this week on the show! we are saving seals in vancouver. all]! saving seals in vancouver. all my gosh. _ saving seals in vancouver. fill my gosh, they are so adorable. hey buddy!— hey buddy! saving money in warsaw. and _ hey buddy! saving money in warsaw. and heading - hey buddy! saving money in warsaw. and heading to - hey buddy! saving money in. warsaw. and heading to what might be the cheapest but certainly the rudest restaurant in sydney. ! certainly the rudest restaurant in sydney-— in sydney. i do not want your

leftovers! — this week, i am on canada pacific coast where vancouver lies in the shadow of the mountain range that is the only barrier between the city and one of the worlds most advanced wildernesses. surrounded by water, every year, thousands of people travel here to marvel at the whales as they danced along the whales as they danced along the coastline, returning after a long winter away. british columbia is the most bio diverse territory all of canada. it has seals, and as sea lions and hundreds of other species living in these very waters. it's also home to the

biggest port in the entire country of vancouver. and we bring animals and humans you bring animals and humans you bring them in such close quarters, problems can arise. more boats means more underwater noise, which can confuse animals, leading them into trouble. last year alone, the local marine mammals helped over hundred animals to safety. some were injured and others simply confused. two of them ended up here.— ended up here. oh, my gosh! they are _ ended up here. oh, my gosh! they are so — ended up here. oh, my gosh! they are so adorable! - ended up here. oh, my gosh! they are so adorable! hey, i they are so adorable! hey, buddy! how did they end up here? , , . , here? they were rescued this ast here? they were rescued this past summer— here? they were rescued this past summer by _ here? they were rescued this past summer by our- here? they were rescued this past summer by our marine l past summer by our marine mammal_ past summer by our marine mammal rescue centre and they were _ mammal rescue centre and they were found in different areas and they— were found in different areas and they didn't look like they're _ and they didn't look like they're doing too well. add a couple — they're doing too well. add a couple of _ they're doing too well. add a couple of injuries, they're looking _ couple of injuries, they're looking really dehydrated

skinny _ looking really dehydrated skinny and kind of getting nursed back to health, one of them — nursed back to health, one of them had _ nursed back to health, one of them had cataracts and they were — them had cataracts and they were too _ them had cataracts and they were too severe as they both have — were too severe as they both have lost _ were too severe as they both have lost their vision. clearly. _ have lost their vision. clearly, the ocean can be a cruel clearly, the ocean can be a cruel place and there are currently nine other marine mammals at the aquarium, who, just like these two, were rescued from near death, but sadly, after rehabilitation, weren't well enough to be released back into the wild. their neighbour, senor cinco, was also blinded after sustaining a gunshot to the face. he's quite the character, and now acts as an ambassador for the work of the rescue team. so, when people come through and, you know, visit the aquarium, come say hi to the seals and the sea lions, what do you hope that they come away with from that visit? i hope theyjust come away with a bit more of a stronger connection to the ocean. i think that's the really cool thing about aquariums is sometimes the creatures in the ocean, or even just the ecosystem of the ocean, is not a tangible thing

because you're watching it on tv, or you're reading a book, but i think when you get to come and see it in person and make that emotional connection, you can really understand what is out there and maybe have a stronger pull to take action in their lives — to help with climate change, or protect the oceans. that's one of my hopes for the visitors that come to the aquarium. and maybe now, more than ever, that inspiration is important. this is how much rubbish ends up on 110 metres of coastline every single day. with that amount of plastic bobbing around, it's no wonder a big part of the rescue centre's work is disentangling curious animals that get caught up in it. down in horseshoe bay, vancouver's busiest passenger ferry port... hi, eva. hi. great to see you. ..lindsaye and her team are getting ready to go out on one of these disentanglement trips. and i'm hoping to help.

