we've got a yellow warning for 50 to 60 mile per hour gusts, but across the north of scotland, an amber wind warning from the met office gusts could reach 80 or possibly even 90 miles per hour — enough to cause some significant disruption sunday night, particularly and into monday morning. the main area of strong winds and rain slowly clears to the east during monday morning, still further blustery showers around, too. bye for now. hello this is bbc news. the headlines... britain is proposing to double the number of soldiers deployed in eastern europe, to increase pressure on russia's president amid heightened tensions over ukraine.. we think it is highly likely that he is looking to invade ukraine, that is why we are doing all we can through deterrence and diplomacy, to urge him to desist.

both the uk prime minister boris johnson and the chancellor say a widely—opposed rise in national insurance will go ahead to fund health and social care. the northern irish city of londonderry has been commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of bloody sunday, when british soldiers opened fire on a peaceful civil rights march. thirteen people were killed and fifteen injured. the uk braces for more stormy weather after two people — including a nine—year—old boy — died when they were hit by falling trees during storm malik. now on bbc news... it's time for the travel show with lucy hedges. coming up on this week's programme: facing herfears — we follow an anxious traveller as she heads abroad for the first time in almost two years. it was that first view of the sea, and i was like, "i can do this, i made it.

this is going to be ok, this is going to be good." we've got tech that's designed to take the stress out of your overseas adventures. i've rounded up a bunch of gadgets that will be sure to guide you to a state of zen. we find out what bangkok's taxi drivers did when their customers disappeared. and we meet the people helping passengers with their paperwork. we are here to reassure them, to guide them and to make sure that they have everything to hand. hi. it's london, it's january, and the weather's, shall we say, cold. so what many of us desperately want is some much—needed

sunshine. but i think it's fair to say that travelling right now is more than a little complicated, with a seemingly never—ending list of rules and regulations. so, if you are someone who battles with anxiety at the best of times, can you really contemplate a trip overseas? we've been to meet someone who has done exactly that. in 2012, kimberly davis suffered a life—threatening infection following a routine operation. i ended up spending several months in the hospital, needing a major surgery and being what i was told later on just hours away from death. and that changes you as a person. that changes you. there's a lot of anxiety that comes with life now that used to never be there before. so, when covid arrived in the uk, news of another invisible and deadly threat had a significant impact on her. when the pandemic first

started, like many people, i was very nervous and i have hunkered down in my flat, and that went fine for a while, but after about a year, the solitude started taking its toll and i started finding that my mental health started going down and down and down and ifound myself starting to cry a lot more, and really feeling that i needed to get out. but at the same time i was really nervous about going and taking that leap. doctor nihara krause is a consultant clinical psychologist who has seen mental health issues increase dramatically since the start of the pandemic. with the pandemic we have had to face an invisible threat, and one of the things that happens with that is that our sense of safety, which is a basic human need, is threatened. luckily for kimberly, help was at hand. seeing how her mental health was deteriorating, a concerned close friend

offered to take her on a holiday to france. after initially pushing back, kimberly finally gave in and agreed to go. so, i have literally gone from being in my house for almost two years to getting on a plane and going to france. i'm very nervous and i've had a lot of panic attacks this week about it, but it's just gotten to a point of if i stay in the flat i'm not going to be ok. we'll see. wish me luck! when people are anxious, they tend to avoid the thing they are anxious of and a very effective of treatment is to try and learn to face your fear bit by bit, one step at a time. for kim, just the journey alone was a huge step forward. getting on the plane, getting to france with a nightmare for me. it was so, so stressful and i thought at many points along thejourney,

