In last month’s Globetrotter e-news, we spoke of 31 tourists being abducted and held in the Sahara for over 2 months. In May, 17 of the foreign tourists (10 Austrians, 6 Germans and a Swede) were rescued, said to be unharmed and flown back to Europe. No formal details of the ordeal have been released for fear of jeopardising the safety of the remaining 15 tourists (10 Germans, 4 Swiss, 1 Dutch) who are still missing. The Algerian newspaper El Watan claims that nine kidnappers were killed in the dawn raid near the Sahara desert town of Tamanrasset, 1,900 kilometres (1,200 miles) south of Algiers and that the Salafist Group had kidnapped the tourists for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).

Under 30? A member of Globetrotters Club? Interested in a £1,000 travel award?

Know someone who is? We have £1,000 to award each year for five years for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested?

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

Last month we reported that both the French and British authorities had decided to retire Concorde. Now, Richard Branson, millionaire owner of Virgin Airlines, has stepped by saying that he could make Concorde profitable and more affordable. He said, “we believe it has as many as 25 years good flying in it. Concorde is a great ambassador to Britain and should be in the air, not broken up and sold.” Under Virgin, the planes would offer cheaper second-class seats while first class prices would increase.

Hello, I am making a new primetime UK ITV holiday series and am looking for various families who are passionate about going on a certain type of holiday to take part. I would really love to have a chat with any Globetrotters to see if you would be interested in taking part. I can be contacted on: mike.cotton@rdfmedia.com or: telephone me on: 0207 013 4574.

Simon, a single guy from the UK is looking for a travel companion to join him from May 2003 onwards in his travels across the US, over to New Zealand and to Fiji. Simon enjoys the usual things in life and is a keen scuba diver. If you would like to join Simon, please contact him direct on: DISNEYBOND@HOTMAIL.COM

Don, a recently renewed member of the Globetrotter’s Club is starting to research travel to Mexico. He is seeking general advice on suggested places to get off the beaten trail, visit with local people and historic sites. He would likely launch the trip from a popular locale (for best airfare rate) and venture away from there. Any suggestions of places/regions to start my research greatly appreciated. Also, anyone have info on renting a basic mid-size motorcycle in Mexico and touring the 'blue highways.' Don can be contacted on donelda@island.net

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

Science fiction writer Eric von Däniken was the inspiration behind the May 2003 opening of Mystery Park in Interläken, Switzerland. The attraction resembles a giant space station, the centrepiece of which is a 41-metre high, globe-like tower, housing the Eric von Däniken Foundation and offering views of the surrounding mountains. There are seven themed pavilions and a circular glass walkway that connects each structure. These take visitors on a tour of the unexplained, from the Pyramids of Giza to the Nazca lines in Peru to Stonehenge in the UK. For more info, visit: www.mysterypark.ch

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we apologise for the delay, but there is a security alert at Victoria Station, and we are stuck here for the foreseeable future, so let's take our minds off it and pass some time together. All together now…. Ten green bottles, hanging on a wall…..”

Swiss based global travel group, Kuoni has announced that it will stop operating in Burma from the end of the 2003. The move is said to be due to recent events in Asia and low public demand. The MD of Kuoni said “However, we very much look forward to returning to Burma once the British public demands it back, which we expect to happen as soon as democracy is restored in Burma.”

Kuoni was under pressure from UK activist groups including the Burma Campaign UK and Friends of the Earth, both of which – in conjunction with Burma’s democracy movement – are calling for a boycott of companies doing business with what they call “one of the most brutal military dictatorships in the world”.

Have you been to Burma? If so, the Beetle would love to hear from you.

Details: www.kuoni.com / www.burmacampaign.org.uk

Here’s a little Beetle quiz based on airport codes. How many did you get right! Go on, have a guess!

Which cities are served by airports with the following codes:

1. PHX
2. ATH
3. ZNZ
4. DPS
5. EZE

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

Johan from Belgium contacted the Beetle to say that he visits The Gambia on a regular basis. He says that it is true that the bumsters have gone – because of police and army presence, but readers should be warned that inland, in The Gambia, it can be quite dirty with rubbish piled up, mostly plastic bags. But even so, it offers sunshine for when the rest of Europe is cold and snowy.

Any more comments, anyone? E-mail to the Beetle

Muir’s Tours have opportunities for their volunteer teaching programme in Peru. This is proving to be very popular with Gap Year students. Please note it is open to all ages, but preference is given to those with a TEFL certificate or similar, or valid experience. For more info, please see Muir’s Tours

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal told of how the Hilton Hotel chain, all 21,000 of them have a new customer system called OnQ. This records all customer details and preferences of those who have stayed with them, including movies watched, what and how much you drank from the mini bar and any complaints made. You have been warned!

Italy is to be the first EU country to introduce mandatory screening of passengers arriving from countries affected by the SARS virus and including passengers who have first made stops in other places.

Any passenger showing symptoms of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which currently has killed over 500 people worldwide, will be quarantined.

Due to a computer crash, the Beetle has lost this month’s commentary on our friends Ryanair. We hope to return to our favourite love to hate subject of Ryanair next month, if there is anything news worthy to note.

Changi Airport in Singapore is using high technology to screen the foreheads of inbound passengers as they step off the plane. The infrared fever screening system has a thermal imaging thermometer that works like a camera. It takes a picture of each passenger and transfers the data to a computer screen. Blue dots indicate normal temperature and red fever. Anyone looks feverish is checked for SARS symptoms by a nurse.

Andrev, a student in the beautiful city of Wroclaw wrote in to tell us about his hometown. He says he would like to tell us about a few interesting things about his city and (hopefully) encourage someone to come here!! Let's begin with a Town Hall – one of the most beautiful late Gothic and Renaissances Buildings in Europe. It was started in 14th century with 15th century towers and is situated in the old Market Square a huge 120 square metres itself – just imagine. Another interesting place to see is St. John the Baptist's Cathedral. This was built on the site of the first wooden church and dates from 1000. The present Gothic cathedral was rebuilt between 1244 and 1376. Further development took place in 15th century and added the side chapels and the main portal. The last thing I would like to describe is Panorama of the battle Raclawice – one of a few preserved monuments of this kind in the world a huge 120m x 15m.

If you would like some more information about Wroclaw please contact Andrev on: and_f@wp.pl