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
Varig Brazil Air Pass
The pass is available to Brazilians and non Brazilians living outside Brazil when you buy an international ticket. It costs the same amount no matter what time of year you travel. It is valid for 21 days starting on the day of the first flight and can be used for flights in up to 9 cities throughout Brazil. Packages vary from US $530 to US $930.
Travel Tips
Compression bags are amazing things. They can compress bulky items such as sleeping bags and fleeces into small and manageable packages. So take that fleece with you for cooler evenings but compress it!
Got any travel tips for the Beetle? Then e-mail them to: the Beetle!
Fave Websites of the Month
Gives you stacks of info on countries, cities, weather, airports – most things you’d like to find out about a country.
Globetrotter Travel Award to the under 30s!
Under 30? Been a member of the Globetrotters Club for 2 years – or want to take out a 3 year subscription? 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? We have just made the first award to Mike Dodd, a 22 year old mechanical engineering student at Warwick University, to help him with his trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Seeour 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!!
Free London Museums: The Museum of London
Last year, the British government announced that it would drop the entrance fee to many of the larger museums in London.
The Beetle’s favourite London museum is funnily enough called the Museum of London. It is about 15 minutes walk from St Paul’s Cathedral and the closest tube is the Barbican.
You could combine a visit starting at the Barbican, visit an art exhibition, grab a bite to eat or a coffee or wander around the Barbican complex, which is interesting in itself. Then walk down Aldersgate (about 5 minutes) towards St Paul’s to the large roundabout road where the Museum of London is situated.
It’s a great museum which looks at the early Roman remains in London, all through the ages to the modern skyline of the City. And it’s free!
Weekends are the busiest time since the admission fee has been scrapped, so try and visit during the week, if you can. Take a look atMuseum of London or tel: 020 7600 3699
Iceberg in Antartica
Did you know that icebergs are given names, and that these names relate to the section of Antartica where they are first sited?
US scientists recently reported that an iceberg more over nine times the size of Singapore had broken off Antarctica. It is over 64 kilometers (40 miles) wide and 85 kilometers (53 miles) long, and covers an area of about 5,500 square kilometers.
The National Ice Center said the berg, named B-22, broke free from an ice tongue in the Amundson Sea, an area of Antarctica south of the Pacific Ocean.
The B designation covers the Amundson and eastern Ross seas and the 22 indicates it is the 22nd iceberg sighted there by the US National Ice Center.
The iceberg broke off as a result of climate warming. One UK glaciologist at the Bas in Cambridge said “[It is hard] to believe that 500 million billion tons of ice sheet has disintegrated in less than a month.”
Five Things You Didn't Know About Tourism
1. According to the UN, 13-19 million children are working in the tourism sector all over the world. More than 1 million are forced into tourism’s sex industry.
2. 5,200 people were given 12 days’ notice and then forcibly removed from their homes in Pagan, Burma to make way for a tourism development. The military junta said they were an eyesore to tourists.
3. Spain’s 12 million visitors a year leave behind 100,000 tonnes of rubbish.
4. In destinations with beautiful beaches, especially the Caribbean, local people are often barred from beaches by hotel security and prevented from carrying on their livelihoods, such as fishing.
5. The UN calculates that a tourist uses as much water in 24 hours as a Third World villager would use to produce rice in 100 days.
Tourism Concern is a charity that works to ensure that local communities get a fair deal. Seetourismconcern.org.uk
Kenyan Proverb
“The Earth was not give to us by our parents, it was lent to us by our children.”
Tibetan Women's Uprising
If you were in London on March 12th, you may have joined the Tibet Vigil for prayers and speeches from 5pm to 7pm opposite the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place.
This special vigil was in memory of 3,000 women who met in Lhasa in 1959 and the many thousands of women including nuns who are still suffering or in prison for declaring that Tibet should be free and refusing to denounce the Dalai Lama.
There are regular weekly meetings in London to protest on behalf of Tibetans. For details, call +44 (0) 208 771 1822 ore-mail or see the web site:www.tibet-vigil.org.uk
Not to be Seen Dead In?
Madagascar travel advice by the FCO: we advise against all holiday and other non-essential travel to Madagascar for the time being. The demonstrations and strike, which followed the presidential elections on 16 December 2001, have stopped.
However, there are still outbreaks of violence around the country. Martial law was declared in Antananarivo on 28 February, and a curfew was imposed from 2100-0500.
