A friend of mine is in Basil on business and has been stranded there because of the no fly rule.  She is staying connected with us through social media and also finding out some really helpful information from other travelers in her same predicament.

If the volcanic ash from Iceland had made its way across Europe five years ago, its effects would have been even more distressing for the thousands of people stranded far from home. Why? Because five years ago most people did not have access to the social-networking services which are helping some stranded travelers make their way home. Five years ago, they would have been individuals texting and calling friends at home, but struggling to find others in the same predicament to pool resources.

But now she and many others have turned to the social networks to talk about their frustrations and then, in many cases, develop inventive ways of getting home.

A Facebook group called Carpool Europe has been set up by the Swedish car-pool movement, and has lots of messages offering or seeking the chance to hitch a ride. The group appears mainly populated by Swedes, but another, called When Volcanoes Erupt, is also acting as a clearing house for travelers trying to get on the move, and there are focused communities like BBC Orkney’s Facebook wall; you can listen to the experience of one Radio Orkney listener trapped in Venice at the iPlayer. Other Facebook members are using the service in a less co-ordinated way to seek help from friends.

It is truly amazing to me how social media is transforming our lives in subtle ways each day.