West Java is one of the five provinces of Java, Indonesia. Bandung is the capital city. The greater part of west Java is mountainous, with the Priangan highlands forming the core territory. 21 mounts can be found here, most of which are classified as active volcanoes and have become an integral part of tourism in the West Java province.

Mount Tangkuban Perahu (capsized boat) is one of them. A smouldering 2000m wide, surrealistic volcano 1800m above sea level, it lies 28 km north of Bandung reachable within 30 minute ride.

The Legend of Sangkuriang

This is an example of how nature was converted into a legend, such as Bandung lake and Mt Tangkuban Perahu with the story of Queen Dayang Sumbi and her son Sangkuriang cited from Neuman va Padang (1971). Once Sangkuriang, whilst growing up, he was so naughty and got hurt and the wound formed an ugly scar.

The King, who loved his son above everything was so furious that his son had hurt himself that he rejected his wife.  Fifteen years later, being of age, Sangkuriang asked his father permission to take a trip to West Java.  After arriving in the plain of Bandung, he met a beautiful lady, fell in love and ask her to marry him and she accepted.  But one day when she caressed her lover's head she saw the wound. The loving woman, turned out to be the disowned queen, discovered that she was in love with her son and marriage was impossible.

The marriage had to be prevented. Not willing to admit that she was his mother she thought of a way out. The day before the wedding was due to take place, she said to her husband to be, tomorrow is our wedding day, and if you are true to your love to me and love me as much you say do then I want to celebrate the wedding on board a ship, a proa.  Tomorrow morning at day break, I want to sail with you on a great lake in a nice boat and there must be a banquet feast.  Sangkuriang was embarrassed but he was not willing to refuse.  He begged the help of the lake's helpful spirits. By causing a landslide, the lake spirit dammed the river Citarum that flowed through the plain of Bandung.  The force of the water felled big tree and a boat was constructed while other lake spirits prepared the wedding banquet.

Early in the morning the Queen saw that the impossible had been realised so she prayed to Brama, the mighty God, to help her to prevent the disgrace of a marriage between a mother and her son.  Brama destroyed the dam in turbulence and Sangkuriang was drowned.  The queen in her agony threw herself on the capsized boat, breaking through the hull of the ship and was also drowned.

Now, the vast plain of Bandung is flanked on its north side by the volcano Tangkuban Perahu, the  capsized boat.  The Queen's jump on the hull of the ship is the Kawah Ratu, the crater of the Queen.  The hot fumaroles and tremors in the crater represent the tears of the sad mother still sobbing.  East of Mt Tangkuban Perahu rises the Bukit Tunggul, trunk mountain, the trunk of the tree from which the boat was made and to the west we find Mt Burangrang, the “crown of leaves”.  At many places along the shore of the lake Neolithic obsidian tools of primitive inhabitants are found and described by von Koeningswald (1935).  These Neolithic people noticed that the hold was cut deeper and deeper by erosion caused by the lowering water. Finally only a marshy plain remained.

Centuries later the inhabitants of Bandung plain still know about the legend of the existence of a former lake. Not knowing anything about geology, but living in the taboos of spirit ghosts and Gods, geological facts were put together in a tale that was understandable.

If you are thinking of holiday trip, or even just information on any travel requirements in Java especially Indonesia, please do not hesitate to contact me. I'll be most happy to assist you. Tedy can be contacted by e-mail as follows: abctour_td@cbn.net.id.

A group of US researchers at Cornell University have identified a novel approach to conservation called Pleistocene wilding.  They have developed an initiative that involves placing lions, cheetahs, elephants and camels in some parts of North America.

The plan would help endangered African animals while offer ecotourism and land-management jobs to help the struggling economies of the Great Plains and Southwest as well as helping to maintain ecosystems and boost biodiversity.

During the Pleistocene age, between 1.8 million to about 10,000 years ago, North America was home to a wide range of mega fauna.  When man arrived around 13,000 years ago he hunted the American cheetah and a type of camel to extinction.  The disappearance of these extinct creatures has left gaps in the ecosystem.  The pronghorn, for example, which exists today, an antelope-like animal for example has lost its natural predator. 

By introducing living counterparts to the extinct animals, the researchers say, these voids could be filled. So, by introducing free-ranging African cheetahs to the Southwest, strong interactions with pronghorns could be restored, while providing cheetahs with a new habitat.  Other living species that could “stand in” for Pleistocene-era animals in North America include feral horses, wild asses, Bactrian camels, Asian and African elephants and lions.

“Obviously, gaining public acceptance is going to be a huge issue, especially when you talk about reintroducing predators,” said lead author Josh Donlan, of Cornell University. “There are going to have to be some major attitude shifts. That includes realising predation is a natural role, and that people are going to have to take precautions.” Dr Donlan said that large tracts of private land are probably the most promising place to start, with each step carefully guided by the fossil record and the involvement of experts and research.

“We are not advocating backing up a van and letting elephants and cheetah out into the landscape,” he said. “All of this would be science driven.”

Need a vacation but don't want to stay around town?  Want to go somewhere exotic, somewhere different?  Want to fly but worried about the airfare?  Sourcing the cheapest airfare available has been made easier with competition growing between travel agencies as people realize that a vacation need not be all that expensive.  With so many travel companies vying for your business, securing a cheaper airfare is a given!

The airline companies set airfare prices, with travel agents adding a mark up to the wholesale price. You should always check whether the advertised price of an airfare includes government taxes or duties, so you may need to add these into your airfare budget.

Aside from the airline companies and travel agencies setting the price, it is important to be aware that many things determine airfare prices, but the most important influence on price is the final destination. Other influences include but are not limited to:

• The type of airline class you prefer; do you want comfort or are you ok with being a tad squashed
• The location of your seat; window seat or inside
• The time of day you are prepared to travel; day or night
• How close you book to your departure date – booking closer to your departure date may increase your airfare unless you secure a last minute deal
• Whether your airfare is part of an all inclusive holiday package; more often than not for these all inclusive packages the airfare has been given with a huge discount as a deal between the resort or hotel, the airline and travel agent.

Therefore, being the money savvy person that you are, you should take into consideration all of the above points before you start searching for an airfare that fits within your budget.  Researching airfare is critical to securing the cheapest rate and these days, research is made a good deal easier thanks to the internet. 

Increasingly, last minute deal websites are being developed and there are some great bargains to be had particularly with regard to airfare rates. Checking often and subscribing to these last minute deal web sites will ensure that your vacation is one to remember without the added burden of over spending on airfare!

Corsa Dirfes is the owner of http://www.airfareson.com which is a premier resource for Airfares information.  For more information, go to http://www.airfareson.com

I can totally understand why people rave about Bali – a truly wonderful place – loved it – so serene – and very quiet. I took a flight from London to Singapore that took 12 hours, then a 2 hour wait in Changi – could be far worse places to wait! And off to Bali, on a low cost airline, Australian Airlines. It only took 2 hrs 5 mins, so only a hop and a good airline experience.

