India has decided to open Srinagar airport in disputed Kashmir to international flights to entice more tourists to the Himalayan region. Kashmir has been involved in a 15 year dispute involving soldiers and Muslim militants who don’t want Indian rule in the region. Estimates say that around 360,000 people visited Kashmir last year, most of the them Indians, up from 191,000 in the previous year, although the figure was small compared with the millions who travelled to the region before the revolt in 1989. Israelis topped the list of foreign tourists visiting the Muslim-majority region last year followed by Chinese.
Category Archives: archive
So You Think You’re Well Travelled?
Here’s a little Beetle quiz based on capital cities. See how many you get right! Go on, have a guess!
What is the capital city of the following countries:
- Congo
- Madagascar
- Oman
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
For the answers, see at the end of the e-newsletter.
Palma, Northern Mozambique by Tim Crouch
As part of Trade Aid’s work in Tanzania, we aim to promote a sustainable tourism industry in Mikindani area. The following is the impressions of a trip to investigate the tourism and tourism opportunities in Palma, Northern Mozambique.
Palma is a small, fishing town set inside a large bay along the northern coast of Mozambique. It is home to some 10,000 people, most of whom are supported by industries linked to the sea. Like Mikindani, the place is quiet and peaceful and its people and culture are dominated by the influence of the Indian Ocean that surrounds it. In this way, what we expected was something more akin to Mikindani but the reality was quite different.
We arrived in Palma via two pick-up trucks and a boat across the Ruvuma to be greeted by the dusty, sandy sight all so familiar to us after our five months near Mtwara. However, what struck us was the complete absence of the historic buildings and NGO vehicles that dominate the landscape of Mikindani and Mtwara. The vehicle on which we arrived was virtually the only thing to pass through Palma during our stay while the old colonial buildings that dominate the visage of Mikindani were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps this was why Palma almost had a more earthy sense of untampered-with Swahili Coast. The charm of Mikindani lies in the huge mixture of different colonial, native and trade influences that have shaped its past and continues to shape its future. With Palma, it’s great appeal lies in the idea that it never was a settlement of great importance and so you feel, when walking around that this is the natural development of this part of the world.
There was no electricity or running water in the guest house, no Boma to retire to for a cold beer and certainly no hint of mobile phone signal and internet access but Palma itself was all the better for this. These things, along with the presence of brand names such as coca-cola and Pepsi are right for the formerly upwardly mobile Mikindani, a place now beginning to see a revival thanks to enterprises such as the Boma, the brand new ECO2 dive school and the newly revamped Ten Degrees South lodge. However, in a place such as Palma, where people are living on less than a dollar a day and where there has never been a glorious past to compare to that of Mikindani, these things would simply be out of place. We saw no other tourists during our time in Palma, which only served to enhance the feeling of being part of a totally different society. When following a regular tourist route, however sensitive a tour company or hotel may be, you never get to feel as cut off as this.
As part of our
time there we went to see a local group of women rehearsing
traditional Mozambique song (see picture, left). We were
merely walking by when we were invited to sit in on the group
during practice. Listening to the women and drums as the sun
set and the tide came in really will be a lasting memory of
my time spent in East Africa. Later that day we caught a dhow
(traditional African/Arabic sail boat) from Palma all the way
back to Mikindani. This again will stay with me for the rest
of my life as one of the most authentic experiences of the
lives people lead in this part of the world. These sorts of
experiences, however overused the cliché may be,
really are priceless. Money cannot buy memories and certainly
looking at the people of Palma or Mikindani, plays no part in
happiness or generosity. This sort of journey, away from the
beaten track and reach of the guidebooks is highly
recommended and, although not to everyone’s taste, will
provide lasting memories to anyone willing to embark on
them.
On-Line Travel Scam
Be careful of a new online travel scam that involves bargain flights advertised on internet auction sites. The con-men advertise an amazing deal on an auction site, telling potential bidders that they do not need to pay until they have received their tickets. The winning bidder – and, usually, all the other bidders, are contacted under the pretence that the winner has dropped out for their names. The fraudster then buys the tickets from the airline in the names of each ‘winner’, but uses someone else's stolen credit card details. According to an internet fraud agency, these details are readily available and sold for as little as 30p a time. The winner also pays up once they’ve received the tickets. Most airlines are ok about issuing tickets to someone other than the cardholder, so the ‘winners’ receive their tickets, pay the fraudster and look forward to their holiday, sometimes even flying out and enjoying it. When the airline's bank tries to claim the money from the credit cardholder, however, the fraud is uncovered – and the airline will not let the ticket-holder travel.
