Vacation Dreams

Category: enewsletter

  • Write in (3)& Its just like riding a bike by Benjamin Hamilton

    bicclesThe initial attraction to visiting Christchurch was its colonial buildings and beautiful gardens. With only one day to enjoy the city I wasn’t sure how to fit it all in. I headed to Cathedral Square and came across a distinctive blue retro style bike outside the Information Centre. Ahh, a bike tour, those were the days…. but at my age? I haven’t ridden a bike for 25 years, I couldn’t could I? I phoned the booking line and explained my predicament. The friendly man on the other end of the line chuckled, he’d heard it all before. He assured me I would be fine and stated that Christchurch city was very flat and the guide takes a very leisurely paced tour. So I signed myself up! On meeting the guide and six other people in Cathedral Square we were fitted with our bikes and helmets. The bikes were great, big comfortable seats, a basket at the front for my bag and best of all, a bell that I could ring!

    We pedalled down Worcester Boulevard along a lovely cobbled street to the Arts Centre. In front of us stood several beautiful gothic style buildings that originally housed the University of Canterbury. It is now home to craft studios, cafes, art galleries and live theatre. There was also an open air market with stalls selling all sorts of arts and crafts. Next stop was the historic Antigua Boatsheds where we pedalled alongside the English style punt into the Botanic Gardens and then Hagley Park, the green heart of Christchurch. We biked on the cycle ways enjoying the open space and fresh air.

    After heading out of the Park we arrived at the lovely homestead of Riccarton House and the historic Dean’s Cottage. We were told a tale or two here and saw a reconstruction of what life was like for the hardy pioneers. Our guide locked up the bikes and took us for a short walk through a precious piece of virgin New Zealand bush with rare Kahikatea trees. We even caught a glimpse of a native Fantail. Once back on our trusty bikes we headed to Mona Vale, a beautiful estate with sculptured gardens, a lovely homestead, as well as two gate houses. We stopped here for tea and scones on the veranda of the old homestead.

    The final stretch took us along to New Regent Street, a colourful little pedestrian only street (except for cyclists of course!) filled with antique stores and cafes. This is where I had to bid farewell to my new cycle friends and reflect on the saying …it’s just like riding a bike.

    First Published: Jun 25, 2008

  • Grand Canyon Sky Walk

    Glass bridge grand canyonSpotted by Frank in the US:

    The Glass Bridge The Glass Bridge Construction of the began March of 2004 and is estimated to be completed by early 2006.

    On completion, the Glass Bridge will be suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River on the very edge of the Grand Canyon. map of grand canyon

    On May 2005, the final test was conducted and the structure passed engineering requirements by 400 percent, enabling it to withstand the weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747 airplanes (more that 71 million pounds).

    The bridge will be able to sustain winds in excess of 100 miles per hour from 8 different directions, as well as an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 50 miles. More than one million pounds of steel will go into the construction of the Grand Canyon SkywalkGrand Canyon Skywalk

    * Will accommodate 120 people comfortably (how comfortable would you be?) * Built with more than a million pounds of steel beams, and includes dampeners that minimize the structure’s vibration * Designed to hold 72 million pounds, withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake 50 miles away, and withstand winds in excess of 100 mph * The walkway has a glass bottom and sides…four inches thick

    First Published: Dec 23, 2005

    The Skywalk has now been completed see http://www.grandcanyonwest.com/skywalk.html

    Sadly cameras are not allowed on the bridge.

    “Personal belongings, including cameras are not allowed on the bridge. To protect from dropping any items into the canyon or onto the glass, you will be asked to store your items in the provided lockers. “

     

  • New discount for members

    Go Barefoot have written an exclusive article about Kyrgyzstan for Globe magazine, and you can see the video they’ve made about it here:

    They’re also offering all Globetrotters members a 5 percent discount on any of their tailor made and no-fixed-departure date itineraries, and for group sizes 8+ they can offer a 10 percent discount. To find out more, check out: www.gobarefoot.travel or contact them on info@gobarefoot.travel or phone 020 3290 9591. All discounts for members are listed at the back of every issue of Globe magazine.

    First Published: Oct 8, 2014

  • Upcoming meetings

    Upcoming meetings - February

    London

    In February we have a talk by Nathan Millward – Postie Bike across America and a second talk which is to be confirmed (as the previous speaker had to cancel) and in March we have talks from Daniel Evans – Footsteps Beyond the Pond and Alan Palmer – Trek in the Kameng districts of Arunachal.

