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My partner and I (aged 55 and 65) went RTW for 12 months to April 2002.
She has written a book on it but is looking for a publisher. I went to
internet cafes to maintain a long journal. So rather than travellers'
tales here are some notes on how we did it. The RTW deal was from Star
Alliance, giving us 12 months, 15 stops and 39000 miles. A couple of times
when in dispute with an airline the Alliance link was useful. Their miles
include overland legs which seems unfair but it is still good value. They
allow backtracking, which we needed for India to China.

We flew to Brazil for two lazy weeks to get over the strain of preparations,
then to Lima. We took buses – we avoided 'luxury' or 'tourist'
buses -round Peru and despite being told it was impossible found a cheap
way to Macchu Picchu. Three-day trips to Colca Canyon and to the Peruvian
Amazon jungle. Bus and boat (aided by the Bolivian Navy!) to cold La Paz
then bus on 'the most dangerous road in the world' to lovely Coroico.
Flew to Costa Rica, which seemed very wealthy and grotesquely American!

But we had a wonderful time there – eco-tourism on the Caribbean coast
and in the cloud forest. I wrote a report on working conditions on the
banana plantations. Then buses through sad Nicaragua, tough Honduras (staying
with the Garifuna) and Guatemala with its staggering range of wealth.
We were in luxury after three months of back packers' hotels and crowded
but fascinating bus journeys. Then we bought a car in Florida and eventually
sold it in British Columbia. (One could write a book this, as on each
leg of the journey.) This was not as easy as it sounds – big problems
with driver's licence and insurance. But surmountable. Boat and bus
to Houston BC. Strange coming back to sophistication a few days after
9/11, a different world. Hawaii then fabulous Tonga. Real bliss as the
only visitors on an idyllic island, and time to think. Here my partner
discovered the magic of snorkelling.

NZ was surprisingly far nicer than expected, Sydney also amazes. We were
kept busy there and in Canberra and Melbourne giving talks. Thailand where
we made lasting friends, one a young man not half way through 25 years
imprisonment for drug smuggling. Don’t even think about it! Interesting
to contrast the type of tourists here with those in S America. Almost
a different breed. So to the jewel. Three months in India lived up to
all my hopes and dreams. A stopover in steamy sophisticated Singapore
(the night time zoo worth a visit) thence to Beijing, and onto the trans-Asia
train with stops including three weeks in Mongolia (hiring a jeep to traverse
the Gobi), Siberia (Lake Baikal), Moscow and glorious St Petersburg.

Stockholm was refreshing and spring time in England utterly delightful.
Total cost was less than £4,000 on fares, plus £400 a week
rent we got on our London homes. We ate local workers' food. We often
stayed in people's homes – fellow Quakers, a hosting organisation,
far flung family and friends. Otherwise in the better rooms in cheap hotels.
Motels (except some on Route 66) have no character but are great value.
Or ashrams. The only problematic visa was that for Russia, though others
such as India and China needed some care. I was surprised to find one
of the most irksome problems was telephoning – one needs to see if mobiles
can be adapted cheaply in each region. Only disappointments: despite three
weeks in most places we usually seemed to be in a hurry, and sadly I lost
several sets of slides.

Essentials include up-to-date Guides. We used Footprint guides for Latin
America because it avoids having lots of volumes; and for India as well
as Lonely Planet there and everywhere else. “Road Trip USA”
for the side roads. Take both Visa and MasterCard (and Maestro if possible)
as many areas take only one or the other. We had all the jabs recommended
except expensive encephalitis. We never resolved all the arguments for
and against anti-malaria tablets, and if so which ones. But insect repellent
from day 1, and a hat if you are bald like me. I had to have scalp pre-cancer
treatment on return. I was supplied with and shown how to use self-catheterisation
by the NHS. Never had to do it but without it I would not have dared go
to Tonga, or deep into the Gobi.

Medically we had very few problems, tummy bug twice, and chest complaints
in the Andes. I got shingles when in Thailand but was easily able to get
powerful drugs (for £50 – a fortune), which knocked it out. But
we had quite a few strains from lugging our packs (and from 3 days meditating
cross legged in a Buddhist temple!) We both had Karrimor wheeled rucksacks
and seldom had to hump them. My advice – just DO IT! Don't worry about
food and accommodation and robbery.

Ignore travel mags and ads. They make it scary so you'll use their
expensive services. Just GO! Details on the web site (at http://home.clara.net/spetter/sp/,
but sadly I don't have time and space to mention our lovely hosts
and the travellers and locals we met. To contact Stephen for any hints
or tips, please e-mail him on: spetter@clara.net

Nick from London says that he thinks that it does not really count if
you have only been to the inside of an airport in a particular country,
though others may argue this point. There are other brief visits I have
made to countries. For instance, a couple of years ago I was holidaying
in Thailand and took one of those long tail boat trips on the Mekong river
in the Golden Triangle. During the short journey the boat driver called
in at a jetty on the Lao side of the river for petrol.

Aha! I thought to myself, This is an opportunity to visit Laos! I leapt
off the boat and walked up the jetty and spent a couple of minutes on
the riverbank on the Lao side of the river. So I have had a very short
“visit” to Laos, at least I have stood on Laotian soil, but
of course I can't really say that I have been to the country in any
usual sense. Perhaps others have similar rapid drop ins on countries?
Write in and let the Beetle
know what you think!