"i can't do this." it was that first view of the sea, and i was like, "i can do this. i made it, this is going to be ok, this is going to be good." it's gorgeous and i'm very excited to be going into the water. as you can see, i am the only person here wearing a mask here i go into the water! yay! how good does that feel, to feel the sand beneath my feet? the sea on my feet, it is just the best! this is amazing. oh my god, it's so amazing. i've got a great spot here right in front of the water, there's my toes wiggling. i'm trying to stay away from people. ok, that's freaking me out, don't get so close. i started feeling all that fear and anxiety kind of rushing back. there's just too many people here now and there's too many children, and nobody is wearing a mask, and i'm getting panicky. so, i can't seem to find a place on the beach

that is far enough away from people so i'm going. this location and this view has made a huge difference already. by day three, i started feeling brave enough to go out on some little adventures. it was so great to do the little things, the little things that you probably don't even think twice about normally on a holiday. gelato by the sea, i mean, come on, you can't beat this. i went on a bus tour and got to see the sights. just had the most glorious facial, massage, hair treatment, and i feel amazing. i wound up doing three hours in the spa! i needed it. i started going to restaurants again. this is the best pasta i've ever eaten in my entire life, and i don't know whether that's because i haven't been out of my house for so long,

or whether this really is the best pasta i have ever eaten, but oh my god! i'm coming back here every day. i'm used to all the smells and sensations of being in my flat for almost two years, so when i travelled out for the first time, i started noticing that all of my senses were completely heightened. just the most tiny things, like touching a rock or smelling a flower, or smelling perfumes. i have been shopping for fragrances. everything was the best, every single thing that i head was the best. look at that stunning, stunning sunset! it is outrageous. i had this moment where i walked out of the hotel room and i sat there walking

towards the elevator and thinking, "something is missing, i've forgot something, what is it?" and then i've realised i haven't got in my mask. and initially i went running back, panicking, "oh, no, i've got my mask, i'm in the hallway without my mask, what am i going to do?" but then i had this moment when i got back in the room where i went, "i forgot my mask. that means i've got to be anxious for a moment, and that must be some sort of sign that there has been progress." and that was really exciting and wonderful to experience. there is nobody around here. i can actually take my mask off. oh my god, it's unheard of! it feels weird!

i don't actually want to go back! but it's been really nice to have all these experiences and to remember what it's like to live. it's nice to be able to breathe fresh air, look at the sunrise, look at the sunset. i haven't seen these things in two years so it's been really miraculous to re—experience them again and i had forgotten how much i missed them. so, this is the end for me here about the new beginning of something else and i am looking forward to restarting again in london. the holiday was really rejuvenating. it was life changing. it was critical for my mental health, and i'm starting to slowly reincorporate myself into life that i was missing so much, i've missed everybody. so i think that this trip

has really saved me. i know that there's a lot of people out there who, like me, have a lot of anxiety or i really nervous about going out. do whatever you can to take a baby step where you feel comfortable, that you push your boundaries just the tiniest little bit, because the pay—off, the reward is really going to ultimately be worth it and it is going to save you. believe me, if i can do it, absolutely anybody can do it. so if you are watching at home, please go out of your house. i beg you. well, it's fair to say that travelling anywhere right now could be fairly stressful and not the best start or end to your holidays. increasingly, many people are exploring alternative modes

to flying such as by train and by car. less paperwork and delays but chances are it's a much longerjourney. so no matter how you like to get around, things just aren't that simple. so i've rounded up a bunch of gadgets that will be sure to guide you to a state of zen. ok so the first gadget doesn't even require you to get up from the bed. i definitely needed this. it is the vive flow immersive vr glasses for on—the—go wellness. fair warning, it comes with a bit of a price tag. they look like a pair of futuristic, sci—fi and spired goggles and that's what i'd quite like about them. so, you can use your android phone to navigate your way around, also access all the applications available. it is pretty relaxing, i must say. so, these things are clearly designed to be used on the go. now, i've got to admit, i'm not