We were met at Depensar airport around 10pm by a very good natured man from the resort I'd booked and we transferred in an air con'd jeep that had seen better days to the north part of Bali, cutting through the mountains, past dark reflective lakes and rice terraces, past lush rain forest and neat houses adjoining the road and the silhouettes of Hindu temple after temple. Even in the dark, it all looked very clean and fascinating. It took two and a half hours, but we were later to realise that this was a very good time to do the transfer as during the day, the roads are unbelievably congested with men on motorbikes, men and whole families concertina-d on motorbikes, men and women riding side saddle on motorbikes, small stall holders with their wares on motorbikes, ancient lorries dripping with all manner of contents churning to get up hills and the odd short mini bus, but no tourists.

Got to the hotel about 1am, full of beans and explored the grounds, saw the sign saying do not feed the monkeys, dipped my toes in one of many hot springs and was up early the next day to sort out diving.

The place we stayed in had several natural hot spring pools: some really, really hot, some just very hot and some varying between just right to cold – total bliss. After 2 nights of staying in a very nice room, with a semi open air bathroom surrounded by tropical plants, I came back from diving and was met by a very excited friend, Marian, who told me that we had been upgraded to our own villa with its own hot spring tub kind of thing. It was very posh, and we spent hours in our own little natural spring hot tub in our own courtyard surrounded by tropical flowers and banana, mango and papaya trees – total bliss!

Very good diving, all drift diving, some strong currents, including down currents – hhhmm – oh, and dynamite fishing whilst we were in the water! This was a little scary. The previous day we'd been out diving around Menjangen Island when we unexpectedly came across several men diving along side us, breathing in compressed air from an umbilical cord leading from a boat on the surface. They had a couple of weights wrapped around their waist but no other safety equipment, like a gauge to tell them how deep they were or how long they'd been in the water.

This is extremely dangerous, as they were doing hideous dive profiles, see-sawing up and down is a great way to get air embolisms, not to mention the bends if you are in the water too long. Not only were they carrying spear guns, but they were stealing tiny baby colourful tropical fish – for sale in aquariums. The three pictures show a baby puffer fish and a clown anemone fish, both the type these pirates were trying to catch.

They had long metal rods and were poking around behind coral and in the crevices, they knew exactly what they were after – baby lion fish and butterfly fish, but very, very small ones. They coaxed or frightened them out from their hiding places, caught them in a butterfly kind of net and then put them into plastic bags and tied them to themselves. It was not a good sight.

This was not quite in the protected WWF marine reserve where I mostly dived, but they most definitely should not have been doing this. They were no more pleased to see us than me and the dive instructor I was with, were to see them. They knew they were 'in the wrong' and it was a very awkward situation under water, a little aggressive and certainly very threatening. When we got back to our dive boat, and were returning to our hotel, the Japanese instructor (a tiny little thing, with the strength of Goliath) said in Indonesian (which I picked up a fair bit of!) to the guys on the pirate boat that she was going to call the police. They were not impressed.

The next day we dived in a different part of the same marine sanctuary, when we heard this massive boom. There is only one sound, that, even under water sounds like that – explosives. I was rather scared, to put it mildly! Someone close by was dynamite fishing. It was not a good feeling, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, my time was up, and this is how it was all going to end – making enemies with Indonesians stealing tropical fish who dynamited us out of the water for revenge. But, as you can see, they did not dynamite us, but there were four explosions on that dive and they were further away than I first thought, but it was still very scary, the whole water and landscape seems to vibrate and shake, almost as if it was crying.

Apart from the dynamite fishing, I can whole heartedly recommend the unvisited northern and north east part of Bali, it's beautiful, the people serene, friendly and a privilege to have spent time there.

We are sorry to say that Mac is not very well, but he is still e-mailing strong and recently sent the Beetle a collection of travel reminiscences about China.

Beijing, China. The Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing has 9000 rooms.  We agreed that if we got lost and separated from each other we would meet in the Hall of Heavenly Purity (if they would let us in.)  At the time I was there, the military did not wear rank on their uniforms (don't know if this still applies or not.)  You could kind of get an idea of who outranked who by the number of pockets they had on their blouse of uniform.  Someone with four pockets would have their baggage carried by someone with one pocket or no pockets.

In the hotels the orchestras (In the Peace Hotel in Shanghai I think they had some of the members or orchestra from the 30s) would play songs they thought we would like.  Oh Susannah from a couple of decades ago seemed to be making a comeback, as well as Turkey in the Straw and and Auld Lang Syne.  At the end of each number the players would put down their instruments and applaud us in the audience.  We could hardly wait for the Tuba player to unwind from his Tuba to applaud us.

Our Chinese guide in Wushi kind of had a high opinion of himself (unusual for Chinese) and thought he was hip in Western ways.  He liked to show off and showed us how he was proficient in Tai Chai.  Blonde vivacious Liza asked him to dance with her.  He said that no he could not dance with a client but that he would arm wrestle her!  He told long involved stories about the Kingdom of Wu and Dragons and such. George whispered: “I wonder what he would say if we told him we didn't want to hear any more dragon stories?” 

In 1977 I got in on a deal on a trip to China.  A western cruise ship had not gone into China in twenty seven years but suddenly a Swiss outfit got permission and an ad was in the LA paper one day only and participants had a very short time to get on trip.  I had to fly to Singapore and get on Norwegian Rasa Sayang ship.  Why it did not leave from Hong Kong I don't know.  Everything about that trip was strange.  On board we were arranged into 24 groups of 24 people and in each group they arbitrarily chose a responsible person.  This was the person the Chinese dealt with to give us bad news to pass on to us others.  Your tour has been cancelled.  Unpaid thankless job.  Our Chinese guides had names that phonetically sounded like Mr Shi, Mr Ee and Miss Ou.  They met us at gangplank with Miss Ou carrying a banner with number 13 the number of our group.   24 buses were there to meet us.  It was like a military operation although we were all supposed to be civilians.  One Australian before we left ship asked if it was alright if he wore walking shorts.  He was told “You are going to look so strange to the Chinese that is makes no difference what you wear”.

Our guide Miss Ou had pigtails, glasses no makeup and wore a bag like Mao suit.  Most of our tour group dressed down, slacks etc but one lady in our group wore high heels and a different fancy outfit for each appearance as she said she wanted the Chinese to see her clothes and how they could dress.

There was no tipping but on the second day I gave Miss Ou some picture post cards of Washington, D. C.  She then gave me a ten minute speech that she would accept hers as a signal of international friendship.  I then became her pet and she would come to me on pronunciation of English.  I, who have a speech defect, ha!

At the Pan His Restaurant No 15l Hsiang Yang Rd (Kissinger ate there,) Canton, where we ate one meal, Miss Ou would tell us what was in each dish.  Duck, shrimp, vegetable and other materials. When she saw some smile at “other materials” she looked to me and I said other ingredients.

