Category Archives: Sidebar

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

Holland's Bulbs

From the end of March until May, Keukenhof gardens, Holland's most famous spring gardens, will burst into a kaleidoscope of colour as spring comes to life in a stunning display of breathtaking beauty. Millions of tulips and other bulb flowers will burst in bloom, a fantastic experience for everyone and a wonderful spectacle to photograph. Keukenhof is situated on the west coast of Holland, in the Holland Rijnland area, with its flower fields, the beaches of Noordwijk and Katwijk, beautiful villages and the historical city of Leiden. Click here for more information on Keukenhof Gardens.

No of Visitors to S Africa Falls

Whilst the value of the Rand has strengthened, the number of non-African visitors to South Africa dropped 2 percent in November 2004, to 198,605 people. French arrivals fell by 23 percent, to 13,142, and the number of German tourists fell 4.3 percent, to 33,495.

True Life Holiday Stories Wanted for TV

I'm a writer for Win & Go magazine, we specialise in true-life holiday stories. At the moment, we're putting together a feature looking at gap years for all ages – from the teens and twenties, to the mid-thirty's-forties and post-retirement. I was just wondering if any of your members have taken a year out to travel and would be wiling to share their experiences. We're going to include safety tips, practicalities and case-studies. Anyone who wishes to talk to us, will of course receive payment and we will include details of this website. Kerry Win & Go Magazine. Kerry can be contacted by e-mail: kerry.sutch@bauer.co.uk

Axum Obelisk

The Axumite kingdom in northern Ethiopia was established between 200 and 100 BC and was once one of the four kingdoms of the world. The legendary Queen of Sheba reigned in the region eight or nine centuries later. The region is home to some of the world's obelisks carved with 'doors' and 'windows' and are thought, like Stonehenge, to have some solar or astronomical measuring role. One of the obelisks was looted from Axum by Mussolini in 1937 and in 1947, Italy signed a pledge to the UN to give back the obelisk – but has not followed through until now. The obelisk – the only one on two continents weighing over 100 tonnes – was situated in a square in Rome in front of what was once the 'Ministry for Italian Africa' (now the FAO building). The obelisk has been cut into three sections, and has been awaiting its return in a warehouse near Rome airport. The top piece of the obelisk is now scheduled to leave Rome on a cargo plane in April but this has been postponed because the Italian culture ministry says Axum airport does not have radar, so the pilots must wait for good weather.

UK Tax Free Goods

For UK travellers returning to the UK after a shopping spree could be in for good news. In the recent Budget speech, the Chancellor Gordon Brown announced the amount travellers can bring into the UK tax-free is likely to rise from £145 to £1,000.

Round the World Trip in 67 hours

On March 3, 2005 after covering 23,000 miles in 67 hours, Steve Fossett became the first person to fly around the world alone in a plane without stopping or refuelling. Fossett, 60, holds many other records as a balloonist, pilot and sailor.

“I’m a really lucky guy now, I got to achieve my ambition,” the 60-year-old millionaire said after stepping out of the cramped capsule in which he had spent nearly three days. “It was a difficult trip … one of the hardest things I've ever done, to be on duty for three days, day and night, with virtually no sleep. It was an endurance test,” Fossett said.

While Fossett is the first to make the flight alone, it will not enter the record books since the Paris-based Federation Aeronautique Internationale has said it does not have a separate category for solo pilots.

Fossett's team however had said they hoped to qualify for distance and speed records, which remain to be certified.

New Travel Magazine Launched

Readers of the Globetrotter e-newsletter may be interested in a new English language bi-monthly magazine aimed at the enquiring traveller. hidden Europe was launched on 1 March 2005. The first issue sets the tone for a magazine which we think fills a distinct niche in the market. We take our readers beyond the usual tourist trails. Our brief is Europe wide, and we criss-cross the continent to publish the very best of what's new, what's old, what's odd and what's fun. We promise a zany look at the quirkier aspects of European people and places. A good read, always authoritative and packed with useful information. hidden Europe evokes the spirit of Europe's diverse landscapes, conjures up a sense of place and probes the curiosities of our continent's varied cultures.

Launching a new travel magazine may seem like folly at a time when we all suffer from information overload. But we think there's still a place for the quieter, more reflective, style of writing which we hope will become our hallmark. So in our first issue, you will find articles on slow food and slow trains – plus one that extols the merits of the slow boat. Join us on a journey that in this first number will lead us from rural Russia to the Scottish Hebrides, from Poland to Piedmont, and from Lithuania to Albania. Look for articles on Spanish Galicia, the Faeroe Islands and northern Portugal in hidden Europe 2 (in May 2005).

hidden Europe appears in A4 format and each issue is 48 pages. Single copies are £4.50 and an annual subscription, including postage anywhere in Europe, is £27.00. hidden Europe is produced by Gardner & Kries GbR, a small Berlin based publisher, run by Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner, two women who have travelled more miles than most, and both experts on aspects of European cultures, languages, peoples and places. Visiting every inhabited Harridan island and crossing 33 borders in a couple of days are just two of the mad things we've done in the spirit of hidden Europe. Check out full details of the magazine, and register for our free electronic newsletter, at our website on www.hiddeneurope.co.uk

TV Appeal for People Moved Overseas

Marc writes from a TV production company called Ricochet. He says: we are currently producing the fifth series of No Going Back and I am looking for people who are selling up in the UK and moving abroad to start a new business venture. I would love to hear from anyone who is doing something along these lines. Please contact him on marc.lewis@ricochet.co.uk

Lighters Banned in Hand Luggage in US

Congress passed a bill last year adding lighters to the list of items prohibited in the cabin. The ban started mid April 2005. Lighters haven't been permitted in checked bags for at least 30 years because they might start fires in cargo holds. The reason for the ban was the failed shoe bomber, Richard Reid, who tried unsuccessfully to light explosives hidden in his shoes on a trans-Atlantic flight in 2001. He used matches.

World Photo Day 1st June 2005

Here is a marvellous opportunity to photograph our lives and submit to World Photo Day.

The World PhotoDay 2005 project is an exploration into the everyday lives of people on a global scale. The diversity of this planet we inhabit is grand beyond belief. While you are having breakfast reading the paper, what do you think the rest of the world is doing? You will find out what happens on just one single day in the lives of people worldwide. No one is excluded from participating – you can be a professional, an amateur, someone who has a 35mm disposable, or whatever. The intent here is to show us, humankind, as we are. If you are using the latest digital SLR, or a disposable camera, great! Submissions will not be accepted until June 1, 2005 @ 00:01 hours GMT.

All photos must be taken on this single day – 1st June 2005, please! Try to depict life on just one day in the world as seen through your eyes, the photographer. Pre-registration is required to participate. Submissions are limited to 1 (one) photo per person. This is due only to the organiser's limitations in handling multiple photos per individual.

Take a look at: http://www.worldphotoday.org

Being Careful: Sri Lanka

This is what the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office say about travel to Sri Lanka: Information for families affected by the tsunami can be found at Sri Lanka: Information for Families.

We advise against all but essential travel to the north or east (other than Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Arugam Bay, but travellers should be aware that most hotels in these areas are closed because of damage from the tsunami). Much of the north and east of Sri Lanka remains heavily mined, particularly around the A9 road to Jaffna.

The recent tsunami resulted in extensive damage and large numbers of casualties on the south-western, southern and eastern coasts of Sri Lanka. A number of hotels and resorts on the southern and south-western coasts have now reopened. Anyone planning to travel to these areas should check with their tour operators and/or hotel before departing to ensure their hotel is operating normally. Most hotels in the eastern towns of Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Arugam Bay have yet to reopen. (For further details please refer to the Natural Disasters section of this Travel Advice).

There is a threat from domestic terrorism in Sri Lanka.

Pass the Sickbag

In December 2004 Virgin Atlantic introduced 20 limited edition sickbags designed by artists from around the globe on its first flight from Hong Kong to Sydney. The sickbags will be in the seatbacks of all Virgin Atlantic flights for up to six months with a potential audience of over two million people. Co-collaborator Oz Dean started the 'Design for Chunks' project four years ago inviting talented designers to produce artwork for sick bags and submit them to the 'Design for Chunks' annual competition. The competition has been running for the past four years online at www.designforchunks.com

Lysette Gauna, Head of Media for Virgin Atlantic, commented, 'We felt that the ubiquitous sickbag was long overdue a makeover and when we came across 'Design for Chunks' it was the perfect opportunity. Sickbags are a mandatory requirement but rarely get used – so we thought we would brighten them up and turn them into a talking point. We're really excited about bringing art from around the world to such a huge number of people via our sickbags. It's a first in the industry and we're sure these bags will soon become a collectors' item.'

Mutual Aid

Carole from San Diego would like some help planning a trip to new Zealand. I am travelling to the south island of New Zealand in March and would love some suggestions from other members. We have our itinerary set-landing in Dunedin and going south and back up-crossing at Arthur's Pass to and leaving from Christchurch.

We are also planning to take a cruise into Milford Sound and from what we’ve read, the only company that has a cruise without a naturalist aboard is Fiordland Travel.

Are there others and if so, which is the best. Also, we are interested in doing some hiking in the area-but nothing strenuous.

The Kepler Track was recommended, but in reading about it, it appears that to go in for a few hours would only take us along the lake. Is there a walk w/more interesting/spectacular scenery?

