Need to convert currency?

Take a look at The Globetrotters Currency Converter – get the exchange rates for 164 currencies The Globetrotters Currency Cheat Sheet – create and print a currency converter table for your next trip.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to the west African country of Togo. They say: following the death of President Eyadema on 5 February 2005, the internal situation in Togo is very uncertain. The capital city, Lome is calm but tense in most areas. Demonstrations in the central south of the city have led to clashes between the opposition and police, and resulted in some fatalities. Further demonstrations are possible. The situation could flare up without warning. Borders have now reopened but restrictions at entry and exit points could be re-imposed without warning. We advise against all travel to Togo until the situation clarifies.

The sea front area in Lome, particularly around the Hotel Sarakawa is dangerous and you should avoid this area as far as possible. Walking is not advisable in this area. Pick-pocketing and theft are common, especially along the beach and in the market areas of Lome. Some taxis are poorly maintained, and you should take particular care when seeking to use one. Attacks on pedestrians happen in broad daylight as well as at night. You should enter and exit public places such as restaurants in groups rather than individually.

Be prepared for checks of passport/identity papers and possible vehicle checks by the local Police and Military. There have been reports of people being killed when attempting to resist car-jackings. It is generally better not to resist armed attack.

If it is necessary to travel by car at night you should do so in a convoy of at least two cars. You should stop at all control points on request, turn on interior vehicle lights and only continue when permission has been given to do so.

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our Mutual Aid section of the Website: Mutual Aid

Monique is looking for people to share a jeep from beginning September to middle September for a trip down the Rift Valley lakes and into the southwest tribal areas. Cost is 120 USD per day, no matter how many people to the jeep – I will arrive in Addis on Sept 2nd and would prefer to leave the 3rd or 4th of September for a 15-18 days trip (flexible because of market days and so on). Monique can be contacted by e-mail: moniquejansen66@hotmail.com or monique.jansen@chello.be. She says that she is a freelance photographer, so her main goal is: people, villages, markets, less wildlife, birds. If this interests you, why not drop Monique a line.

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:

1. Senegal
2. Singapore
3. Sierra Leone
4. San Marino
5. Suriname

For the answers, see at the end of the e-newsletter.

We have developed a malaria information website (www.preventing-malaria.info) and also have a pharmacy website (www.stratford-pharmacy.co.uk) where people can browse and order medication if they require it. Customers can order from us safe in the knowledge that we are a UK registered pharmacy which is both regulated by and subject to inspection by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. Orders are placed over the internet via our Pharmacy website or when internet access is not available, we can take telephone orders. Our website is very user-friendly, and clearly states whether the medication being ordered requires a prescription or not. Our credentials can be checked at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, and we would be happy to discuss any matter of concern at any time.

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

From the end of March until May, Keukenhof gardens, Holland's most famous spring gardens, will burst into a kaleidoscope of colour as spring comes to life in a stunning display of breathtaking beauty. Millions of tulips and other bulb flowers will burst in bloom, a fantastic experience for everyone and a wonderful spectacle to photograph. Keukenhof is situated on the west coast of Holland, in the Holland Rijnland area, with its flower fields, the beaches of Noordwijk and Katwijk, beautiful villages and the historical city of Leiden. Click here for more information on Keukenhof Gardens.

Whilst the value of the Rand has strengthened, the number of non-African visitors to South Africa dropped 2 percent in November 2004, to 198,605 people. French arrivals fell by 23 percent, to 13,142, and the number of German tourists fell 4.3 percent, to 33,495.

I'm a writer for Win & Go magazine, we specialise in true-life holiday stories. At the moment, we're putting together a feature looking at gap years for all ages – from the teens and twenties, to the mid-thirty's-forties and post-retirement. I was just wondering if any of your members have taken a year out to travel and would be wiling to share their experiences. We're going to include safety tips, practicalities and case-studies. Anyone who wishes to talk to us, will of course receive payment and we will include details of this website. Kerry Win & Go Magazine. Kerry can be contacted by e-mail: kerry.sutch@bauer.co.uk

The Axumite kingdom in northern Ethiopia was established between 200 and 100 BC and was once one of the four kingdoms of the world. The legendary Queen of Sheba reigned in the region eight or nine centuries later. The region is home to some of the world's obelisks carved with 'doors' and 'windows' and are thought, like Stonehenge, to have some solar or astronomical measuring role. One of the obelisks was looted from Axum by Mussolini in 1937 and in 1947, Italy signed a pledge to the UN to give back the obelisk – but has not followed through until now. The obelisk – the only one on two continents weighing over 100 tonnes – was situated in a square in Rome in front of what was once the 'Ministry for Italian Africa' (now the FAO building). The obelisk has been cut into three sections, and has been awaiting its return in a warehouse near Rome airport. The top piece of the obelisk is now scheduled to leave Rome on a cargo plane in April but this has been postponed because the Italian culture ministry says Axum airport does not have radar, so the pilots must wait for good weather.

For UK travellers returning to the UK after a shopping spree could be in for good news. In the recent Budget speech, the Chancellor Gordon Brown announced the amount travellers can bring into the UK tax-free is likely to rise from £145 to £1,000.

On March 3, 2005 after covering 23,000 miles in 67 hours, Steve Fossett became the first person to fly around the world alone in a plane without stopping or refuelling. Fossett, 60, holds many other records as a balloonist, pilot and sailor.

“I’m a really lucky guy now, I got to achieve my ambition,” the 60-year-old millionaire said after stepping out of the cramped capsule in which he had spent nearly three days. “It was a difficult trip … one of the hardest things I've ever done, to be on duty for three days, day and night, with virtually no sleep. It was an endurance test,” Fossett said.

While Fossett is the first to make the flight alone, it will not enter the record books since the Paris-based Federation Aeronautique Internationale has said it does not have a separate category for solo pilots.

Fossett's team however had said they hoped to qualify for distance and speed records, which remain to be certified.