Wherever we went there would be Chinese on each side of sidewalk waiting for us to come out of antique stores, whatever and they would applaud us.  I thought it was voluntary but was told that they had probably been ordered to do this and perhaps had been there since five o clock that morning waiting for us to arrive although they probably had no idea who we were or where we were from.  I felt like Prince Philip viewing China and found myself walking with my arms behind my back.  I bowed graciously to my fans.  They have gotten so many tourists now that they no longer applaud us.

On my first trip to China they said that five of each 24 group of 24 could witness acupuncture which was new to me so I raised my hand.  Most of us did not realize that this demonstration of acupuncture included watching five bloody operations in a hospital where they used acupuncture as an anaesthetic.  One lady passed out immediately and they put one of the needles between her mouth and nose and she came right to.  We were in a viewing area that looked down on the operating tables.  One operation was to remove a goitre from an elderly lady.  After they removed the goitre the size of a golf ball they passed it up to us on a tray much as if they were passing around something to eat at a cocktail party.  After the fourth operation I felt woozy myself and so left room and climbed stairs to roof of hospital.  Attendants came running after me.  There was a church with a steeple nearby and I tried to act like I had just gone up there for the view and to see China as I wasn't seeing much of China in that operating room.  I pointed to the church spire and said what is that building? I was told “It is where they store useless objects (religious statues, religious things).  Just wait until I tell Father Murphy!

We were told that acupuncture did not work as anaesthetic unless you had faith in it. The advantage is that there were supposedly no after effects and one could eat after the operation. In fact before the operation which I don't think is usual practice. When the tumour was removed from the neck of the elderly lady, they wanted to show us that she could navigate on her own. She kind of slid off table looked up at us and waved and we waved back. She then kind of stumbled out of the room.

Would I submit to acupuncture in an operation? Only if I could have an anaesthetic as well.

I did later on another trip submit to this form a barefoot doctor. They call them barefoot doctor (not barefoot) but those that work helping those in communes and field. I paid something like fifteen cents. It was to cure a cold. They then gave me a certificate entitling me to free acupuncture care for a year.

British Airways whose tagline has been 'the world's favourite airline' has been overtaken by our friends Ryanair whom it has been recorded carried more passengers in August 2005 than the whole of BA.  This could have something to do with the Gate Gourmet catering fiasco/strike and increasing competition.  Ryanair's latest monthly figures for August show that BA carried 156,000 fewer passengers than the Irish airline which saw numbers soar by 27% to 3.257m.  As usual, Ryanair's Chief Executive had something to say: 'It's official. Ryanair has today become the world's favourite airline.  Last month, Ryanair's traffic exceeded BA's worldwide passengers across its entire network.'

Whilst the Beetle does not believe that just because Ryanair's figures exceed British Airways' Ryanair can take over British Airway's mantle of being the world's favourite airline.  This seems a little excessive given that Ryanair does not fly long haul, nor has anything like BA's coverage, provides next to no in-flight service and benefited in passenger volume particularly as a result of BA's strike fiasco during the month of August.  Ryanair's success was put down to growing passenger volumes due to Ryanair's guarantee of no fuel surcharges.  And not forgetting that Michael O'Leary likes to have the last word, he went on to say: 'At least on Ryanair, customers can buy a sandwich with the £100 they have saved over BA's high fares and that's why BA are now officially just second choice'.

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51 holiday makers, mostly Belgians but including five Britons and fifteen Germans, were told that their flight from Carcassone to Charleroi airport, Brussels airport had been cancelled due to bad weather and would not be replaced.  They were forced to hire a bus and drive 600 miles home after they were told that the next aircraft out of Carcassone would be in 10 days time.  The 51 passengers led by a Belgian window cleaner, clubbed together to rent a vehicle for €4,000 (£2,700) to drive home to Charleroi in Belgium. “They abandoned us there as if we were dogs,” said Gauthier Renders, the 28-year-old window cleaner from Brussels. “There were children there and even an old woman with a walking stick. They didn't even give us a glass of water.” He continued: “At the Ryanair desk they said there were no available flights for ten days. Everything was fully booked. They said that some of us could get home via Gerona in Spain but that was 200 miles away and there were only 15 places available.   They also said they wouldn't pay for us to get there. So I looked for a bus in the Yellow Pages and we were on the road by 9pm.” The bus company provided two drivers and after a 16-hour drive the coach arrived in Belgium, on Tuesday.

“That's a long trip and everyone was pretty frustrated when we got there. Ryanair said they would refund our return flight – half the price of the original ticket – but said that it would take three weeks for the money to arrive,” Mr Renders said. “They don't care about the bad publicity; they know they are a cheap airline and that people will use them again just because they are cheap. But not me: my wife and I will never fly Ryanair again.”

Countries with the Most Billionaires

Source: http://www.aneki.com/billionaires.html

We are sorry to say that for the time being, New York meetings are suspended as Laurie really needs a helper. If you have some time to spare and are based in or near NYC, please contact Laurie on the e-mail address below.

For details of forthcoming meetings email newyork@globetrotters.co.uk or register for email updates, click here at our website.

New York meetings are held at The Wings Theatre, 154 Christopher Street (btw Greenwich St and Washington St), to the right of Crunch Fitness, in the Archive on the first Saturday of each month at 4 pm.

For information on Ontario meetings, please contact Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.

Meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.

Due to bereavement in Christina’s family, we regret to say that Texas meetings have stopped pending further notice. If you have time to spare and would like to take over Texas meetings, please contact the Beetle on: beetle@globetrotters.co.uk

It was with a sense of relief rather than rather than elation or sadness, that I escaped London. First stop was Singapore. The weather here in Singapore has been horrendous – extremely hot, around 34 degrees centigrade each day with 100% humidity, but grey and overcast skies. The newspapers say the overcast weather is as a result of air pollution from forest fires in Indonesia. I’m not so sure, maybe it is that but also the amount of exhaust fumes in Singapore too. It’s not like you can sit by the pool and enjoy the sun. I was extremely jet lagged and pretty much non functioning for the first three days – never had jet lag this bad before and could only manage to grab around four hours sleep each day starting at 6am Singapore time which was not good at all!

I’ve been here many times before and enjoy its company. It’s spotlessly clean, technologically advanced in a way Europe is not – for example, wi-fi hot spots all over the city, there’s very little crime, you don’t see gangs of hooded youths hanging around the place, its transport system is by far and away the best I’ve ever encountered and there seems to be plenty to do. If you are a shopper, the place is an absolute delight – shops routinely open until 9pm and sometimes later. It’s not all built up commercialism, there are rawer, grittier edges such as Little India, and there are a surprising number of green places, you just have to seek them out. There are plenty of coffee shops, and my favourite place to hang out was the Coffee Bean next to the IT Funan mall, a place to cater for any type of electronic goods, especially computers. Food is great, with a wide choice from food courts usually to be found on the top floor of the shopping malls, or supermarkets, usually in the basements of shopping malls, street food, food cooked in the open air at hawker centres, or a wide range of restaurants from the quick and cheap to real top notch stuff.

