Traveler notes

Hurricane Ida could be the worst storm this season

2009-11-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

MIAMI — Ida was downgraded to a tropical storm on Thursday after slamming into Nicaragua as a category one hurricane, the US National Hurricane Center said.

"The government of Nicaragua has replaced the hurricane warning with a tropical storm warning," the experts said, predicting Ida would weaken further as it moved across eastern Nicaragua and eastern Honduras in the coming days.

Ida churned onto Nicaragua earlier Thursday, unleashing strong winds and heavy rain across the eastern coast of the Central American country and forcing thousands of people out of their homes into temporary shelters.

Hurricane IDA was formed on Wednesday in the far southwest of the Caribbean Sea, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north-northeast of Bluefields, Nicaragua. With wind speed of 70 miles per hour may convert into a hurricane of lower intensity but for the time National Commission of Emergencies has issued a yellow warning for the Pacific Coast, North Zone, Caribbean and Guanacaste as the Hurricane IDA is approaching the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua. The storm may enter into the Gulf of Mexico within the coming three days.

The storm which is expected to hit the inland over Nicaragua later today will weaken substantially into a tropical depression over land. The CNE expecting the areas under direct influence of the storm would be Cobano, Jicaral, Paquera in Central Pacific and the Canton de Montes de Oro in Puntarenas. Regions known as Huetar Norte: Upala, Guatuso, Los Chiles y San Carlos in the northern zone and Siquirres, Matina, Guacimo y Pococi in the Caribbean would face a potential threat whereas rest of the country will be under a green warning which means lots of rains in the country. National Weather Service said that rains could be continued till Friday. All departments meant for the disaster management are on alert to coop with any kind of emergency.

National Hurricane Center iterated that they did not think that system could pose any threat to Florida as the Hurricane IDA will make landfall in Nicaragua on early Thursday. It is the ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Hurricane Ida struck the central Nicaragua coast this morning and continued aiming north toward Honduras, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and possibly the Gulf of Mexico.

At 10 a.m. today, the system was 75 miles north of Bluefields, Nicaragua, crawling northwest at 6 mph with sustained winds of 75 mph. Because it is over land, forecasters expect Ida to weaken to a depression over the next three days.

Under the long range forecast, Ida would regain tropical storm strength, move into the Gulf by Tuesday morning and generally aim toward Louisiana. That prediction, however, remains far from certain.

While Florida residents should monitor the system, for now only the Lower Keys are in the cone of uncertainty.

Of immediate concern, Ida is roughing up Central America with howling winds, torrential rains and battering waves. Of some consolation, it’s a compact storm, as its hurricane force winds extend only 15 miles from its center.

Ida strengthened into the third hurricane of the Atlantic season early this morning.

With rainfall amounts expected to reach 25" or more in Nicaragua and Honduras, Hurricane Ida could be the deadliest storm of the season. Flash flooding and landslides are likely in the rough terrain. The small, but intense storm is also expected to push a 3-4 foot storm surge ashore.

The early morning satellite shows the storm close to the coast. Maximum sustained winds reached 75 mph overnight, hurricane force.

Hurricane Ida is moving slowly and will spend the next 48 hours over Central America. The storm should be much weaker when it re-enters the western Caribbean Sea early Saturday morning. The water in this area is still very warm and there's a strong possibility the circulation will intensify... if it makes it there. Beyond the next 24 hours, there is no consensus among the forecast models. So the future track and intensity are highly uncertain.

October 8 th - Columbus Day!!

2007-10-08T04:15:00.000-07:00

October 8 th - Columbus Day!!

Christopher Columbus was a lost sailor; A lost sailor who aimed for Asia and ended up in the Caribbean. Columbus didn’t “discover” any islands, he discovered people, 8 million people; 8 million people who had “discovered” the island before he did(now islands of Haiti and Dominican Republic). When he “discovered” that these people were really kind and were interested in forming relationships and trading, he enslaved them. His people enslaved them, raped them, and killed them. The 8 million was cut to 3 million by 1500, which is only 8 years after “1492, when Columbus sailed the ocean blue”. Fifty years after he arrived those people were extinct, rivaling the Nazi Germany Jew killings. Diseases he brought over were rampant and killed many of the natives too.

The USS Bradley and her crew of more than 200 spent this Columbus Day Weekend at the Charlestown Navy Yard.

While on shore, sailors mingled with curious onlookers and paid a visit to the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans. They marched in the Columbus Day parade and the ship’s color guard participated in the national anthem at yesterday’s Patriots [team stats] game against the Cleveland Browns.

The 23-year-old ship, named after World War II Lt. Robert C. Bradley, recently returned from a six-month counter-narco terrorism deployment.

Yemen map, Yemen at the world map, volcano schema, large photos

2007-10-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

Yemen Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

pic.1 Yemen at World Map

pic.2 Volcano place

pic.3 Scheme volcano break in terrestrial cortex

(LARGE) Hi-Res Photo of volcano erupts in Yemen

2007-10-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Eight killed as volcano erupts in Yemen

At least eight Yemeni soldiers were killed in a volcanic eruption on an island off the country's Red Sea Coast, the government said on Monday.

The volcano erupted late on Sunday, spewing lava hundreds of meters into the air. Officials said earlier nine soldiers were missing.

"At least eight are regarded as dead now," a government official told Reuters.

