Welcome to another World First Wander, a regular rundown of the travel blogosphere’s best new posts – as spotted by our social media man, Tristan Rothwell. It’s a super speedy way to stay on top of the latest and greatest stories in the travel world. So grab a coffee, get comfy and get reading.

Take it away, Tristan!

Greetings travellers!

It’s time for another World First Wander – your one stop shop for what’s hot in the world of travel. There have been some great travel posts and articles appearing across the internet recently and I wanted to share a few of my favourites with you.

Remember the old poster that said “Man cannot live on beer alone”? Well – here’s some good news for all you beer lovers out there thanks to @vagabondish: Stranded Alaska Man Survives on Beer. Who needs Ray Mears when you have beer?

Next, travel quotes. Twitter is a hive of information when it comes to travel quotes. I stumbled upon @lilyleung and her website Explore for a Year and a brilliant post titled The 55 Greatest Quotes on Traveling Ever. My personal favourite was: “If you look like your passport photo, you’re too ill to travel.” — Will Kommen. Brilliant. (And possibly true in my case.)

We recently had our World First Christmas Party and Nomadic Samuel‘s photograph taken in Thailand possibly resembles the way we felt the following morning.

Many thanks to Samuel for allowing us to use his photograph. His website is well worth a look. He has some amazing photography and travel stories. Check it out.

Now to surfing. Both myself and our Managing Director, who is also my brother, love surfing. We grew up on it. So a great post on surfing will always catch our eyes. This one from Ross and Andy (@MatadorNetwork) definitely did just that: Chasing a giant swell in Ireland. Great stuff.

Thanks to Matador we also found this video by Irish film-maker Mickey Smith: Dark side of the lens.

Everybody wants to make life a little easier. What better way than to anatomically change our bodies? What part of your body would you change or alter to make your travels a little easier? I know, it’s a tough question. Andy Jarosz, aka 501 Places, may have the answers that you are looking for in 5 anatomical changes to make travel easier.

Toni White’s friends Sheepy and Duke wrote a post for us a while back titled A four-legged journey to Japan. We always enjoy reading Toni’s blog and her recent Reasons why I hate the London Underground was no exception.

Well, I hope that’s given you some travel food for thought. On a final note, just in case you missed it, our World First newsletter is out now. Take a look! Mince pies or sunny skies?

Until next time, stay safe.

Tristan

Got a comment about this post? Tweet @WFtristan.

For cost-effective travel insurance, visit www.world-first.co.uk.

Related posts:

1. The World First Weekly Wander
2. The World First Wander – The Travel Photography Edition
3. The World First Weekly Wander – The Mongol Rally Edition

World First Wander | World First Travel Insurance Blog

We’ve had some really amazing entries for this month’s My World First competition. There have been tales of camel kissing, AK47s, communist countries, ice hotels, the Amazon, a kiss from Olly Murs, stolen underwear and a fling with a diving instructor. And that’s just the start! The best news is that there’s still time to enter and give yourself the chance of winning a Kindle.

As you might have guessed, the theme for our travel writing competition is world firsts. Get it? We want to hear about your first-time travel experiences. It could be anything you like. And judging by the entries we’ve already had, it probably will be! If it’s a first in your world then it’s one of your world firsts. Tell us about it. This blog post explains the rules and reveals just how easy it is to enter.

The winner of this month’s competition will receive a Kindle – or the equivalent value in Waterstone’s vouchers if they prefer. Viveca Koh won a Kindle in a previous World First competition and sent us this amazing photograph of her and her new toy at the ECVB powerstation in Belgium.

You can take a look at more of Viveca’s photography using these links:

Viveca Koh Photography

Viveca Koh Blog

Follow the hashtag #myworldfirst on Twitter. This month’s competition ends at 23:59 on 30th November.

Written by Tristan Rothwell

Google+

Related posts:

1. My World First competition update! Win a Kindle, again!
2. The results are in! Here’s December’s travel writing competition winner!
3. Announcing our first travel writing competition winner!

