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In this podcast (the first of two), I have had students from Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan, make 3 short stories about interesting things to do in Taiwan. The idea was to tell people who might be interested in travelling to Taiwan, things that they might not find out about in guide books.

Descriptions of Sun cakes, Sun Moon Lake and an interesting restaurant are included in this podcast.

I hope you enjoy it.

Doc Martin.

I will be spending the next week in Mexico visiting three universities and working a couple of days at a trade fair.  The purpose of the trip is to set up some arrangements with institutions in Mexico that are interested in having their students come to Australia to study as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate studies.  I am a HUGE advocate of this type of experience and am keen to get more students involved in travelling as a way of learning about their chosen field, other cultures, and ultimately themselves.

I’ll try and post a few WebLogs along the way.

Adios amigo’s,

Doc Martin.

1. “The aging Baby Boomers
2. The rise of the urban middle class of China and India
3. The fact that travel aspirations are almost becoming a human need”.

Mr. Ping, who, according to Apurv Bagri of Rediff.com is more commonly known as “KP Ho”, heads up the Banyan Tree Group which “owns eighteen hotels and resorts, 46 spas and two golf courses; and employs 4,380 staff from 32 different nationalities”.

eTurbo News goes on to quote Mr Ping when he says that:

“Accelerating this process is technology – both travel-specific technology, such as the introduction of newer and cheaper aircraft, and even seemingly unrelated technologies.”

The convergence of Internet, telephone and television in a digital “triple play” and the increasing power of technology would continue to drive change in ways we cannot yet imagine.

“For example, the velocity of information transfer, the ‘death of distance’ and the ability to reach out to consumers all over the globe – all consequences of digital convergence — is empowering everyone in the travel industry,” he said.

“On the other hand, our customers are also empowered with a plethora of choice and information. The consumer experience, the tourist experience, now begins long before they get on the plane.”

I agree that technology is changing the way that we consume products, services and the resulting experiences in our lives.  However, my hope is that this change within the area of travel can be used to improve the quality of life for the many impoverished communties around the world. Pro-Poor Tourism is a philosophy based around the idea of increasing the net benefits to poor people.  Existing technologies such using the internet to research destinations, widening the use of computerised reservations systems,  and using podcasts to share travel experiences can assist in working towards this goal.

eTurbo News also reports that Dr. Mechai Virvaidya from the Population and Community Development Association says that “the tourism industry can reduce the number of people living in poverty more than the United Nations and more than any government can”.

Here are a few thoughts:

• How can the emergence of new travel related, and these “seemingly unrelated”, technologies help the lot of the less-priviledged?
• Will it largely depend on the desires and travel preferences of these growing Indian and Chinese middle classes?
• Will the past and current travel behaviours of the aging and experienced baby boomers in the Western World influence the trend for these emerging traveller generating regions?
• Have these trends and “travel aspirations” already been laid with the many luxury resorts, spas and hotels built in many less developed destinations?

Do you have an opinion?  If so, either:

1. Click on the heading of this blog, then scroll down to leave a comment, or
2. Hit the “send me an ODEO” button and record an audio of your thoughts.

Cheers,

Doc Martin.

Has it ever happened to you? Have your travel plans ever gone belly-up? Has your greatly anticipated travel experience ever turned into a screaming nightmare?

How about telling us about it so that hopefully others can avoid getting into the same situation?

Just click the ODEO button below, record your story by speaking into your computers microphone, and click on the “send” button.  I’ll select some of the best stories and present them in future podcasts.

Here are some guidelines for your short story:

• Tell us exactly where your travel nightmare memory took place.
• Tell us when it happened.
• Tell us what happened.
• Keep your story to about 5 minutes.

Doc Martin.

If yes, then just click on the ODEO button below, and as long as you have Macromedia Flash Player installed, you will be able to record your short story and send it to me, Doc Martin.  I’ll choose the best that come in and include them in future podcasts.

Here are some guidelines for your recording:

• Tell us exactly where your memorable travel experience took place.
• Tell us when it happened.
• Tell us what happened.
• Keep your story to about 5 minutes.

I’m really keen to hear your stories! Start recording today! 

Doc Martin. 

