May 14th, 2008
Australia: Rocks Returned to Uluru (Ayers Rock)
By Larry Habegger |
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At least one package a day containing rocks taken from Uluru, or Ayers Rock, arrives by post at the landmark’s national park headquarters, in many cases because people feel they’d been cursed by the rocks in their possession. For years the Aboriginal people of the area have asked tourists to respect the site’s sacredness by not climbing the rock or taking anything from the area, but many do. Of the stones that are shipped back, some 25 percent of the senders have reported nothing but bad luck since they took the souvenirs. Most of the rest send a simple apology.
May 14th, 2008
Burma (Myanmar): Relief Effort Hindered by Junta
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
The relief effort to help the tens of thousands in crisis after Cyclone Nargis was hampered by the ruling military junta’s refusing to allow large numbers of foreign aid workers into the country. The situation remains dire in the Irrawaddy Delta and travel to Burma should be deferred until the crisis passes.
May 14th, 2008
China: Tens of Thousands Still Missing in Sichuan Earthquake
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
The full impact of the devastating earthquake that hit rural Sichuan province about 60 miles from Chengdu, the capital, could take days if not weeks to determine. Cities near the epicenter, especially Dujiangyan, were devastated and tens of thousands of people are missing. Chengdu, a city of 11 million, escaped major damage and the airport was reopened the day after the quake. Authorities were concerned about possible damage to dams in the region and were releasing water to relieve pressure. Travel to Chengdu and the surrounding area should be deferred for at least two weeks until roads are repaired and the situation stabilizes. Other areas of China felt the quake but were unaffected.
May 14th, 2008
India: Bombs in Jaipur
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
A coordinated series of seven bomb blasts occurred in Jaipur, Rajasthan May 13 killing some 80 people. The explosions within the ancient walled city came a few minutes apart beginning at 7:30 p.m. and were placed with the intent to kill as many people as possible. One was planted near the Hanuman temple and timed for the day and time of the week when the temple is busiest. Other bombs exploded at historic monuments and popular tourist sites, including the jewelry market Johri Bazaar and Hawa Mahal, the palace of winds. Authorities blamed Islamic militants possibly based in Pakistan but no group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Alerts were raised in Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay) and other cities and security was tightened at airports and railway stations. The tourist season in Jaipur ended in March and no foreigners were reported among the dead or injured.
May 14th, 2008
Lebanon: Clashes Raise Fears of Civil War
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
A crisis that has brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war erupted May 7 when the government outlawed Hezbollah’s communications network and Hezbollah responded by attacking pro-government militias and taking control of wide areas of Beirut. The group subsequently handed over control to the Lebanese army, but much of Beirut remained blocked off by Hezbollah’s street barricades. Clashes were reported around the country between Hezbollah and Sunni groups. On May 13 the army began stopping groups from carrying weapons and warned it would use force if necessary to stop the fighting. Lebanon’s sea and air ports remained closed.
May 14th, 2008
Nicaragua: Transport Strike in Second Week
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
A nationwide transportation strike to protest rising fuel costs began May 5 and continued into a second week with no signs of abating. Roads have been blocked and protests have turned violent. Protesters set two trucks on fire and 35 people were arrested in clashes with police on the Pan-American Highway in northern Nicaragua. Taxis and buses may be unavailable, especially in Managua, and shortages of food and other supplies could occur. The U.S. Embassy in Managua urged personnel to keep vehicle fuel tanks three-quarters full and to maintain at least a week’s supply of food and water at their residences.
May 8th, 2008
Burma (Myanmar): 1 Million Displaced, as Many as 100,000 Killed by Cyclone Nargis
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Unless on a humanitarian mission with an official aid organization, now is not the time to go to Burma after the devastation wrought by Cyclone Nargis. Asia’s worst storm since 1991 pummeled the Irrawaddy Delta and Rangoon, killing at least 22,000 people with estimates as high as 100,000 and displacing at least 1 million. The government declared disaster areas in five central and southern regions: Rangoon, Irrawaddy, Bago, Mon, and Kayin. It is likely to take days to assess the full extent of the disaster and perhaps weeks to restore full power and other essential services even to Rangoon, the capital city. Aid officials fear widespread outbreaks of waterborne diseases in the Irrawaddy Delta.
May 8th, 2008
Chile: Chaiten Volcano Eruption Causes Evacuations, Flight Cancellations
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
The long-dormant Chaiten volcano spewed lava and blasted ash some 20 miles high May 6, forcing the total evacuation of the provincial capital of Chaiten, six miles from the volcano, and causing most of the residents to evacuate the border town of Futaleufu, 75 miles east of Chaiten. More than 4,000 people had fled when the volcano began to erupt May 2. Ash covered a wide area of southern Chile and Argentina, blowing hundreds of miles across Patagonia to the Atlantic Ocean. About a half inch of ash covered the Argentine tourist town of Esquel. Flights to southern Argentina were canceled or delayed, especially to the cities of Bahia Blanca, Bariloche, Neuquen and Trelew.
May 8th, 2008
China: Visa Rules Tightened for Olympics Period
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
The Foreign Ministry acknowledged that it has tightened visa rules after weeks of denials from immigration officials, now requiring invitation letters, hotel reservations and proof of roundtrip air tickets for some travelers. There have been reports of foreigners, especially students, being forced out of Beijing, and other travelers and foreign embassy officials having trouble getting visas to remain in China during the Olympics. Officials encourage visa applicants to apply in their country of citizenship rather than within China or in Hong Kong, a popular place for obtaining entry visas for China. Compounding the confusion, Hong Kong travel agents reported that the government visa office had declared that multiple-entry business visas would not be available from mid-April to mid-October, but a Foreign Ministry official denied that this was the case despite complaints from U.S. and European business leaders about visa denials and their affect on business.
May 8th, 2008
India: Campaign for Gorkhaland May Disrupt Travel to Darjeeling
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
A campaign for a new state called Gorkhaland in the Darjeeling region caused a West Bengal minister to warn tourists not to travel to the area, stating that demonstrations would disrupt travel, create shortages of drinking water and cause power cuts. A spokesman for the political party behind the Gorkhaland campaign dismissed the warning as irresponsible because the whole region depends on tourism and vowed that any demonstrations will not affect tourists in any way. The truth is somewhere in between because there have been cases of travel disruption, but significant obstruction of tourism in Darjeeling is unlikely.
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