Category Archives: Sidebar

Write for the Globetrotters Club eNewsletter

If you enjoy writing, enjoy travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter! The Ant would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant @ theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be up to 750 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.

Back-pack by Dan Cavalli

If you are serious about getting some back-pack equipment then weight has to be your first consideration. A light backpack can be an experienced backpacker’s sweetest dream. That’s why any person contemplating backpacking needs to understand just how important light backpacking gear is. The right kind of back-pack gear is very important when it comes to water. In case you are stranded, you always need to have ample supply of water. Water is not light so if you want to carry plenty ensures the rest of your backpacking gear is light. You need to have a proper balance between the water weight and the weight of you overall back-pack. The first step to being a happy backpacker is to start reading popular backpacking magazines and research the gear before you buy it.

You need advice before you start trekking [or tramping as the locals in New Zealand call it]. You need to know about safety and the kinds of medical supplies to take with you. Valuable tips can save your life so learn them before you invest in any back-pack gear. Good back-pack gear can be found online. Search for the best possible brands. Don’t only consider price. Consumer reviews for backpacking gives you actual experiences from your fellow backpackers. Their opinions are invaluable. The length of back-pack trip can affect the type of backpacking gear you should take with you. You will also have to take into consideration the climate of the area you are traveling in. Pack your backpacking gear accordingly.

Dan Cavalli is an Australian and international businessman. He also writes articles about his second home, Queenstown New Zealand. If you really enjoyed this information and would like to know more about Queenstown, the adventure playground, go to or http://www.hippolodge.co.nz.

Globetrotters Club Travel Award

A member of Globetrotters Club ? Interested in a £1,000 travel award ? Know someone who is ? We have up to £1,000 to award twice a year for the best submitted independent travel plan.

See the legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we’ll take a look at it. Get those plans in, as the next Legacy deadline will be April 30th, 2008 !!

Mac says…

Regular contributor Mac had some thoughts…

On my trip to Egypt the guide said we could ride a camel but first we had to go inside the Cheops Pyramid the largest one. There are something like two million three hundred and three blocks each weighing two and one half tons. When inside all I could think of what if two million three hundred and three blocks come tumbling down on me in twenty seconds. Outside the guide told us how much to pay the camel driver and how much to tip. But the driver kept pulling at my leg asking for more money.

I was too busy pretending I was Lowell Thomas the explorer on my camel and ignored him as I gazed off over the desert. He finally got mad at me for “not listening” and dropped the reins – for one mad moment I thought he was going to kick the camel and send us both careening across the desert. As I got off “Coca Cola” both the driver and the camel spat on me. Maybe it was just the camel…but I guess he did not like Lowell Thomas. The driver when he found out I was American had told me my camel’s name was Coca Cola. I later heard him tell a Canadian that the same camel’s name was Canadian Club !

Mac goes on to reveal that “I will be 84 next month and because of health problems about the only travelling I do now is to the bathroom several times a night. I enjoy reading of others travel adventures however.”

Feel free to reach Mac at macsan400@yahoo.com with any stories…

Fav web sites

Recommended by the many !!

SOUTH AMERICAN EXPLORERS – download of 30th anniversary special edition of SAE Magazine, click here to download your copy!

New online travel community – www.passportvillage.com – at this point you may see the ongoing construction but it’s a different take on travel

“I have just been reading the latest Globetrotters e-newsletter and I thought I would mention that my wife, my seven year old daughter and myself have just started a 20 month world tour (8 trips of 6-8 weeks away separated by 2-4 weeks back at home) and we are posting daily blogs and pictures at www.theultimatejourney.co.uk if anyone is interested” in where we are going and our views. Julian F O Ranger

Write for the Globetrotters Club eNewsletter

If you enjoy writing, enjoy travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter! The Ant would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant @ theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be up to 750 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.

Back-pack by Dan Cavalli

If you are serious about getting some back-pack equipment then weight has to be your first consideration. A light backpack can be an experienced backpacker’s sweetest dream. That’s why any person contemplating backpacking needs to understand just how important light backpacking gear is. The right kind of back-pack gear is very important when it comes to water. In case you are stranded, you always need to have ample supply of water. Water is not light so if you want to carry plenty ensures the rest of your backpacking gear is light. You need to have a proper balance between the water weight and the weight of you overall back-pack. The first step to being a happy backpacker is to start reading popular backpacking magazines and research the gear before you buy it.

