30/01/2016 The Travel Show

This is so amazing, just to see this big, black suede cutting right

through this green grass. -- swathe. Hello and welcome to the

Travel Show. This week, we are in Hawaii Island. It is 100 years since

the active volcano field he became an official US national park, so why

will be exploring the lunar landscape of the big Island and

finding out what it's like to live with the constant threat of lava

flows running straight through your backyard. But first, here is what

else we have coming up to you on this week's show. We go behind the

scenes with a park ranger on safari in Kenya. We take in an exhibition

in London which tells the little-known story of the Caribbean

troops who served in World War I. And, Simon Calder has his top tips

and advice on how to manage your currency if you are heading to

Iceland. Hawaii volcanoes national park is a

vast, 1300 square kilometre World Heritage site, and is located on the

south-eastern side of Hawaii Island. This year, the park celebrates its

100th birthday. The lava is rising inside the crater, a crater within a

crater on the volcano. It is considered one of the world's most

active volcanoes and it is putting on a show for visitors. It looks

like one giant, ferocious on fire from this distance. -- bonfire.

While this is the main attraction now, there is a lot more to see and

do. Welcome to the national park, nice to see you. It is beautiful

weather! Established as a national park in 1916, it is at an elevation

of over 4000 metres, and home to two active volcanoes. This one, which

last erupted in 1984, and of course Kiluwaya. The floor is about 300

feet below where we are standing. So this is the main active volcano

here? Yes, we are looking into the heart of killer way volcano --

killer way volcano. 5750 feet across, and technically at this .1

of the largest lava lakes in the entire world. The lava lake itself

is only about 100 feet below the surface of the crater, so the chance

of that lava lake coming all the way to the crater floor and overflowing

onto it at this point is actually fairly high. How unusual is it to

have a volcano still erupting since 2008? Worldwide it is fairly

unusual, but the thing to note is that out on the east rift, we have a

flank eruption that began January three, 1983. There is no other place

in the world where we have seen a continuous eruption in a single

volcano. That is why it is referred to as the most active volcano in the

world. The park is home to seven ecological zones. From seacoast

areas, to rainforests, two sub alpine to rain. You can catch a

glimpse of this ever-changing landscape as you drive along the

Chain of Crater is Road. Next stop is an old-growth rainforest, which

is flourishing because it has been 500 years since the lava flowed

through these parts. Welcome to the lava tube. This is the entrance to

one of the most popular lava tubes in the entire national park. You can

walk through and pop out the top of a feature called a skylight. We

think this lava tube is about 500 years old. It is so big! I expected

it to be a lot smaller. These come in all shapes and sizes, some are

very small, and you have two crawl on your hands and knees to get

through. They start as surface flows all rivers of lava that crashed over

from the edge. Sometimes the crest meets in the middle and it creates a

conduit allowing lava to travel long distances. If we didn't have these,

it might only advance a few hundred feet and then free up. This is what

allows it to travel all the way down to the ocean. We emerge through a

skylight, essentially where the roof of the lava tube has collapsed. An

important reminder to stay on the designated path. Watcher footing out

here. This is amazing to see this lava

flow. It has crossed a road, and look at this massive black swathe

like a huge black snake, and it has gone across the grass. I can't

imagine how frightening it would be to have this at your back door. As

we approach the town of Pahoa, we can see where the local authority

insulated the power poles as it approached. Lives lava. This man is

a Pahoa resident who rightly or wrongly came face-to-face with the

lava. What was it like filming it? It was hot. It was almost like a

spiritual connection, to be honest. When you look at it you know them

well you are looking into creation. Back at the summit, visitors cram

onto the viewing that -- deck. It has got cold as we are waiting for

the sun to set, but if you listen carefully you can hear what sounds a

thunder in the distance. Apparently it is the heat from inside the

crater causing the rocks on the rim to fall inside to the molten lava.

