Category Archives: archive

Airline news: Aeroflot to Re-Vamp Image!

Many travellers have their own tale to tell about Aeroflot. The Beetle has a vivid and scary memory flying from Dublin to Havana via Gander in Canada. It was December, and so cold and wintry in Gander. On final approach to Gander to refuel, the pilot decided to go around twice, which was worrying, then he decided to give landing a go, and the plane somehow missed landing on the runway and instead landed on some uncleared snow and drove the left wing through two huge snow piles. The entire Irish contingent of passengers were making signs of the cross and praying loudly.

Even Fidel Castro is said to have jokingly responded to a question asking about the most dangerous moment of his life, that it might have been one of the many CIA attempts on his life, but then again, it might have been flying Aeroflot!

According to a recent PR release, Aeroflot has hired a UK brand consultancy to give its image a lift. The consultancy are said to have remarked: the problem is one of perception….people think of Aeroflot as dangerous and unreliable, but it has one of the best safety records in the world and is value for money”

Let’s forget about the time when a pilot handed the controls to his 13 year old son, or the incident when the pilots put the plane on automatic pilot, went for a walk then realised they had accidentally locked themselves out and had to force their way back in with an axe, or the times when stewardesses served vodka actually on take off, or when a passenger cooked up a meal on his own portable gas camping stove at the back of the plane…………………

Good luck to them!

Chile Airpass

If you are thinking of travelling in Chile, it might make sense to investigate an air pass with LanChile and Ladeco flights. The pass is valid for 1 month and must be used in 14 days of arrival in Chile. Backtracking is not allowed. Special fares to Easter Island can be incorporated. Ask your travel agent about the pass before you book your international tickets.

Space Tourist Returns!

South African millionaire Mark Shuttleworth has landed safely back on Earth after a 10-day journey into space. The Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying the South African millionaire and two crewmembers touched down near Arkalyk in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 0351 GMT on Sunday 28th April. As he was carried away from the capsule, a grinning Mr Shuttleworth said: “Every second will be imprinted and will be with me for the rest of my life.” He had spent some of his time carrying out scientific work on the ISS, including experiments on the virus responsible for Aids, and examinations of ocean life. Mr Shuttleworth, a 28-year-old internet magnate, was rumoured to have paid $20m for his trip to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr Shuttleworth, who lives in London, is the world's second holidaymaker in space.

He follows in the footsteps of Dennis Tito, a US businessman and former American space agency (NASA) employee, who rode into orbit last year. The South African is reported to have bought the Soyuz capsule and his space suit as a souvenir of his trip. We hear Tom Cruise is queuing up for his chance to do something similar!

Source: bbc.co.uk

Bird watching in Tari, southern highlands, Papua New Guinea by Steve Mago

The morning was cool and fresh and immediately I knew the rest of the day would turn out perfect. From the lodge, we were looking down over the Tari Valley in Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. It was an incredible feeling. I mean, how many places on earth give you the unique opportunity of looking down on cloud formations. It was like looking down over the pages of National Geographic. The clouds looked like flat-lying cobwebs, occasionally punctuated in places by protruding mountain summits. Normally, you would be looking up to the sky and across the horizon to see incredible cloud formations in the mornings or evenings.

It was December 2001 and I was on this early morning bird watching trip with three American bird watchers, husband and wife, Bob and Penny and Sharyl, a lone traveller who later turned out to be a cross between a bird watcher and a diver. Reason – apart from being excited about seeing the birds in the wild, she couldn't stop talking about diving at her next destination – Alotau in Milne Bay Province, situated south of Port Moresby and an hour's plane ride away.

Our starting point was world famous, Ambua Lodge, a luxury bush material accommodation in the form of village huts, set on a hillside of flowering gardens with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and rainforest.

The design of the huts is based on traditional architecture. Just being here is an experience in itself. The crisp mountain air is perfect for taking advantage of the many guided tours, especially bird watching. You can also take moderate walks along rainforest tracks to go bird watching, see the waterfalls cascade into crystal-clear pools or drive to one of the local villages and watch a traditional singsing (group dancing and singing).