The eruption occurred on Jabal al-Tair, an island about 80 miles from Yemen (see region map).

Yemen has had a military base on the island since its 1996 conflict with Eritrea over the nearby islands of Hanish and Jabal Zuqar.

Al-Arabiya television quoted witnesses as saying the island was engulfed in fire then disappeared.

"At least 49 soldiers were evacuated from the island," the television said, according to the witnesses. Yemeni officials were not available to confirm the report.

A Defense Ministry official said the western part of the island had "collapsed" following the eruption. He said naval ships were searching the surrounding waters for nine missing Yemeni soldiers who were stationed on the island.

Yemen's Oil Minister Khaled Mahfoudh Bahah said several earthquakes felt on Sunday had triggered the eruption.

"Three earthquakes struck the island around 1127 GMT (7:27 a.m. EDT) on Sunday, and were ranging between 4.3 and 4 on the Richter scale," Jamal al-Shalaan, head of the Yemeni Earthquake Centre told the state news agency Saba.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who flew to nearby Hudaidah port late on Sunday to observe the situation, told the Yemeni navy to send rescue teams, Saba reported.

The Canadian frigate Toronto was conducting a search and rescue operation at the request of the Yemeni coast guard. The NATO fleet was sailing north towards the Suez Canal (map) at the time of the eruption, the Canadian navy said in a statement.

It said it was trying to locate nine people believed to be at sea in the area.

Navy spokesman Ken Allen told the Canadian Press news agency that lava was spewing hundreds of meters into the air, with volcanic ash also rising 300 meters.

In an e-mail from Toronto, he said the entire two-mile-long (three-km-long) island was aglow with lava and pouring into the sea.

A Yemeni geologist said the volcano had previously erupted in the 19th and 18th centuries, Saba said.

Travel industry still tackling reforms after 9/11

2007-09-11T06:40:00.000-07:00

Six years after 9/11, the question is as vexing as ever: How to make travel into the United States secure enough to screen out terrorists, and simple enough to attract visitors from abroad.

Lately that discussion has centered on the question of which tourists should be required to have a visa when they come into the country. The travel industry wants to get rid of needless barriers, but some argue that the visa application process is critical to identifying potentially dangerous individuals.

Last month, the travel industry celebrated "the most significant travel reform since 9/11" — a policy change that will offer visa-free travel to people from more countries. It will also build new security checks into the system. South Koreans, Czechs and Israelis are among those who could benefit.

The Visa Waiver Program now allows visitors from 27 countries to visit — but not to work or study — for up to 90 days, without the hassle of applying for a visa and paying a $100 fee. Now more countries will be able to join in, provided they agree to share information about known terrorists and comply with other rules. Travelers would have to register their names, passport numbers and other information when they make their airline reservation.

"When this technology is put into effect, the traveler will have to essentially apply online to be able to travel, from wherever they are," said Susan Ginsburg, a visiting senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute in Washington. She served as senior counsel on the staff of the 9/11 Commission, and sits on the Homeland Security Advisory Council's Secure Borders and Open Doors Advisory Committee.

Such a system is already in place in Australia. It would add to an existing U.S. system that checks passenger names against a terrorist "watch list" at departure. Passengers then must clear inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The visa system failed to prevent the 2001 terrorist hijackers, mostly Saudis, from entering the country.

All 19 hijackers had visas; one a student visa and the rest, business/tourist visas. All of the men violated some aspect of immigration law, such as presenting manipulated passports or attending flight school without authorization. All submitted applications denying that they would engage in terrorist activity.

But opponents of the visa waiver program point to shoe bomber Richard Reid and al-Qaeda plotter Zacarias Moussaoui, who were admitted without visas because they were from Britain and France, both "waiver" nations.

The immigration-control group Federation for American Immigration Reform said in a recent report that the program remains a weak link in U.S. security, and that the new screening system won't be a good enough substitute for the consular officers who handle visa applications. The new electronic screening, FAIR said, "offers protection only against known terrorists traveling with documents in their own name."

The Travel Industry Association argues that the changes will enhance, and not weaken, security.

The visa process mainly tries to screen out "intending immigrants" — those who are pretending to be tourists but intending to stay illegally, said Rick Webster, the TIA's vice president for government affairs. In the revamped waiver program, nations would agree to share information about potential terrorists and improve the reliability of passports and other documents.

"Nobody qualifies automatically," said lobbyist C. Stewart Verdery of Monument Policy Group. "This law sets up a means for countries to apply."

Overseas travel to the United States has fallen 17% since a peak in 2000, according to TIA, translating to a loss of almost 200,000 jobs and $16 billion in tax receipts. A survey of mayors named visa problems as a major factor in the decline.

Webster said the visa waiver legislation is part of a continuing tension over travel and safety.

"Here we are on the eve of the sixth anniversary of 9/11," he said Monday. "No other industry was devastated like travel and tourism. And we obviously have every interest in making sure that reasonable efforts are made, balanced efforts, to secure this country, to protect Americans and to protect all the international guests who are here as well."

A travel newbie? Here are useful tips

2007-09-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Travel has changed so much in the past few years. People are traveling a lot more these days that it has already evolved into a lifestyle. Friends always ask me about my frequent travels and how I do it.

Before I got this job, I had not even left the city. If I went to Cagayan and Quezon (where my parents are from), it was just to visit, not really to explore.

