The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against travel
to Pakistan until further notice unless there are
compelling reasons to do so. They advise all British
nationals still in the North-West Frontier Province,
Baluchistan and the northern areas to leave those areas
immediately.
This is of particular interest to the Beetle as she used to
live and work in Karachi and was due to go out to Islamabad
during the month of November. Plans are on hold!
If you find yourself in London, at a loose end, fancy
something just a little bit different, then give the Mandalay
a go.
It can be found at 444 Edgware Rd Tel: 020 7258 3696. The
nearest tube is at Edgware Rd.
The London and New York Globetrotter chairs went to dinner
there earlier in the year (with their friend Rob of Grand
Canyon fame!) and they had a great time saying the food was
fantastic and the owners really friendly and interesting
about their country.
Want to tell us about your favourite coffee corner,
restaurant or watering hole? Then contact the Beetle: the Beetle
This was our first trip to Bali and I have to say that the
Balinese are in general the loveliest people, very gentle and
welcoming.
Driving out there was a real experience though! It appears
that the traffic laws (where there are any) don’t apply to
the thousands of motor bikes on the road. It was common to
have them coming at you in a one way street!
Prices are fantastic, it cost us about a fiver to tank up a
big people carrier, they thought we were mad driving
ourselves but once you get used to it and remember to use
your horn as much as they do it’s not too bad.
Certainly a destination I’d recommend and will definitely be
going back. Kuta is very touristy but get out of town and
it’s a whole different world.
Joanne is from Canada and works with the Beetle. She has not
been in the UK very long. She had never been to a bonfire
night!
We explained to her that on November 5th, 1605,
the Catholic Guy Fawkes and some fellow conspirators, crept
into the Houses of Parliament and stored lots of barrels of
gunpowder in an attempt to blow up the houses of Parliament.
He and his associates were caught and taken away to the Tower
of London and beheaded. Since this time, each year, on
November 5th, the entire country celebrate the
foiling of this event (I know, it seems strange!) by having a
bonfire with an effigy of Guy Fawkes and we have huge
organized and private firework displays.
The public firework displays are always stunning! One of the
best ones in London is at Primrose Hill and starts at 7.30pm
on the closest Saturday to 5th November.
Under 24? 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!!
The Beetle likes the UK Foreign and Commonwealth site – it
has everything from employment opportunities to individual
country reports – really interesting!
Paying by credit card? Check the currency you think you’ve
just paid in! Ensure that the currency you have paid in is
clearly marked on the credit card slip and don’t forget to
match it to your credit card statement when you get home –
you may be in for a surprise!
Got any scam experiences you’d like to share with the
Beetle? Then e-mail them to: the
Beetle
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