Curfews have also been imposed in other cities around the country. Barricades are still in place at points around the capital and those situated on the main roads linking Antananarivo to the provinces have been strengthened. This has made road travel around the country dangerous and difficult.
Air Madagascar is not offering flights to Europe and Asia at the moment. Air France is providing one flight per week. Flights to and from South Africa are severely disrupted. Flights around the country are also subject to disruption. There is no aviation fuel for commercial use at Ivato, the main airport in the capital.
There have been cases of armed robbery in some National Parks. All independent travellers intending to visit National Parks should seek advice from a tour operator, or from the park administration.
There has been an increase in the number of travellers being pick-pocketed at the airport. Visitors should exercise caution on arrival and departure and should not leave bags unattended. Keep money and passports separate.
There is a danger of mugging in urban areas. Do not carry excessive money or wear prominent jewellery. Take sensible precautions in crowded areas such as markets. It is wise to avoid walking at night in city centres. Visitors are advised to carry a copy of their passport and to keep the original safe (e.g. a hotel deposit box).
Avoid travelling outside urban areas at night, if at all possible.
Visitors are advised not to wear military style clothing. It is disapproved of locally and could lead to detention.
Medical supplies are becoming increasingly scarce in Antananarivo and around the country. The shortage of medical supplies together with lack of fuel is limiting the medical evacuation services available.
Book Review
Review of Lonely Planet book:
Buddhist Stupas in Asia – the shape of perfection by Padmassana
This hardback pictorial book explains the origins of Stupas, the living embodiment of Buddhist teachings.
Its 170 pages contain beautiful colour photographs of the many types of Stupa found in Asia. From the bell shaped ones in India and Sri Lanka, to the Chortens of Nepal and Tibet to the Pagoda styles of China and Japan.
At £24.99 ( $34.99) it is not cheap, but to anyone with an interest in these wonderful structures it is a must have on the bookshelf.
Buddha"s Finger in Taiwan
Tens of thousands of Buddhists have turned out in Taiwan to welcome what is purported to be a finger of Buddha (who died 2,000 years ago) on its arrival for a month-long stay on the island. The relic, housed in a jewelled casket, was flown in to Taipei from China, where it is normally on display at a temple in Xian. It was then driven amid tight security through chanting crowds to be displayed at a stadium in the Taiwanese capital.
Several other relics believed to be parts of his body – including a number of teeth – are preserved in various monasteries in Asia. Buddhists waving yellow flags lined the streets to welcome the finger. Later, thousands attended a ceremony at a Taipei stadium where the finger was placed on an orchid-decorated platform for worship.
“Looking at the bone is like seeing the Buddha himself,” Chinese monk I Kong said. “We hope Buddha”s finger could inspire friendly love and peace across the Taiwan Strait,” he said. Taiwan and China separated amid civil war in 1949. In recent years, many Taiwanese have visited Chinese temples to worship and to view their rich collections of Buddhist scriptures and relics.
Readers comments: best airport nominations – from the Travelling Stoat
Changi, Singapore: large, efficient, clean (good duty free) and looks great, what with the orchids and the waterfalls inside the airport
Aruba: clean, quiet and uncrowded
Denver: looks nice but crap shops
Landing strip at Kavak, Venezuela: a charming field – minimal environmental impact!
Heathrow: good shops for last minute forgotten item purchasing, can fly almost anywhere from it – downside it is horrible to get to and from, especially for early morning flights
The Stoat’s worst airports include:
Dar es Salaam – dirty, not many shops, expensive, sells 6 month old copies of the Economist
Local airport at Honiara: fly ridden, filthy and decidedly dodgy
Local airport at Vanuatu: same as Honiara
Write in and tell us your best airport nominations!Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
More Funny Signs
In a Nairobi restaurant: CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER.
On the grounds of a private school: NO TRESPASSING WITHOUT PERMISSION.
On an Athi River highway: TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.
On a poster at Kencom: ARE YOU AN ADULT THAT CANNOT READ? IF SO,WE CAN HELP.
Write in and tell us your funny sign! Drop a line to the Beetle!Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
London Underground Travel – the low down
This is not for the faint hearted: if you are a regular traveller on the London Underground, here are some facts that you are going to wish you hadn”t read.
During Autumn of 2000, a team of scientists at the Department of Forensics at University College London removed a row of passenger seats from a Central Line tube carriage for analysis into cleanliness. Despite London Underground”s claim that the interior of their trains are cleaned on a regular basis, the scientists made some alarming discoveries.
