How safe is ferry travel? It depends on where you are.

by Jamie Rhein on

With the recent ferry accident in the Philippines still in the news, ferry safety comes to mind. According to this research study, Ferry Transport: The Realm of Responsibility, ferries are generally safe in Europe, the U.S. and other developed countries. In countries like Bangladesh, Somalia and Indonesia, it’s another story.

In all, there were 4,000 ferry accidents world-wide from January 2000 to March 2004. The fatalities are counted by the bodies recovered, therefore, the numbers could be much higher. If you’re curious about the statistics, look at the table on page 3 out of 15. It lists the countries where the accidents have happened, what caused them and how many people died in each one.

However, as the author points out, fatalities caused by car wrecks in the United States are at the same percentage as the ferry fatalities in Bangladesh where accidents are a big problem. (That’s if you look at each country’s population and the number of people who die in an accident. In the U.S. it’s cars. In Bangladesh, it’s ferries. That’s my understanding of what I read.)

Because ferry accidents are a concern in Bangladesh and other emerging countries, a project was initiated by an organization called Interferry in 2006 to cut down on ferry accidents by 90%. The organization is focusing its efforts in Bangladesh first.

As Interferry points out, every time there is a ferry accident in a country, tourists begin to wonder about their safety when traveling there. That’s not good news for an economy.

Of course, in the case of Somalia, ferry accidents probably aren’t the biggest drawback to visiting. Bangladesh, I’ve heard, has lovely beaches.

Photo of the day (06/23/08)

by Iva Skoch on


Ha! The title of this photo is “Making friends with the locals.” Could not have said it better myself.
It was taken by RXX in Madrid.

***To have your photo considered for the Gadling Photo of the Day, go over to the Gadling Flickr Pool and post it. Make sure it is not copyrighted, otherwise we can’t post it here.***

French Kissing: Just how many cheek kisses to give

by Anna Brones on

The French bise (salutatory kiss on the cheek) is always slightly awkward for those of us who haven’t grown up using it. Do you kiss once, twice, three times, or even four? Fortunately this map, made by a Frenchman named Gilles Debunne, gives a geographical explanation for just how many cheek kisses you should administer. The map was made after a poll that Debunne did with over 18,000 people, asking just how many bises they were used to doing upon meeting a fellow compatriot.

Unfortunately, a map can only do so much, and even within some départements there is still confusion on just how many bises to do. But here are some basic rules for French cheek-kissing that will help to make your introduction to a French person a little less awkward:

  • You don’t need to kiss the cheek of a superior (a boss, the President, etc.).
  • Offer your right cheek; just like when you stretch out your arm for a handshake.
  • Men can get away with not kissing each other hello; this is often reserved for very close friends or males with a familial connection.
  • If you don’t feel comfortable kissing people on the cheek, play the foreigner card and at least go for a handshake. Definitely make eye contact with everyone in the room; not making an effort to give an official hello is a major faux pas.

If your French is up to speed you might find this video amusing, otherwise check out the interactive version of the map here.

French people must stop thinking about holidays, says new minister

by Iva Skoch on

I don’t think the new minister will be popular in France. And that’s even if she doesn’t marry a former supermodel.

Christine Lagarde, France’s first female minister for finance and economy, said that it is time for French people to “roll up their sleeves and stop thinking about holidays.” Five weeks of vacation guaranteed by the state, to be exact.

“Instead of thinking about their work, people were thinking about their weekend… organizing, planning and engineering time off,” she told BBC.

BBC also reports that the former international lawyer, impressed by the work ethic during her time in the US, is intent on instilling the same spirit in her countrymen and women. (The spirit of not taking time off?)

Didn’t President Sarkozy try doing the same thing before his popularity went down the drain?
The lesson? Don’t mess with the French and their vacation time.

British woman caught smuggling a kilo of cocaine in her wig

by Iva Skoch on

I know what you are thinking, but no. The British woman in question is not Amy Winehouse. Although, I always wondered what the eccentric English singer keeps stuffed in that hairdo. An average-size cat was my guess.

It honestly never even dawned on me that one could smuggle stuff in their hair. That’s probably because I can barely hide a bobby pin in mine.

People get so creative. Check this one out.

A British woman was arrested in at Vaernes airport in Norway on suspicion of drug smuggling. According to Mail Online, an airport customs officer noticed the 32-year-old had ‘a lot of hair’. Closer examination revealed a one kilogram (2.2lb) bag of cocaine glued to her head under a hairpiece.

Apparently, it was glued so firmly to the woman’s real hair that police had to take her to hospital to have it removed.

What did she say about that? No, No, No.