My World First travel writing competition update | World First Travel Insurance Blog

Who doesn’t love taking a few snaps on their holidays? Exactly. This week’s World First Weekly Wander is a photography special and sees our social media man, Tristan Rothwell, offer a few of his specialist tips as he scours the web for the best new travel photography blog posts.

Take it away, Tristan!

Greetings travellers! It’s time for our weekly catch up on the web’s hottest new travel content. After revving the engines with The Mongol Rally last week, this week we’re shifting focus to one thing that 99.9% of us do on our travels: photography.

I’m a keen photographer and have been for several years. I shoot mainly digital with a sprinkling of 35mm and medium format thrown in for good measure. But with the recent purchase of a shiny white iPhone 4, my photographic weapon of choice has changed a little!

The iPhone is with me at all times. I photograph everything, much to the annoyance of those around me. With travel firmly in mind I thought we could look at some recent travel photography articles that will hopefully inspire and instruct you in the art of the travel photograph.

But first I thought I’d offer a few tips of my own that I think will help you to get better shots and become a better photographer. Maybe.

1) Throw your camera bag away. Why? I’ve found that if I walk around with my camera in a bag I take far less shots. Picture the scene, if you will: There you are on holiday, safari, climbing up Kilimanjaro (okay, you may want a bag up there), and the perfect shot presents itself before you. You start to unzip your camera bag but before you have chance the shot is gone. 100% gone! And you had one thousandth of a second to catch it. It will never present itself in the same way again.

2) Know your kit. When I’m out shooting in the street I have to be quick and nimble. A major part of this is knowing what setting my camera is on and what each different setting will do to a photograph. I constantly adjust the settings to match the light and situation that I’m in. How many times have you seen people trying to work out what setting they need on their camera, only to lose their shot? If in doubt keep it on…photography purists turn away now…automatic.

3) Hand your camera to your kids. This can be a huge leap of faith. I have handed children my £1,000 DSLR before as parents look on with fear and astonishment. But children take amazing photographs. They really don’t care about aperture, focal length, ISO or what size lens to use. All they need is the “Go” button. If you’re not feeling brave enough to entrust them with your treasured equipment, buy them a cheap digital compact of their own. Or, better still, give them your old one. It’s a win-win situation as it gives you the excuse to buy a new camera while they can get busy snapping and coming up with fantastic photos.

Check out this photograph taken by Korben Smart, aged 6! I rest my case.

4) Don’t be lazy. We are talking zoom lenses here. Get a prime lens. I use the Canon 50mm 1.8 and it truly is a thing of beauty. (And even better, it’s cheap at £99. See our friends at Devon Camera Centre for more.) Photojournalist Robert Capa said it best: “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” With a prime lens you have to move close to your subject, not just zoom.

5) It’s not the camera, it’s you! What do I mean? Let me put it this way: if was to go up against David Bailey in a photo contest and he was armed with a ten year old 1.2 megapixel camera and I was wielding a £5,000 Leica (oh I wish), who do you think would take the better photograph? Don’t get caught up in pixel envy, it’s your enemy. We’ve all seen them on tours, holidays and safaris – the big game hunter armed with all the gear (and no idea). I don’t know how many megapixels my camera has and, truth be told, I don’t care. I just take photographs.

Here are some recent photographic travel posts I’ve found that you’ll hopefully find as inspiring as I have.

7 Travel Blogs Featuring Stunning Photography. This is inspirational indeed and comes courtesy of Nomadic Samuel.

Street Photographers – Life’s Allegory. This has some amazing photography. I know what you’re thinking: “I’m a travel photographer”. Yes, but if you take photographs in the streets when you travel…

Travel Photography Mistakes to Avoid. Great advice on how to avoid taking boring travel photographs, from @envatphoto.

How to take better travel photographs from the brilliant Bacon Is Magic. This one is from @ayngelina. It’s a great article. We all need to shoot more lens flares!

Well, that’s it for another week! If this week’s World First Weekly Wander has influenced you to get out and take a better travel photograph then why not enter a travel photography competition? The Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year. Find out more via Twitter here.

Photograph – Port Soif Guernsey – Tristan Rothwell

Going on holiday? Don’t forget to visit www.world-first.co.uk for a comprehensive, cost-effective travel insurance quote.

