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In a forest. In a bee suit. In the middle of Tanzania. 100 miles away from Mikindani. With Tony Herbert’s reputation. Most contrapuntal by anyone’s standards but after spending five days with our beekeeping mentor we knew better than to be surprised by such a situation. Our quest to obtain two stocks of bees had started on Tony’s arrival on the Saturday but this particular episode had begun at 5am that very morning.

The objective of our trip to Masasi, a settlement known for its history of beekeeping, was to purchase two hives and colonies of bees to get the apiary up and flying. With six of us packed tightly into the Land Rover we set off West with the sun on our backs basking in the ever more magnificent African sunrise. After breakfast at Mnazi Mmoja (literally translates as “coconut one” but why, no one seems to know) we reached the Regional Resources Office in Masasi at about half past ten following another particularly bruising journey on the roads of Tanzania. After being promised a meeting with the regional beekeeping liaison you can imagine our surprise to find out he had left the office not more than half an hour prior to our arrival. Needless to say, his phone was either turned off or more likely, out of signal. Had our quest for the holy pair of hives been scuppered by the absence of one man?!

Despite this set back, we were offered a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel by a man named Rodney, the temporary liaison for Natural Sciences in the Masasi district. He knew of a small village called Lipupu, around 50 miles beyond Masasi that was notorious for its beekeeping activities. It was a long shot but with Tony on board we knew that anything was possible and so the decision was made to press on.

Sure enough, faith has its rewards. We found it without any problems and were pointed straight towards the village beekeeper’s house, signified by the array of unused bee hives and interesting looking logs suspended outside his house. One problem… occupant was nowhere to be seen. We were ushered in to the woods by a group of locals keen to show us the hives kept by the owner of the intriguing house and were promised that he was not too far away and that he only left about half an hour ago. Despite being sure that we had heard those words before that day we set off in to the middle of nowhere to investigate the bees that we had been promised. We could not believe our luck when the owner of the hives appeared from within the bush and after many furrowed brows, tense looks and careful negotiation we purchased our two colonies of Apis Mellifera Scutellata, the African honey bee, to be complemented by a further two log hives worth of sting less bees. After all the setbacks of the day we felt we has earned our luck in finding this beecon (sic.) of beekeeping in an otherwise uninhabited part of Tanzania. So, as we set of widdershins, driving in to the rain, spirits were through the roof. The smile on Tony’s face produced by this accomplishment never disappeared for the rest his stay and it really was the culmination of a tiring but wonderfully productive and enjoyable week. For this we will be eternally grateful for the hard work and never ending enthusiasm of one man. Thank you Tony.

Find the answers

Fly Ryanair and gamble

Ryanair’s latest potential cash generating scheme is to provide in-flight gambling. No fills Ryanair already charge for the ‘frills’ such as food, luggage and movies, and, more famously ice if they could get away with it, are now considering providing gambling on board its planes. News reports say that gambling operators have expressed interest, although there are no formal talks underway.

Ryanair’s Chief Exec warns of reduction in low cost operators

Ryanair and easyJet are widely credited to have helped transform Europe’s low cost airline industry. Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O'Leary recently warned the World Low Cost Airlines Congress that “there will a bloodbath in Europe this winter” in the budget air sector. “The bloodbath will reach all the companies,” said O'Leary, who has previously predicted that only one or two large low-fares airlines will be left flying the skies of Europe in the medium term. Competition in the low cost, no frills airline industry is intensifying. In 2000 there were just five low-cost airlines in Europe, now there are 49, according to Wolfgang Kurth, president of the European Low Fares Airline Association and chief executive of TUI's no-frills carrier Hapag-Lloyd Express. Webster told the conference that low-cost airlines could take advantage of short-haul routes likely to be neglected by the larger, established carriers.