Back to birds, the rule is to set out to the forests as early as you can, in time for the morning choruses and courtship displays on tree branches and tree tops. Too, for birds in the wild like Papua New Guinea's bird of paradise species, they perch on tree tops in the morning when it's cool and where they can drink water drops from leaves and tree branches. When the sun is up, it gets a little bit hot for them, their sources of drinking water dry up and they are gone and it can be a difficult waiting game. Out of the 43 known bird of paradise species, Papua New Guinea has 38 species and Tari has ten species including the most exotic species, Brown and Black Sicklebill, Superb Bird of Paradise, Blue Bird of Paradise and its close cousins, the bower birds. After driving for about twenty minutes, our tour bus came to a stop and the guide, Joseph told us to get out. He was first out with his tripod and a pair of binoculars. Hardly had Joseph set up his tripod when Menzies, the driver jumped out of his driver's set. He looked towards us, did a hand sign, gesturing us to come to him while whispering in some English that I hardly understood. He pointed in the direction of some tall trees and said, “Look, there!.”

Without the aid of his binoculars, Joseph, being the expert that he was, looked in the same direction, nodded in agreement and said, “Yes, Princess Stephanie! Three of them”. Bob took no time catching the bird in his binoculars while Penny and Sharyl struggled. Penny, with her own pair of binoculars pointed in the same direction, slowly whispered, “I can't see anything. Can you see anything Bob?” “Mmm, mm”, came the reply. “Maybe it's my eyes or maybe it's my binoculars,” said Penny. “Stay focused, you'll see 'em. Wait until they jump,” said Bob, almost in angry tone.

Sharyl, closely following Joseph the bird guide, was having the same difficulty spotting the birds. “I can't see either.” “There, look, it's on the tree,” said Joseph. “Which tree?” “There, on the right, under the tall tree,” said Joseph, and by this time, Sharyl was about to give up, saying, “There's an awful lot of tall trees out there Joseph. What have you got double vision?” No reply from Joseph, obviously not understanding the remark. Even I was confused and it took me a while before I saw the birds.

We had left the lodge at 6.30 am and an hour later, the sun had risen and it was time to go back to the lodge. We had seen three different species of the bird of paradise and three species of parrots. It was only an hour and the observed bird list was not long enough, but for Bob, Penny and Sharyl, they had seen the exotic birds in the wild, and that was all that mattered.

Penny said to me back at the lodge, “I am satisfied seeing only three species. My God, they are wonderful creatures. Up till now, I have only seen them on books. This is why I came and I like birds. There's something special about them that I can't explain. They are such lovely creatures and they should be protected.”

I thought I would give the last word to Sharyl. She said to me over watercress soup at dinner time, “I would have loved to have seen them closer but then again, I shouldn't complain. They were where they should be, in the wild and on tree tops. At least I didn't see them in a zoo and that's the beauty of coming to a place like Papua New Guinea. You have rainforests that are still pristine. You should not let logging to come here because they destroy a lot of the habitat.

“You have such a lovely country and you still practice your culture which is great. I am really looking forward to dive in Alotau – at least there, I can see the fish and lovely corals right in front of my eyes.”

ABOUT TARI:

Tari is in fact a Basin and situated in the Centre of the island of New Guinea. Clans in the Southern Highlands have a strong and intricate social system little affected by change. The Southern Highlands is a land of lush, high valleys wedged between impressive limestone peaks.

Tari is one of the few places in Papua New Guinea where the traditional way of life can be seen in everyday living. Ceremonial rituals are strongly observed. Men and women can still be seen wearing traditional dress, tending their gardens and pigs and building their bush material huts.

Visitors to the tribal wonderland of the Southern Highlands can stay in a variety of accommodation from basic guest houses to luxurious mountain lodges.

Tari is known all over the world for its Huli Wigmen, famous for their elaborate and colourful traditional dress, body decorations and facial paintings in vivid colours.

These proud warriors have great reverence for birds, especially the bird of paradise. They imitate the birds in ceremonial dances and decorate their mushroom-shaped human hair wigs with bird feathers, flowers and cuscus furs.

The wigs, woven from human hair, are donated by wives and children. Everlasting daisies are especially cultivated for use in the wigs, while their faces are painted with yellow and ochre. The women, by contrast wear black for their wedding and coat themselves with blue-grey clay when mourning. The women's traditional dress, like those of their men folk, has not changed over the years.

New International Museum of Spy Museum Washington, DC

Washington DC is already known as a museum mecca, but in July later this year, the new International Museum of Spying will open. The museum has full official backing from both the CIA and the KBG. Exhibits include an enigma machine, a Soviet shoe transmitter and all the usual (and unusual) gadgets!

