Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?
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?
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buy supplies and have a shower but the prices were pretty bloody steep and things like bread and milk were usually out of date !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…
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.”.
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.
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!!!
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.
Which countries are represented by these flags? For the answers, see at the end of the eNews.
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Anne writes in: I've been living in Mexico City for 8 months and I'd like to communicate to all the travellers to Mexico the address of a great French Bistro located in one of the most popular area of Mexico City, la Condesa.
Its atmosphere is warm and friendly, and the menu counts with delicious French and Mediterranean specialties. Moreover, the restaurant presents
fantastic photo exhibitions by Mexican and foreign artists, which change every 2 months, the photos being auctioned to the benefit of children living on the streets of Mexico City.
The prices are affordable (32 pesos for soups and salads, from 48 to 165 pesos for main dishes), the service excellent.
To get there:
PHOTO BISTRO Calle Citlaltepetl No. 23 (at the corner of Avenida Amsterdam, between Ozuluama and Campeche, close to the Chilpancingo metro station) Col. Hipodromo Condesa Mexico, D.F.
Tel : 5286 5945 Fax : 5211 9806 Email : photobistro@att.net.mx
I was pretty taken with Cefalù. I had not expected it to have retained such charm since its advent to practically every tour firm’s brochure. My one disappointment was quite a major one, that the lovely cathedral, with mosaics older than those at Monreale [though nothing like as many,] was undergoing repair, a place of noise and dust with little mosaic actually showing. Never mind, you can’t win ’em all! Somehow I missed the quickest way to the bus for Castelbuono and I arrived in time to see the back of it as it left. It was right by the train station and, as Castelbuono was the very first stop and a train was almost due, I was not too worried. In fact my only worry was during the short train journey when I realised I had not validated my ticket! Fortunately nobody had told me that the station was nowhere near the town and that the walk was up a very long and pretty steep hill. I only had seconds to worry about this, as the fellow passenger who told me went on to offer a lift. We can have been only a little behind the bus!
My lift was to the tourist office who started to look for somewhere for me to stay that night. I quite fancied the idea of a b&b for a change and the price sounded OK until they phoned back to all but double it as I was on my own. No good. The next attempt was the only hotel in the little town, as far as I know, the Ariston. This was remarkably cheap and I left my luggage at the tourist office to carry on uphill to the castle before dropping down to the Ariston. The view, both of the town below and of the hills of the interior in the other direction confirmed the impression that it would be a good walking centre. However there was no time to weigh that up with only two nights left. I returned to the Ariston and the very cheap price came to seem explicable. The receptionist was playing cards with a couple of friends – they called to mind Manet’s famous painting in the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Shortly after he had given me the key I heard them – all – leave the hotel and that was it. There was nobody else in the hotel from then until I left in the morning. I do not remember the name of the place where I ate. I suppose you might call it an Italian fast food joint but it was just what I needed – fast indeed but remarkably friendly. I should go again – just above the arch on the right if you want to find it!
So back in the morning to Cefalù on the bus to catch the train on along the coast. I had by now what I thought was probably a pipedream, that it would be great to take a boat out to one of the Aeolian Islands for a couple of hours if timetables permitted – and they seemed to. This time the mistake was not my fault. The departure board in the station had been changed from the time-table from the tourist office and I had to wait well over an hour for the next train – and pay extra for the privilege because it was called an express. It would hardly be reasonable for an Englishman to complain about the train service anywhere but this was actually as bad as ours at near their worst.
Thus I arrived at Milazzo very uncertain whether it was going to be possible to do anything. I discovered that by taking an aliscafo [hydrofoil] I could get just about an hour on Lípari. I am and I was very aware that an hour on Lípari is absurdly insufficient. On the other hand it was nearly an hour more than nothing and allowed a sight of Vulcano on the way – and the sea was like a mill pond. There was really no contest in my mind; I went and I am glad I did – though I should certainly like to go again for longer and see some of the other islands as well.
After the trip, reported in the next edition, I was rather too tired to walk up to the castle at Milazzo but it looked striking enough towering over the town. I was there at a time when the industrial smoke said to spoil the town so badly was absent and it seemed a good place. I stayed at the Central in the Via del Sole, an ordinary little place with shared bathrooms, cheaper but otherwise much the same as several others. I ate at a sort of shop/cafe at the far end of town from a wonderful spread of antipasti type dishes – very cheaply indeed.
David was a keen walker, particularly on mountains before he developed serious heart problems in 1995. He has now adapted his holidays to what he is able to do and we are presenting his account of 12 days in Sicily over this and the coming months. Next two episodes: Palermo.
Next episode – Aeolians , Messina, Taormina.
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What's your score?
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?
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If you want to keep abreast of events in India, catch the latest news on hotels, airlines and events, then take a look at this free India Newsletter.
