from, the reason for your visit and remember customs officials tend not to have a sense of humour when they listen to your answers.

Our two day Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop prepares those candidates attending with all the information they need to start their trip preparation, including visa applications and requirements. This allows you to plan effectively for your trip and not make the simplest mistakes such as not allowing enough time to get all the visa applications filed and thus resulting in sometimes hundreds of pounds worth of extra costs being added to your budget. We also help you to be aware of some of the more dangerous aspects of travel and the course provides skills to deal with these as well, including; personal safety techniques, Travel Health, dealing with crime abroad, Travel Equipment, Cultural Awareness and more.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Backpacker hostels are ‘death-traps’

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Title – Backpacker hostels are ‘death-traps’Source – Times online
Date – 1st November 2007

When you are travelling, especially in countries you are unfamiliar with there are often days when you look forward to getting to your accommodation at the end of the day not only because you are tired or need a wash, but also because your accommodation is often your sanctuary, you feel safe on arrival and the stresses and strains of the day are left outside your door.

So the last thing you want to worry about is the safety of your hotel or hostel, but should you?

The answer to that question is no you should not worry; you shouldn’t worry because you should know a simple few steps and checks to take to put your mind at rest. These steps don’t have to take a long time or be difficult and you’ll soon find them becoming routine, so you hardly even think about them. When was the last time you consciously thought of looking left and right before you crossed the road? Probably a long while ago or maybe when teaching your children; yet nearly every time any of us cross the street we do look both left and right, probably several times.

Fire safety standards in many parts of the world are much more lapse then in the UK; in many places they are effectively non-existent. Your destination will dictate the level of risk, but don’t think that your budget does. Some of the more expensive places I have stayed have been the biggest death traps and some of the cheapest have been the easiest to get out of…

The key is to decide for yourself where it is safe to stay and where you should avoid; have the courage to ask for a different room; ask for the fire safety guidance from the hotel / hostel; and ultimately if you are unhappy stay somewhere else.

Fires in hotels and hostels are far from rare, many go unreported. In the UK we tend only hear about fire where UK citizens are hurt or killed. For the sake of a few minutes observation and a few checks when you check-in, you can dramatically reduce the risk you face.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop (GYITSA) examines all aspects of Travel Safety from personal safety to Travel Health and Cultural Awareness to Transport Option. During the travel safety section of the workshop we examine the simple steps you can take when checking your accommodation to reduce your risks from fire and other harm. Whereas most people will check general cleanliness and speak up if it is unacceptable, some will go a step further and check under the sheets for bedbugs, we recommend you go even further and carry out a few fire safety checks that should also form part of your pre-check-in procedures.

Please visit our website please visit at

www.safegapyear.com

The young people got up and ran, but the police just fired into their backs

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Title – The young people got up and ran, but the police just fired into their backsSource – The Independent
Date – 29th September 2007

This terrible eye witness account of what happened on one of those fateful days in September 2007 when the Burmese people tried to stand up for themselves against 'their' rulers and it turned into a blood bath, can leave no one in any doubt that the situation for the Burmese people is a desperate one. For 45 years they have lived in fear, fear of the people that rule over the country. A tiny military elite who rule through oppression, violence, torture and extrajudicial killings. But even in a country where the majority of the population has never seen anything but this regime and even the older populations only briefly saw any form of democracy between the colonial rule and the military junta, they are still willing to stand up and pay with their lives in an attempt to change their future through peaceful protest. How depraved is a leadership that can turn guns loaded with live ammunition on praying Buddhist monks? Even the Burmese themselves never believed the day would come when the junta’s desperation would lead them to such brutality.

Beyond The Blue prides itself on a reputation or providing impartial and transparent advice to anyone taking one of our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshops. We will not provide guidance or advice on certain countries for a number of reasons. These may be as simple as a location like Colombia where in 2005, over 800 kidnapping cases were reported (many believe the actual figure is much higher) and foreigners are regularly targeted, as they generally command a higher ransom. We believe Colombia is an unsuitable destination for the average independent traveller and as such advise against travel to the country (and therefore do not provide information on it) on the grounds of safety.

Another reason we may choose to advise against travel is for political reasons. Burma for example, is a country ruled by an illegal military dictatorship, their record on Human Rights is one of the world’s worst and tourism is one of the primary ways that this corrupt government generates foreign exchange. Much of this income is then used by the military to allow it to better oppress its own people. The list of reported atrocities is a long and disturbing one.

In 1990 Burma held the first free and fair elections since the military regime came to power. By way of demonstrating exactly how out of touch the military regime was with the will of the people and reality in general, they believed that the fear they had instilled in the Burmese people would land them and overwhelming victory. As it turned out Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory with over 82% of all the votes cast. The military’s response was to place her under house arrest and either imprison torture or kill most of her party. Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest to this day in one of the most flagrant displays of Human Rights abuses that the world seems able to ignore. She has however made it abundantly clear that she feels it is not in Burma’s interest at this time to have tourists visiting the country and providing the dictators with funds to further oppress her people.