Singapore is a tiny place with a lot of people – around 4.2 million people and 800,000 non residents i.e. foreigners in 647.5 sq km making it a pretty densely populated country. The population make up is around 76% Chinese, 15% Malay, 6% Indian. Languages spoken include English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil.

Would it be a good place to settle and live and work? I don’t know. I’ve spoken to many people who have worked in Singapore; great standard of living – over 92% of Singaporeans own their own home, and over 91% have a mobile phone, which incidentally work on the MRT, deep in underground tunnels, there’s good housing and an excellent (private i.e. paid for) health care system. It’s very easy to get about, which is just as well, as owning a car is horrendously expensive and a very complicated procedure.

Downside, it can get very claustrophobic – it’s small and samey – and many people say that they leave the islands at least once a month, just to get away – but at least it is well placed to hop over to other places. Close by is Malaysia, just a short drive across the bridge to Johor Bahru. There’s also Indonesia, many of whose islands can be reached by ferry from Singapore. Places like mainland Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Borneo, Bali are just short plane trips away, which have got to be a good thing in my book.

Then there’s the single female syndrome. Many of my friends who know Singapore well have warned me that it is very hard for expat women to find a partner. The expat men, it seems, are pursued by local women at every turn (so I’m told) and also that expat women generally don’t fancy or hook up with local men. Who knows!

I have to say, the idea of living and working in Singapore does appeal, perhaps on a short term basis, maybe a couple of years, but the culture is decidedly different from Europe, it’s so technologically advanced, safe, clean and ordered. Maybe too ordered. One of the things I liked about London was its cultural diversity, not just ethnic diversity, but the different ways people dressed, the different languages, different ways of living. I’m not sure I would find that here.

And of course, there’s the issue of finding work here. It proved quite hard. If you are a foreigner, you need to have an employment pass EP to be eligible to work. But, you need an offer of work to get an EP. Hhhmmm. Chicken and egg. Large companies will sponsor you and I understand that the process of getting an EP through this route has been much simplified, but even so, you have to find a willing employer who would see you in the first instance, without an EP and then be such an outstanding candidate, that they will employ you. And don’t get me wrong, the standard of education in Singapore is excellent, and there is a pool of good and well qualified people in Singapore. So it’s a tricky one, but an appealing idea to pursue.

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Many people have lived through life defining events. Some remember where they were and what they were doing when John F Kennedy died. I’m not old enough for that, but mine first happened when I was a student preparing breakfast in my bedsit when I heard on the radio that John Lennon had been shot in December 1980.

But these events get uglier and uglier – the next event in my psyche being 9/11. My friend Sally in Portugal texted me to tell me to turn on the TV immediately when I saw the ghastly replay over and over that has never left me of the planes’ last flights. Then on December 26^th the tsunami hit in SE Asia. I was diving in Sulawesi, Indonesia when the tsunami hit. I was numb, along with hundreds of thousands of people in Indonesia and around the world.

On Thursday 7^th July, I was in my room, on line and I received a travel newsflash e-mail that started to unfold the events of today 7th July 2005: central London has been rocked by a coordinated and calculated series of terrorist attacks. It feels surreal. I’m thousands of miles away, a seven hours time difference, but this, London, is my home, where I live(d). I even shed a few tears as I watched the BBC World news broadcasts during the day. Yes, I know I said that I had fallen out of love with London, but now it seems that this has shown to me that my loyalties still very much lie in London, with my friends, the place, physically, the streets I know so well, the buses I complained about, (the number 30 I used to take, one of which was bombed,) the tubes I griped about. I’m sure all of our thoughts go out to the people of London and those injured and killed by the blasts.

Might you be the type that goes somewhere new and ends up only seeing the designated and well known tourist sites? There is, of course, nothing wrong with that , as it is actually a pretty good way to get acquainted with a place. But it’s also nice to experience the natural perspective; to get to know the origins of a place and see how it was, even before development. Sydney, the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere, is a superb place to do this, and all by using public transport to boot. Sydney is surrounded by incredible and historic National Parks, and wonderful walking trails right around the gorgeous harbour. You can spend 2 weeks hiking around Sydney and surrounds and not need a car to get to any of them.

Start in Sydney’s south at the Royal National Park, the 2nd oldest national park in the world, after Yellowstone. On Sunday’s you can take the train to Loftus station and then get a tram right into the park. It’s a short walk from the tram to the visitor’s centre, where maps and information about trails are provided.

There are 3-4 wonderful trails that lead right out from the visitor’s centre and take you along differing and beautiful vistas. Some of the views are breathtaking and at the same time let you imagine a Sydney before high-rises and a sprawling suburbia.

Some trails are challenging, but there is something for everyone and you can spot many native animals in their natural habitat (just steps from the visitor’s centre we spotted a Lyre bird, several rainbow lorikeets and rosellas, white cockatoos as well as the more rare black variety). It is quite calming listening to all the sounds of the bush and to know that in one hour you can be back in the city centre and be shopping in some of the best stores and eating in the best restaurants. Available too are hire boats to row on the lake, picnic areas and a place to buy a meat pie, should all that walking make you hungry for some good Aussie tucker.

You can also get a train north of the city to Mt. Kuringah Chase National Park and walk to the trail from the local train station (we also saw several birds there and a very tame Kookaburra that came right up to us). Although rare, you should always be wary of snakes and spiders, but all the trails are well defined and often used.

It’s also good to know the Harbour foreshore and most beaches now have wonderful walking trails as well. You can walk from Darling Harbour, around The Rocks and Circular Quay and around to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair and Darlinghurst along one trail and take the ferry to Taronga Zoo on the other side and walk still another trail there.

Or you can catch the ferry to Manly and get information at their visitor’s centre about several hikes in that area, including one to North Head.

The beaches on the south side of the city also have long walks that can take you past several other beaches. There is a famous one that starts at Bondi beach (accessible by bus and train) and goes south past several famous beaches with spectacular views. It even passes a famous and surprisingly impressive cemetery on the cliffs.

A train to Kogarah, a bus to Sans Souci and a walk along the coast of Botany Bay for several miles will take you to Rockdale and beyond.

Another can’t miss beach is Cronulla in the city’s south. It isn’t as well known as Bondi or Manly but many like it better and say it’s more beautiful. Take the train right there and walk south past more gorgeous beaches like Shelly Beach. From Cronulla, catch a ferry to Bundeena. There are several miles of trails there that go past breathtaking beaches, through incredible bush land, along awesome cliffs and even past Aboriginal rock carvings. You get the point. Along most of these walks you experience the incredible natural beauty of Sydney, see beautiful and unique wildlife, experience Australia’s rich history and get an amazing workout, all for the price of a bus, train or ferry ticket.

