Wikivoyage:Tourist office/Archives/2017/June

Wineries near Paso Robles
Hi, everyone. I'm starting to plan a likely summer trip to California. Part of the trip is likely to be a trip from the Bay Area to Santa Barbara and back, including a visit to someplace on the way. We've already visited San Luis Obispo, so we're considering Paso Robles going and Salinas coming back, with a likely stay in San Jose on the front end, too. Your thoughts about any of those places are welcome, but in terms of Paso Robles, I'm wondering whether good wineries are very close, such that it would be reasonable for us to visit them in a rented car (of course with the driver tasting and spitting), and not pay for a winery tour. Ikan Kekek (talk) 06:23, 1 June 2017 (UTC)

Asked by: Ikan Kekek (talk) 06:23, 1 June 2017 (UTC)


 * My brother already has suggestions for me, for what it's worth, so I'll pay attention to what he says. Ikan Kekek (talk) 07:42, 3 June 2017 (UTC)

Going to Riga and Jurmala in July
I am considering travelling to Riga and Jurmala in Latvia in the start of July. I plan on visiting RopeFest near the centre of Riga but actually staying in Jurmala with my girlfriend, to be able to visit the beach. My itinerary would be as follows:
 * Arrive at Riga airport on Saturday 1 July at 10:40 and go straight to RopeFest at Brivibas gatve 193c by 15:00.
 * Leave RopeFest at 23:00 and go straight to Jurmala.
 * Stay at Jurmala until Wednesday 5 July.
 * Go to Riga airport to catch a flight back to Finland at 11:05.

Is this possible? My main concerns are the transfers. I'm sure I'll be all OK in Jurmala. Is it possible to:
 * Get from Riga airport to Brivibas gatve 193c in four hours?
 * Get from Brivibas gatve 193c to Jurmala in the middle of the night?
 * Get from Jurmala to Riga airport by about 09:00 or 09:30 in the morning?

Asked by: JIP (talk) 22:24, 1 June 2017 (UTC)


 * Scratch that, I'm not going to Latvia after all in July. I'm going to Tampere! Bye! =) JIP (talk) 16:42, 25 June 2017 (UTC)

Topically applied sun-cream, insect repellent and related...
I have read the article on Sun protection, but it didn't mention any specfic brands (as discussed on the talk page.).

I will be visiting part of the Eastern Scottish Coast later this year, and wondered if anyone had any specific ones available in that region that were better, or by comparison any that should definitely be avoided?

Based on past experience, I've also encountered 'midges' and was wondering if there were some recommended insect repellents that were obtainable, as my skin doesn't respond well to minor bites, I am aware of things like citronella and DEET (vaugely) from past trips, but would perhaps prefer to use something other than DEET as I am never too happy about using chemical methods unless I absolutely have to? I am also not sure if topically applied insect repellents now exist, or would be "compatible" with any sun protection. ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 18:31, 26 June 2017 (UTC)

Asked by: ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 18:31, 26 June 2017 (UTC)
 * EU regulations about DEET have changed and now (in the EU) you wont be able to buy anything more powerful than 50%.

Three types: DEET, Saltidin/Icaridin and Citriodiol Many products using the different underlying repellant. Some products micro-encapsulate the repellant making it last longer. But these are all chemical methods. PsamatheM (talk) 19:01, 26 June 2017 (UTC)
 * DEET everybody knows about.
 * Saltidin/Icaridin is considered as effective as DEET withour some of the more unpleasant effects (non-irritating, "gentler", does not affect plastics like DEET does)
 * Citriodiol personal opinion but I've thought it a waste of time.
 * Thanks for the note about the changes in EU regulations, I would imagine the UK (despite Brexit) would follow the same direction. ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 19:07, 26 June 2017 (UTC)
 * UK is still a member of the EU and so is obliged to have the same constraints. You can get 50% DEET fine. Micro-encapsulated tends to be at lower concentrations (e.g. 30%) - I guess because it does not lose as much strength over time. PsamatheM (talk) 19:53, 26 June 2017 (UTC)
 * On sun cream - I don't think that any special measures need to be taken for eastern Scotland. I would just buy a cheap supermarket own brand, choosing for one with a SPF of 20 or more. If you are sailing or swimming, get a waterproof one - although the sea is usually so cold that most people are only in the water for 5 minutes so sun cream doesn't matter.
 * Midges tend not to be as bad in the east as in the west. I find a head net (and long sleeves etc) is best when in areas where there are loads of midges. There are some repellents that are specifically sold as deterring midges, e.g. Smidge. Others recommend Avon Skin So Soft Oil, which is sold as a moisturiser but midges don't like the smell, and tend not to bite through oily skin, but I haven't tried this myself.
 * Midges tend to be bad on still days, and can be driven away by smoke, so a camp fire or barbecue can help. There are also midge eating machines available, but these are not practical for travel. AlasdairW (talk) 21:32, 26 June 2017 (UTC)

Snakes in the rain, Adders in the UK?
This is the tourist office, but any advice should probably also be given in the relevant articles.

The UK mainland has one species of mildly venemous snake, the adder, there being some comment on them in an NHS page on snake bites.

However the page is more focused on the snake bite side, and not on where they might be encountered, and how to avoid them.

An adder is not necessarily going to give a fit hiker a fatal injury (only 14 deaths since records beagn per the linked article, but it can give someone a nasty shock to encounter them or a grass snake ( not venomous) unexpectedly.

So the tourist office question would be, where are adders most likely found? and is there any UK specfic advice that should be given? ( I am aware of the existing section on snakes but this has a global scope and covers some much more lethal tropical snakes over the adder.)

Asked by: ShakespeareFan00 (talk) 21:24, 27 June 2017 (UTC)
 * Adders can be found all over the UK mainland but I do not believe on any islands or in Northern Ireland, mainly edge of woodland and on moorlands. In the bracken would be common. They tend only to bit if threatened or stood on. I have walked many miles in the UK but only ever once seen one (in the Lake District). --Traveler100 (talk) 04:33, 28 June 2017 (UTC)
 * I can only personally speak for hiking in Scotland and I've never seen one. My family that lives there says that adders are only seen towards the south of Scotland, near the border (if at all) but there are concerns about them heading further north due to the hotter summers they have been experiencing. According to my cousins, most of the general advice for avoiding snakes applies. So long as you don't stick appendages in log or foliage, you are unlikely to meet up with an adder. Sometimes they like to sun themselves on rocks, so look before you step or climb. If you are hiking on an ungroomed "trail" (can't see the ground due to foliage/ground cover), you can use a stick to sweep the ground in front of where you intend to walk. Adders are shy and will try to slink away before they bite. They're active during the day (mostly), less active during twilight hours (might be changing due to warm weather), and actually hibernate in winter! DethDestroyerOfWords (talk) 15:10, 28 June 2017 (UTC)
 * I saw one near Rannoch Moor several years ago. It was in long grass and moved out of may way - so I didn't get a good look at it. I was walking on a rough path that probably had less than ten people go past in a day. I would take care if I walking through long grass without wearing boots. AlasdairW (talk) 21:05, 28 June 2017 (UTC)


 * In a country as venomous snake infested as Australia, the danger is overstated with only 58 known snake bite deaths between 1979 and 1998. In Britain there have been 14 known deaths from Vipera_berus since 1876, the last being in 1975.
 * Yes, you should avoid and seek medical treatment if bitten, but UK specific advice should give more weight to legitimately dangerous animals that you will encounter (domestic cows, deer, swans, domestic dogs) than Adders who most people in Britain are unlikely to even see in their lifetimes. Andrewssi2 (talk) 23:59, 28 June 2017 (UTC)