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Trends and Concerns

We Live In A More Connected and Yet More Divided World, Than Ever Before “With affordable global air travel, the internet and telecommunications, we are more connected than ever in the history of the world. Yet it seems that as residents of this planet, that we are also far more divided than ever before”. 

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Routes Beyond

Travel & Trends

Beyond A Travel Blog

Routes Beyond offers a selection of travel ideas and destinations that are beyond the routine and explore ‘routes beyond’ the ordinary. One of the principle goals is to understand and learn about the place or the country and its people, being visited. I often find that this is best done by going beyond the crowds to lesser known or explored towns, villages and cities.

Travel highlights many of today’s challenges such as political and social division, popular nationalism, climate change and ‘over’ tourism, to name but a few. There are many examples of such in this web site and careful, informed responsible travel or tourism can be a major force for good. We should come away enriched by our new knowledge and experiences, which helps keep us better informed and aware, as we go about our daily lives.

'Over tourism'

Yogi Berra said “that place is so crowded, folk don’t go there anymore”.  Shortly after World War 2 in 1950, there were about 25 million ‘tourist arrivals’ (Source WTO).  68 years later that figure was 1.4 billion, that is a 56 fold increase!  Back in 1950, 2/3rds of tourists arrived in Europe with practically none going to or within Asia.  Now Europe is still important at about 50% but other continents, especially the Americas and Asia are now significant and growing.

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Cruising. In Crisis?

Cruising.   In Crisis? In the last 2 decades cruising has grown tremendously and is no longer just for the well to do.  All styles and budgets are catered for and the ships just get bigger, becoming theme parks on water and holiday camps for 5000 at a time. It seems fine when they are at sea.  It’s when they dock that the problems begin.

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Our Changing Climate

There is a lot of talk about climate change, nationalism and isolationism in recent years.  Well, bringing these all together, here are my observations of 4 days one week, not so long ago:-

Roar of the engines, nose up, clunk of wheels retracting.  We’d nearly landed in Warsaw,  read on..

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Routes Beyond, Recent Travels & Posts

 

Train Trips

The best way to travel, if possible is by train.  You see the place you are visiting, warts, beauty and all.  Stations are often meeting places, architectural gems, places of history and reflections of the places they serve.  Plus you get to relax and perhaps even meet people whilst you travel.

Best Train Rides Section

In My Opinion

Insights into topics affecting destinations, travel and people.    

Travel Gallery

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So Let’s Take Off!

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