Category Archives: Sidebar

Gulf coast tourism officials say the real problem with the spill has been perception.

TravelMole US Editor David Wilkening explains how misconceptions are causing further damage to tourism in the Gulf Coast.

“Damage forecasts soon after the BP Gulf oil spill were bad. But then they got worse. Dead birds. Soiled beaches.

The reality, however, is that the spill led to the deaths of less than one percent of the number of birds killed in the Valdez spill.

The spill was enough oil to fill about one- sixth of the Louisiana Superdome.

That’s not exactly a drop in the proverbial bucket, but it’s a strikingly different image from one emblazoned in people’s mind by the early reaction,

Write for the eNewsletter

If you enjoy writing & travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter ! The Ant would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant at theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be approximately 1000 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.

Write in 4…Epic South Africa by Beryl

Hello The Ant,

We hope that you might find information about our Epic Enabled holidays and Accessible Epic Guest House in Cape Town useful for your members, if ever they want to travel further afield to Africa.

South Africa, the most cosmopolitan of the African nations, has long been renowned for its bio-diversity, wildlife and the breathtakingly beautiful landscape.

However, these amazing gifts of nature have always been little more than a dream for people stricken by disability. Until now! Epic Enabled offers accessible African Safari’s in South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park , and private game reserve close by, as well as day tours in Johannesburg , Cape Town the

GT Travel Award

Are you inspired with all this talk of travel ?

Are you ready for you own independent adventure ?

Or do you know someone who could benefit from a helping hand into the wider world ?

What is the award ?

Each year the club offers up to two £1,000 awards to give out for the best independent travel plan, as judged by the club’s Committee.

The deadline to receive applications for the next award is 31 May 2011.

See the legacy page on the club’s web site for more details, where you can review previous winners’ trips and/or apply with your plans for a totally independent, travel trip.

If your idea catches our eye we’ll take a closer look at what you’re proposing and give you feedback & maybe a helping hand on your journey of a lifetime !!

Web sites to muse about travel to:-

  • from Matt Doughty       about this year’s Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize winner see http://www.bbc.co.uk/ for more details
  • from Matt Doughty       about travelling an unusual way, on the way to Mecca http://www.bbc.co.uk/
  • from James       Robinson via Facebook about a popular & interesting travel blog…http://www.backpackingjournalist.com/

Write in (3) … Introducing the new Globe Editor, Chloe Marshall

Chloe - Globe editor.jpgRecently Dan James, the long standing Globe newsletter editor stood down from his role at the club and headed off to pursue a new life in Hong Kong. All at the club thank him for his time, energy & efforts on our behalf and hope to hear of him enjoying his new adventure …

Going forward Chloe Marshall will be taking over the Globe and working with the Committee to take the members only publication forward.

Chloe is a London based journalist and has a wide ranging interest in travel. She would like to receive your articles, questions and general travel discussions at editor@globetrotters.co.uk

Welcome Chloe and I hope you enjoy your time with Globetrotters – The Ant

News in the world of travel

News in the world of travel

  • From Debra Taylor at www.toucanmoon.com :-

    Hi – I am working on the promotion of a photography symposium taking place at London’s Royal Geographical Society on 22 & 23 October 2010. Hosted by BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham, WildPhotos 2010 promises to be as inspirational as ever with an impressive line up of international wildlife and environmental photographers led by keynote speaker David Doubilet (USA) including Mark Carwardine (UK), Danny Ellinger (Netherlands), Charlie Hamilton James (UK) and Stefano Unterthiner (Italy).

    I’d be very happy to send you further information and images.

    I look forward to hearing from you.

    Many thanks and best wishes

    Debra

    debra@toucanmoon.com

  • From the BBC – UK climbers make Afghan first ascents. Two Scottish climbers recount a trip to Afghanistan where they made two first ascents of mountains in the Wakhan District – http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-11082815
  • From the BBC – New UK passport design unveiled. The Home Office unveils the design of the new UK passport, with enhanced security features to tackle identity theft and fraud – http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/uk-11071998
  • From TravelMole web site, news about a series of travel awards that tries to promote sustainable tourism … see more details at http://www.travelmole.com

Write for the eNewsletter

If you enjoy writing & travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter ! The Ant would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant at theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be approximately 1000 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.

GT Travel Award 2010

Background – A member of Globetrotters Club and interested in winning a £1,000 travel award ? Know someone who fits these criteria ? We have up to two £1,000 awards to give out this year for the best independent travel plan, as judged by the club’s Committee.

Next award – Are you inspired with all this talk of travel ? Are you ready for you own adventure ? The deadline to receive applications for the next award is 30 October 2010.

See the recently revamped legacy page on the club’s web site, where you can review previous winners’ trips and/or apply with your plans for a totally independent, travel trip.

If your idea catches our eye we’ll take a closer look at what you’re proposing !!

Write in (2)

Hello,

Trailblazer is about to publish The Silk Roads: a route and planning guide 3rd edition.

It’s a practical travel guide to the Silk Roads, the greatest trade route of all time. Content includes:

* Planning your trip – information for all budgets whether you’re an independent traveller or joining a group

* Practical information for travellers in Turkey, Syria, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, China

* 55 city guides with maps – where to stay, where to eat and what to see

* Also includes lesser-known routes

* Extensive history of the Silk Roads

* Useful phrases in Arabic, Farsi, Russian and Chinese

The book is paperback, 450pp, with colour and B&W photos.

