As the Chinese National Day approaches, it is reported that China once again closed off Tibet to independent travellers. News agencies in China and Tibet reported, that a blanket travel ban came into effect on 24th September, which is believed to be lifted again on 10th October.

The National Day on 1st October marks the 60th anniversary of Mao Zedong's declaration of the Peoples Republic of China and rule over the Tibet region.

It is reported, that the ban will only affect independent foreign travellers, and travellers already in Tibet will be allowed to stay. A spokesperson with the Tibet Tourist Association stated that the ban was due to high demand, instead of the National Day celebrations.

Overlanding tours already in the area will not be affected, and their itineraries might only have to be changed slightly, if at all. The tour operaters are saddened by the new ban and the uncertainty in Tibet, but they hope that the situation is temporary.

Chinese authorities are keen to avoid any anti-China protests, like the ones that happened in Tibet in March 2008 and the Xinjiang region in July this year.

Tibet has been closed off three times over the past two years. Following the March 2008 riots, before and during the Olympic Summer Games 2008 and in February this year, on the 50th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising. The bans have seriously affected tourist numbers to the region, dropping to 2,2 million in 2008 which is half the visitor numbers they had in 2007.

For the last few weeks, my boyfriend and I have been working on this idea: A new, independent student newspaper for the University of Cumbria. Why? Because the newspaper we've got, "The Informer", only comes out every 6 - 8 weeks which means that everything we write is old news by then. Also, Informer is the uni's official student newspaper, which means we can't really voice our opinions about the university - that would be considered anti-establishment.

So the idea of "Student Voice" was born. An independent, fortnightly newspaper/newsletter which covers all aspects of student life at UoC and is not afraid to put the students' real views and opinions across. The way I see it, all students have a right to know what is going on at their uni - after all they're paying good money to be there.

We're still working on layout at the moment, and need to find some stories. The paper will be an A4 paper, printed on both sides and folded in half, so that we'll have four A5 pages to work with. Though the launch edition will be free, I fear I might have to introduce a price of 5p or 10p per copy - just to cover the printing costs. That's the downside of being independent, I guess.

There will also be a website , which I am creating at the moment. The intention is to also offer classifieds on the website, for people looking for housemates, second-hand stuff or models for their final projects. Students will also be able to advertise their exhibitions, plays, record release parties and any other event, to get an even bigger audience. The site will be able to feature pictures and video, so people interested in broadcast are also welcome!

I want Student Voice to be a paper made by students for students. Filling the gap that Informer leaves after being published, and not just covering Student Union stuff like The Scene.

Please feel free to email any suggestions for stories, pictures, freshers' week anecdotes, etc. to me at student-voice@hotmail.co.uk

I am still looking for people who want to see their name in print as well, so feel free to drop me a line!

You probably know the feeling. You get back home after a period away, and everything seems so normal. Whenever I travel between my two homes (one in Germany, one in England), I always make sure I tidy up before I leave, arrange it in the way I needed things last - then I get back and have to rearrange everything, because it doesn't look right anymore.

I usually leave the furniture where it is, but all the bric-a-brac that's collecting dust on the shelves, the books, CDs, DVDs - everything has to be sorted. Stuff I thought was worth keeping goes into the bin within seconds.

I'm in one of these phases right now, as I've just returned to my student room in a shared house in Carlisle after 5 months away. The mess unpacking creates always gives me an excuse to just continue and move stuff about (after all, all my luggage has to go somewhere) but for a day or two I create a bigger mess than I started with. When I went shopping for essentials on Sunday just after getting back, one of the things I bought was a massive bin bag.

At the moment I'm considering a backyard sale during Freshers' Fortnight, to sell all the surplus. There are things I won't wear anymore, books I won't read anymore and DVDs that I don't like too much but sounded great to start with. Since I always play my CDs on my computer anyway, I might as well sell my stereo...

At least, this time I have a week to settle back in and get everything organised (my life, uni and my room, that is) instead of going straight back to uni or work the next days. My room always looks full, although I don't really have a lot of stuff. The room is just very small, and everything that doesn't fit on the IKEA "Billy" shelf, the small shelf on the wall or inside the chest of drawers has to go on or underneath the desk or under the bed... all those hiding places your mum always checked first when you were a kid and told to tidy up!

