How has tourism changed in the Bay of Naples and what does the future hold?

In the third of our blogs on the Bay of Naples, we turn our attention towards tourism. Italy is one of the top 5 most visited countries in the world and the Bay of Naples has long been a popular destination but what do locals think of tourism and how is the region preparing for the future?

Naples is Italy’s third largest city and one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Bronze Age settlements have been discovered dating back to the second millennium BC and the ancient city was a key seat of power for both the Ancient Greeks and the Romans.

Before becoming part of a unified Italy in the 19th century, the Kingdom of Naples had been under Germanic, Byzantine, Norman, Sicilian, Spanish and French rule and as such is a rich melting pot of cultures. In the 17th century Naples was Europe’s second-largest city (behind Paris) and was a major cultural centre during the Renaissance period. As a result of these myriad influences, Naples’ historic city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its museums house some of Europe’s finest archaeological artefacts and art.

Outside the city lie a vast array of attractions including one of the world’s most famous volcanoes, Mount Vesuvius, the unique preserved ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the staggering beauty of the Amalfi Coast, the upmarket islands of Capri and Ischia and the tranquillity of the Sorrento peninsula. The area boasts a warm, Mediterranean climate and is also home to some of the staples of Italian cuisine, including pizza (originally from Naples) and pasta (from Gragnano, near Pompeii).

The region has long welcomed exclusive guests and was popular with a number of Roman Emperors, one of whom, Tiberius, moved his home to Capri after a visit. Naples was the traditional end point of the ‘Grand Tour’, a popular European trip taken by the British upper classes in the 17th and 18th centuries and Capri has long been a popular hangout for film and pop stars. The introduction of a rail network in the mid-19th century made the region more accessible to people of more limited financial means and kick-started mass tourism. Today, visitors flock from all over the globe to explore the incredible variety, culture and natural beauty of the area.

Tourism is an important part of the economy of Naples and one of its most profitable sectors. It is estimated that hotels alone account for around 4% of the employment in the area. Naples Capodichino airport carried just under 6 million passengers in 2014. Naples sea port is one of the largest passenger ports in Europe handling both domestic and international ferries and cruise ships with an overall passenger capacity of over 1.5 million cruise passengers per annum. Naples Centrale station carries more than 50 million rail passengers per year and is connected to Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and beyond by Italy’s high-speed train network.

However, many of the people I encountered were unsure about the future for tourism in the area, and their own financial security. A key concern voiced were that whilst tourist numbers were up compared to 10 or 15 years ago, the actual income to the area from these tourists had not increased accordingly. This was largely attributed to an increase in mass tourism and the short-term nature of both the type of visits and the region’s long-term plans for growth.

The good news first: tourist numbers are up. The global recession hit tourism hard as people tightened their belts, with passengers numbers at Capodichino airport down almost 9% from 2007 – 2009. Thankfully, as the global economy has recovered, air passenger numbers have increased above pre-recession figures and jumped almost 10% from 2013 to 2014. A host of low cost airlines such as easyJet and Wizz Air have made travel to the city affordable.

The impact of the emerging BRIC economies on tourist numbers is particularly interesting – whilst Russian tourist numbers are down as travellers seek a more upmarket, luxurious experience, passenger numbers from Brazil, India and China are booming with tourists attracted not only by the riches of the area, but their relative spending power against the weakening Euro.

However, more than one person I spoke to referred to the ‘quality’ of tourist now visiting. Low cost flights may have made the area more accessible to all, but an influx of price-aware travellers has meant that people typically stay for less time meaning they spend less money on local resources whilst on holiday. They might stay one or two nights less, meaning lost income for hotels; they might book on packages including meals, meaning local restaurants lose trade; they may decide to join a group tour or go without a guide altogether, meaning guides and taxi drivers lose work.

The changing nature of cruise passengers has been particularly noted. Whereas the high price of cruises traditionally attracted upmarket guests with money to spend, price wars have resulted in cruise ships offering cheap deals to fill beds and instead try to make their money from passengers booking on the shore excursions. As a result, passengers are often more budget-conscious and frugal than previously and eschew some of the more expensive trips in favour of doing it themselves or, in some cases, remaining on board the ship whilst in port.

Cruises have long been a rich source of income, despite their not relying on local hotels, but this avenue has shown signs of decline and has caused concern, particularly with guides. Many guides are self-employed, and make the bulk of their money during the peak season which runs from late March until mid-October. Many guides work six or even seven days a week during the season to ensure they have enough money to last throughout the winter.

But the loss of income from fewer paying tourists is only part of their concern – an equally pressing worry is a potential change to the law which would increase competition from other guides.

In Italy, guides must pass a strict series of exams in order to qualify as a tourist guide in a particular region. The exam tests their detailed knowledge and understanding of the key sites and history, in order that they can provide a good service to their paying customers. Guides take their careers incredibly seriously. Many will conduct additional research and study throughout the off-season in order to develop their knowledge of local history, politics or art to improve the quality of their service. Alternatively, they might chose to learn a new language, since the ability to speak more languages increases the opportunities for work.

However, in line with European law which allows freedom of movement and employment, changes are proposed which would allow any qualified guide from any part of Italy, or anywhere in the European Union, to guide in any region of Italy. Local guides are anxious as they argue that someone from, for example, Spain or Germany will not be able to provide the same standard of service as they will – after all, many of the local guides are born and bred in the area in which they work and are fully qualified to guide in that region. During my week in Italy, Pompeii and Rome were the sites of demonstrations by guides against the changes.

The impacts of tourism extend to individuals not involved in the industry, however, and it was interesting to discuss the thoughts of a few locals. As always, there were positives and negatives.

In Positano, one of the picture-postcard villages clinging to the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, I found that most people were pleased that tourists came to the area as they found it interesting to speak with people from different backgrounds and thought it good for the local economy. However, they bemoaned the traffic on the roads, telling me that many locals park their cars up from March to October, simply because car-parking spaces are at such a premium they fear not being able to find a space if they drive anywhere during the tourist season.

In Vico Equense, a village a few kilometres east of Sorrento, I spoke to people about their experience of traffic. Previously, all vehicles coming to Sorrento from the Bay of Naples travelled through the village’s narrow centre, clogging roads and causing heavy traffic congestion. A new tunnel cut through the mountain behind the village has alleviated this problem and as a result Vico Equense is calmer, quieter and peaceful.

However, the tunnel has also increased the capacity of the main road meaning more vehicles than ever travel towards Sorrento, causing heavier congestion in the morning rush hour. Additionally, less traffic into Vico Equense has impacted on local businesses as fewer visitors has resulted in less income (thankfully the village is a tourist destination in its own right so this has not been a significant impact.)

Many people also raised concerns over the long-term prospects of tourism. One person I spoke to felt that not enough was being done to improve the tourist experience, to develop new sites or to promote reasons for people to visit. Here follows an example of each.

The CircumVesuviana train which runs from Naples round the bay to Sorrento (and has links to inland towns such as Sarno and Baiano), is a key route for tourist and commercial passengers. It is a cheap and regular service, stopping at many of the most visited sites in the bay including Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum, though the trains are ageing and many have been covered in graffiti for years, with no signs of being renovated or replaced. Despite this, it remains a popular form of transport for locals and tourists alike.

