September 2007 Meeting Report

Globetrotters new season began with a talk from Globie Jeanie Copland about Tanzania and her sponsored climb of Kilimanjaro. The first part of Jeanie’s talk showed us the sights including the migration across the Serengeti of Wildebeest and Zebra, the spectacular Victoria Falls and the Zanzibar music festival.

Part 2 was Jeanie’s sponsored climb up Kilimanjaro in aid of VSO. Jeanie took the Marango route up Kilimanjaro, she showed us the lodges where they would sleep and meals prepared by their porters each evening, it was surprising to see that there were almost as many porters and back up staff as people taking part.

At Gilmans Point, 5681 Metres is the Ice Cap, temperatures can be -20 and it was from here they set out for the top of Africa’s highest mountain.

After the break our second speaker was Bradt guide author Thammy Evans who gave us an insight into Macedonia, where she lived for a number of years.

Originally she had just intended to update an existing guide book, but after attempting to seek one out, she found that she would have to write one herself from scratch. Macedonia is a place for the outdoors type with impressive mountains, Caves and large lakes such as Lake Ohrid with its inky black waters.

Thammy also showed us the Mosques, of which the country has plenty after 500 years of Ottoman rule, it also has many Monasteries. Macedonia still has traditional crafts such as blanket making and its own version of wrestling. Macedonia only has a couple of railway lines, but is served by a bus network. As yet none of the no frills cheap airlines go there.

By Padmassana

London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month. There is no London meeting in August, but we will be back in September. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotters Info line on (+44) 020 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk