Paul Whittle – Land of Gold and Green, a journey through Burma, aka Myanmar. Burma gained its independence in 1948 and since 1962 has been run by the military with an iron rule, the only threat to its continued dictatorship being Aung San Suu Kyi winning the 1990 election, but never being allowed to hold office. The country is 90% Buddhist. Paul showed us the capital Yangon, where the public buses are made from 60 year old truck chassis. From Yangon you can take the steamer up the Irrawaddy river to Mandalay with its Pagodas and Kyaiktiyo gold rock said to be precariously held in place by a hair from Gautama Buddha. Paul travelled around Burma using a hired steam locomotive, which would stop whenever a photo opportunity arose. Paul showed us the beauty of Inlay Lake, with its famous “Jumping Cat” Monastery and also the UNESCO listed Bagan with its 2200 temples.

Brazil Bunch – Tony Annis & five friends (three of the six being Globetrotters’ members) travel across to the western Brazilian state of Acre, in order to spend time with the Ashaninka people and sample life in their communities along the rivers & forests for Peru/Brazil border. Whilst not professional speakers or authors, these enthusiastic travellers showed us a range of adventures as they left the modern state behind and headed up river in a small convoy of powerful motorboats. Whilst not quite Bruce Parry in Amazon, they did get a chance to gain a unique insight into a way of life that is rapidly changing.

Polly Evans – “Mad dogs and an Englishwoman”. Polly travelled to Canada’s Yukon Territory to learn about the Huskies who take part in the 1000 mile Yukon Quest sled race. First Polly spent time with Frank, who invented the race and his son Saul who have 108 Huskies in training. She learned about the dogs, how they each have a personality and like to “live” with their friends and their rather gruesome looking horse meat in hot water diet! The race itself runs from Fairbanks in Alaska, via Dawson where the Mushers have a 36 hour rest, before continuing to the finish at Whitehorse. Each team set out with 14 dogs and are allowed no outside help, though they can drop off injured dogs at “Dog drops” and pick up supplies along the way, though they must finish the race with at least 8 dogs, which the fastest sleds manage in 10 days. During the race Polly watched, a bad storm occurred resulting in the Military having to use helicopters to rescue over 88 dogs and their Mushers. After the race Polly had a go at dog sledding, as she said you end up with lots of photos of dogs behinds!

More information at www.pollyevans.com

Our second speaker was John Mole whose talk was called “I was a potato Oligarch!”. When Russia changed into a free market economy John thought he saw a gap in the market between McDonalds and Pizza Hut, something quintessentially English, his own version of the now defunct “Spud-U-Like” chain to be called “Jackets Moscow”. After getting a grant he set off to try and find the best potatoes Russia could grow, visiting farms, looking at Spuds and learning Russian along the way. Alas John’s plan was thwarted by the Russian Mafia, where everyone from the Police, Fire Brigade, Local council all want paying off, the Russian mafia demanded 10% of his takings, which was the equivalent of 80% of his profit, so the whole thing was a no starter, but made for a great story.

More information at www.johnmole.com/oligarch

For details of the forth coming meetings of the London branch, December 2008 through to July 2009 – http://www.globetrotters.co.uk/meetings/lon09it1.html.

London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend. There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh in September. For more information, contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk.

For information on Ontario meetings, please contact Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.

Ontario meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.

Oh, I know – Greece. Hardly globetrotting, says you. But some of the best experiences can be had close to home, if you dig a little deeper. You can go to the other side of the world, coddled in the security of an international community, a set route, your preconceived notions… Or you can take a cheapo Easyjet flight to Rhodes, then an erratic ferry to a quirky little rock in the Med, and you can be surprised by another way of life.

Yesterday, Dimitris the chemistry teacher and I went snorkelling and I asked him about the best places to find octopus. He found one for me, dived down, lifted up the rock, grabbed the little creature and thrust it into my hands underwater. I was giggling so much that I swallowed a big gulp of seawater. Just bigger than a fist, light brown it was, the gentle suckers gripping my hands as it tried to decide if they were a comfortable place to be or not. It decided probably not, blasted black ink at us, and like a cartoon octopus it shot off and into the seaweed.

Tilos has a population of 300 – people that is; though there are probably more goats (the main traffic problem is that the goats like to sit in the middle of the road towards the end of the afternoon when it’s nice and warm). Ferries come here somewhat less than once a day, though we do get the occasional warship or submarine in the harbour, being so close to Turkey. Boosting the local population now as well as a few Brits there are Albanians, Romanians, Bulgarians and Ukrainians. The government offers tax incentives to Greeks to move back to islands with a population this low, and there’s now a primary and high school on the island. Children play on the beach in the afternoon and play football in the square at night, watched over by everyone.

I go snorkelling often in one of the tiny coves where you have to scramble down steep slopes covered in wild thyme and sage and oregano (in antiquity, the island’s herbs were well known for their healing powers) and flowers, since the dry season is only just starting. The rocks in the north-west are volcanic – purple bauxite and white pumice. My favourite fish is the fikopsari, ‘seaweed fish’, which looks to me more like a native spear with eyes, and changes colour in seconds. On the way back, I look out for the big lizard, the agama, scuttling away into the rocks.

My friend Vangelis remembers when the families moved down to Despoti Nero beach in the summer for its fresh water supply which drains into the sea, and they’d grow grapes and figs. Tilos still grows oranges, courgettes, potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, though the island is capable of growing much more. You can eat tiny sweet shrimp straight from the sea – or octopus, if you’re a good fisherman, like Dimitris. You can gather herbs and other edible plants from the wilderness of the island.

Four and a half thousand years ago, when civilisations on Crete and Santorini were thriving, Tilos had the last European elephants. They came from Africa 45,000 years ago, crossing the sea when it was shallower, and living on an island evolved into a dwarf species just one and a half metres tall. The bones of the last remaining forty elephants were found in Harkadio Cave, probably trapped during an eruption of the volcano on the next island, Nisyros. You can see a skeleton of mother and baby in the tiny museum in Megalo Horio.

The European Commission has helped to turn Tilos into a Special Protection Area for endangered and rare wildlife such as Bonelli’s Eagle and Eleonora’s Falcon; historically it’s been an important stopover for migrating birds such as Bee-eaters in spring and autumn, and is visited by monk seals and sea turtles. Vangelis says before the buildings in Livadia there was a wetland, and it was fantastic to watch all the birds landing here.

People do what they can to make ends meet here, since no business can be very busy. Some keep bees or collect grass for hay. Vangelis keeps goats (‘I go to kill two animals,’ he said, one day when he got an order) and makes charcoal in the winter when there are no visitors to be bothered by the smoke; he does the slow burning of the wood up on the mountain near a small chapel; in the summer, he’s adapted to the new way of life and sells bottles of water on Eristos beach. Meanwhile, Georgos, the waiter in Irina, the restaurant named after the island’s famous ancient poetess, works as a medic, going around to visit the old people who live on their own, taking their blood pressure. The husband of the lady who looks after the museum is a roaming barber on a motorcycle.

Things get busier in July and August. The festival of Saint Pandelimon (July 25-27) culminates in feasting and traditional dancing at the monastery on the desolate cliffs of Profitis Ilias, and there’s less traditional dancing till the early hours at a bar in an abandoned village, and hundreds of families from Italy and Greece camp for free on Eristos beach. But it’s hard to beat the months of eesikheea, tranquillity.

In some ways it’s a scrappy little island. There’s no recycling, and cars and tractors get abandoned wherever they stop working. Oil gets onto the beach from passing tankers, and stray cats leap out of rubbish bins leaving plastic bags and bottles in their wake. Plastic washes up onto the beaches, and there are always goat droppings. Roads get bulldozed in whenever someone wants to build a house, and the rule on building no more than two stories high has been bypassed. Meanwhile the new museum near Harkadio Cave has been half-built for three years now, and its shiny marble floor is covered with goat droppings. Everything, here, is for the goats.

If you want pretty perfection, go to Symi or Halki. But if you want the freedom of a wild, ancient rock with a mysterious past and a slow and simple present, Tilos inspires. I love the fact that there are sheep in the fields on the edge of the beach. That’s how it should be.