You need advice before you start trekking [or tramping as the locals in New Zealand call it]. You need to know about safety and the kinds of medical supplies to take with you. Valuable tips can save your life so learn them before you invest in any back-pack gear. Good back-pack gear can be found online. Search for the best possible brands. Don’t only consider price. Consumer reviews for backpacking gives you actual experiences from your fellow backpackers. Their opinions are invaluable. The length of back-pack trip can affect the type of backpacking gear you should take with you. You will also have to take into consideration the climate of the area you are traveling in. Pack your backpacking gear accordingly.

Dan Cavalli is an Australian and international businessman. He also writes articles about his second home, Queenstown New Zealand. If you really enjoyed this information and would like to know more about Queenstown, the adventure playground, go to or http://www.hippolodge.co.nz.

News from the travel industry – Ryanair unveils major expansion at Birmingham airport, United Kingdom

Ryanair will fly 20 routes from Birmingham Airport, United Kingdom from April 2008 using two Boeing 737-800 aircraft. It is starting flights to five destinations in France, five in Italy , three in Poland, two in Spain, and one each in Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, and Sweden. The airline said this will be followed by a further eight Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Read the full article at http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1125565.php

Travel shows in 2008

Not quite travel but a worthy crossover…

Missoula, Montana — From February 14 – 20, 2008, the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival celebrates its 5th year by showcasing 98 films from 40 countries. The official selections represent a broad array of filmmaking styles, formats and production dates, from classics to World Premieres. The 2008 films were selected from nearly 1000 submissions from across the globe.

Official selections for the 2008 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival are now on-line at: http://www.bigskyfilmfest.org/

Globetrotters Travel Award – update

Our 4th Legacy winner, Katie Fahrland, will leave the UK on Thursday, 31st January, for the first leg of her journey to Bamako city. She plans to take a pinasse downriver to Segou to participate in the Festival sur le Niger, a celebration of West African music and arts “seeing the colour of African dance, film, crafts and music bursting to life in front of me – (meeting) Burkinabes, Senegalais, Maliens, Ivoriens, Guineens, Ghaneens – all the people and nationalities of this wonderful West African world”.

Katie will return to the UK on 14th February. We look forward to her reporting back to us – in person, via an article in the Globe magazine and, of course, her illustrated talk to Globies – to be planned soon after her return. We hope she travels safely and has a wonderful trip.

A member of Globetrotters Club ? Interested in a £1,000 travel award ? Know someone who is ? We have up to £1,000 to award twice a year for the best submitted independent travel plan.

See the legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we’ll take a look at it. Get those plans in, as the next Legacy deadline will be April 30th, 2008 !!

Mac says…

error-file:tidyout.logRegular contributor Mac had some thoughts on travel signs that he has seen or heard off during his lifetime and thought you might like to share a smile or two !

  • Not to step on any crocodile whilst barefoot
  • No ugly or spotty children to frequent the pool
  • In Denmark in hotel where the Queen was to stay they took down warning sign on their elevator which read I Fart (think if meant the elevator is in motion) as they thought the Queen might be offended.
  • Simla, India – spitting on the road is an offensive punishable up to 50 rupees under HPMC… an Indian was urinating next to the sign !
  • Coffee House in India – If convenient please speak slowly
  • Puri India – Gods Blessings of Lord Jagahnath with hearty offerings. All offerings to Lord are free income tax.”

Mac goes on to reveal that “I will be 84 next month and because of health problems about the only travelling I do now is to the bathroom several times a night. I enjoy reading of others travel adventures however.”

Feel free to reach Mac at macsan400@yahoo.com with any stories…

Have you got a tale to tell?

If you have a travellers tale that your aching to tell. Then why not visit the “Travel Sized Bites” section of the Website and share it with the world. Travel Sized Bites

Travel shows in 2008

Travel shows in 2008

London : This year’s Daily Adventure Travel show will be held at the Business Design Centre in Islington…on 25, 26 & 27 January. Whilst the club are no longer involved as independent travel advisors at the show, many of our members will be interested to see how this changing show moves forward !

See http://www.adventureshow.co.uk for tickets and exhibitor details.

London & Birmingham: This year’s Destinations Holiday & Travel Show will be held at Earls Court & the NEC respectively in late January & February.

See http://www.destinationsshow.com for tickets and exhibitor details.

Globetrotters Travel Award

A member of Globetrotters Club? Interested in a £1,000 travel award?

Know someone who is? We have up to £1,000 to award twice a year for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested?

Then see our legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we’ll take a look at it. Get those plans in!!