my name is meghan. i'm going to be your driver today. and we also have tom, who is riding along with us, as well as our deck hand. so, when we give you the thumbs up, we're just going to walk from the nice hard surface, which is the dock... ooh! i haven't got great sea legs, so i'm really hoping the weather stays like this. the giant ferries looming alongside our tiny boat remind me of the scale of the human impact here. and what we're heading into is howe sound and it's rich in marine life... howe sound, or atl�*ka7tsem, as it's called in the local squamish language, liesjust north of the city in the salish sea. in the summertime, when it's seal pupping season, we get lots of calls from animals around here. but will we find any today that need our help? it doesn't take us long to come across some sunbathing sea lions. they're so cute!

oh, my gosh! so far, we can see they all look to be in pretty decent condition, no entanglements. there's some young ones in there, which is really cool to see, mums and pups, and there's some older animals, but body condition—wise, i'd say they're doing 0k. sadly, this isn't always the case. recently, lindsaye and her team found this sea lion struggling with a wire wrapped around its neck. thanks to the skill of the team, they were able to tranquilise it, to set it free. luckily, this lot are ok, but trips like this aren't wasted. counting the sea lions is still a crucial part of the wider conservation effort in the area. only a couple of years ago, this coastalfjord was designated a unesco biosphere zone, recognising the effort being made to boost the biodiversity here. a pretty impressive achievement when you consider that, for decades, coastal industry left the water here

heavily polluted. how would you say the numbers have changed throughout the years? definitely noticing an increase in numbers of the sea lions and specifically in different areas. a little bit closer to vancouver area, ten years ago, we weren't seeing steller sea lions in some of these areas. now, we're seeing both california and steller sea lions. and only a couple of months ago, plans were announced to protect a swathe of marine coastline the size of iceland, near british columbia. it's hugely important. we live in an amazing part of the world. it brings in a lot of tourism, a lot of eco—tourism. we almost have to pinch ourselves once in a while. right now, we're sitting in a boat, we've got ioo—plus sea lions iooft from us and we're just having a conversation, like... it's insane to think about that and there could be whales around the corner. there's just so much that british columbia offers.

preserving that, obviously, it's going to be helpful for years. and with humans encroaching ever further into mother nature's territory, these animals are going to continue to need all the help we can give them. it can be really easy to take for granted the wildlife in places like this, but what i've learned today is just how much effort goes into protecting these waters and the animals that live in them. it's definitely a careful balance, but it seems like things are moving in the right direction. as for me, i think i'm ready to head back to dry land. and if you're planning to visit vancouver any time soon, here's some things you should know. there are several walking tours, museums and exhibitions here that will help you understand a bit more about vancouver's indigenous people. the city is built on land belonging to the musqueam, squamish, and tsleil—waututh nations. and if you start to feel peckish, why not track down

some bannock, a sort of indigenous bread you can pick up in several spots around the city. it's sometimes used in cakes, waffles, orjust eaten on its own. mm! that is so delicious! the best way to explore vancouver is on foot. the vancouver seawall is a 17.5 mile—long walk that exposes you to the best of the city, from artwork and sculptures to mountains and wildlife. seals are often spotted and the endangered great blue heron has made a home next to the tennis courts. just watch out for the coyotes! and if you're heading here over the winter, the city's got three popular ski resorts, all accessible by public transport. cypress is the biggest and most expensive, but grouse and seymour are both well—set—up for families. the big deal here, though, is the world—famous whistler mountain, a two—hour bus ride away.

it's pricey. a day pass this season started at 143 canadian dollars, or about 105 us. but for that, you get access to north america's biggest ski resort with 200 different runs, reliable snow and some of the most beautiful mountain scenery on earth. still to come on the travel show... albania's beginning to emerge as a destination in its own right. simon's got tips on how to save money in europe... thank you. you're welcome. menus, together. ..and we certainly won't be leaving any at sydney's rudest restaurant. the what? the tropical karen. you don't need to shout. so, don't go away. welcome back to vancouver on canada's west coast. believe it or not, but this lovely beach right here is smack—bang in the middle of the city.

no complaints from me. up next, here's simon with some great moneysaving tips if you're planning on visiting europe any time soon. hello from brighton. this english seaside city has been attracting visitors in search of fun, frolics and sea air for centuries. it's got me all excited about the imminent prospects of summer, and i've been doing some maths to calculate the most cost—effective locations in europe this year. first, though, the united states has dropped its insistence that all international travellers should be fully vaccinated against covid. the change, ordered by the white house after 18 months of the rule, means that new york, florida, california and the rest of the us are now

open for visitors this summer. it's been a long, wet winter in the uk, but at least the sun is out today in brighton, and i wanted to try to bring a ray of light to all the people who want to get away but are really feeling the high cost of living. with that in mind, i've created a price index. prices in rome are above average for every aspect, particularly fast food and budget accommodation. london and paris have the most expensive airport to city transport. a large beer in the french capital will cost you more than twice as much as the cheapest, which, like every item i surveyed, is in warsaw. so i applied my holiday price index to the albanian capital, tirana, and found that costs are around half of those in warsaw. albania, tucked on the adriatic coast, for decades has been in the shadow of more illustrious neighbours like greece, montenegro,

and croatia. but now, it's beginning to emerge as a destination in its own right. i led something of a pioneering tour there in 1989 to see england play a world cup qualifying match against albania. to find out how things are in 2023, i've called up francesca masotti of albaniainsider.com. when i first visited albania in the 1980s, i was struck by how friendly it is. is that still the case? in my opinion, it's the friendliest country i've ever been. if you need help, albanians are here to help you. if you need everything, they are very, very happy to help you. i also love lake ohrid. lake ohrid is one of the most spectacular places you will see, notjust in albania, but in the balkans. it is nestled between albania and north macedonia. it's an amazing place off the radar. you will not find crowds there.

not even in summertime. i'm also interested in durres. the most interesting thing about durres is its archaeological history. durres is one of the oldest settlements along the adriatic coast, so you can visit amphitheatre of durres, which is the largest in the balkan peninsula. on the subject of fresh travel experiences, we've had a question from a viewer, who asks very simply... the answer has to be a high—end safari lodge in kenya's masai mara, but you will be paying upwards of $1,000 per person, per night. at the other end of the price spectrum, for the cost ofjust a few nights at such a safari lodge, you could get a couple of weeks on an overland truck, going through botswana and namibia. that's all from brighton,

but do get in touch with any travel questions you might have and i'll do my best to help you. till next time, i'll hand you back to eva. goodbye. thanks, simon. well, to finish this week, we're heading to australia, a place known for its culinary innovation, where foodies claim that trends like smashed avocado and flat whites first started. but the latest food fad to come out of sydney might not be to everybody�*s taste. we sent jacqui wakefield to a place where service definitely doesn't come with a smile. in sydney, on a warm evening, the streets are buzzing. post—covid rules to help cafes and restaurants have been swelling the numbers of people eating and drinking outside all summer.

it's part of an effort to support those businesses who still need a bit of help getting back on their feet after the country's long, punishing lockdowns. but one institution doesn't need any of the help. it opened up temporarily during lockdown, became a viral sensation and now they're opened permanently, and they're expanding branches across the world. and that's despite having some of the worst service you've ever seen. what do we want? let's go, i'm not getting any younger. is your name chad?! urgh! it's called karen's diner and my mum, dad and family friend agreed to come with me to brave the onslaught. oh, my god! did you make that shirt yourself? but first, some rules. no racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist comments. no body shaming, no sexual harassment. any damage or vandalism, you'll be removed. keep food and drink on your tables and don't throw them. all right, we're good. there. thank you very much.