A snapshot of the worst atrocities committed by the brutal military regime reads like one of history’s horror stories from hundreds of years ago, but it is happening today :

Widespread use of forced labour. Over 1 million people forcibly moved from their homes, At least 1100 political prisoners (many of whom are routinely tortured), an army of over 500,000 soldiers (The UK has just over 100,000) of whom 70,000 are child soldiers (more then any other country in the world), rape as a weapon of war against ethnic women and children, nearly half the government budget spent on the military and only 19p per citizen, per year, on health and one in ten babies die before their 5th birthday. (Source The Burma Campaign)

Burma used to be one of the richest countries in the region providing exports it now has to import.

However there are other pressure groups that disagree with this advice. Beyond The Blue believes that it is the right of every individual to choose if going to Burma is the right or wrong thing to do. We also believe that the will of the only democratically elected leader of Burma is one that represents the views of the Burmese people. We would never seek to dictate people’s choice of destination and our workshop would be very useful to anyone travelling to Burma, but by way of showing our support for the people of Burma, Beyond The Blue will not provide specific information on this country. We ask anyone planning a trip to Burma to research their trip carefully. The first step of this research should be www.burmacampaign.org.uk.





Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Hundreds may have died already, as junta tries to keep brutality unseen

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Title – Hundreds may have died already, as junta tries to keep brutality unseen
Source – The Independent
Date – 29th September 2007

The very fact that no one outside of Burma including the world’s free press, has any real idea how many people died in the brutal crackdown on peaceful protests in Burma in September 2007 is testament to the complete isolation that the regime has decided upon for the Burmese people. They want nothing to do with the rest of the world, except for their foreign currency and brush the worlds concerns aside with an arrogance that comes from 45 years of a small military elite controlling a country of millions of innocent, oppressed and terrified people that are willing to lay down their lives to protest. They don’t protest in the hope that their own leaders will listen to them, they know that is almost futile, they protest so we in the west see their plight and they lay down their lives so that their fellow Burmese might have a small chance of a life free of brutality and fear one day. But they don’t expect that to happen unless the world stands up and stands by them. That time has surely come.

Beyond The Blue prides itself on a reputation or providing impartial and transparent advice to anyone taking one of our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshops. We will not provide guidance or advice on certain countries for a number of reasons. These may be as simple as a location like Colombia where in 2005, over 800 kidnapping cases were reported (many believe the actual figure is much higher) and foreigners are regularly targeted, as they generally command a higher ransom. We believe Colombia is an unsuitable destination for the average independent traveller and as such advise against travel to the country (and therefore do not provide information on it) on the grounds of safety.

Another reason we may choose to advise against travel is for political reasons. Burma for example, is a country ruled by an illegal military dictatorship, their record on Human Rights is one of the world’s worst and tourism is one of the primary ways that this corrupt government generates foreign exchange. Much of this income is then used by the military to allow it to better oppress its own people. The list of reported atrocities is a long and disturbing one.

In 1990 Burma held the first free and fair elections since the military regime came to power. By way of demonstrating exactly how out of touch the military regime was with the will of the people and reality in general, they believed that the fear they had instilled in the Burmese people would land them and overwhelming victory. As it turned out Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory with over 82% of all the votes cast. The military’s response was to place her under house arrest and either imprison torture or kill most of her party. Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest to this day in one of the most flagrant displays of Human Rights abuses that the world seems able to ignore. She has however made it abundantly clear that she feels it is not in Burma’s interest at this time to have tourists visiting the country and providing the dictators with funds to further oppress her people.

A snapshot of the worst atrocities committed by the brutal military regime reads like one of history’s horror stories from hundreds of years ago, but it is happening today :

Widespread use of forced labour. Over 1 million people forcibly moved from their homes, At least 1100 political prisoners (many of whom are routinely tortured), an army of over 500,000 soldiers (The UK has just over 100,000) of whom 70,000 are child soldiers (more then any other country in the world), rape as a weapon of war against ethnic women and children, nearly half the government budget spent on the military and only 19p per citizen, per year, on health and one in ten babies die before their 5th birthday. (Source The Burma Campaign)

Burma used to be one of the richest countries in the region providing exports it now has to import.

However there are other pressure groups that disagree with this advice. Beyond The Blue believes that it is the right of every individual to choose if going to Burma is the right or wrong thing to do. We also believe that the will of the only democratically elected leader of Burma is one that represents the views of the Burmese people. We would never seek to dictate people’s choice of destination and our workshop would be very useful to anyone travelling to Burma, but by way of showing our support for the people of Burma, Beyond The Blue will not provide specific information on this country. We ask anyone planning a trip to Burma to research their trip carefully. The first step of this research should be www.burmacampaign.org.uk.





Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

What the Burmese Junta wants you to see and what the world must know

Title – What the Burmese Junta wants you to see and what the world must know
Source – The Independent
Date – 29th September 2007

The Independent newspaper should be applauded for taking the lead before the recent (09-2007) problems in Burma surfaced. Following the crushing of the peaceful democracy movements through the use of live gun fire, thousands of people being detained, torture and an unknown number of killings, no one can be in any doubt that Burma is a country not just of a people oppressed, tortured and gagged, but one where there is a spirit that refuses to lie down and be beaten. Those of us who enjoy freedom in the west must not allow the illegal and brutal military regime that rules Burma to do so behind closed doors and without consequence.

Beyond The Blue prides itself on a reputation or providing impartial and transparent advice to anyone taking one of our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshops. We will not provide guidance or advice on certain countries for a number of reasons. These may be as simple as a location like Colombia where in 2005, over 800 kidnapping cases were reported (many believe the actual figure is much higher) and foreigners are regularly targeted, as they generally command a higher ransom. We believe Colombia is an unsuitable destination for the average independent traveller and as such advise against travel to the country (and therefore do not provide information on it) on the grounds of safety.

Another reason we may choose to advise against travel is for political reasons. Burma for example, is a country ruled by an illegal military dictatorship, their record on Human Rights is one of the world’s worst and tourism is one of the primary ways that this corrupt government generates foreign exchange. Much of this income is then used by the military to allow it to better oppress its own people. The list of reported atrocities is a long and disturbing one.

In 1990 Burma held the first free and fair elections since the military regime came to power. By way of demonstrating exactly how out of touch the military regime was with the will of the people and reality in general, they believed that the fear they had instilled in the Burmese people would land them and overwhelming victory. As it turned out Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory with over 82% of all the votes cast. The military’s response was to place her under house arrest and either imprison torture or kill most of her party. Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest to this day in one of the most flagrant displays of Human Rights abuses that the world seems able to ignore. She has however made it abundantly clear that she feels it is not in Burma’s interest at this time to have tourists visiting the country and providing the dictators with funds to further oppress her people.

A snapshot of the worst atrocities committed by the brutal military regime reads like one of history’s horror stories from hundreds of years ago, but it is happening today :

Widespread use of forced labour. Over 1 million people forcibly moved from their homes, At least 1100 political prisoners (many of whom are routinely tortured), an army of over 500,000 soldiers (The UK has just over 100,000) of whom 70,000 are child soldiers (more then any other country in the world), rape as a weapon of war against ethnic women and children, nearly half the government budget spent on the military and only 19p per citizen, per year, on health and one in ten babies die before their 5th birthday. (Source The Burma Campaign)

Burma used to be one of the richest countries in the region providing exports it now has to import.

However there are other pressure groups that disagree with this advice. Beyond The Blue believes that it is the right of every individual to choose if going to Burma is the right or wrong thing to do. We also believe that the will of the only democratically elected leader of Burma is one that represents the views of the Burmese people. We would never seek to dictate people’s choice of destination and our workshop would be very useful to anyone travelling to Burma, but by way of showing our support for the people of Burma, Beyond The Blue will not provide specific information on this country. We ask anyone planning a trip to Burma to research their trip carefully. The first step of this research should be www.burmacampaign.org.uk.



Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

Bus trip goes global to Australia

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Title – Bus trip goes global to Australia
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 15th September 2007

It seems that travel has gone full circle. 30 years ago flights to Australia were only for the elite and anyone else would have to consider the arduous journey by boat, either as a paying customers or working their passage. In 2007 flights to Australia leave several times each day from many airports in the UK and are accessible to the masses and anyone willing to work hard and save can afford to go, but as flying is now 'normal' the adventurous travellers are looking for alternatives and this bus journey is just one of those. In an age where people are joining rallies to Mongolia armed only with a car worth less then £1000 for charity fundraisers and busses are crossing vast continents stopping along the way to explore the fascinating, often undiscovered countries, travellers now have the more options then ever and there is a choice to fit every need.

But whether you fly, drive, sail, go alone or in a group, many of the essentials of travel remain the same. The dangers may vary, but they always remain a constant potential threat.

At Beyond The Blue we understand the wide variety of obstacles and dangers that travellers face along the way and our two day Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop addresses many of these providing candidates with an insight into the problems they may face and the solutions to allow them to travel in confidence with the knowledge they have gained.

On a trip like this bus journey, travellers will pass through countries and cultures as varied as the most populous Muslim country in the world in Indonesia and the devote Buddhist country of Nepal. Both require a very different approach not just in the cultural and religious aspects of their respective peoples, but in many other areas as well; dealing with altitude sickness in Nepal and the malaria risk in Indonesia; the extreme heat of Java and the cold nights in Kathmandu. All these considerations and much more are covered during our course as well as vital personal safety techniques.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com