Meeting news from our branches around the world.

February is a slow month in the Costa Del Sol. This is why you can get
some of the best deals during that month. The temperature goes from 16-10
degrees Celsius. So you can still be in shorts.

I recently just got back from Costa Del Sol. I took advantage of the
airline price war that is going on right now. Arriving at the airport
I noticed that the traffic was not as heavy as it was during the summer
but still a fair number of the people getting off those planes were from
the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. First things I noticed
was that I needed sunglasses and needed to take off my heavy winter jacket.
I just arrived from a Northern European country where that morning it
was -6 Celsius. It was also icy and snowing conditions.

I was smiling as I thought of my colleagues back home at work. I was
thinking that some of them do deserve their day in the sun. Some of my
colleagues had become as cranky as the northern weather in the northern
part of Europe and the sun would bring back their smiles. Productivity
would greatly improve.

The second thing I noticed is the smile on the Spanish people's
face. They seem that they were enjoying themselves. I thought what enjoyment
have I had before coming to Spain? In my Northern country I was stuck
everyday in traffic, I was driving 20 kilometres an hour on the highway
due to snow and icy conditions, I had 3 layers of clothes on because of
freezing temperatures. Coming to Spain I was no longer stuck in traffic,
there were no icy conditions to peril my well being, and I was taking
off my 3 layers of clothes in February!!! Therefore, I too had a smile
on my face.

Once in Costa Del Sol, you will be tempted to stop on the highway to
view the ocean. My suggestion is to drive west towards Marbella. Take
the coastal highway N-340 so that you can get the ocean view throughout
your journey. Stop somewhere where you can view the great ocean- like
the top of the Sitio de Calahonda. Calahonda is 36 Kilometres west of
Malaga and on the N-340. Once at the top there are bars and restaurants
where you can sit outside and see the breathtaking views. You will soon
forget your problems at work, your icy conditions, and your 3 layers of
clothes that you left back home.

About the Author: Fred Desrosiers lives in the coldness of the Swiss
Alps. He has been to the Costa Del Sol several times. He loves it so much
that he returns time and time again. He can help you if you’d like
to visit the Costa del Sol. View his website at Fred's Homepage

Globetrotters meeting on 1^st February by
Padmassana

David Abram was up first and gave us a very interesting talk
on Trekking in Corsica. David has spent long periods in Corsica
in order to research his Trailblazer
guidebook. He told us that the cheapest way to get there is to take a
No-Frills cheap flight to either Marseilles or Nice and then take a ferry
across to the island. David first showed us the easier coastal walks;
we saw the azure seas and waves crashing on to rocky headlands. The main
route for Trekking/walking on Corsica is the GR20, which winds its way
170 Km across the islands roof. The route has an altitude change of 19,000
Metres. David explained that although his photos of the route looked daunting
to all but experienced mountaineers, including parts where it was necessary
to use cables and ladders, most reasonably fit people can manage the route.
The GR20 route is for the most part well marked with waypoints. It is
divided into 16 stages, which most of the 17,000 people who do the walk
each year complete in around 12 days. David finished up with some Corsican
music and some of his favourite photos of Corsica. In next month’s
e-news we are lucky enough to have one of David’s stories about
his time in Corsica – look out for it!

After the interval our second speaker was Peter Nasmyth whose
talk was entitled Caucasus adventure. Peter kicked off with
photos of snow-capped peaks like Mt Elbrus and hilltop churches, lit by
the intermittent electricity supply. This region has many surprises for
the visitor; it’s a place where the locals drink toasts to Stalin
(he was a Georgian) and to Adolf Hitler (he fought the communists). Other
surprises were a bubbling carbonated lake, surrounded by red mineral covered
rocks. Tblisi is the Georgian capital, we saw old areas where balconies
over hang the streets and a tower block that was once the best hotel in
town, but is now a home to many refugees from the wars in neighbouring
countries like Ossetia and Chechnya. Peter’s photos of the local
people included traditional dress that has built in bullet holders and
knives in the waistband of trousers. The Caucasus is an area where it
is possible to go heli-skiing, by renting a helicopter and heading up
into the mountains, very popular with German skiers. Peter finished by
telling us about his charity, which helps the local children, who are
bright and well educated, but have little to channel their energies into.
Peter also helped establish Prosperos bookshop. The first English language
cafe bookshop, which according to Peter sells the best coffee in the Caucasus.

Coming up: Saturday 1st March

Leslie Downer – “Sadayakko and her amazing
journey around the World.” Sadayakko was a geisha and Japan's
first actress. In 1900 she enchanted audiences around the World from san
Francisco, New York, London, fin-de-siecle Paris, Vienna and St. Petersburg.
Part II of Leslie's geisha adventures. Geoff Roy –
“Great Wall of China” is the longest man-made structure on
Earth- stretching from the Yellow Sea to Tibet (6,700kms.) Geoff's
talk covers walking on restored, as well as un-restored sections of “wild
wall”

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 register for email updates at at our website (click here)