So, if I could pass on some tips to "travel newbies" or to people who are considering taking time out from their usual routine, this is what I’d say.

1. Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. Most especially in Asia or around the country. There are always free things to do in the area and free stuff given away. Well, wandering is always free.

2. Helpful people are just a few clicks away. There are a lot of amazing travel sites and blogs now with user reviews and tips. People love answering travelers’ questions. Check out the Lonely Planet website.

3. Make a to-do checklist before you go. Don’t wait for the last minute and get caught on a panic. Work through your list — visas, tickets, items to pack, and list of phone numbers, etc.

4. Do not overpack. For my first travel assignment, I went to Baguio City for the weekend with a backpack I could hardly lift. I had packed clothes good for almost two weeks! Obviously, I was excited about my "outfit changes". My advice: Travel light!

5. Put the guide book down. Guide books may help but also sometimes limit a trip if followed to the letter. Use the book for useful, relevant tips but don’t work your entire schedule around it. The best things are discovered by accident.

6. Learn the language. If you are going to a non–English speaking country, learn some of the basic words or phrases. You don’t have to be fluent. I think it is plainly, the polite thing to do.

7. Travel doesn’t have to drain your savings. There have been times when I’ve traveled and watched my money disappear slowly, especially when it is time to buy those "pasalubong." This doesn’t have to be the case. Remember to always set a budget and stick to it.

8. Be careful, not paranoid. Yes, there are scam artists and potential dangers when traveling. But there are also dangers where you’re sitting right now. Make sure someone at home has copies of all your travel documents. And please, don’t wander down alleyways in the middle of the night.

9. Bring a good camera. Photos can be the most precious part of a journey, after memories. Don’t just rely on your cellphone for pictures.

10. Try not to compare too much. When traveling it is very tempting to compare everything with how it is back home. Of course you’ll compare, but try not to do it all the time, especially if you are getting frustrated with the differences. Remember why you went there in the first place. Ordering McDonald’s in Beijing is often more expensive than a corner noodle house. Adapt to local tastes.

Three dead after Hurricane Felix devastates Nicaragua

2007-09-05T06:43:00.000-07:00

HURRICANE Felix destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least three people as it pushed across Nicaragua and Honduras today, while a second hurricane punished resorts as it roared toward mainland Mexico.

Felix rapidly weakened into a tropical storm as it headed inland after slamming into Central America's remote Miskito coastline as a Category 5 hurricane.

But officials feared it could still dump up to 25 inches of rain, triggering mudslides and floods in areas where shantytowns cling precariously to hillsides.

Hard hit was Puerto Cabezas on Nicaragua's remote north-east coast where Felix destroyed or badly damaged almost half the city's houses, ripping roofs of shelters and killing at least three people, officials said.

Nervous residents still remember Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which parked over Central America for days, causing flooding and mudslides that killed nearly 11,000 people and left more than 8000 missing.

Hours after Felix hit land in Central America, Hurricane Henriette's eye struck the Mexican coast before passing over resorts popular with Hollywood stars and sports fishermen.

US Travel Site Dedicated to Europeans?

2007-09-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Due to a decrease in the value of the US Dollar, Europeans are learning that they can visit the United States for cheap -- by travel agents and US hotels that have begun targetting them. A luxurious night out in Chicago will cost half as much as the same night in Rome. Talk about saving money while travelling!

USATravelPal.com has just completed a thorough California travel guide of about 500 of the most popular destinations and have just unveiled plans on expanding that to all 50 states. It's success, they say, will be correlated to the foreign travel market. "Because of increased gasoline prices, travellers are taking fewer long distance road trips." They continue on to say "Americans already have an idea as to where they want to go before they go, for European and Asian tourists, the road is an open book".

American travellers will also find the web site very useful once it is completed but there is no denying the European market of travellers.

Turkish students spend their summer driving pedicabs downtown

2007-08-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

SAN DIEGO – Soon the young Turks will be heading home.
They are a prevalent but largely unrecognized subculture of San Diego's Embarcadero and Gaslamp Quarter. Most pedal bicycle cabs; others sell T-shirts on the waterfront or work in downtown restaurants.

EARNIE GRAFTON / Union-Tribune
Many pedicabbies working downtown and along the waterfront are Turkish students working here for the summer. San Diego businesses are on job-placement lists in Turkey.
Back in Turkey, they are university students. Here, by the hundreds, they spend a summer in San Diego on four-month visas, getting their first glimpse of the United States under a work-travel program that attracts more every year.

“This is a good program for a trip to America,” said pedicabbie Umut Akbulut, a law student from Istanbul, taking a break near the harbor cruise terminal. “I like American cars. Big engines. Fast cars.”

Akbulut, 21, pedals for a company run by a Turkish immigrant who arrived seven years ago as a student himself. All 20 of Engin Kaplan's drivers are Turkish students, and he estimates that more than half of the approximately 300 pedicabbies downtown and on the bayfront are from Turkey as well – at least in the summer.

“They are nice, friendly kids,” said Kaplan, 29. “Some of them come here to improve their English. They try to learn about American culture.

“They tell their friends about what they did in San Diego and how much fun they had. Based on that, other students in Turkey become interested in this program.”

