Kevin (Membership) Brackley from London says that he always carry a compass in Japan: the train stations are so vast, at least you know you are heading in the right direction for the exit you want!
Got any travel tips for the Beetle? Then e-mail them to: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
Barbara Brooks, Committee member of the Globetrotters Club has arranged a stay at a gorgeous hostel: Alstonefield Youth Hostel, Gypsey Lane, Alstonefield, Derbyshire DE6.2FZ. There are five 4 bedrooms complete with en-suite facilities in two fabulous barns overlooking Dovedale. Lots of walking and fresh air on offer! The cost of accommodation only is £20 per person for the two nights. This offer is available to anyone, Globetrotter members and non members alike!
For more info, e-mail Barbara, She hopes you can join her!!
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
Tom Freemantle, a regular at the London Globetrotter meetings has planned a walking trip – 2,500miles with a mule from the Mexican border to New York following the journey of his ancestor Lieutenant Colonel Arther Freemantle in 1863, crossing America at the height of the Civil War.
He is aiming to raise $20,000 for Covenant House New York – a crisis shelter in New York for runaway and homeless children. It helps youth of all ages with everything from free food and medical facilities through to education and job training. If you can help, please e-mail Tom on tomfreo@hotmail.com
The latest details on the appeal and the journey will be on the web site www.mini-mule.co.uk
From Paul (Webmaster) Roberts: he says that Budapest is a great place to be on August 20; it is their national holiday. Paul says that you can see the hand of St Stephen being paraded around the streets in its silver box. There are fireworks over the Danube and, (strange, this, Ed) you can also catch the Hungarian grand prix (19 Aug) which is very affordable.
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
The answers to last month’s Tahiti quiz where 1. the sea or ocean, 2. drinking, 3. baby oysters, 4. FAAA, 5. CFP
The winner was: Janine Gregor, the backpack will come winging its way to you shortly!
We have a Bradt Guide Book on Madagascar, kindly donated by Bradt Publications to give away to the person with the correct answers.
The Wexas Summer 2001 Traveller Magazine says “just don’t bother” to the following countries as they are too dangerous: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Congo (DRC), Israel, Liberia, Macedonia, Sierra Leone and Somalia
The Neem Tree Café inside the Old Fort in Stone Town is an oasis of calm where you can sit, hassle-free, drink the excellent lemonade and watch life go by at the local craft stores.
Want to tell us about your favourite coffee corner or watering hole? Then contact the Beetle: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
Emma is STILL looking for UK based TV show contestants!
Does your knowledge span the globe? If you fancy yourself as a modern-day Marco Polo, and have the geographical, cultural and scientific knowledge it will take to get around the world, then Emma at Meridian TV wants to hear from you!
If you have global general knowledge, think you could be the 8th wonder of the world, live in the UK and would like to take part, then please contact Emma by e-mail on thomase@meridiantv.com or call on 02380 712 118.
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!!
Jon from Red Wing, Minnesota, suggests visiting this site, http://www.confluence.org The idea is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location. Pictures and stories will then be posted on the site. Take a look – it’s really interesting!
Bootsnall.com is an excellent website allowing access to a free travel club with members in 80 countries. There’s a newsletter, a chat forum and travel articles. Nice one!
For more high quality links why not visit the recently updated links section of our website, as well as a free link page we now have over 250+ travel links sorted into over 40 categoies.
The beetle always carries a Maglite and stores lunchtime or dinner paper serviettes in pockets as emergency paper for the bathroom.
Got any travel tips for the Beetle? Then e-mail them to: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
Karen from L.A found Bhutan to be interesting but a tad expensive. She says she had to pay $225 a day per person to stay in substandard hotels and eat substandard food. Although she feels it was not worth the money, she is glad that she did it.
Bradt Guides have offered to give away a Bradt Guide Book on Madagascar for the best travel story, tip or info. Contact Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
The Beetle spent some time beetling around in Zanzibar last year and noted that unsuspecting travellers at the Dar es Salaam port were being told by unscrupulous individuals that they had to pay an additional $10 or $15 for port tax. This is completely untrue as port tax is included in the price of the ticket. You now know what to say to these vermin!
Emma needs you!!! Only 8 people have replied to Emma so far and she needs 90 contestants!!! If you live in the UK, are knowledgeable about travel and countries, and would like to be a contestant on the Geo Quiz – it goes out on the National Geographic Cable Channel, then contact Emma: thomase@meridiantv.com or call her on 02380 712 118.
During WWII, Frank of Alabama found himself in Samoa and even today, he can still speak some Samoan. He paid a visit back in 1999 to Samoa and surprised a lady who called him something rude by returning the compliment back in her own language! The woman’s 350 lb daughter was not amused, but the mother laughed and said that she would watch her language in future!
We have a Berghaus Freeflow 23 kindly donated by Mike of the YHA Shop in Ludgate Hill (10m from St Pauls Cathedral), London to give away to the person with the correct answer to:
1. Ruahatu is the Polynesian god of what?
2. Gauguin’s intended patron, King Pomare V, suddenly died, a victim of many years of excessive what?
3. What are known as “spat”?
4. What is the name of the International airport in Papeete?
5. What is the French abbreviation for the currency used in Tahiti?
Your email address: