Posted Wednesday, February 06, 2008, 6:38 PM by Lonely Planet
Papua New Guinea's historic Kokoda Trail has been closed to tourists until a dispute over a proposed copper mine is resolved, Australian media is reporting.
Local Koiari landowners have felled a tree across the track near the village of Naoro, 55km from Port Moresby. Villagers say they will stop travellers who try to pass until the PNG government allows the Australian company Frontier Resources to dig up 600m of the track to mine a $US5.9 billion copper and gold deposit.
The Koiari people have been offered a 5% stake in the mine that could deliver them more than $US100 million over the proposed 10-year life of the mine.
Australia, who is seeking a world heritage listing for the trail, is lobbying the PNG Government to kill the mine project in favour of the tourism dollar.
About 5000 tourists travel walk the 96km Kokoda Trail each year. One of the world's great treks, it links the southern and northern coast of PNG, and was the scene of bitter fighting between Australian soldiers and Japanese troops in 1942.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news, Trekking
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Posted Monday, January 28, 2008, 1:56 PM by Lonely Planet
Thinking of heading to China for the Olympics but concerned you'll only manage to bag tickets to the synchronised swimming or handball competitions? Well never fear as a report from Xinhua News says 75% of Beijing Olympic tickets remain unsold.
A total of 1.8 million tickets to the sports events of the August 8-24 Games went on sale in December. Although the Beijing Olympics Organising Committee (BOCOG) hasn't given a reason for the glut of unsold tickets Chinese media is reporting that it might have to do with some key events popular with the Chinese population being extremely over-subscribed while the rest had fewer bookings.
Labels: "Festivals and events", Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Thursday, January 17, 2008, 2:21 PM by Lonely Planet
Anyone travelling to or from London's Heathrow Airport would do well to check the status of their flight following Thursday's dramatic emergency landing of a British Airways Boeing 777.
It's unclear what the cause of the incident was at this early stage but it seems that the pilot who got the plane down after some kind of power or equipment failure performed heroics to get the plane onto the ground in one piece. There were no fatalities among the 136 passengers - and only a handful suffered minor injuries. The plane is still lying where it came to rest at the end of Heathrow's south runway and some short-haul flights out of Terminal 4 have been cancelled.
This incident happens in a month where figures released for 2007, suggesting that flying is safer than it's ever been, apart from in a handful of countries where planes are old and maintenance standards remain poor. Getting on a plane remains by far the safest way to travel. The passengers on board BA038 from Beijing to London will testify that pilot skill, plus well-built aircraft are ensuring things stay that way.
- Tom Hall
Labels: "Europe", Airports, Breaking travel news, Europe
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Posted Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 4:19 PM by Lonely Planet
Today the President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, will open the first session of his new parliament as the country waits nervously for the aftermath. The opposition party has planned three days of protests starting tomorrow in major country-wide centres such as Nairobi and Kisumu. The last protest was broken up by police with water guns before it really started, but if these go ahead it's unlikely they'll be peaceful.
On the weekend I was talking to Mary, a nurse at Nairobi hospital, who shook her head and said she wanted the politicians to sort themselves out so that everything could just get back to normal. If the rallies go ahead, I asked her, will you be busy at work? "If the rallies go ahead", she replied, "I won't be able to get to work".
And this is the plight of most Kenyans. Yes, they want justice and they are angry about what has happened. But now that it has happened they just want to get on with their lives. Most people just want peace.
Schools started back yesterday and all around Nairobi people are cursing the traffic as usual on their way to work. The atmosphere is strangely resilient as people refuse to be swayed from their daily lives, but the trepidation of the next few days is hanging over us all like an invisible mist.
The tension that has been simmering away under the surface for years is close to bubbling over. There is the sense that this week will be the turning point. But also the sense that things could get worse before they get better. And while the politicians talk about "justice" and "democracy" a nation just struggles to get to work on a Tuesday morning.
- Jeanette Elsworth
Labels: Africa, Breaking travel news
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Posted Monday, January 14, 2008, 7:20 PM by Lonely Planet
Every kid knows beans give you gas. The gag's been around forever, yet now flying, not flatulence might be its ultimate result.