Wilderness First Aid courses 2005
Wilderness First Aid is different from the Red Cross or urban first aid. Focus is on initial and prolonged care for a patient in the back country. Participants will receive a two year certification with the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS (http://wmi.nols.edu).
WMI of NOLS courses are for folks who recognises the importance of having first aid skills if you spend time in the outdoors. We have climbers, trekkers, paddlers, blueberry-pickers, parents, teachers, outdoor guides, scout leaders, fishermen and hunters – all learning about how to care for an injured or sick friend.
Below is the schedule for the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS courses that Crossing Latitudes is hosting in Europe 2005.
WILDERNESS FIRST AID COURSES & WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER RECERTIFICATION COURSES (16-24 hours)
London, The Castle Climbing Centre, UK January 17-18, 2005 Course fee: US $160.00 / GBP 90.00 per person. Course taught in English.
Malmö, Sweden, January 21-23, 2005 Course fee: SEK 2100:- per person. Course taught in Swedish. Start Friday evening. CPR included.
Bozeman, Montana, USA at Lindley Park Center April 30 – May 1st, 2005 Cost: $150.00 per person. Course taught in English.
Göteborg, Sweden, 13-15 of May, 2005 Course fee: SEK 2100:- per person. Course taught in Swedish. Start Friday evening. CPR included.
Stockholm, Sweden 20-22 of May, 2005 Course fee: SEK 2100:- per person. Course taught in Swedish. Start Friday evening. CPR included.
Narvik, Arctic Norway 17-19 of June 2005 Cost: SEK 2500:- per person. Course taught in English & Swedish. This course is part of Crossing Latitudes Sea Kayaking Guide course. The first aid course is open to all.
If you are interested in having a course just for your staff or organization please contact Lena Conlan at: info@crossinglatitudes.com or call our office in the USA +1-406-585-5356 or our office in Sweden +46-70-670 11 53.
For more info, please contact: info@crossinglatitudes.com www.crossinglatitudes.com USA: 1-800-572-8747 / Fax: +1-406-585-5356 Europe: +46-70-670 1153 Sweden: 070-670 1153
Burma Revisited by Anna Roberts, Burma Campaign
A few months ago, we invited Globetrotter e-newsletter readers to send us their views on visiting Burma. One of the responses we included in February 2004 was from a retired British diplomat, Derek Tonkins. Since this time, Burma Campaign have been in touch and provided an alternative view on visiting Burma.
While there is much that is misleading and inaccurate in Derek Tonkin's article 'Burma Revisited', no-one can argue with the statement that “we should primarily be guided by the wishes and advice of the Burmese people”. However, the wishes of the Burmese people for or against tourism cannot be gauged from a dubious survey of anecdotal reports. In fact, with around 75% of Burma's people making their living from agriculture, most people in Burma have never met a tourist.
The fact is that the
call for a tourism boycott comes from Burma's elected
leaders. The National League for Democracy (NLD), who won a
landslide victory in Burma's 1990 election, remains the
only party mandated to represent the Burmese people and it is
a party that continues to draw the support and respect of
people inside and outside the country. Burma's Government
in exile, the National Coalition Government of the Union of
Burma (NCGUB), supports the boycott and it is a position that
has the backing of exile Burmese democracy groups around the
world.
Derek Tonkin's criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi for not having “had time to discuss it [tourism policy] properly” in May 2002, when she had only just been released from house arrest, may leave him wondering what NLD policy really is. However, a look at their official statements will show that in 2003 the NLD confirmed that “the present situation has not reached the extent that tourists should be encouraged to visit Myanmar (Burma).”
Burma's military regime has identified tourism as a vital source of income and it is working hard to develop the industry. According to the Ministry of Tourism, its top two objectives in developing tourism are to generate foreign exchange earnings and attract foreign investment. Compared to its neighbours, Burma's tourism industry may be small but it is still earning a cash strapped regime millions of dollars every year. It seems odd that while Derek Tonkin is arguing for more tourists to visit Burma, he also admits that an increase in tourist numbers would help prop up the regime. Such a rise in tourist numbers would also result in an increase in investment to support that tourism. But investment in Burma does not benefit the vast majority of ordinary Burmese people. The regime spends nearly half the government budget on the military but less than 44p per person per year on health and education combined.
The article also fails to mention
that in Burma many human rights abuses are directly connected
to the regime's drive to develop the country for
tourists. Throughout Burma men, women and children have been
forced to labour on roads, railways and tourism projects;
more than one million people have been forced out of their
homes in order to 'beautify' cities, suppress
dissent, and make way for tourism developments, such as
hotels, airports and golf courses. And these abuses are not
confined to history. In February 2004, for example, Burmese
soldiers rounded up ethnic Salons, or 'sea gypsies'
who normally live on boats in the Mergui Archipelago, forced
them to live on land and to take part in a 'Salon
Festival' aimed at foreign tourists.
