Ariana Acker
Contents contributed and discussions participated by Ariana Acker
Flower Gardens, a Colorful Getaway.pdf - 0 views
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Asia is home for a wide variety of fauna and flora in the world. The importance of botanical gardens in art, science and life has been undisputedly been encouraged by various people and places and has been featured in the most positive light.
Is Jakarta Dangerous? - 0 views
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Westhill Consulting Travel & Tours Singapore presents to you safety tips while travelling in Jakarta, Indonesia. Applicable to any Asian city.
Safety on the road: High
I think that your biggest threat while being in Jakarta will be dealing with motorized vehicles, whether your are walking, in a car, or in a motorcycle. If you take the taxi for instance, you will notice cars don’t have a safety belt in the back. If you take an ojek (moto-taxi), the driver will give you a shitty helmet and drive recklessly, putting your life in danger every second.
How to avoid it: Take silver bird taxis, go in the passenger seat, avoid taking ojeks, be very careful when walking in Jakarta.
Natural Disaster: High
Flood, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis… Jakarta, as the rest of the country, is prone to natural disasters. In fact, according to theNatural Disaster Risk Index, Indonesia is the world’s second most dangerous nation regarding natural catastrophes after Bangladesh. I don’t think it can impact your stay in Jakarta though, because it is something you cannot really protect yourself from. All you can do is cross your finger and hope that everything will be OK.
Terrorism: Medium to High
I don’t know what I should say about terrorism. It happened in Jakarta and Bali, and even though the government is very active in fighting terrorists, we cannot ignore that new bombings could happen again in Jakarta/Indonesia in the future.
The targets of terrorists have always been places frequented by expats, like embassies, night clubs, restaurants or 5-star hotels. A safe precaution therefore is to avoid too crowded areas. Check your home country’s website for current warnings.
Some extremist religious groups have been attacking entertainment venues too, especially during religious times of the year like Ramadan. It is quite rare though and they are more scary than dangerous.
For More Information Visit us at: http://westhillconsulting.info/
Pickpockets: Medium
It is the most common offence in Jakarta affecting expats: Having a small thing stolen while in a bar (usually a phone) or in a crowd. It is not so common either, but it happened to me with a camera, and it happened to a few of my friends, in particular in Stadium nightclub. I had once a problem with a drink that almost made me pass out… The guy I was with may have put something in it, but I’ll never know that for sure.
Robbery: Medium
I don’t have statistics about robbery, but from what I could observe, it involves most of the time the people working in your house: Maids, cooks, guards. It is usually low value items (in my situation, I had all my cleaning products disappearing…), but very annoying. To avoid any problems, look for staff that has been recommended to you by fellow expats, and pay them more than average.
Scams: High
Getting to pay the right price for things is a challenge in Jakarta when you are or when you look like an expat. Most of the times, it only requires negotiation, but sometimes, it gets tougher. Taxis are usually a pain in the ass: Apart from the reputed Blue Bird and Express brands, many drivers will try to get more from you by using various tricks: No meter, longer routes, fiddled meters. Beware also of “fake” Blue Bird taxis: They look exactly like them but belong to other companies. The danger is not so high, usually you only end up paying a few dollars extra, but in some cases, drivers can get violent (it happened with girls travelling alone)
Some people will warn you about credit card fraud, and you should be cautious about that. The same precaution applies when you want to change money: Always prefer a bank rather than street vendors.
Police: High
Having to deal with the police is one of the worst annoyances in Jakarta for an expat, especially if you own a car or a motorbike. Personally I take a personal pride in never bribing policemen, but to do so you need to be “clean” and have all the appropriate documentation with you (a copy of the passport, driving license, etc..).
Political instability: Low
Many tourists are afraid of the potential instability of Jakarta and Indonesia. I know many people in Malaysia from Chinese descent who refuses to come to Jakarta, because they are scared of what happened during the 1998 riots. I also know many people who are afraid of going to a Muslim country, because they think people won’t be tolerant if they say they are Catholics. I think there is absolutely no reason to be scared. Indonesians are among the most welcoming and tolerant people on earth. Terrorism is only supported by a extremely tiny minority, and you will realize that Indonesia is not the dark, dangerous country some medias are trying to describe.