Kaplan's business and others in San Diego are on job-placement lists of travel agents promoting the program in Turkey. San Diego is one of the program's four primary U.S. destinations, along with New York, Key West and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

EARNIE GRAFTON / Union-Tribune
Inci Aslan (left), Umut Yildirim and Can Kar will soon be returning to their studies in Turkey. "I miss the foods. I miss my family," Kar said.
Turkish students say the work-travel program costs them $2,000 to $3,000, including airfare. They must speak good English and apply months in advance.

Once here, they become part of an informal network that helps them find housing in Little Italy and other center-city neighborhoods, often sharing apartments with four, six or as many as nine Turkish roommates.

Some do what Inci Aslan has – start out on pedicabs then move into other jobs. The 19-year-old from Ankara, majoring in English translation, says she is happier working in a Horton Plaza restaurant because pedicab pay was too unpredictable.

“You ride the bike for three or four hours and maybe not (get) one ride,” she said. “Sometimes you just go around for one hour and you get $100. It just depends.”

Aslan says the biggest difference between the United States and Turkey is the ease and openness with which casual acquaintances can be struck up here.

“The thing I like about the United States is even if you don't know people, they smile and say, 'Hi,' ” she said. “In Turkey, if you don't know someone, you just walk.”
But Aslan and her cousin, who sells T-shirts at a bayside table, haven't made any close friendships with Americans. Off work, they hang out with other Turkish students – watching Turkish movies, listening to Turkish music and preparing Turkish food with the limited ingredients they can find here.

Like most of their peers, they'll be home by mid-September.

Can Kar, 22, can't wait to get back to Istanbul. The journalism major said he has enjoyed much of his two-month stay but is homesick and tired of scraping by on pedicab tips.

“I miss the foods. I miss my family,” he said. “America's not bad, I know. But you need to earn enough money. You need to have a place in the social system.”

New Zealand Travel Guide

2007-08-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

New Zealand Travel Guide

New Zealand is the world’s best kept secret; it contains six of the seven climatic regions on the planet, boasts a series of unparalleled golden-sand beaches, protected marine parks to explore from on or beneath the surface, safe-but-active volcanic areas, pristine snow-capped Alps to ski and climb, prehistoric forests and unique flora and fauna. It does all this in one easily accessible package without thousands of miles to travel between each destination and it has an enviable reputation as one of the safest destinations in the world, lacking poisonous animals and boasting a low crime rate.
It is a country where the only stress is that taken on willfully by the adventure-minded tourist (in the form of bungy jumping, parachuting, white-water rafting etc). You can walk for miles in New Zealand without seeing another soul, accompanied by rustling trees, running water and unusual bird song but perhaps the country’s greatest asset is its warm, friendly and hospitable population.
For informed and accurate tourist information, on all of the country’s highlights, travelers should contact one of the local VICs (Visitor Information Centers) situated all over New Zealand.

North Island
Auckland

Auckland is the country’s largest urban and suburban area with a population of over 1.5 million. Even so, it is surrounded by varied and exquisite scenery with attractive harbors and beaches to the east and the rugged Waitakere Ranges, the thundering, undeveloped surf beaches and burgeoning vineyards to the west. Known as the ‘City of Sails’, with more boats per capita than any other city in the world, these days Auckland’s reputation as a sailor’s Mecca is cemented by repeated successful defenses of the America’s Cup. The city offers excellent shopping, galleries and museums; it has a university and provides a multicultural environment characterized by a blend of European, Asian and Polynesian cultures, particularly on the busy and atmospheric Karangahape Road. There is also the distinctive Sky Tower, a casino with a glorious circular, glass viewing gallery at its bulbous summit. The views of the city, its beaches and the mountains, the coast and sea beyond are stunning. It is also possible for the particularly brave tourist to abseil down the side of the building to the street, a drop of over 100m (328ft).

An exploration of at least one of the stunning golden-sand islands of the Hauraki Gulf, accessible by ferries from Waitamata Harbour and also visible from the Sky Tower, is highly recommended. Most of the city center is walkable but the outlying suburbs of Devonport, Herne Bay, Parnell and Ponsonby (with their attractive eateries and well-reputed fashion industry) are brought within easy reach by a reliable public bus network and taxi system.

Northland

The narrow, predominantly Maori stronghold of Northland, the ‘Winterless North’ pushes out 350km (217 miles) from Auckland and separates the Pacific Ocean from the Tasman Sea. It provides the sub-tropical element in the New Zealand equation and is famed for its palms, citrus fruit, avocados, bananas and myriad gorgeous, sandy unspoiled beaches. It also gives tourists the opportunity to begin to understand Maori culture, art and history. On the east coast, the beaches exist between straggling peninsulas and headlands, offering calm bays that are safe for swimming. Perhaps the most famous area is the Bay of Islands, intricately sculpted and renowned for excellent diving, boating/sailing and game fishing. The west coast offers enormous dune-backed black-sand beaches that are lashed almost constantly by Tasman breakers, rip tides and biting winds (there is no safe swimming here).

The views are fantastic and, just inland, the forests of the Northland Forest Park, contain some of the world’s oldest trees, including the famous kauri, many of which date back centuries. Cape Karikari, overlooking Doubtless Bay was one of the locations for films such as From Here to Eternity and The Piano, and offers access to wide, rugged, moody beaches surrounded by steep hills and cliffs, while Cape Reinga overlooks the spectacular meeting of the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea and the narrow extension of Ninety-mile Beach down the west coast back toward Auckland.