If you are willing to venture 2-3 hours out of the city you can visit the Blue Mountains National Park. There you take a train and then a local bus drops you off at the trail heads. You can spend all day walking the different trails here, taking in the truly delicious views, including the famous three sisters rock formation. Consider staying in Katoomba overnight and exploring more of the park the next day.

Everything is very easy to get to and there is ample information at visitor’s centres, tourist information centres or even the airport or hotels. Of course the Internet is a good way to print out trail and park maps or even bus and rail schedules.

So you can’t limit yourself in Sydney even if you wanted to. Sydney’s natural wonders are just as rewarding, enjoyable and accessible as are its traditional attractions. Happy hiking.

Independent travel in Europe – Seven Secrets for Success by Karen Bryan

One: Do not try to see and do too much.

You may end up actually seeing very little. I think it is better to see more of fewer countries/regions and see them properly. You may not want to stay in one location for your whole trip. However if you choose carefully it may be possible to do several day trips from one central location. If you do decide to tour, consider spending at least two nights in some of your destinations. It can be quite tiring being on the move every day, packing and unpacking.

Two: Decide on mode of transport.

Driving will give you more flexibility but can be daunting at times and is not recommended if you mainly wish to visit cities. You may decide to take your own car if you live in Europe. If you fly you can hire a car. Beware of extra charges for additional drivers, insurance excesses, airport charges, out of hours charges etc. I always book a hire car through a UK company, with no excess.

If you use a budget airline try to only book direct flights. If you book a two leg journey, the budget airlines will not assist you, as they only operate a point to point service. Public transport is pretty good in most of Europe. There are also several budget airlines you can use between countries e.g. Ryanair and Easyjet.

Three: Be aware of security of possessions.

Use a money belt, hotel safe etc. Do not have all your money/cards in one purse or wallet. If you lose it you are in trouble. This happened to me when I was in Milan: I was travelling alone and was left penniless. My credit card company did transfer funds to me but it took 24 hours! I had to borrow 10 euros from the hotel receptionist. Make sure you have travel insurance and if there is an incident get a written report from the local police station, to enable you to make a claim. Four: Try to learn at least a few words of the language.

This will be greatly appreciated. My French is what you might describe as school girl (that was 25 years ago) but I do try when in France. Often I receive the reply in English but at least I tried. I always apologise if I cannot speak the language. I don’t assume that the person I am talking to should speak English, I ask in their language if they speak English. As I do have a Scottish accent, I try to speak more slowly and clearly than usual, certainly not raising my voice.

Five: Don’t be too structured.

You should allow some time just to wander around, enjoy a leisurely lunch. You do have to plan an itinerary, or you can just waste a lot of time, but it doesn’t have to be written in stone! Allow yourself the opportunity to be spontaneous.

Six: Don’t just stick to tourist traps.

Try to visit some authentic local restaurants, markets, villages, etc. where you will meet local people, rather than just other tourists. Surely part of the reason for going abroad it to experience at least a little of the local flavour, not just spend all your time with other tourists.

Seven: Book your accommodation in advance.

This may mean that you miss out on a charming establishment you come across in your travels, (you could always stay there on your other trip). However it will mean that you don’t waste precious time going from hotel to hotel trying to find a room, having to arrive early enough at your next destination to look for accommodation. I am not even convinced that you save money by last minute searches.

Karen Bryan is an independent travel consultant and writer, specialising in less well known destinations in Europe. Her websites are: www.europealacarte.co.uk, www.europe-culture-activity-tours.com/

My name is Greg McKenzie and I’m currently taking a break from earning a living to do something which has festered in the back of my mind for a while now – a major motorcycle trip.

I’m going to ride the length of the Americas south to north, starting January 2005. I’ll be visiting friends on the way and hopefully making some new ones too. I anticipate it will take me six-months – but in truth, I don’t know and more than that, I don’t care! I’ve taken many road-trips before – often on the bike, sometimes in a car – very often to the south of France, occasionally further a field. But these have been mere appetisers – building an appetite to embark on this one big adventure.

Up until now now, I’ve never ridden into the sunset without knowing when I need to be back. The timetable of work, annual leave and mortgage payments dictating my thoughts, attitude and agenda.

The broad plan is to visit the southern most town in the world (Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego) and riding to the northern most point of the north American landmass (Deadhorse, Alaska).

This is the plan :

• PART 1: Ride to as far south as you can get (Ushuaia – 55deg SOUTH)
• PART 2: turn around and head as far north as you can go (Deadhorse – 74deg NORTH)

There’s beauty in simplicity! What could be easier? So this is the ambition and the basis of the preparation.

FIRST LEG – South America

I land in Buenos Aries, Argentina on 21st January 2005, briefly travelling north to visit Montivideo, Uruguay before turning south heading for Ushuaia, just short of Cape Horn.

I then turn north again trek around Patagonia, based out of Punta Natales, Chile and continue on through Santiago and the Atacama desert into Bolivia. Across the border into Peru and head north again to Quito, Ecuador.

SECOND LEG – Central and North America

The bike will be flown to Panama from where I’ll continue heading north through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Mexico.

I intend to visit the Baja peninsula for some sea-kayaking and more trekking before continuing up into the USA stopping at Los Angeles and San Francisco on the way.

Across the border into British Columbia, Canada and on towards Anchorage, Alaska. From Fairbanks I’ll take the 400 mile solitary road towards Deadhorse and the the Arctic Ocean.

The bike is all set to go but it needs to go to Liverpool (!?!) to get a Dangerous Goods Certificate, basically means somebody checks that I’ve drained the petrol and disconnected the battery.

My flight is booked for Thursday 20th Jan with Iberia – I’ll arrive in B.A. late night on the 20th. I’ve booked a swanky hotel, if only to ensure I can get some English speaking help for picking the bike up. There’s a bunch of stuff that was intended but hasn’t happened, but I’m keen to get under way.

YE-HAW…….arrived in Buenos Aires 11.30pm on 20th Jan. The adventure begins!!!

The last couple of weeks before I left were manic..suddenly the motivation is get things done increased remarkably as the deadline sharpened.

Departure day was mighty long..after a few quenching ales the night before, I was left to pack the gear until 2am. Then up at 4.30am to catch the connecting flight to Madrid . Buenos Aires is minus 3 hours to GMT so the beer in the Hotel Nogaro tasted so goooooood!!!!

Despite the beer enhanced pack-job, I haven’t noticed anything missing. I even remembered to bring the bike keys!!

Initial thoughts on Argentina and Buenos Aires are great. People are friendly, prices are incredibly cheap, the food is copious and great quality (steak and red wine – perfect for a gout sufferer as myself) and the city easy to navigate. The taxi driver drove like like a nutter from the airport and he didn’t stand out (!) so looks like I’ll be right at home.