Ryanair adopts a school

Cause related marketing is a live and well. Ryanair’s Head of Communications Paul Fitzsimmons recently said: “It’s back to school time for parents everywhere, and we’re giving people an opportunity to grab a back to school bargain with flights for ONLY 10p on many of our routes from Stansted and at the same time help our adopted school Mountfitchet High School. We will sell 200,000 seats at this fare, which means we can donate £20,000.00 to the school. It is fitting that as http://www.ryanair.com is Europe’s biggest travel website, that Mountfitchet High School is to use our donation to further upgrade their IT facilities for pupils. We would urge passengers to book quickly as demand will be huge and to remember that not only will they fly with Europe’s No.1 low fares airline, but they will also be helping school children further their computer education.”

Announcing the support for Mountfitchet High School at a photo call in the school, Mountfitchet High School Headmistress, Jo Mullis said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by Ryanair as their adopted school. Ryanair’s support comes at an important time, because with this help we can buy computer equipment for our pupils, which will help us to achieve our goal of becoming an IT merited school. We hope lots of people will buy their Ryanair flight knowing that Ryanair are donating the entire fare to our school project.” Pass the sick bag, somebody.

Ryanair told to pay back EU subsidy

No-frills Irish airline Ryanair has said that it would repay EUR4 million in subsidies it received to operate from Belgium's Charleroi Airport, pending an appeal to the European Court of Justice. In February, European Union regulators told Ryanair to repay EUR3.9 million (USD$4.97 million) to the regional government of Wallonia in southern Belgium, which had offered Ryanair cheap rates at the region's Charleroi Airport. “(Ryanair) agreed to repay EUR4 million in an escrow account until Ryanair's appeal is heard,” the airline said in a statement. The money will go into a blocked account, to which Ryanair will regain access if it wins its appeal. “We remain very confident that we will win,” Chief Executive Officer Michael O'Leary told a news conference in Brussels. O'Leary said the airline reserved the right to quit Charleroi if an adverse ruling raised costs, but said he intended to keep operations at their current level until then.

Which countries are represented by these flags? For the answers, see at the end of the eNews.

Lie, Cheat, Steal. Hitchhike, Drive, take a bus, fly, walk or run…do whatever you can to get to the BootsnAll 2^nd annual Travel Party.

When: December 18th, 7 pm to ? Where: East Bank Saloon, Portland Oregon ( map)

Special Guests: The Notorious N.U.T. (Nick O'Neill) from Bali will be in town as a special guest. If you are thinking about travelling to Asia, have travelled to Asia, you simply must come to the BootsnAll PDX party to meet Nick, have a beer with him and swap stories and tips. He will release tips to hidden beaches and share how to live on under $5/day in Bali, and do it like a King!

Prizes: We'll be giving away a bunch of stuff, like travel books, BootsnAll patches, and who knows what else..

Top 13 reasons to come:

1) Christmas shopping? C'mon…save your cash for travel and send 'em postcards instead!

2) Travel Legend Nick O'Neill will make his first appearance in North America in over two years. Be there to have a drink with this independent travelling legend.

3) A keg of beer (Northwest Microbrew).

4) Organic Oregon Pinot Noir will be served.

5) Travel Photography: At least 500 travel slides will be rotating on a big screen during the party. But don't worry, no one will be droning on and on about them.

6) Blogging: We'll be blogging our brains out at the party with wifi, etc all over the place…bring your laptop and digital camera. Let's go nuts like we did last year.

7) If you are coming in from out of town, and you are a BootsnAll member, you can probably stay at the BootsnAll “hostel” (First come first served).

8) Network with travellers. Last year, close to 80 people showed up and travel info/tips were flying around the room. Don't miss this chance to figure out the hows, why's, and get that invaluable first-hand information.

9) You'll be the star of the show. We'll be video taping all night…if you come, you'll be in a movie. This is how Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and other Hollywood Stars got their big breaks.

10) Dennis Rodman will NOT be at this party.

11) Feel like an outcast? My name is Sean E. Keener and I will personally welcome you with a handshake or hug, a beer, and introduce you to at least three other people at the party to get the ball rolling. The rest is up to you.