Much has been made of the new and far more environmentally friendly 'space race' with Virgin and Air New Zealand vying for the first bio-fuelled flight.
Already you can bicycle around Vietnam, ride an electric scooter in Italy, flag down a Tuk-Tuk with a four-stroke single-cylinder engine in Thailand (far more fuel efficient than its two-stroke forebear), try horseback in Egypt or, hoof it by foot in the Himalaya; travel's not all bad. But flights remain the bogey of the industry; an enormous contributor to carbon emissions, pressure is on to clean up the skies.
Soybeans, algae, rapeseed and palm oil have all been cited as potential sources for bio-fuel in the future, but as they require harvesting on a grand scale, debate is alive whether its production is any more energy efficient.
Researchers, eccentrics and hobbyists have tried for years to develop a suitable concoction from recycled oils, animal and vegetable fats, but their side-effects are often caustic. Given we won't be refuelling at the chippy any time soon, guilt-free flying still seems some way off.
In the mean-time there are some measures that are worth investigating. For more information see our section on Sustainable and Responsible travel. Or if you've got some good suggestions, post them here.
Labels: Breaking travel news, Sustainable and responsible tourism, Travelsnitch
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Posted Sunday, January 06, 2008, 2:25 PM by Lonely Planet
From a veranda overlooking the serene Indian Ocean, watching children playing football on the beach, it's hard to believe that in other parts of Kenya people are being killed. In one week the country has changed from a place of hope and excitement over a close general election, to one of tension and anxiety in the confusion surrounding vote-rigging allegations and hurried results. Reports of travellers being stranded are dominating international media and images of violence portray a picture of a country on the brink of civil war.
But these images can be misleading. Kilifi is 60km from Mombasa and 500km from Nairobi and from here I could be forgiven for not knowing what is going on at all. Driving along the coast today it was clear that for most Kenyans it is business as usual. The woman I bumped into in the supermarket yesterday didn't even know there was a rally planned in Nairobi and was just happy to find the shelves filled with food again after the shortages of the last few days.
Many people will have cancelled travel plans to Kenya over the next few weeks but travellers already in the country are in no direct danger in the main tourist and residential areas. The violence being shown on television reports is isolated to areas off Kenya's well-beaten tourist track; even those in Nairobi itself, such as Mathare which is a slum area, are best-avoided at any time. Tour companies have been advised not to move around which may cause disruptions but flights are still leaving Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the main roads into the capital are clear.
The worrying concern is how this can be resolved. In the aftermath of a failed election questions are being asked about one of Africa's more successful democracies. While the two main party leaders refuse to speak to each other the frustration continues and a country's reputation is destroyed in a six-minute news report. For an economy that depends as heavily on tourism as Kenya does it is disastrous. And the only losers are Kenyans themselves. One thing is certain; when things have returned to normal they will need travellers to continue to consider Kenya as a rewarding place to visit as it truly is.
- Jeanette Elsworth
Labels: Africa, Breaking travel news
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Posted Tuesday, December 18, 2007, 7:26 PM by Lonely Planet
It's a couple of weeks since cyclone Sidr struck Bangladesh and the news crews have moved on. In my earlier blog, posted in the aftermath of the storm, I described the situation around Dhaka. Since then I have been in the southwest where the cyclone first made landfall.
I was expecting to find a depressing scene of devastation down here, but at my first stop, Bagerhat, a name that should be familiar to all those who followed the story on the news I found that signs of destruction were very limited. A local guy even had to point them out to me, 'look', he said, 'our national disaster' and pointed to a couple of fallen trees in a pond.
Further south still, on the edge of the Sunderbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, we'd heard that up to 90% of the forest had been destroyed. We ventured down here with a conservationist and were both in agreement that yes, here on the coast, the destruction was bad, but 90% of the forest destroyed - no way, not even close.
I am in Bangladesh to research the next edition of the Bangladesh guidebook and must make it very clear that I didn't go to the southwest specifically in search of cyclone damage - I am only reporting what I saw in the areas I needed to cover. Yet I couldn't help but notice how, despite what the newspapers said, the real destruction always seemed around the corner.