For more info

Recipe for Moqueca Capixaba by Tony Annis

Ingredients: For four people

4 portions of Sea Bass, ½ Kilo diced tomato, 1 teaspoon of salt, 100 grams diced Parsley , 100g diced Coriander, 4 medium diced whole onions, 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil, ½ tablespoon of sweet Paprika

Preparation:

The fish is cleaned and put in a bowl with a little salt and the juice of one Lemon. Then leave to marinate for at least an hour. In a Ceramic Pot if a Panela de Barro is not available, with the Olive Oil at the bottom of the pot. Next add the Paprika and mix. The rest of the ingredients are then mixed and divided into two parts. One half of the mixture goes in the pot, then by a layer of fish, followed by the rest of the ingredients. The pot is put on a medium hob for 30-40 minutes. Gentle rocking of the pot from time to time. Do not add water. Serve with white rice: then, just enjoy.

Letter from Mikindani, Tanzania: Sometimes it.s Hard to be a Woman by Nicola Brisley

This is a letter from Nicola telling us about her time as a volunteer for Trade Aid in Mikindani, in southern Tanzania.

After eight months in Mikindani I am preparing to depart with a mild sense of apprehension about returning to cold and grey Old Blighty, finding work and somewhere to live and dealing with the fact that the Little Chef breakfast I’ll be treated to on the journey back to Norfolk will cost the same as a week’s wages here. Oh well, Qué sera sera. Homeless and jobless, but plenty of tales to tell the girls over a few glasses of wine and a pizza.

I think they’ll be surprised to learn that despite the daily toil required of rural women in Tanzania they do not appear to allow themselves to be overcome by any negative spirit of bondage. Life is incredibly hard, no doubt about it, but the ‘fairer sex’ dominates hardship by accepting it as necessary for survival and embracing friendship and humour as a way of enriching their lives.

It has been with a rather embarrassed awkwardness, so typically English, that I have donned my kanga and flip-flops and taken part in women-only activities.

Despite this, the fact that my Kiswahili is still appallingly bad and that their encouragement was largely for the entertainment value of seeing a ‘mzungu’ woman display her incompetence in performing basic tasks I definitely experienced a deeper sense of what is called ‘female bonding’.

I have learnt to cook chapattis, mandazi, ugali and coconut rice and to prepare an exquisite dish of pilau rice under the patient guidance of Mama Mohamedi, Mama Abuba and her 13-year-old daughter Fikira. Standing outside in the midday sun stirring a pot of sizzling oil over red-hot charcoal left me light-headed and parched, but whilst I fussed about the heat the others just wiped the sweat from their faces with a corner of their kangas and laughed and gossiped.

I have been to a couple of funerals, but visiting Mama Abuba as she lay swathed in a kanga in a darkened room grieving for her father on the day of his burial was an especially significant occasion as my own grandmother had died just a week earlier. Many women resplendent in a myriad of colourful kangas lined the street where the deceased had lived. Most were just chatting or reminiscing, but a group of about 12 women were standing and swaying in time to the deep, guttural mourning chant redolent of primeval times. It was International Women’s Day and being one of them felt hugely symbolic.

A morning’s work at Zainabu’s shamba caused much hilarity amongst our neighbours, but left me tired and my hands blistered. Five of us walked a kilometre to the shamba, hoed out the weeds between the maize and picked cassava leaves and pumpkins whilst being attacked by armies of ferocious ants. Zainabu had lent me her boots, but they were so badly split that my feet were filthy. So, before we headed back to the village she brought me some water and washed my feet for me, not out of deference, but friendship. Walking back we shared the load of the fruit of our morning’s work and carrying firewood on my head I (almost) felt part of one of the hundreds of thousands of small groups of women on whose labours so many people depend.

More recently I finally plucked up the courage to get my hair braided. I sat on the stone seat of a crumbling colonial house and as Mama Fatuma meticulously braided each strand of hair three or four other women took turns to hold down the rest of my unruly locks. While I enjoyed the chat of the women as they gossiped about what they’d done the night before and commented on every passer-by I realised that this was not so dissimilar from a visit to the hairdressers at home!

At the risk of seeming naïve and sentimental I have to say that I am happy to have been able to break through some of the cynicism about cultural barriers with which I arrived in Mikindani and shall leave with an enduring respect for the resilience and strength of spirit of the women of Tanzania.

Thanks to Sherie at Trade Aid. For more information on the work carried out by Trade Aid in Tanzania, see their website www.mikindani.com

China Internet Cafes

According to press sources, the authorities in China’s second largest city, Shanghai, have closed down nearly 200 internet cafes. The move is reported to coincide with the launch by the central government of a drive against “harmful” content on the web, to prevent young people from being corrupted. One official said the premises were in areas overlooked in previous campaigns. Last year, the Chinese authorities reportedly shut down 17,000 internet cafes that failed to install the necessary software, or they are being used for “illegal activities”. Some say that the move is in line with the government's desire to encourage the internet as a commercial medium without creating a forum for political dissent.

Beijing requires internet bars to install software to block restricted web sites and record user activities. Unsurprisingly, banned websites include those run by democracy activists, outlawed groups such as Falung Gong, and some foreign news organisations. Those containing pornographic material are also blocked.

Impotence blamed on EUR 10 notes Spotted by Bretislav from the Czech Republic

GERMANY: A Berlin man claims that handling 10-euro banknotes has made him impotent. Mr Wolfang Fritz (55) spent hours last January counting money his girlfriend inherited after the couple withdrew it all in 10-euro notes. Mr Fritz says he hasn't had an erection since handling the money. He is demanding the German government supply him with the erectile disfunction-drug, Viagra.

“The euro notes made me sick. It just won't go up anymore,” he told Berlin tabloid BZ. Mr Fritz has engaged a lawyer to fight his case, blaming the impotence on the chemical Tributyl-Zinn found in the 10-euro notes.

Each note contains 740 mcg of the chemical that, in sufficient quantity, can affect the human hormone system. “The amount in euro notes cannot lead to acute hormonal disturbances,” said hormone specialist Prof Dietrich Klingmüller. © The Irish Times

Jacqui’s Notebook from South America

Greetings!! When last I wrote carnival was in the offing and here it is a month later and it all seems so far away. Rio was excellent despite the weather that alternated between wet, humid and baking hot. I was staying at a fancy hotel (+++++) and the air-con. was a life saver. There was a real buzz about the place as carnival seemed to take off from the Friday onwards. The streets echoed to the samba drums and there always seemed to be someone (or some group) parading somewhere. Copacobana, Leblon, Ipanema, the Rua Branco all saw their fair share of parades and costumes, feathers and absent items of clothing. The transvestites were by far the most outrageously garbed but the theme everywhere was excess in all things – sequins, feathers, papier-mâché, bright colours and skimpiness. Sambadrome was the focus for the major samba schools to display their year’s work and the show was pretty spectacular. Music blared and repeated as each group took the maximum allowance of time to dance, sing, gyrate and party their way down the half mile long track.

It was a dazzling exhibition and went on from about 9pm to 6am on the Sunday and Monday nights of Carnival. I lasted til just after two am before I could not look at anymore glitter. There had been on and off rain all evening but that did not dim the party spirit or delight of the crowd and paraders. Some of my companions salvaged costume items on the night and I can only wonder whether (and how?) they will get them home. As we left the arena to try and find a taxi, huge piles of discarded costumes were on every corner awaiting collection by the garbage men. It seemed a little sad given that the whole thing takes a year to put together, 80 mins to show and about two mins to throw away.

The other highlights of Rio, for me, were the ´hippie market´ at Ipanema, the Cristo Redentor statue on Corcovado, catching up with Ana Amelia and having yummy Japanese food. And I saw ´Lord of the Rings´ one night too. There was much I did not get to see, or do, so I guess I will have to go back – but perhaps not for Carnival. It was great to have been there but there is so much more to Rio and when Carnival is on, everything else is shut. My only disappointment in Rio was not receiving mail I had hoped for. Only a card from Angela made it, so if any of you wrote to me at that mail drop, please understand that I did not get any letters so will not know to reply.

We bade farewell to Annie and Andy, and welcomed six new people into our group as we left Rio. This meant that our truck was filled to capacity and has 22 passengers. No more spare seats and extra room but it has not been a tough as expected either. And the new people are a nice mix of age, and interest (and a couple more Australians to boost our strength). From Rio we headed north to a town called Ouro Preto (Black Gold) that was really lovely. A colonial Portuguese town with a church on every hill, we spent the whole day there wandering around and taking gazillions of photos. A huge rainstorm obscured the views for about thirty minutes in the afternoon and showed up the many leaks in the tents some of us had bought from Martin. The other highlight of this part of the world was a visit to Conghonas – a town famous for its statues and churches, quite lovely and the connection with the Bom Jesus church in Braga (Portugal) was profound.