Next time i will wrote about anothers parts of NZ...

LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT DEAN

2007-08-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

While Hurricane Dean has faded from the headlines and much has been made about how its most intense landfall was in a relatively unpopulated area, and indeed many locations not only in the U.S. but also the Caribbean have breathed a collective sigh of relief, others are reeling. This brings back memories of Hurricane Rita in 2005, when the perception was that things weren't so bad because relatively few people died and the worst of it missed Houston and New Orleans and "only" hit places such as Cameron Parish and Beaumont-Port Arthur. For that matter, even Wilma wasn't initially portrayed as being that much of a disaster but it ended up being the third costliest hurricane in U.S. history $$-wise. Has Katrina so influenced everyone's perceptions that now anything short of a megacatastrophe is no big deal?

Dean left damage in its wake from its first brush with land -- Martinique and St. Lucia -- to Jamaica (esp. the southern coast) and on to its final landfall in Mexico. The most severe devastation was in the Costa Maya area of the Yucatan, including the town of Mahahual, where Dean hit as a Category 5 with the third lowest pressure on record for a landfalling Atlantic basin hurricane. The area had become a growing cruise ship destination, with the port and the tourism industry bringing many jobs. Now the cruise ship pier and many businesses & homes have been damaged or destroyed. The latest photos which give a good idea of what happened there can be found here.

Dean evokes the memory of recent U.S. hurricanes in another way: it brings sadness to think about the people affected, while at the same time bringing awareness that coastal development in hurricane-prone areas results in increased vulnerability to these tempests from the sea

Hurricane Dean's wake: updates from Mexico & the Caribbean, photo

2007-08-24T05:53:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Dean moved through the Caribbean and onto Mexico last week. Almost universally, airlines allowed travelers with flights booked during the post-hurricane cleanup period last week to change dates without penalty. Information about specific airlines' policies, deadlines and limitations is available on their websites.

Here is a look at the damage left from the Category 5 hurricane and what travelers should know:

1. Costa Maya, Mexico

The community built as a port for cruise ships in 2001 suffered major damage and will not reopen for six to eight months. Half the port's infrastructure, including the concrete pier and entertainment complex, was damaged extensively, Costa Maya officials said. Little has been heard from nearby Mahahual, an area where small, family-owned boutique hotels sprouted after construction of Costa Maya.

"The families who own those hotels evacuated," said Paula Gomez, a spokeswoman for Costa Maya. "The roads are narrow and filled with debris, so people are having a hard time getting there and to Mahahual to assess damage."

2. Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Because Dean skipped 150 miles south of Cancún, the prime tourist spot of the Yucatán, vacationers were returning to hotels and beaches within hours. "Some trees and power lines were down," said Jorge Gamboa Patrón, director of the Mexico Tourism Board's Los Angeles office. "But there's no damage to the infrastructure of hotels, to roads or to the beaches, and 500 flights are coming in loaded with tourists."

3. Riviera Maya, Mexico

Farther south, around Akumal, Tankah Bay and Soliman Bay, workers hauled fallen coconuts and rocks from the roads and swept glass from first-floor condominiums, where waves had pushed in windows. By the end of last week, most hotels and resorts had reopened.

"You don't sit around and wait for help that's not coming," said Kay Walten, owner of Locogringo.com, an online reservation business for nearly 300 hotels along the Mexican coast. "When you live in an economy that depends on tourism, no matter what your socio-economic status, you roll up your sleeves and start cleaning it up. It's a matter of washing off the salt, cleaning it up and getting going again."

Status of nearly 200 properties south of Cancún may be checked at Walten's website.

4. Chetumal, Mexico

In Chetumal, the staff of the Holiday Inn pitched in to clean debris from the pool and sweep water from the lobby. "Trees have fallen in the streets here, signs are down and there is broken glass," said Sarahi Montoya, manager of reservations. "The lights were out, but are just now coming back on."

5. Veracruz coast, Mexico

In its last stand as a hurricane, Dean on Wednesday pummeled a 60-mile coastal stretch of Veracruz state as a Category 2 storm, peeling roofs and uprooting agriculture. Communication with the state remained difficult the next day, but Veracruz Gov. Fidel Herrera reported "a tremendous amount of damage."

The area command center became Poza Rica, a town about 30 miles from the fishing and tourist village of Tecolutla. At the Best Western Poza Rica, one reservation agent said that most hotels in town were open and that electricity was being restored.

6. Belize

Most of the hotels and attractions reopened a day after Dean brushed the northern borders of the country. By midweek, water, electricity and telephone services had been restored to the islands, but still remained spotty in the northern districts of Ambergris Caye, Corozal and Orange Walk, where some hotels also were damaged. All were expected to be open by today.

Others: Jamaica and the Lesser Antilles

In Jamaica, which the storm sidestepped by 40 miles last Sunday, tourists this week could still see eroded beaches and logs on the roadside waiting to be removed. If they looked around at residential areas, they'd see communities dark without power. But all of that has little effect on tourists. Only Jake's on Treasure Beach was closed for repairs -- to two suites until Sept. 28.

"All of the other hotels are open, the attractions are operating and the hotels are running on their own power from generators," said Aloun N'dombet-Assamba, Jamaica's minister of tourism and industry. "Cruise ships are sailing back into our port."

