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NEWS ROUND-UP
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Your COVID-19 Bulletin |
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There’s one hugely important update for a lot of us here in the UK this week: the Government has stated that they intend to scrap testing requirements for fully-vaccinated travellers. That's right - from 11 February, if you’re arriving into England or Scotland and you’ve received two doses of an approved vaccine (or one dose of Janssen), you’ll no longer need to take a lateral flow test after you land. Travellers who aren’t fully vaccinated will still need to take pre-departure and Day 2 COVID-19 tests, but they won’t need to take a Day 8 test any more. At the time of writing, Northern Ireland and Wales are expected to announce that they’ll follow this approach, but they haven’t confirmed as much yet. Elsewhere…
And just in case you thought it was all sunshine and roses this week - here's a worrying report from Greenpeace, which finds that airlines are continuing to operate ‘empty flights’ to keep their runway slots during the pandemic - which could add millions of tonnes of pollution to the atmosphere in 2022. |
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READER TRAVEL RECS
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Magnificent Meghalaya |
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Tanya, one of our amazing JFC-ers and Detour readers, gives us her recommendation for an off-the-beaten-track adventure - to Meghalaya, in north-east India. Meghalaya is still relatively under-visited as a state - in 2019, it came in 28th place (out of 36) for foreign travellers. Tanya explains exactly why we’re all missing out: "I went to Meghalaya in 2019 and loved it! Meaning “abode of the clouds”, there is so much natural beauty to see and explore there. You have tropical jungles, forests, lakes, waterfalls, caves and mountains. Lots of activities such as hiking, trekking and water sports. You can see the town with the highest rainfall in the world (Cherrapunji, now known as Sohra). My favourite thing was seeing living root bridges made from trees, coaxed into growing into natural bridges by generations of villagers. A famous example is the “double decker” one in the village of Nongriat, which is only accessible by foot. Lots of wildlife too. Clean air, waterfalls, butterflies and greenery everywhere you go - it was like paradise. The local people are incredibly friendly and hospitable. There are many different tribes who live in this area, which has diverse cultures and a long history. There aren’t many western tourists but the tourism industry is well set up as Indian travellers visit pretty often, and you can easily find a tour guide who speaks English (the official language of the state). Food and accommodation are very reasonable, especially with the conversion rates. I would highly recommend it for an adventurous, active holiday. A huge thank-you to Tanya for the terrific tip! If you've got an off-the-beaten-track destination you'd like to share with your fellow Detour readers, wing an email over to us at [email protected]. |
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IN OTHER NEWS...
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Our Pick of the Clicks |
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All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week
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GLOBAL GRUB
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Hard Luck, Hamburglar |
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This week, McDonalds somehow caused an international outcry after announcing changes to its breakfast menu - although with outlets in over 100 countries around the world, perhaps it’s no genuine surprise that a lot of people have strong opinions about it. That got us thinking: which countries have banned the Big Mac, flung out the McFlurry, and nobbled the McNuggets? We take a look at a few of the nations across the world where you won’t find a Maccy Ds anywhere - and we give you our tips on the best alternative franchises for a bite while you're travelling. Iceland In 2008, during Iceland’s severe economic collapse, it suddenly became too expensive for McDonalds to continue importing ingredients into the country. Their solution was to shut down their restaurants, abandoning ship faster than a Viking leaping out of his longboat for a bit of pillaging. And ever since, the fast-food franchise has been history in Iceland. (Sometimes literally - as Atlas Obscura reports, a 12-year-old, creepily well-preserved Big Mac was displayed for a year in the Museum of Iceland.) For an alternative fast food franchise… After McDonalds left Iceland, the unused buildings were converted into a new, suspiciously-similar locally-sourced burger franchise by the name of ‘Metro’. Metro is still active, but it isn’t particularly well regarded these days by Icelanders as far as we can tell (as a one-star Google review calmly states, “This place is absolute filth, everything tastes of nothing.” Don’t mince your words, Local Guide.) So we’d wander across Reykjavik to queue in front of the beloved Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (which literally translates as ‘the town’s best hot-dogs’ - in fact, according to the Guardian, they’re Europe’s best hot dogs), located close to the cathedral. It’s a small franchise of family-owned Icelandic hot dog stands that has been in operation since 1937. BBP serves lamb sausages in their baps, usually with a mix of ketchup, mustard, onions and remoulade. (Bill Clinton asked for a hot dog with ‘just mustard’ in 2004 and apparently never lived it down.) Walk it off with… A stroll around the nearby Harpa Concert Hall, built to resemble a gigantic block of volcanic basalt, where the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and Icelandic Opera often perform. Jamaica In 2005, all McDonalds franchises across Jamaica were abruptly closed down - an event that upset the US Embassy so much that they cabled home about it. (If you wanted to keep them afloat, you should have ordered more McNuggets, Mr Ambassador.) Truthfully, though, McD’s has always struggled to make much headway in the Caribbean: Barbados, Dominica, Haiti, Grenada, and Saint Lucia are all proudly Big Mac-free. That may be partly down to the arrogance of a fast-food franchise trying to shove its way into a culture with its own proud history of comfort food: after the 2005 shutdown, one columnist in the Jamaica Star argued that the business had failed because McDonalds burgers were just too small and unfilling for Jamaican appetites. (And as Jamaicans.com points out, McDs hasn’t exactly endeared itself recently, with a 2017 attempt at a ‘jerk chicken burger’, which was roundly mocked by Jamaican commentators on Twitter.) For a fast-food alternative… One of Jamaica’s most celebrated and successful home-grown fast-food franchises is Tastee Patties, founded in 1966 by baker Vincent Chang: they offer a variety of local favourites, from saltfish to curries to the famous meat patties themselves. Walk it off afterwards with… A walking tour centred on Kingston’s rich musical history, taking in the Bob Marley Museum and the stunning murals of Water Lane. Montenegro Montenegro is another country where international fast-food franchises have failed to find a footing more generally - there’s no KFC or Burger King anywhere to be found in the beautiful Balkan nation, either (although weirdly, there is a Hard Rock Cafe). Rumours have persisted for years that the Montenegrin government actively bans big international chains from settling in the country to prevent local businesses from losing out. It’s got so bad that Government spokespeople have been forced to put out a public statement, claiming that "no company, not even McDonald's, is 'forbidden' to do business in Montenegro." For a fast-food alternative… When in the Balkans, everyone knows you need to try the palačinke - more like thin fluffy crêpes than thick American-style pancakes - and Školijera remains highly popular amongst Montenegrin locals, with outlets in Budva and Podgorica, serving both crêpes and Greek-style gyros. Walk it off afterwards with… Have a wander around Lipa Cave - a 25 km network of magnificent underground caverns, easily reachable from Budva or Podgorica. Despite being located close to the splendid old royal capital of Cetinje, Lipa somehow went undiscovered until the 19th century, and its mysterious depths have yet to be fully uncovered. (So be ready to run if there’s a Gollum down there.) |
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AND FINALLY...
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You can only save three of these classic chocolate bars. What do you pick? (For the record: Twix, Lion, Toffee Crisp. No, YOU’RE wrong.) |
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Thanks for reading! |
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