A further claim that “travel and tourism advance the cause of democracy” is totally unsubstantiated. Tourists in Burma rarely witness the internal repression so prevalent in the country, indeed much of Burma remains strictly off-limits to tourists. One tour operator to Burma recently remarked “I regularly travel throughout Myanmar and have never seen any of the abuses that appear in the Western press”.
The typical tourist on holiday in Burma is there to visit a beautiful country, look at the historic monuments and temples and enjoy an exotic holiday destination. But even for those tourists wishing to see Burma's problems for themselves, there is very little opportunity to discover the realities of life in Burma. Burmese people are not free to discuss politics with foreigners and can face punishment or imprisonment if the strict regulations for dealing with foreigners are not adhered to. For example, in September 2004 two Japanese tourists were arrested for not obtaining a visa within the country to visit a ruby-mine town in Shan State. Their two Burmese companions were charged with laws relating to hotel and tourism acts and their two Burmese hosts were charged with failure to report the presence of strangers to the authorities.
The people of Burma need our support and solidarity. We can provide that support very simply by listening to Burma's democrats and choosing not to holiday in Burma.
The Burma Campaign UK is part of a global movement for democracy in Burma and is the only national organisation in the UK dedicated to campaigning for human rights and democracy in Burma. For more information on Burma Campaign’s activities, see: www.burmacampaign.org.uk
Driving in Spain
Paul writes in with another piece of advice about travelling in Spain.
Another word of warning to novice travellers in Spain; be careful at the big hypermarkets as thieves operate in the car parks targeting small hire cars (easily identified as they silly sods always put the hire company name on the vehicle registration plates).
We got caught this way on our first trip and my girlfriend lost most of her clothes and a new digital camera, clothes weren't too much of a problem as we were on a naturist holiday but the rigmarole involved in getting a police report is mind blowing. I also had my passport stolen and getting that replaced was even worse !!. Silly to hide our stuff in the car I guess but a lesson well learned and often mentioned to fellow travellers as a word of warning.
Couldn't rob our car or cheat us out of fuel last trip cos we rode all the way down on my motorcycle.
Have you got a tale to tell?
If you have a travellers tale that your aching to tell. Then why not visit the “Travel Sized Bites” section of the Website and share it with the world. Travel Sized Bites
Mikindani in the Context of East African Warfare by Tim Dench
At university I read War Studies and Theology. Whilst this makes me a complete weirdo it also means I can write very interesting newsletter articles. I have done one on Religion in Tanzania so now for the bit that keeps St Peter busy, War.
Little is known of East African warfare before the arrival of Europeans but we know the Arabs would have been developed whilst any combat involving the natives would have been small scale using edged weapons like swords (pangas), spears, bows and possibly shields. A look at the contemporary Massai or watching Zulu (great film) will give you some idea of what this would involve. Some Kenyan pangas from the Mau Mau uprising are on display in the Imperial War Museum. The Swahili’s first contact with gunpowder was from the Omani Arabs and then the Portuguese. However, most of the European-Swahili conflict occurred from 1884 onwards with the arrival of German occupation. The huge technological and military advantage enjoyed by the German’s meant that they were going to win most rucks. The British-Dervish battle of Omdurman (1896) with rifles, machine guns and artillery left 30,000 of the Sudanese spear chuckers dead or wounded for the cost of fifty British dead. However, the Europeans did not always have an easy day of battle.
The Hehe tribe had become one of the largest in Tanzania by the time of German occupation and opposed the colonists. In 1891 the heroic Chief Mkwawa led his tribe in battle at Lugalo and gave the Hun a good thrashing. A bit of a one off though as he was up against the finest offensive troops in the world and was soon on the run. He committed suicide and his head was cut off and sent to Germany where it remained until British diplomatic pressure saw it returned to Tanganyika in 1954.
By 1905 the Swahilis had been forced into labour and as a result of the appalling conditions, rebelled. The rebellion was known as the Maji Maji rebellion (maji = water) as the natives believed the Germans’ bullets would turn to water after firing. If their knowledge of ballistics was somewhat more developed then they would probably not have suffered such terrible casualties. The Germans reacted harshly but effectively using scorched earth tactics which resulted in wide spread famine and malnutrition. Mass executions of tribal leaders especially to the fearsome Ngoni tribe mopped up any remaining resistance. About 100,000 natives perished. Fortunately, the German colonists changed their stance and relative peace prevailed. Until 1914…
German East Africa (GEA) was surrounded by the British to the east in Zanzibar, the north in Kenya, the south east in Nyasaland, by the Belgians in the Congo and the Portuguese were honouring England’s oldest alliance and, therefore, the Germans were hemmed in from the south by Mozambique. This unenviable position was defended by Paul Von Lettow Vorbeck leading at any point about 3,300 Germans and 15,000 locally recruited levies. It was an impossible position really – his armaments were mostly obsolete and re-supply from the sea was going to be problematic.
The German Kriegsmarine’s ship Konigsberg managed to out fox the Royal Navy (RN) and was able to land supplies and wreck the Pegasus as she cleaned her boilers off Zanzibar. She fled up the Rufiji River where her shallow draft meant she could escape from the RN’s guns. If you have seen a particularly shocking Roger Moore film ‘Shout at the Devil’ (nothing compared to Moonraker, “I think he’s attempting re-entry”), then it shows the idea a little. However, the response was not to get a poor quality actor to black up with boot polish and take an alarm clock attached to TNT to blow the ship up. The British got two shallow draft monitors with long range howitzers to shoot it. Before sinking, the Germans landed the guns and ammunition and the Captain later defended Lindi.
Lettow Vorbeck employed hit and run tactics often deep into the surrounding colonies and was still being supplied by the Kriegsmarine. The RN blockaded the coast and supported the movements of the army along the coast. By 1916 the combined allied force outnumbered the Germans considerably and was led by the South African General Smuts. The Germans were rolled up and slowly encircled but the fighting continued in earnest. On 13th September a naval bombardment preceded a land attack on Mikindani. The impressive Customs House was shelled and wrecked and Mikindani claimed its only death of the war, sadly a forgotten villager. It appears the Boma was not attacked and resistance was not offered.
After a long game of cat and mouse and many casualties to malaria and dysentery the brilliant military campaign of the charming and brave General Von Lettow Vorbeck came to an end. He heard of the armistice two days after its signing and gave up his sword honourably on 25th November in North Rhodesia as a truly great soldier. GEA passed into British administration under a League of Nations mandate and became Tanganyika. The coming of the 1939-45 war did not result in any domestic combat but Tanganyikans did volunteer for service in the King’s African Rifles and the population as a whole suffered from shortages and rationing as Britain pulled her Empire into the war. Roald Dahl’s ‘Going solo’ provides an interesting account of life in Tanganyika at the outbreak of war (as well as great snake and decapitation stories).
The war passed as did British rule and now Tanzania is defended by the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force (TPDF) as well as a militia and a paramilitary police. I have personally seen the militia drilling and was not overly impressed. However, the TPDF proved themselves to be the best East African army in the war to oust Idi Amin from Uganda in 1979. Needless to say if America wanted Tanzania I would put money on the yanks, the TPDF’s budget would not buy a single US fighter aircraft. There was an issue a few years ago of Tanzania buying a high tech radar system from a British firm, I am unsure of the outcome.
A walk around
Mikindani shows little evidence of current military activity
but the historical signs are more common. The Mtwara airstrip
was an RAF base, the customs house was destroyed by naval
artillery and subsequent neglect, the splendid hotel is a
fortified building. The Boma is no great castle but would
have been a hard nut to crack. The crenulations (saw teeth
type things you get at the top of castles) on the bastion at
the back are wide enough to accommodate the large water
cooled barrel of the Maxim machine gun whilst those on the
tower could only fit a rifle. Both employed at the time of
construction.
The now covered well shows that the adage is true that a castle’s defence is only as deep as its well and the witch doctor who dug a whole at the top of the Boma hill looking for German treasure found only spent German rifle cartridges. Using a chicken as a metal detector probably was not the best method of finding treasure though. The fact that Tanzania is relatively boring to a student of war belies its greatest asset. The peaceable nature of its citizens.
Dolphins Save Swimmers
A group of training lifeguards swimming off New Zealand were protected from a great white shark by dolphins. The lifeguards were training at a beach near Whangarei on the North Island when they were menaced by a 3-metre shark, before the dolphins raced in to help. The dolphins surrounded the swimmers for 40 minutes before they were able to make it safely back to the beach.
Marine biologists say such altruistic behaviour is not uncommon in dolphins. One lifeguard said that it was an uncomfortable experience, as they were circled by a great white shark, which came within a couple of metres, but the dolphins suddenly appeared and herded the swimmers together. The dolphins then swam in tight circles to create a defensive barrier as the great white swam beneath the surface. The swimmers said the dolphins were extremely agitated and repeatedly slapped the water with their tails, presumably to try to deter the predator as it cruised nearby.
Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?
Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?
- Congo – Brazzaville
- Madagascar – Antananarivo
- Oman – Muscat
- Azerbaijan – Baku
- Bangladesh – Dhaka
0 out of 5 – you need to get out more!
1-3 – not bad
4 – very good! You are a Globetrotter!
5 – are you sure you didn’t sneak a look?
A Letter from the Edge by Tony Annis
Our friend Antonio Macedo phoned and invited us to a special night out in Cruzeiro do Sul in The State of Acre (the back of beyond in Brazil). He wanted to introduce us to 'Daime', a very Amazonian drink that would awaken our minds, or did he mean blow our minds?
We were taken to a small clearing at the edge of Cruzeiro to a big wooden building. Inside was a large wooden table with benches either side on which twenty or so people could sit round. The decorations reminded me of a small Catholic Church, with its figurines of saints and lit candles. The congregation consisted of a few rubber tappers and a complete cross section of the people of the town, in both position and money. The town people and Brazilians generally call this drug “Santo Daime” and mix it into a sort of semi-religious, Catholic ceremony.
The Yawanawa tribe, on the other hand, think religion is nothing to do with Daime, but that it a necessity for the tribe to take it once a month too clarify the mind and get their heads together for the coming weeks. Daime is not banned in Brazil for it is a drug of a very different nature with a very special effect.
A plant that grows in the ground is mixed with a creeper that falls from a tree, thus the symbolism of the drug is that it is the sky mixed with the earth. We filed into this large hut and sat around the central table. The candles were lit around us and we were introduced as visitors who were about to go into the forest to visit the Yawanawa tribe. First Antonio spoke to the people about having great care in demonstrating against the Governor, as there was no point in upsetting him too much or many more would end up in prison, or worse, rather than solve any problems it would just add to them (another story for another time).
The ceremony proper then commenced with a general prayer for God to help them in these perilous times and then we rose and formed a queue as if going to communion. The Daime was poured out of bottles and each of us had a glass given to us and then made our way back to our seats. The drug started to take effect. We had been warned what to expect but we thought it all slightly ridiculous..
There was silence after we sat down and started to wait for Daime to take effect, the sight and smell of the flickering candles, the only light there was to see around this strange church like place. A few people were sick. This seemed an unusual start to what I had been assured was a great experience! I had been slightly unwell during the day and thought I was going to have bad case of the trots and this seemed to be the last thing I needed!
Daime has two effects and one reason it is not on the banned list is that it is remarkably good for any sort of stomach disorder. That was the good news, but the bad news was that while it cured my problem quickly, it also at the same time stopped me from enjoying the Daime in the way that I was expecting; and the real reason that Adam Baines and I were taking Daime this night.
Still, I had more opportunity to observe the others and see their reactions to the drug. Amazingly, it seemed that after being sick outside on the grass, people tended to have another dose of Daime and on being sat down again, this time it took hold. Thoughts seem to whirl around in time and space with all your life with its, good, bad, family, friends, work and pleasures in a maelstrom in which confusion you seem to be about to be engulfed. Over the next hour the confusion lessens and gradually you start to find that everything is falling into place and you become aware of what exactly you should do, to get your life in order.
At any moment during this time, you can open your eyes and feel completely free of the Daime but as soon as you close them you’re back sorting out the files in your head. Finally the drug clears the system after a total of about an hour and a half. The so called congregation sitting quietly outside, enjoying complete clarity of mind and thought, contemplating under a magnificent starry sky, in the tropical warmth, with the singing of the ‘cigarras’ intermingling with the croaking of the frogs. Everyone, whether Indians or locals, thought it extremely important to take Daime so as to get one’s life in order at least once every six weeks. All believed that it made men and women take control of their lives and less likely to have breakdowns or behave in an anti social manner. The next day I was able, with my stomach now fully recovered, to observe without too much of a sickening feeling, the roaches crawling on the ceiling above the frying pan that was cooking my breakfast!
Being Careful: Philippines
As the Beetle was planning a little diving trip to the Philippines, she thought she’d check out the FCO’s travel advice for the area.
The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to central, southern and Western Mindanao, to Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and the Sulu archipelago, where military and police operations against terrorist and rebel groups are continuing and where kidnappings and bombings have taken place.
There is a high threat from terrorism and kidnapping throughout the Philippines. There continues to be threats against Western interests and there is a danger of collateral damage from terrorist attacks targeted at others.
