Travel Advisory: Cholera Outbreak in north Vietnam

Dear fellow participants of the Hanoi Trip,

I would like to alert you to the news of a cholera outbreak in north Vietnam.
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam and a city in the north, is affected but the the situation is under control.

Check the following websites for more information:

Cholera reported in Vietnam's diarrhea outbreak
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSHAN29381020071106?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

Acute diarrhoea outbreak sweeps nation
http://vietnamnews.vnanet.vn/showarticle.php?num=01HEA051107


A likely cause of the outbreak has been traced to "contaminated locally made shrimp paste or a raw fish and vegetable combination and fermented pork roll".
Therefore, this is a type of food that we will avoid at ALL costs.
If in doubt, please consult any of the teachers or tour guides.

Furthermore, as mentioned in our briefing, drink only out of bottled mineral water.
Avoid iced drinks (this includes putting ice cubes into your drinks).

A third step that we must take is to make sure our hands are clean before we eat. You may want to consider carrying along with you a small bottle of sanitizer.


You do not have to worry as long as the precautions above are strictly adhered to.

Do contact me if you or any of your family member has any query.

regards,
Mr. Siah

Quiz Question No. 3 ...

Here is Question No. 3 ... *drum roll* ...

This question consists of 3 parts:

One location that we will visit is Halong Bay which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

a) What is the geographical feature in Halong Bay?

b) What is the meaning of 'Halong'?

c) What does UNESCO stand for and what is it responsible for?


So hurry!
Email your answer to mistersiah@hotmail.com !

Reminder about Quiz Question 2

For all you enthusiastic students ...
It appears that some of you did not understand my instructions regarding the quiz. :)

2 points for you to keep in mind:
1. ALL answers to the quiz questions MUST be emailed to mistersiah@hotmail.com
2. You MUST give the FULL NAME of the teachers.
i.e. "Mr Siah" is the wrong answer.

NEW Guidelines for Liquids, Aerosols and Gels in Hand-Carried Luggage

Hi Everyone,

Please take note of the NEW guidelines, implemented since 8 May 2007.
This piece of information is copied from the Changi Airport website:

http://www.changiairport.com/changi/en/airport_guide/departure/safety_n_security/travel_advisory_asecurity.html

From 8 May 2007, 1200 hrs, Singapore is implementing new guidelines that restrict the amount of liquids, aerosols and gels that passengers can carry in their hand-carried luggage. The guidelines apply to all flights departing Singapore.

Passengers are advised to check-in all liquids, aerosols and gels(LAGs) that do not meet the new guidelines. Liquids, aerosols and gels in hand-carried luggage should be packed in accordance with the new guidelines, before passengers arrive at the airport.

The new guidelines on hand-carried luggage are :

a. Liquids, aerosols and gels must be in containers with a maximum capacity of not more than 100ml each. Liquids, aerosols and gels in containers larger than 100ml will not be accepted, even if the container is partially-filled;

b. Containers must be placed in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag with a maximum capacity not exceeding 1-litre. These containers must fit comfortably within the transparent re-sealable plastic bag, which must be completely closed;

c. Each passenger is allowed to carry only one transparent re-sealable plastic bag, which must be presented separately for examination at the security screening point;

d. Exemptions will be made for medications, baby food and special dietary items. These items will be subjected to additional checks at the security screening point.

Passengers are encouraged to check in 2 to 3 hours before their flight (subject to airlines' requirements).

Liquids include :

• Drinks, including water and juices
• Soups and sauces
• Perfumes and deodorants (liquid or liquid-solid mixture)
• Creams, balms, lotions and oils
• Cosmetics such as mascara and lip gloss
• Pastes, including toothpaste
• Pressurised foams and sprays, including shaving foam, hairspray and spray deodorants
• Gels, including hair and shower gels
• Contact lens solution
• Any other items of similar consistency

Quiz Question 2...

The three shadows in the photo above show the three teachers who went to Vietnam in June to do a recee trip.
Who are these teachers?
(Give the full name)
Left:
Centre:
Right:

HANOI TRIP BLOG QUIZ!

As you read the blogs, make sure you open your eyes wide for I will be inserting questions.

Find the answer and email it to mistersiah@hotmail.com.

Points will be awarded based on the following criteria:
1. Accuracy of answer
2. Speed of reply
- First person to send in the correct answer will earn 5 points
- Second person will earn 4 points
- Third person will earn 3 points
- Fourth person 2 points
- Fifth person 1 point

You should submit your answer to the question as soon as you get it.
(i.e. once you see Question 1, submit your answer to Question 1.
When Question 2 appears, submit your answer to Question 2.)

This is a pre-trip quiz that will close on 11th Nov 2007 2359hrs (Singapore time), so make sure you submit your answers by then.

Attractive prizes await the top three scorers!

And here goes the first question:


QuIz QuEsTiOn 1: What is the meaning of "Hanoi"?


So, email your answer to mistersiah@hotmail.com now!
Remember to state your name!

Pre-Trip Research/Reading

Before I travel to any country, my usual practice is to find out a little bit more about the history and culture of the place.

Here are some websites that you can check to broaden your understanding of the country of Vietnam:

http://www.vietnamtourism.com/e_pages/news/index.asp

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/asia/vietnam/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam

The following websites talk about Hanoi specifically:

http://www.vietscape.com/travel/hanoi/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoi

Which type of audience do you think these websites are targetted at?
These websites are your SOURCES of information and guess what ...
You can actually apply the source handlings skills you have been learning in class to evaluate these websites (aka sources of information)
i.e. Inference, Comparison, Reliability, Usefulness and Assertion

When reading these websites (or any other website for that matter), ask yourself questions:
Who is it written by?
Who is the intended audience?
What is the aim?
What is the intended effect?
Do I need to check against other sources?

Put on your thinking cap and keep an inquisitive mind!

My Impressions of Hanoi and Expectations of this trip

Through the Hanoi Trip Briefing conducted last Sat, I'm sure most of you have some thoughts regarding the city of Hanoi and expectations of this educational trip.

Your FIRST assignment is a simple one, something to engage you on the first gear:

1. Write about your IMPRESSIONS of Hanoi
- They could be impressions from the briefing or your own research

2. Write about your EXPECTATIONS of Hanoi
- What are some things you look forward to seeing or doing?

So, wait no more but fire away!