The Lesser Antilles escaped major damage Aug. 21, when the eye of Hurricane Dean skirted between the islands of Martinique and St. Lucia. Those islands and Dominica reported more damage to agriculture than to buildings or services. By midweek, the three islands reported that most hotels and attractions were open and ready for tourists. Some hotels were cleaning up downed fences, fallen trees and broken windows. A few hotels remained without electricity or water. On St. Lucia, thousands of acres of banana trees were toppled or snapped. Martinique -- the Island of Flowers -- lost its blooms.

"Hurricane Dean picked all of the flowers," said Steve Bennett, a spokesman for the Martinique Promotion Bureau. "But in a testament to the strength of Mother Nature, naturalists already have detected new buds."

Traveling abroad but appreciating home

2007-08-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

This summer I had the opportunity to visit a European country with three good friends and live and become a part of the culture for six weeks. We stayed in a city in Hungary and while there we had to adjust to a lifestyle much different than our own.

One major thing was adjusting to life without a car. Instead we took buses or trams to get everywhere and this was after walking about a quarter of a mile just to get to one of the stops.

With gas at $6 a gallon, not many people can afford cars and if they have one, it’s usually very small and shared with several family members. Forget our huge, less-than-economical, gas-guzzling SUVs. Those wouldn’t fly over there.

We also had to go without air conditioning. Yes, believe it or not, some people in the world still live without this luxury, and trust me, even in Europe it does get hot.

The city we were in had a population of about 200,000 so most people lived in flats (apartments). There were very few nice little houses with white picket fences and beautiful green yards.

Another eye-opener (literally) was how open people are with their sexuality. I can’t remember how many times we saw topless girls on the front of public newspapers and how shocked we were to see our first movie previews with full nudity. I can honestly say I was ready to come back to this great conservative country (yes, we are much more conservative than people think, at least in this part of the country) where I wouldn’t have to be startled by some topless girl on the front of a newspaper at 9 a.m.

However, all of this aside, the point of this column is not only to tell you how different it is in other cultures, but also to show you how spoiled we are and to tell people to quit complaining.

When gas hits $3 a gallon we throw a fit, but at least we have a car to put it in, and $3 doesn’t sound so bad after seeing what Europeans pay.

Also, if you think you’re poor and have it bad, trust me, you’re probably a lot better off than you think. The average income in Hungary is $600 a month. That’s for an adult working full time. Some of us in college can make that much while taking classes.

Also, for those of us who are on the conservative side, it’s nice to not have to see things we don’t want because they would never make it in public places in this country. Thank goodness for rules and regulations in these areas.

Life isn’t too bad in America. I guess it just took visiting another country to really see and appreciate what we do have.

So, the next time you start to throw a fit about it being hot or not having any money or having an old, junky car. Just remember the great country we live in and that we all have it pretty good.

Hawaii: Get 10–12k American Airlines miles

2007-08-22T03:12:00.000-07:00

While I’ve gotten used to getting 1,000 extra miles for booking flights online, I haven’t seen a deal this good in quite awhile for frequent flyers who are going to visit Hawaii soon. American Airlines is offering up to 10,000 AAdvantage miles for buying a five-night vacation package to the islands, plus an additional 1,000 for making your booking online and yet another 1,000 miles for purchasing your vacation by August 31, 2007. Who can resist?

Deal: American Airlines’ website advertises five-night hotel stays costing from $243/person, which is quoted for rooms at the Ohana Maile Sky Court (personally, not my first choice on Oahu). However, that price doesn’t include flights to/from Hawaii, which you’ll also need to buy to get the 10,000 bonus frequent-flyer miles. When I checked dates in early October, I found qualifying AA vacation packages on Oahu, costing from $671.55/person at the Aqua Aloha Surf Hotel to $1,302.55/person at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina. Believe it or not, that’s $30 to $100 less than what it would cost you to book the cheapest flight to/from LAX and the same hotels on Oahu on the same dates. So, not only are you getting 12,000 AAdvantage miles for free, you’re also saving money on your trip. Win-win!

When: The offer is valid for travel between August 20 and December 15, 2007. You can purchase your vacation package anytime up until October 31, but to get the extra 1,000 frequent-flyer miles, you’ll have to hurry up and book by August 31.

Caveat: The AA package price may not always be cheaper than booking the same vacation independently. But the bonus frequent-flyer miles may still be worth the extra cost, especially if you’re already close to reaching the next award level.

Why Go: American Airlines just made it easier for frequent fliers to redeem AAdvantage miles using its upgraded award booking tool, which shows award flight availability over a four-week period using a color-coded calendar.

Why Not: Skeptics might say there’s an even better deal waiting around the corner for fall trips to Hawaii.

Connect: Almost all of the participating AA Vacations hotels in Hawaii offer some type of Internet access for guests, whether wired and/or wireless high-speed connections or dial-up service via phone jacks; access surcharges vary.

Hurricane Dean lashes Mexico, photos

2007-08-21T05:49:00.001-07:00

Hurricane Dean slammed into Mexico's Caribbean coast today, sending heavy rain and winds reaching 200 mph onto battered beach resorts in which tourists and locals huddled in makeshift shelters. The seas churned as the eye of the storm, which has already killed a dozen people as it rolled over the Caribbean, made landfall near the cruise ship port of Costa Maya, not far from the border with Belize. The US National Hurricane Centre said that it was the first top-level Category 5 storm to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Dean was packing sustained winds of 165 miles per hour (268 kph), with gust of up to 200 mph when it came ashore, but was expected to weaken as it passed over the Yucatan Peninsula.