Related posts:

1. The World First Weekly Wander – The Mongol Rally Edition
2. World First Weekly Wander: mind, body and soul edition
3. What’s new in the travel blogosphere? Find out with the World First Weekly Wander.

The World First Wander – The Travel Photography Edition | World First Travel Insurance Blog

World First Weekly Wander is a weekly rundown of the latest and greatest travel blog posts. It’s compiled by our very own social media man, Tristan Rothwell, and it’s a super-speedy way to catch up on the latest travel buzz. This week we’re off to Mongolia. No, really.

Take it away, Tristan!

Hello again travel fans. It’s that time of the week again and the theme for this week’s World First Weekly Wander is…

The Mongol Rally!

Last week our theme was “road tripping” which was great, so great that it inspired us to put a World First Travel Insurance team together for next year’s Mongol Rally. You heard it here first! Unfortunately, my team name suggestion of Nuns On The Run has been thwarted in favour of something more sensible (probably involving the words “World”, “First”, “Travel” and maybe “Insurance”).

So to get us even more inspired and also help me persuade some of my friends to leave their loved ones for quite some time, this week we are off to Mongolia. So start your engines and fasten your seatbelts, this may be a bumpy ride.

Let’s begin at the end with The Start of Something Good with @LeonLogothetis. Any journey that involves driving these sorts of distances is going to result in a few mishaps. And this is what’s in store for us! Read on to find out more thanks to @theplanetd and their post More Mongol Mishaps.

So by now you’re probably thinking we must be crazy to want to enter The Mongol Rally (travel insurance people can be crazy you know). Let’s seek the help of @mikeachim to dispel a few myths about it all by way of a great travel post Mongol Rally 2011: A Few Myths Busted.

If you don’t like the idea of being in a car for 10,000 miles then you could always try your hand at some hitchhiking, in which case this post is recommended reading: Hitch-Hiking The Mongol Rally. There’s a great collection of photographs on Flickr too.

Oh how I wish I thought of the team name Genghis Carnage! It’s pure brilliance. Read how @realpetermoore joined them to get Inside the Mongol Rally.

All these posts got me thinking. What kind of crazy person thought up the Mongol Rally? Well, his name is Tom Morgan. Read on and find out the how, why ,what and where in Tom Morgan: How I Created the Mongol Rally. Or check out The Adventurists website.

I found this post Leeds to Ulaanbaatar whilst doing my online research and they have a great Spotify playlist for when you are on the road. They are raising money for Human Relief who you can follow on Twitter.

I’m not sure I would want to travel 10,000 miles in a smart car but there are always people willing to give crazy stuff a try and here they are: Team Smart. They have raised over £4000 pounds!

Well, that rounds up this week’s World First Weekly Wander. Until next week, drive car-fully!

Tristan

Related posts:

1. Gear up for the World First Weekly Wander
2. The World First Wander – The Travel Photography Edition
3. World First Weekly Wander: mind, body and soul edition

The World First Weekly Wander – The Mongol Rally Edition | World First Travel Insurance Blog

Photographer and World First social media man Tristan Rothwell recounts his recent trip to Cornwall and shows off some of the photos.

Having just returned from a trip to my birthplace and home town, Penzance in Cornwall, I thought I would share some photographs with you from the trip.

I don’t get home to the motherland as often as I would like – but have just found time to spend a long weekend there with my girlfriend, armed with my usual array of cameras including my standard weapon of choice: the Canon 50d equipped with a Canon 50mm prime lens, the sharpness of which is truly amazing! The thing is, it didn’t actually make it out of my camera bag!

The reason the Canon became slightly ignored this weekend is due to taking delivery of my shiny new white iPhone! And then going into a camera app downloading frenzy. I downloaded Hipstamatic , Scratchcam and a few others the evening before leaving and was like a child with a new toy. Hipstamatic gives you a lovely lo-fi effect which i really like. I usually spend hours taking photographs with my £1000 DSLR and then spend many more hours making it look like they were taken on a £20 Russian charity shop camera. Not anymore thanks to these toy-camera apps.