That got me thinking that the only news story you'll see about Bangladesh is one of disaster. Looking around me now the country I see is not the basket case of myth but is instead a beautiful, forward looking nation deserving of a better portrayal. How forward looking? Well, tell me how many western nations have banned plastic bags throughout the country or insisted on all vehicles in the capital (and shortly elsewhere) running only on natural gas? But of course, good news like that isn't news.
- Stuart Butler
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Thursday, December 06, 2007, 8:31 PM by Lonely Planet
Travellers in Fiji have been warned to evacuate or head for higher ground as a 'super hurricane' heads towards the South Pacific island nation. Cyclone Daman is expected to reach Fiji's second largest island Vanua Levu sometime on Friday night but winds of up to 200km per hour have already been reported.
According to local media airlines operating in Fiji have cancelled some international and domestic flights due to the category four cyclone. Air Pacific has advised that all their flights scheduled to depart from Nadi today (7 December) have been cancelled
For up to date information about the weather conditions visit Fiji Meteorological Service or check for alerts on Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Sunday, December 02, 2007, 9:28 PM by Lonely Planet
It's out with the Maltese Lira and the Cypriot Pound as the two countries switch over to the Euro on January 1, 2008. With Malta and Cyprus on board there will be 15 nations and 318 million people using the currency.
Regular travellers to Cyprus and Malta are urged to use up or exchange their leftover local currency before it becomes redundant. Using the Travelex Cash Passport is another option as it allows you to keep your leftover foreign currency for up to three years.
Labels: "Europe", Breaking travel news
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Posted Thursday, November 29, 2007, 9:16 PM by Lonely Planet
London's tube has been described as creaking, overcrowded and overpriced, but ultimately it serves a purpose; somewhat efficiently, it ferries thousands upon thousands of people around one of the world's most popular cities every day.
Almost everyone who has lived in or visited London will be familiar with its quirks. Walk into any souvenir store in central London and you'll be able to pick up a mug, tea towel, oven mitt or apron adorned with the iconic phrase: "Mind the Gap".
Along with "all change please", "please note that this train will not stop at the next station" and "thank you for travelling on the central line", "mind the gap" is one of the tube's most-played recorded messages.
Instructing commuters to mind the gap since 1999 has been the soothing voice of British woman, Emma Clarke. This week however Transport for London announced they would not contract her in the future. Contrary to popular belief that this is the result of her spoof voiceovers on her website, TfL claim it's because she has publicly denounced their service saying she hates catching the tube.
Emma Clarke has defended herself and shock horror it seems she's been misrepresented by a journalist from The Mail on Sunday. Oh well - you can decide for yourself: listen to the spoofs or for Londoners living off-shore - make yourself homesick with the real thing.
Labels: Breaking travel news, Europe, Travelsnitch
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Posted Tuesday, November 27, 2007, 8:35 PM by Lonely Planet
When cyclone Sidr crashed into Bangladesh the country found itself propelled into the limelight of the western media with yet another bad news story. Within hours of the story breaking my phone started beeping with messages asking if I was ok and if I was going to remain in this 'devastated' country. Fortunately, the worst I suffered was a slight leak through one of my windows. But as I turned on the TV of my Dhaka hotel room I began to see why people were so concerned. It appeared that the entire nation had been destroyed.
The first pictures that emerged of the storm were largely filmed the following morning in Dhaka and revealed a battered city. When I drove around the capital that morning I found a very different scene. Sure, there were some trees, power cables and billboards down, but you really had to hunt for these signs of destruction.
Instead I saw a city setting about its daily life - rickshaws and cars filled the roads and people filled the pavements, cafes and parks. I couldn't help but feel that I was in another country altogether from the Bangladesh splashed across the newspapers. TV news stations reported that the entire country was without power - yet I was watching it on TV. They told us that all the phone lines were down - yet I was using the internet right up until an hour before the storm peaked over Dhaka (and then it was only tiredness that made me log off). And they reported that there was no running water - again, not my experience.