I had to go to the MacQuarie Dictionary to find out what the word “psephology” actually means, and it is “the study of elections by analysing their results, trends, ect.”.

IBN Live report on Psephology Tourism occuring in Karala, India.

Doc Martin.

Doc Martin.

I’ve had some near death experiences in the ocean.  Most of these have occured when I have been either surfing or working on fishing boats and they have usually happened when the sea is very big. I have learnt that the sea can be a very unforgiving mistress.

I have also learnt about things like rips including how to recognise the, what to do if you get caught in a rip, never surf alone, always let someone know where you are heading.  However, most of this knowledge has been collected over the course of my lifetime, having been brought up in a small coastal town in New Zealand and spending a lot of time at beaches since.

For many people who have not had the chance to get this knowledge, the sea can be a deceptively placid and friendly thing.  But, it can be very dangerous.  According to expertguide.com,  40 people drowned on Australian beaches during the 2003-2004 season.  Of these 40 people, 9% were international tourists.

How can you make your time at an Australian beach fun and safe?  It’s easy - Swim between the flags.  This is something that is drummed into Ozzie kids, but many people from oversaes may not be aware of.  Of the 40 dead people mentioned previously, none were swimming between the red and yellow flags at the beach.

These red and yellow flags are put there by the local surf lifesaving club.  You will find these clubs at most beaches throughout Australia.  According to Surf Life Saving Australia, you should always:

F Find the flags and swim between them - the red and yellow flags mark the safest place to swim at the beach.

L Look at the safety signs - they help you identify potential dangers and daily conditions at the beach.

A Ask a surf lifesaver for some good advice - surf conditions can change quickly so talk to a surf lifesaver or lifeguard before entering the water.

G Get a friend to swim with you - so you can look out for each other’s safety and get help if needed. Children should always be supervised by an adult.

S Stick your hand up for help - if you get into trouble in the water, stay calm, raise your arm to signal for help. Float with a current or rip - don’t try and swim against it.

Safe travels.

Doc Martin.

Recall the story of Kim Hardt, who in 2002 was found bogged down on the Canning Stock Route with a packet of biscuits, 10 litres of beer and no water.  Luckily, he also survived.

Not so lucky were Bradley John Richards, 40, and his nephew Mac Bevan Cody, 21.  Their bodies, and that of their dog, were found with their broken down vehicle on the Canning Stock Route. They were just 9 km’s from a water bore, but did not know it.

The Age shows a list of people who have died and have gone missing in Austrlian deserts since 1986:

• Late 1986 Jackaroos James Annetts, 16, of NSW, and Simon Amos, 17, of SA, disappear in Great Sandy Desert. Remains found four months later a few kilometres from their vehicle.
• August 23, 1999 Robert Bogucki, 33, a firefighter from Alaska, rescued after roaming Great Sandy Desert for 42 days on a “spiritual quest”. Found 180 kilometres south-east of Broome.May 11, 2000 Missing born-again Christian Edward Furtak, 43, drives into remote settlement on the Nullarbor. Left Sydney six months earlier in a 30-year-old truck. Denies he was lost.
• October 21, 2002 German tourist Kim Hardt, 36, is stranded for three days after becoming bogged in a hired 4WD along the Canning Stock Route, about 400 kilometres east of Newman. Said he heard about the route on German TV.
• May 28, 2003 Sydney nurse Patricia Gerondis, 37, rescued after being stranded in the Cape Range National Park near Exmouth, in the north-west, for three days. She text-messaged her brother.
• April 8, 2005 Bodies of a 40-year-old man and his nephew, 21, found on track near the Canning Stock Route on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert after their 31-year-old vehicle breaks down.

The Age suggests what to do if you do come into strife in the desert: 

• Do not leave vehicle under any circumstances.
• Take two-way radio or satellite telephone. 
• Take detailed map with waterholes. 
• Take much more water than you think you will need. 
• If leaving main roads, let somebody know your route and ETA. 
• Do not try to cross flooded bridges or causeways unless absolutely sure of the water depth. 