Back to the coast and time spent at lovely seaside places as we headed north to Salvador. My personal favourite was a tiny town called Caravellas-Barra. We stayed in a lovely guesthouse opposite the beach, with fresh coconuts served at the stall there, fish and chips to die for and long gentle sunsets. We went snorkelling one day at islands 50 kms off the coast and otherwise just enjoyed the relaxed pace of life there. Salvador was good fun. It is a vibrant and colourful city with strong influences from the slaves that were sent here centuries ago. Dark skins, white clothes, pastel houses, spicy food, and underlying it all the drum beats of their distinctive percussion music. I went to a concert one night and the atmosphere was electric. Very powerful!

Since then we have been heading west to get to here – Bonito. As the name implies, it is a very pretty place on the edge of the Pantanal, and not far from the Paraguay and Bolivian borders. It is also the action centre for the region, with ecotourism at its heart but plenty of thrills for the seekers of such things. We snorkelled to three hours down a river on Saturday. The water was so clear and the fish so plentiful pretty and unafraid, that three hours could easily have been ten minutes. It was great fun and we all looked a picture in our ill-fitting wet suits and goggles. There are birds a plenty here too and everything is green. It is near the end of the wet season so all is lush and hot and very humid. It is hard to keep up with the clothes washing as it takes only minutes for them to get sweaty and need another wash. I have also started sleeping in my hammock – outside! At first it was just a chance to check out how comfortable it would be for the river boat trip up the Amazon but with the hot weather, and being in dorms at the moment, I ended up sleeping there all night. It’s excellent and so much cooler than the dorm. Today was a visit to a Blue Grotto cave, very pretty and unusual, not to mention slippery getting in and out.

So that brings you up to date. Next we are headed north to Manaus (and hopefully some snail mail at the poste restante) and our jungle expedition, then further north and into Venezuela. I am not sure where my next update will come from but …. watch this space. It’s so hard to believe that I have been out here for five months already.

Thanks Jacqui and keep us posted! If anyone would like to contact Jacqui, her e-mail is: jacquitrotter@yahoo.com

What have you seen on your travels? Drop a line to the Beetle! the Beetle

Mercosur Pass

If you are planning a trip to South America, it is definitely worth considering buying a Mercosur pass. This covers travel in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile, excluding Easter Island. It has to be bought as a part of your international ticket and must include travel in at least 2 Mercosur countries. It can be used for a minimum of 7 days and a max of 30 days. It is calculated on the number of miles travelled. The more you travel, the cheaper the fare. You have to travel on certain carriers, but there is a wide range. Ask your travel agent about it.

Free London Museums: The National Portrait Gallery (NPG)

The Beetle’s second favourite museum in London is the National portrait Gallery. At the moment, this is a terribly fashionable place to be seen as it currently hosting a Mario Testino exhibition, attracting the likes of supermodels and Madonna. It costs £6 per ticket, (like gold dust) which can only be booked through the booking agency, Ticketmaster. When the Beetle manages to get tickets, she will report back on it! That aside, the rest of the NPG is absolutely free. The beauty of the NPG is that it combines art with a wonderful pictorial history of the UK, through portraits of kings, queens, courtiers and leading figures through British history. A visit here can easily take up an entire day looking around – so, if you plan it right, you could spend a couple of half days, combined with visits to nearby St Martins in the Field, the theatres in nearby St Martin’s Lane, a visit to Trafalgar Square, a walk along the Mall or down to Embankment. The closest tubes to the NPG are Leicester Square and Charing Cross. Weekends are the busiest time since the admission fee has been scrapped, so try and visit during the week, if you can. Details are as follows: NPG Website

Bermuda Rum Swizzle

Serves 6:

4oz dark rum, 4ox light rum, juice of 2 fresh limes, 5oz of pineapple juice and 6oz orange juice, 2oz of Grenadine, 6 dashes of angostura bitters – put into the same jug and stir. Enjoy!

Can you name the Seven Wonders of the World?