Now as the relief effort moves into full speed I am setting off for the far southwest of Bangladesh, where the cyclone is reported to have caused the most destruction, to see the damage for myself.
- Stuart Butler will report again next week from Bangladesh where he is researching for Lonely Planet. In the meantime you can see what travellers are saying about the cyclone's impact on the Thorn Tree forum.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Sunday, November 25, 2007, 10:29 PM by Lonely Planet
Last month the British Sunday Mirror, reporting on a forthcoming BBC documentary, revealed that the 1994 edition of our Middle East guide had been used for planning the Iraq invasion. 'Former American ambassador Barbara Bodine, who was given the job of helping to reconstruct Iraq, said: "It is a great guide book, but it should not be the basis of an occupation."'
Well yes, particularly since they used the wrong book. An older edition, our 1990 West Asia guidebook would have been a much better tool for invasion and rebuilding. We'd sent intrepid Englishwoman Rosemary Hall to research Iraq for that edition and, at the time, we were even thinking about a stand alone Iraq guidebook. Then Saddam invaded Kuwait and it all ended in tears. For him and for us.
To be perfectly honest we don't write our books with invasion, coups, revolutions and general mayhem in mind. Not that they aren't regularly used for such non-touristic purposes. In his book Zanzibar Chest, Reuters correspondent Aidan Hartley reported that as the Ethopian rebels closed in on the Soviet-backed dictator Haile Menguitu, the rebel tank drivers were guided into the capital using the Addis Ababa map photocopied from the reporter's dog-eared copy of Africa on a Shoestring.
I'm happy to hear we played our part in getting rid of one awful dictator (Mengistu's now in Zimbabwe where Mugabe, another awful African leader, looks after him), but I have to admit our books sometimes get used in ways I don't approve of. On one occasion a Kashmiri separatist organisation bought a copy of our India book to select a hotel to kidnap Western visitors. Fortunately the resourceful travellers they captured soon managed to escape. In 2003 a Weekend Australian story headlined 'Terror with help from a Lonely Planet guide,' reported that two misguided young British Muslims used our Israel guidebook to choose a hostel before making a suicide bomb attack on a beachfront bar.
- Tony Wheeler, co-founder of Lonely Planet
Labels: Breaking travel news, Middle East, Travelsnitch
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Posted Wednesday, November 21, 2007, 7:17 PM by Lonely Planet
Australia: blue skies, big open brown spaces, lots and lots of minerals and one, particularly nasty one...
Chrysotile was once mined to make asbestos - a popular, cheap housing material used in Australia in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Now, it's widely known that asbestos is highly toxic and leads to nasty lung related diseases, including cancer.
The mine site was in Wittenoom; a town by the same name servicing the workers of what was a booming industry. But since discovering the hazardous effects of asbestos, Wittenoom's been deserted. Situated in the Pilbara region in northern Western Australia the area still appeals to many travellers - and quite rightly. The gorges and waterfalls of nearby Karijini National Park are naturally spectacular.
Iconic 80s Australian rock band, Midnight Oil released the album Blue Sky Mining in 1987, featuring a track, Blue Sky Mine which cut to the core of the mining industry and made Wittenoom infamous. Its lyrics still resonate with miners and their families who've lobbied their incredibly wealthy ex-employers for justice and compensation to cover medical costs and damages.
"So I'm caught at the junction still waiting for medicine
The sweat of my brow keeps on feeding the engine
Hope the crumbs in my pocket can keep me for another night...
And the company takes what the company wants
And nothing's as precious
As a hole in the ground..."
Where as once curiosity may have seen you risk a side trip to Wittenoom it's no longer possible. It doesn't exist. It has been decommissioned, taken off the maps, the electricity - switched off.
So if you're looking for somewhere to stay try the two campsites in Karijini National Park or the Auski Tourist Village on the Great Northern Highway
And in an interesting aside, if the Labor party (currently in opposition) wins government at the Australian election this weekend, then ex-Oils frontman, Peter Garrett (member for Kingsford Smith) will be the new Minister for the Environment. It will be interesting to see if he stays true to his activist roots.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news, Sustainable and responsible tourism, Travelsnitch
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Posted Tuesday, November 13, 2007, 4:33 PM by Lonely Planet
Inspired by our recent travel stories on surfing remote locations and are now ready to pack your board for Liberia or Yemen? Well don't think about booking with British Airways. The airline has declared surfboards too bulky and has banned them from all flights along with kayaks and windsurfs. Most other airlines charge between 15 and 27 pounds each way to carry surfboards.