Tourists squeezed into a hotel serving as a shelter for 400 people in the resort of Playa del Carmen, where winds violently shook palm trees. As many as 12 people were sharing some rooms. "We could be two or three days without water or electricity," said Emanuela Beriola, 41, an Italian holidaymaker who had stockpiled tinned meat, energy drinks and cans of tuna fish. Dean was due to cross the Yucatan and come out in the Gulf of Mexico before hitting land again in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Category 5 hurricanes - the strongest possible - are rare but there were four in 2005, including Katrina, which devastated New Orleans, fuelling fears that global warming is leading to more severe storms. Troops and police patrolled the “Mayan Riviera” area to enforce a curfew declared by the state government. Store windows were boarded up along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, a strip of beach resorts with bright white sands that is yet to fully recover from the devastation of Hurricane Wilma in 2005. The strongest Atlantic storm recorded, Wilma wrecked Cancun and other beach resorts. It washed away whole beaches, killed seven people and caused $2.6 billion in damages. Mexico’s state oil company was closed and evacuated 18,000 staff from 407 oil and gas wells in the Campeche Sound, meaning lost production of 2.65 million barrels of crude per day. Heavy rain drenched Belize, a former British colony that is home to some 250,000 people and a famous barrier reef. "Absolutely this is one of the most dangerous and biggest hurricanes we have had so far," said Robert Leslie, cabinet secretary of the Belizean government. Dean swiped Jamaica at the weekend with roaring winds and pelting rain. Roads were blocked by toppled trees and power poles and police said two people were killed. That took the death toll from Dean to eleven. Haiti was worst hit with four people dead there.

Experts say that the Gulf oil rigs are build to withstand even the most damaging winds – as are the ancient limestone monuments built by the Mayan people. But the descendants of the Mayans, many of whom still live in traditional wooden slat huts in low-lying coastal areas, are considered to be Mexico's most vulnerable people and remain directly in the path of one of the most intense storms ever recorded in the Caribbean. A hurricane warning was in effect from Cancun all the way south through the former British colony of Belize, where the Government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew, evacuated two popular resorts and urged people to leave low-lying areas. US hurricane experts warned of potentially deadly flash floods and mudslides across the region. In Belize, authorities evacuated three hospitals in Belize City and were moving high-risk patients inland to the nation’s capital, Belmopan, founded after 1961’s Hurricane Hattie devastated Belize City.

The Belize City mayor Zenaida Moya urged residents to leave, saying that the city does not have shelters strong enough to withstand a storm of Dean’s size. Tropic Air, one of the country’s two airlines, said it was moving its fleet to Guatemala. More than 100 British servicemen on Belize took refuge in hurricane shelters overnight as the eye of Dean passed about 80-90 miles north of their base. Those sheltering included 80 permanent staff of Batsub- the British Army Training Support Unit Belize - as well as 30 military personnel who had been on a jungle survival course. On the base were also 16 members of the 17 Port and Maritime Regiment from Marchwood, Southampton. A total of 37 women and children of the 80 permanent staff had been evacuated before the hurricane hit Belize.

Major Michelle Worden, speaking from the Ministry of Defence in London today, said: "I have spoken to the commander of the base and everyone is all right. Fortunately, the worst of the hurricane has passed to the north of Batsub, although staff at the base are having to contend with strong winds." She went on: "The jungle survival team were brought back from the jungle to the base so they could shelter there. Everyone has food in the shelter and all are fine. Luckily, this is a quiet time for the base, with only a few people training there at the moment." Meanwhile, the Foreign Office today withdrew its advice against all travel to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. It said damage from Hurricane Dean to infrastructure on the Cayman Islands was "minimal" but there had been "extensive damage" to infrastructure and power in the Jamaican capital Kingston, resulting in a state of emergency being declared. "We therefore advise against all but essential travel to Kingston," it said.

Volcano in Alaska disturbs air travel, map

2007-08-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

Alaska: One of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian islands south-west of Alaska (see at the map) could be heading for a massive eruption that could affect international air travel, say scientists.

The Pavlof Volcano lies directly in the path of hundreds of daily international flight paths.

Officials in China removed nearly half a million private cars from Beijing's streets today to test whether a partial car ban could clear health-threatening smog and ease gridlock during next year's Olympic Games.

Tourism Australia takes action on Japan

2007-08-15T04:06:00.000-07:00

Tourism Australia is stepping up its commitment to the Japan travel market with a number of initiatives to strengthen Australia’s position as a destination for Japanese travellers. The strengthened commitment to the market follows a number of recent announcements by the Minister for Small Business and Tourism, The Hon Fran Bailey, to address current challenges in the market, including a dedicated marketing program focusing on Australia’s World Heritage Areas.

“Following extensive consultation with industry and key stakeholders both in Australia and in Japan, we have developed a new direction to meet the needs of industry and expectations of consumers with respect to the Japan market,” Tourism Australia Managing Director, Geoff Buckley said.“A three pronged approach will be taken to provide a renewed focus and revitalised strategy for our activities in Japan. Tourism Australia will take a leadership role in providing direction for engagement with the Japan market and will also work in partnership with the State and Territory Organisations to drive delivery of experiential tourism product.”