I am a street photographer by choice, where the idea is to get the photograph without being seen! That’s not easy if you are using a large digital SLR. So the iPhone makes the perfect street photography and holiday camera. It’s got a 5mp lens, there are some great apps for it and nobody seems to take any notice of you using it. Perfect.

Here’s some of my iphoneography from the trip.

Land’s End – The end of the UK.

St.Ives in the rain. I guess it had to rain at least once. We decided to make a run for the Tate Gallery.

Once in the Tate Gallery we became part of the art itself, adding our names to the walls of one of the exhibitions.

I spotted these model houses in a shop in the High Street in St Ives and thought it may make an interesting shot.

We left St.Ives and headed for Sennen (my spiritual home). I grew up surfing Sennen and considered it my local break for 20 years. So I always visit when I’m in Cornwall. The sunsets are spectacular. Usually. Unfortunately, they weren’t this time and the heavens opened (again) just as we arrived. We made our way to The Beach Restaurant which really is worth a visit.

We would have sent you a postcard but…

We finished our long weekend with a trip to Philp’s pasty shop in Hayle, where we loaded up with pasties to take home for friends and family, not least the World First Managing Director who is a keen ambassador of pasty power. And what trip to Cornwall is complete without a pasty? Exactly. We’ll be back soon to stock up again.

Tristan Rothwell – Social Media Team – World First Travel Insurance
Twitter @wftristan
wftristan@gmail.com

Related posts:

1. The World First Wander – The Travel Photography Edition

A photo essay of Old Mother Kernow – that’s Cornwall | World First Travel Insurance Blog

Zoë Dawes – aka The Quirky Traveller – is a travel writer.  She was recently voted Britain’s Best Travel Blogger and her website www.thequirkytraveller.com was voted in the Top 10 Inspiring Travel Websites 2010. We asked Zoë to give us a few ideas for brilliant places to visit. We never guessed that it would be good old Blighty that would take the top spot. But there it is. And Zoë really does know what she’s talking about.

There are so many places to visit on Planet Earth – how can you choose where to go and what to see? Well, everyone has their own ideas. But here are some of my favourites: Of course they could have changed completely by this time next year!

1. The Lake District, Cumbria, England.  Discover what inspired many of the world’s greatest writers and artists to product some of their best work. Our quaint villages, beautiful lakes and rivers, soft hills and challenging mountains, historic sites, vibrant cultural events, welcoming old pubs, top-class restaurants and quality accommodation all ensure the Lake District was be voted ‘Best Destination’ in Virgin’s 2010 Responsible Tourism Awards. The loveliest place in the world – but then I would say that, wouldn’t I – it’s my back yard!

2. The Norwegian Fjords. Unsurprisingly this area is one of the top destinations in the world for outstanding natural beauty. The Geiranger Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is unparalled in its majestic beauty and the FlamsBahn railway is a quirky and spectacular.  I visited them on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth – now that’s the way to see them; up close and in luxurious comfort …

3. Western Turkey. For anyone interested in the origins of European civilisation, this area is a treasure-trove of delight. There are also great seaside resorts with gorgeous beaches, luxury hotels and quality restaurants, some of the best spa treatments in the world, exotic bazaars and traditional markets. The Temple to Apollo at Didyma, the Library of Celcus at Ephesus, Lycian Tombs, hot springs at Pamukkale, a leisurely cruise from Fethiye … and so much more.

4. Rotarua, New Zealand. Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe is its Maori name and that culture permeates the area as much as the smell of sulphur. Boiling hot steams escapes the earth at every opportunity, from tiny cracks in the formal English-style gardens to enormous geysers shooting high into the air in the geo-thermal park. There is so much to do here for all the family; some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery and adrenalin-fuelled activities are right on the doorstep.

5. Boracay. The Phillippines: simply one of the loveliest beach destinations in the world. White sandy beaches overhung with palm trees, the sea every shade of blue imaginable, laid-back charming people and an island so small you can walk its length before breakfast. The perfect get-away to relax and remember what life is really all about.

