Peru announces its own Seven Wonders

The results are in... Who made the cut?

Last summer world voted on the New Seven Wonders of the World, and Peru’s Machu Picchu won one of the honours. Now, the results of a new contest were just announced. This time, Peru’s own wonders were the focus. According to an article on Living in Peru, the contest was held over eight months and involved tabulating more than 150 million votes.

The results? Here are the top three winners in the Seven Wonders of Peru Contest:

1. Los Baños del Inca (also known as the hot springs or Inca Baths in Cajamarca)
2. El Valle del Colca (or the Colca Canyon) in Arequipa
3. Los Frailones stone forest (the Stone Monks).

Rounding out the seven wonders are the Kuélap Fortress in the Amazonas, the Huayllay Stone Forest (in Pasco), Alto Mayo Valley (San Martin) and Gran Pajeten (also in San Martin).

No doubt Peru will once again be in the spotlight for the New 7 Wonders of Nature contest currently underway. The results won’t be announced until 2010, but the nomination process is already in full swing. See the contest website for more details.

U.S. announces date of final land and sea entry requirements rule

Wondering when you’ll need a passport to enter (or re-enter) the U.S. by sea or land? The The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has announced the final deadline: June 1, 2009.

As of this date, everyone (including citizens of the U.S., Bermuda and Canada who were previously exempt) will need a passport or WHTI compliant document to enter the United States by land or sea. This requirement is already in place for air travel.

The U.S. government hopes that announcing the date more than a year in advance will allow people ample time to get their documentation in order, and hopefully prevent a repeat of the severe backlogs that occurred last year.

The good news? Enhanced driver's licenses will also meet this requirement, and special provisions will be made for school trips.

Want to see the government’s announcements? See the FAQ and recent press release from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Watch for more information as the Canadian and American governments launch their educational campaigns.

See AST's article Crossing borders with new entry requirements for more information.

Lights out for Earth Hour

Last year, millions of Sydney residents did it. This year, people all around the world will do it too. On March 29, Earth Hour participants will make a powerful statement about global warming by using as little power as possible.

From 8:00 – 9:00 pm (local time) residents and businesses all over the world will shut off their lights for one hour to draw attention to the need to act on climate change. In 2007, 2.2 million Sydney residents and 2100 businesses participated – leading to a 10.2% drop in energy consumption across the city. This year, cities and communities across the globe are joining in on the effort.

For more information or to sign up, visit the Earth Hour website or check out this video here:

New transit visa policy comes into effect Friday

As of Friday, March 28 new policy changes mean that more people will require a transit visa if they plan to stop in New Zealand. According to an article on Radio New Zealand News, transit visas will be required for all travellers passing through New Zealand.

Under the previous policy, travellers did not need a visitor visa if they are stopping at a New Zealand airport on their way to another country (staying for up to 24 hours and not leaving the transit area of the airport). However, transit visas were only required for people travelling to and from Pacific nations.

What’s changed? The new policy extends the requirement to all travellers who are not covered by the following exemptions:

• current New Zealand visa holders
• Travellers whose next destination is New Zealand or Australia.
• Travellers who hold a passport from a visa-free country or from a visa exempted county.

All others will be required to apply for a transit visa. The good news is that the list of visa-free countries is quite extensive and includes Canada, the US, Australia and the UK among many others.

Need more information or want to apply for a visa? Check out the Immigration New Zealand website.

U.S. government warns women of risks in India

Thinking of travelling to India? You should be aware that Western women are facing an increasing risk of harassment and sexual assault. The widely-publicized rape and murder of British teen Scarlett Keeling in Goa and other known cases are highlighting the need for better safety practices and cultural awareness. The issue is prompting warnings in government travel advice for India.