Health Hazards (Food poisoning, pollution, etc): Average
Jakarta is often dirty and not always very hygienic. It is very easy to get small diseases or asthma. If you are fragile, or if you are travelling with children or elderly people, I would advise you to be prepared to be in a hostile environment. I think if you avoid the most risky situation everything should be OK: No walking, no street food, do wash your hands, peel your fruits, drink bottled water, etc…
Physical assault: Low
It is very uncommon, but it happens. The most often, crime happens in Jakarta among gangs so you shouldn’t have troubles with it. Some clubs in North Jakarta have the reputation to be controlled by mafias, so if you want to be safe, you can start avoiding those
Westhill Consulting Travel & Tours Singapore can organize supervised trips, much safer!
REFERENCES:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Westhill-Consulting-Travel-TOURS-INC/577899938919864
Readers' Travel Tips: Affordable Activities for Kids in the UK - 1 views
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http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jan/29/readers-travel-tips-affordable-activities-for-kids
Do you have a failsafe activity to keep the kids happy at half-term? From urban farms to art workshops, museums and wildlife walks, we are looking for your tips on family fun
Half-term is looming - breathe deep. Do you have a go-to place or activity that keeps your children entertained? Not so much camping in your own back garden as places to go, events that are on or a particular cafe that doubles as a play room. From city farms and nature walks to art classes and museums, let us know and you could win a top prize.
Up for grabs is a Sprindrift 300 tent from Force Ten worth £540 and perfect for wintery expeditions. Submit your tips by clicking on the blue button and using the text tab. Try and include as much detail as possible - location, website address etc - and feel free to add a photo if you own the copyright to it, but it will be the text we're judging! Your tip should be around 100 words.
Closes 5 February 2014 at 6am GMT
GuardianWitness is the home of user-generated content on the Guardian. Contribute your video, pictures and stories, and browse news, reviews and creations submitted by others. Posts will be reviewed prior to publication on GuardianWitness, and the best pieces will feature on the Guardian site.
References:
http://westhillconsulting.info/
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Whether you are flying with your pet or it is flying without you, it is important to choose an airline that serves the entire route from beginning to end. After finding your airline, you will need to know their pet policies. Will the airline allow your dog or cat to fly in the cabin with you? What are the restrictions? Will your pet need to travel in the cargo hold? Find answers to all your questions below when you click the down arrow next to the GO button and find airline pet policies for your dog, cat or other animal.
Health Certificate
A health certificate is required when shipping your pet as cargo. Airlines like Delta will require a health certificate for all pets checked as baggage. Some destination states may require a health certificate for your pet. Your veterinarian may provide you with more information.
If a health certificate is required, it must be issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of transport. It must be authentic and not fraud. Airlines now have a lot of ways to know the authenticity of your documents. It must include:
* shipper's name and address
* tag numbers or tattoos assigned to the animal
* age of the animal being shipped (USDA regulations require animals be at least 10 weeks old and fully weaned before traveling)
* statement that the animal is in good health (If the shipper knows that the pet is pregnant, it must be noted on the health certificate)
* list of administered inoculations, when applicable
* signature of the veterinarian
* date of the certificate
Live Animal Checklist/Confirmation of Feeding
When you check in your pet, you will be asked to complete a live animal checklist. When you sign this checklist, you are confirming that your pet has been offered food and water within four hours of check-in. On the checklist, you must also provide feeding and watering instructions for a 24-hour period. If in-transit feeding is necessary, you must provide food. This is to avoid any complaint from your pets as well as from your fellow passengers just in case.
Tranquilizers
The use of pet tranquilizers at high altitudes is unpredictable. If you plan to sedate your pet, you must have written consent from the pet's veterinarian. This information must be attached to the kennel. Please keep in mind that Delta agents cannot administer medication of any kind.