Thank you in advance for your response.

Cmeredith1@aol.com

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our Mutual Aid section of the Website: Mutual Aid

Kashmir to Welcome Tourists

India has decided to open Srinagar airport in disputed Kashmir to international flights to entice more tourists to the Himalayan region. Kashmir has been involved in a 15 year dispute involving soldiers and Muslim militants who don’t want Indian rule in the region. Estimates say that around 360,000 people visited Kashmir last year, most of the them Indians, up from 191,000 in the previous year, although the figure was small compared with the millions who travelled to the region before the revolt in 1989. Israelis topped the list of foreign tourists visiting the Muslim-majority region last year followed by Chinese.

So You Think You’re Well Travelled?

Here’s a little Beetle quiz based on capital cities. See how many you get right! Go on, have a guess!

What is the capital city of the following countries:

  1. Congo
  2. Madagascar
  3. Oman
  4. Azerbaijan
  5. Bangladesh

For the answers, see at the end of the e-newsletter.

On-Line Travel Scam

Be careful of a new online travel scam that involves bargain flights advertised on internet auction sites. The con-men advertise an amazing deal on an auction site, telling potential bidders that they do not need to pay until they have received their tickets. The winning bidder – and, usually, all the other bidders, are contacted under the pretence that the winner has dropped out for their names. The fraudster then buys the tickets from the airline in the names of each ‘winner’, but uses someone else's stolen credit card details. According to an internet fraud agency, these details are readily available and sold for as little as 30p a time. The winner also pays up once they’ve received the tickets. Most airlines are ok about issuing tickets to someone other than the cardholder, so the ‘winners’ receive their tickets, pay the fraudster and look forward to their holiday, sometimes even flying out and enjoying it. When the airline's bank tries to claim the money from the credit cardholder, however, the fraud is uncovered – and the airline will not let the ticket-holder travel.

Wilderness First Aid courses 2005

Wilderness First Aid is different from the Red Cross or urban first aid. Focus is on initial and prolonged care for a patient in the back country. Participants will receive a two year certification with the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS (http://wmi.nols.edu).

WMI of NOLS courses are for folks who recognises the importance of having first aid skills if you spend time in the outdoors. We have climbers, trekkers, paddlers, blueberry-pickers, parents, teachers, outdoor guides, scout leaders, fishermen and hunters – all learning about how to care for an injured or sick friend.

Below is the schedule for the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS courses that Crossing Latitudes is hosting in Europe 2005.

WILDERNESS FIRST AID COURSES & WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER RECERTIFICATION COURSES (16-24 hours)

London, The Castle Climbing Centre, UK January 17-18, 2005 Course fee: US $160.00 / GBP 90.00 per person. Course taught in English.

Malmö, Sweden, January 21-23, 2005 Course fee: SEK 2100:- per person. Course taught in Swedish. Start Friday evening. CPR included.

Bozeman, Montana, USA at Lindley Park Center April 30 – May 1st, 2005 Cost: $150.00 per person. Course taught in English.

Göteborg, Sweden, 13-15 of May, 2005 Course fee: SEK 2100:- per person. Course taught in Swedish. Start Friday evening. CPR included.

Stockholm, Sweden 20-22 of May, 2005 Course fee: SEK 2100:- per person. Course taught in Swedish. Start Friday evening. CPR included.

Narvik, Arctic Norway 17-19 of June 2005 Cost: SEK 2500:- per person. Course taught in English & Swedish. This course is part of Crossing Latitudes Sea Kayaking Guide course. The first aid course is open to all.

If you are interested in having a course just for your staff or organization please contact Lena Conlan at: info@crossinglatitudes.com or call our office in the USA +1-406-585-5356 or our office in Sweden +46-70-670 11 53.

For more info, please contact: info@crossinglatitudes.com www.crossinglatitudes.com USA: 1-800-572-8747 / Fax: +1-406-585-5356 Europe: +46-70-670 1153 Sweden: 070-670 1153

Driving in Spain

Paul writes in with another piece of advice about travelling in Spain.

Another word of warning to novice travellers in Spain; be careful at the big hypermarkets as thieves operate in the car parks targeting small hire cars (easily identified as they silly sods always put the hire company name on the vehicle registration plates).

We got caught this way on our first trip and my girlfriend lost most of her clothes and a new digital camera, clothes weren't too much of a problem as we were on a naturist holiday but the rigmarole involved in getting a police report is mind blowing. I also had my passport stolen and getting that replaced was even worse !!. Silly to hide our stuff in the car I guess but a lesson well learned and often mentioned to fellow travellers as a word of warning.

Couldn't rob our car or cheat us out of fuel last trip cos we rode all the way down on my motorcycle.