12) Portland is a great city in December. Sun, beaches…ooops, I mean a little bit of rain, a warm pub, and bright cheery people.

13) Kilts: BootsnAll founders Chris Heidrich and Sean Keener will be wearing kilts, like a true Scotsman would.

Ok, so maybe that last one isn't a reason to come, but don't let it scare you off either.

More Special Guests: Yes, Livenomadic, the most prolific poster on the BnA message boards will here. Meet the posting legend and find out “how he does it”. He is coming all the way from Miami, Florida!

Meeting news from our branches around the world.

Sally left the UK around two years ago to start a new life in Portugal. She lives in a suburb of Lisbon, close to the sea and is now a TEFL teacher, teaching English to Portuguese children and adults. This is an account of Sintra.

Sintra was poetically described by Lord Byron as “this glorious Eden”. It was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is easy to get to Sintra by train from the Estação do Rossio station, opening onto Praça de Dom Pedro IV, or the Rossio, where frequent connections can be made. The one-way fare from Lisbon to Cascais, Estoril, or Sintra is 1.25€ to 2.50€ ($1.45-$2.90) per person. There is also a bus from Lisbon. You can drive, as Sally did, but it’s a difficult and tortuous road, as she found out!

The original Sintra is not large to visit but it now includes two outlying areas named Estefânia and São Pedro. As the older part sits on granite slope it is best seen on foot or by a horse-drawn carriage. The town is dominated by the two conical chimneys of the Palácio Nacional da Vila that was the summer home of the royal family since the 15th Century. Scattered on the hillside are several historical buildings, including the Palácio da Pena, a 19th Century recreation of different styles admired by Dom Fernando II, the German husband of the young Portuguese Queen Maria II, and this example often regarded as a failed attempt to create his own romantic revival.

The castle stands high on the southeast side of the mountain range whilst overlooking the village are the ruined ramparts of the Castelo dos Mouros, a fort dating from the 8th Century. Within it is an ancient Moorish cistern and the panoramic view from its walls is impressive. There are several churches in the town and the most interesting is the 12th Century Igreja de Santa Maria rebuilt in 1755 after the earthquake. Several private palaces are open to the public amongst which are the Palácio de Seteais, a magnificent 18th Century home built for the fifth Marquês de Marialva, and later converted into a five star Hotel; Casa dos Ribafrias, a 16th Century building once belonging to the Marquês de Pombal; Quinta de Pena Verde, another 16th Century palace; and the Palácio de Monserrate built in the 19th Century by Francis Cook and influenced by the architectural work of Nash. Another interesting place is the Convento dos Capuchos, an unusual hermitage founded in 1560 with tiny dwarf cells cut from the rock. Within the old town there are several museums, Museu de Brinquedo showing only toys from the past and present, the Museu Regional retelling the history of the area with items and artefacts and sometimes also holding art exhibitions, Casa Museu Leal de Câmara devoted the works of the artist, Casa Museu Dorita Castel Branco also devoted to works of the sculptress, Museu de Arte Moderna, Galeria de Arte Municipal de Sintra, Centro International de Escultura, Museu de Arqueologia São Miguel de Odrinhas, Museu Renato L. Garcia, Atelier Museu de Anjos Teixeira and Museu Ferreira de Castro.

Here is Sally’s account of her recent trip to Sintra.

Went up to the Pena Palace in Sintra – this is the one that you often see on the rare bit of publicity for Portugal. It looks that something that the mad King of Bavaria might have built. All different shapes and designs in yellow and various other colours. I drove up the Sintra mountains – not a very nice drive as the road is a cobbled three quarter width one with drops at one side, pot holes and because the weather was atrocious, and the road is heavily wooded, it was a bit like something out of Lord of the Rings in atmosphere. There is now a very unusual bus that takes you up to the palace (thank goodness). It is obviously a vintage one as it has lovely wall lights and wooden seats and makes slightly heavy weather of climbing up the incline.

