Festive food and fellowship was shared at the December Texas branch meeting. The scheduled slide show of Portugal was postponed to the January meeting. In addition to the slide show we will share our 2003 travel goals during the January meeting. Hope to see you – same time, same place!

New Braunfels Public Library 700 E. Common Street, New Braunfels, Texas 830-620-5482, at 2pm, January 11th 2003

As the year 2002 comes to an end, the Texas Branch of the Globetrotters Club continues to flourish. If you have not yet joined the Globetrotters Club, now is the time to do so.

Go to http://www.globetrotters.co.uk/join/ and today! If it is time to renew your membership, do that today! Make sure you welcome 2003 as a member in good standing with the Globetrotters Club.

Dates of future meetings: January 11th, February 8th

The Globetrotters Club is encouraging anyone interested in writing articles

• without pictures for the free monthly Globetrotters e-newsletter, contact the Beetle on beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
• or with pictures, contact the editor of Globe on editor@globetrotters.co.uk

Learn more about Globetrotters at www.globetrotters.co.uk.

For more information about the Texas Branch: please Contact texas@globetrotters.co.uk or call Christina at 830-620-5482

Meetings are held at 2pm at the New Braunfels Public Library, 700 E. Common Street in New Braunfels, Texas. The meeting ends at 5 p.m. If you would like to continue travel talk on a more informal basis, we plan to adjourn to the Hoity-Toit, a local New Braunfels establishment. If anybody would like to enquire about meetings or help Christina, please contact her on: texas@globetrotters.co.uk

Edinburgh is making big efforts to entertain shoppers in the weeks before Christmas. It also plans to lay on what it claims to be the world's biggest Hogmanay party to welcome in the New Year. The Christmas illuminations will be switched on from Nov. 28, and there will be a German Christmas Market with more than 20 traders from Frankfurt, in Princes Street Gardens, which will also be the site of the Edinburgh Wheel (until Jan. 5) – the UK's tallest ferris wheel.

For the 10th successive year, Edinburgh's Hogmanay is a four-day programme to say farewell to the old year and welcome in the new (Dec.29 -Jan.1). Among the free highlights are the Torchlight Procession and Fire Festival, the Night Afore Fiesta (Dec.30, with massed pipes and drums and the world's largest ceilidh, a Celtic-style party), the Hogmanay Triathlon, and Huskies at Holyrood.

The vast Royal Bank Street Party (Dec.31) is free, but entry is by pass only: get one by joining the First Foot Club (£15). As well as entry to the party, this offers the holder discounts in shops and attractions, privileged booking for ticket events and a chance to enter members-only competitions. To join, call the First Foot Club membership hotline (0131 473 2056) or register and buy tickets on the website.

Whitechapel is considered by some to be the heart of the East End of London and over the centuries has hosted Jewish settlers, Irish dock workers and Bangladeshi workers in the 'rag trade'. It’s a street market right opposite the Royal London Hospital, and you’ll come on to it from Whitechapel underground station as you exit from it. The road is so-named because it led to the white chapel of St Mary Matfelon, made from white stone around 1250. In the 19th century, Whitechapel Road was the most important market in the area.

So what can you buy there? It is run predominantly by Asian traders and this is sometimes reflected in some of the goods on sale e.g. sari material and herbs and spices. You can find bedding, jewellery, clothing, tools, fresh fruit and veg, electrical goods – all sorts, open six days a week from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 until 18.00.

A space team in Canada is looking for three people to help pilot a rocket into space. This is part of a competition modeled on the 1927 contest to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, won by Charles Lindbergh. Canadian Arrow is one of two Canadian teams participating in the contest. Another 20 international teams are also racing to send the first manned commercial rocket into orbit. The first to get their three-person vessel 100 kilometres into space and back wins the title. The winner will have to repeat the flight again within two weeks to win a $10-million US prize. Geoffrey Sheerin, the leader of the London, Ont.-based Canadian Arrow project, said he is looking for smarts, a sense of adventure, and bravery.

“It's open to absolutely anyone. The possibility for anyone to fly is there,” Sheerin said. “We would like you to have some aeronautical experience, understand of aviation, and also hopefully to have some knowledge of rocketry.”