6. Lithuania. Relatively new to the tourist trail, this country is slowly emerging from a very colourful past to take its rightful place in the European travel itineries. With its age-old traditions, medieval towns and villages, breath-taking landscapes and friendly, hospitable people, it has everything the discerning traveller is looking for.

7. Jerez, Spain. This graceful old city retains Moorish influences in the Alcazar and is the home of some of the most names in sherry including Gonzales Byass, Tio Pepe and Pedro Ximenez.  Jerez is in the heart of flamenco country; brilliant guitar playing and passionate singing and dancing fill the streets every evening. Historic Cadiz is a stepping off point to other worlds and the White Villages of mountainous Andalucia are popular all year round.

8. Kinsale, Co Cork, Ireland. No-one really needs a reason to visit this part of Ireland, but the quaint fishing village has a cosmopolitan air that certainly adds to its appeal. Near the vibrant city of Cork, amongst some of the loveliest scenery in the country, Kinsale is famous for its diverse culinary delights and its excellent sailing. The village has colourful Dutch-style buildings. fantastic restaurants, welcoming bars and quirky shops, an old fort and, of course, the Irish ‘craic’. Great any time of the year.

9.Venice, Italy. No excuses for including this magical place. Everyone should visit Venice at least once in their lives. Take a stroll round the back streets, gaze up at crumbling palaces, find the most out of the way trattoria, escape from the heat into one of the many churches on every corner – and do the full-on tourist bit with a gondola ride and a coffee at Florian’s as you watch the world pass by on St Mark’s Square…

10. The Isle of Man. This unspoilt gem lies off the coast of Ireland and NW England and has Gaelic connections with Ireland and Scotland.  It’s like stepping back in time to a world where life was lived at a more leisurely pace – except when the world famous TT Races take place and then the island is alive to the roar of thousands of motorbikes and the pace definitely speeds up.  The Isle of Man is full of fascinating places including the capital, Douglas and horse-drawn trams, the lovely Laxey Wheel, Peel Harbour and Manx Kippers, the Calf of Man with its seals and maybe a basking shark or two… and so much more.

Follow Zoë on Twitter @quirkytraveller and on Facebook www.facebook.com/thequirkytraveller

Related posts:

1. How to be a responsible traveller
2. Boosting your half term holiday fun
3. Taking the plunge on your winter holiday

The Quirky Traveller’s Favourite Travel Destinations | World First Travel Insurance Blog

July 4th 2011

Busy day today? Too stretched to catch up on the best in travel news and writing? Manic Monday making it impossible to manage those blog feeds? Don’t panic. The World First Weekly Wander is our very own weekly breakdown of the best travel based web content. It’s compiled by our very own Tristan Rothwell ( @WFTristan for all you tweeters). So sit back and let him do all the work.

Hello!

I love a list (what man doesn’t?) so this week I’ve compiled my own hit parade of the best online lists. And to top it off I’ve added (last but not least, of course) an amazing video from Worldhum.

But first. On to our list.  

Our first is from @NomadicNeill and it’s all about living an authentic life. I really enjoyed reading this one. There are some great principles to live by here.

Next we pay a visit to Aaron Bradford AKA @Happytimeblog who tells us how to make backpacking harder than it really needs to be. I am sure we have all made at least one of the mistakes listed here (I know I have).

So you love to travel but need to make a bit of dosh along the way? Our friends at The Gay Traveller Blog (who we follow on Twitter) may have the answer with their post 3 ways to make a living while travelling

Ok. So now you have made a bit of money – thanks to the above post – we want to help you keep it!  Let @vagabondish show you how not to get scammed when on your travels

And carrying on with the staying safe theme, let’s have a look at @rtwdave and his article, 5 safety tips for taking taxis in Latin America

On a serious note, staying safe includes taking out travel insurance. Of course we’re biased but we really do offer some of the best deals around for travellers! In fact, if you’re looking for a bargain, click here and you’ll get a discount on your next World First travel insurance policy!

Right then, back to the lists. Moscow is on my bucket list and has been for a long time (ever since my school trip there was cancelled in 1982). So reading the @GapYearEscape list of the top 5 places to Visit in Moscow has made me even more determined to get there.