During my time in the Campi Flegrei I visited Cumae, and the ruins of an ancient city dating back to Magna Graecia. Dating back to the 8th century BC, it was the site of the first Greek settlement on mainland Italy and the home to the Cumaen Sybil, an ancient oracle well respected by both Greeks and Romans. On top of the site is a temple to Apollo and spectacular views over the ancient town to the south and the sea to the west.

Other than a local Italian school trip, my guide and I were the only people there. When I queried this, I was told that there were limited transport links meaning any potential visitors would either have use public transport – the nearest train station is 2½ miles away – or do as we had done and rent a car. Additionally, the site itself contained few signs in English, or indeed any language other than Italian. Whilst the major attractions such as Pompeii are easily accessible and well-signed, I was told that there was a wealth of other sites equally as valuable and impressive as Cumae which tourists didn’t visit in great numbers, simply due to a lack of planning or infra-structure.

I was struck with how this compared to another ancient site I had visited, the Terracotta Warriors in China. Discovered in a rural area in 1974 when a farmer digging a well unearthed a vast underground chamber, today the highly developed site boasts an extensive complex catering to tourists’ every need including restaurants, gift shops, large parking lots and is linked to the nearby city of Xi’an by a multi-lane highway and regular bus services.

A final example of a lack of planning on a larger, national, scale relates to the forthcoming Milan Expo which is be held from May to October 2015 and will showcase Italy to the world. Stories of the site not being ready in time have circulated for months (although the latest reports suggest that these worries have now been allayed) whilst there have also been reports of corruption in the construction of the site.

However, an indication of the lack of strategic planning was evident at a recent international tourism fair in Berlin. Whilst Italy had a large presence with each of the regions represented, I’m told there was exceptionally little, if anything, focussing on the Milan Expo, despite this 6 month event being one of the major events in the global calendar for 2015 and likely to attract around 20 million visitors to Italy from over 140 countries. What a missed opportunity!

It was clear to me that many people felt strongly that tourists came to the area in spite of, not because of, any tourist development plan, simply because they didn’t believe that there was one – at a local, regional or national level. Many attempts to develop new areas of interest were generally abandoned due to a lack of interest or support from those integral to their success. For example, I was told of one hotelier who refused to work with tourists because he felt that it was easier to focus on business travellers and conferences. His logic was that as businessmen were working, and not ultimately paying for the room themselves, they wouldn’t expect the same standards as tourists and would also be less likely to complain.

Encouragingly though, there were signs of change, albeit on a small scale for now. A number of independent operators are emerging offering a variety of new attractions, excursions and experiences. I met with two young men who were working hard to develop a business offering alternative sight-seeing trips round Naples by bicycle, inspired simply by their passion for cycling and pride in their home city. A number of other activities are emerging, with a range of privately-owned local farms and vineyards opening their doors to attract visitors – more on this in the next blog.

Quite what the future holds for those working in tourism in the area is unclear. The region and the people of Naples are extremely lucky to have been blessed with such a rich variety of attractions which bring high volumes of tourists to them and that is unlikely to change for now. Their great opportunity lies in how they respond to the current challenges in enhancing the visitor experience, encouraging tourists to stay longer and, ultimately, to spend more money.

In the final blog about the Bay of Naples region, we focus on agriculture – why do people farm in this area, what do they grow and what is the quality of produce like compared to other areas?

How is Vesuvius monitored for activity and what emergency plans are in place?

In the second of our of blogs on life in the Bay of Naples, we look at how Vesuvius is monitored for signs of activity and what would happen if it were to erupt.

Vesuvius is the most monitored volcano in the world, which is hardly surprising when you consider that there are around 3 million people living within 20 miles (32km) of the crater. Due to the close proximity of such a large population, it is widely considered to be the most dangerous volcano on the planet.

There is currently no smoke or lava being produced, though when I visited the crater rim I could clearly see small fumaroles emitting steam produced by the heat inside the rocks causing rainwater and the remains of the winter snow to evaporate. The threat of a significant event is ever-present however, and the authorities conduct thorough monitoring of the activity around Vesuvius as well as drawing up an emergency response plan should a major eruption occur.

The monitoring of Vesuvius is widespread and takes many forms. Sensors and instruments on the volcano itself detect seismic activity and gas emissions whilst satellite imagery is also used. The volcano is constantly monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from the observatory on the volcano itself, whilst there are also remote locations which can provide full assistance in the event of a major incident requiring evacuation of the on-site observatory. It used to be possible to visit the observatory, but it has been closed since early 2014 for renovation – there is currently no news on its re-opening.

The emergency response plan has several stages. The first stage, having identified an immediate threat, is to evacuate all residents of the ‘red zone’. This is an area of approximately 200km² around the crater which would bear the brunt of any eruption – around 18 small towns and villages lie in the red zone, with a combined population of around 600,000 people. A complete evacuation is expected to take around 72 hours.

The second phase involves the evacuations of residents from the ‘yellow zone’ if there was a danger to them from the gas and ash emitted by the eruption. The yellow zone is much larger and comprises the regions of Naples, Salerno, Avellino and Benevento and an additional population of around 2.5 million people. There is also a plan for an area designated the ’blue zone’, a small region which falls within the yellow zone but is at an increased risk of flooding.

An evacuation would be ordered following early signs of a major eruption. Each of the 18 regions in the red zone has been twinned with a region of Italy to which their residents would relocate – for example, residents of Pompeii would be moved to and accommodated in the region of Liguria in Italy’s north.

However, many experts have condemned the plan as undeliverable and inadequate. For starters, they say that the plan is based on a repeat of the 1631 sub-Plinian eruption of Vesuvius which followed a series of smaller events in the days and weeks prior to the main event. This would allow the authorities time to monitor the increasing activity and prepare for an evacuation before sounding the alarm. Yet the 79AD eruption which devastated Pompeii was a sudden Plinian eruption and a repeat of this type of explosive eruption would render the plan useless.

Evidence from the 79AD suggests that the eruption occurred without warning. The lava flow swept down the volcano’s slopes at over 100 miles per hour, destroying everything in its path and leaving people unable to flee. Unfortunately, the lava flows aren’t the biggest threat as experts have likened a large-scale Plinian eruption to that of a bomb bigger than the most powerful nuclear weapon being detonated. The effects of this will be a wave of intense heat burning everything in its path, smoke and hot ash being ejected miles into the atmosphere and rocks being flung up to 12 miles away and the creation of a small tsunami in the Bay of Naples.

Even if the authorities are given fair warning, local residents are unlikely to be well-prepared. The authorities don’t promote or widely distribute information on safety or the evacuation plan and generally, people haven’t prepared by doing simple things such as packing an emergency bag or planning alternative evacuation routes to safety.

Volcano (or earthquake) safety isn’t even taught in schools – compare this to somewhere like Japan, where even the smallest of children know to seek shelter under a doorway or table in the event of an earthquake. One person I spoke to said that in the 20 years she’d lived in the area there had been just one practice evacuation held at a local school and that the local emergency services had all been present and ready at the beginning of the simulation – highly unlikely in the actual event!