Wandering amongst Pisa’s famed sights, I found myself eased culturally back into Italy and following the big, rounded taste of the evenings Rosso Di Montepulciano I felt readied (or should be that steadied?) for the imminent return. The year that had passed seemed all too long to be away from such a good friend as Firenze…

No alarm call was needed to wake me from the darkened Sunday slumber of Pensione Rinascente – the bright, cool morning had already been disturbed by medieval equivalents! Whilst masses filed through splendid church facades, my own calling came from Pisa Centrale and as I found myself being drawn across the Arno a thought occurred – would the famed Italian trains be on time? My answer was forthcoming as the 9.18 was only a couple of minutes late and was already busy transporting people going about their Sunday lives. Moving away from the platform a certain sensation I had felt when travelling on warm, early morning trains across India flitted through my consciousness once again – a good omen for the journey I smiled!

Stops such as Pontedera disappeared behind the train as a hazy sun opened up a landscape of smallholdings, allotments and vine trails. Surrounded by the languid Italian chatter of our fellow passengers, I felt suitably drawn away from everything of the previous working week – a fleeting travel moment to be cherished. Further along the journey, the archetypal Italian station of Empoli and the ever changing faces of fellow passengers also reminded me of previous travels – this time of Inter-rail journeys. Playing that old game of guessing people’s destinations, I wondered whether the young Scandinavians were heading south or and whether the Africans were heading business like to northern destinations. Our route to Firenze narrowed through a rising valley as it progressed and as in many photos and films, I glimpsed some of the traditional Tuscan imagery – hill top villages connected by winding roads that twisted through lush green countryside and trees stretching skywards. Almost as the quickly as the track had risen did we descend down through the last few suburban stops and onto the final destination…Firenze!

I hadn’t thought what I’d wanted to see of my old friend again, but first thoughts were drawn along a slow loop through the heart of the city, across the Arno and up to the panorama of Piazzale Michelangelo. Familiar sites greeted me as Kate and I sped across the expanse of the rather unvisited Piazza Dell’ Unita Italia– the still petitioning HIV charity, the market where I purchased a most expensive wallet and then onto a renewing glimpse of the Duomo’s bell tower and Battistero. What struck me this time about the magnificent cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (to give the Duomo its consecrated name) was not the beautiful façade but how the turret like bastions sat atop, allowing all comers to be seen. Being a Sunday we couldn’t undertake the winding climb to dome’s top (thankfully appreciated by my apprehension of heights) and the slower start to the day allowed us more space and time to enjoy the walk across Piazza del Duomo and onwards.

For those that cherish Firenze, Via De’ Calzaiuoli’s opening up on to

Piazza della Signora grandly displays much of what should be seen – the splendid Palazzo Vecchio with its dominating tower, the near perfectly copied statues of David or the beheading of Medusa by Perseus and the Uffizi’s columned walk ways sheltering its snaking queues! Though much of this grandeur owes its origins to the power of the Medici and their egos, its subsequent evolution into a marvel of civic planning underscores what the renaissance is depicted as representing. Even the mounted police seemed proud to be part of this elegant cityscape. We had little desire to enjoy the Uffizi’s always crowded galleries and somewhat cramped displays and instead Kate diverted us off to the quiet of Santa Croce. Previously I had strolled around this intriguing church with its incomplete facade and had found that many of two hundred plus monuments commemorated famous past lives – Michelangelo, Galileo and Dante I believe are of the many. The adjoining convent turned museum and its cloisters echo this silence and is a relatively unknown yet worthy destination for its visitors.

As the climb upwards began, I noticed another of those travelling oddities that catch my imagination – certain cities feature a building or place that my wandering always seems to take me through or past! In London it is the Embankment underground station, with Dublin it is O’Connell Bridge and with Firenze it is the Biblioteca Nazionale! Whatever view or late night revelry I have been party to, these buildings always seem found themselves within view and I have no idea why! As we swiftly crossed the modern Ponte Santa Niccolo we again had to pass this squared jawed building before moving over to the quieter side of the Arno.

The steep route up through the steps and gardens of Guiseppe Poggi lifts the walker onto a supreme vantage point! This perspective offers an unbeatable right to left panorama – the view sweeps back across the trail I’ve just described, over the Arno hunched Ponte Vecchio and through to the old Forte Di Belvedere. From here I could imagine no better way to present the city to visitors. Like many I sat awhile, allowing the warm breezes to brush across my face and savour my return to this wonderful city. Somewhat later our thirsts were indulgently quenched before moving on by visiting one of the hilltop gelateria and selecting a double-portioned cone. Here less cream and more ice is definitely better, with my favourite being strawberry overlain with pistachio! Whether any sports dietician would approve of such recharging remains to be seen but we were certainly ready to move on…

If you’d like to contact Matthew about his time in Firenze or any of his other travels, please e-mail him on: matthewdoughty@totalise.co.uk

source: Woody’s Travellers Watch

Travel@woodyswatch.com

It's great to see more and more business travellers using 'Outlook Web Access' (OWA) on the road. This is a webmail way to access corporate mail systems using Microsoft Exchange Server.