This is the first of a series of seven looks at the seven wonders of the world. The list was started in the second century BC and the wonders we know today were finalized in the Middle Ages. Only one still in existence, after some 4,500 years, and visible today is the great pyramid of Khufu at Giza in Egypt. It is 756 feet long on each side, 450 high and comprises 2,300,000 blocks of stone, each averaging 2 1/2 tons in weight.

Despite not having the scientifically accurate instruments of today, no side is more than 8 inches different in length than another, and the whole structure is perfectly oriented to the points of the compass. It seems likely that the pyramid was a tomb for a Pharaoh. Even in ancient times, thieves, breaking into the sacred burial places, were a major problem and Egyptian architects became adept at designing passageways that could be plugged with impassable granite blocks, creating secret, hidden rooms and making decoy chambers. No matter how clever the designers became, though, robbers seemed to be smarter and with almost no exceptions each of the great tombs of the Egyptian Kings were plundered.

Until the 19th century, the pyramid of Khufu was the tallest building in the world. A Greek traveller called Herodotus of Halicanassus visited Egypt around 450 BC and included a description of the Great Pyramid in a history book he wrote. Herodotus was told by his Egyptian guides that it took 100,000 slaves twenty-years to build the pyramid.

The site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing (which has disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. This ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks that were pushed (or pulled) into place. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot. Stones were lifted into position by the use of immense machines. The purpose of the structure, according to Herodotus's sources, was as a tomb for the Pharaoh Khufu (whom the Greeks referred to as Cheops). Scientists have since calculated that fewer men and less years were needed than Herodotus suggests.

Next month: the Lighthouse at Alexandria

Appeal for Holidays for the Deaf

Can anyone put Emma in touch with a tour operator who runs trips for people with impaired hearing. Emma’s sister is partially deaf and has speech difficulties, but her sign language is up to date and excellent – she also lip-reads. She has a very good sense of humour and gets on with most people! If you know of anyone who organises tours that would be suitable for her, please contact Emma by e-mail

More on Dhaka, Bangladesh by Atom Crater

Food (curry): The simple unexpected truth is that Indian/Bengali food in England is much tastier than the food here. Not sure why that should be, but the local curries are surprisingly bland and lack the savour of spices to which our palettes have become accustomed. More than that, there are remarkably few ‘Indian’ restaurants – I’d expected it to be like Malaysia where you can pop into a kedai serving a range of curries with roti and rice. But they don’t seem to exist, at least here in the suburban (sic) delights of Gulshan. So we’ve eaten mostly Thai and Chinese (there’s a large Chinese population here in all branches of business) more often than local. But travel to the districts has been a real gastronomic pleasure: delicious fish, chicken, mutton, more fish with delicious vegetables, rice and paratha.

Mango tree: Mangoes not yet in season unfortunately. My room looks out on a splendid huge specimen, weighed down with flowers. It will deliver a bumper crop if only small a proportion of the flowers set. Our agro-economist tells me that the fruit is ready to eat 70 days after flowering.

Air pollution: The lack of rain exacerbates the air pollution. It is acknowledged to be one of the world’s worst capital cities (Taipei, Jakarta, Lagos??), caused by dust and traffic fumes. I’ve had a sub-clinical cough ever since I arrived. There’s a permanent haze spread over the city – and it was a real relief to get out into the countryside for our project town visits. Since so many city journeys are made in open rickshaws, this is surely more than an inconvenience and must be a major public health hazard.

Arsenic: poisoning from ground water drawn from shallow aquifers is a major problem in B’desh. It is has no taste, so one is not aware of being affected (no-one has given an explanation why this problem is so particular to B’desh – yet there must be one; presumably something to do with geology). In mild form it causes unpleasant skin disease; prolonged exposure causes cancer. Only the large towns and cities have piped water supply derived from lower strata. So the vast majority of the population – including our project towns – gets its water from shallow tube wells using hand pumps. The harsh reality is that there are not the resources to ensure safe water supply for the masses – our project funding won’t stretch that far even for our 12 towns. Shallow wells are progressively being supplemented by deep wells – but not only is drilling more expensive, they also need electric pumps; hence the cost escalation.