word spread fast on social media about the service here and queues began to form as people decided they'd like a piece of the action. to some diners, it's lots of fun. and to others, totally baffling. you're welcome! thank you. but, of course, it's all make—believe. why would you get - a vegan burger and then get real cheese? cos she's vegetarian... the staff are actors and it's part of the new wave of theatrical dining experiences that have seen restaurants opening themed around british sitcoms or broadway shows in recent years. yes, drink? a mocktail. the special. what is this? i'm not playing charades right now. use your big girl words. here, though, you need skin like a rhino. i mean, it was fun, but tense. how did you feel when they came up and you had to order?

nervous. especially when they called you something rude. what did they call you? b1. what else? santa claus. grandpa. and, mum, what did you get? they criticised my clothes! are we done? so, what do you say? thank you. you're welcome. menus, together. nicely, neatly, - quickly and quietly. i'm not going to do yourjob for you... what do you think is the appeal of the rudeness for customers who come in here? i think people really enjoy having a laugh. like, some families just have a really, really good time. it's not a venue for everyone. but the people that do enjoy it, like, it definitely is the space for them. the what?! the tropical karen. right, you don't need to shout. do you encourage that rudeness back, or...? absolutely. it's so fun when people banter back. it's not very fun when you sit there and they just, like, take it.

it's really fun when they banter back, especially if they're a good table that you get along with and you're able to, like, establish, like, some kind of rapport with them, you can keep coming back and you can keep harassing them. it's always really fun. i'd escaped across sydney for a few moments of sanity and seek out a much friendlier face. hi, alannah. nice to meet you. alannah�*s written about the phenomenon for time out. one of the waiters we had, he was quite bitchy, if i can say that on the bbc. he would kind ofjust come over and kind of give me up and downs and be, like, "is that box—dyed hair? "do you even know how to blend your eye shadow?" like, "oh, look at your nail beds. urgh!" like, ripping on my cuticles. and i was like, "honey, we're alljust out of lockdown, we're "still on waiting lists for our usual nails and hair people." i was a little bit, like, "ooh," but i can say i have worked on my eye shadow blending technique since that day, so maybe he was doing me a favour. so many people have worked in some service job where they've wanted to kind of talk to customers this way occasionally. is there something kind

of cathartic in being able to see the wait staff act how maybe we wanted to act back in that time? i think 100%. like, as a fan of the arts and theatre, like, my favourite kind of stuff out there is cabaret, is really funny burlesque, is drag queens doing stupid parodies. and i think sometimes the most surreal, ridiculous, hilarious, cathartic entertainment experiences we can have tap into something in reality, and i think that there is some kind of great pleasure in seeing that acted out. not always when you're on the receiving end of it, that can be quite comfortable, but, you know, if i had to go back to waiting tables tomorrow, i think maybe i'd rather work at karen's diner than some stuffy high—end restaurant. who got the burger with fries?

of course, the staff need special training to work here. who got the salad? that kind of breathtaking rudeness doesn't always come easy. ryan is a newjoiner and he's come all the way from ireland for the chance to work here. what age are you? i'm 11. you look five. don't be smart with me, grandad. back home in ireland, i knew when i was coming to australia, i was like, "i need to go to karen's." i told everyone i was going to do it. everyone said to me, "no, you need to be "an actor, you need to have like a background," and i was like, "i don't care. i'm going to get in." go sit down. the back table, go sit down. quick. talk me through what it feels like when you're about to approach a table. you have to almost spot straight away what table it is. is it a bunch of teenagers? is it a family? is it a bunch of adults? oh, my god! how many pictures do

you want of me?! when you first start off, you're a little bit nervous, cos you're almost doing a performance every time, but once you become more comfortable with the character, like, you go up, you know what works for you, you know what doesn't work for you. you're comfortable in what you know what to do. messy. i don't want your leftovers! i think i'm kind of confident enough now that i go up and if they find it funny, don't find it funny, i'm like, "this is my character, i know what works, "like it or leave it, i don't care." like... that's very karen of you! literally, like, sometimes i have to try separate the character from myself! you're not even wearing proper shoes! how are you going to pay for this whole meal? right, sadly, ourtime in vancouver is at an end, but coming up next time... carmen is in the philippines, meeting the cash—strapped pensioners who have decided to supplement their income by discovering their inner diva for tourists in manila. until then, you can find us on the bbc iplayer and on social media, too. we're in all the usual places, along with other great travel content from the bbc. well, from me and senor cinco

right here, goodbye! hello. our forecast for the week ahead doesn't bring anything that really resembles a heat wave. however, there is going

to be a lot of fine, dry and sunny weather around. and in that sunshine, it will feel relatively warm through this weekend. it's england and wales that will have the lion's share of that strong sunshine with high uv levels. scotland and northern ireland perhaps seeing more in the way of cloud and a little bit of rain at times on the earlier satellite picture from friday can see this area of cloud in the west of the uk. that was high cloud. it turned the sunshine hazy, some shower clouds across some central and southern parts. there were some big downpours and thunderstorms. and then on saturday, some more generally cloudy weather spilling its way in from the northwest across northern ireland and scotland with a little bit of rain at times, not a huge amount of rain. england and wales seeing lots of sunshine, a bit of patchy cloud in the south, but the vast majority will stay dry and the highest temperatures perhaps in western england, parts of wales up to around 20 degrees. now, through saturday nights, this frontal system will pep up a little bit. so some heavier rain for a time in northern ireland and scotland, but that rain will then ease off again through the day on sunday. very similar sort of day actually, with cloud and some splashes of rain for northern ireland and scotland.

for england and wales, large amounts of sunshine, a bit of patchy cloud in the south, perhaps on the cool side for some north sea coast, highest temperatures further west, up to 20 or 21 degrees. now, as we get into monday, two high pressure centres, one to the southwest of us, one across scandinavia in between, well, there isjust enough chance for a couple of weather systems to be floating around. we mayjust see one or two showers a bit more in the way of cloud. once again, the cloudy conditions likely to be across northern ireland and scotland, but the majority will be largely dry down towards the south and the south west, cardiff, plymouth up to 22 degrees. so the weather set up really throughout next week is for high pressure to be to the south west of us. that high pressure nosing its way in bringing largely fine and settled conditions. but with the winds coming around the top of that area of high pressure, generally from a west or a north westerly direction, it is never going to feel particularly warm. that said, in the sunshine, 17 to 20 degrees, that will be relatively pleasant. still quite cool on tuesday, though, for some north sea coast, generally cooler in the north of scotland. now into wednesday, that area of high pressure may retreat westwards enough to allow a slightly more active frontal system to push in across the north west

of scotland with cloud and some outbreaks of rain. maybe some of that rain getting into the north coast of northern ireland, further south and east england and wales, largely dry spells of sunshine 17 to 20 degrees. later in the week, our area of high pressure is set to hold firm in the atlantic. this high covers actually quite a large part of the atlantic, blocking the progress of weather systems, tending to keep them to the north west of us. it may be that weak fronts bring a little bit of cloud and rain into northern scotland. the wind direction though, will generally be west or northwesterly. if you were looking for any really warm weather, you'd need a southerly wind and we're not going to see that really through the next week or ten days. so, temperatures will not be anything dramatic. however, values in the high teens or low 20 celsius through the end of the week and into next weekend will feel quite pleasant, particularly if you get yourself into some sunshine. that's all from me. bye for now.

live from washington, this is bbc news. at the g7 meeting injapan, the us backs plans to provide advanced fighter jets to ukraine. ukraine's volodymyr zelensky accuses some arab leaders of "turning a blind eye" to russia's invasion during the arab league summit. and former us president barack obama is one of over 500,000 us citizens now banned from russia, in response to new anti—russia sanctions. hello. i'm sumi somaskanda. great to have you with us. we start with two big meetings today. they were on either side

of the globe, with two very different sets of world leaders, but each hold huge potential to shape the trajectory of the war in