This morning I swapped the rather average hotel breakfast for a much better offering from a café on Plaza del Mayo. Coffee so think it could stand for election. A few photo´s are attached below to get a flavour of the city. In truth I´m still seeing the parts of B.A. that some Minister of Tourism encourages us to see. Despite taking a stroll away from the tourist / shopping centre today towards the more ´bohemian´ San Telmo barrio this afternoon (lots of shaded cobbled streets and quaint antique shops) I´m still on the tourist trail I think.

The bike arrived in one piece – good. I´m getting restless already. If things go to plan I´ll be on the road on Tuesday (25th).

If you want to know more about Greg’s travels, visit his website at: http://www.unbeatentrack.com/

Framed by glowing sunsets and a bountiful canopy of stars, lies the Kruger National Park. The park, rich in biodiversity, was established in 1898 and stretches for 350km (approx 140 miles – within the park itself the road network measures in at about 1300 miles) from the south to north along the Mozambican border before meeting up with the Zimbabwean border. A paradise for the wildlife enthusiast with close to 150 mammals to be on the look-out for, amongst them six cat species, the park also has more than 500 species of birds and over 300 species of trees for the visitor to identify. With its subtropical climate, the large habitat variety and a surface area of 19 633km², the park is home to a spectacular array of fauna and flora and is undoubtedly the world leader in dynamic environmental management techniques and policies based on experience gained over more than a century.

Most national parks also offer organised night drives or early morning drives in park vehicles with guides, but they have to stay on the road and take place at set times, so many people hire a car themselves to explore the parks on their own. Most parks have rest camps, and — depending on the park – a range of accommodation, from camps and huts to bungalows and guest houses. Most accommodation is equipped with self-catering facilities, although many camps do have shops, and some have restaurants.

In the last 20 years most of the fences have been removed between the private reserves and South Africa’s Kruger National Park, allowing game to roam freely. The most famous of the parks is Sabi Sands where you can find well known lodges such as Londolozi, Singita and Mala Mala. The Timbavati area is slightly further north and is well known for its large populations of elephant and buffalo.

When to Go

Between October and March, when summer rains transform the dry landscape into a flowering paradise, the park is alive with baby buck and migratory birds, but at the same time temperatures can hit over 105°F (40°C), dropping to 68°F (20°C) in the evenings. The foliage can often hide game, and this is when the risk of malaria is at its highest so you are advised to take a course of anti-malaria drugs.

In the winter, when water is scarce and the plant life dies back, the animals are easier to spot, especially at water holes and riverbeds. This is the most popular season, so be prepared to share your safari with other motorists. The days are warm, but temperatures can drop close to freezing at night, and units are not heated. Try to avoid going during the school holidays, particularly in winter, when the park is packed to capacity.

Driving

Unlike some private game reserves where rangers are permitted to drive off road, at Kruger you must drives on roads. The speed limit is 50 kmph on paved roads; 40 kmph on gravel roads; 20 kmph in the rest camps (30, 25, and 15 mph, respectively). There are speed traps! You should always stay in your vehicle unless you’re at a designated picnic site.

Safety

Under no circumstances should you leave your vehicle unless at a designated site; one story goes that a local ranger left his game drive to “relieve” himself didn’t survive to do up his zipper, so make sure to visit the bathroom before leaving your rest camp.

Entrance and Admission

The entrance gates open from January to February from 5:30am to 6:30pm; March from 5:30am to 6pm; April from 6am to 6pm; May to July 6am to 5:30pm; August to September 6am to 6pm; October from 5:30am to 6pm; and November to December from 5:30am to 6:30pm.

Admission to the Kruger Park costs R30 ($4.75) per person and R24 ($3) per vehicle; children ages 2 to 15 R15 ($2).

For the Rest Camps, the gates follow the same hours except in the summer months (Nov-Jan) when they open an hour earlier (that is, 4:30am). Camps are fenced off to protect residents from animals. If you’re changing rest camps, try not to ensure that you get to your new camp before its gates close. Operating hours for camp receptions are from 8am to 5:30pm; for shops from 8am to 1/2 hour after camp gates close; for restaurants from 7 to 9am, 12 to 2pm, and 6 to 9pm. There are petrol stations at every rest camp, but you can only pay in cash.

The highest risk of malaria is between October and May,

Getting There

There are nine entrance gates, around a 5- to 6-hour drive from Johannesburg or Pretoria. The closest gate, Malelane, is 428km (265 miles) from Johannesburg, while Punda Maria (the farthest) lies 581km (360 miles) northeast. The southern gates: Malelane, Crocodile Bridge, Numbi, Phabeni, and Paul Kruger. The central gates: Orpen and Phalaborwa. The northern gates: Punda Maria and Parfuri. Allow sufficient travelling time to the park; entrance-gate hours are strictly adhered to. Note that officials recommend using the new Phabeni Gate from safety and ease of access point of view.

To get to the Kruger park by air, there are three airports in the Kruger vicinity: Kruger-Mpumalanga International Airport (near White River and Hazyview, southern Kruger), Eastgate Airport (Hoedspruit, southern/central Kruger), and the Kruger Park Gateway Airport (Phalaborwa, central Kruger). There are daily flights from Cape Town on SA Express (www.saexpress.co.za) to Hoedspruit’s Eastgate Airport. SA Airlink (www.saairlink.co.za) flies daily to the relatively nearby Kruger-Mpumalanga International — as does Nationwide (www.flynationwide.co.za), but you’ll have to stop in Johannesburg for at least 20 minutes to pick up passengers. From Johannesburg, SA Express flies daily to Hoedspruit’s Eastgate Airport. SA Airlink and Nationwide fly daily to Kruger-Mpumalanga International. SA Airlink also flies daily from Johannesburg into Kruger Park Gateway Airport. From Durban: SA Airlink flies Sunday through Friday to Kruger-Mpumalanga airport.

For more information contact Dewald Bodenstein at info@stylishtravel.co.za or visit the official webpage www.krugerpark.co.za

In the first of a number of Where in the World profiles, we look at Diego Garcia, a tiny island in The Indian Ocean, with coral beaches, turquoise waters and a vast lagoon in the centre. It is 1,600 kilometres from land in any direction, which seems to be the main attraction for the people who are allowed to go there. If you were ever thinking of visiting Diego Garcia, unless you are in the US or UK military, it might be wise to think again. But where is it, and why is it so controversial?

The Portuguese put Diego Garcia on the map in the 1500s. The island’s name is believed to have come from either the ship’s captain or the navigator. Diego Garcia was covered in plantations (copra, coconut, etc) in the 1800s. Between 1814 and 1965 it was a dependency of Mauritius. It then became part of the Chagos Archipelago, which belonged to the newly created British Indian Ocean Territory. The island remains a British dependency today but is leased to the US by the British. In 1970.