The same person had been on a local train some years previously, which had stopped due to an electrical fault. After a lengthy delay the doors were opened and instructions given for people to make their way off the train in a calm and orderly manner. Instead she described to me a scene of utter chaos as passengers frantically shoved and pushed each other out of the way as they all scrambled to try and be first out, leaving the less mobile or strong people behind to fend for themselves. Her concern is that in the event of an eruption the residents, unprepared or trained for what to do, would simply panic.

As discussed in our first blog, many people have built illegally in the red zone. Unfortunately, rather than act to remove them by law, the government imposed a series of ‘fines’ for those who had built without the necessary permits but allowed them to remain. This created a situation whereby there are large populations living in the most dangerous areas of the volcano, in houses which are often not built to the usual standards and therefore are at greater risk of collapse in the event of even low-level seismic or volcanic activity.

To further compound the issue, the roads within the red zone are largely rural – steep, narrow, twisty roads linking small villages and farms – and unfit for the purpose of allowing 600,000 people to flee quickly. Emergency services trying to provide support would be stranded on the same congested roads as the fleeing population.

In the face of pressure from volcanologists, in 1995 the Italian government created the National Park of Vesuvius to increase restrictions in developments within the park boundary, whilst in the early 21^st century the government introduced an offer of funding of around €30,000 to actively encourage people to move away. However, despite their best attempts they have had relatively little impact – €30,000 is not a lot of money with which to buy a new home and, despite the National Park restrictions, new buildings continue to be erected in the red zone.

This short-sighted planning is not unique to Vesuvius. I spoke to a teacher who lives in the town of Sarno, on the south-eastern side of Vesuvius. The Bourbons, who ruled the Kingdom of Naples in the 18^th century, recognised the threat of potential flooding caused by sudden downpours of rain onto the mountains behind the town. They built a series of underground canals and reservoirs to provide protection and conducted surveys which recommended avoiding building in certain areas. Over time these surveys were forgotten about and the town spread over a larger area, resulting in many of the old canals and reservoirs being filled in, blocked or built over.

Sadly, in 1998 Sarno was hit by several large mudslides which partially destroyed the town and killed 137 people. Interestingly, none of the original Bourbon buildings in the old town had been affected whilst there was widespread damage in the areas which they had warned against developing. However, as part of the major re-construction which has taken place in the intervening years, many people have again ignored the advice of the Bourbons, and the lessons of 1998, and re-built their homes in the same high-risk areas.

It seems, much like the locals’ attitude towards life in general, the authorities are focussing more on quick-fix solutions than the long-term implications. However, would having a much more sustainable approach to building in the red zone and devising a more robust emergency response plan, accompanied by the necessary training and provision of public information, actually offer any more support and safety to the local population? The evidence suggests perhaps not.

We know that Vesuvius is overdue a large eruption. This may happen tomorrow or it may not happen for another 100 years or more, but the consensus of opinion suggests that that there will be a ‘big one’ soon. But what will the likely effects of a big eruption be?

To provide some context to how ‘big’ a big eruption might be, the Eyjafjallajokull eruption which seriously affected European air traffic in 2010 was rated as a scale 4 eruption on the logarithmic Volcanic Explosion Index (VEI). The 79AD eruption of Vesuvius was a scale 5 eruption, making it 10 times as powerful.

We know that the smoke and ash from a big eruption will be ejected high into the atmosphere, where it is extremely likely to cause significant interference to weather patterns across Europe and widespread disruption to global air transportation.

(There is historic evidence of scale 6+ volcanic eruptions causing global changes: the sheer volume of ash and smoke causes skies to darken, resulting in lower global temperatures as a result of less sunlight reaching the earth. This has been known to affect harvest and even prompt mass migration of people.)

Whether or not there are early warning signs enabling the evacuation plan to be put into place, a major eruption of Vesuvius will lead to a large loss of life and the creation of a great number of refugees, with estimates ranging from tens of thousands to millions, depending on the severity of the event.

A final – and not insignificant question – regards the authorities’ decision-making process in ordering an evacuation. As previously discussed, a speedy evacuation as a response to an immediate threat would be impossible. But, even given warning of an imminent threat from the volcano, they still face a very difficult decision. Evacuating the area too soon based on a risk that doesn’t materialise would devastate the local economy and communities, whilst delaying too long would put the lives of hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people at risk.

 

In the next of our blogs about the Bay of Naples region, we focus on tourism – how has it changed over the years, what are the impacts on the locals and what does the future hold?

What do people who live near Vesuvius think of the volcano?

In the first of a series of blogs on life in the Bay of Naples, Discover the World Education’s Product Manager Nick tackles your most pressing concern – what do people think about living next to a large volcano, and why do they do it?

Prior to my recent trip to the Bay of Naples, we invited geography teachers and students to send in questions that you’d like answering about life in the region. Over 80% of the questions we received centred on the threat of eruption from Vesuvius and what the local communities thought of living in such a dangerous environment.

In the UK we occasionally experience minor earthquakes and many people remember the inconvenience of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption of 2010 stopping flights and leaving a thin layer of ash on cars. In contrast, approximately 10% of the world’s population live close enough to a volcano to be directly affected by an eruption. However, we are under no serious threat from volcanic activity so it’s perhaps unsurprising that we are so curious about why people choose to live near to volcanoes.

Approximately 3 million people live within 20 miles of Vesuvius’ crater. The volcano is currently dormant and has been since 1944 when a five day long eruption partially destroyed a couple of small villages on the western slopes of the volcano and emitted smoke and gas high into the atmosphere.

Most people I spoke to fell into two camps. Some didn’t think about the danger, preferring ignorance instead. Others were aware of the danger but accepted that there was little that they could do to prevent or control its activity and therefore chose to concentrate their energy on other aspects of their lives such as family or work, rather than worrying about the volcano. A few people were in denial, insisting that they didn’t live close enough to be in danger, or that the volcano wouldn’t erupt anyway...

Whilst every person I spoke to didn’t worry about the threat of an eruption, many of them were surprised that I had asked them about it – to them, living near Vesuvius was completely normal, in much the same way that driving on the other side of the road or speaking another language is completely normal and familiar to them but very unusual to us Brits.

I found this idea fascinating, but somewhat familiar. One of the things people often talk to me about when I’m abroad and they learn where I’m from is the rain and how wet Britain is. Once I appreciated that living near a volcano was as normal for Neapolitans (people from Naples) as living in a rainy country is for us, I was able to understand their relaxed attitudes a little more easily.

However, I couldn’t comprehend quite how cavalier some people were towards the threat from the volcano. We live in a rainy country and there’s nothing we can do to change that but we have learned to minimise its impact – people check the weather forecast before going out and we dress appropriately in case it does rain whilst we are out. Anyone who has been caught out in the rain without a coat or umbrella usually doesn’t forget one again in a hurry!

I would have thought that a similar approach would be followed around Vesuvius – the people can’t control the volcano, but would stick to living in towns and cities away from the volcano and in houses built to withstand the minor tremors and earthquakes associated with a large eruption. However, this is far from the truth.