My boyfriend and I have been to that Swedish furniture store that is IKEA yesterday, looking for bookcases and bedframes. However, as those who have been to IKEA before will know, there is so much tempting stuff there, that you can easily forget what you wanted to buy in the first place!

You can try everything, sit on the sofas, fold the sleeping couches and try them for comfort and so on! But the most important thing is all the bric-a-brac they sell, the small things like lamps, mirrors, blankets, vases and more or less useful decorative items. I am proud I managed to get out of there without buying anything (mainly, though, because I had all my luggage with me and couldn't fit anything else into the suitcase, even if I tried.

We eventually found a bookcase that will do the trick for my boyfriend's living room /bed room. We never actually looked at bedframes, because he'll have to order online and get the things delivered anyway (there is just no way you can fit a box for a 175cm x 60cm shelf in the back of a Mini...

The last time I went to IKEA in Germany, I ended up buying a much needed sofa-bed. It's funny that this furniture chain is one of the biggest in the world - Does anyone exist who does not have at least one item from them? - and yet, people are still making fun of their "Build it yourself" style. "Immer Karton erst auspacken" or "Ich krieg' einen Anfall" come to mind as synonyms, but I don't think they're too bad! Half the furniture in my flat in Germany is from IKEA and none of it broke yet, while the stuff I didn't get from IKEA is falling apart.

I might rent a car at some point though or take the train and go to the store in Newcastle.... Saw a few little things that might just make my room look more like my room...

Jag älskar Sverige!

Favourite UK theme park Alton Towers is enforcing a pretty unusual ban. Men who want to use the water park are not allowed to wear skimpy speedos anymore. Instead, they are expected to don shorts. "Our team has witnessed an increase in men wearing tight trunk style swimwear", says Morwenna Angove, the marketing director of the Resort.


Alton Tower's management feels that speedos should not be worn at a family venue, and are therefore advising male guests to wear more protective swimwear. They are also looking into offering complimentary male waxing to ensure they preserve the dignity of all guests.

If you ever get the chance to experience the city of York, jump at it! The medieval heart of the city, dominated by the famous York Minster, is well worth a visit - just don't wear high heels!

It's amazing, really, to see how many medieval houses, some dating back well and truly to the Dark Ages, have been preserved! The streets are mostly cobblestone and somehow you expect a horse and carriage to dash around the next corner. Probably the most famous street in York, is The Shambles. Most of the houses are timber-framed and centuries old and lean into the street. It is said that it brings you one year of luck when you walk down it hand in hand with the one you love.

On a nice day, Yorkers and visitors alike flock to the Museum Gardens to sit on the grass and enjoy the sunshine (or read a book...) or they spend their time on the shore of, and on, the river Ouse. River cruises take you 30 minutes up and down the river through the core of the city, past the National Railway Museum and various old pubs. It's worth it just for the little breeze you get on the river!


If you're looking for somewhere to have lunch, try Oscar's. The restaurant recently moved to a bigger venue, and even the starters can fill you up. If you don't want to sit down, have a sip of fruit beer or ale at the bar. Be sure to also try a pint of the locally brewed ales from the York Brewery.


York is one of only a few walled cities in Britain with most of their medieval walls still intact. So if you're feeling up for a stroll but don't fancy the hustle and bustle of the market, why not walk along the wall and it's gate houses? One entire circuit should take you roughly one hour, and you get to see a backyard idyll few others take time to see.

And although I am told that York's nightlife is pretty good, I do have an alternative for you! Be at the King's Arms pub (next to Ledal Bridge, on the shore of the Ouse) at 8pm sharp and join the Ghost Walk! You'll be taken round York's hotspots for activity (at least it is claimed that there have been ghosts), old buildings like the Jorwick Centre, Clifford's Tower and the Shambles and you get to enjoy several ghost stories on the way! There are several walks starting from all over town, so there's plenty of choice!

Well, mine definitely is not! The University of Cumbria in Carlisle will be relocating the Brampton Road library. Apparently, the books taken out the most will go to the library at Fusehill Street, while all the rest of the books will go into storage at Milbourne Street.

The library at Milbourne Street was purpose-built for the University of Central Lancashire, whos Business School campus in Carlisle has been integrated into UoC. However, once they closed the Business campus and transferred the students to Fusehill Street, they closed the library. Now they are closing the second. Students at Fusehill Street enjoy a wide-range of medical, teaching and sports books, but everyone else will have problems getting set text books or writing their dissertations.