massively into meditation, but i can really see how they can put you into a nice state of relaxation. i love that they are super portable as well, so they take up only a bit of your bag rather than all of it. so, all in all, a brilliant travel companion. next up and not quite as dear, is the muse s, a brain—sensing headband to help you meditate and improve your sleep. the sensors include eeg to monitor brain activity, ppg for heart rate monitoring, and pulse oximetry for blood oxygen saturation. the app helps you position it correctly. all the colours filled means the sensors are in the correct place. the soundscape goes louder if your mind starts to wander, so the quieter it is, the better you are doing. it is a bit of a faff to set up, a little bit tricky, and i feel that by the time you get this thing to work, you will need some guided meditation. but once you finish the session, you get your own calm report — and i'm happy to say that i achieved one second. now for something to tackle your weary body. i've got my hands

on the theragun mini. it is a portable message device that uses percussive movements with three levels of intensity. ok, so it's got a dedicated app — what gadget these days doesn't? — and it's got options to travel, so you've got jet—lag and travel. so, i'm going to tap the travel option. so, it's going to guide me through a four—minute whole—body routine. i'm going to ease myself in. so, it's telling me to sweep back and forth on my right shin. mmm. it is quite quiet. i'm going to turn it up to the highest setting and see how it feels. wow, that is vibrating my bones! so, the great thing about this is it is nice and portable, you can easily chuck it into your hand luggage or your hand bag. it is pretty quiet, so if you are using it in public, you know, you can relax without annoying people around you. it lasts for around 150 minutes on single charge —

that's more than enough time to be used over the duration of a holiday. now, if i was going to use something like this, i'd probably use itjust before a flight, so maybe relax my muscles a little bit, or perhaps more importantly, after a flight, when i am feeling a bit tense or if i need a boost of energy and just want to be woken up, this thing will pummel my muscles and bring me back to life. last but not least, i have beurer�*s mg 280 yoga & stretch mat. it comes with four preset programmes and three intensity levels. air chambers in the mat inflate and mould your body into yoga stretches. i need that stretch. so, i'm going to go for relax and i think a little bit of heat too. stretch those muscles. ok, so it is currently putting me into a twist position and i definitely feel like i am being twisted. so this is not your traditional yoga mat and it is quite bulky, so it isn't going to fit

into your standard suitcase, and you definitely can't roll this thing out in the middle of an airport lounge but, you know, after you've been on a long flight, you're feeling crooked, you know you've got to quarantine for ten days, no access to massages or any kind of spa treatments whatsoever, you canjust come to your room, roll this out and get that stretching yoga experience inside your room. now, london's eurostar terminal is usually one of europe's busiest railway hubs. that was until covid struck. but now, as passengers slowly return, they need more than just a ticket and passport to board the trains to france or belgium. so, we went to meet the team who are helping to take at least some of the stress out of that journey. myself and the team are here to help these customers every step of the way. hello, madam, you 0k? are you together?

0k. before, we used to have customers that were prepared and excited but now, it seems like customers are very nervous and anxious about travelling. thank you. have a lovely trip, madam. pleasure. we are here at the station, making sure, and i've been giving them clear information about what to expect for the next step of theirjourney. so, is it working? it's not opening. we do have issues with customers arriving with not android phones, for example. so, when they do have this kind of nokia small phone, they won't be able to use the qr codes, and we've been really, like, flexible to use our own device. we are here to reassure them, to guide them and make sure that they have everything to hand. you've got it. that's fine. you're going to make it. just have your ticket for me, please. it is a different way of travelling now. it is not about any more like, "i just need my passport and my ticket to travel".

it is more, "do i have the right documents? "have i done the right covid tests?" how are you? i'm all right. you are good? you are welcome. you take care. no worries, bye—bye. everyone is on board. we managed even to have people who were struggling, so we had the last—minute few of them jumping on board and train leaving on time, so this is fantastic. things change every single day. one day, they may seem prepared but then the next day, the rules have changed and that is because they are changing in requirements, the document. creating that trust between them and us is really important. it is really important.