Around 600,000 people (20% of the local population) live in the ‘red zone’, an area around the volcano with a radius of approximately 5 miles which would take the most impact in the event of a major eruption. Much of the accommodation in this area has been built without planning permission and doesn’t have the structural integrity to provide much, if any, protection to residents. In the event of a sudden big eruption, the majority of people living in the red zone would stand little chance of survival.

So what compels people to live in this way? Again, the common answers were that it’s normal. Many people were born in the towns and villages in the red zone and don’t want to leave, others may have been left land or property by elder relatives and found it cheaper to live in the area then sell up and leave.

Another key reason is that the volcano is a major source of income to the area. Pompeii is a big honeypot site though there are others and a high volume of visitors requires hotels and restaurants – locals are more than happy to build additional facilities to secure an income from tourists, even if it means building deep in the red zone. Whilst building closer to the crater might mean more potential danger, it also means the property is elevated further above the plains and offers better views across the entire Bay, from Naples to Sorrento.

The land around Vesuvius is also incredibly fertile and is home to acres of greenhouses and farms. Local tomatoes are amongst the finest in Italy whilst the area is also famed for its citrus fruits and wine, particularly the Lacryma Christi (Tears of Christ) which is produced from grapes grown only on the slopes of Vesuvius and is perhaps the closest equivalent to the wine drunk by Ancient Romans.

By now it’s evident that locals really don’t worry about the dangers of living next to a volcano. But during my trip I spent a couple of days with Paolo, a local guide born and bred just outside Naples, and on our travels I learned that the volcano is not just vitally important to the area’s geography and economy, but is instrumental to its culture.

The Romans captured the city of Naples from the Greeks and, attracted by the fertile volcanic land and many thermal pools, quickly developed the region, building towns, cities, roads and aqueducts. The main port of Rome was situated a few miles west of Naples, as was the empire’s largest naval base, whilst the emperors Tiberius and Claudius both spent time living in the area.

The legacy of the Roman era around Naples is vast. Pompeii is the best known relic but nearby Pozzuoli features the third largest Roman amphitheatre in Italy and - thanks to a series of bradyseismic events in the early 1980s which raised previously sunken land from below sea level - an ancient Roman marketplace.

The Romans were also responsible for the execution of San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples. Having unsuccessfully failed to kill him by fire and by lions in the arena, the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered him to be beheaded. Locals wrapped his body and head in cloths and soaked up his spilt blood, placing it into two glass ampules. Years later the ampules of blood were carried to the catacombs of Naples and, legend has it, liquefied en route when brought close to the remains of his body.

The vials of San Gennaro’s dried blood are kept in the Cathedral and an annual procession takes place where they are carried across the city – thousands flock to witness his blood liquefy once more, as local superstition says that this event will ensure San Gennaro will protect the city for another year. The last time the miracle did not occur was 1980, the same year an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale killed almost 3,000 people in towns in the Naples area. The previous occasion? 1944.

Whist we have a much better understanding of volcanoes in modern times, many local superstitions and traditions date back centuries when people lived in fear of the wrath of the gods – Neapolitans remain religious and superstitious people.

Naples is also a city of great community. Unusually, the very rich and very poor live close to one another rather than in separate neighbourhoods whilst the narrow, busy streets mean privacy can be a luxury, but this has fostered a close-knit community amongst the residents. A practice which has become common in many cities in recent times started in Naples as the caffe sospeso (literally ‘suspended coffee’) whereby a person would buy two coffees – one for themselves, and one to be kept behind the bar for someone who could not afford one to enjoy later. This gesture is typical of Naples and the people’s innate feeling of responsibility towards their fellow man. Neapolitans are also famously vicarious people, living fun-filled and enjoyable lives and epitomising the Roman saying ‘carpe diem’ or ‘seize the day’.

Paolo explained that each of these traits – the superstitions and religious practices offering protection from danger, the sense of looking after one’s neighbours and the idea of living each day as if it could be your last – were born from the proximity of Vesuvius to the city and the inhabitants and that he feels it’s almost impossible to talk about Neapolitan culture without considering the influence of the volcano.

However, perhaps of most interest to me when speaking about the dangers of living in the area was that every person I encountered referred to Vesuvius as the threat, rather than the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields), a vast volcanic complex including Solfatara situated to the west of the city, but closer to Naples than Vesuvius. This entire region is a supervolcano, much like Yellowstone in USA or Taupo in New Zealand, and an eruption here would dwarf that of Vesuvius in 79AD.

The Vesuvian eruption buried nearby Pompeii under approximately 5m of ash, and Herculaneum under around 20m. In contrast, the last major eruption from Campi Flegrei, approximately 12,000 years ago, changed the landscape of the Sorrento peninsula located 20 miles (32km) across the bay.

Originally both the north and south coasts of the Sorrento peninsula were formed of craggy limestone cliffs, as can still be seen today on the Amalfi Coast, the peninsula's south side. However, the Campi Flegrei eruption ejected such a high volume of volcanic ash and pumice that, as it drifted on the prevailing winds, it settled in the folds of the north coast’s cliffs.

Over time the volcanic material hardened and cooled, forming a great plateau of tufa, the flat volcanic bedrock on which Sorrento town now sits. As it cooled, it contracted and cracked, creating vast crevices in the rock, such as the one which runs from south to north underneath Piazza Tasso and down to Sorrento harbour. These have since been widened by water flowing from the mountains behind the town.

Whilst a Vesuvian eruption akin to that of 79AD which destroyed Pompeii would be devastating to the local area, a major eruption from Campi Flegrei would likely remove Naples from the map and have far-reaching consequences across Europe and, possibly, globally.

Perhaps the Neapolitan attitude is right, after all - sometimes ignorance is bliss.

 

In the second of our blogs on life in the Bay of Naples, we look at the Volcano Monitoring and Evacuation Plan.

Azores - leading the world in sustainable tourism

The Azores have become the first ever destination to be awarded the Quality Coast Platinum Award, retaining their title as the world’s number 1 sustainable tourism destination.

Since joining the largest international certification programme for sustainable tourism destinations, Quality Coast, in 2009 the Azores had received four consecutive Gold Awards, thrusting it to the forefront of the sustainable tourism field and culminating in being named the world’s No.1 sustainable tourism destination for 2013-2014. However, the islands have gone one better for 2014-15 in becoming the first recipients of Quality Coast’s highest possible honour, the Platinum Award.

An international panel of coastal and marine management experts examined the islands across a wide range of criteria including nature, marine life and coastal areas, landscape, clean water, blue flags, culture, hotels, environment, socio-economic factors and identity/ community in reaching a unanimous decision to recognise the islands with the Platinum Award. 

The archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean and is renowned for its volcanic features including craters, beautiful lakes, mountain vistas, cones and domes, caverns, grottoes and thermal springs plus its stunning sea, phenomenal biodiversity and huge variety of marine life.

Less than 5% of the islands' landmass is taken by urban areas and such low levels of development help define the Azores. Its main industries include agriculture, dairy farming, livestock ranching, fishing and tourism, which is becoming a major service activity, whilst around 28% of the islands’ energy currently comes from renewable sources (the target is 75% by 2018).