Surfers are outraged that British Airways will still allow snowboards and skis on flights. The British Surfing Association (BSA) says surfers would face huge costs and delays if forced to use freight companies. BSA has started an online petition which has been signed by over 8000 people including world no.1 surfer (and British Airways Platinum member) Mick Fanning and there is also a Facebook campaign with around 10,000 members.
What do you think of the surfboard ban? Do you think other airlines will follow suit?
Labels: Airports, Breaking travel news, Britain
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Posted Wednesday, November 07, 2007, 6:58 PM by Lonely Planet
Besides beating Namibia and recording their first-ever win in the Rugby World Cup this year, Georgia hasn't been in the news much since the Rose Revolution of 2003 saw now-President, Mikhail Saakashvili catapulted democratically into the country's top office.
Now however, Georgia - popular with overlanders - is bracing itself for renewed uncertainty with a state of emergency declared from its capital Tbilisi. Everything and everyone from Moscow, the media, to poverty and corruption is being blamed for the deterioration in public affairs.
The Trabant trekkers - a crew of travellers from Holland, England, America, Spain and Hungary - have just crossed the country as they overland from Germany to Cambodia raising money for charity. Now in Tajikistan, their blog speaks of a different Georgia.
Standing at the intersection of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, it is unfortunately the same geographic reasons making it attractive to overlanders, playing into the geo-political problems: challenging terrain, disputed borders and a myriad of different ethnic groups.
As the Trabant trekkers can testify - it is a very interesting country, going through troubled times. Stay attune of the news, and catch the discussion on the Thorn Tree Forum.
Labels: Breaking travel news, Europe
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Posted Sunday, November 04, 2007, 7:16 PM by Lonely Planet
It's unclear whether the difference between emergency rule and martial law is only semantics (particularly when your President is also the Chief of Army Staff), but it's easy to see that travel to Pakistan right now is not to be taken lightly.
Sure the Karakoram Range and its famed mountain-highway may seem remote and utterly removed from events in Islamabad and Lahore, but it pays to be well aware of the security situation throughout the country.
With the local media's output affected by Musharraf's declaration, and amid reports of journalists being arrested, it may be difficult to access extensive and unbiased information in the region.
Although the real reason for the state of emergency is sketchy, the debate is ongoing as to whether it will worsen or improve the country's already troubled situation.
Make sure if you have travel planned in the region that you check the latest news reports and read what travellers are saying about it on the Thorn Tree Forum.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 7:09 PM by Lonely Planet
As the rest of the US starts the slow descent into winter, California's hot as ever. Here they literally have a "fall", and although pretty - dried leaves make for highly flammable debris. Unseasonably hot winds are fanning well-fuelled fires across the region. The five day forecast shows no rain, just day-after-day of 90 degree Fahrenheit weather (about 32 degrees Celsius).
The fires are disrupting life and livelihoods in the state from Santa Barbara, south to the Mexican border. Road closures and evacuations mean travel to and within the region has been affected. Many tourist attractions are shut, and flights delayed.
Travellers should check the latest news reports and see what's being discussed on the Thorn Tree.
Labels: Breaking travel news, The Americas
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Posted Monday, October 01, 2007, 8:55 PM by Lonely Planet
BBC Worldwide managed the unthinkable when they convinced Tony and Maureen Wheeler to take an early retirement. Not such a hard task maybe when this simply means more travel for the intrepid couple.
It was announced yesterday that BBC Worldwide have bought a 75% stake in Lonely Planet. Here's what Tony and Maureen Wheeler have got to say about it.
How does it feel to be owned by the Beeb? So far, so good - the BBC is known for editorial independence and getting to every corner of the globe, things we like. And I'm excited by the fact that we're owned by the company that makes series like Planet Earth and Michael Palin's New Europe.