When you open OWA in a browser it looks much like normal Outlook. You can read, delete, reply and forward email plus manage your contacts, calendar, notes, tasks and public folders. There are some limitations (you can't move a message from one folder to another) but it works pretty well.

If your company uses Exchange Server but you don't have Outlook Web Access, ask your network administrator. OWA is installed by default on Exchange Server so it's probably ready for you even if the network gods haven't told you. If you're sneaky you can try finding it from a browser linked to your intranet by trying urls that have a company server name plus '/exchange' (the default folder) such as http:///exchange (e.g. http://mailmachine/exchange).

Outlook Web Access can be used inside a company network too. If you're away from your work desk or computer has broken you can access your mail from any browser. But OWA is mostly used by staff accessing mail from outside company premises. Provided your mail server is accessible from the Internet you can use OWA from any net terminal anywhere in the world.

The link to access OWA will probably be different away from the intranet, something like http://mail.dagg.com/exchange but your network gurus will give you the exact link.

However you access OWA you'll be prompted for your login name, password and possibly domain. This not only gives you access to the company mail server but also tells Exchange Server which mail account to display.

Security Tip: when you're using OWA from any computer not yours make sure you DON'T check the 'Remember this password' box. If you do so anyone could access you email from that public terminal after you walk away. When using someone else's computer on your intranet the same thing applies, you don't want someone else looking at your email.

With OWA available from anywhere, you might not have to lug your laptop! If you don't have much email or it's just a short trip then many business people have decided to leave their laptop computer at home and just check their email at public Internet terminals (cafe's, hotel business centres and some airline lounges).

Everyone has heard of the Kruger National Park. It's the biggest game reserve in South Africa. Its border stretches from the Limpopo River in the north to the Crocodile river in the south. The whole eastern boundary of the park borders onto Mozambique.

The park was established in 1926 and is over 2 million hectares in size. Its size can be likened to that of Wales or the American state of Massachusetts. There are a large variety of animals in the park, ranging from 122 different species of mammal, 109 different types of reptile, 55 species of fish and 422 species of birds.

The park is also home to 7000+ Elephants, 30000 Buffalo, 120000 Impala Buck and 22000 Kwaggas (Zebras). To add to this list you will also find giraffe, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hunting dog, hyenas, rhino and hippos.

A visit to this park is a must and if you are not an animal mad person, after your first visit here you will find that you have become one.

Most visitors to South Africa do not have enough time so a quick visit is what they opt for. To get to the park they either travel by tourist bus or fly in and land at Skukuza, the largest rest camp in the park. There are many others to stay at as well.

At Skukuza you can hire a car and drive yourself, or elect to go by coach on a guided tour through the park. There are a couple of rules one has to follow in the park.

• Do not leave your car under any circumstances except in designated rest areas.
• Keep to the speed limits.

There is a good reason for the rules. There are wild animals out in the bush. You might get out of your car and walk slap bang into a lion lying in thick grass right next to the road.

Guess who is going to win that argument! The lion initially, but once it has killed someone it will kill again and become a threat, thus necessitating its own demise.

The rest camp gates open at six in the morning and you are able to venture out onto the roads. Suddenly 10 metres in front of you there is a movement in the bush. You stop your car and one impala crosses the road. Sit still, don't move, suddenly there are hundreds of them in the road. In about 10 minutes they have all crossed and the road is clear. Moving on you come across a clump of rocks with some thorn bushes.

At the base of the thorn bush the grass is moving.

Taking a closer look you can see a largish animal lying on its side. You've found a lion lying twitching its tail. It does this to rid itself of the flies. Lions love to sleep in the shade in the heat of the day and if you keep your eyes open you are likely to see more of them.

Leopards are very difficult to spot. Where there are largish trees, check the higher branches and with a bit of luck you may spot one relaxing on a branch.

At sundown its time to get to that water hole. Find a good spot where you can see clearly, keep quiet and watch. The animals come from all directions to drink. Impalas, kudus, warthogs and giraffe to name but a few. They are very wary as they approach the waters edge. Have you noticed the log floating close to the water's edge? It's a crocodile lying patiently in the water with only its eyes sticking out waiting for its supper. If an animal gets too close the crocodile will launch itself and grab its prey, and drag it into the water where it will drown it.

The elephant in all its splendour arrives waving its trunk as it savours the breeze. It's long white tusks glint in the evening sunlight as it makes its way down to the river’s edge. Close behind come the rest of the herd. Soon there is no place for the other animals, they must wait their turn as the elephants suck up trunkfulls of water to drink and spray over themselves.

