0:00:00 > 0:00:01Meanwhile, the daily Star has some alternative advice to keeping the
0:00:01 > 0:00:03bug at bay.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05Now on BBC News, it's the Travel Show.
0:00:09 > 0:00:17This week: on The Travel Show, we catch up with our blind backpacker
0:00:17 > 0:00:24is the rise in Bethlehem.This is the place where Jesus was born.
0:00:24 > 0:00:31Simon is here with his top tips for travelling by train across Europe
0:00:31 > 0:00:36and I am in Paris seeing the city of light turning into an all-night
0:00:36 > 0:00:40party.The number of people is just crazy, we are talking about 100,000
0:00:40 > 0:00:54people. 800,000.
0:01:12 > 0:01:19First up, we are on the road with a backpacker who has clocked up more
0:01:19 > 0:01:25than 120 countries and has done all that without being able to see.My
0:01:25 > 0:01:32name is Tony, I am from England, I am totally blind and severely deaf
0:01:32 > 0:01:43and I travelling around the world, trying to visit every country.
0:01:43 > 0:01:53Previously we join him as he explored Jerusalem. Very smooth. But
0:01:53 > 0:01:57today he heads into Palestinian territories to make his way into the
0:01:57 > 0:02:05holy town of Bethlehem.I am now at the checkpoint between Jerusalem and
0:02:05 > 0:02:14Bethlehem. Walking across the checkpoint and go to the Wailing
0:02:14 > 0:02:21Wall. Going through the checkpoint is a little bit complicated.
0:02:21 > 0:02:33Slightly more complicated and confusing than I thought. And then
0:02:33 > 0:02:36sought of trying to follow other people and people pushing me from
0:02:36 > 0:02:47one way to the other. I would say we are in the Palestinian side, the
0:02:47 > 0:02:56Palestinian territories. It is quite exhilarating.
0:03:02 > 0:03:08As you come out the tunnel into the taxi area, where the wall is, you
0:03:08 > 0:03:14can hear people talking, you can smell food and coffee and that is
0:03:14 > 0:03:25quite loud and interesting. Can you show me to a taxi? Church of the
0:03:25 > 0:03:36Nativity.OK. I will take you for a photograph on the wall.I will take
0:03:36 > 0:03:47it with my camera. OK, cool.Are you happy? All ways.How big is the
0:03:47 > 0:04:01world? It is big.Ten metres? It is large. Tony, welcome to Bethlehem.
0:04:01 > 0:04:09You want to go to the church? The Church of the Nativity.OK. All this
0:04:09 > 0:04:23way on the wall, you have a lot of Banksy on the wall.I am feeling
0:04:23 > 0:04:35excited to be in Bethlehem, a new city, a Newtown, new experiences.
0:04:35 > 0:04:42Driving through Bethlehem, along the wall, it has given me a brief
0:04:42 > 0:04:49glimpse of how long the ball can be. It certainly feels quite long,
0:04:49 > 0:04:53driving along here. In my mind it seemed quite impressive. I guess it
0:04:53 > 0:05:07is quite scary to a lot of people. Here is the Church, Tony.I just
0:05:07 > 0:05:14called to let them know I am still coming. Hello, we are at the church.
0:05:14 > 0:05:28Hello? Hello?Give it to me I will call them. Hello. One minute and
0:05:28 > 0:05:44they will come here.Thank you, Mohamed.Hi, Tony.Hi, Adam. Good to
0:05:44 > 0:05:52meet you. Looking forward to seeing your place.Yes, my plays. How many
0:05:52 > 0:06:00countries have you visited before?I have visited 124 countries.Oh, my
0:06:00 > 0:06:11God, yes, nice. Hill at all like Alibaba. -- you are like. Have you
0:06:11 > 0:06:18done much travelling? No, just here. It is not easy to move or to travel
0:06:18 > 0:06:25in another country. So he get travellers to come to you. Yes. You
0:06:25 > 0:06:43have steps here.In theory, you stay for free here. You live in a castle.
0:06:43 > 0:06:51Yes.A used a website. You find people on it. And if they want to
0:06:51 > 0:07:07meet travellers will want to travel, that is how it works. This is home.
0:07:07 > 0:07:15We have landed. Thanks. I have had a range of experiences. I have slept
0:07:15 > 0:07:24on floors, mattresses like these, couches, and in Africa, in a heart
0:07:24 > 0:07:29where the toilet is outside and it is a hole on the ground. -- in the
0:07:29 > 0:07:36ground. I do not see the dirt, the danger, I just get on with it. You
0:07:36 > 0:07:41are meeting the people, the local hosts and they are sharing their
0:07:41 > 0:07:46food, culture and knowledge, whatever they can offer you and
0:07:46 > 0:07:59hopefully you make friends.Good night and good dreams.And to you.
0:07:59 > 0:08:07People think, oh, being blind us be terrible but they do not understand
0:08:07 > 0:08:14it, they do not know what they are talking about. I am so lucky. I am
0:08:14 > 0:08:17leading a brilliant light. I go from country to country, I can go
0:08:17 > 0:08:26whereupon two, very few restrictions. The come ham and you
0:08:26 > 0:08:31see people, and they can see but they cannot go places.You want
0:08:31 > 0:08:42directions? You go directly this way.Just straight. OK.I wish you
0:08:42 > 0:08:50be happy and luck in your life.OK thank you. Good to meet you, Adam.
0:08:57 > 0:09:04This is the entrance to the church? Yes stop you can go in that,
0:09:04 > 0:09:18straight.OK, thank you. I can roughly hear a voice but it is a bit
0:09:18 > 0:09:24disconcerting echo. It splits the sound and it takes away the
0:09:24 > 0:09:36direction. We will get there. It cannot be far. A big metal thing
0:09:36 > 0:09:47with studs which could be... Yes, it is a gate. Oh, there is oil,
0:09:47 > 0:09:59candles. It has a waxy smell. Finding the entrance is like
0:09:59 > 0:10:04reaching my goal, reaching my target and anything else after this is a
0:10:04 > 0:10:09bonus.
0:10:14 > 0:10:20I think they have started singing, it is louder so I need to get closer
0:10:20 > 0:10:26to these because they will be a lot of energy involved and I will try to
0:10:26 > 0:10:34get closer and closer and eventually use bike came to pick out the steps.
0:10:34 > 0:10:45A guide held me down. SINGING. Realising I was the only person to
0:10:45 > 0:10:58get close to hear that makes me feel very privileged, very warm inside. I
0:10:58 > 0:11:04am absolutely buzzing after that. The energy is incredible. That was
0:11:04 > 0:11:12cool just to be here for that if nothing else.
0:11:19 > 0:11:25It is quite crowded going down the steps. It is very deep. My goodness.
0:11:25 > 0:11:33From the fire into the furnace. It is a very hot in here. I guessing
0:11:33 > 0:11:42the rack candles and more people coming in.This is my hand. This is
0:11:42 > 0:11:49the place where Jesus was born. This is the start were he was born. Kneel
0:11:49 > 0:11:57down, more, more, more. Kneel down. You can touch the place where Jesus
0:11:57 > 0:12:08was born. This is the star, it has 14 points.It is the star of David.
0:12:08 > 0:12:15Marble? No, it is a silver. The ground is marble. This is where
0:12:15 > 0:12:29Jesus was born. You feel it?This is the grotto.Yes, he was born here.
0:12:35 > 0:12:41It is not OK like this. Let me help you a little bit. Like this, you can
0:12:41 > 0:12:56take a photograph.A very humbling experience. Being in a place where
0:12:56 > 0:13:09one might argue history occurred 2000 years or so ago. So visiting
0:13:09 > 0:13:15the church, the smells, the sounds, that is what makes travelling for me
0:13:15 > 0:13:24special. I travel by myself because it is my challenge. It is like
0:13:24 > 0:13:29climbing a mountain. You think it is difficult, it is a struggle but you
0:13:29 > 0:13:37get to the top and, yes, I have made it. It is magical. And that is what
0:13:37 > 0:13:45it is all about, broadens my horizons and Helsby come a better
0:13:45 > 0:13:52person hopefully. Helps me.