The palace is pretty much the same – quite a fascinating place as it is exactly like it was when the Royal Family used to stay there in the summers before they left for exile. There is only about four staff looking after all the rooms – very different to visiting a National Trust property in the UK. Unfortunately because the weather was so dire, the views were not visible – when I went last time the views were incredible – but it’s still worth going. In fact when I drive to work in Cacem on Tuesdays and Thursdays I can just see the Palace in certain places on the drive. The whole of the Sintra area is very magical anyway.

Another great place to visit is Cabo da Roca – the furthest western point of Europe. Always guaranteed to be a tad breezy and again great views out to sea. Gives you an idea of how brave those explorers were in the olden days and why they thought they would fall off the edge of the world.

Just nearby is a lovely restaurant/bar in a converted Windmill. It is quite unusual as there are so many different places and corners to sit when the weather is fine. It has the odd waterfall here and there and some ponds with frogs and goldfish. Inside it has a conservatory type front and then two rooms. All beautifully decorated in wood with lots of lamps. Equally nice on a wet and cold day as on a hot and sunny one. It’s one of those places you have to be taken to by a local to know about it. A friend’s mother and father took me years ago and I always wondered where it was and then found it by accident a few months ago and really enjoy taking people to it.

If you would like to contact sally, her e-mail address is: pethybs@hotmail.com

6th November 2004 London meeting

A bumper attendance for the November London Globetrotter’s meeting, with not a chair, table or bit of floor space left. The audience included Globies from overseas including Brie Kelly from Colorado. The crowds had come to hear Globies President Janet Street-Porter’s talk on the Larapinta Trail that starts from Alice Springs and the Bay of Fires walk in Tasmania. Special mention due to Paul Robert’s who burned the midnight oil to scan Janet’s photos so that we could see them digitally. Janet did this 8 day -walk with a group and they were supported by a vehicle carrying their camping, cooking and other equipment, which left them free to enjoy the scenery and swat flies. We saw Janet in a full nylon head net to stop these annoying critters and later she explained a new use for toilet roll to stop the flies entering every orifice! It was all worth it for the great Aussie scenery, the reds and pinks of the rocks and greenery you wouldn’t normally think exists. The Bay of Fires walk in Tasmania is mainly on sand and again we saw some great pictures of her walk. Janet added on some pictures of a walk she recently did near Christchurch in New Zealand, where she stayed in some quirky buildings, one of which enjoyed an outdoor bathtub, where the water was heated by lighting a fire under the tub! The forty minutes went way too fast as we listened to Janet’s commentary.

After the break it was over to Christian Tyler who gave us another interesting talk this time on the Taklamakan Desert and Xinjiang Province in China. His five-week trip began in Dunhuang, famous for its cave paintings. Christian’s group travelled in the ubiquitous Toyota Landcruiser and trekked by camel, supported by a Chinese army lorry. Christian’s journey took him to Miran and to abandoned cities in the desert. Some of these towns have been dug out of their sand tombs, we saw parts of wooden structures which had once been homes and shops. Christian explained that the cities had been abandoned as the underground rivers had either dried up or changed course. We saw other examples such as forests that were now just tree trunks. Christian’s talk gave us a rare insight to an area well off the beaten track.

Mark your diary for forthcoming meetings:

Sat. 4 December

Amar Grover – North Pakistan – Kailash Valleys of Chitral to Gilgit via Shandur Pass

Matthew Leeming -Afghanistan OR Iraqi Marsh Arabs

Sat. 8th January – Four Mini-talks and New Year Party

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. There is no London meeting in August, but we will be back in September. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk Admission: Members £2.00 Non-members £4.00.

What is it: decompression sickness, also called the bends, is related to great changes in environmental pressure. It is caused by nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream and tissues of the body. The bubbles occur if you move from deep water towards the surface (where the surrounding pressure is lower) too quickly . It is most usually associated with divers, but can also occur in fliers in a non pressurised cabin when there is a major change in altitude. In the most serious cases decompression sickness can lead to unconsciousness or death.