that is the key here. well, to finish things off this week, we are off to thailand, where travel was slowly beginning to open up again, which was mainly thanks to tourists being granted quarantine—free access via the newly launched thailand pass. but the spread of omicron meant that got suspended, crushing the hopes of many of the people working there in tourism — amongst them, bangkok taxi drivers. but one company has found another way to support its staff. this is how bangkok used to be — bustling with tourists and taxis taking them to where they need to go. the year before covid hit, the thai capital welcomed 22.8 million tourists, making it the most visited city in 2019.

now, there are taxi graveyards like this all over the city. though this one has been put to good use.

on the days chan goes out, he struggles to find any customers.

back at base, chan's boss inspects neighbouring land to expand the taxi farm. currently, everything grown is consumed by the drivers,

though it is open to passers—by to take a look. they want to open a coffee shop and a place to sell the extra produce. now the other drivers have become his friends and family and they will often share a meal together of chilli paste and vegetables picked from the rooftop. well, i do hope things pick up really soon for those taxi

drivers in bangkok. right, so that's all for this week. coming up next week: we are in the austrian ski resort of ischgl — ground zero for those first alpine covid cases almost two years ago — as the slopes reopen again. don't forget, you can catch up with more of our recent trips on bbc iplayer. we're on social media, too — just search for bbc travel show on facebook and instagram. but for now, from me and the rest of the team here in london, it's goodbye. hello. the strong winds of storm malik have now eased away towards the east and we are in a relatively calm

spell of weather for a short time, because the next named storm, storm corrie is moving on from the north west. so, today, for many areas in the south and east, remaining dry and sunny, but increasingly wet and windy weather arrives from the north west later on. so, we have still got a ridge of high pressure sitting in the south, but here it, storm corrie is moving its way in from the north west, plenty of isobars, so the pressure dropping quickly with this storm system. still a lot of dry weather as we head through the afternoon, across the bulk of england and wales, but you can see the rain across northern ireland and scotland, and that will be preceded by some snow over the higher ground, too. the wind is really picking up at this stage in the middle of the afternoon. that is towards the north west. further south and east, 5—9 ourtop temperatures, should be staying dry for much of england and wales for a good part of the day, but as we head through this evening and tonight, look at all these isobars. it is going to be particularly windy just on the rear edge of storm corrie as it moves its way across scotland, the north of england as well and we have got a yellow wind warning across really

the northern half of the uk. gusts of up to 50 or 60 mph, butan amberwarning across the northern half of scotland, where gusts are likely to reach 80 or possibly 90 mph. so, certainly with strength like that we are likely to see disruption to travel, perhaps power cuts as well. moving through the night, we have got a band of rain crossing the uk, followed by clear spells and blustery showers, but certainly the winds are going to be very strong through the course of tonight, into the early hours of monday, there could well be some disruption. that is in the north. it will not be quite as cold as it was last night, more of a wind around, but still some pockets of frost here and there and wintry showers moving in across parts of scotland from the word go, rain showers across other parts of the uk. it should be dry in the east in these brisk winds for the east of scotland and the east of england and that should ease through the day, but some large waves around the coast. top temperatures between 5—9 , feeling colder, though, where you are exposed to those brisk winds, courtesy of storm corrie. further ahead now and it is a little bit unsettled through the first part of the week, we have got a couple

of weatherfronts moving in, this warm front pushing its way across the uk into the middle of the week and that will bring us some slightly quieter, milderweather. some rain in the forecast across the north, but then things turn colder later in the week. all the warnings about storm corrie are on our website. goodbye for now.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines. hundreds more british troops could be sent to eastern europe amid fears that russia is preparing to invade ukraine. we think it's highly likely that he is looking to invade ukraine, that is why we are doing all we can through deterrence and diplomacy to urge him to desist. both the uk prime minister boris johnson and the chancellor say a widely—opposed rise in national insurance will go ahead to fund health and social care. families of those killed 50 years ago on "bloody sunday" have taken part in a walk of remembrance in londonderry to mark the aniversary. winds of up to 90 miles per hour are forecast to hit northern parts of the uk as storm corrie moves in this evening.