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Travel Tips
Trying to travel light? Shampoo is not only good for washing hair and body, but clothes as well!
Got any travel tips for the Beetle? Then e-mail them to: the Beetle
Giant Grouper – Barrier Reef
A recent report from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia: a Swedish diver had a narrow escape after a giant grouper attempted to swallow his head on New Year's Eve. The diver managed to escape with only a broken mask, cuts and scratches after being spat out.
Mutual Aid
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
Joke time
From Bretislav, in the Czech Republic:
A guy is flying to London checking in at the airlines counter with 3 suitcases. He tells the lady there: “I want the first suitcase checked through to New York, the second to Paris and the third to Bombay.” The lady says, “I'm afraid that won't be possible sir.” The guy says, “Why not? That's what you did to my luggage the last time.”
Monkeys at Agra Fort, India
An alert, bought to the attention of the Beetle by Frank, in the US, about a female traveller in India who was bitten by a monkey at Agra Fort. Frank saw a report in a Lonely Planet bulletin: the report says that the traveller was not carrying food, was not feeding the monkeys or trying to gain their attention, when she received a nasty bite on the leg, quite out of the blue.
She went on to say that the “friendly” monkeys, as described in various guide books are far from it: they have become aggressive and are prone to attacking visitors. She then had to spend large amounts of time (and money, and worry) ensuring that she received all of the immunisations against diseases that the monkeys can carry -these include rabies and a virus which can lead to encephalitis.
Travellers – you have been warned! Animals like this are still wild and should be treated with caution.
January 2002 '
Pirates foiled by international co-operation!
Forget the romantic notion of Captain Hook and Cap'n Kidd – piracy is alive and well in the modern world!
Just last week, coastguards in Falmouth, in the south west of England picked up an SOS call almost 4,000 miles away from the Princess Sarah, a Greek owned ship off the Horn of Africa. The British alerted the French army based in Djibouti and Somalia who had a warship in the area. The French ship, Floreal, sent a helicopter to assist the Princess Sarah and scared the pirates off.
Incredibly, this is the second time that the Princess Sarah has been helped by the same coastguards, only a month earlier whilst off the coast of Somalia.
Globetrotter Travel Award
Under 24? 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!!
Fave Websites of the Month
Fairly self-explanatory, a suggestions form Dick, the London Meetings organiser: onlinenewspapers.com A great way of catching up after months of being away from TV, radio and newspapers!
Travel Tips
When the Beetle wants to say thank you and money is not appropriate, she gives postcards from her hometown, London, to people as small gifts. Take some with you!
Got a travel tip you would like to share with the Beetle? Then e-mail them to: the Beetle
Mutual Aid
Strange but True!
Both the Paris and Hong Kong metro systems regularly use air freshener. Apparently studies reveal that if the system smells good, customers feel more positive about the travelling experience. London Underground, with over 3 million passengers a day, has started to trial a fragrance called Madeleine to see if fragrance will make a positive difference. If customers like it, it will become a permanent item. Sound like the sweet smell of success?
Have you got a tale to tell??
Did you know…the London Eye
London tube facts: the Northern Line, London:
Believe it or not, the Northern Line (AKA the Misery Line) is allegedly now the Tube’s top performing line! Formed in the mid 1920s and renamed the Northern Line in 1937 – that’s the black one that runs north-south. There are 36 stations on this line and has one of the world’s longest tunnels at 17.25 miles.
Camera Planet
Gabrielle wants to hear from you! She is a Producer for an American website/independent TV company called CameraPlanet.com CameraPlanet takes viewer video (amateur video from all over the world), edits the tape into short pieces (four minutes) and posts the stories online for viewer enjoyment.
The videos follow certain themes that correspond with channels. Gabrielle is in charge of the site “Freefall” Channel, dedicated to extreme sports and thrill seeking in general.
If you are interested in creating a short video (shot by yourselves, they can provide a video camera if you don’t have access to one) about adventure holidays etc, contact Gabrielle on: 212.779.0500 ext.240) or to e-mail click here.
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Some places in the Islamic world vie to be the first to see the new moon at the start of the new month. It is a time of fasting during daylight hours. During this time, Muslims concentrate on their faith. A huge party called Eid or more correctly, Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the month. The Beetle has attended Eid parties whilst living in Pakistan – they are a lot like Christmas for Christians – food, presents and a lot of fun.
Coffee, drink, dinner … Tallinn:
Maiasmokk is the most charming restaurant with a café overlooking the street on the ground floor where you can sip coffee or have drinks and watch the world go by. It’s tucked behind the main square but is easy to find. The best dinner the Beetle had whilst in Tallinn – and the competition was tough! Address: (1-2) Pikk 16, tel: 6464-070.
Want to tell us about your favourite coffee corner or watering hole? Then e-mail: the Beetle
Fancy that! Australia
In about 200 AD a famous Greek astronomer named Claudius Ptolemy believed that the earth had to be balanced or it would topple over. He figured that there had to be a land yet unknown to Europeans somewhere below the Indian Ocean. Over time this yet to be discovered land came to be known as Terra Australis Incognito that means the Unknown Southern Land.