See http://www.trailblazer-guides.com/ for more details.

Write in (exhibition at Grosvenor Museum)

Hi Everyone,

There will be an exhibition in the Grosvenor Museum at beginning of next year and the organisers would like you travellers to be involved, so have a read and send your entries to: lucy.ashdown@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

According to Lucy what would look good in the exhibition would be a selection of photos from Chester Globetrotters showing different vehicles (defined here as transport with wheels or runners) they’ve come across or used in different countries, accompanied by a short piece of text.

Lucy is not sure how much space there will be available in the gallery, but she’ll try & fit in at least one photo from everyone who submits something.

For the text, she’d like to know where each photo was taken & when and also why/how the vehicle was important to each person’s experience of that particular country.

Globetrotters can email photos & text directly to Lucy by the end of September preferably.

News in the world of travel (1)

BP oil spill – the reality. TravelMole US Editor David Wilkening explains how misconceptions are causing further damage to tourism in the Gulf Coast.

“Damage forecasts soon after the BP Gulf oil spill were bad. But then they got worse. Dead birds. Soiled beaches.

The reality, however, is that the spill led to the deaths of less than one percent of the number of birds killed in the Valdez spill.

The spill was enough oil to fill about one- sixth of the Louisiana Superdome.

“That’s not exactly a drop in the proverbial bucket, but it’s a strikingly different image from one emblazoned in people’s mind by the early reaction,” writes USA Today in an editorial.

Could there be unknown seabed damage? “So far, it seems the wildest predictions were just that — wild,” said the newspaper.

The publication suggested the news media did a poor job of providing accurate information about the event. There were many exaggerations.

Gulf coast tourism officials say the real problem with the spill has been perception.

Read more at http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1143673.php

News in the world of travel (2)

News in the world of travel

US to start charging for tourist entry

European travellers to the US will have to pay an extra $14 from next month for electronic visas.

The visas, known as an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (Esta), have been compulsory for UK tourists and other European visitors since January 2009.

At present, they are free, but from September 8, the US will start charging $14, or around £9 based on the current exchange rates.

The move has been criticised by the European Union, which said it could deter or complicate travel.

Consumer groups are advising people planning a trip to the US to apply now, before the new charge comes into force.

Read more at http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1143622.php

Write for the eNewsletter

If you enjoy writing & travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter ! The Ant would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant at theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be approximately 1000 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.

GT Travel Award 2010

News – the first winner of 2010 has been announced by the club’s Committee and it is Doug Allen. Congratulations to him and we look forward to hearing about his forthcoming adventures in the Congo !

Next award – Are you inspired by Doug ? Are you ready for you own adventure ? The deadline to receive applications for the next award is 30 October 2010.

Background – A member of Globetrotters Club and interested in winning a £1,000 travel award ? Know someone who fits these criteria ? We have up to two £1,000 awards to give out this year for the best independent travel plan, as judged by the club’s Committee.

See the recently revamped legacy page on the club’s web site, where you can review previous winners’ trips and/or apply with your plans for a totally independent, travel trip.

If your idea catches our eye we’ll take a closer look at what you’re proposing !!

Mac says

Mac Regular contributor Mac ruminates on the world of travel & some of his adventures along the way

Regular contributor Mac ruminates on the world of travel & some of his adventures along the way J

This time round heÂ’s reflecting on some books he might want to check out from the library and keep his travel appetite wet:-

  • Holidays in Hell by PJ OÂ’Rourke
  • …anything written by Pico Iyer (he is one of MacÂ’s favouriteÂ’s travel writers)
  • The Gringo Trail by Mark Mann
  • Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
  • Congo Journey by Redmond OÂ’Hanlon
  • The Sex Lives of Cannibals : Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost
  • The Art and Adventure of Travelling Cheaply by Rick Berg
  • The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler

Mac reckonÂ’s he may have to get an extension on life to read all the books he wants to enjoy… J

Write in (2) June 2010

Hi All,

Apologies for this mass email, but can I appeal for your help?

Imagine you are in the cheese department of Harrods and you want to buy some cheese, something that shouts out quality, class and tradition, which of the following names would you go for ?

  • Dales Finest
  • Dales Deluxe
  • Dales Regent
  • Dales Premier Cru
  • Dales Select
  • Dales Best

We would like to keep the name Dales in it, to denote the fact that we are based in and from The (Yorkshire) Dales, that it is local but not too parochial. Our milk is local and we are artisan cheese makers and make the cheese ourselves in small batches, by hand.

If you could each of these names a 0-4 score, 4 being highest, 0 lowest, how would you score them? You don't have to rank them, just give a score from 0-4.

And if it is none of the above, then any suggestions more than welcome or why you don't like certain names.

Thanks, really appreciate your time, and pass it on!

We will organise a selection of cheeses for a person chosen at random who replies.

The Beetle

cheese

Picture courtesy of Yorkshire Dales Cheese Co.

The Ribblesdale Cheese Company 1978 Ltd

Tel/fax: 0044 (0)1969 66 77 88

Blog: http://ribblesdalecheese.wordpress.com/

Upper Wensleydale Business Park

Brunt Acres Rd

Hawes,

North Yorkshire DL8 3UZ

Write for the eNewsletter

If you enjoy writing & travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter ! The Ant would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant at theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be approximately 1000 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.