A recent update to the Country Specific Information page for India (from the U.S. Department of State) includes new advice on how women can protect themselves while they travel. Here’s what the advice had to say:

“U.S. citizens, particularly women, are cautioned not to travel alone in India. Western women continue to report incidents of physical harassment by groups of men. Known as ”Eve-teasing,” these incidents can be quite frightening. While India is generally safe for foreign visitors, according to the latest figures by Indian authorities, rape is the fastest growing crime in India. Among large cities, Delhi experienced the highest number of crimes against women. Although most victims have been local residents, recent sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas underline the fact that foreign women are also at risk and should exercise vigilance.

“Women should observe stringent security precautions, including avoiding using public transport after dark without the company of known and trustworthy companions; restricting evening entertainment to well known venues; and avoiding walking in isolated areas alone at any time of day. Women should also ensure their hotel room numbers remain confidential and insist the doors of their hotel rooms have chains, deadlocks, and spy-holes. In addition, it is advisable for women to hire reliable cars and drivers and avoid traveling alone in hired taxis, especially during the hours of darkness. It is preferable to obtain taxis from hotels rather than hailing them on the street. If women encounter threatening situations, they can call 100 for police assistance.”

Of course, the advice is not exclusive to U.S. women, and the precautions mentioned above are good advice for travel in many countries. The latest news and advice for India can be found on our India Travel Advisory page.

Costa Ricans get new digits March 21

Traveling to Costa Rica? Plan to make a local call? New changes are coming into effect that youl'll want to know about. The telecommunications industry in Costa Rica continues to grow, and new changes are coming into place as a result. According to a recent note on ASI Hotspots starting on March 21 phone numbers will pick up an extra digit, going from seven to eight.

What will change:

• A “2” will be added at the beginning of all landline numbers.
• An “8” will be added at the beginning of all mobile/cell phone numbers (which will take effect after users reboot their phones).

What stays the same:

• All 800 numbers
• All three-digit numbers, including the 911 emergency and 113 information numbers.

What can travellers expect?

There may be some technical glitches immediately after the change takes place at midnight. Services aren’t expected to be disrupted. Make sure to add the extra digit to any local phone numbers you need while you travel, such as your local embassy and hotel.

2008 is going to be a warm one

Warm weather is coming to the Northern Hemisphere, and it’s not just because of spring’s arrival. After a very chilly start to the year, including record temperatures and snowfalls in many areas, the temperature is predicted to go up… and up…

According to an article in Reuters, once the cooling trend known as La Nina eases off in the next couple of months, 2008 might turn out to be “in the top 10 warmest years.”

What does that mean for travellers? If 2007’s summer weather was any indication, dangerous heat waves could be on the way. For more information about protecting yourself during extreme temperatures, see Keep cool during your summer travels.

Travelling in China? What you need to know about new luggage restrictions

Over the March 15-16 weekend, the Chinese Aviation Authority (CAA) began implementing a new restriction against carrying liquids aboard flights. Hand luggage is subject to increased scrutiny and is being searched more often. According to recent news reports, the move is causing a lot of confusion and delays at China’s airports, and frustration for unaware passengers.

Planning to travel in China soon? Here what you need to know to avoid problems:

• Liquids are now banned from being carried on board (but can be carried in checked luggage).
• Cosmetics are allowed – but only 100 ml (3 ounces) of each and each one must be carried in a separate, clear plastic bag.
• Anyone travelling with a baby must let the airline know ahead of time so baby food can be provided onboard. (The good news is the baby food is free)
• Liquid medications must be turned over to a flight attendant who will bring it on board.

According to the news reports, this restriction is the first of many security measures that will come into place before the 2008 Olympics in August. Keep your eyes open for future changes.

Sources:

ASI Hotspots

China View

The Other Holy Week Holidays

It’s Holy Week in many countries and regions that follow the Western Christian calendar. According to this calendar’s reckoning, Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox (which is based on a fixed date of March 21 and does not necessarily correspond to lunar cycles). In 2008, Easter falls earlier than usual.

So when are people celebrating and businesses closing down? It depends on the country. While many countries observe Good Friday and Easter Sunday as holidays, some also celebrate additional Easter holidays including Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday.

But not everyone is celebrating just yet: Due to differences in how the holidays are calculated, the Orthodox and Coptic Christian churches don’t celebrate Easter for another month -- April 27. Jewish countries and communities will be celebrating Passover (Pessah) from April 20 – 26th.

Source: AST Events Calendar.

Give a little (security) whistle

Following the murder of a Swedish tourist in Phuket, Thailand's Ministry of Tourism has announced new safety measures to keep tourists safe when they visit the island. According to an article in the International Herald Tribune, female tourists will be given safety whistles to wear around their necks. The whistles reportedly will be shaped like the traditional symbol to designate women: a circle and cross.

Increased security presence and safety manuals for tourists are also part of the plan. However, don’t expect to see the whistles and manuals just yet… The new plan will take a little while to implement. In the meantime, investigation into Hanna Charlotta Backlund’s daytime attack continues.

Attention runway runners!

Ever wanted to run on a runway? Usually any attempt would be considered a serious security breach, such as the man who was recently arrested after being caught on a runway at Heathrow Airport.

However, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport is opening up one of its runways to the general public this spring to raise money for a local hospital. The event, called “Runway Run”, will take place on June 21. Proceeds from the run will go to the William Osler Health Centre’s Emergency Department at Etobicoke General Hospital.

For more information, check out the Greater Toronto Airports Authority Community Relations website.

More Black Diamonds coming soon to U.S. Airports

No, we're not talking about expert ski hills, but the familiar coding system will soon be visible in more airports across the U.S.

The Transport Security Administration (TSA) announced March 5 that it is expanding its “Self-select Lanes” pilot program to six addition airports by April 30. The lanes are designed to better meet the needs of different types of travellers based on their requirements, experience and knowledge.

Here are the three types:

• Expert (designated by a black diamond) – for business travellers who fly several times a month and often carry very little with them. The lane allows them a quicker and easier experience.
• Casual (blue square) for the average traveller with some knowledge of security procedures.
• Family/Special Needs (green circle) – This lanes allows extra time and space for families with young children, seniors and other people with special needs.

In its press release, TSA reports that the selective lanes reduce wait times and “a calmer checkpoint, happier passengers and significantly lower wait times for the most experienced travelers”, according to Salt Lake City Federal Security Director Earl Morris.

Currently the program is in place in Salt Lake City and Denver International Airports. No word yet on who will be next to get the program, but no doubt passengers will be watching with interest.

For more information, see the TSA press release.

International Women's Day coming up

First observed in 1911, this holiday highlights women’s rights and is now celebrated around the world.

But did you know…?

• It’s an official holiday in many countries including Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
• In some countries, the day is a holiday for women only.
• Because the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, celebrations will still be held on March 8, but many countries will take a holiday in lieu on the following Monday.
• Hundreds of events are being held around the world – everything from small gatherings to large conferences.
• In many countries, it is customary for men and children to give gifts to the women in their lives.
• The 100th anniversary is coming up in 2011.

Want to know more? Check out the International Women’s Day website for more information and events happening in your area.

Canadians: Why your CCC won't get you in

Got a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship? You'll still need a passport for foreign travel, otherwise
you may face unnecessary delays and hassles, or be turned away at the border. While many Canadians have a CCC as proof of citizenship in order to apply for jobs, get a passport or obtain other official documents, the certificate cannot be used as a travel document.

Here’s the proof: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada has recently been updating its travel reports to include the following warning:

“A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship is not a travel document. A Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document available to Canadians for the purpose of international travel. Canadian citizens returning to Canada who present other documents, such as a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, birth certificate, provincial driver’s license, or foreign passport, instead of a Canadian passport, may face delays or be denied boarding by transport companies.”

Translation: Get a passport or expect trouble.

While the CCC can’t be used as proof of citizenship for entry into the U.S., a birth certificate and driver’s license will still suffice at land and sea borders.

When in doubt, check the government advice to see what documentation you need.