The islands are autonomous and the local government has been proactive in promoting the sustainability of the islands via a strong focus on the environment throughout the educational system and by introducing a number of regulations and protected areas within the region, including an ’eco school’, and a variety of natural heritage sites and protected marine life, some of which are UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. 

The Azores were certified as a UNESCO European Geopark in 2013.

To find out more about the study, visit www.qualitycoast.info

To find out more about educational programmes in the Azores, visit www.discover-education.co.uk/study-trips/azores 

The Azores - a teacher's eye view

Head of Geography and keen volcanologist Paul Berry joined Discover the World's pioneering Teacher Focus Trip to the Azores in April 2014. Read his trip report, first published on his own blog.

During the Easter holiday, I was given the opportunity to join a teacher focus group to visit the Azores. The trip was organised by ‘Discover the World’, a tour company who specialise in taking school parties to exciting locations. They are already a market-leader in school trips to Iceland, and were keen to investigate the possibilities of expanding their portfolio, and offering trips to this Atlantic archipelago.
Before departing for the Azores, I was surprised how little was known about the islands by my friends and colleagues – and more strikingly, by fellow geographers. I managed to find time to carry out some research before my visit, but this did not prepare me for the stunning landscapes and distinctive atmosphere of the islands I was about to visit.

The Azores may not have the same breath-taking unique sights as Iceland – but it has a character of its own, and plenty to offer in terms of landscape ‘wow’ factor. The natural environment of the Azores is well protected and respected, and remains at present unspoilt by excessive tourist development.
It is difficult to imagine that this destination will remain under the radar of holiday-makers and school visits for much longer. With its direct flights, short flight time (less than 4 hours), similar time zone (minus one hour GMT), and relatively low domestic costs compared with northern Europe, the Azores has a head-start on many other locations.
The Azores consist of a chain of nine islands, and although the underlying theme of stunning volcanic landscapes makes this a very special destination, each island has its own characteristics and identity. It is therefore easy to understand why ‘Discover the World’ has recognised the rich potential of the Azores, and is keen to pioneer the development of this destination for school visits.
It seems likely that any study-based trips would be best aimed at either key stage four or key stage five students. An exciting programme could also be provided for key stage three students, but a number of activities included in the sample itineraries demand a degree of physical challenge, and any students from this age-range would need to be carefully selected.
It would not really be practical to visit all of the islands on a school trip, but clusters of the islands are close enough to each other to make it possible to include three or perhaps even four islands in a week- long trip. During the focus group trip, we were able to explore three of the islands – Sao Miguel, Pico, and Faial.

The flight from London Gatwick brings the visitor direct to the largest island in the archipelago, Sao Miguel. The main settlement of Ponta Delgada provides a mix of traditional and more modern architecture, and as it is the largest settlement in the archipelago, it has something of an ‘urban’ feel to it. We did not have much of an opportunity to explore the town, but a visit to the nearby Gruta da Carvao lava tube is worthy of a mention.
The highlight of our time on Sao Miguel was undoubtedly our visit to Sete Cidades (‘Seven Cities’) on day two, which certainly delivered some ‘awe and wonder’ right at the beginning of the trip. With a theme of ‘volcanoes’ for the day, a visit to the Vista do Rei viewpoint provides a unique opportunity to observe a large intact caldera and gain a clear understanding of how this special landscape has been created. Many calderas in other parts of the world are either too large for youngsters to appreciate, or have a broken caldera wall which disrupts not only the overview, but also the understanding of what is seen before them. From the viewpoint, students can begin an exciting journey that takes them into a volcano, dropping down to the caldera floor and the lakes contained within. Local legend links these impressive water features to two lovers – a shepherd boy and a Princess – who were forbidden by the King from seeing each other after their love was discovered. Upon this separation, the green-eyed shepherd’s tears fell to create the green lake, while the blue-eyed Princess’ crying formed the blue lake. The village on the lakeside provides a quiet and safe environment for students to roam with a degree of independence, and potentially address enquiry-based questions on tourism or industrial location (through the new EU funded work units). This location also offers excellent opportunities for challenging physical activities on or around the lakes. We were given a taste of these, trying our hands at canoeing on the lakes as well as a cycle along a lakeside mountain bike trail.
The next day on Sao Miguel gave us the chance to visit the area of Furnas to examine themes of ‘sustainable geo-tourism’ and ‘sustainable farming’. A short walk alongside Lagoa dos Furnas took us to the modern and well-equipped interpretation centre. Here, enthusiastic staff delivered an introduction and audio visual presentation before outlining a variety of themes that could be examined by students through pre-prepared enquiry activities. Topics such as tourism, eutrophication of freshwater environments, freshwater flora and fauna, vegetation sampling or sustainable land use and dairy farming can all be studied in this area.
Just a short walk from the centre it is possible to see ‘cozido’ lunches being prepared – by burying meals of meat and vegetables in the thermally-active sand, and allowing it to cook over a period of a few hours. Tastes good!
We were also able to visit the nearby Terra Nostra Gardens to bathe in the iron-stained thermal baths which became known to Iceland veterans as the ‘brown lagoon’! Later we also visited the Caldeira Velha site, where a similar thermal bath experience was offered. Another brief excursion took us to a working tea plantation.
There are many locations on the island of Sao Miguel that lend themselves to the study of ‘sustainable energy’. A number of geo-thermal power stations such as the Central Geotermica de Pico Vermelho provide guided visits, and it is also possible to visit to a working HEP station for comparison.
A dramatic and easily accessible coastline free from tacky tourist development on Sao Miguel provides potential for coastal geography studies. Our group visited Ferraria, where we were able to enjoy close-up views of some impressive coastal geology and landforms – including arches, stacks and blow-holes. While I leant against boulders to photograph these, the sea pounded the volcanic rocks beneath me, causing the whole cliffline to vibrate.

After a couple of days on the main island, we took a short, 45 minute, early morning flight to the second island destination of Pico. Here, we were able to make an ascent of the classic strato-volcano that forms the core of the island, and gives the island its name. This proved to be a physically demanding trek needing a full eight hours, but had as its reward stunning views from the summit. This would undoubtedly be a special highlight and achievement for students. It might be necessary to select students for this activity, depending on their physical and mental fitness. If not all trip members are capable of attempting the ascent of Pico, an alternative physical challenge – probably an extended trek – could be arranged.
Also on the island of Pico is the World Heritage site of the Criacao Velha vineyards, where vines are cultivated between shelter walls of basalt rock, forming a unique man-made landscape. In addition, the Gruta dos Torres lava tube provides a far superior experience to the one at Ponta Delgada. Thought to be one of the largest lava tubes in the world, this subterranean landscape has been kept very much in its natural state with few concessions to visitors like concrete walkways and lighting. A guided walk by torchlight revealed vast caverns, collapsed lava benches, pahoe-hoe and aa lavas, and lava ‘stalactites’, that had the appearance of melting chocolate.