But the Beeb is also a mighty big corporation. Will this mean we have to wear shoes to the office? Wasn't The Office's David Brent based on BBC middle management??
Tony and Maureen tell us we'll be fine. With their remaining 25% they will ensure the company stays true to its roots and their vision. Relax everybody - the Lonely Planet Band looks safe.
And we were reassured that the BBCW people who came to OZ to make the announcement (only one of whom was wearing a suit, and even then, it was of the tie-less variety), were enthusiastically focused on our principled editorial...
...which is why I'm sure they won't mind me saying, that though this move represents further media consolidation and one less independent Australian publishing company - which is a great shame - they seem like good eggs.
Let's just hope they stay sunny-side up.
*And I'm assuming this means we now have copyright-free access to BBC online content?*
Labels: Breaking travel news, Inside Lonely Planet
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Posted Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 1:42 AM by Lonely Planet
You could say the debate started in 1962; some would say 1988, others 1990. But the official travel boycott - called for by Aung San Suu Kyi, came in 1996. Travellers since have questioned whether they should visit Myanmar, coming up with a host of reasons why and why not. Currently the debate is back in the spotlight as protesters take to the street and international media coverage experiences a groundswell.
This week protests in Rangoon have been building with monks and inured citizens congregating at the cities' Shwedagon Pagoda in defiance of the ruling military junta. The suspiciously self-titled State Peace and Development Council took power (then as the State Law and Order Restoration Council) in a 1962 coup and have since failed to instil democratic processes.
Although Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy officially won government in a 1990 election - power was never handed over.
A result of 1988 protests, Aung San Suu Kyi was put under house arrest. Those protests ended in thousands' killed, and although the climate may be different today - with the media's attention on the country unlike ever before, it cannot be guaranteed this latest round won't deteriorate in the same way.
Travellers in Myanmar or those deciding to travel there should make sure they take caution and read widely on the matter. Check news websites and the Thorn Tree Myanmar branch for more information.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Wednesday, September 19, 2007, 6:48 PM by Lonely Planet
By no means the worst casualty of Typhoon Wipha, but interesting to note, is as a result of the storms lashing at China's Eastern coast, Tuesday's and Wednesday's scheduled matches in the FIFA Women's World Cup were delayed.
With China to host the Olympics in August next year, numerous international events in the lead up, and both the Paralympics and Special Olympics tournaments in September and October respectively, there will be close observation of organisers' capacity to adapt to unforseen disruptions.
The matches to now be played tonight are:
Norway v Ghana
Brazil v Denmark
Canada v Australia
China v New Zealand
Travellers in and around Shanghai should still be wary of flood, wind and storm warnings and can check out what's being discussed on the Thorn Tree and news websites for more.
**Good Luck to the Matildas tonight!**
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news, Festivals and events
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Posted Thursday, September 13, 2007, 11:23 PM by Lonely Planet
Thank God, thank the Virgin of Guadalupe, thank whomever you wish, nobody died at the hands of Hurricane Dean... Now the hard part: rebuilding a town ripped to shreds.
At the height of the storm, much of Mahahual, a tourist town about 300 km south of Cancún, Mexico was underwater. The other coastal areas, including the tourist town of Xcalak, are fine. There's a bit of wind scour, but they are up and running and the beaches and reefs are still in good shape throughout the Costa Maya.
Two inland ruins, Dzibanché and Río Bec, are temporarily closed. They should be opening up in the next week or so, according to authorities.
The first person I came across in Mahahual (weeks after the storm) was Aura. She was selling Corona t-shirts near the beach. She used to have a great spot, just a block or two from the port that brought in up to three cruise ships a day. But now that port is underwater, and most people think it will be at least a year, maybe two, before it gets rebuilt. In short, the people of Mahahual, who depended on tourist traffic to stay alive, are royally screwed.
But Aura has set up her little t-shirt stand again, looking expectantly at the horizon for any ghost ships that might roll in and businesses remain optimistic, many expecting to reopen within a week or two.
So now could be a good time to travel to Mahahual, buy a t-shirt, some conch stew, and look out over that great blue sea.