Once Diego Garcia had a small native population, known as the Ilois, or the Chagossians, many of whom were agricultural workers or fishermen. They were, however, forced to relocate (1967–1973) so that the island could be turned into a military base, much to strong protestations of other Indian Ocean islands, who objected to the island being used as a base for cruise missiles. Most of the Ilois now live in reduced circumstances in Mauritius’s shanty towns, more than 1,000 miles from their home. A smaller number were deported to the Seychelles. In 2000, a British court ruled that the order to evacuate Diego Garcia’s inhabitants was invalid, but the court also upheld the island’s military status, which permits only personnel authorized by the military to inhabit the island. The Ilois sued the British government for compensation and the right to repatriation, but in Oct. 2003 a British judge ruled that although the Ilois had been treated “shamefully” by the government, their claims were unfounded. Not much help, really. In 2004 the British government issued an “Order of Council” prohibiting islanders from ever returning to Diego Garcia.

A somewhat biased 2004 documentary by Australian journalist John Pilger called Stealing a Nation publicised the plight of the islanders. According to Mr Pilger, the islanders were tricked and intimidated into leaving until “the remaining population was loaded on to ships, allowed to take only one suitcase. They left behind their homes and furniture, and their lives. On one journey in rough seas, the copra company’s horses occupied the deck, while women and children were forced to sleep on a cargo of bird fertilizer. Arriving in the Seychelles, they were marched up the hill to a prison where they were held until they were transported to Mauritius. There, they were dumped on the docks.” Some of the Ilois are making return plans to turn Diego Garcia into a sugarcane and fishing enterprise as soon as the defense agreement expires (some see this as early as 2016). A few dozen other Ilois are still fighting to be housed in the UK.

Now, Diego Garcia is home to a military base jointly operated by the United States and the United Kingdom, although in practice it is said to be largely run as a US base, with only a small number of British forces and military police. No other economic activity is now allowed. The base serves as a naval refueling and support station. It is also equipped with airfields that have been used on missions to Iraq during the 1990 Gulf War, and to Afghanistan in the 2001 U.S. Attack on Afghanistan.

But still there is controversy. Human rights groups claim that the military base is used by the US government for the interrogation of prisoners (allegedly with methods illegal in the US). The British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said in the British parliament that the US authorities have repeatedly assured him that no detainees have passed in transit through Diego Garcia or have disembarked there. Intelligence analysts say Diego Garcia’s geographic isolation is now being exploited for other, more sinister purposes. They claim it is one of several secret detention centres being operated by the Central Intelligence Agency to interrogate high-value terrorist suspects known as “ghost detainees” or the “new disappeared,” beyond the reach of American or international law.

We are sorry to say that Mac is not very well, but he is still e-mailing strong and recently sent the Beetle a collection of travel reminiscences.

A friend of mine reading my Guam notes was also stationed in Guam whilst working in the Navy. He told me something interesting about a couple of Japanese soldiers that had hid in the jungles for many years not knowing the War was over. He said that one was something like a private and the other a Corporal and they had some kind of disagreement between them and did not speak to each other for a period of twenty years while hiding out in the jungle. Ha!

I am still enjoying reading A Sense of Place about travel writers by Michael Shapiro. I was surprised to learn that India is Rick Steves favourite country although he writes and conducts tours mostly in Europe. He said he would never take a tour group to India as it is unpredictable: “I wouldn’t want to be in charge of making twenty people happy in India”.

Me: I visited India three times taking India rail pass and loved it and found it fascinating, but like Rick Steves, I would not recommend it to others for fear they might get ill and blame me! Rick Steves says the Reichstag (new one) building in Berlin is a new glass dome that is open and free all the time so people can literally look over the shoulders of their legislators and know what’s on their desk and keep an eye on them. He has a building in Edmonds Washington where he employs sixty people. Here, I thought it was just him with a backpack on his back roughing it through Europe, well, maybe along with a photographer! He says his tour guides for his tours are the best paid in Europe. I suspect his tours would be good for someone wanting to be with a group.

One of my favourite writers is Jan Morris. I started reading her when he was James Morris. Morris had sex change operation in Casablanca. He had been at one time an Intelligence officer in the British Army and accompanied the 1933 Everest expedition that reached the summit for the first time. He was married with four children. His wife and he still live together in Wales. I was disappointed when I heard he had become a woman as I prefer male travel writers. I guess I will have to reread his earlier work when he was a male to see if I can notice any difference in his travel writing as a woman.

The travel writer Eric Newby spent thirteen months in POW camps in World War II. He escaped in September 1943 immediately after the Italian armistice. A sympathetic Italian commander who was later beaten to death by the Germans let the prisoners escape. Newby who had recently broke his ankle left atop a mule. A Slovenian couple with anti-Fascist sympathies sheltered Newby who became smitten with their daughter Wanda. When it became unsafe for Newby to stay with Slovenian family, he sought shelter in the maternity hospital of a nearby hospital. But as the Germans closed in father of the family risked his life to drive Newby through Parma to a mountain hideout in the Po Valley. Ultimately Newby was recaptured and returned to prison camps but survived the war. Interesting accounts (to me)!

On continuing on the theme of travel writers, I’ve been reading Fodors’ Exploring India Author Fiona Dunlop 1998. On page 14, she says, “When a desert woman in Rajasthan (the most colourful and interesting section of India to me. Mac) dons a pido, a yellow veil with a large red spot, it announces her pregnancy and acceptance by the community. Simply being fertile is however not enough. Vedic verses honour sons followed by more sons but never daughters. When a boy is born conch shells are blown in Bengal and Assam and drums are beaten in Makargshtra. When a girl is born the women of Rajasthan retreat behind their veils and wail. In traditional Hindu households throughout India an ancient rite to produce a male child is still performed over pregnant women”.

In the 1980s a survey revealed that of 8,000 abortions carried out in India after prenatal sex determination only one was a male foetus. On page 15 the author talks about Muslims, who, unlike Hindus believing in resurrection after death and in the existence of heaven and hell. It is customary for Muslims to bury rather than cremate their dead.

If you would like to contact Mac, he can be e-mailed on: macsan400@yahoo.com

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s Kings and Queens since 1837. Built by George VI on the site of the King’s House, Pimlico, the shell of which was preserved by Nash, the architect. Marble Arch once stood in front, but it was later removed to the western end of Oxford Street where the famous Tyburn Gallows once stood. When Queen Victoria moved here in 1837, just 10 years after the works had been carried out, it was barely habitable. There are 600 rooms in the Palace, of which under twenty can be visited, as well as the Queen’s Picture gallery and the Mews.

It originated as a town house that was owned from the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Dukes of Buckingham. Today it is The Queen’s official residence. It is regularly on the top ten lists of worse places to visit by those that have, but still draws huge numbers of those that haven’t. Some say that it is a nice place to view from the outside, though the crowds can be horrendous. If the Royal Standard is flying over the palace then the Queen’s in residence.

Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by the Queen, areas of Buckingham Palace are opened to visitors on a regular basis. The Palace is also the venue for great Royal ceremonies, State Visits and Investitures, all of which are organised by the Royal Household. Besides being the official London residence of the Queen, it is also the administrative headquarters of the Monarchy, including the offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family.