The analysis was broken down. This is what was found on the surface of the seats: 4 types of hair sample (human, mouse, rat, dog) 7 types of insect mostly fleas, mostly alive) vomit originating from at least 9 separate people human urine originating from at least 4 separate people human excrement rodent excrement human semen
When the seats were taken apart, they found: the remains of 6 mice the remains of 2 large rats 1 previously unheard of fungus It is estimated that by holding one of the armrests, you are transferring, to your body, the natural oils and sweat from as many as 400 different people. It is estimated that it is generally healthier to smoke five cigarettes a day than to travel for one hour a day on the London Underground.
It is far more hygienic to wipe your hand on the inside of a recently flushed toilet bowl before eating, than to wipe your hand on a London Underground seat before eating. It is estimated that, within London, more work sick-days are taken because of bugs picked up whilst travelling on the London Underground than for any other reason (including alcohol).
Van Exchanges Are Better Than House Trades
Says Peter from California who wrote in to tell us about how he and his partner, Leslie, traded vans and reaped the benefits of cheap travel. “And we”d love to do it again! We put a letter to the Editor in a caravan-owner”s magazine in England, saying we wanted to trade our California van for theirs.
Four weeks before our 2-month trip, a nice gent from Norwich called to say he”d consider it. After we traded references and information about our vans and how they were outfitted, he welcomed us. We spent a heavenly holiday travelling Britain, and then he and his wife came to use our van to visit the great parks of the American west!
We saved thousands of dollars/pounds. Van trades are better than house trades, because transportation is included and you”re not locked in at one location! Campgrounds are very inexpensive and have nice showers and laundry facilities.
We will soon have a new advertisement appearing in the Caravan Club Magazine–we”d love to visit France for 2 months! Insurance is not a problem, as each borrower gets their own to cover liability and collision.
In fact, if any of you fellow Globetrotters out there has a VW or other van (fancy factory-outfitted vans are not necessary–we can sleep in a bare tradesman”s van just fine), we”d love to trade with you.
Give me a call or an email: Peter Reimuller, Box 4, Point Arena, California, 95468; phone 1-(707)-882-2001; reimuller@mcn.org. And pack your bag–you”re going to be in some wonderful places!
Sorry–April not available as we are taking our van to Indian Country to visit the red-rock mesas and desert wildflowers.”
A Cautionary Tale
Easter would not be Easter without a quick diving trip. Last year the Beetle went to the Red Sea on a live aboard, and this year, the Beetle was at a loss to work out where to go. A Muslim country seemed like a good idea because there would be fewer tourists going home to celebrate Easter, but it had to be somewhere with good diving.
Oman came to mind as being an unusual destination with hopefully some good diving opportunities. The Beetle contacted Trailfinders in the City, in London, to enquire about availability, cost and timings of flights to Oman. It seemed that there was quite a bit of availability, and the price was not too bad, considering it was Easter. The next step was to find a dive operation and a hotel.
A quick trawl on the net found a promising looking dive school that also had accommodation, so the Beetle went back to Trailfinders to say that she’d already be told of an Alitalia flight and read out the day and time. The puzzled operative said, no, there are no Alitalia flights going to Oman and quite honestly, it is all looking very busy, I can’t see the flight you are referring to and I’m not sure we can get you there now.
The Beetle has been using Trailfinders for over 10 years and thought this a little odd. Hang on a minute, just let me check something, the operative said. He came back triumphant. Yes, we’ve got you going on a flight to Amman, in Jordan! If the Beetle had booked the first time on enquiring, she would have ended up in Amman and not Oman – a very sobering thought!
The moral of the story is: no matter how experienced you think your travel agent is, they are not mind readers, always state the name of the country, even if you think it is obvious, like Paris, Texas, or Paris France, others may not know!
BBC ONE’s Holiday Swaps Is Back!
Imagine swapping your normal holiday for a surprise trip that could take you anywhere in the world doing almost anything.
Holiday Swaps offers you the chance to make this year’s holiday an unforgettable experience.
Are you a UK based group of friends or a family planning an adventurous holiday this year? Holiday Swaps are especially looking for you if you are planning a safari, trekking or conservation holiday.
If you have a good sense of humour, enjoy a challenge and would be prepared to give up your planned holiday for something completely different, then we’d like to hear from you.
Email: holiday.swaps@bbc.co.uk
Tel: (+44) 0117 974 7840 (24 hrs)
Address: Holiday Swaps, PO Box 791, Bristol, BS99 1DD, United Kingdom.