 Go Australia provides more information about being prepared for the Australian outback: 

• Whether in desert or bush, arm yourself with up-to-date, preferably detailed maps showing water sources and nearest communities, have a compass or global positioning system, and emergency position indicator radio beacon (EPIRB).
• Always inform someone where you are going, what route you plan to take and when you expect to reach your destination.
• If you are traveling by road and expect to travel great distances, have your vehicle undergo comprehensive service before you leave.
• On long journeys, have two complete spare wheels, extra petrol, engine oil, fan belts, spare keys. Carry water in several containers.
• If your vehicle suffers a breakdown or gets bogged, the advice is to remain close to the vehicle as your vehicle would be easier to spot from the air in case of a search. Don’t set out for help unless you definitely know where you’re going and you know you can get there.
• Don’t rely on mobile phones to call for help. They may not receive a signal where you are.
• Unless you are well-skilled in finding your way, particularly with compass or global positioning system, keep to properly-marked tracks.
• If you are unfamiliar with the area, keep a safe distance from cliff edges.
• Be alert to danger from animals. For instance, in the northern parts of Australia, there may be danger from saltwater crocodiles.

Be sensible.  Enjoy Australia safely.

Doc Martin.

Doc Martin.

However, people who will not be able to become touronauts include those with heart problems and those with breast implants.

The heart condition I can understand.  The breat implant rule, Im only guessing, could be for any of the following reasons:

• Silicon goes funny in zero gravity.
• The seat belts wont fit.
• …no…I’m going to stop here…

The other catch with doing this space flight is that you wont be able to go to the toilet during the 3 hour flight.  A special “NASA nappy” will be provided.

Having blogged mostly the wierd and uncomfortable aspects of touronauting in this and blog #26, I would like to say that there are still many redeeming, in my view, aspects of becoming a touronaut.

Seeing planet earth from space must be an incredible thing to do.  I’m imagining what it would be like to amplify the Google Earth experience - perhaps it is something like it.  I know that my impressions of planet earth, when viewed from and aircraft at 40,000 feet, are that the world is not such a big place at all, but that it is filled with so many and varied peoples, places, ideas and experiences.

There are fewer and fewer places on planet earth that have not been experienced by travellers.  People have a great desire to see and do new things.  It makes our lives all the more richer.

Space may well be the final frontier for tourism, and it will happen.  Patrick Collins reveiwed a study conducted by the Japanene Rocket Society that considered the space tourism industry in 2030.  Here is some of what Patrick said:

“If some 12 billion dollars of funding became available in the near future, commercial passenger space travel services to and from Earth orbit could begin in 2010. The business could reach 700,000 passengers /year by 2017, at a price of about 25,000/passenger dollars. The importance of this result is that 12 billion dollars is less than half of one year’s funding of government space agencies today, and it is therefore affordable.”

Doc Martin.

Part of the allure is to experience “space lag”:

“Similar to jet lag, “space lag” will mean that the touronaut is likely to suffer from dizziness, weakness and swelling of the body, as well as dehydration and constipation The space station will offer a back-to-basics style holiday with cramped, smelly and noisy conditions”

Sounds a bit like what some of my students experienced last weekend when I took them on a tourism related field trip down the Great Ocean Road.  After we finished our work on Friday at about 9pm, many of the students went down the local pub for a bit of networking. The next day we had a long and winding drive in a 48 seater coach where a bit of ‘touronauting’ like behaviour was witnessed…

Doc Martin.

It’s good to see that common sense has prevailed.  In fact the extra promotion caused by the ruccus has probably helped the campaign kick in nicely.

I still reckon they should change the “you” in campaign message to “ya”.

Doc Martin.

Contrast this with what has happened with Tourism Australia’s latest ad campaign titled “so where the bloody hell are you”.  Firstly I think that the “you” needs to be changed with “ya”, but that being said, it’s not a bad campaign. But get this, The Age reports that that the British Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre has banned the campaign because it is too blue.

Strewth, it’s enough to drive a bloke to a bloody spit roast.

Doc Martin.

I’ve ‘done’ the Prom four or five times, and I have to say that it’s a pearler.  Situated about 200 km south-east of Melbourne, it is the sort of walk that you can easily do over a weekend.  I remember arriving there one Friday night with a friend of mine when it was absolutely bucketing down with rain.  We ended up putting up the tent inside a picnic shelter on that night, then luckily it cleared up for the next couple of days.