To find out more about Jennifer and her travels see

Jennifer Barclay once lived in Greece for a year, teaching English in Athens and cleaning hotel rooms in Santorini, and has visited regularly ever since. Her first book is Meeting Mr Kim: Or How I Went to Korea and Learned to Love Kimchi (Summersdale, 2008).

CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette…

CultureShock! is an essential range of guides for those travellers looking to truly understand the countries they are visiting, as well as for expatriates settling into a new assignment in a foreign land. Covering over 80 countries and cities each title explains the customs, traditions, social and business etiquette in a lively and informative style. The books have a friendly and honest writing style and are full of personal experiences, practical advice and useful information.

CultureShock! authors, all of whom have experienced the joys and pitfalls of cultural adaptation, are ideally placed to provide warm and informative advice to those who seek to integrate seamlessly into diverse cultures. Now a TV series! Taking the iconic series into the next level, CultureShock! is now a TV series programme airing on Channel News Asia (CNA).

Here’s some tips on customs and etiquette from CultureShock!:

CultureShock! Thailand provides a valuable crash course on the who’s who, and the what’s and how’s of the country, guiding readers through a wide range of topics for day-to-day living including how to interact with the local people and fit into Thai society. Full of humour and practical tips, a must-read for those intending to stay for any length of time in the Land of Smiles.

Do’s

• Do use a person’s first name, not the family name. Adults should be addressed as Khun unless a title is used.
• Do learn when, who and how to wai ( the Thai greeting which consists of a slight bow, with palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion)
• Do treat royalty with the greatest respect. Do stand up when images of the king or royal family appear on the cinema screen.

Don’ts

• Don’t point your feet at anybody. Don’t step over anybody or anybody’s food
• Don’t touch hair and heads. If you do so by accident, excuse yourself.
• Don’t be surprised if your laundry is done by a man and he refuses to wash a woman’s underclothes.

CultureShock! United Arab Emirates orientates you into a country that is moving forward at a breathtaking pace unlike any other. The thriving economy attracts a large and diverse expatriate workforce, while luxurious hotels, spectacular skyscrapers and top-class shopping places continue to draw tourists from all corners of the globe. Beneath this cosmopolitan surface though is a culture deeply rooted in Arabic tradition and tribal values that continue to exist till this day.

Do’s

• Respect the local laws, culture and Muslim sensibilities of the UAE
• Shake hands with a person of the same gender as you. Men should allow an Emirati or Arab woman to decide if she will shake hands. Western women should err on the side of caution and not extend a hand to an Emirati man unless he extends his hand first.
• In business, schedule your appointments for the morning if possible and always carry business cards with English on one and Arabic on the other side of the card.

Don’ts

• Don’t wear a veil or the traditional dress if you are a non-Muslim woman
• Don’t discuss your humble origins; you will only embarrass yourself. Don’t boast of your achievements either. Fortune and unearned wealth are more greatly admired. Wait for them to ask.
• Don’t conduct business on Friday

CultureShock! Czech Republic allows readers to discover the rich history behind the country, from the Hapsburg era to the effect of Communism. Gain an insight into the local characteristics from the Czech love of nature to their musical inclination to their magical folklore.

Do’s

• Be modest. Czechs appreciate modesty and humility in a person. Arrogance, aggression and ostentation are frowned upon. Observe and recognise behavioural patterns, and try to align with them as much as possible.
• Try to recognise Czech sarcasm and dry humour. Czechs are good at making jokes out of virtually any situation. Try not to take yourself too seriously, and don’t take commentary too personally.
• Always toast your friends before taking the first swallow of the evening, and always look into your companion’s eyes when doing so. This is part of the ritual of drinking.

Don’ts

• When in somebody’s home, don’t talk too much about business and politics. Social situations are to be reserved for social matters, and there is a strong divide between work and play in the Czech Republic.
• Don’t be picky when in a pub or restaurant. Special requests are rare, so don’t, for example try to order a vegetarian version of a fish dish.
• In any business or social situation, don’t try to impose your cultural values or business principles upon your Czech friends or business associates. Instead, observe and demonstrate humility, but without pandering or flattery.