Let’s travel a bit closer to home now. Thanks to @travelingsavage for the great article on 9 ways to fill your days in Moray Speyside. I like the sound of sampling drams at the Whiskey Shop!

Let’s stay a while in the UK and explore five of the best markets in Manchester thanks to @blightytraveler. Makes you want to go doesn’t it?

Lastly, it’s off to find out where a couple of world travellers with a busy schedule are going to be next week. William and Kate are off to California! Let’s hope they have their travel insurance sorted.  @lonelyplanet has a list of places the royal couple should visit while they are there. One simply must.

Well I promised you a video to round off this week’s “world First Weekly Wander” and this one Blew me away I found it thanks to Worldhum you can find them on Twitter Here

Splitscreen: A Love Story from JW Griffiths on Vimeo.

Have you got a blog you want to shout about? How about one that you think Tristan should mention in the Weekly Wander? Let us know! Tweet Tristan on @WFTristan and we’ll do our best to include it.

Related posts:

1. World First Weekly Wander: 20th June 2011
2. World First Weekly Wander: 27th June 2011
3. What’s new in the travel blogosphere? Find out with the World First Weekly Wander.

The World First Weekly Wander | World First Travel Insurance Blog

How’s your summer been so far? A little lacklustre, if ours is anything to go by. It’s not uncommon is it? So how about planning an autumn break to somewhere hot and sunny? How does Southern California sound? It has always been a popular mid-haul destination for good reason: sunshine year round, consistently warm temperatures and some of the most renowned tourist attractions in the world. Southern California rarely disappoints.
Yet despite its popularity, California has a few surprises left for the intrepid tourist. There are still a few exciting destinations that have managed to remain just under the radar. The aerial tramway at Mount San Jacinto is one of them. Cai Waggett, a regular visitor to the Golden State, spills the beans…