India Newsletter
The US government is dropping a plan to collect personal data on airline passengers to assess security risks because of privacy concerns. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said officials had all but scrapped plans for the controversial Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System, known as CAPPS II, which has come under criticism from privacy advocates and some members of the US Congress. The program, which has never been tested fully, was launched after September 11 2001 to refine electronic techniques for using personal information to identify and rate potential threats.
Ridge said a new program with a different name might be developed to replace CAPPS II. It could be replaced by a new “registered traveller” program if enough people volunteer to provide personal information, the report said.
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Planning a
visit to London or already live in London or visit, well,
Gordon regularly hosts get togethers for visitors and local
people alike to go to the theatre and concerts, sometimes
free and sometimes at reduced cost. He also hosts
suppers at selected restaurants – the picture shows a group
of Gordon’s friends.
To join Gordon’s friends’ group, click on this link:
Gordon's friends
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Due to popular demand, we have included the answers to last month’s Travel Quiz.
We are inundated each month by people entering the quiz, and receive many correct submission answers.
Our webmaster collates all of the correct answers into a draw, and the Beetle selects a number at random.
1. The Incas were defeated by conquistadores from which country in 1533? A: Spain
2. The population of modern day Peru is around 8 million, 18 million or 28 million? A: 28 million
3. Cuy is a local speciality – what type of animal is it? A: Guinea pig
4. Maria Reiche was an expert on which lines in Peru? A: Nazca Lines
5. How many countries does Peru have international borders with? A: five
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A member of Globetrotters Club? 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?
Then 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!!
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Rajasthan is a land where the vagaries of nature have settled to co-exist with the good cheer of its people. The architectural grandeur of royalty and the tales of valour and chivalry are the essence of its very spirit. Rajasthan is a destination that enchants the visitor with every little discovery that is made, because the more one discovers, the more is the urge to stay on or come back. It offers a unique destination for anyone’s holidays.
Jaipur, the first planned city of historic India, better known as the pink city and the Venice of east is a perfect combination of old and modern architect of India. Pushkar is your host for rural, religion and culture of the region. The Thar Desert tells a story of men living in harmony with a hostile nature. It is not deserted but contains a complete philosophy to live with the nature. Ranthambore presents an opportunity for viewing wild life as you can experience the first hand the habitat of the king of the forest the tiger. The following ‘tour’ is in two parts but shows how you can easily explore parts of Rajasthan.
Jaipur, popularly known as the Pink City, was
founded in 1727 AD by the Maharaja of Amber Sawai Jai Singh.
This remarkable city is considered a marvel of town planning.
Designed in accordance with ancient Hindu treaties on
architecture, the Silpa Shastra, Jaipur follows a grid system
and is encircled by a fortified wall. The palace lies
in the heart of the city and occupies the space of the
central grid. The rest of the grids were cut across neatly by
wide lanes, which divided the area into tidy, well laid-out
rectangles of commercial and residential use. The fortified
wall has eight gates (originally had seven) and was built for
protection against invading armies and wild animals. Today
the city has spread beyond these walls and reached
neighbouring towns and continues to grow.
The city Palace complex is the most important landmark with its numerous outbuildings, courtyards, impressive gateways and temples. Occupying one seventh of the walled city area, the city palace houses the seven storied Chandra Mahal (residence of the royal family), Mubarak Mahal, the Diwan-I-Am, and Diwan-I-Khas. The museum houses a rare collection of arms, carpets, costumes, paintings and royal paraphernalia. A notable exhibit is a pair of pure silver containers, which are the largest single pieces of silver in the world.
Across the road from the palace is the JANTAR MANTAR, one of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh, this one is the latest and the best preserved. A collection of complex astronomical instruments chiselled out of stone – most of which continue to provide fairly accurate information to this day – is the highlight of the observatory.
This adjoins the outside of the palace wall. Built in 1799 this pink seven storied building overlooks one of the main streets and also provides some excellent views of the city. Dedicated to the lord Krishna, it is shaped like a crown, which adorns the Lord’s head. It has over 900 niches and is quite an unusual structure the likes of which are not to be found anywhere else in the world.
Set in a picturesque location, Amber is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture. Built in the 16th century by Raja Man Singh, it sprawls on the hillside. Built in red sandstone and white marble, the palace complex has some very interesting apartments, the likes of which are not to be found anywhere else in the country. Jai Mandir, Sheesh Mahal, Sukh Niwas, Ganesh Pol are some of the prominent areas of interest. The old township of Amber lies at the foothills of the palace and has an Old World charm, a character of its own.
Held at Pushkar near Ajmer once in a year,
better known by the name of Pushkar Cattle Fair, is one of
the most colourful festivals of India. Thousands of pilgrims
come to bathe in the holy water of the Pushkar Lake. Legend
has it that the lake appeared miraculously on the spot, where
the petals of the lotus fell from the hands of lord Brahma.