To explore the third island on our tour, we took a 30 minute ferry journey from the town of Madalena on Pico to the island of Faial. The short ferry trip really helps to emphasise a sense of adventure for students, and also makes clear the physical division between the different islands they are scheduled to visit. Faial is a choice location for a whale-watching trip – although the same service is advertised from Sao Miguel. The surrounding waters here provide far more reliable sightings than other locations around the world. It is also possible to include a visit to the whaling museum at Porta Pim (preferably before the whale watching trip) to discover some of the history that helped to make the Azores famous. The attractive main settlement of Horta provides opportunities for town-based studies or a tourism enquiry based around the marina and port area.
There is an opportunity for another (less strenuous) physical challenge on Faial, a trek with an underlying theme of volcanism. After a short trip by coach to the viewpoint at the main caldera on Faial, a group can be then moved on to a convenient start point on the ‘10 volcanoes trail’ where it can follow a geological transect to the Capelinhos Visitors Centre. The final part of this trek takes you across volcanic ash fields that mark the recent 1957 eruption that created this peninsula and literally extended the island into the sea. Lava bombs litter the sides of the trail, and surface water has carved crazy patterns in the soft ash and pumice. The Centre itself has won a number of European awards, and a generous amount of time is needed there to explore the variety of photographic and video displays. These explain not only the creation of the Capelinhos peninsula, but also cover the subjects of volcanism and plate tectonics in an interesting and lively way.
It is also possible to visit the Botanical Gardens on Faial, where a lot of work has been done to protect native species through the creation of seed banks and reintroduction programmes. Enthusiastic staff are on hand to provide excellent information about the endemic plants of the island, as well as the invasive plants that have become such a threat. Some background knowledge of plant succession gained here proved invaluable on our walk to help us understand the way in which the island’s plants have responded to the creation of the ‘new’ land of the Capelinhos peninsula.

Accommodation during our trip was based in local Pousadas, or youth hostels. These were similar in standard to UK youth hostels, and perfectly adequate for adults, but would need some modifications for use by school parties. The Pico hostel is particularly suitable for group visits, the layout of the rooms being ideal for school groups, and with generous living spaces that could be adopted for group use.
‘Discover the World’ are currently offering a short itinerary that explores just the largest island of Sao Miguel, and a longer trip (that would be my preference) to combine time on the islands of Sao Miguel, Pico and Faial. However, they are entirely flexible with their programmes, and will adjust itineraries to match any desired combination of islands, as well as any particular study theme. This could range from a general ‘look and see’ travel experience to a subject or theme based study trip, with work activities provided. The company has an outstanding reputation in the area of education travel, and its trips to Iceland and Morocco are especially popular. They are now applying their experience to offer this new and exciting destination, and I would highly recommend it be considered for your own next school adventure.
Sustainability may well be a ‘unique selling point’ theme for a school trip to the Azores. Students could then have a key question as a recurring reference, for example: ‘Is the future of the Azores sustainable?’ or perhaps: ‘Where will sustainable development take the Azores in 50 years time?’ Alternatively, a theme could be adopted to act as a specific focus for each day, or it might also be possible on multi-island itineraries to attach a particular theme to each island, in order to emphasise the individuality and distinctiveness of the different island locations. For example, Sao Miguel could have a theme (perhaps with a key question) of ‘sustainable energy’, Faial could have a theme of ‘volcanic landscapes’, and Pico’s theme could be ‘geo-tourism’.

Due to the changeable weather, it is difficult to predict the best time to visit the Azores. A trip could certainly be planned in the calendar between May and October half terms, but a July trip is likely to provide the better weather, better whale watching, and higher visitor numbers for data collection.

Photos from the focus group visit can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/65430715@N07/sets/72157645429946501/

Post Script: There is also a new resource bank being created by ‘Discover the World’ in conjunction with the Geographical Association at: http://www.discover-geography.co.uk
This will provide quality teaching aids for the Azores as well as other locations, along with tips on planning overseas fieldwork. The site is currently under contruction (it's now live - Ed) with resources being updated in the next few months and it is free to register – well worth checking out!

 

Paul Berry is a Head of Geography and Assistant Vice-Principal who has run residential field trips for over 30 years. He has worked with the Geographical Association as a curriculum advisor and teacher consultant, and is passionate about volcanoes. He has travelled extensively having visited all seven continents and is a keen blogger and active on social media. The views published are Paul's own; this article first appeared on his own blog.

Read Paul's blog at http://devongeography.wordpress.com/ or follow him on Twitter

Geography field trips designed for teachers, by teachers

Discover the World’s Nick and Jan accompanied 12 teachers and a consultant from the Geography Association to Norway in October, on a first-of-its-kind focus group trip.

The basic premise for Discover the World’s first ever focus group trip was to take a group of experienced geography teachers to one of our destinations in order to show them the wide variety of scenery, activities and excursions available which might be of interest on a geography field trip, then collate their feedback via a series of focus groups to help us better plan our programme and itinerary. After all, who better to tell us what a geography teacher looks for in a school field trip than a geography teacher? Well, maybe a dozen or more of them.

So it was with slight trepidation that I made my way to Heathrow airport at 4.00am to meet my companions to travel to Norway’s Hardangerfjord region. I’ve hosted group tours, been up before dawn more times than is probably good for my health and was thoroughly excited about visiting some of Europe’s most fabulous scenery during the week, but the thought of standing in front of 13 teachers to run a series of focus groups during the tour kept creeping into my mind and made me feel a bit like a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, about to perform to the panel of expert professionals.
My concern was ill-founded, as I learned midway through the first evening session when trying to get the various groups to wrap up their discussions so we could move on and not over-shoot our schedule. “Don’t worry about the time,” I was told. “All we’ll be doing when the session stops is going next door and talking about this stuff anyway – geography teachers love talking about geography!” And so it proved, as we witnessed keen ‘geographising’ at all times of the day and night.

The success of the trip depended on the quality and quantity of feedback we received from the group, and we returned overwhelmed with knowledge, tips, advice and opinions on all manner of aspects of the trips. If we learned anything during the week, it was that every teacher, school and group has their own unique needs and requirements from a tour.
Over the course of the week we visited a host of sites, met some truly wonderful people and saw some of the most spectacular scenery any of us had seen – no small boast when comparing the extensive and varied travel CVs on offer.

I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the 13 brave souls who gave up their much-needed half-term to join Discover the World on a pioneering trip to Hardangerfjord – I know they all thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but more importantly the legacy of the time and effort they contributed will help us to provide schools with ever-improving programmes of study and teaching resources to inspire the next generation of geographers.

We’re currently working on our next focus trip destination – if you fancy the prospect of joining us in the field next year as a Discover the World advisor, it’s not too late to submit your application.
Meanwhile, we’ll be implementing some of the recommendations and ideas into our Norway itineraries over the winter, whilst we are working closely with the GA to launch our range of teaching resources sometime in Spring 2014. Keep your eyes on our homepage or enewsletter for updates.