“New consumer initiatives in the market will include a new co-operative marketing campaign, titled Immerse Yourself In Australia`s World Heritage, which focuses on Australia’s seventeen World Heritage Areas as the drawcard. This activity will complement the current So Where the Bloody Hell Are You? campaign.

By profiling these magnificent properties and providing opportunities for retail engagement, the visibility of Australia in Japan both with the industry and consumers will be increased,” Mr Buckley added.In addition Tourism Australia has expanded its team to specifically concentrate on the Japan market, with two new appointments.“Tourism Australia has recently brought on board Mr Kerry Watson and Ms Yoshimi Kobayashi to work on specific programs for the market,” Mr Buckley said.

“Mr Kerry Watson has joined Tourism Australia as a senior consultant for a period of six months to provide strategic advice directly to management and in managing our engagement with key stakeholders. Mr Watson has extensive experience and knowledge of both the Japan market and the industry, including leading the Japan Implementation Monitoring Group. At the same time, Ms Yoshimi Kobayashi will be working closely with those in the industry responsible for product development to assist in matching tourism product to the needs and expectations of Japanese consumers.”

“Tourism Australia has also appointed Mr Ben Holt to the position of Market Development Manager, Japan. Mr Holt, who is currently Regional Manager for the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (internationally known as Wine Australia) in Japan, will be responsible for all aspects of consumer insights, trade research and strategic planning in the Japan region.

The Japan travel market contributed $1.9 billion to the Australian economy in 2006 so it is important that we do all we can to ensure it remains an important market for Australia in to the future,” Mr Buckley concluded.

Zoo Disko in Netherlands(photo)

2007-08-14T04:18:00.000-07:00

This WeekEnd I visit Netherlands (Holland).

Gey disko, Ganja Disko... not interesting

Real fun - zoo disko in Amsterdam

Burkina Faso: A Province Too Popular for Its Own Good

2007-08-10T03:51:00.000-07:00

Kompienga, in eastern Burkina Faso, is the country's most verdant province -- but for how long?

Research conducted over the past three years has shown that forests there have receded by 1,600 square kilometres in 15 years, while shrublands extended their reach by some 31 percent between 1984 and 2007.

In Burkina Faso also play Xbox 360 with With High-Def Interface

"We have found that the degradation of soils is significant in the Kompienga region because of human activity, notably migration (and) agriculture " says Ardjouma Ouattara, co-ordinator of a team that studied the situation in the province from 2004 to 2007.

Results of the research were made public recently. It was conducted by the Department of Population Sciences at the National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research, with funding from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the United Nations Population Fund. Similar studies took place at the same time in about 20 countries of the South.

Kompienga, which borders on Benin, contains so many natural resources in comparison to the rest of Burkina Faso that it has become a magnet for people from the other parts of the state, notably the arid central plateau, says Ouattara.

From the start of the long dry season until the first rains, many stock farmers travel to the province to take advantage of its pasture.

Sidiki Ganaba, who interned there in 1991, and who is now environmental director for Kompienga, recalls that it was a very leafy area at that time: "There was thick vegetation around waterways. (But) this vegetation has now disappeared. Only small plants remain."

The sole dam of the region, situated on the river of the same name, the Kompienga, has also been affected. "Concerning the level of the water, it's a catastrophe at the moment. The dam is not receiving enough water any more because of the lack of rain, but also because of human activity," says Ganaba.

In 1991, the river was located less than 200 metres from the regional fishing camp; but the watercourse has now receded to the point where it is more than a kilometre away.

According to the researchers, the provinces of Poni and Noumbiel, in the south-west of the country, have been similarly affected by migration -- losing more than 60 percent of their wooded land, now shrubland.

The fertile expanses of Noumbiel were once under-populated because of the presence there of the tsetse fly, a carrier of river blindness. Today, they are experiencing an influx of stock and crop farmers.

"Because of the proximity (of the province) to the border with Côte d'Ivoire, certain Burkinabé en route to this country settled there temporarily at the beginning, but (ultimately) never left," says Hallahidi Diallo, high commissioner of Noumbiel province.

In recent years, political instability in Côte d'Ivoire has forced many Burkinabé who did make their way over the border to come back to Noumbiel. Some returned with chainsaws that have wreaked havoc in the region's forests, notes the high commissioner.

Authorities aren't sitting on their hands, however.

According to Diallo, steps have been taken to make those who are settling in and clearing forests go elsewhere.

Stock farming in Kompienga, one of the main causes of land degradation in the area, is being regulated. "We have tried to create paths and have negotiated with communities for corridors to herd animals," explains Ganaba. Paths to water points are marked "to ensure that animals do not wander in fields, or in areas where they should not be."

Efforts are also underway to reforest the banks of the river, and to encourage crop diversification. Farmers are, for instance, urged to plant rice instead of yams, which typically take a toll on natural resources. Large stretches of land are cleared for the cultivation of yams.

The researchers noted that the influx into Kompienga had boosted the province's economy, with new crops - notably cotton - bringing substantial benefits to producers who cultivated them.

The hope, doubtless, is that a balance can be struck between Kompienga's precious natural resources, and its economic progress.