CultureShock! Beijing offers an insight into life within the Chinese capital. Home to more than 100,000 foreigners, it is no surprise that the city has been spawning modern buildings to accommodate the increasing economic activity. Ironically, many Beijingers still do not have running water in their homes and most of them are not able to afford the imported goods on sale at the new shopping malls. Nevertheless, the people of Beijing boast a rich culture which has been preserved through a long line of dynasties.

Do’s

• Do make an effort to learn and practise speaking Mandarin. You can improve only if you try.
• Do remember the concept of “face”. Learn how to give others face
• Do prepare business cards in simplified Chinese characters and keep plenty of them with you at all times.

Don’ts

• Don’t make fun of or criticise Chinese people and their customs
• Don’t wear clothing that is overly garish or revealing

Don’t drink tap water, eat uncooked vegetables or take other unnecessary health risks.

Hello all,

Well IÂ’m back from South America after a number of adventures that seemed to be crammed into three very small weeks ! Hopefully at a later date I will get to you more about the experiences we enjoyed and the friendliness that seemed ever present in both Argentina & Chile. In the meantime I have memories of fantastic mountains, wide open horizons, friendly people and great food to savour as I attempt to return to London life.

Whilst IÂ’ve been away the club, its members and the eNewsletterÂ’s many readers have been very busy:-

· we’ve had two monthly meetings at the London branch where four very strong & very different speakers entertained busy crowds

· Dan Bachmann has set up a Globetrotters Club members’ only group at www.flickr.com and is looking to launch a little friendly photographic competition. Get in touch if you would like more details !!

· Gavin Fernandes has had his entry judged at Wanderlust Photo of the year 2008 competition at the Destination Shows 2009 in London & Birmingham and made the short list on the Wildlife Section

· Charles Egan has launched his first novel on the reading world – The Killing Snows is set against the backdrop of the Irish famine in the 1840s. If you are interested in reviewing a copy & having your feedback published, feel free to get in touch with me ?

ThatÂ’s all for nowÂ…enjoy the start of spring and any Easter break you maybe planning,

The Ant

theant@globetrotters.co.uk

AMAR GROVER – A Journey Through Southern Morocco

The first speaker of FebruaryÂ’s meeting was Amar Grover. Amar is a London-based travel writer and photographer. He first took us across the High Atlas mountains south of Marrakech, reminding us that even in the late 19^th century Morocco was said to be as unknown as Tibet. At this time, some of the High Atlas passes were controlled by the Glaoui clan, one of whom was eventually appointed Pasha of Marrakech. At independence in 1956, the despised Glaoui family lost all power but their crumbling kasbah, or palace, at Telouet remains open to the public. Sadly, it is gradually decaying, so go soon! We then travelled down via the GlaouiÂ’s ancient salt mines and through the Ounila Valley to Tamdacht village whose Glaoui kasbah is still occupied by former staff (slaves) of the Glaoui. The Ounila Valley is a two-day walk or a dayÂ’s 4WD drive mostly along riverside ledges with wonderful views of the bare mountains, several villages and their lush oases of almond and olive trees. The UNESCO-listed kasbahs of Ait Benhaddou Â- a popular film location (think Gladiator, Jesus of Nazareth) Â- was the next stop before we cut across into the Anti-Atlas range towards Tafraoute to see some of its Berber fortress granaries honeycombed with courtyards and small chambers. Traditionally they provided individual storage facilities for families to guard against famine, and even provided refuge in times of strife. Few remain intact, and the best-preserved are still locked and looked after by a guardian. However, donÂ’t let that put you off – for a small fee, you can often enter these fascinating structures.

For more information and to view some of AmarÂ’s stunning photographs visit his website at www.pictographical.co.uk. The forthcoming edition of Travel Africa Magazine (www.travelafricamag.com) will contain a feature by Amar on the Glaoui.

PETER OVERTON Biosearch Expeditions to Malawi

Our second speaker was Peter Overton. Peter described his experiences of camping and trekking on the steep escarpments and high plateau of the Nyika National Park. The park extends over 3134 km2 and is part of MalawiÂ’s largest and most remote National Park. It is an area that is so inaccessible it is void of all tourists, so you really can get away fro it all! Peter is the Project Director Biosearch Expeditions. He first explored this region in 1972 as part of the Wye College Nyika expedition and loved it so much that he wanted to find a way to go back there each year and, at the same time, to support this special region. He has now organised 14 Biosearch Expeditions to the Nyika National Park where he takes groups of volunteers to live in this wilderness for a month at a time. The research directly assists the Parks Authority with their wildlife surveys, biodiversity research and protection of the game.