The great things about bushwalking (’tramping’ if you are a Kiwi, ‘hiking’ if you are a Yank) this national park is that the scenery is superb, the tracks are very well signposted and maintained, the campsites are never too crowded, and the pre-trip information is really good.

My wife and I had to cancel our last trip to the Prom.  Actually, it was cancelled for us when a very severe bushfire went through the park in April 2005.  We had booked one night to stay in the Lighthouse cabin, which is a great thing to do, but had to postpone the trip to another day. I’ve heard that all the tracks are now once again open and that much of the vegetation has grown back.  I guess that the occasional fierce and razing fire, and the Australian bush are just a part of life.

Waterloo Bay, Sealers Cove, Mount Oberon.  I have such good memories of these special places. I would recommend this park to any visitor to Victoria. However, before you head down there, make sure that you check out the park notes on the website to find out about fees and sometimes, availability of spots at campsites.  The management of the park is pretty strict, but worth it as long as you pre-book.

Doc Martin.

I was having coffee with a mate the other day when we saw a rider, a passenger, and a dog get on a scooter - it was the coolest thing I saw the whole day!

Check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12397878@N00/108008709/

Doc Martin.

Economic disparities are hardly enlightening to prospective travellers to either Melbourne or Sydney, so I thought that if I were explaining a couple of the differences between the two cities to someone thinking of visiting either or both, what would I say.  Wel the first thing is that I am an expat Kiwi living in Australia, and so am somewhat impartial. While I’ve lived in Melbourne for the last 13 years or so, I have also lived in Sydney for a year or so in my younger days.

Let me firstly go on the record to say that I love both cities, but for different reasons. I choose to live in Melbourne, but am very fond of Sydney. I’m not interested in pushing the barrow for either city. Some Melburnian and Sydneysiders can be very defensive about their cities, a bit like the Springfield V Shelbyville debate (http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/0624.htm).

To me, a couple of things about Melbourne include:

Aussie Rules Football (http://afl.com.au/) - I hated the game when I first came to Melbourne, especially coming from a rugby union background, but now I love it. The preliminary series (the “play” one before the real series begins) started last weekend, so its great to have it on the airwaves again. Some of the things I love qabout the game are watching the other people in the crowd (there are some very die hard kookyfans in Melbourne), watching the fast flowing spectacular play producing way in which the game is run, and I also like the ambiguity of the rules. For example, you could have 3 or 4 sports announcers on the radio with 80 or 100 years experience between them, but none can work out why the umpire has blown the whistle.  Check out the AFL Show for much footy banter (http://afl.thepodcastnetwork.com/)

The changing weather - The cliche is “four seasons in one day”.  I personally love the weather in Melbourne .  It’s never very humid, although it can get quite hot (42 degrees celsius is not unheard of, but rare), I never seen it snow here, but we get some of those lovely crisp clear cold mornings in the winter.

To me, a couple of things about Sydney include:

Rugby League (http://www.nrl.com/) - What an exciting game!  A game of great skill, speed, strength and  power.  One of the best league memories I have was when I went to the 1990 Grand Final to watch the Canberra Raiders win the premiership.  Not only was it great seeing the game live, but I was also listening to HG and Roy (http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/thissportinglife/) call the game.  Bloody great. I miss seeing the league on TV.  It comes on at about midnight, if at all, here.

Beaches - Sydney is such a beach city.  As a surfer, and as someone who wants to get back to living next to a beach someday, I soooo appreciate this.  Get up in the morning, grab your board and jog to your local break for a sunrise surf, back home for brekky, then off to work.  It’s so good.

This list is by no means complete, and is in no particular order.  For example, sporting events could be discussed.  Sydney had a fantastic Olympics in 2000, and Melbourne is due to host the 2006 Commonwealth Games in 10 days (http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/Channels/).

Well, thats all for now - I’m off to watch “The Producers” at the Moonlight Cinema at the Royal Botanic Gardens (http://www.moonlight.com.au/sessions.php?MoonlightEventLocationId=2).  What a great Melbourne, or for that matter, Sydney, thing to do.

Doc Martin.