Paraglider escapes death, barely

by Chris Owen on
Warning: Strong language

Paragliding makes the news again. Just last week Gadling reported about two climbers paragliding from the summit of Mt. Everest. This video, totally unrelated, shows a paraglider getting caught in his parachute but somehow pulling it off anyway.

This is one lucky guy.

Paragliding is a recreational and/or competitive free-flying sport where the pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing, the shape of which is formed by its suspension lines and the pressure of air entering vents of the wing. DiscoverParagliding.com notes:

“With the proper training, you can become a well-educated, safety-conscious pilot capable of choosing flights ranging from peaceful and serene, to extended thermal climbs and cross-country experiences.”

The training and jump records of the paraglider shown in this video were unavailable.

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Travel to Japan returning to normal, slowly

by Chris Owen on

In the wake of the major earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit Japan in March, travel disruptions were fueled by a rising death toll, fear of a nuclear disaster plus travel warnings issued worldwide. Now, just a few months later, flights, tours and cruises are returning to normal scheduling.

“We are confident of returning the capacity to full level on July 1” Japan Airlines President Masaru Onishi told the Mainichi Daily News today noting that business travel in Japan has rebounded and Japanese tourists have also resumed making overseas trips following a drop-off after the disaster.
Passenger bookings had fallen nearly 30 percent in March, and were still down by about 20 percent for international routes and 15 percent on domestic routes in April.

Cruise lines are returning too with Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas set to be back calling in Okinawa on August 1st.

“Judging from the current situation in Japan, we are well-assured of the safety of travelling to Japan. Japan has always been an attractive tourist destination and its show of great resilience in the face of the recent crisis has given travelers the confidence to visit the country again,” said Kelvin Tan, regional director Asia Pacific, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

It looks to be a long road to “business as usual” in Japan. The US Department of State downgraded a Travel Warning just after the disaster to a Travel Alert recently, signaling an improvement in conditions but still urges caution:

“Japan is one of the most seismically active places in the world. Tokyo and areas to the Northeast continue to experience strong aftershocks related to the March 11 earthquake. Aftershocks following an earthquake of this magnitude can be expected to continue for more than a year. Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake” the Department of State notes in their most current analysis.

Photo courtesy Royal Caribbean International

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Thirty years of AIDS: Smithsonian remembers the start of a pandemic

by Sean McLachlan on

Thirty years ago this summer, the first official reports were released about a new virus that destroyed the human immune system. The virus was the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS.

Since that time HIV/AIDS has become a global pandemic, claiming millions of lives and seriously damaging several developing economies.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is marking this grim anniversary with a special two-part exhibition at the Washington, DC, museum. HIV and AIDS Thirty Years Ago looks at the initial public and government response to HIV/AIDS from 1981-1987, and how the virus was first isolated. Archiving the History of an Epidemic: HIV and AIDS, 1985-2009 takes the story forward to look at society’s growing awareness of the problem and oral histories of those affected. There’s also an online exhibition.

For more information on how HIV/AIDS and how to protect yourself, go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIV/AIDS information page or the government’s AIDS page for basic information about HIV/AIDS.

[Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

Poison alcohol kills Russian tourists: three things they should have known

by Sean McLachlan on

Poisonous alcohol has been blamed for the deaths of three Russians on a cruise off the Turkish resort of Bodrum.

The Russians were part of a trip by travel agency managers exploring tourism possibilities in Turkey. In total, 20 Russians and one Turk were poisoned by the drinks. The $50 cruise included 10-12 mixed drinks. While some reported that the alcohol had a strange taste, it appears that didn’t stop them from drinking it.

Initial reports suggest methanol was added to the booze.

This tragedy could have easily been avoided if these travel professionals had followed three simple rules:

1. Be wary of alcohol in Muslim countries. I’m sorry if this offends any legitimate Muslim brewers or vintners out there, but the fact of the matter is that much of the alcohol produced in Muslim nations is substandard, and apparently in this case downright dangerous. A culture that frowns on drinking pushes drinking underground. This lowers standards both for producers and consumers. Also, consumers are less likely to know what’s good and what isn’t. I’ve traveled all around the Muslim world and have seen a lot of dodgy booze.

2. If it tastes strange, don’t swallow. This is standard travel health practice. One of my worst cases of food poisoning happened in India. It was a hot day and I bought a local brand of cola. I took a big slug of it and swallowed, only to wince at an acrid, industrial chemical taste. I spit out what remained in my mouth but it was too late. Within an hour my gut felt like I’d swallowed a dozen razor blades. I learned my lesson: taste first.

3. Don’t overdrink. The cruise included ten to twelve mixed drinks? That’s poison even if the booze is normal. Overdrinking overseas (or even in the wrong bar back home) can make you ill, get you robbed, or worse. Drink sensibly. You’ll enjoy your vacation more.

[Photo courtesy Georges Jansoone]

Judgement Day passes, world did not end, travel safe for most

by Chris Owen on

Saturday May 21st was Judgement Day signaling the end of the planet Earth according Family Radio’s Harold Camping who said that the Bible guaranteed it. Here now on Sunday we see that the world is still spinning and there are few signs of it’s end. But while some weather-related events did occur, the end of the world does not appear to be imminent.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near New Zealand’s Kermadec Islands. Camping had predicted that ‘Rapture’ would begin with an earthquake in New Zealand.

Also, a magnitude 3.6 quake hit the San Francisco Bay Area at 7:05 p.m. local time on Saturday but emergency officials said there were no reports of serious damage or injury.

The best possible evidence for believers in the “end of the world” scenario came from Iceland.As if on queue, Iceland’s most active volcano began erupting Saturday. Sending billows of ash 11 miles into the air the eruption forced closing of Iceland’s main international airport to commercial air traffic among other travel delays.

“The ash is covering up all of Iceland,” Hjordís Gudmundsdottir, a spokeswoman for Isavia, Iceland’s air navigation services provider told the New York Times. “We are trying to identify some holes in it and to use them to allow some flights, but it’s not looking very good right now.”

The strong eruption sent ash into the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere, the Stratosphere where it can be carried around the globe, blocking out light and creating flight risks for air travelers.

As for Harold Camping and his thoughts? Hard to say. The self-proclaimed prophet was silent on Judgment Day, staying at home with the shades drawn.

Flickr photo by btaylor

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If you missed the whole prediction thing, here is what it was all about: