What do you think of the movement? Are you there or do you associate with its aims? Tell us more with Disqus!  . . read more

Tonight I was there while Madrid was opening its eyes and waking in thunder.

Although I had heard about a rally in Puerta del Sol, I had no idea of the sheer magnitude of what it was until I was called down to see it for myself.

Thousands of people filled the square, sitting, standing, talking, calling for democracy and their rights. A makeshift marquee was formed using the grand pillars of Sol, covers for those who had brought their mats and sleeping bags and were preparing to stay the night.

Some had been there for 3 days already.

Banners littered the once serene Plaza, some blaming bankers, some saying we are all human and should be treated as such, another saying that if we can camp outside for Justin Bieber and Twilight, then why not for our human rights?

We shall not move!

Tonight was just a taste.

Tomorrow I´m going back there and living it in its proper spirit. Spain is rising. And it´s a thrill to be in the midst of it.

Oh, I also have 2 exams in the next few hours.

Feels insignificant compared to a call for our freedoms!

What do you think about the protests taking place in Madrid at the moment? Should the people be listened to? Tell us and remember....Disqus!  . . read more

By Sumer Dayal

Salamanca, Granada, Barcelona.

Paris, London, New York.

Guadalajara, Mexico.

Así las manifestaciones difunden. They are spreading everywhere.

An estimated 30,000 people were in Puerta del Sol yesterday. A threat to illegalise the protests remains but cannot possibly succeed. Even if the police wanted to remove people, which they have refused to do, how would they? What do you do when a demonstration is so big that you can no longer even reach inside the Plaza?

The heart of Spain is spreading its message throughout the globe. We´ve had enough.

And we shall not move.

Tell us what you think about the protests? How will they be resolved? Tell us and remember...Disqus!

When travelling, there's a disturbing trend of seeing fellow travellers who dress in ways that are either inappropriate or completely offensive to the local culture. 

It can be as idiotic as the city-slicking Kathmandu king who wears hiking pants, socks, and beanies and whose hardcore clothes never seem dirty. It can be as cliched as lumpen hippies who wear Thai fishermans' pants- who are almost always never Thai nor fisherman. And finally, it can be as straight out culturally insensitive as tank-tops and singlets worn in solemn religious structures.

Whatever the way you do it, the message is simple: look around and if you look ridiculously different to the locals- your dress sense might need addressing.   . . read more

What do you think of the protest in Madrid? Do you agree with its aims? Tell us and remember...Disqus!

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When deciding where to travel it's often to difficult to work out whether the place you want to visit is dangerous. The Australian government's guide Smart Traveller is pointless because every tiny little threat is over blown to such proportions that if you heeded every warning you'd never leave your home. Take the guide for the UK, the first line says:

"We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in the United Kingdom because of the risk of terrorist attack"

Probably more appropriate for Afghanistan.

However there is a fail-safe system to judge risk which is based on the size of guns of the police or security guards. In the fairly dodgy countries of Mexico, Cambodia and Laos the police and security guards at jewellery stores all carry submachine guns, shotguns and even AK47s. In the safer Australia it's sidearms and in the safer still London the Met famously doesn't carry guns.

So the next time you travel, find out what sort of weapons law enforcement carries and plan accordingly. . . read more