Brampton Road library has to go because the Graphic Design department wants to expand, although they have quite a few big rooms to themselves. Journalism really only has the newsroom, which is too small to hold all the students in three years at once, and a broadcasting studio.

They should keep the library and just not take on more students than they can accommodate. The money should rather be spend on updating their catalogue, as some of the books date back to the 90s and students get marks taken off for referencing out-of-date books...

I will be starting my third and final year at the University of Cumbria is two weeks' time. Since the end of Year Two, I have been wondering what I could write my dissertation about. I knew I wanted to write about travel journalism, after all, I'm doing a B.A. degree in the subject, but I couldn't come up with a decent question.

When I had to write a Research Proposal at the end of Year Two, my question was this: "Are travel blogs replacing guidebooks as the main source of travel information?" However, I am not really interested in online journalism and didn't particularly like the qustion. I mean, after all, when you write your bachelor thesis about a topic, you should be interested in it, and not bored before you even start writing.

My new question will be: "In what ways does travel writing in the United Kingdom differ from journalistic convention in Germany?" The good thing is, I can use most of the books I already reviewed and I can write about the differences in journalism that I witness everytime I go home and work at my local paper in Germany.

My curry-judging article made it onto the Champion's website!
Read it here!

My boyfriend let me have a sip of a beer he tried, which was an Anglo-Dutch one called Tabatha and was quite sweet but really nice. That must have been the best beer the two of us tried all night. So, if you go along to the festival, get them to give you a taster first, before you order the half pint and pay for it! That way, you can actually sample more, and know which ones to avoid!

Alle, die gerne die Bundestagswahl in der Politikredaktion von N24 begleiten wollen, beim "heute journal" helfen wollen oder eigene Artikel in der taz lesen möchten, sollten sich zur Duden Open 2009 anmelden!

Gesucht werden junge Journalisten, die mit Praktika in diesen renommierten Redaktionen ihrem Traumberuf Journalismus ein wenig näher kommen wollen.

Die erste Runde besteht aus einem 15-Fragen Allgemeinwissen-Test auf http://www.duden-open.de/, der wie die Aufnahmeprüfung von Journalistenschulen aufgebaut ist. Wer sich in der ertsen Runde (bis 31. Oktober) qualifiziert muss in der zweiten Runde einen Artikel zu einem vorgegebenen Thema verfassen. Die besten 300 bekommen hochwertige Präsente und der/die Beste natürlich die Chance ein Praktikum zu absolvieren!

The Pacific island state of Samoa spent all day yesterday and today changing around. They went from driving on the right-hand side of the road to the left and adopted the British and Australian system. This switch-over is the first since Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria switched sides in the 1970s and it's unusual as everyone else normally changes from left-hand traffic to the right.




Two thirds of the world population drive on the right-hand side of the road, even though historically, many used to move on the left. This had to do with Roman chariots being steered with the right hand while they'd hold the whip in their left hand and didn't want to whip anyone coming the opposite way. Knights also had to do battle with their good hand (which most-commonly is the right), and it's easier to mount and dismount horses on the left as well, so many stuck to that side. The U.K., Australia, New Zealand and India are among the few westernised countries that still drive on the left.

However, Henry Ford introduced right-hand cars to the US in 1908. It would be easier to get out of the car directly onto the curb, "Especially when there is a lady to be considered."

The reason why Samoa is changing sides this month is simple, if also a little sad. This way, they can buy cheap, used cars from Australia and New Zealand and don't have to worry about the side of the road they're on, as driving a right-hand-steering car in right-hand traffic can be confusing.

Many Samoans are furious about the governments' decision. It will create chaos on the streets and will definitely cause some serious accidents. Yesterday and today are national holidays in Samoa, so people can get used to the new system. But as they say: "In the beginning it will be hard, but we'll learn - we're not stupid!"

Being a hippie at heart, my favourite way to travel is on roadtrips. And the iconic method of transport that comes to mind is a 1962 Volkswagen T1 Samba. I don't know what it is about this car, but I really want to own one some day.

They're so spacious that you could move house in one of these mini vans. Or, you could do what I'm planning to do once I've got one, and get the back all comfy and equipped for roadtrips. There's so much space, you could even stretch out and sleep in this car, instead of getting soaked in a tent!