It gets dark quickly so you need to get back to camp.

Along the way keep your eyes open for the nocturnal animals that should be out and about. You would be amazed at what's out there.

When you get back to camp, have a meal, and hop into bed.

Before dropping off listen to the sounds of the bush. You'll hear lions roaring and in the morning might even find their footprints around your bungalow.

Love an experience like this?

Visit the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Geoff Fairman is the editor and publisher of Banker's Oldboys Ezine, a free electronic publication. Subscribe to Bankers Oldboys Ezine for more articles about Cape Town and South Africa by sending a blank e-mail to BrerRabbit-subscribe@topica.com

Cardiff, home of the Millennium Stadium, city of so much more.

Sight seeing buses leave from outside the castle regularly throughout the summer. However a tour of the Stadium costs £5 and can be pre-booked and is a must. The highlight is a trip up the tunnel to the pitch with the sound of the crowd roaring in your ears. I defy anyone to take these steps without a silly grin!!

The shopping in the city provides all those shops you expect in a large town, although there are a surprising number of music shops. However, the old arcades off St Mary’s Street offer some interesting alternatives to the large chain stores. I always show friends the “Kinky” boot shop for a laugh, which can be a stunned silence!

On a hot summer’s day, the place to chill is Butte Park with some of the best municipal planting I know. Or there’s the Mill Lane quarter, for people watching while you chill.

There are a range of restaurants, wine bars, pubs and clubs to suit everyone. And if you like a busy town, go on an International weekend, but be prepared to sing!

The place: Lille is small enough to wander around, in a weekend. There are two parts to Lille: the old town, which has narrow cobbled streets, and lots of interesting small shops, and the new town where the large shops, such as Printemps and the usual chain stores can be found. For those who want to explore, there’s a castle and some museums, but wandering around the Old Town is a must.

Why go to Lille? It’s a pretty town, close to London, good for shopping, eating and relaxing. There is a good supermarket, Carrefour, very close to the Lille Europe and SNCF railways stations, where you can stock up on cheese, wine, chocolate – whatever takes your fancy! The food is always good, so it is a part shopping, part relaxing and part gastronomic destination! Most of the hotels are within walking distance from the Lille Eurostar station.

Hotels: the poshest is the Carlton, in the Old Town, which does not ever seem to offer discount rates, but there are lots of hotels to chose from. Hotels seem to be either close to the train stations, close to the main square or in the Old Town. If you can, go for the latter. The Hotel Continental is a budget place often used by British tour operators, it’s ok, between the main square and the railway stations, but on a busy main road. Hotel Bellevue says it is a 3 star, it’s a little quirky, but the rooms are usually large and it’s behind the main square. Hotel Art Deco Romain says it is 500m from the Lille Europe station, it may be, but you need to get a tram to get there, and whilst it’s only 2 stops, it is not easy to walk to, plus the rooms are cupboard sized. La Treille in the old Town is highly recommended.

Prices: fantastic, especially for eating out and drinking. Most of the restaurants offer at least one prix fixe menus i.e. you get to chose a starter, main course and often a desert. Some include wine or a glass of champagne to start. These range from 15 Euros to 50 Euros, and you can usually be guaranteed excellent food, whatever the price. The Beetle’s favourite restaurant is called L’Alcide, which is close to the main square and can be pricey a la carte, but do good prix fixe menus, there’s also La Renaissance which does very cheap but good prix fixe menus (a recent 3 course dinner for 2 plus beer cost £15 a head). The Carrefour at the Lille Centre Commercial close to the train stations is a huge supermarket, and the prices there are far better than those in the UK for almost everything. One tip, though: if you spend more than 100 Euros, you will be asked for photo id, so take your passport or new style driving licence.

Things to do and see: in winter, there is a Christmas market around the corner from Printemps, where you can browse around the stalls, drink cups of mulled wine, eat crepes or waffles. Year round, there is a huge Sunday market in Wazemmes, a short metro ride from the centre and there is also a smaller Sunday market that sells fruit, veg, flowers and handicrafts in the old town. If shopping is not your thing, you should visit the citadel, which is quite impressive, and the town square with its old buildings. If you are a museum buff, then you should visit the Palais des Beaux arts, the natural history museum, the house where General de Gaulle was born, and the Musee de l’Hospice de Comtesse.

