Peace Corps leaves Mali, new US travel warning issued
Chicago Tribune
Peace Corps volunteers have been evacuated from Mali and non-essential U.S. diplomatic personnel have been offered flights out due to ongoing political instability following a military coup in March, the State Department said on Sunday.
The agency again warned Americans against travel to the West African nation due to a rebellion in the north and continuing threats of attacks and kidnappings of Westerners. It strongly urged U.S. citizens there to consider leaving temporarily.
Burmese Are Wary of Tourism’s Dark Side
New York Times
As dramatic political reforms continue to take shape in Myanmar, a wave of tourists has already started to arrive, eager to explore the country’s magnificent temples, beaches and highlands.
But with much of the tourism infrastructure owned by notorious henchmen and ex-generals from the old military dictatorship, how can a tourist travel in the former Burma without enriching the very people who kept the country in the dark for so many decades?
And how can Myanmar, as it grows its tourism sector, avoid following Thailand and Cambodia into sex tourism?
Airlines Make Plans To Avoid NK Rocket
Wall Street Journa
North Korea appears to be on schedule for its rocket launch later this week, with officials telling foreign media in Pyongyang today that preparations are complete and the launch will go ahead as planned.
The rocket is expected to follow a path over the sea down the west coast of the Korean peninsula sometime between 7am and midday local time as early as Thursday or as late as next Monday.
The first stage of the rocket is expected to fall into the sea west of Gunsan in central South Korea. The second stage is projected to fall into the sea west of the Philippines.
Should Airlines Charge Parents with Small Children More to Fly?
Huffington Post
Flying the friendly skies always feels a bit like playing a game of Russian roulette. There are the real life-and-death worries, like hoping and praying that you and your plane arrive at your destination in one piece. Then there are the worries that only feel like life-and-death, like hoping that you and your plane arrive on time and that your luggage does, too. Then there are the worries that make us contemplate the meaning of life, and whether it’s worth living at all. Of course I’m talking about the fear of losing the ultimate game of traveler’s roulette: finding yourself seated next to a screaming child during a long flight.
Who am I? I am a typical Gen-Xer and recovering cubicle-dweller who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I...
Nothing worse than being seated next to a screaming child. The airlines shouldn’t profit from it, but it would be nice to compensate the poor passengers. Some kids don’t scream the whole time though…
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Matt Long Reply:
April 10th, 2012 at 11:24 am
I’ve written about this before, but it’s not the kids’ fault, it’s the parents. I’ve been near small children on long haul flights and they’ve been great.
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