This is the car people droved to Woodstock in! I don't think any car defined a generation as much as the Samba (or Caravelle Type 1, as it's called on this island). Many replaced the VW emblem with the peace sign during the sixties and painted the car in all kinds of colours. Even today, there's something special about them, don't you think? They're good on all kinds of roads, and with 25 windows, they really do let the sun shine in (did I mention there's a sunroof as well?).

I imagine it to be brilliant. Take this car with you wherever you go and you have a home away from home on wheels! Pure roadtrip bliss!

Right, I was watching Final Destination in 3D at the movies last night and I kept wondering why people can't stick to 2D - after all, everything else at the movies and on TV is in 2D as well.

I know it's all supposed to look more real, but really, it doesn't. Most of the 3D effects are just that: effects.

And having to wear an extra set of glasses is not a great solution either. Especially not when you have to wear glasses to start with. Wearing two glasses on top of each other, one is always gonna slide down. Also I found that around the edges of the glasses, the picture became smudged - not dirty, but hard on the eye which gave me a headache. So I keep asking: Why do people even bother putting movies in 3D?

Apparently, Southport cinema is new to the whole idea... everywhere else in the world has already tried it, and it can't have been such a great success or all the movies coming out would be in 3D by now.

Sanjay Singh, a chef at Burscough restaurant Bombay Brasseries, is excited about having qualified for the British National Curry Award, in which chefs from all over the country will take part. The award is designed to give Indian chefs recognition for their skills. On Monday, Sanjay prepared his favourite dish King Prawn Tikka Ginger for a jury of organiser Adnam Mallick, Amy Salters from The Advertiser newspaper, a work experience student at The Advertiser and myself, sent by the Champion newspapers, to qualify.

“He has been recommended by so many customers that I had to come and try it for myself”, says organiser Adnam Mallick. Sanjay, who used to work at ITC Maurya Sheraton in India before settling in the UK eight years ago already cooked for Bill Clinton and his family during a stay in New Delhi. “Chelsea Clinton liked the King Prawns so much that the meal was renamed ‘Chelsea Platter’ in her honour”, Sanjay explains. One year ago, Sanjay moved to Burscough. "I'm interested in serving good food and giving good service. It doesn't matter where I am to do that", he explains.

Out of 200 qualifying chefs, the best 20 will go to London to prepare their signature dish in front of judges and TV cameras. “I’ve prepared this dish thousands of times. My bigger worry are the TV cameras”, Sanjay laughs. "I've never been on TV before!"

“The meals have to be as authentic as possible, and we also judge the spices and raw materials used, as well as hygiene in the kitchen, food preparation and service. In every round of the competition, the chefs have to prepare a different dish”, Adnam Mallick explains the judging procedure. Sanjay's strength is his use of spices. "I don't buy ready packed spices. I buy them fresh and grind them myself. I only prepare as much as I need per day!" The freshness can even be tasted in his meals.

Only three chefs in Lancashire had been recommended by their customers. Getting the best feedback from his customers, Sanjay was chosen to participate. “Winning the award would really put Burscough on the culinary map”, adds Mallick. His colleagues at Bombay Brasseries wish the father-of-one good luck for the next round.

Because the London Midland train firm relies on train drivers to volunteer working on Sundays, travellers were faced with both staff and train shortages today!

London Midland had an agreement with drivers, who got double their normal wage for the Sunday shifts. However, this agreement ended last week, and not enough drivers came forward to take over this week's shift.

This is likely to go on, so don't travel on London Midland on Sunday unless you absolutely have to!

That was one of the first things my driving instructor Greg taught me while I made my first attempts of driving cars in New Zealand. "All drivers are morons and should be treated accordingly!" And he is right.

Going on a camping trip together is what my boyfriend and I had been talking about since March. Thursday night, we finally gave it a go.

World Nomads and National Geographic offer budding travel photographers the chance to win a scholarship to Antarctica.



You will be accompanying National Geographic on-assignment photographer Jason Edwards for a 11-day photo shoot on board M/S Expedition around the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula from 22nd November until 2nd December 2009. Competition ends 4th October.

This competition is open to all non-professional photogarphers from all over the world and you need to submit a maximum of 5 shots telling a story about a place.

For more information, visit the WorldNomads website! Good luck, everyone!