Getting Around: really easy. A one way trip by metro or tram costs just 1.15 Euros, or an all day card costs 3.55 Euros You must validate day tickets just the once in yellow machines that say “composter” and single journey tickets in the same way when you set off. But if you stick to the Old Town and the area close to the new town, you probably won’t need to take public transport, although it’s good to know that it’s there and regular.

How to get there: by Eurostar, a little over 2 hours from London Waterloo.

Signs and thoughts that Mac has seen or experienced on his travels around the world, and noted down in his travel diary.

l. Hong Kong. Budget Garden Hostel. Sign. “No smelly shoes allowed in dormitory.“

2. Simla India. Sign read “Spitting on the road is an offence punishable up to 50 rps under HPMC.” (An Indian was urinating next to the sign).

3. Coffee house in India. Sign saying: “If convenient please speak slowly” (we have the same sign in our snake pit.)

4. Puri, India. Sign “Gods Blessings Of Lord Jagahnath with hearty offerings. All offerings to Lord are free income tax.“

5. In Albert & Victorian museum in London cafeteria they had a sign “Pickpockets operate here” I gave the little old lady behind me a dirty look in case she planned to pick my pocket.

Would you like to tell us about your travels? Contact the Beetle

The remains of four woolly rhinos have been unearthed in an English quarry.

Scientists describe the group find at Whitemoor Haye in Staffordshire as “extraordinary” and one of the best Ice Age discoveries of its type in Northern Europe in recent years.

In addition to the great beasts, researchers have also dug out a remarkable range of superbly preserved plants and insects. One of the rhinos even has plant material still stuck to its teeth, giving possible clues to its last meal.

Taken together, the specimens should enable archaeologists to build up a detailed picture of what life was like in this particular corner of the UK 30-50,000 years ago.

“We'll be able to piece together the whole Ice Age environment in that area by the banks of the River Trent,” said Simon Buteux, director of the field archaeology unit at the University of Birmingham.

He told BBC News Online: “The plants in particular are beautifully preserved – they look as if they were buried last week quite frankly. And in amongst them are remains of beetles which are very sensitive to the climate, so this will give us good clues to what the local environment was back then.”

The initial woolly rhino (Coelodonta antiquus) discovery was made by quarryman Ray Davies, who pulled up a massive skull in the bucket of his digger.

Gary Coates, a University of Birmingham archaeologist, said: “I've been working at Whitemoor Haye Quarry for five years and have excavated everything from prehistoric burial grounds to Roman farmsteads, but this find was totally unexpected.

“It's the biggest find – in all senses of the word – I've ever been involved with.”

I am in New York and I opened Adelante Spanish School (http://spanishamerica.com) with my Partner, Monica Guerra, who manages day-to-day affairs in Quito. For free help in planning a Ecuador trip, arranging a room in Quito and especially to plan Spanish lessons please contact us (lee@spanishamerica.com in English or monica@spanishamerica.com in Spanish)

In my opinion Quito, Ecuador and Antigua, Guatemala are the best places in the world for a traveller to learn Spanish quickly and affordably and with a great deal of fun. There are hundreds of schools in either city and the competition keeps the quality high and the cost low. The cost of language instruction can be under US$5/hr for one to one instruction and you can experience room and board with a local family for about $15/day. Having experienced both I chose to start my venture in Ecuador.

Quito’s many schools are excellent and the instructors are experienced. You will find relatively few people who speak English inQuito but all are patient with foreigners making it very conducive to learning. You should have no problem mastering Spanish as long as you study. You don’t need to do or study anything before you go. There is a lot to distract in Quito. If you take classes for 4-5 hours a day, try to study for three hours or so either over lunch or at dinner. It is a great place and you will find the most difficult thing about studying is that there are many wonderful things to do in Ecuador.

Ecuador is a place where you can do a lot and don't need a formal plan, reservations, etc. It is very easy to decide to do something (visit: jungle, mountain, hike, colonial, market, coast) on a Thursday night, to get on a bus Friday afternoon and to find a hotel when you arrive. It is the best way to meet people and to make sure that your experience is the best possible. Furthermore, Spanish schools tend to be flexible and accommodating for the spontaneous traveller.

Small schools are less expensive and tend to offer more personal attention and a better immersion experience while more costly larger schools offer the opportunity to socialize with more American students and English speakers. If you want a large number of peers visit a large school as well as a smaller school.