The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors during the Annual Summer Opening in August and September. They are lavishly furnished with items from the Royal Collection including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude; sculpture by Canova and Chantrey; examples of Sèvres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world. Visits to Buckingham Palace can be combined with visits to The Queen’s Gallery, which reopened in May 2002. The nearby Royal Mews is open from 5 March to 31 October 2005.

For those who do receive an invitation to Buckingham Palace, the first step across the threshold is into the Grand Hall and up the curving marble stairs of the Grand Staircase. Portraits are still set in the walls, as they were by Queen Victoria. The Throne Room, sometimes used during Queen Victoria’s reign for Court gatherings and as a second dancing room, is dominated by a huge arch supported by a pair of winged figures of ‘victory’ holding garlands above the ‘chairs of state’. It is in the Throne Room that the Queen, on special occasions like Jubilees, receives loyal addresses. Another use of the Throne Room has been for formal wedding photographs.

George IV’s original palace lacked a large room in which to entertain. Queen Victoria rectified that shortcoming by adding in 1853-5 what was, at the time of its construction, the largest room in London. It is 22 feet long, 60 feet wide and 45 feet high, the Ballroom is the largest multi-purpose room in Buckingham Palace. It was opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War. The Ballroom has been used variously as a concert hall for memorial concerts and performances of the arts and it is the regular venue for Investitures of which there are usually 21 a year – nine in spring, two in the summer and ten in the autumn. At Investitures, the Queen (or the Prince of Wales as her representative) will meet recipients of British honours and give them their awards, including knighting those who have been awarded knighthoods.

It is along the East Gallery that the Queen and her State guests process to the Ballroom for the State Banquet normally held on the first day of the visit. Around 150 guests are invited and include members of the Royal family, the government and other political leaders, High Commissioners and Ambassadors and prominent people who have trade or other associations with the visiting country. Today, it is used by the Queen for State banquets and other formal occasions such as the annual Diplomatic Reception attended by 1,500 guests. This is a very formal occasion during which The Queen will meet every head of mission accredited to the Court of St James’s. For the diplomats it is perhaps the highlight of the annual diplomatic social calendar.

From the Ballroom, the West Gallery, with its four Gobelin tapestries, leads into the first of the great rooms that overlook lawn and the formal gardens – setting for the annual Garden Parties introduced by Queen Victoria in 1868.

The State Dining Room is one of the principal State Rooms on the West side of the Palace. Many distinguished people have dined in this room including the 24 holders of the Order of Merit as well as presidents and prime ministers.

Before the Ballroom was added to the Palace in the 1850s, the first State Ball was held in the Blue Drawing Room in May 1838 as part of the celebrations leading up to Queen Victoria’s Coronation.

The Music Room was originally known as the Bow Drawing Room and is the centre of the suite of rooms on the Garden Front between the Blue and the White Drawing Rooms.

Four Royal babies – The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, The Duke of York and Prince William – were all christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Music Room. One of its more formal uses is during a State Visit when guests are presented to The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the visiting Head of State or for receptions.

The last of the suite of rooms overlooking the gardens on the principal floor is the White Drawing Room. Originally called the North Drawing Room, it is perhaps the grandest of all the State Rooms. The Room also serves as a Royal reception room for The Queen and members of the Royal family to gather before State and official occasions.

The Bow Room is familiar to the many thousands of guests to Royal Garden Parties who pass through it on their way to the garden. It was originally intended as a part of George IV’s private apartments – to be the King’s Library – but it was never fitted up as such. Instead, it has become another room for entertaining and is where The Queen holds the arrival lunch for a visiting Head of State at the start of a State visit.

If you are looking for a job at Buckingham Palace, they are regularly advertised on the official website: https://www.rct.uk/visit/buckingham-palace

Ryanair, always on the look out from generating new sources of revenue including charging passengers for food, drinks, car hire and hotels, was also looking at gambling and property ventures for ‘other’ sources of non-ticket revenue. They recently announced that they were in talks with telecoms network operators about launching its own UK mobile phone business. Ryanair, which recently banned its staff from charging their mobile phones at work, said it may sell mobile phone connections via the Internet under the plan.

Ryanair Deputy Chief Executive Michael Cawley told reporters the carrier was talking to potential partners for the business, which may not necessarily use the airline’s branding. Ryanair had initial talks with 3UK, owned by Hutchison Whampoa, but failed to reach agreement, the source said.

EasyMobile, which is linked to Ryanair rival easyJet, launched its own-brand mobile phone service in Britain in March, while airline entrepreneur Richard Branson’s Virgin Group also has a mobile phone business.

“Currently we are looking at some gambling products. That is very much at an embryonic stage,” Cawley said.

That’s not the only way Ryanair increases its income, writes Brian from the UK. The airline charges Euro 7.00 per kilo for excess baggage. At Treviso (Italy) airport recently, the scales showed between 1.5 and 3.5 kilos when empty – before any baggage was put on. Protests to check-in personnel were in vain. Pay the excess or leave your luggage behind. When contacted, Ryanair denied responsibility claiming scales were owned and maintained by Treviso airport authorities. It was a Ryanair agent,however, who demanded payment and who issued a Ryanair receipt. The same luggage deemed overweight by Ryanair was later weighed at another low-cost airline at Gatwick and found to be 3.0 kilos below the limit.

I sent Ryanair a request for a refund of the unjustified charges by snail mail, including a copy of the receipt. Their reply came by email. When I tried to respond by email I received a message saying I would have to fax or mail my message. Deliberate effort to make communication difficult for customers, easy for them. I faxed it anyway: here is the text:

Thank you for your prompt email reply to my letter of June 4th.

I regret, however, having to inform you that the response of Ryanair is less than satisfactory. I have no objections whatsoever for being charged a fee for luggage which weighs more than the amount allowed. However, as I stated in my letter, my luggage was found on three other occasions to be well within the limit set by your airline.

The fact that the scales are owned and operated by Treviso airport authorities is really not relevant in this case. The fee was collected by Ryanair agents and was paid to Ryanair over my objections at the time. Ryanair clearly has a responsibility to its passengers to ensure that the excess baggage fees it charges are not based on inaccurate measurement, the ownership of the scales is simply immaterial.

Since I cannot accept your effective denial of responsibility for this incident, I anticipate contacting the Treviso airport authorities and the Transport Department of the Government of Ireland for their opinion on this matter and their advice on how to proceed further.

I am in contact with other passengers on the flight who had a similar experience and can confirm my account of events.

Yours sincerely,

Can anyone help me write the letter to Treviso airport in Italian? Or maybe the Guardia di Finanza if that would be appropriate – sounds promising? My hope is that it will cost Ryanair more than the 30 euros it owes me to respond to all the correspondence I will generate for them.

If you can help Brian, please let the Beetle know.

Recently Suspended Armed Conflicts

1. Peace agreement signed May 26, 2004.

Sources: Centre for Defense Information, www.cdi.org, Project Ploughshares, www.ploughshares.ca , and news sources.