The UK’s first hydrogen fuel cell buses have gone into service in central London for a two-year trial that also involves nine other European cities, making it the largest project of its type in the world.   DaimlerChrysler developed and manufactured the Citaro buses and BP is managing the project and providing the hydrogen-refuelling facilities.  In London, three of the No 25’s are being trialled on the 11-mile from Ilford to Oxford Circus from January 14th.  Each bus has a range of 125 miles between each refuelling.   

Seven people have died and hundreds have lost their homes in Fiji after severe storms hit the main island of Viti Levu in the South Pacific.  Nine people are still missing.  In one of the worst incidents, five people died when their bus was swept away by a landslide.  

The US government wants to begin testing a program this summer that would allow low-risk frequent fliers to avoid extra security inspections at airports.  Passengers could volunteer to pay a fee and submit to government background checks.  If they are not found to be potential threats, they would avoid being randomly selected for the follow-up screening at checkpoints where carry-on bags pass through metal detectors.  The aim is to move law-abiding and non-threatening travellers more quickly to their planes and permit screeners to focus more on people about whom the government has less information, said David Stone, acting chief of the Transportation Security Administration.  The program, which will last 90 days could begin in June, is expected to appeal mostly to frequent travellers who would think the cost would be offset by the time saved at airports.

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Travellers to Kenya will know that a ride in a matatu (minibus) can be a hair raising experience.  The last time the Beetle was in Kenya, a fellow traveller reported that he was on a matatu that crashed, because the driver was drunk and there were so many people on board that two occupants died. In response to a law published last year by the Kenyan government to fit in safety belts and speed governors as a measure to curb increasing road accidents, Kenyan matatu (minibus) operators are rushing to beat a government deadline to fit safety equipment on their vehicles.  But the chairman of the Matatu operators Association Simon Kimutai says only 10% of the vehicles have complied with the new rules.  Commentators say that Kenya's public transport system is heading for a crisis when the new laws become effective this month because so few matatu owners have complied.  The new law requires the matatus to sport one colour and have a yellow strip and matatu drivers and conductors will have to wear uniforms and badges.  Let’s hope that this does bring some safety to Kenya’s roads.

This is my first request to your excellent newsletter. I'd like to know if anyone knows of anywhere in Tibet where a young (23) year old guy could go to learn overtone chanting. Have you any ideas/sources/reports of young people. I'd love to know, and I can then pass the message on: di.hinds@ntlworld.com

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our Mutual Aid Forum section of the Website: Mutual Aid

Three crewmembers found dead on a South Korean freighter that washed ashore in Shimane Prefecture on Sunday may have died after inhaling toxic gas generated from rotten squid organs, local Japan Coast Guard (JCG) officials said.  Three crewmembers were found dead in two storage rooms of the freighter and its skipper was unconscious in one of the rooms.  JCG officers found rotten internal squid organs in storage rooms where the three men were found dead.  Investigators suspect that the three crewmembers died from either an oxygen shortage or inhalation of carbon monoxide that had been generated from the rotten squid organs. The coast guard office said carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide were detected in the cabin.

Plans are afoot to cut transatlantic fares to as little as £66 return.  Passengers travelling to the U.S. and Canada could enjoy the type of low-cost fares that have revolutionised European air travel.  Executives at Cologne-Bonn airport in Germany say they are in 'serious' talks with several American airlines to offer budget return flights to the U.S. for just £66 starting by 2005.  The flights would be open to tourists anywhere in the world – as long as they have access to the Internet – though UK customers would first have to get to Germany.  'The plan is for all tickets to be sold online – no refunds, no frills, no fancy lounges and trimmed back in-flight entertainment and meals.  Locations being touted include New York, Boston and Washington together with mid-western U.S. cities and destinations in Canada.