Uncategorized

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Living with the Tourists

I am currently residing part of the year in a country with 40 million tourists a year, most of which come to the city I stay in. Some behave well and some horrify me! It’s been a fascinating learning journey being on the « other side » of the travel equation? Are you living in such a situation? What is it like for you? What do you wish visitors to your city knew about customs and behaviour?

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In Solidarity with Somalia

Two bomb blasts rocked the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu this weekend killing over 200 people. The people killed were students, shoppers, restaurant customers and waiters, kiosk workers, taxi and bus drivers.Men, women and children. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declared three days of mourning and called for people to donate blood for the wounded. I understand that in a war, there are casualties. But anyone killing civilians is to be condemned. I call on all armies, all governments and all groups to first of all, find alternatives to war and secondly quit with killing the people through the…

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Drunk honeymoon couple in airport bust-up over missed flight – AOL UK Travel

Clearly, one couple had a really fun wedding!  The UK Daily Mirror reported that Mr and Mrs Stanway consumed three bottles of wine on the 17-mile ride to Manchester Airport for their honeymoon flight to Malta. They got to the airport too late and missed their flight! This resulted in sharp words and a bust up with the groom retiring to an airport bar. Police were called as a gate agent feared the couple’s fight would escalate. He was charged with pubic disorder while his wife was given a £90 fixed penalty notice. The pair are got…

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Je Suis Istanbul

I love Istanbul. After two fantastic visits there, I feel at home in its hillsides, streets, quaint shops, ferry boats and cafes. My Turkish is slight but the hospitality I have experienced from the warm locals has made up for that. I guarantee that I have eaten from one end of the city to the other! I also love Turkish Airlines which I have used to connect through Istanbul. Istanbul comes in at Number 30 on my Top 200 cities over 100,000 people! On both occasions, I stayed not far from Istanbul’s’ most famous shopping street: İstiklal…

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Je Suis Ivory Coast

Sigh. Another attack on a beach resort. This time in Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire). I have wanted to visit this vibrant country for two decades but not got there yet. I came close when I lived in Nigeria, 1000km (600 miles) away. 13th March was reportedly, a beautiful day in  the Ivory Coast, when six cowards dressed in black with balaclavas opened fire with Kalashnikov msachine guns on the beach at Grand Bassam. They were eventually shot by Ivory Coast security forces. The BBC reported “They killed a child, despite him kneeling down and begging”.…

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Australia’s Cyclone #Marcia landfall and response

Tropical Cyclone Marcia made landfall along the central Queensland, Australia coast on Friday, near the city of Rockhampton. The storm made landfall as a Category 5 cyclone, but has since weakened to a Category 1 storm over land. Watch Marcia impact as she made  landfall: Damage has been reported in Rockhampton, Gladstone and Yeppoon. No deaths or major injuries have been reported. Although the storm is weakening, it still poses flooding risks, as it moves southeast between Gladstone and Bundaberg. This video from Oz Cyclone Chasers shows a roof being torn off a house: NB Language warning. The…

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