Pushkar has an atmosphere of an ancient town, peaceful and
secluded but for twelve days of the month of KARTIK (Hindu
calendar), it transformed into a spectacular fair ground.
The fair is an amazing sight to behold including street
sellers showing off their dazzling range of wares in hundreds
of roadside stalls.
People come from different parts of
Rajasthan to worship lord Brahma and take bath in the holy
lake. Pilgrims start coming in the early morning in
groups singing the religious songs dedicated to Hindu gods to
bathe in the Pushkar lake. The process continues throughout
the day to turn into DEEPDAN ceremony. The entire
atmosphere reverberates with the ringing of bells. At
night, hundreds of small oil lamps placed on green leaves set
the lake alight. Shopkeepers keeps their shops open day
and night for the last three or four days to keep the city
alive.
Worlds largest number of camel gathering is a spectacular seen that floods this area with thousands of tourist every year. The most spectacular site besides the animals is the day to day activity of the people who comes with the animals and spend the day and night under open sky. Horse races, camel races and other animal based events are organized by the organizing committee to choose the best animal of the fair.
If you would like to get in touch with Bhaghirath about touring Rajasthan, he can be contacted by e-mail on: vision21century@sify.com
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According to the UK Foreign Office, there is a high threat to Western, including British, interests from terrorism in Somalia, as there is in a number of countries in East Africa and the Horn. You should be aware that a number of British nationals and Westerners have been killed and injured in attacks in Somaliland. The Somaliland authorities believe these were terrorist inspired. Two British nationals were shot dead in Sheikh in Oct 2003. In the same month an Italian aid worker was murdered in Boroma near the border with Ethiopia. On 19 March 2004, a Kenyan woman working for a German Government aid organisation was shot dead in an ambush on the Hargeisa-Berbera road. Her German colleague was injured in the attack. Several suspects have been detained for this attack and for the two earlier similar incidents. This latter attack resulted in the temporary withdrawal of international aid personnel.
In May 2004, a remote-controlled landmine was found planted in a remote airstrip in the south of Somalia. UN and European Commission flights to Somalia are consequently now much restricted.
The Somaliland authorities have established a Special Protection Unit (SPU) which accompanies all UN missions outside Hargeisa. NGOs and individuals can also apply for an SPU escort at a cost of US$4.00 per day (or US$7.00 per 24 hours). British nationals who decide to stay in or visit Somaliland, despite our advice to the contrary, are urged to obtain details of the new system and to ensure that, when travelling, they take adequate security precautions.
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Want to check out how good the seat is on your next flight? Take a look at this: http://www.seatguru.com/ which warns you of poor seats in the general seating arrangement of different types of aircraft operated by a wide range of airlines.
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Volunteers wanted for projects worldwide.
Nomad Travel Store is now seeking voluntary doctors and nurses for our charity clinic in India. The clinic is based on Karmi Farm in the foothills of the Himalayas on the border of Sikkim. We have spaces throughout 2005. If you would like more information please contact Cathy on: cathy@nomadtravel.co.uk The website of Karmi Farm Guesthouse is: www.karmifarm.com
We're running a trek up Kili in conjunction with Cancer Research next spring and are looking for a doctor and a nurse (or two doctors) to accompany the trek (12-20 Feb 2005). Do you know a suitable doctor who might be interested (and fit enough). They would travel free of charge. Please e-mail: markw@adventurecompany.co.uk or see: http:\www.adventurecompany.co.uk
Help Argentina is a unique non-profit organization that works in conjunction with hundreds of other non-profit and social development organizations with the aim of strengthening the social sector as a whole. Most of the work will be done in the field working with beneficiary organizations, conducting surveys, delivering supplies, etc. Work place and hours are flexible. mpazmm@HelpArgentina.org
CIPPEC is a non-governmental organization working to promote equality and growth in Argentina. CIPPEC aims to make public institutions stronger, to make opportunities equal for everyone and to better the social situation for all Argentineans. Volunteers can work on a range of projects. Volunteers will work for four hours a day. vweyrauch@cippec.org
The Inca Porter Project is looking for long term volunteers with fluent Spanish to staff their new training and drop-in centre. If you are interested, please see: http://www.peruweb.org/porters/
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The Burma Campaign UK has released its latest list of companies that invest in Burma, or Myanmar as it is called by the country’s military dictatorship. You may be interested to know that high class UK travel company Abercrombie and Kent are on the “dirty” list. For more info, see: Burma Campaign
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Spanish police are targeting tourist resorts in a crackdown on holidaymakers who drink and drive. Until this summer, penalties for drink-driving applied only to full-time residents with tourists being let off with a caution and a small fine. But now visitors who commit the offence will face fines of up to £5,000 and a three-year ban from driving in Spain. Those involved in accidents resulting in the death or injury of others will be jailed. Despite its modern road system, Spain has one of Europe's worst safety records, with one person killed or injured every 11 minutes.
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