You should also be alert to the risk of street crime.
Penalties for illegal drug importation and use are severe and can include the death penalty.
We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.
Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?
Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?
- Bahrain — Manama
- Japan — Tokyo
- Saudi Arabia — Riyadh
- Somalia — Mogadishu
- Burundi — Bujumbura
0 out of 5 – you need to get out more!
1-3 – not bad
4 – very good! You are a Globetrotter!
5 – are you sure you didn’t sneak a look?
Martin Wright on the Road Again by Matt Doughty
Back in January 2004 Martin Wright, one the club’s most sociable regulars at the London Meetings, royally entertained a packed Crown Court with tales of his marathon cycle ride to Australia! Many in that audience will remember his great photos, distinctive narrative style and his thirst for adventure. Well Martin is at it again – this time he’s go back to the land down under to ‘pick up his bike and have a look round’. I think too many cold winter nights provided the motivation to get back on the road! This is the third in an occasional series, based on Martin’s emails, and charts his offbeat approach to the road ahead.
14 September: “Hello everybody… far as I remember the last time I wrote was way back in Exmouth some weeks ago. Quite a lot has happened in that time and I will try to recount some of the moments.
On leaving Exmouth I had a shocking headwind for two days which made me wonder why I left and why I do this sort of thing. Somebody suggested I must be a 'bloody stupid pommie masochist'. No prizes for guessing it was an Australian ! The distances between towns were now as much as 600 kms with a couple of roadhouses in between, which were very convenient in that I could buy supplies and have a shower but the prices were pretty bloody steep and things like bread and milk were usually out of date ! Even Mrs Mac's famous beef pies had usually been warmed through for the 10th time and as a result were almost inedible… One of the roadhouses wanted to charge me $19 for a camping spot on solid ground with no shade – I asked for a discount and was told 'if you don't like it you can xxxx off.' I did xxxx off and about 10kms along I found a very nice spot in the bush for free at which I was later joined by a French family who served me tea made with tea leaves from a teapot. Fantastic !!
Bumped into a few interesting people on the way and was almost bumped into by road-train drivers and some of the less capable caravaners. Throughout the state of Western Australia the government set up many rest areas some of which are for overnight stays – they vary in standard and size. Some you can camp a long way from the road so the noise from the passing road trains is minimal. Some are situated next to rivers which can be good for fishing or swimming but some have crocodiles in so it is advisable not to swim in these unless you are a tour bus driver and trying to impress the females on your tour… Many times I was fed and watered by the caravaners who are obviously very good drivers – sometimes the meals produced were quite amazing. At one stop I was given a starter, main course and a sweet. Beer and wine was also consumed, after I had arrived thinking I would be eating three day old sandwiches and noodles. In Broome I stayed at the Roebuck caravan park and met an English couple who fed me. I was on a mission here to fatten myself up and ate almost non stop for two days – it was a mistake as it made me feel very sick. Further on I met an English hippie called Jupiter who really was from another planet.
I was a little behind time so I had a few big cycling days ahead of me in order to get to Darwin and renew my visa. The ride from Broome to Derby was very hot but allowed me my first sighting of the Baobob tree in various shapes and sizes. The older ones having a huge girth were used by the early settlers or police to imprison the Aboriginals in the hollowed out tree trunks. Also hundreds of thousands of termite mounds abounded, some of which are thought to be over two hundred years old. Quite a few termites in each mound I reckon… The ride from Derby to Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and on to Kununurra was very spectacular. As I was in a hurry I had no time to go visiting some of the famous sites of the Kimberleys – Gibb river road, horizontal waterfall, Geikie gorge, Bungle Bungles, Wolf creek crater. Maybe I will come back some day and purchase a four wheel drive vehicle…
The ride across to Katherine was also very good… was lucky now as I had a tailwind which made cycling very easy. I met six cyclists in two days: a German named Pierre?, an Australian named Ricky and an American named Rob who also camped overnight at the 62 mile camp rest area. I was quite jealous of him as he is riding a bike which I have dreamed of having for sometime – my next bike will be the same. Next day I met three more cyclists. A man & a woman on a tandem and soon after I met Gary who was riding his recumbent cycle. Rode on to Katherine where I had time for a rest day and again fed myself very well and drank a lot of beer. A hot spring ran alongside the Victoria river behind the caravan park… very nice place to relax for a while.
