http://www.safegapyear.co.uk/sgy_workshops_GYITSA_ITS02.php
Title – Blue Mosque
Date – June 2006
Location - Istanbul – Turkey
Istanbul is the gateway to Asia or if you are coming from Asia… it’s the gateway to Europe. In either direction this is assumed to be where Europe ends and the mighty continent of Asia begins. This line defined by the banks of the Bosporus, which cuts through the heart of this city of vibrancy, energy and sometimes just a little confusion about where it actually fits into the world.
The locals in Istanbul have long lived on this divide and refer to the two sections of their city as the ‘European side’ and the ‘Asian side’, but Istanbul is neither, Istanbul is simply and quintessentially Istanbul.
A city which for centuries has dealt with the diversity within; a city that believes in itself; a city that reinvents itself repeatedly throughout history; it is a destination that should not be missed. The mosques tower over the river; this temple designed by Mehmed Aga stands opposite the famous Hagia Sophia. Mehmed’s objective was to build a mosque with a bigger dome then the Hagia Sophia, which itself supports one of the biggest domes ever built. He failed in surpassing the magnificence of Hagia Sophia and in reality had no chance in competing with the history of this older structure. But in itself the Blue Mosque is a magnificent structure and sitting next to its more famous neighbour; they dominate this part of the cities skyline and play a significant role in a city whose turbulent past is only matched by its own sense of hope for the future.
Beyond The Blue runs Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops designed to help those people travelling anywhere in the world prepare for their forthcoming experiences so that they can travel to both urban and rural areas anywhere in the world, with confidence and the skills to do so in safety.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
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Title – Seahorse
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
This bright yellow Tigertail seahorse (Hippocampus comes) is just one member of the seahorse family and can be found amongst the most beautiful reefs in the Philippines. But as much as Seahorses are a peculiarity to us and fascinate us by their truly bizarre evolution, they have also fascinated other cultures which have seen the peculiarity slightly differently.
Sea horses used to be readily available as tourist trinkets, in a very similar way to the still hugely damaging sea shell industry. You could (and in some destinations still can) buy them dried and ready to go. Fortunately tourists have in the most part woken up to not only how unattractive an object a dried seahorse is, but also how endangered they were becoming; as a result less and less people are perpetuating this trade.
However the seahorse like many endangered animals faces an even greater threat; Chinese traditional medicine. Although due to it’s size Chinese medicine takes most of the blame for annual harvests of sea horses, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea also practice versions of this traditional medicine. Jamu medicine in Indonesia and folk medicine in the Philippines also use these delicate and shy little animals to treat a range of conditions, including respiratory disorders such as asthma, impotence and other sexual dysfunctions, and general lethargy and pain.
Although statistics are difficult to verify, as much of the trade is illegal and unregistered, it is believed that somewhere in the region of 70 metric tonnes of sea horses were harvested in 2001 alone. That is the equivalent of roughly 25,000,000 sea horses harvested in that one year. Population estimates indicate that sea horse numbers declined by some 50% in the 1990’s and in specific location like the Philippines that figure is estimated to be in the region of 70%.
At Beyond The Blue we believe in informing candidates through our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop not only how to travel is safety, but also to travel responsibly. We understand that people often want to visit areas of the world where these ethical or environmentally responsible principles are not always met by local populations, but that does not prevent travellers from not adding to these problems; we examine ways of ensuring that the impact we have, when travelling, is a positive one.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Scorpion Fish
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
Scorpion fish blend in perfectly to their surroundings, you will hardly ever see them unless they decide to move, but that’s not all they have to defend themselves with. Their dorsal fin has evolved into a set of short sharp spines that will inject nasty venom into anyone who steps or puts a hand down on one. It is highly unlikely to kill you, but you the following is a list of symptoms associated with a sting from this fish:
Severe Local Pain, Swelling
Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea
Shortness of breath
High or Low blood pressure, rapid or slow heart rate
Fainting, Delirium, Seizures, Paralysis
Treatment recommended is:
Wash the area with salt water. Remove any foreign material at the wound site. Contact the hospital. Soak the wound in the hottest water the person can tolerate for 30 to 90 minutes, if instructed to do so. Contact Poison Control Centre for appropriate treatment instructions.
Beyond The Blue is all too aware that accidentally stepping on a scorpion fish is rare, but the number of people with health care problems or who need hospital visits whilst travelling is not so rare. During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine the subject of what to do if you find yourself in need of medical care, when you are far away from home. We also discuss the different types of insurance available and the importance of choosing the one that is going to best suit the needs of your travel plans.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Nudibranch
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
This Nudibranch (Phyllidia varicosa) is a type of sea slug that lives on the coral reefs of the Philippines. But Nudibranchs can be found in most tropical reefs around the world. They tend to be small and difficult to spot (this one was only about 2 cm in length). Nudibranchs really don’t look like our typical image of slugs and are generally brightly coloured and beautiful to look at. But you have to look hard to find them.
Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, but it is also in the detail.
At Beyond The Blue we believe detail is important and when we run our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we tailor it to suit the specific needs of those attending. We ask you to fill out an Pre-booking Form that indicates the outline of your travel plans, so that we can present the information most relevant to you. The detail is important and rushing a general overview would be wrong for us to do, when presenting a workshop and wrong for you to do when exploring a new country.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Manta Ray
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
No one quite knows how big Manta Rays get, reports of rays with a wingspan of in excess of 9 meters have been reported and even a 6 meter Manta can weigh in at over 1.5 tonnes. However on average a Manta like this one would have a wingspan of some 4 meters.
Fortunately these monsters of the sea are almost completely harmless to humans, being plankton eaters they glide through the water like eagles soaring and often seem completely oblivious to you diving just a few meters away. The only way they will hurt you is if you were to approach or try and touch one and then you might get a slap with a very big wing for your troubles, but this would not be an aggressive attack simply a very big fish wanting to get away from you.
Manta Rays are the highlight of any dive and some people fly half way round the world just to have an encounter with one.
Things are not always what they seem and you have to make judgements on things you see every single day; sometimes you will jump to the wrong conclusion because insufficient information is available. At Beyond The Blue we know that Manta Rays are generally harmless and we also know that approaching people or animals you are unfamiliar with can put you in a very vulnerable position. During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine situations in which you might find yourself that would make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe and look at different ways of dealing with these situations. This dynamic risk assessment approach will help you to reduce the risks during your trip.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Barracuda
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
The Foster's barracuda (Sphyraena forsteri) tend to shoal and like many animal species the safety in numbers allows them to confuse their predators, just as their smaller prey try and confuse them, by shoaling in their ten of thousands.
Staying in open public places is one of the most basic steps you can use when trying to act safely in an unfamiliar location.
Travelling alone doesn’t mean you have to stay that way. In most countries you will struggle not to meet other travellers and when you do its worth remembering that if you want to experience something in a remote location, it is worth taking them along. Safety in numbers is not exclusive to the fish world.
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop was set up to help individuals learn the skills they will need to travel round the world in a safe and confident manner.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Lion Fish
Date – May 2006
Location - Malapascua Island - Philippines
The Common Lion Fish (Pterois volitans) is one of the reefs most stunning fish and make a great subject for underwater photography. They are very confident, protected from attack by larger predators by the poisonous dorsal spines and the pectoral spines that they have evolved.
This adaptation has given the Lion Fish the enviable position of being well protected from those other fish that might view it as a tasty morsel. Potential predators are given the clear ‘keep clear’ message through their bright colouration.
When travelling round the world it is important to demonstrate that you are not vulnerable through the signals you send out. At Beyond The Blue we believe that the way the Lion Fish protects itself by drawing attention to the warning colours, is not exactly what we would recommend. But through our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we will teach you personal safety techniques and communication skills that will help you to blend into your surroundings and enable to send messages to ‘predators’, which may make you an unattractive target for them.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
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