Heading from Los Angeles up Interstate 10 into Riverside County, Mount San Jacinto comes into view from far back in the Inland Empire. As you follow the fault line east, entering the Coachella valley and toward Palm Springs, you traverse the hot desert floor through the San Gorgonio Pass wind farm. It’s quite a sight. Thousands of white windmills, stark in their grubby setting, harvest the strong winds that funnel through this natural sump.
Turning off the I10, you take the Highway 111 toward Palm Springs. Not quite entering the city itself, turn right and drive up the languidly winding Tramway Road toward the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and the rocky foothills of Mount San Jacinto.
Once you’ve arrived at the Valley Station, you’ll immediately spot the tramway heading sharply up the side of the mountain through the lofty slopes of Chino Canyon. Initial feelings of dread and vertigo should be checked at this point – it’s going to get a little spookier! The Valley Station lies at 2,643ft above sea-level, still situated in the blistering desert heat (yet, as with almost every public building in Southern California, enjoys the luxury of air-con inside). However, don’t be fooled and dress to hike: the temperature outside the Mountain Station (8,516ft above sea-level) can often vary from the desert entrance by as much as 25C, so layers and sensible walking boots are a necessity.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest ‘rotating’ tram, and this becomes quite apparent once aboard. The ten minute journey up to the Mountain Station is at once steep, terrifying and exhilarating, with 360 degree views of the razor-sharp rock face that the construction workers who built this tramway in 1963 had to contend with. Often described as the ‘8th Wonder of the World’, it is a feat of man-made engineering against the many obvious natural odds. As the desert disappears below, the tram passes above all sorts of mountain flora and fauna growing on the precarious escarpments, evolving as the temperature retreats.  The heart-stopping swing of the tram as it passes over the numerous support towers does little to calm the teetering nerves.
Arriving at the Mountain Station and passing through the lobby and out onto the verdant pine-scented plateau that is Long Valley, the difference to the world recently left below is palpable. Magnificent, tall trees and crisp, cool air are the first things you’ll notice. Beyond, the forest rises up to the San Jacinto peak at 10,834ft above sea-level (hiking into the distance here is allowed, but only with a permit from the US Forest Service). As you wander onto the woodland plateau and along the well-marked visitor trails, it’s at once surreal and tranquil. The floor is soft with sand and needles from the Coulter pine trees and a babbling stream gently winds its way through the woods. Along the path you’ll notice large walls of granite, all naturally formed. Find your way onto the other side of these stone bulwarks though, and you’re fast brought back to reality as you are greeted by a drop of thousands of feet.
The view from the Mountain Station, and at various openings along the well-worn paths through Long Valley, is no less than breathtaking. Save for the granite outcrops there are few fences or man-made barriers, so care and concentration is a must if you approach the edges. There is little to stop you falling off the mountain. Far, far below lies the desert valley and all the conurbations which have sprung up along or close to the snaking San Andreas fault line. Look carefully and you’ll spot planes circling beneath you as they approach PSP airport in Palm Springs. Looking to the east, the valley trails off into Coachella and the Salton Sea. To the north-west, the hills and mountains tumble away toward the beautiful Big Bear resort and retreat onward toward Burbank and then Malibu.  Across the flat, dusty valley floor to the north, where the hills rise again, you can make out the Joshua Tree monument and Yucca Valley. On a clear day, they say you can see up to 200 miles into the distance. Famed Naturalist John Muir once said “The view from San Jacinto is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth!” It’s hard to disagree.
After a good stomp across this oasis in the sky, it’s worth taking in a meal in one of the two eateries that can be found in the Mountain Station, Peaks Restaurant or Pines Café. Both have a great selection and, of course, if you secure a good table the views are out of this world. If you’re thirsty, you can grab a tequila sunrise in the cocktail lounge. It’s a classy touch, made all the more so when you find out that Bing Crosby once took the same tram ride up here too.
Before you head back down to earth, it is worth watching the fascinating short film that details the construction and realised dream of the founder, Francis Crocker. The sheer determination and battle against stacked odds that was undertaken by this man and all those who worked upon building the tramway gives an added degree of respect toward that (reluctant) return tram journey to the Valley Station. You begin to notice thing that you hadn’t seen before, such as hazardous helicopter landing spots on crumbling ledges and spray-painted arrows on the rocks where steely-nerved engineers had sauntered many years earlier. And of course don’t forget to take some layers off on the way back down. The baking desert heat waits for the unprepared soul who donned one too many warm sweaters atop the cool mountain…

Fancy California this year? Go for it. Just don’t forget to take your World First travel insurance. The US is notorious for its healthcare divide and a good insurance policy will ensure you access to the very best of it. Of course you shouldn’t ever discount the possibility of getting sued so personal liability is a must too. Imagine the cost of tripping on a boulder on Mount San Jacinto, falling and breaking someone’s arm and then having to be airlifted off the mountain to hospital. It’s unlikely, but is it worth the risk? Never.
Here at World First we can provide you with comprehensive cover for the USA, including medical cover. And if you want to go backpacking, diving, golfing or doing any of those fantastic holiday activities, talk to us. Most of our policies cover them automatically.

Related posts:

1. Summer indecision? Solve it with a holiday on wheels.
2. All but essential travel to Bangkok
3. More sun for your money

Secret Southern California: a ride into the little known. | World First Travel Insurance Blog

It’s heartbreaking watching the news today. As we stare open mouthed at our televisions it’s hard to imagine the magnitude of what has happened in Japan and what is about to happen in the rest of the Pacific. Tidal wave alerts are in force in Russia, Hawaii, The Philippines, Indonesia, Alaska, Central America and even South America. The Tsunami that resulted from the largest earthquake to hit the country since records began over a hundred years ago has already hit the north east coast of Japan. Its magnitude has been put at 8.8 on the Richter scale with some reports putting the wave height of the tsunami at 10 metres. To give it some scale the earthquake that hit Christchurch last month was 6.3.

As I write this the latest warning has been for the California coast. The situation is changing all the time but of course it’s hard to know what is really happening on the ground and it’s even harder for us to know what to do. All we can hope for is the best that the warnings that have been issued will make a big difference.