What are the symptoms: the symptoms generally appear in a relatively short period after completing the dive. Almost 50 per cent of divers develop symptoms within the first hour after the dive, 90 per cent within six hours and 98 per cent within the first 24 hours. In practice this means symptoms that appear more than 24 hours after the dive are probably not decompression sickness. An exception is if the diver has travelled in an aircraft or has been travelling in the mountains. Under these circumstances, low pressure can still trigger decompression sickness more than 24 hours after the last dive. As a result, it is wise not to fly within 24 hours of a deep dive. Mild forms of decompression sickness can resolve themselves without treatment or by breathing 100 per cent oxygen at the site of the accident. The symptoms of decompression sickness vary because the nitrogen bubbles can form in different parts of the body. These can include pain in the joints “bends”. a headache or vertigo, unusual tiredness or fatigue, confusion, a rash, shortness of breath, tingling in the arms or legs, muscular weakness or paralysis, a burning chest pain with a deep breath, a cough or ear or sinus pain.

What happens if I get it: if you suspect decompression sickness, stop the dive, initiate first aid, and summon assistance from a specialist in divers' medicine. Treatment is oxygen on site and during transportation, followed by treatment in a decompression chamber.

How can I avoid decompression sickness?

· Dive within the limits set out in the diving tables.

· Keep your rate of ascent to a maximum 10m/min.

· Don't plan any dives that need a decompression stop in the water.

· Make a three-minute safety stop at a depth of 5m.

· Don't dive more than three times in one day.

· If you plan more than one dive in one day, start by making the deepest dive first.

· If you are diving for several days in a row, have a dive-free day after two to three days.

· Don't do any hard work before or after diving.

· Drink lots of liquid before diving. Lack of fluid due to heat or excess alcohol is dangerous.

· Make sure you are in good physical condition and well rested. Have regular medical checkups.

· Make sure there is an interval of at least 24 hours between diving and travel by air or climbing up mountains. If you have had decompression treatment, the recommended interval before the next dive is at least 48 hours.

New York meetings will resume in January – subject will be TBD.

Please contact me (Laurie) if you’re interesting in speaking or know of someone who is! For details of forthcoming meetings email newyork@globetrotters.co.uk or register for email updates, click here at our website.

New York meetings are held at The Wings Theatre, 154 Christopher Street (btw Greenwich St and Washington St), to the right of Crunch Fitness, in the Archive on the first Saturday of each month at 4 pm. Admission: $8.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members.

Avalon Travel Publishing announces the release of the 7th edition of Moon Handbooks Fiji, the original travel guide to the 322-island Fiji archipelago.

Since 1985, Moon Handbooks Fiji has been the leading travel guidebook to Fiji. Author David Stanley began writing about the South Pacific in 1979, and over the years tens of thousands of Pacific travellers have used his guides to Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, and the South Pacific.

Unlike the maps in other guidebooks which contain confusing numbered keys, the 53 maps in Moon Handbooks Fiji are clearly labelled. To allow for detail, three maps of Fiji's capital Suva are included, and two of the gateway city Nadi.

In this 7th edition, all local telephone numbers are increased from six digits to seven, reflecting a recent change by Telecom Fiji. Internet and email addresses are now embedded in the listings for ease of reference.

Rob Kay of FijiGuide.com has this to say about Moon Handbooks Fiji: “Packed with great maps it also has resources such as a comprehensive bibliography, and tips on local etiquette. More importantly, Stanley excels at getting accurate information on hotels, inexpensive restaurants and tourist sites. However there is another reason why his guide is valuable. Stanley does not simply list the properties in alphabetical order and expect the reader to determine what's best. Based on personal visits and feedback from visitors, he will actually offer you an opinion and the straight facts.”

Priced at US$17.95, this book is distributed in the United States by Publishers Group West, in Canada by Publishers Group Canada, in Europe by HI Marketing, and in Australia and New Zealand by Bookwise International. For more information, visit http://www.southpacific.org/fiji.html