Title – Tiananmen Square
Date – July 2006
Location - Beijing - China
History has made Tiananmen Square a name known round the world for all the wrong reasons. It conjures up pictures of the most dramatic and distressing scenes, as the Chinese Government violently put down the popular pro-democracy demonstrations in 1989. Knowing the history of a country you are visiting can give you an insight that you might otherwise miss, the simple magnitude of this square is haunting and puts into perspective the terrible events of that week in June.
At Beyond The Blue we try not only to warn you of the pitfalls of travelling, but to get you really excited and itching to leave. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops don’t just concentrate on the bad things that can happen and the parts of the world that suffer from internal conflict, we also give advice on the best things to de and the most exciting places to visit. We want you to leave with a level of enthusiasm that will see your plan turned into reality.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Boating Beijing
Date – July 2006
Location - Beijing - China
The tea boats are a great way to spend an afternoon cruising the city of Beijing, they keep you out of the intense heat in summer and you are looked after and served tea throughout while you watch the city go about its daily business. It’s a fascinating insight into a completely different way of life and a new angle to see the city from.
Beyond The Blue endeavours to look at the subjects it teaches from new angles, we don’t think the traditional way is the always the best. We will not just tell you that the size of China is 9.6 million square km, we will tell you that and that it’s 40 times the size of the UK. Which way of looking at this simple subject will you remember when you come to plan your trip?
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops are directed at people going on their first big trip abroad. It is delivered by experienced instructors who know the best ways to get their message across, as they were once in your shoes and understand the worries you have when planning your first trip.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Beyond The Blue
Date – July 2006
Location - Beijing - China
Beyond The Blue stands out amongst it competitors in directing courses specifically for the planned destinations of those people attending and we stand out in the levels of customer service we expect to show our customers.
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop will enable you to stand out amongst your peers as the most well prepared of travellers.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Little Ikea
Date – July 2006
Location - Beijing - China
Exploring the back streets can lead to exciting discoveries. This man was selling his hand made miniature furniture down a side street and was truly a local character worth chatting to while enjoying a break from the extreme heat of the city.
Going down a side street can be an exciting trip of discovery, but use caution and know your location and the threats that you may find there. If you have made you assessment of the risk and decided to explore, then the personal safety physical intervention techniques we train you in, during our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop, may give you the edge if you suddenly find yourself out of your depth.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Busking
Date – July 2006
Location - Beijing - China
Staying awake is the way not to miss an opportunity; in the case of this man in Beijing the chance to make a few RMB from passing tourists faded when he fell asleep, but not before he took a good hold of his collecting tin.
When you are visiting parts of the world you are unfamiliar in, you must try and stay awake sometimes physically, always mentally. Beyond The Blue, through the extensive experience we have of travelling the world, know all the tricks to reduce the risk to you and your possessions when the time comes for you to finally nod off. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop makes you aware of the dangers you may face on your travels and how to reduce the risks, by being mentally aware.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Rickshaws
Date – July 2006
Location - Beijing - China
Rickshaws have long been the transport of choice in many cities and towns throughout Asia and to this day millions of rickshaws make tens of millions of trips throughout the region every day. In some of the more popular tourist centres they ply their trade directly for tourists, but mostly rickshaw driver see tourists as a bonus and a source of extra revenue as they can demand a higher fare from you then the locals. But despite this they can be the most efficient mode of transport and the cheapest when you have to get round in the madness of local traffic.
It’s useful, if you don’t want to get a complete sightseeing tour of the city, to have some knowledge of how to get to your destination, so you can give some direction to the runner or driver. The other way to get to your destination via the quickest route is to negotiate the cost before you set off.
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop looks at the Transport Options, not only in getting to your destination, but in getting from one location to the next and within the countries themselves. Beyond The Blue does not recommend particular carriers or companies during its courses, but does discuss the experiences of the instructors.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
