Category: enewsletter

Our first speaker was Phil Koniotes , who showed us some stunning glimpses
of Antarctica. Phil explained that on his trip he had the great fortune
to enjoy 4 sunny days, which is extremely rare and meant he was able to
take some fantastic photographs. His pictures of icebergs, many of which
come in strange shapes and spectacular proportions were breathtaking,
particularly those of the aptly named Paradise Bay. His photo’s also covered
the inquisitive penguins that inhabit this region, which come up to investigate
their human visitors. Photos of the penguins included their nest building
antics, which involves the penguins stealing pebbles from each other’s
nests to build their own. Phil also told us about the Post Office which
handles 40,000 cards each year, which depart with the prized Antarctic
postmark. This was a fascinating talk with some superb photographs.

Our second speaker Mark Elliott came to Globetrotters rescue after our
original speaker Juliet Coombe was involved in an accident in Australia
and was unable to return to the United Kingdom. Mark’s talk was about
the Kilum Forest in what he described as the most corrupt country on the
planet, Cameroon, in West Africa. Mark’s mission had been to photograph
the elusive Bannerman’s Turaco bird, which only lives in this part of
the world. His photos took us via a local tribal war and a photocall with
a local Chief. He showed us a local festival where the people dress in
costumes and actually become that person or spirit, Mark discovered how
literally they take this when one character relieved him of his umbrella,
his neighbour explaining that this character was called “The thief!”
Once up into the forest Mark and his guide trekked for a day and for one
fleeting minute espied the elusive bird. His guide was ecstatic, despite
living there, it was the first time in seven years even he had seen one.

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 on Saturday
1^st September. For more information, you can
contact the Globetrotter Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the
website:www.globetrotters.co.uk

Hello Globies! Our next meeting will be April 6th at The Wings Theater,
154 Christopher Street. 4:00pm sharp. We have yet, another exciting guest
speaker. Mary Russell, an import coming over from Dublin to speak to us
about her travel to the middle east, specificallyBaghdad and Damascus!
Mary is a travel writer, whose latest book will be published by Simon
and Schuster on June 1. Mary will be giving a slide talk to the London
Globetrotters in June, and we get the sneak preview this April! Her books
are “The Blessings of a Good Thick Skirt”, “Please Don”t
Call it Soviet Georgia”, “Amazonian” and, in June: “Journeys
of a Lifetime”. Mary has travelled to the Sahara and the Finnish
Arctic, the Eastern Caribbean, Southern Africa, Moscow, Tbilisi, Dublin
and Donegal.

Last year, she spent three months travelling around Syria on foot, by
bike and local transport. Last November, Mary returned to Damascus and
from there travelled overland to Baghdad. These two cities have strong
historical ties and her slides and talk will be about both places, with
up-to-day descriptions of what it”s like to travel in an Arab country.
(She was also in Israel last year, obviously she has a great interest
in the middle east!) Mary always travels solo and by shoestring. The last
two chapters of her next book “Journeys of a Lifetime”, are
about Syria.

New York meetings are held at The Wings Theater, 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. As always,
$8.00 for members, $10.00 for non-members.

The last Toronto GT meeting was on Friday, March 15 at 8 p.m. at the
Woodsworth Co-op Penthouse, (PH) 133 Wilton Street, Toronto. (Wilton is
a very short E-W street south of and parallel to Esplanade, east of Jarvis
– just around the corner from St. Lawrence Market). Presenter: Bruce Weber

Topic: “SAMPLER OF YUCATAN”

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.

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.

The April 13 meeting will be at Cypress Bend Park, which is 4 blocks
from the library at the end of Peace Street. Peace St. is between the
library and the river – it is the only street on the same side as the
library. You will pass several cemeteries before you reach the park. Go
to the end of Peace St. and you will find Cypress Bend Park on the left.
Our travel time talk will be in a lovely outdoor covered pavilion instead
of the library (AARP are dong taxes in “our room.”) Rest rooms
are close by, and handicap accessible. The Texas branch of the Globetrotters
Club will have a potluck picnic in the park. The city of N.B. charges
$45.00 so we will have a Globie kitty at the March meeting to cover expenses.
If you are busy travelling in March and miss the meeting, c”mon in
April anyway. Committees are forming, so come and sign up if you are interested!
If you only want to talk about travel, come! The Globetrotters Club sparks
my life. I hope it sparks yours. Christina.

Meetings are held at 3pm at the New Braunfels Public Library, 700
E. Common Street in New Braunfels, Texas. The meeting ends at 5 p.m. If
you would like to continue travel talk on a more informal basis, we plan
to adjourn to the Hoity-Toit, a local New Braunfels establishment. If
anybody would like to enquire about meetings or help Christina, please
contact her on:texas@globetrotters.co.uk