Teacher Testimonials

I had never been to Norway before but remember being told in GCSE geography how fjords were created, so to finally go and see the landforms first hand was amazing. The trip with Discover the World gave us an excellent overview of Norway and the possibilities that it could offer to our geography  studies, both at GCSE & A Level, and to a lesser extent Key Stage 3.  
We began our tour in the tourist city of Bergen. Bergen could offer many opportunities for geography studies, in particular the impact that tourism has had on the city, and influenced the development of Bergen.  
The Norway in a Nutshell tour involved a cruise along a fjord, and then another train along the Flam railway, described quite rightly as one of the most beautiful railways in the world, even in October! The cruise was a dream as a geography teacher, as glacial features were aplenty: hanging valleys, truncated spurs and U-shaped valleys to name a few. Students would be in awe of the landscape, and there is plenty to field sketch and annotate.
Energy plays an important role in GCSE and A Level specifications as well as our day-to-day lives, so to be able to visit a HEP plant deep inside a mountain was amazing. The Sima Power Plant is well worth a visit, with the visitor centre offering an excellent video that explains the role of the company within the local community as well as the theory behind HEP power, and the tour inside the HEP plant where you can see and hear the generators in action was most impressive.
Overall I was very impressed with Norway as a study destination for GCSE and A Level geography, and can’t wait to organise a study group there in the very near future.
Paul Hunt
GA consultant

Discover the World put together an excellent itinerary which was varied and interesting. The trip ran exceptionally smoothly and packed a lot into a short space of time.
Michael Salisbury

My focus group experience was a lot of fun. The trip was well organised, the company was excellent and we had a wonderful time geographising our way around the Hardangerfjord region.
Jill Judd

Jan and Nick took wonderful care of us and I would highly recommend submersing yourself back into the world of real geography by getting to experience first-hand another wonderful destination.
Michelle Dolan

Discover The World are an educational travel company that offer high quality field trips to unique destinations around the world. They place great value on inspiring and developing student’s knowledge of the world through individually designed itineraries specific to the needs of the group.
Karen Southall

Going to Norway with Discover the World was a fantastic experience. Not only was the scenery spectacular, but the people were friendly and the food unexpectedly great. I feel this would be a great place for a school trip, not only for the geographical beauty but also care and respect the people show for your every need.
Tom Charman

Natural beauty at its best. We experienced awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping scenery – mountains, waterfalls, fjords, glaciers and jumping fish! Geography heaven!
Liz Wharton

Wildlife watching and white-water rafting in Costa Rica with Discover the World

Megan tells us about her once-in-a-lifetime experience with a Discover the World group in Costa Rica

Following my recent trip to Costa Rica it’s very hard to tell you everything I loved about it. I was there for just over two weeks and so I saw so many awe inspiring sights during my time there. I could quite easily go through every single highlight of my trip however you would be reading for a really long time.

Costa Rica – its name translates into “Rich Coast” This isn’t actually an indication of their economic position; it is in fact to do with the richness of the land. Costa Rica is filled with greenery; during my time there I didn’t see one bare area. You are surrounded by rainforests, cloud forests and lush greenery wherever you go. This in turn offers the perfect home for an array of wildlife. During my time there I was lucky enough to see rare birds, frogs and mammals. Costa Rica gave me my very first encounter of a Sloth, a medium sized mammal that lives in the top of the trees. They are very slow moving and although Costa Rica is home to many sloths they are quite difficult to spot. We were extremely lucky to see three wild sloths whilst we were exploring the rainforests. This was a major highlight for me. We were also given the opportunity to visit the Sloth Sanctuary on the Caribbean Coast. This is the only sloth sanctuary in the world. This gave us an opportunity to see the creatures up close and learn about the troubles they encounter when trying to move around the rainforest. It was such a unique experience and one I will certainly not forget.

Costa Rica offers so many opportunities for the adrenaline junkies out there. You can take part in anything from zip-lining to kayaking, and even Tarzan swings. We decided to white-water raft into our overnight camp on one of the days. This was such an amazing experience. Before you get started you are given a safety talk. You are also taught all of the commands you need to know... it turns out white-water rafting is quite a skill and takes a lot of concentration. Before we departed I noted everyone’s faces were slightly pale and everyone seemed a little bit anxious (me included) but as soon as we set off and hit our first rapid all our fears went away. What fun! We listened to the commands and used our paddles accordingly. One minute you’re gliding on top of the water and the next minute you’re surrounded by white water and not really sure which direction you are going or where you are going to end up. We certainly got soaked but by the end of our rafting experience everyone was so sad that we couldn’t do more. White-water rafting is a fun, fast paced experience that is sure to raise your adrenaline. It’s definitely on my list to do again.

Once we had finished white-water rafting we made our way into our overnight camp (El Nido del Tigre) We enjoyed a fantastic homemade lunch cooked by the guides before spending an afternoon relaxing and looking out over the river and rainforest. After another amazing home cooked meal in the evening it was time for me to make my way to my riverside tent. The tent was surprisingly comfortable with a proper mattress and full bedding. I fell asleep to the sound of the river and the rainforest noises and awoke to the same. How many people get to white-water raft into a secluded camp and then sleep right in the middle of the rainforest? This was definitely a highlight for me.

A couple of days later we made our way to the Pacuare Reserve. This reserve is perched on the coastline and the volunteers there research the turtles and their hatchlings during the nesting season. You need to take a river boat to get to the reserve. This was supposedly a transfer however we saw so many birds and even a giant crocodile on our way to the reserve it felt like a wildlife tour. Upon arrival we were served lunch and the volunteers then explained that they needed to check a turtle nest which hatched two days ago. They check the hatched nests to see if any turtles are stuck and they also examine the eggs which didn’t hatch. Once we reached the nest we were advised that one of the volunteers had found a hatchling that had become stuck, but was still alive. Sadly she seemed very lethargic and we didn’t think she would make it but two hours later and after a lot of TLC she made her way down to the water and swam away. This was probably one of the most touching and unique experiences I have ever had. We had successfully released a baby turtle. That evening we had our evening meal and headed out on turtle patrol for the night. Sadly there was no more activity that night but none of us minded given our afternoon experience. Pacuare has no electricity so on our return we went back to our rooms and lit our candles for light. It was surprisingly basic but everyone seemed to love the simplicity of life at the Pacuare Reserve.

I could certainly talk further about the all the other highlights I experienced during my time in Costa Rica but there are just so many. Costa Rica is a beautiful, interesting and friendly country that I would recommend anyone to visit. They will welcome anyone of any age with open arms and make you feel welcome. You can really become one with the nature in Costa Rica like no other place in the world.

Travel China's mighty Yangtze River with Discover the World

Discover the World's Nick experienced our brand new Education tour - the highlight of which is a four night cruise through the Three Gorges:

Shanghai is not only one of the great cities of the modern era, but a truly inspiring place to study urban geography. Shanghai was once one of the most important trading ports in the world and the historic colonial riverside area of the Bund was the old financial centre of the city, but is now overshadowed by the gleaming skyscrapers of the Lujiazui banking district on the east bank of the Huangpu river, a powerful contrast in development over the last century.
 
Our trip to the excellent Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre highlighted the carefully planned development of the city in all aspects over this period, converting the old docklands and traditional wooden neighbourhoods into a model modern city with fully-integrated and sustainable transport systems, redeveloped suburbs and new purpose-built entertainment and leisure complexes.
 
