China Bans Foreign Travelers From Tibet

by Kraig Becker on

Following a series of high profile protests over the past few months China has quietly taken steps to close the borders of Tibet. The closure means that foreign travelers are once again banned from entering the Buddhist country just as the busiest travel period of the year is about to begin.

Last Wednesday, a number of tour operators in Beijing announced that the government had instructed them to stop booking foreign travelers into Tibet for the foreseeable future. The move comes just as the popular Saga Dawa festival, which typically brings an influx of visitors, got under way yesterday. That festival is an annual celebration of the birth of Buddha, which is of particular importance within Tibetan culture.

China’s decision to close the borders is in direct response to recent protests within Tibet, which included three monks committing suicide by setting themselves on fire in the month of May alone. Two of those self-immolations took place in the nation’s capital of Lhasa, a city which previously hadn’t been subjected to those types of protests. Over the course of the past year 36 people have committed suicide in a similar fashion throughout the country.

In addition to closing the borders, the Chinese government has also moved an additional 3000 troops into Lhasa and arrested an estimated 600 Tibetans. The crackdown is expected to continue indefinitely and could shut down travel into the country for weeks or even months.

If you have plans to visit Tibet in the near future you’ll definitely want to check the status of your tour or whether or not entry visas are being granted. It seems that for at least the next few weeks there will be no one getting into the country.

[Photo credit: Philipp Roelli via WikiMedia]

Airline Launches Teddy Bear Check-Ins For Children

by Jessica Festa on

Fact: Each month, London Gatwick Airport receives up to 30 forgotten stuffed animals. That’s one airport alone. The loss of a furry friend can be devastating for a child, and unfortunately, the chaos of travel leads it to happen way too often.

To help combat the problem, Thomson Airways has created the “teddy bear check-in.” The program allows kids to check in their stuffed animals at the airport’s front desk. Each furry friend will receive a special boarding pass, which can be exchanged for a “Very Important Buddy” (VIB) tag at the gate. The idea behind the unique check-in is for children to pay closer attention to their toys when flying.

“As a family-friendly tour operator, we like to make a fuss of children travelling on our holidays, both in resort and on their flight,” says Carl Gissing of Thomson Airways. “We know that kids will love checking their toys in and taking home the VIB tag as a souvenir.”

While we’re not so sure this will really help cut back on the amount of lost teddy bears, it is a fun idea.

Do you think this service will help kids keep track of their toys when flying?

Tourism Australia’s New TV Campaign Makes An Obvious Mistake

by Jessica Festa on


Next time you send a message to your boss with a typo, don’t be so hard on yourself. At least you didn’t spend $242 million dollars on a 17-language TV advertising campaign, only to include an obvious mistake.

A new Tourism Australia campaign is attempting to get away from the stereotypical image of boozers and beach babes, and give the country a sophisticated facelift. Unfortunately, the editors overlooked a scene including a couple walking unaccompanied along a beach on South Australia‘s Kangaroo Island, clutching a bottle of wine. Not only is alcohol not allowed on the beach, but visitors are required to be accompanied by a ranger. To combat the guffaw, Tourism Australia’s managing director Andrew McEvoy is looking at the positive aspects of the ad, like high-quality shots, products and experiences. Likewise, the website has been revamped to include new language, containing words like “sophisticated,” “contemporary” and “inspiring.”

Most likely, the average viewer will not recognize the mistake; however, you’ve got to wonder how the tourism board overlooked this especially after spending such an exorbitant amount of money.

To see Tourism Australia’s latest ad, check out the video above.

Video: Base Jumping In The Himalaya

by Kraig Becker on

In April, Russian mountaineer and base jumper Valery Rozov traveled to a remote region of the Himalaya Mountains in India to climb a peak known as Mt. Shivling. After spending a month acclimatizing to the altitude and preparing for the climb, he and two companions started off for the summit located at 6543 meters (21,466 feet).

The technically difficult climb took six days to complete but Rozov found a much easier and quicker way to get back down. Clad in a wing suit, the Russian jumped from a ledge and safely glided and parachuted to the valley below. That descent took just 90 seconds with Valery reaching speeds of approximately 125 mph along the way.

The video of this base jump, which you’ll find below, was released earlier this week. At the time it was widely reported that this was a new world record for altitude, but that distinction actually belongs to a couple named Glenn Singleman and Heather Swan. That husband and wife team jumped from the 6604-meter (21,666-feet) Mt. Meru back in 2006.


Tomorrow Is National Get Outdoors Day!

by Kraig Becker on

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 9, is the 5th annual National Get Outdoors Day, an event, which has been created to encourage Americans to head outside and spend some time connecting with nature. Throughout the day, more than 130 locations across the country will be celebrating the occasion with a host of outdoor games, events and activities.

It’s no secret that Americans in general are spending less time outdoors and to some degree it is a bit disheartening to think that we need a specific day to remind us to do just that. On the other hand, anything that inspires people to get off the couch and get active is a good thing in my book. So with that in mind, why don’t you plan on dusting off that old bike tomorrow and taking it for a spin. Or better yet, gather up some friends and family and head to a local park for a hike and a picnic. Remember that tent you bought three years ago because you swore that you were going to go camping? How about dragging it out of the garage and setting it up in the backyard? It doesn’t matter what inspires you to go outside, what is most important is that you actually do it.

And don’t forget, all of the National Parks are completely free tomorrow too. That means that the more than 130 parks that normally charge for entry will be completely gratis. If you live near any of those parks, tomorrow is the perfect time to go out and enjoy them.