Advice for those caught up in the quake

The Japanese government has issued statements and warnings of aftershocks and advised the population to stay away from coastal areas. Naturally travel advice will change as the situation develops but the message from World First Travel Insurance  for anyone caught up in the quake, tsunami and its aftermath is that help will be available for those who need it. Whilst there is nothing that World First can do to keep people safe as events unfold, their 24 hour advice lines (the number is on all policy documents) will remain open. They say: “We will of course assist anyone who is stuck out there and needs to return home on a case by case basis, as referred and authorised by our underwriters, professional Travel Insurance Company Ltd (as per requirements of the policy) or anyone injured will obviously be covered under Medical Expenses and repatriation sections of their travel insurance policy.”

For those with travel plans to the Pacific

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have cancelled all flights to Japan. As carriers they will be obliged to rebook any cancelled passengers on another flight when appropriate. For people booked on to other airlines it is best to check before you travel whether or not the airline will fly. Like wise they will have an obligation to your ticket to get you where you are going or to refund you if you are delayed for more than 5 hours and you are flying from within the EU. We wrote about extreme circumstances, known as Force Majeure, in a previous post. You can read it here.

For World First Travel Insurance Policy Holders

At the time of writing those policy holders with flights booked to the Pacific region should note that cancellation will not be covered. It would be classed as a “disinclination to travel” by the insurers.

Policy holders should also note that Travel Delay or Abandonment will not be covered as the situation does not come under Adverse Weather, Mechanical Breakdown or Strike.

Also, a Missed Departure will only be covered if the policy holder was travelling on public transport and this is delayed, making them too late catch your flight and covering for additional costs incurred in reaching destination up to the policy limit.

 Our advice though is to check with the Foreign Office and the airline to find out what the travel situation is like at your destination. If you are heading to the airport, be prepared for a wait.

What can we do?

At the moment it’s hard to know what to do. We know that charities like Shelterbox, who have worked so hard in places like Haiti, have said they are monitoring the situation and are ready to act. You can find out more by following them on Twitter ( @shelterbox ) or by following the founder, Tom Henderson ( @shelterboxTomH). Alternatively, keep an eye on the media for Tsunami relief. And please be prepared to put your hands in your pockets.

Related posts:

1. FCO update advice for travel to Kenya following another deadly attack. Where do travellers stand?
2. Foreign Office revises its travel advice for Japan
3. The World First Weekly Wander

Aftershock. World First advice for travellers in Pacific region following earthquake in Japan. | World First Travel Insurance Blog

Following the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that has killed at least 65 people and injured scores of others in Christchurch, New Zealand, the underwriters of World First travel insurance policies have stressed that they will offer 24 hour assistance and aid – and of course medical cover –  to any insured caught up in the disaster.

In 24 hours that New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key has described as being possibly ‘New Zealand’s darkest day’ the South Island city of Christchurch suffered major damage to buildings in what is proving to be the country’s deadliest disaster. Over 120 people are reported to have been rescued from collapsed buildings.

Anyone who is insured by World First and has been caught up in the disaster is advised to get in touch. Emergency repatriation to the UK and  will be assessed on a case by case basis, say Professional Travel Insurance Company Limited.

They have also stated that delayed departure will be covered on World First policies for anyone who has been delayed on public transport in the aftermath of the disaster although they will not accept claims for trip cancellation. Anyone who is due to fly to Christchurch or have a holiday in Christchurch is advised to get in touch with their tour operator or travel agent to arrange for alternative travel and accommodation arrangements.

The Foreign Office has issued the following travel advice for New Zealand:

“Christchurch Airport is closed except for emergency aircraft. The Ferrymead bridge is reported to be impassable because of rising water. Christchurch hospital is in operation. A Crisis Response Centre has been established at Christchurch Art Gallery.

For advice and assistance in relation to the Christchurch earthquake British nationals in New Zealand should call 04 9242898.” 

For more information please see the Foreign Office website here.

Related posts:

1. Aftershock. World First advice for travellers in Pacific region following earthquake in Japan.
2. Post-quake travel advice for Murcia, Spain.
3. Summer indecision? Solve it with a holiday on wheels.

New Zealand Quake Reassurance | World First Travel Insurance Blog