An Itinerary for South Korea by Kevin, from London
Day 1. Depart Europe via Frankfurt, Lufthansa flights are cheapest, then overnight flight to Seoul.
Day 2. Land around noon at Incheon Airport. Take the Airport limousine bus into downtown Seoul, about 90 mins. After checking in to your chosen accommodation, Yeogwans are good value simple accommodation go for a walk to help ward off the inevitable jetlag.
Day 3. To get a first impression of Seoul you can take a city tourist bus that goes around the city, stopping atthe major sights and areas. A day pass costs 5000 Won ( US$ 6 ). In the afternoon go to Namsen Park and ascend the Seoul tower for a birds-eye view of the city and to help get your bearings.
If you are not too tired in the evening go to Itaewan district, for the nightclubs, bars and markets.
Day 4.Today you could start the day with a pleasure boat ride up the Hangang river that bisects Seoul, then spend the afternoon exploring the Gyeongbokgung Palace. The Palace is made up of dozens of buildings and museums. If the weather is unkind Seoul has many museums including a Rail Museum, a Folk Museum and even a Currency museum, hope to see the Euro in there soon!
Day 5. A day to escape the city, especially if it’s a Tuesday when a lot of the museums and public buildings are closed. Take an organised trip 60 Km north to Panmunjon on the DMZ, Demilitarised Zone. This is an area where the cold war continues. UN soldiers guard this border between the two Korea’s. You cannot go to this area except in an organised group, and you have to sign a disclaimer in case you get shot! The tour takes in the Freedom bridge and third Tunnel. You visit camp Boniface and are on the borderline between the two countries. An exciting and different side trip.
Day 6. Time to leave Seoul. Take a bus from the Seoul Express Bus station and head south for four hours to Gyeongju in the Southeast. Gyeongju is an historic city containing the best-preserved relics from the Silla dynasty. This afternoon visit the Stone Silla Cheomseongdae observatory, one of the world’s oldest and Anapji pond in town or take a taxi and visit the standing stone buddhas, or the Abalone shaped watercourse south of town.
Day 7. Today take the 40 minute bus ride to Bulguksa temple that lies east of Gyeongju at the foot of Mount Tohamsen. It is one of South Korea’s premier tourist attractions, so get there early to avoid the heat and the crowds. It is listed as a world heritage sight and is Korea’s oldest Buddhist temple, the complex is made up of over 60 buildings. Contained within are numerous treasures from the Silla era.
Day 8. Another short trip today, as we take the bus to Gimhe airport in Busan ( Aka Pusan). The flight to Chejudo Island will take only 50 minutes ( US$ 50). You can alternatively take a ferry from Busan to Cheju that takes 11 hours overnight, often through rough seas. The difference in cost amounts to only a few dollars so the flight is preferable. Mid afternoon arrival in Jeju. Take a walk to the Mysteriously shaped Dragon Head rock on the edge of town, or go to the Moksukwon road and see the optical illusion of cars rolling uphill.
Day 9. Take the bus to the Manjang cave area on the east of the island and explore the world’s longest volcanic lava tubes. Take the bus to Songsun Peak, so called Sun rise peak. If you want to be there as the sun rises, then you need to spend the previous evening in the nearby village. Walk along the beach and if you are lucky you may come across the “Sea women”. These ladies dive for pearls without the use of air tanks and are able to hold their breath for two minutes.
Day 10 Early bus to Sankumburi crater, famed for it’s diverse flora. Then head south to Sogwipo city, the islands second city, and a venue for this years football World cup. To the west of the city take in Yakcheonsa Temple, which is made completely of wood, then stroll the 400m to the Jusanjolli rock formations.
Day 11 Depending on time and tides take the ferry to Mokpo on the mainland, this trip takes 5 hours. It may be preferable to fly. You may have to spend the night at Mokpo if the ferry is late.
Day 12 Train or bus to Jeonju, a popular town with temples and pagodas in parks to the east of the city, including the so-called Two Horse head Mountain, that has a picturesque Temple at the foot of the mountain.
Day 13. Train or bus back north to Seoul. Arrive early afternoon. Last chance for souvenir shopping and wandering.
Day 14. Morning at leisure before transferring to Incheon airport for the flight back to Europe. With the nine hour time difference, you land the same day, but your body may not agree!
If you would like to contact Kevin, please e-mail him on: Kbrackley@yahoo.com