Most schools specialize in one-to-one Spanish instruction. One to one immersion training offers the best way to rapidly develop your language skills. Most professors are skilled and experienced in engaging in interesting conversation with students that is gauged to their level and challengs them to improve at their best ability. Your professor should be able to tell where you need assistance and focus on that aspect of your language training. Discusssion in English can be a welcome relief but they do not often further the goal of learning Spanish nearly so well as struggling with Spanish. That is what immersion is all about. There are volunteer opportunities available in and around Quito. Schools work with organisations to arrange volunteer opportunities

Please contact lee@spanishamerica.com or monica@spanishamerica.com for information or look at their web site http://spanishamerica.com. We can pick you up at the airport even if you later decide not to study with us. We are also happy to discuss your plans and assist in arrangements without any fees.

Believe it or not, storm chasing has become something of a hobby. So when the weather is bad, throw away that jigsaw, that book, that piece of embroidery or the TV guide, get your waterproofs on, grab a map and jump into your car! Oh, and don’t forget your camera or camcorder and mobile (cell) phone! The real storm “techies” fit thermometers, barometers, hygrometers and even anemometers in their cars.

Why do this? It’s a lot of fun – generated heart churning adrenaline levels and can involve you in some of the most beautiful sky scenes. According to the UK storm chasers club, people who actively chase tend to have “a sound meteorological knowledge of the atmosphere and storms including their behaviour and dynamics. It is this knowledge that keeps them safe: storm chasing can be dangerous if undertaken by inexperienced individuals both for themselves and others. In the UK the danger is even greater due to our busy and congested road networks. When you encounter a local storm these already bad road conditions will rapidly deteriorate with copious amounts of standing rain water, flash flooding and sometimes even a hail covering.

So how do you do it? Again, according to the British club, the trick is to attempt to forecast where thunderstorms may develop and then head to a favourable area. There are hundreds and hundreds of people including storm chasers who attempt their own forecasts using internet data. There are lots of websites with information including Westwind.ch they make surface pressure charts and upper air charts freely available. You can also get various lightning detection products (often called sferics products) and you can now get free hourly radar images on the BBC Weather pages. If you wish there is also data available on line but at cost. For example there is a better radar picture now offered by Avbrief but there is a fee. “The majority of us are TORRO members which means images we capture and information we gather is gratefully received and put to good use,” says a storm chaser from Holland.

There are storm chasing groups in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, all over the United States and Australia. The Dutch Storm Chase Team formed last year when the guys got together for a one-off chase that ended up so much fun they decided to make a regular thing of it. “We started that afternoon,” says Bernard Hulshof, a meteorologist with Holland Weather Services, “and drove to the west near Schiphol Airport where we saw numerous showers, beautiful showers, large rainbows and deep blue skies. It was heaven for us and later on we followed the storm to the province of Flevoland, in the centre of The Netherlands. By then it had become dark, the sun was setting and the storm was producing lightning. It was all very exciting and very successful for us.”

In the US, there is a region known as Tornado Alley that stretches from Texas northward to the Dakotas. More tornados occur there than anywhere else on earth, so this is naturally something of a mecca for storm chasers. “I can't think of any other place on earth which would be more exciting for storms than Tornado Alley,” says Harald of the Netherlands’ club. “The situation in America is perfect for storm development, it's unique in the world. You can get any type of storm if you have time for it. But of course,” he adds, without even a hint of irony, “it all depends on the weather.”

The Beetle found a couple of companies that specialise in storm chasing “tours” – if this interests you, you might want to check out Silver Lining Tours, owned by David Gold, a meteorologist and self proclaimed outstanding storm chaser. He says he will take customers to watch incredible super cells, awesome tornadoes, huge hail and wild lightning.

Texas-based Tempest Tours are taking bookings now for Storm Chasing Expeditions in the 2003 spring season. The company, headed by three veteran storm chasers (with more than 50 years of storm chasing experience), will lead six tours into Tornado Alley in search of nature's most spectacular weather. The tours take place in May and June, the peak of tornado activity in the United States. Tours will depart from Oklahoma City and in minivans. Veteran storm chasers typically drive 100-400 miles a day to reach their targets.

Stormchasing.com say“if you're looking for adventure, you'll love this thrilling storm chasing holiday in America. We offer “10-Day” and “5-Day” tours where you'll travel across a number of states. One of our vans is the most highly equipped chase van in Tornado Alley — unlike any other storm chasing van on the road.” They go on to say that they are the only storm chasing company that has “real-time” weather information 100% of the time, delivered by satellite technology to our storm chasing van. You will get to ride in that van and be part of the action as we chase down severe storms and tornados in America's Tornado Alley!!