Islam: A big surprise is how low key it is – whether in Dhaka or the small towns – compared with Indonesia or Malaysia You’re barely aware of the sound of mosques, or of mushollas in offices, or workers breaking off work to pray; yet it is clearly profoundly institutionalised in national social and political life. And there seem to be very few mosques, compared with the one-in-every-kampung in Indonesian small towns. We (the mission) surmise that Islam can afford to be less demonstrative here because it is more confident and better established; whereas Indonesia and Malaysia form the Muslim geo-political frontline in Asia, and there is a corresponding emotional need to make a loud declaration of faith in the face of the heathen hordes on the horizon. Having said that B’desh is surrounded on all sides by non-Islamic states: mostly India, with a tiny frontier with Burma.

Globetrotter Travel Award to the under 30s!

Under 30? Been a member of the Globetrotters Club for 2 years – or want to take out a 3 year subscription? Interested in a £1,000 travel award? Know someone who is? We have £1,000 to award each year for five years for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested? We have just made the first award to Mike Dodd, a 22 year old mechanical engineering student at Warwick University, to help him with his trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

See our legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we'll take a look at it. Get those plans in!!

Flying around China

Contrary to popular opinion, it is possible to travel independently around China. However, having said that, it has to be one of the most frustrating countries to travel in as the script is impossible to read for us Indo-European language speakers. Here is a trip that gets around mostly through flying, so it is a little easier to see the best parts of China this way and without having to use the services of a guide. Travelling in China in this way, you will need to arrange flights and accommodation and the rest you can fill in as and when you arrive at places.

Fly into Beijing and settle in your chosen hotel – there are plenty of good tourist class hotels. Spend 2 whole days in Beijing. Sites to see include the Forbidden City, Tian’anman square, the Temple of Heaven etc. You can take guided day trips to the Great Wall of China, the Ming Tombs and the Summer Palace.

Fly from Beijing to Xian, the Imperial capital between 1,000 BC and 1,000 AD. Spend a couple of days in Xian: see the Terracotta Warriors, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and there are some hot springs close by. It’s usually quieter to visit the Warriors in the afternoons.

From Xian, fly to Shanghai, explore Shanghai for a couple of days, walk down the Bund, the main road by the harbour, visit the Yu gardens and the old city etc. Ask your hotel to book a day return train ticket to Suzho, a place in China made famous for its silk production. Explore the old town, stock up on silk clothes etc and return to Shanghai.

Fly from Shanghai to Guilin, arrive at the airport, arrange to be met by your hotel and ask them to book a day cruise down the River Li. This is the most beautiful journey – distinctive rounded hills, and you can get a chance to see life as it used to be many centuries ago. If you have more time, it is possible to take longer cruises down the River Li where you can sleep aboard. Your hotel will be able to advise. There are also some caves in Guilin: the Reed Flute Caves that are worth a quick visit.

Fly from Guilin to Canton, explore around and take the train from Canton to Hong Kong and finish your tour here after having spent a few days exploring around.

Fave Websites of the Month

If you are ever planning to travel by rail in the UK, there are two invaluable web sites. The first railtrack.co.uk will show you timetables for the entire country; simply enter your starting point, destination and preferred timings and it will come up with the options. You can ask for earlier and later journeys. However, this site does not show prices, so for this you need to go to: thetrainline.com

Here in the UK, if you book your train fare one week, two weeks and further, in advance, you can achieve substantial savings. Even buying a ticket to pick up the next day at the station can make a big difference in price.

The two rail journeys where buying tickets in advance makes no difference is the Heathrow Express, the £12, 15 minute journey from London Paddington railway station to London Heathrow airport, and the Gatwick Express costing £11, and taking 30 minutes from London’s Victoria railway station to Gatwick.

March for Children, New York

On May 8-10, the UN will be hosting the most important children's event since the 1990 World Summit for Children. We will gather at 4pm to start the march at 4:30pm on May 8 and converge on the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This will be followed by a rally and candlelight vigil, to end around 7:30pm. For detailed information on the march, please visit our website. The event will be a memorable experience for everyone involved and a clear message to the world. We hope that we can count on your participation and support to make this event a stunning success. If you have any questions, are planning to participate, or would like to help out in the final preparations for the march, please click here to contact us.

For those who cannot attend the New York rally, you can sign a petition against the use of child labour, to help kick Child Labour out of the world. Particularly timely, this petition asks that no child is employed in the football industry and the production of other FIFA-licensed goods and all children removed from child labour are rehabilitated and given opportunity to receive education. Please take a couple of minutes to read and sign our World Cup Campaign Petition.