Volcano Tells World : ‘Suck Ash’

When Icelandic Volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, erupted on the fourteenth of this month, few would have expected the devastating effect it would have on the world economy with thousands of flights cancelled, due to a Europe wide travel ban, leading to economic chaos and personal misery. Asian capitals are full of travelers, unable to return home, who are now suffering the added misery of rising prices as hoteliers cash in and raise prices.

The effect on the world economy is now estimated to have cost billions as transport dependant businesses are hit by an inability to move stock. Kenyan flower exporters are watching a 100 million baht harvest of flowers perish. Fruit and vegetables destined for European markets rot in airport warehouses with their owners impotent.

Pharmaceutical companies are watching a devastating shortage of medicines and the supply of computer chips is fast drying up.

Britons have been hit hardest by travel bans and the association of British travel agents has estimated that up to 1,000,000 Britons may be stranded abroad with tens of thousands attempting to obtain the few places on trains and boats still available. The British government has suggested using the Royal Navy to help transport citizens home but at the time of writing had yet to be in operation.

Many international leaders were unable to attend the State funeral of Polish premier, Lech Kaczyński, With President Obama of the USA and The Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper unable to cross the Atlantic.

Royal families from across Europe abruptly changed travel plans to attend the seventieth birthday celebrations of Queen Margerethe of Denmark switching from air to train or private car whilst Actor John Cleese spent over three thousand pounds (150,000 baht) taking a Taxi to the Eurostar terminal in Brussels. Concern was growing, though, for veteran broadcaster Richard Attenborough who was reported to be grounded whilst on an expedition to the North pole and was feared to be running low on food and other supplies.

Hotel prices in some Asian cities have sky rocketed with rooms in Hong Kong reported to have increased in price by as much as fourfold as hoteliers attempt to profit from the situation by gouging stranded travelers.