Hurricane relief can be sent through www.playa.info. The Red Cross is not operating in Mahahual.
- Greg Benchwick
Labels: Breaking travel news, The Americas, Volunteer
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Posted Thursday, August 30, 2007, 11:09 PM by Lonely Planet
We're only halfway through the festival and (even by Burning Man standards) two very unusual things have happened.
There's a full lunar eclipse - which pushes Black Rock City to even greater gimp-mask-and-Dayglo-wearing extremes and someone prematurely sets the Burning Man on fire!
I hear the news from a naked, glitter-painted lady drifting past my tent. A press release at Media Mecca, a hub for dusty journalists in need of a Hunter S Thompson cocktail, reveals that the arsonist is in custody and the Man will be rebuilt.
As the singed skeleton of the sculpture is removed, the festival neon artist speeds to Reno and the outside world to buy materials.
I checked out the Man a few hours before the premature burning. There was a quasi-religious atmosphere there, with burners quietly circling and touching the wooden trunks at its base.
This arson attack is obviously big news for the community - the Black Rock Beacon even manages a special 'the Man's bacon gets cooked' issue. However, life on the playa continues as abnormal, with plenty of other idols for the neon-lit floats to buzz between...
James is at Burning Man researching for a Lonely Planet book on worldwide festivals; this is the third post in a series. Check out the previous posts here.
You can see more of Jonathan Clark's photographs at www.art-clark.com.
Labels: Breaking travel news, Burning Man, Nevada, The Americas
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Posted Sunday, August 19, 2007, 11:56 PM by Lonely Planet
For the most up to date information on the earthquake in Peru head to the Thorn Tree or visit Andean Travel Web.
Mike Weston, editor of Andean Travel Web reports:
"Peru was struck by an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale on the evening of 15 August 2007. The places most affected by the earthquake are Ica, Pisco, Paracas, and Chincha which lie more than 150km to the south east of Lima. More than 500 people have been reported dead and one thousand five hundred injured in the province of Ica. No tourists have been reported dead or injured. A state of emergency has been declared in this area.
Although buildings shook violently in Lima there was very little damage. A minor tremor was felt in Cusco but there was no damage to buildings or infrastructure and all services to Machu Picchu are running as normal. Nasca, although fairly close to Ica, sustained very little damage and flights over the Nasca Lines have now restarted. Flights between all major cities are running as scheduled. The section of the Pan American Highway connecting Nasca to Lima has now reopened to very limited traffic (emergency and aid vehicles) although it is highly recommended that visitors avoid taking buses along this route and fly between Arequipa and Lima or between Cusco and Lima.
Visitors should cancel any immediate plans to visit Ica, Paracas and the Ballestas islands. Phone lines are still very busy throughout Peru so patience is required when calling Peru."
Labels: Breaking travel news, The Americas
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Posted Thursday, March 22, 2007, 5:45 PM by Lonely Planet
If you thought your perfume was safe in Australian airports - think again!
From Saturday March 31 new security measures for carrying liquids, aerosols and gels on flights into and out of Australia will be introduced. In line with rules already in place in Europe and the United States, passengers need to carry all their toiletries, drinks and medicines in a single, clear plastic bag (which must be sealable and not exceed 1 litre).
But don't think you can take that oversized bottle of moisturiser on board (even if it fits in the bag) - each container must be 100 millilitres or less. The new rules apply to drinks, creams, perfumes, sprays, gels, toothpaste, lipstick, lip balm and similar substances. Basically, this covers anything you can pour, spray or smear.
You can still carry prescription medicines on board and baby products but the Department of Transport and Regional Services has made it clear that "proof of need" may be required. We take it a screaming tacker will do the trick.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Sunday, December 17, 2006, 6:46 PM by Lonely Planet
Time magazine has announced you, or is that - me - as its Person of the Year. Heck, I guess it's all of us. Those that contribute to this great wicked web of words, commerce and images - still and moving, users and producers - all are in control of what has now been formally dubbed the information age.