    Chester

    Chester meets on Saturday March 19th with two talks  “Eritrea” by Pat Jones and Traversa: “A solo walk across Africa to the Indian Ocean” byFran Sandham

    Toronto

    In Toronto, tentative topics for the next meetings on Fri., Mar. 18 and May 20 (4th Fri.) are “The Wonders of Dubai” by Bob and Sue Roden; “Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, with Friendship Force” by Mort Sider and Marilyn Weber; “Down the Rhine” by Jay Wopperer and Linda Schmieder; and “Japan with Friendship Force and Kaetaro” by Bruce Weber.   What else?  …Volunteers?

    Keep up to date with London and Toronto meetings on the brand new website: www.globetrotters.co.uk and find out about the Chester meet ups on their own site: www.chesterglobetrotters.co.uk

  • Globies eNewsletter – Autumn eNewsletter 2014

    Dear Globies, friends and fellow travellers,

    Welcome to the Autumn eNewsletter, packed with tips, news and discounts as always. I hope many of you have been enjoying the first ever digital edition of Globe magazine, we’ve had many new members join us since the switch over so I’ll take that as a good sign! Don’t forget that current members can login to the Globetrotters website to view and download all recent issues. Thank you for the many photo submissions too, as the competition has now closed and the committee are currently judging the many excellent entries. To find out more about the upcoming Globetrotters calendar, watch this space.

    Happy travels,

    Chloe

    Editor — Globe magazine and eNews

     

  • All things Japanese

    japan

    Heading to Japan? The first website specialising on the ancient city of Kyoto has just been launched, providing visitors and Japanophiles alike with information on culture, food, and shopping as well as places of interest. With the aim of bridging Japan with the rest of the world, Kyojapan.com is lavishly designed with fantastic photography and easily navigable through a simple series of themed pages. The gourmet section, detailing Kyoto’s vegetarian cuisine, sweets, and green tea among much else, particularly caught our eye, though there is a lot more on the site for even passing interest.

    Visit http://www.kyojapan.com to find out more.

  • A 6,000 mile cycle journey

    leon-mccarron

    Globies past speaker Leon McCarron, the adventure film maker (most notably the inspiring Into the Empty Quarter with Alastair Humphreys) has turned his talents to writing, with the release of his first book The Road Headed West: A Cycling Adventure Through North America. The book tells the story of Leon’s five month 6,000 mile cycle journey from New York to Seattle and onto the Mexican border, with all the stress and enjoyment that such a journey entails. With excellent reviews, signed copies are available from leonmccarron.com for £9.99 (+P&P).

  • Round the world in how many days?  

    DRAKE_1577-1580[1]

    Staying with cycling, Richard Evans of Wimbledon, South West London has been cycling around the world since April of this year on a recumbent bicycle.

    Originally planned as an attempt to beat Mark Beaumont’s 2007 Guinness World Record of heading around the globe in 195 days, Richard is now travelling for the sheer joy of travelling, and without chasing a record he has been able to experience the regions he is passing through much more. (The record now stands at 127 days, and in any case Guinness wouldn’t accept a ride on a recumbent bike for reasons of their own.)

    Now on the East Coast of the United States, in many ways Richard is on the home stretch, with just a short ride from Lisbon to complete his journey.

    You can take a look at his route and much more on http://laidbackaroundtheworld.blogspot.co.uk/ and follow him on social media. His twitter handle is @laid_back_rich.

  • Walking the Woods and the Water

    walking the woods and the water

    Nick Hunt is a Globie and William Wood Legacy award winner, taking himself on a miraculous walking journey from one side of Europe to the other. In 1933, the eighteen year old Patrick Leigh Fermor set out in a pair of hobnailed boots to chance and charm his way across Europe, like a tramp, a pilgrim or a wandering scholar. The books he later wrote about this walk, A Time of Gifts, Between the Woods and the Water, and the posthumous The Broken Road are a half-remembered, half reimagined journey through cultures now extinct, landscapes irrevocably altered by the traumas of the twentieth century.

    Aged eighteen, Nick Hunt read A Time of Gifts and dreamed of following in Fermors footsteps. In 2011 he began his own great trudge – on foot all the way to Istanbul. He walked across Europe through eight countries, following two major rivers and crossing three mountain ranges. Using Fermor s books as his only travel guide, he trekked some 2,500 miles through Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. His aim? To have an old-fashioned adventure. To slow down and linger in a world where we pass by so much, so fast. To discover for himself what remained of hospitality, kindness to strangers, freedom, wildness, adventure, the mysterious, the unknown, the deeper currents of myth and story that still flow beneath Europe’s surface.

     

    walking woods waterYou can find Nick’s book in all good book shops for £10.99 or for less online at Amazon and Hive. Read more about Nick and his amazing journey on his new blog: www.nickhuntscrutiny.com

  • Member Pam Thames

    Former Globetrotters member Pam Tames sadly passed away at the end of 2013. If any fellow Globies would like to pass on any information or photos of her, then please get in touch so that we can publish an obituary for Pam in the next issue.