For a sense of the old history of Shanghai we visited Zhujiajiao water village, an ancient town dating back 1,700 years and a kind of Chinese Venice, with narrow waterways threading their way through the village and stone bridges linking the various islands. Craftspeople ply their trade in the stalls and shops whilst traditional boats serve as local taxis. The contrast with the vibrant city centre, just 30 miles away, has to be seen to be believed!


Although Shanghai sits at the mouth of the Yangtze, our first glimpse of the Yangtze proper was as our plane descended through the mist revealing a landscape of heavily-forested mountains. As I craned my neck for a better view the city of Yichang, the starting point of our 4 night cruise came into view, flanked by the widest river I have ever seen.  I knew that this was one of the world’s great rivers by length and importance, but the scale was still something of a surprise.
 
I rose before breakfast the next morning, having slept soundly aboard our ship, and joined a few other hardy early risers on deck as the boat began its long journey west to Chongqing.  The first two days would be spent travelling 120 miles along the famous Three Gorges, and we entered the first, Xiling Gorge, before breakfast. As we gazed awe-struck at the towering cliffs rising vertically from the muddy waters of the river, our guide pointed out features in the rocks and highlighted photo opportunities.
 
After a hearty breakfast we disembarked for our visit to the Three Gorges Dam Project – it seemed incredible that I was about to see something which I’d first learned about in school 25 years previously, back when it was in the planning stages and was located somewhere I’d never heard of on the opposite side of the world!
 
The sheer scale of the project was staggering. I wasn’t expecting the largest hydropower dam in the world to be small, but at over a mile and a half long it dominated the horizon long before we even drew close. Our guided visit included a climb to the top of an artificial island for panoramic views of the dam and the ship-lock system alongside, which transports freight and passenger boats up approximately 100m through a series of 5 locks, and entry to the visitors centre for further information on the scale and construction of the dam.

The highlight however, was saved for the evening when, after an afternoon exploring a traditional mountain village, we entered the colossal locks to be elevated to the reservoir level for our onward journey upstream. Our boat was absolutely dwarfed by the 30m+ walls and immense metal gates which slowly entombed us as they swung shut to a cacophony of wailing and thunderous noise, echoing in the deep pit. Transfixed, I remained on deck throughout all four locks (the seasonal low water level meant we didn’t have to use all five) to experience a truly unique journey.
The following morning we transferred to smaller boats for a half-day excursion up the Daning River, a tributary of the Yangtze. We left our ship near Wushan, a medium-sized city which had to be entirely rebuilt due to the rising waters of the river caused by the dam. Our local guides explained how they and their families had been relocated, and the impact this had on their lives – truly the cost of building the dam was more than simply financial.
 
The Daning River was much narrower than the Yangtze and the cliffs seemed higher and somehow even more vertical – they were certainly more photogenic, with temples and thick forests clinging to precipices, and at one stage a long veranda impossibly snaked its way along a sheer cliffside, allowing local people an alternate mode of transport other than by boat. At times the landscape flattened and we saw signs of habitation – villages and agricultural land, plus the occasional small boat. Eventually we transferred to sampans, small traditional boats, to allow us even further into the narrow waterways which, despite being less than 10m wide, were hundreds of metres deep.
 
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the cruise was our arrival in Chongqing two days later, a mega-city with a population of 33million in the greater metropolitan area and a contender for the largest city on the planet. Despite having travelled around 350 miles on the Yangtze, the river had shown no signs of diminishing in size or importance – indeed Chongqing’s success was built on its location midway along the river, making it one of the most important trading cities in China.

Our final stop was Beijing, a city I found to be almost the polar opposite of Shanghai. Situated inland it is an ancient and very traditional city, and remained protected from and uninfluenced by the outside world for centuries. The traditional seat of power of numerous Chinese dynasties, it’s the cultural and educational centre of China and has been the permanent capital since Mao Zedong took power of the country in 1949.
 
At its heart lies the Forbidden City, a vast palace compound which was the home of the Emperor for almost 500 years, and so-called because no-one could leave or enter without the Emperor’s express permission. Outside the walls is Tiananmen Square, the 3rd largest city square in the world and home to the Chinese parliament in the Great Hall of the People.
 
Whilst there are modern parts of Beijing, it lacks the wide-scale high-rise buildings which typify Shanghai, and has a much-more relaxed pace. We watched local people practise Tai Chi and calligraphy in the parks, and wandered through the great walled complexes of the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven, both former Imperial sites.
The local people were so friendly, keen to stop and chat, find out who we were and where we were from and pose for endless photographs!
The first of my personal highlights in Beijing was our visit to the Great Wall of China, another place I had learned about as a child which at the time I never thought I’d see. Whilst we only saw a glimpse of the 5,500 mile walls, it was moving to see it draped delicately over the mountains, yet simultaneously so formidably strong and impregnable.
 
The second, a traditional Kung Fu performance by trained Shaolin monks, was simply breath-taking. Set to music, the story followed a young monk through his training in the martial arts and featured formidable demonstrations of agility and precision, not to mention almost magical strength!
Our final stop, to see the Bird’s Nest Stadium of the 2008 Olympic Games, remains to me a fitting final statement about current-day China – a country incredibly proud of its long, rich history and unique culture, yet one firmly embracing the future, keen to develop and lead the way in a modern world.

Teacher Feedback from Chris Powell at Parmiter's School

Chris from Parmiter's School kindly shared some thoughts following his recent trip to the French Alps;

"Until you see a glacier in the alpine environment it is very difficult to comprehend or communicate the power and size of the ice. The landforms and landscape that remain, truly reflect the ability of a glacier to entirely change the shape of our environment. Without taking students to such a place it would be very difficult to impress upon them how ice, something that appears so stationary and placid, could have been the dominant force behind the relief of much of Europe and Great Britain."

Thanks Chris, we are looking forward to working with you on next year's adventure!

Arni's Big Idea - find out how Kate Humble explored Iceland's Thrihnukagigur volcano

If you're wondering how on Earth those clever Icelanders managed to lower Kate Humble and the BBC Volcano LIVE's film crew down into an Icelandic volcano (as seen on last night's programme), here's how:

The idea is the brainchild of Árni B. Stefánsson, a veteran cave expeditioner, doctor and (as of 2004 when he had the 'lightbulb' moment) an entrepreneur. Árni has written many articles and presented numerous times on the subject of how best to preserve caves, and in particular Thrihnukagigur volcano. You can take a look at his very comprehensive and well-thought out presentations on his website.

How did Kate Humble get inside the volcano?

Kate was lowered down into the crater’s opening via a open elevator system that usually carries skyscraper window cleaners! The 'basket' can carry 5-6 people, and is connected to a crane that hovers over the crater opening. Thick cables act as a pulley system, lifting and lowering the basket through the bottle-shaped vault. Safety equipment is a must; harnesses and helmets are compulsory and Kate and the film crew were supervised by expert mountain guides and cave explorers, who are present at all times. The journey into the magma chamber takes around 10 minutes, and the basket descends 120m/400 ft into the depths of the volcano.

What it's all about:

Arni has planned to build a ground tunnel from the surface into the magma chamber. Take a look at the below video. The whole idea is testimony to the brilliant 'we can do it' attitude of the Icelanders!