It was 8.30am and I was waiting for Rosanna White in the early morning sunshine, sheltered in the shade of a palm tree in front of the Independence Monument. Rosanna is the volunteer co-ordinator for the Sunrise Children's Village, a Phnom Penh orphanage with a high profile, due in no small part to the extraordinary efforts of its founder and patron, Geraldine Cox. Described by some as 'larger than life', Geraldine was on one of her regular trips abroad seeking out funds to keep the orphanage afloat and the day to day administration was in the capable hands of Rosanna. I'd been in e-mail contact with both of them for a few months before my trip and they'd kindly invited me to visit the orphanage, temporarily located in Takhmau, some fifteen kilometres south of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

Geraldine's high profile – she's written a book, there's an award-winning documentary about her life and a feature film in the offing – and her tireless work go towards providing a home for around fifty disadvantaged Cambodian children between the ages of 3 and 18. Most are orphans, all have sad tales to tell, but the orphanage provides them with love, food and shelter as well as regular schooling and extra English, computer, sewing, music and dance classes, designed to give them the chance of a brighter future. It’s a worthy cause that many Australians support with individual and corporate sponsorship. However, as Rosanna explained on our drive out to Takhmau, a great deal of extra funding, as much as $600,000, is needed to fulfil the Sunrise dream envisioned when Prime Minister Hun Sen donated ten hectares of rent-free land to the orphanage. It's certainly an ambitious project and the publicity created by the support of some very famous Hollywood names is currently giving it real momentum, while Geraldine's powers of persuasion continue to play their part in making the dream come true.

A toot of the horn and the gates of a nondescript villa opened up as Sopheun, the orphanage’s housemother, welcomed us. Rosanna received an update on the latest batch of cuts and bruises, tantrums and colds (and the theft of a bicycle) since her last visit a couple of days earlier before giving me a guided tour of the tidy, but cramped house and grounds. On the ground floor were the girls’ dormitories (the boys sleep upstairs), with hammocks and mattresses taking up most of the space and a few of the girls busily drawing pictures with coloured crayons. Outside, the more boisterous boys were playing games of tag and marbles and I joined in a game of football with Chanry and Sin Long, two eight year olds, who were obviously best of friends and who hammed it up for my camera. I also showed my skills, or lack of them, with another group who were playing 'tot sey' (foot shuttlecock).

Nearby was the well-stocked computer room, where Phalla, the computer teacher, was fixing a PC on his day off with the help of a couple of the older teenagers. He showed me how the recent rains had flooded the room and damaged the wooden computer stands and was very keen to hear about my website devoted to my travels in Cambodia. Outside, I met Sok An, the head cook, who was preparing vegetables for the children's lunch with some of the older girls under an awning in the concrete yard, when Sary and her wheelchair (she's the only disabled child in the orphanage) whizzed past and came to a halt at the water tap, where she began washing some clothes. Rosanna explained that Sary, a polio sufferer, is now learning to walk with the aid of callipers and a brace and is fiercely independent, but an absolute sweetie.

Upstairs, we visited the volunteers’ room, which also houses the medicine cabinet and is where Geraldine, the patron, sleeps when she's in town. Next door, the dance and music practice was already in full swing. The children are working hard in preparation for a once in a lifetime visit to Australia for an arts festival, and rehearsals form a key part of each day for those lucky enough to be going. The orphanage is home to about fifty children and over half of them will be making the trip to Adelaide in March. Today was a Sunday, so no school meant extra practice sessions for the dancers and musicians. In a cramped room, I grabbed a seat to watch the dance teacher, Monitha, guiding a group of the youngest girls – six to eight year olds – through their traditional Khmer dance routine. They were delightful and were followed by the youngest boys who danced and banged their coconut shells in harmony as Srey Mao, the youngest of the girls with a smile and a nature guaranteed to melt any heart, sat on my knee to watch her friends perform.

At the back of the room, some of the children were playing traditional Khmer instruments to accompany the dances and were being tutored by 70-something year old Mr Chea and his daughter Thierry, both outstanding musicians in their own right. Next on the dance floor were the teenage girls and particularly 17 year old Srey Mich, the orphanage's leading dancer who glided across the floor with grace and poise in abundance. Following them, as the tempo increased, were a mixed group of four boys and four girls who moved in well-rehearsed unison and who rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable hour watching the children perform. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I forgot to take any photos until near the end. I was mightily impressed. This wasn't a performance staged for visiting guests but a daily practice session, yet the timing and elegance of all the dancers, whatever their age, was a joy to watch. They'd worn their normal clothes for the practice, so I'm sure they'll look even more professional when they wear their hand-sewn costumes for the real thing.