The ride from Katherine to Darwin was with a tail wind so I cruised along quite nicely to within 8 kms of the city centre where I found a caravan park in which to pitch my tent for a few days. I have since renewed my visa so I can stay for another six months which is plenty of time for me to cycle down to Sydney. A little fattening up here then I will be on my way…
15 October: “Hi all ! Have made it as far as Mount Isa in the police state of Queensland. Intended to stay just a couple of days although have now been here for four nights and still not ready to leave. I am staying at a place called, 'tourist haven', which is a backpacker’s hostel and sleeping in a bed for the first time since Perth, about three months ago, was an absolute delight. I had forgotten just how soft and comfortable a mattress can be ! No hard ground, no stones piercing through my sleeping mat, no ants finding their way into my food bag & sleeping bag ! No bugs flying into my tent due to the fact that it can no longer be zipped closed due to a buggered zipper ! Actually the tent is in need of replacing more due to the struggle to get out when I wake up for a pee in the middle of the night. This has resulted in my falling onto the poles and snapping three of them… also fallen onto the tent when returning to the tent after being forced to drink too much beer!
The road from Darwin to Tennant Creek I had travelled two years previously. From Tennant, I road back to a roadhouse called Threeways, across the Berkley highway to Camooweal and on to Mount Isa. Only one roadhouse before Camooweal and a few rest areas with water tanks so I had to carry a lot of food. I met Shirley once again – she is the 72 year old woman who makes me tea all the time and talks at you constantly, often repeating herself! I feel like a verbal punch bag. She often drove behind me on the road for a few kilometres, protecting me she said from the vehicles driving at a high speed. I had to pull over and make her drive on and I was glad to reach Camooweal where I was able to escape her by staying in a caravan park, while she camped down by a river. In Mount Isa I was in the presence of true greatness – his name, Heinz Stuck, who had been cycling since 1963 and visited every country in the world. Overall he’s cycled 500,000 kms and is now age 64 and still going strong ! We drank a lot of beer together and got very, very drunk…
22 October: “Hi all. Since writing from MountIsa I have had a torrid time. It was hard to leave, not because it was a town of beauty or interest – it is a mining town with very little to offer apart from a good salary if you work at the mine. It was hard to leave because I would be leaving my very comfortable bed with the thick, soft mattress. Now it was back to my tent with the broken zips, holes in the fly sheet & inner and holes in the ground sheet. The ride from MountIsa to Cloncurry was a mere 120kms but it was the hardest days riding I have had to date… It was bloody hot; 42c ! I had a headwind which kept my average speed at around 16kph, so it was a long day in the saddle. My water tasted terrible when cold and even worse when warmed by the sun. On arrival in Cloncurry I bought 2 litres of full fat milk which was drunk in very quick time… of course made me feel very sick. At the caravan park, after putting up the tent, it was straight into my sleeping bag and I slept for twelve hours.
Had a rest day before cycling onto Mckinlay, site of the Walkabout Creek Hotel, made famous in the Crocodile Dundee movies. This is a town of about 12 people and one bloody great big Goanna which seems to have the freedom to walk up & down the main street as it takes care of the snakes in the area. It frightened the living daylights out of me ! Next day was a short ride to Kynuna… to here is the site of the Billabong made famous in the Waltzing Matilda yarn by A.B. Paterson. There’s also a famous pub in town called, the Blue Heeler Hotel. A bloody good pub, with many items of clothing hanging from the ceiling and walls left by people travelling through town. Next up a very big ride followed all the way to Winton…167 kms of the most tedious landscape in Australia. The road from one horizon to another seemed exactly the same and as the morning ride was into a headwind, I thought I would be riding well into the evening.
Luckily the wind changed after a short lunch break and the afternoon ride was almost effortless. Winton is an interesting little town and the population has been increased due to a film crew in the area about to make a film. I found good food here and a pub which sells Guinness so I will partake of a few pints this very evening…
Naked Man at LAX
A 31 year old Canadian man recently tried to buy a one-way ticket on a Qantas flight from LAX to Sydney, but was turned down because he could not supply a valid credit card. Later, he managed to climb over an airport fence, topped by three strands of barbed wire, without injury and was spotted by an airport worker “running, naked, full-speed” toward the plane. He climbed into the wheel well of a moving Qantas 747. Pilots of the Qantas Airways flight stopped the plane. The man was coaxed out of the wheel well and arrested for trespass. An airport spokesperson said: “
”.his was an extremely dangerous thing for him to do. If he had continued to cling in there with the aircraft taking off at over 200 miles (320 kph) per hour, he might have fallen out and could have been sucked up by an engine.”
”.f he had survived that and was in the wheel well when the landing gear was retracted, he could have been crushed by the mechanism. And if not he very likely would have frozen to death during the 15 1/2 hour flight at 30,000 feet (9,150 metres) while wearing no clothes.”.