If predictions are correct, very soon we could see the lava spill

over the crater edge and onto the col ... Experts warn that eventually

it will collapse and explosive eruptions will resume, which is a

scary thought, especially for those whose lives nearby. Now, we are told

it is safe as the region celebrates its 100th anniversary as a national

park and visitor attraction. Next, our regular look at the faces

behind the places. This week we are in Kenya on safari with the tour

guide at the Masai Mara national reserve, a place best known for its

vast plains and lions. What you feel lucky about today? Any particular

animal? I would like to see a lion. And Leopard if possible. OK, we will

call it our cat afternoon. My name is Newton and I am a safari guide at

the Masai Mara. We have some vultures on top of the tree. I enjoy

spotting the big cats, and also I am a very big lover of birds. One of my

favourite things about the Mara is that it is very unpredictable. There

is very low grass, and seeing wildlife is much easier. But then it

rains, and in the entire environment changes completely. The grass has

grown very high, and at that time, us as guides and even the animals,

they are calling for the wildebeest to come. At least once a year,

wildebeest will migrate from the non- Korumburra -- Ngorongoro, up

towards the Mara River, which is crocodile infested. They come down

for water, and they grew bigger and bigger, pushing each other. Check

this one out. He is lost. He is definitely very tired and he might

be weak compared to the rest, which is why he has been left behind. Any

form of weakness in the wild makes you very vulnerable, because the

cats are the predators, and they mostly go for the weak ones, the

sick ones. It is such a famous spectacle because of the multitude

of the wildebeest. The numbers go from 1.2 to 1.8 million. The

population is mind blowing. My dad was a safari guide when I was young,

so I learnt a lot from him. He used to take us as a family out, so that

actually improved the vigor for me. I saw it as something good.

Well, stay with us because still to come here on the Travel Show: We

visit an exhibition in London that tells the untold story of the

Caribbean soldiers who signed up and headed to France in the first World

War. Welcome to the slice of the show

that tackles your questions about getting the best out of travel.

We're off to explore Chile shortly, but first... With political

relations warming between Washington, DC and Havana, many

travellers have been expecting easier links between the US and

Cuba. And asking, can I take a ferry from Florida to have an there? And

asking, can I take a ferry from Florida to have another? Well across

the Florida states to Cuba from ports including Miami and Key West.

But the logistics are taking longer than anyone expected. We will let

you know when they start. Meanwhile, there are dozens of charter flights

each week between the US and Cuba. Next, Nicola McKay is looking

forward to two weeks in the country that occupies the ribbon of land

between the Andes of South America and the Pacific. Chile. We got two

weeks in Chile, we booked a trip to Easter Island, we need some advice

about what else to do. We are struggling to find any information

on the buses. Nicola, if you're going to Easter Island, which is

both scenically spectacular and historically fascinating, then you

will be flying from the handsome and friendly Chilean capital Santiago, a

city well worth a couple of days. Quiet by on the coast is the

multicoloured and scenically dramatic city on Alp Harry Reid

soap. The wind lands around Santa Cruz south of Santiago are rewarding

and further south, the town of Toomua code provides a dramatic

gateway to the and these. I suggest you save the spectacular terrain of

the Atacama desert with its blinding terrain and amazing astronomical

opportunities for the next trip. The luxury buses in Chile are indeed

some of the best in the world, but to save time you might want to take

the 80 minute flight back to Santiago rather than retracing your

steps overland. Next, the Travel Show reported China is now allowing

visitors from many countries to get a transit visa on arrival for stays

of up to 72 hours. Jane Simmons is among the viewers who asks what

options are open to people in Hong Kong. Could I fly from Hong Kong to

Chengdu for, say, two days and then return to Hong Kong under this type

of visa? No. China insists the 72 hour permit is available only if you

are genuinely in transit through an airport in the mainland People's

Republic. For example, flying from Hong Kong to Chengdu with a

confirmed booking onwards to London. Going there and back doesn't

qualify, so you will need a normal tourist visa, which will require

some preplanning and a hefty fee. Steve Chesters is off to Iceland in

the hope of seeing the Northern lights.

With fewer than one third of a million people, Iceland is pragmatic

about foreign currency. The Euros is widely excepted and some traders

also welcomed the US dollar and the British pound. But for the best

rates, I would stick to the local currency, the Icelandic kroner.

There's a huge credit card culture and I would pay for as much as I can

with plastic using a credit card without foreign exchange these. But

I would also change a small amount of cash into Icelandic kroner for

essentials when only real money will do. Were always delighted to hear

from Travel Show viewers. I will do my very best to answer

your questions. From me, Simon Calder, the global Guru, bye for now

and see you next time. And to end this week, we head to the

Museum of London, Docklands, where a new exhibition is taking place to

acknowledge and celebrate the little-known role played by the

Caribbean during the first World War. 15,000 of them left of the West

Indies to serve alongside British armed forces and many of the images

in the exhibition are on display to the public for the very first time.

I think it is terribly important that we have an exhibition on the

Caribbean's Great War. Like Waterloo, people simply don't know

that West Indians participated in these conflicts. And showed

patriotism to their mother country. This particular photograph is one of

my favourites, where we have a contingent of men marching down

Whitehall in their great coats, as I believe armed against the British

weather probably for the first time. There's a fascination about

these soldiers in that they were different, they were physically

quite shocking in that they were very, sort of, tall and strapping

and athletic and that really went down very well with many people, the

ladies included. My grandfather was Aubrey Newman, he

had a brother as well called literal. They came from the area in

Jamaica called Manchester. And they enrolled as volunteers. And I think

they actually went to the World War in 1917.

Growing up I always sat on my grandfather's front porch listening

to his stories about World War I. His name was Stanley Stare and his

family lived in Lucy, Jamaica. I do find these photos altogether quite

interesting because I've not seen this selection before. But I like

the one at the top simply because it is recruitment in Kingston I believe

it says. Very patriotically. These men and boys if you like

joined up because of a sense of patriotism towards their king and

mother country, but also I think because of economic reasons, it was

another opportunity for them to secure their future and also to see

the world. I never realised that my grandfather participated in some of

the key events in World War are in terms of the British West Indies

Regiment. He mentioned being on the Vidal, which was a ship on its way

full of West Indian soldiers. Here's information that documents what my

grandfather talked about. My grandfather often talked about

how he talked about with his friends, but many of them didn't

return with him. See how the ship was devoted to Nova Scotia, because

they said a blizzard, but I heard it was a German submarine. And many of

the troops suffered frostbite and had to return home.

Weren't allowed to have arms. He was used in what I found out was called

the Lines of Communication, which sounds wonderful but actually is

digging trenches and moving the missiles and other bits of pieces

around. Can you imagine being at the front line doing that for the war

effort and then not having anything to defend yourself? I think that

it's important that when people attend this exhibition that they

come away with a sense of the contribution made by the Caribbean

to other parts of the world. I'm slightly saddened that these

gentlemen have been forgotten for so long, but I'm pleased that we've

been able to tell their story to the world at this stage.

And the exhibition of the Caribbean's Great War runs until the

second of May at the Museum of London's Docklands in the UK. Well,

that's all we've got time for this week. Coming up next week:

We head to Canada to explore an area of Newfoundland that's been

nicknamed Iceberg Ali, and meet some of the people who work there. That's

dangerous there. It could slip over all rolled at almost any time. I

hope you can join us for that if you can. If you have had your travel bug

woken up, you can go on the website and also we are all over social

media. Details on your screen right now. From me, Carmen Roberts, and

the rest of the Travel Show team on Hawaii Island, it's goodbye.

On Friday, Shetland recorded the strongest wind here for 16 years.

Gusts of 105mph, particularly damaging winds across