The terrain is varied with low lying wet season marshland at around 1000 m to over 2600m at the highest point. Guest trek and track wildlife with the support of game scouts; learning and sharing their skills. Everyone gets expedition training prior to departure and you become Â’part of the familyÂ’ when you return. This involves Peter opening up his farm in Lincolnshire once or twice a year for reunions, speaker events and camping weekends. Globetrotters may like to get a flavour for the expeditions by joining the next training weekend on 2^nd-4^th May in preparation for this yearÂ’s expedition, starting on 26^th July. Please get in touch with him if you are interested – http://www.biosearch.org.uk/index.htm

With Tracey Murray at the lectern we had two excellent speakers to entertain London on a sunny, spring afternoon:-

First up was the returning Jonathan Kaplan who spoke about his Travels in Eritrea, through an adventure entitled “A wedding and two wars on the Red Sea. “.

The second speaker was Peter Gostelow who spoke about his Long Bike Ride Home. In the summer of 2005 Peter left Japan, where heÂ’d been teaching English for two years, and began travelling home, by bicycle. This solo and unsupported journey lasted 3 years and took him through 30 countries, covering a total distance of over 30,000 miles. For more information see his trip journal at www.gostelow.crazyguyonabike.com or his web site at http://www.petergostelow.com.

For details of the forth coming meetings of the London branch, December 2008 through to July 2009 – http://www.globetrotters.co.uk/meetings/lon09it1.html.

London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend. There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh in September. For more information, contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk.

For information on Ontario meetings, please contact Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.

Ontario meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.

Super knowledgeable GT member Tracey highlights some of the rule changes for entry to the USA, that have been put in place in 2009. Remember this is a summary and you should always remember to verify any visa requirements before travelling.

On Monday 12th January 2009 it became compulsory for travellers who qualify to enter the USA visa free under the Visa Waiver Program to register on ESTA and complete the ESTA [electronic system for travel authorisation] form at least 72 hours prior departure to the U.S.

For further information see – http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/esta.html

What is ESTA ?

ESTA is a new, fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA replaces the current system of travellers filling out an I-94W form during their flight (or ship voyage) to the U.S and collects the same information.

ESTA authorization is not a guarantee of entry into the United States; it means that the traveller is allowed to board a plane or ship travelling to the U.S. without a visa. Once you arrive in the U.S, then Customs and Border Protection officers will determine entry.

How do I apply ?

At least 72 hours prior to departure to the U.S, travellers must access the ESTA website at: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Use of the site is free; and it is available in 16 languages, although all application responses must be in English.

When do I need to apply ?

VISA Waiver Program travellers are encouraged to apply for authorisation as soon as they begin to plan a trip to the U.S. The latest you can apply is 72 hours before departure.

Once I have submitted the ESTA form, what will happen ?

Once the application has been successfully submitted via the ESTA website, then in most cases the application status will be returned immediately. You should expect to see 1 of 3 responses;

1. Authorization Approved = Travel is authorized

2. Travel Not Authorized = Traveller will be referred to www.travel.state.gov for information on how to apply for a visa to travel to the U.S.

3. Authorization Pending = A final response will be issued within 72 hours; the traveller must check back on the ESTA website.

Do I need to complete the ESTA form on a per trip basis ?

Once approved, authorisation can be used for multiple entries into the U.S. However, if the traveller’s name, gender, citizenship or answers to the questions “yes” or “no” change; a new application must be submitted.

Applicants can update their destination addresses or itineraries should they change after their ESTA has been approved, although this is not required

The ESTA authorisation is generally valid for 2 years or until your passport has expired, whichever comes first.

As a summary, it generally affects people who are nationals of the below 34 countries:-

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom

Regular contributor Mac this time interviews the Beetle via an email loaded with interesting travel questions. What do you think – are the Q&A something we should see more of in future editions of the eNewsletter ?

The Ant

Who am I ?

A Chartered Accountant, or CPA in American terms. I used to have my own consultancy business specialising in strategy, business turnaround and performance improvement. I’ve been lucky enough to live and work all around the world – earn money then spend it by travelling. I am now a cheese maker in the North Yorkshire Dales trying very hard to turn around my uncle’s business and make mostly goat’s cheese.

1. What countries did you visit and what time frame ?

About 100 over around a 20 year timeframe. Since Nov 2006, with the exception of Cuba I haven’t been anywhere because of my cheese business and any spare funds are going in to doing my house up which is a statement to the 1970s!

2. Which countries were you the most glad you saw ?

Papua New Guinea, Burma, Bali, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Bosnia, Tonga and I love Miami where I lived for a year 1999 – 2000. Borneo, though it comprises three countries, I lived in Brunei and was lucky to have time to travel around and do some fabulous diving. The north of Pakistan was a real eye opener, so beautiful, incredibly friendly people, I’d like to go back.

3. Which sights did you enjoy seeing most ?

So difficult to answer, there have been many. The walk from Grand Baie to Pereybere in Mauritius. The scenery of Camiguin, Philippines; the coral reefs around Papua new Guinea. South America is my favourite continent ever, I took 9 months out and backpacked around by myself, and had just the best experience ever. The temples of Bagan in Burma and travelling around Burma generally. I love Bangkok having lived there a short while, a great city to live in. I like the main square in Marrakech, always so vibrant and full of life and wonders. The Khyber Pass because it was a hell of an experience getting there.

4. Which waterfall did you enjoy most ?

In Venezuela, lots of little ones. The Angel Falls in Brazil/Argentina, though were disappointing. There are some lovely ones in the Kakadu Nat Park and around St Katherine’s Gorge.

5. Which country was the most different than your preconceived idea ?

Brunei – a mixture of opulence and third world. Burma made beautiful by the people. The Hawaiian Islands with the exception of Molokai and Kauaii were so commercialised and expensive. But Bora Bora was the biggest disappointment – a huge rubbish tip in the middle, in fact I would not give Tahiti a second thought now that I have been there, Papete the capital is not so nice either.

6. Which game parks did you like most ?

Berenty in Madagascar – a national park not game park. For game park, then without doubt, the Massai Mara in Kenya.

7. Which countries would you like to revisit ?

New Caledonia though a department of France. The north of Pakistan, it is so beautiful. Madagascar. I’d love to go back to Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Vanuatu to dive again, fantastic and if we are talking about diving, then definitely Papua New Guinea again for diving.

8 In which country were the people the most friendly ?

Burma and Bali without a doubt and New Zealand too.

9 Which least friendly and helpful ?

China, Hawaiian Islands, India

10 Which country would you not particularly like to revisit ?

China and India

11 Which country the easiest to visit ?

Most are pretty easy

12 Which countries the best bargains and cheapest ?

US, Bangkok, Singapore

13 Which airlines did you like the best and which the least ?

Not keen on any but would avoid any American based airlines if I could.

14 What travel items you took with you used the most and were most glad you took ?

Lonely Planet and a laptop

15 Which travel guide books did you take and which did you like best ?

Lonely Planet, don’t like Rough Guides

16 Were you ever uneasy on your trip ?

Yes, in Zanzibar, also held up at machete point twice in Mozambique. The capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo can be scary and Port Moresby is horrendous. I lived in Karachi for a year and I got used to it but would not recommend it. Felt uneasy in Kandy too. I didn’t like parts of Lima but otherwise, did not have one bad experience of south America at all, perhaps I was lucky. I would never return to Zambia, nothing but bad memories and experiences.

17 Were you ever sick on trip ?.

The last time was in Syria and Jordan where I picked up amoebic dysentery. Not a great experience, but it was a good 15 years ago. Oh, suffered horribly from altitude sickness in La Paz and in the Colca Canyon.

18 What were the prettiest places ?

So hard to say

19 What country would you like to visit, if possible ?

Namibia, Iceland, Libya and Colombia

20 What was your last trip ?

Cuba

21 What will be your next trip ?

Nothing on the horizon, working hard with the business, this is an important year to us, a bit of a make or break year so limited time and funds. Maybe a long weekend in Lisbon as my father lives there, for his 71st birthday.