Is a selfie on your travels worth your life?

Selfies can be deadly

Having a camera in the palm of your hand has been a revolution since smartphones became part of our everyday lives. But becoming obsessed with capturing our lives on camera can be deadly. I have seen countless tourists next to cliff edges or in precarious positions as they try and get the perfect shot. But the story of Russian tourist, Olga Perminova is staggering. She tragically died recently after leaning right out of a train window whilst travelling on Sri Lanka’s famous Podi Menike line. The 53-year-old grandmother’s reckless action resulted in her hitting her head and falling, according to reports.

But what’s crazy is that so many put their lives at risk just to take a picture. A couple fell 80 feet to their death near a waterfall in Bali, and another two were found dead in Scotland at the bottom of a waterfall - it was thought that both were attempting to take a selfie.

My tip is… don’t go anywhere near a waterfall, and if you want a photo, buy a postcard. And while I’m at it, maybe we all need to just enjoy the moment a little more instead of trying to get the best angle using our phone’s camera. Life through a lens? You might lose yours.

A city full of romantics

I’ll be honest, I’m not the most romantic person in the world. I know this news may shock you. But I can be - if it’s going to earn me some serious brownie points, or make my life easier – who doesn’t want an easy life? 

Now, think of a romantic place. Does it have a tower in it and snooty waiters serving fine cuisine? Well, forget Paris when it comes to romance as you don’t need to leave our borders to find it, because Bristol is full of it. 

A survey by Moonpig (yes, the greetings card website) has revealed that Bristolians are the most romantic people in the UK. How is this qualified? The results state that 40% of them give “daily” signs of affection (which is…?), and lots of them say “I love you” around nine times in an average week. Who’s counting? Mancunians were second, then it was Geordies, Brummies and Londoners.

If your group want the sights (and Bristol is a cracking city to visit) with a dose of love and romance, you heard it here first. Just don’t take a selfie anywhere near the Suspension Bridge!

A European rail renaissance?

The Channel Tunnel – what an amazing feat of engineering it is. I have been though it lots of times as a couple and with my group, on both Eurostar and LeShuttle. So when I read a story in the newspaper about plans to attract new railway operators to compete with Eurostar, it grabbed my attention.

Probably like you, I just accepted that Eurostar was it. But come to think it, choice and competition can only be good for travellers, and a huge cross-channel expansion made possible by HS1 could mean more companies taking travellers from London St Pancras to the Continent, to more destinations… at speed. Direct routes to Germany, Switzerland and more cities in France could have huge appeal, so I will watch this space with interest. 

But there are pros and cons and I still prefer to travel by coach or by air and then pick up a coach on the other side. It’s easier for luggage, that’s for sure. But getting the train is fun and it seems like Eurostar’s monopoly over the Channel Tunnel could come to an end with plenty of potential competitors, including from the Virgin Group and National Express. A European rail renaissance? Maybe.

_{The views expressed in this column are not necessarily the views of the publisher.}