So how well has your appetite for travel information been catered to? What have you contributed to the body of knowledge that exists for your fellow travelling companions haunting the far reaches of the world wide web?
Do you really feel that you, or even we, should have been recipients of this time honoured title? We had some other suggestions to get you thinking:
1. Al Gore for bringing focus on climate change to the fore and making us forever question the carbon that we emit in the course of our travels.
2. Michael O'Leary - boss of Ryan Air - for making us question whether the benefit of being able to use your mobile phone on a plane would out-weigh the torture of sitting through everyone else's inane conversation as you fly.
3. Fran Bailey, Federal Minister for Tourism in Australia for thinking the question: "Where the bloody hell are you?" would get the punters coming to Australia in droves.
Labels: Breaking travel news, Travelsnitch
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Posted Monday, December 11, 2006, 5:07 PM by Lonely Planet
What does his re-election mean for tourism to the country? One of our Venezuelan researchers reports:
Venezuela is a pretty full on country. Coming from Colombia, I am astonished just how different Venezuela is from its neighbour. I joke with the locals that I live in Colombia because it's safer than Venezuela.
I fear the political developments in Venezuela will have a negative impact on tourism in the country. I have spoken to many posada owners and tour operators, on the coast especially, who tell me that every year since Chavez came to power they've seen fewer and fewer domestic tourists. I meet middle class people who are making plans to leave the country.
Compared to other countries in South America, Venezuela is expensive, the people can be unfriendly, the food ordinary and the official exchange rate means there's no bang for your buck. Venezuela is a country drunk on its own oil wealth. It's not a quiet, chatty sort of drunk, though, it's the rude brawler in the corner looking for a fight.
So is the socialism preached by Chavez really an alternative to the unbearable tyranny of the American capitalist model, or just an idealised vision? If you go to Venezuela, obviously you can decide for yourself.
But the formula seems simple: if you get all the money you want from Uncle Chavez, who cares about tourists? Why bother attempting to provide good service? Heck, why work hard to begin with, some corrupt official is just going to mooch off your hard work anyway! It's sad, but the service industry will suffer, so the travellers may just start to stay away.
And the question remains - what happens when the oil runs out?
Like the ancient proverb goes, give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime.
Labels: Breaking travel news, On the road, The Americas
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Posted Wednesday, November 29, 2006, 2:23 PM by Lonely Planet
When you think Fiji - do you think islands fringed with coral reefs, lapped by warm azure waters; diving and snorkelling and diverse cultures? Or do you think of an archipelago dogged since 1987 by military coup and political instability?
Unfortunately the latest talks to settle the rift between the military and the government have been unsuccessful, so travel warnings have been released for those visiting Suva.
But how might this affect your trip to Fiji, how much impact will this have on travellers on the ground? This matter is being discussed on the Thorn Tree right now. The majority of the advice says that if you give Suva a wide berth, you will be unaffected. Most conclude you wouldn't want to go there normally anyway. Copperspoon reports: "You worry too much! Political games have nothing to do with tourists."
Read the responses for yourself here.
Labels: Asia and Pacific, Breaking travel news
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Posted Sunday, November 19, 2006, 3:33 PM by Lonely Planet
Austrian Airlines have seized on the all-important Baghdad red-eye and launched regular connections from Vienna to the Iraqi capital. Touted as a lifeline to the still quite rogue-like state, Austrian doubtless have their eyes on the travel budgets of the dozens of NGOs whizzing in to 'The Dad'.
Slightly more optimistic is the Kurdistan Tourism Board, hoping to tempt us into northern Iraq with our buckets and spades. A California-based communications company seeks to sell us this dream by shattering our preconceptions. "You think of bombings and this is peaceful, you think of desert and this is mountainous. You think of camels and you are more likely to see sheep." Don't fumble for your wallet just yet... although you may be desperate to go and confirm whether there really are sheep in northern Iraq another quote from the press release dangles tastier bait: "Westerners walk around freely and there is an active nightlife." All the ingredients for a holiday of a lifetime! But let's not be too harsh - if Iraq can attract tourists there's one reason to keep those well-hidden WMDs well out of sight.
Labels: Breaking travel news, Middle East
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