I had another quick kick-about in the courtyard with Chanry and Sin Long as Rosanna did her final rounds of the villa with most of the children giving her a goodbye hug. Then it was back in the 4WD and out into the busy back streets of Takhmau and our return to Phnom Penh. My visit to the orphanage had been a brief but thoroughly enjoyable one. The children I met were happy, the level of laughter and their playful nature made that abundantly clear, but their temporary premises are simply too small. It’s a stopgap until the Sunrise Children's Village and the dreams of Geraldine, Rosanna and the children themselves become a reality. I sincerely hope that's sooner rather than later.

To visit the Sunrise Children's Village website, click here.

For more information on Andy’s travels, visit his website which has lots of travelogue stories with pictures: http://www.btinternet.com/~andy.brouwer/index.htm

Costa Rica, a tiny country that forms part of the land bridge between North and South America, is almost too good to believe. It has more species of mammals and birds than the continental United States and Canada combined, unmatched flora that includes over 3,000 species of wild orchids alone and a world famous national park system.

It is a land of natural treasures: lush green jungles and forests, steaming volcanoes, mountains, Caribbean beaches, and Pacific surf. You can explore miles of nature trails that access a variety of unique natural habitats, drive to the edge of a volcanic crater or through the deep, rich mountain jungle, or soak up the rays on a magnificent tree-lined beach.

Costa Rica is a paradise for orchids, butterflies and hummingbirds. Near San Ramón you can visit a beautiful Orchid garden full of the national orchid – La Guaria. On Sunday you observe the families hanging around and playing with their children. San Ramón and its surroundings offer a lot of fun and entertainment with adventure, beautiful nature and also culture.

Where are we talking about? Costa Rica's Central Valley is noted for its eternal spring like weather. The district San Ramón de Alajuela is the biggest district of Costa Rica and is situated on the end of the Central Valley just in the heart of Costa Rica. San Ramón is a pleasant small town about halfway between the capital San José and Puntarenas, just off the Carretera Interamericana that joins San José with the Pacific coast. When you leave the airport and take the autoroute to Puntarenas the first sign you see is the sign to San Ramón and takes about 45 minutes.

San Ramón is situated on the tenth degree of latitude and 3,280 feet above sea level. This provides one of the best climates in the world with all year long average temperature of 77 º F (25 º C). The perfect climate to promote or maintain your health and to relax.

San Ramón is known locally as the city of presidents and poets because several of them were born or lived here. It is a clear, green and safe area and offers a lot of activities like sightseeing to the museum and to the beautiful church. The museum has interesting exhibits of local history and culture. The church looks very similar to European churches and is a combination of gothic and roman styles. It was designed by a German architect and construction started in 1925. The altar was built in Italy, the tiles from Germany and the bells from France. Artisans from around the world and many Costa Rican artists contributed to its creation. The construction was finished in 1954.

So, where to eat? A new restaurant has opened which is excellent by any standards. The owner of Alirass is a native of San Ramon who has also travelled. Her fusion Costa Rican food is a must. Try the fish with avocado and cheese and save room for the excellent home-made desserts. The owner/chef Ligia has contributed a gem to her hometown.

What to do? Life runs slowly in this part of the world and you can relax and enjoy. Visit the central market, the weekly market, the park in the centre of San Ramón and watch the people talking in the street and hear the loudspeakers from a passing car announcing good shopping offers or activities for the next weekend. There is no hurry.

You find around San Ramón big waterfalls, bungee jumping, canopy tours, hot air ballooning, hiking in rainforest, bird watching, and horseback riding, tours with mountain bikes and a beautiful Spa. From this central position you can travel very easily to most of the volcanoes or beaches. Near San Ramón you can visit the “Reservado Alberto Manuel Brenes”, a large area with an incredible variety of fauna and flora.

Getting around: it is best that you don't expect perfect roads but you will see this as a part of the adventure. You drive slowly and have time to look around. Of course you always need more time than you expected. But there is no reason to hurry. You will be rewarded with unforgettable occurrences. You will see animals and plants you never have seen before in your life. Guides are always available to take you around and to explain the nature of the area that is new and eye opening.

Come join us in what is still a relatively undiscovered part of Costa Rica, a very special country in these turbulent times.

Where to stay to chill out: I run the Hotel and Spa Casaelena that is 6 miles from town at 3000 ft. altitude with a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. We have 24 acres of landscaped grounds with a large pool with a steam room and solar heated jacuzzi. Spa services such as massage and pedicures are available. It’s a great place for peace and quiet, for couples who want a romantic get away or for groups who want a real spa experience: yoga, meditation, nutrition advice, massage, beauty treatments, acupuncture and chiropractor services. For more information, contact me, Helene on: casaelena@racsa.co.cr or visit our website:

www.costaricarelax.com