Masai and Back in a Day
In a forest. In a bee suit. In the middle of Tanzania. 100 miles away from Mikindani. With Tony Herbert’s reputation. Most contrapuntal by anyone’s standards but after spending five days with our beekeeping mentor we knew better than to be surprised by such a situation. Our quest to obtain two stocks of bees had started on Tony’s arrival on the Saturday but this particular episode had begun at 5am that very morning.
The objective of our trip to Masasi, a settlement known for its history of beekeeping, was to purchase two hives and colonies of bees to get the apiary up and flying. With six of us packed tightly into the Land Rover we set off West with the sun on our backs basking in the ever more magnificent African sunrise. After breakfast at Mnazi Mmoja (literally translates as “coconut one” but why, no one seems to know) we reached the Regional Resources Office in Masasi at about half past ten following another particularly bruising journey on the roads of Tanzania. After being promised a meeting with the regional beekeeping liaison you can imagine our surprise to find out he had left the office not more than half an hour prior to our arrival. Needless to say, his phone was either turned off or more likely, out of signal. Had our quest for the holy pair of hives been scuppered by the absence of one man?!
Despite this set back, we were offered a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel by a man named Rodney, the temporary liaison for Natural Sciences in the Masasi district. He knew of a small village called Lipupu, around 50 miles beyond Masasi that was notorious for its beekeeping activities. It was a long shot but with Tony on board we knew that anything was possible and so the decision was made to press on.
Sure enough, faith has its rewards. We found it without any problems and were pointed straight towards the village beekeeper’s house, signified by the array of unused bee hives and interesting looking logs suspended outside his house. One problem… occupant was nowhere to be seen. We were ushered in to the woods by a group of locals keen to show us the hives kept by the owner of the intriguing house and were promised that he was not too far away and that he only left about half an hour ago. Despite being sure that we had heard those words before that day we set off in to the middle of nowhere to investigate the bees that we had been promised. We could not believe our luck when the owner of the hives appeared from within the bush and after many furrowed brows, tense looks and careful negotiation we purchased our two colonies of Apis Mellifera Scutellata, the African honey bee, to be complemented by a further two log hives worth of sting less bees. After all the setbacks of the day we felt we has earned our luck in finding this beecon (sic.) of beekeeping in an otherwise uninhabited part of Tanzania. So, as we set of widdershins, driving in to the rain, spirits were through the roof. The smile on Tony’s face produced by this accomplishment never disappeared for the rest his stay and it really was the culmination of a tiring but wonderfully productive and enjoyable week. For this we will be eternally grateful for the hard work and never ending enthusiasm of one man. Thank you Tony.
A Cautionary Warning – Europcar Malaga
Just a sober warning for anyone considering using Europcar at Malaga airport.
Earlier in the year we hired a car, left credit card details as is normal, checked car for damage prior to leaving airport (around midnight) and got on our way. Didn't notice until at the outskirts of the airport that the fuel tank was only half full. Took car back with three quarters of a tank (more than when we picked it up) and explained to the check in girl what had happened. She accepted that I didn't need to rip them off for a few litres of fuel and said all would be OK.
Got home and about a week later received a bill for 25 litres of fuel and a 12 euro charge for “Special Equipment Replacement”. Total bill 39.15 euros, not a fortune but a rip off none the less.
Tried to contact Europcar with very little success, they eventually agreed that they had only put 17 litres of fuel in the car and will refund the difference, I wouldn't mind betting that they left it as it was and ripped off the next unsuspecting customer. The user prior to us must have had the same problem and they certainly didn't fill it up then !!
Still no explanation of the “Special Equipment Replacement” so be warned. EUROPCAR IN MALAGA AIRPORT MAY WELL ROB YOU!!!
London tube to Heathrow
From January 7 2005, London Underground Piccadilly line trains heading for Heathrow's Terminal 4 station will not go beyond Hatton Cross.
Passengers will have to take a shuttle bus from Hatton Cross to Terminal 4.
Piccadilly line services to the Heathrow Terminal 1, 2 and 3 station will not be affected, although there will be no direct service to this station on the weekend of January 8 and 9, 2005.
The long-term closure of Terminal 4 station is due to work on the Piccadilly line extension to the under-construction Heathrow Terminal 5. London Underground have said that during the 20-month period, the Terminal 4 journey should 'only take about five minutes longer than now', while trips to Terminal 1, 2 and 3 will be slightly quicker.
Around 2,500 people travel to and from Terminal 4 by Tube each day.
Flag Quiz
Which countries are represented by these flags? For the answers, see at the end of the eNews.
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