0:13:52 > 0:13:58Still to come on the travel show. I am in the French capital, Paris, for
0:13:58 > 0:14:07its bustling festival of light. -- dazzling.
0:14:16 > 0:14:22Welcome to Manchester airport and the slice of the show that tackles
0:14:22 > 0:14:25your questions about getting the best out of trouble. Coming up, the
0:14:25 > 0:14:30merits of a trip to Sri Lanka during monsoon season and how to get from
0:14:30 > 0:14:36north-west England to south-east Europe by train. First, work is
0:14:36 > 0:14:43beginning on Southeast Asia's leading high-speed rail project from
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. When it opens in 2026 it should reduce the
0:14:47 > 0:14:55journey time to just 90 minutes. At present it takes seven hours to
0:14:55 > 0:15:01reach the Singapore border from the Malaysia capital. At this time of
0:15:01 > 0:15:06year many people are heading south from Europe to Australia and facing
0:15:06 > 0:15:10this problem. I am helping my elderly parent to apply for a
0:15:10 > 0:15:15shortstay tourist visas to Australia but I am increase -- confused about
0:15:15 > 0:15:22which one to use. Many people plan a holiday, a business trip or a family
0:15:22 > 0:15:25visit and all they need is an easy is utter. And electronically stored
0:15:25 > 0:15:31trouble authority. The application process to visit Australia is quick
0:15:31 > 0:15:35and easy and confirmation is normally given within a few minutes.
0:15:35 > 0:15:41VE visitor is valid for one year for stays of up to three months and it
0:15:41 > 0:15:44is free unless you inadvertently go through a website that seeks to
0:15:44 > 0:15:47divert visitors from the official government side and charges fees
0:15:47 > 0:15:58while adding no value. So look for border .gov.au to be certain it is
0:15:58 > 0:16:01the official scientific and Sri Lanka in May.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10While it is perfectly possible to enjoy Sri Lanka in May, I would
0:16:10 > 0:16:13recommend you choose another time of year to visit this lovely Indian
0:16:13 > 0:16:18Ocean island. Manias when the south-west monsoon begins, bringing
0:16:18 > 0:16:24heavy rain and humidity. Agreed it also coincides with the dry season
0:16:24 > 0:16:28in the north and east of the island but I prefer to be in Sri Lanka
0:16:28 > 0:16:32between December and March when highlights, concentrated in the
0:16:32 > 0:16:36south-west quadrant, a relatively cool and dry. Aside, May is a
0:16:36 > 0:16:39wonderful time to be in the Mediterranean, particularly on a
0:16:39 > 0:16:47Greek island. And speaking of Greece, we have this question.
0:16:57 > 0:17:04From Manchester you can happily reach El grade in Serbia by train,
0:17:04 > 0:17:09going via London, Paris, Munich and Croatia. From here, however it gets
0:17:09 > 0:17:14Rob lamented that it you can get as far as the Greek border by train but
0:17:14 > 0:17:19from there you are likely be transferred via bus to Thessaloniki,
0:17:19 > 0:17:23a city which I strongly recommend you explore. From there to Athens,
0:17:23 > 0:17:29trains are fast and cheap. Whether you are contemplating a trip to the
0:17:29 > 0:17:34nation next door or the ends of the earth, I am here to help. E-mail
0:17:34 > 0:17:38your question to the address on the screen. I will do my best to find
0:17:38 > 0:17:43you an answer. From me, Simon
0:17:43 > 0:17:47you an answer. From me, Simon Calder, the gullible guru, see you
0:17:47 > 0:17:49you an answer. From me, Simon Calder, the gullible guru, see you
0:17:49 > 0:17:52next dash -- the global guru.
0:17:52 > 0:17:52Calder, the gullible guru, see you next dash -- the global guru.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Calder, the gullible guru, see you next dash -- the global guru.
0:17:55 > 0:18:01Finally, I am in Paris where the city has been celebrating. E.g. The
0:18:01 > 0:18:07city of lights gets even brighter as artist 's and performers light up
0:18:07 > 0:18:17Paris with free events from sunsets sunrise for one night only. The
0:18:17 > 0:18:22festival takes over the whole city. I have come down to the river for a
0:18:22 > 0:18:24behind-the-scenes look at rehearsals for one of this year's most
0:18:24 > 0:18:34eye-catching installations. The theme of the event is working
0:18:34 > 0:18:37together. And it is all about getting Corinthians and tourists
0:18:37 > 0:18:49alike involved in the art. When it is up and running, this giant
0:18:49 > 0:18:53installation will give visitors a chance to send a message across the
0:18:53 > 0:19:01city.Altogether we have 42 letters because it 42 is the answer to
0:19:01 > 0:19:07everything. People have an app and there they can see a list of topics.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12For each hour of the night, from seven p.m. Until seven a.m. We have
0:19:12 > 0:19:15a single topic and people can make suggestions, according to this
0:19:15 > 0:19:28topic. The suggestion with the most votes wins.And moving these giant
0:19:28 > 0:19:32letters takes quite a knack, as I discovered when I tried to move just
0:19:32 > 0:19:39one. I think I'm picking up a life skill here.Make it straight. Make
0:19:39 > 0:19:43it completely parallel to the direction.
0:19:57 > 0:20:04As the on the night the letters came to life and I decided to make my own
0:20:04 > 0:20:09suggestion for the first phase of the evening.You download the app
0:20:09 > 0:20:13and you can either vote for the next phrase to appear on the bank or you
0:20:13 > 0:20:26can create your own. I will go for Allons-Y. My suggestion did not
0:20:26 > 0:20:36quite make it. This was what the Peruvians preferred. -- Parisians.
0:20:36 > 0:20:43Since it began in Paris, the white knight ID has spread to nearly 30
0:20:43 > 0:20:49cities around the world. And back in its birthplace, it is still as
0:20:49 > 0:20:56popular as ever.The number of people going is crazy. We are
0:20:56 > 0:21:04talking about 800,000 people. You can feel it. On one side you have
0:21:04 > 0:21:07walking and contemplating the city and on the other side you have the
0:21:07 > 0:21:13artistic project. I think this is why it is so famous. And it
0:21:13 > 0:21:19certainly seems to have worked. There are over 150 events on
0:21:19 > 0:21:25throughout the night and every venue we went to was packed.The most
0:21:25 > 0:21:34popular events are the ones that a more immersive. I enjoyed this quite
0:21:34 > 0:21:41serene exhibition about European rail travel. It is a soundscape that
0:21:41 > 0:21:44has been composed to evoke the history of rail. And with the smoke
0:21:44 > 0:21:56it is quite atmospheric. The whole of Paris seems to come together for
0:21:56 > 0:21:58this event with restaurants, bars and public transport staying open
0:21:58 > 0:22:04through the night. For those in it for the long haul. If you are hardy
0:22:04 > 0:22:08you can party until seven a.m. But I am not quite able to make it that
0:22:08 > 0:22:13far. It is past one a.m. And this party is showing no signs of letting
0:22:13 > 0:22:17up. It is the end of this week 's travel show and coming up next
0:22:17 > 0:22:27week... Henry's in Australia's red Centre to find out how a ban on
0:22:27 > 0:22:31climbing the sacred side of Uluru could affect tourism in the area.At
0:22:31 > 0:22:35the moment, tourist are allowed to go up to the peak. That is about to
0:22:35 > 0:22:40change.Join us then if you can. In the meantime, don't forget you can
0:22:40 > 0:22:45keep up with us on the road and in real-time by signing up to our
0:22:45 > 0:22:48social media needs, details from which are on the screen right now.
0:22:48 > 0:22:54From me and the rest of the team here in Paris, it is goodbye.