Tag: June 2003

The Beetle received this e-mail from a Globetrotters who thought it might
be useful to pass on to other travellers. If you find yourself under the
weather, there is almost always an alternative remedy to finding the local
doctor – but if in doubt, seek proper medical advice.

Ø Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain
almost immediately – without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional
pain relievers.

Ø Did you know that toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Ø Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon of horseradish
in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply
it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Ø The Beetle’s own remedy for back pain is to put some
powdered ginger and some water in a pan and heat until very hot; stir
it all around. When the water is cool enough to handle, soak a tea towel
in the water and ginger mixture, wring it out and place it over the sore
area – bliss!

Globetrotters meeting 7^th June 2003 by
Padmassana

Simon Myers was our first speaker, who described part of his
epic motorbike trip from Beijing across to the border of Pakistan. Simon
had been living and working in China and was thus able to buy a very unreliable
motorbike and set off with some companions and a Chinese mechanic on their
trip, no licence or crash helmet required. Setting off from Beijing under
the gaze of Chairman Mao, they were soon in the countryside and breaking
down at regular intervals. But thanks to having their local mechanic along
they were soon on their way again.

Their group was often the centre of attention in the places they went
through and they were often fed along the way, one of Simon’s memorable
photographs was of a breakfast consisting of all the bits of a chicken
that you are unlikely to want to eat. Along the way he saw where the Great
Wall of China is nothing but a ruin and the Dun Huang Buddhist grottos.
Somehow they managed against the odds to cross the Taklamakan and Gobi
deserts.

At Urumqi they said goodbye to their mechanic who flew back to Beijing.
The final few weeks to the border they were on their own. They had tried
to keep their trip a secret from officialdom so as not to attract attention
and problems, but at the border the guards knew all about them from a
photograph and piece in a newspaper. The guards were surprised to see
them, as nobody in China believed they would make it!

Our second speaker was Globie committee member Jacqui Trotter.
Jacqui took a year out to travel around South America, during which time
most Globies were kept informed of her progress via regular e-mail bulletins.

Her talk covered only part of her trip, from Ecuador where she first
arrived and tried to get to grips with the language down to Chile. Jacqui
was part of an overland group, which left Ecuador in November 2001 heading
south into Peru. She showed us some wonderful pictures of Peruvian beaches
and the snow capped Andean peaks.

She braved a light aircraft flight in order to see the Nazca lines,
bravely managing to take a photo before airsickness kicked in. Jacqui
showed us Arequipa church being held up by scaffolding after one of the
many earthquakes that the area is prone to. Her other highlights of Peru
were seeing a condor after waiting a few hours and the more obvious sights
of Cuzco and the spectacular ruins of Machu Picchu. Crossing the border
into Bolivia she visited La Paz.

By this stage as she headed for Chile the rainy season was starting
and her vehicle had to make a long journey to avoid the salt flats. Jacqui
and her fellow travellers continued over the border and visited the Salar
de Uyuni, where she showed us the salt hotel, where literally everything
is made of salt including the furniture and fittings. At the end of this
section of her trip Jacqui managed to take some superb photos of ice breaking
from a glacier, right place, right time.

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

U. S. Soldiers Home, Washington: during a century of travel (well
78 years!) both in and out of service I have travelled to over 150 countries
(I count both North and South Dakota as countries) and for some reason
have jotted signs and happenings that I thought funny at the time (and
now wonder why). So here is the perfect opportunity to share some of my
anecdotes.

In the Bangkok post office two Scandinavian girls came in with backpacks
the size of a Volvo Auto on their backs. They were wearing dresses and
proceeded to take them off in the middle of post office and stood there
in their panties while they looked in their backpacks for jeans and blouse.
Naturally, I volunteered my help. Patrons were dropping their mail at
the sight of this goings on. You don’t have to go to the strip shows.
You can just go to the Post Office.

Elephant School Chiang Mai, Thailand: Elephants go to school for seven
years and live to be around 80. An American military retired man living
in Chiang Mai, with his Thai wife told me that the elephant’s pregnancy
lasts 2 years and he compared it to a U.S. Senator’s two year term
of office. It is high level, there is lots of noise and it takes two years
to get any results. Someone has asked me what elephants learn in their
school. They learn potty training, basket weaving and how to pick up logs.
I was given some bananas to feed the elephants at the elephant training
school. I gave my elephant one and ate the rest myself. He has never forgotten
this. I rode this elephant for an hour over mountainous hills sometimes
so steep that I feared I might fall off and down he cliff with the elephant
on top of me. The ride costs 480 bahts ($16.00) I kind of got roped into
taking the elephant trip. A Thai girl told me that she and her husband
would get a free ride on the elephant if they got eleven other people
to sign up for the trip. They had just gotten married and the elephant
trip was their honeymoon. (Don’t ask!) Elephants don’t eat
after midday and monks don’t either. However, the elephant I was
on ate everything his trunk could pull up along the road and it was about
1230 noon. Monks smoke but do not touch alcohol. If I understand correctly,
Buddhism does not tell others how to live but it is within oneself to
better yourself, treat others how to live and don’t steal bananas
from elephants.

I met a British retired military that spends his time living in monastery
guest houses in Thailand. He gives them a donation of $80 a month, which
pleases them. He married a Japanese girl while in India (I don’t
know what she was doing there) but she got homesick so left Thailand to
return to Japan. He believes in reincarnation. He thinks it is the only
way to handle the thousands of people that have died before us. He unfortunately
had a stroke while revisiting England but returned here to spend out the
last days of his life. He reads a book a day he rents from library in
Chiang Mai, sees the sites and eats tomatoes.

A lady in a tailor shop (“our materials are the sheapest”)
in Banglampor (the budget hotel section) of Bangkok claimed she knew me
from when I was stationed there and said I should buy a suit from her
for old times sake and the wonderful times we had together. I was never
stationed in Thailand.

Next month, Mac discusses clothing.

If you would like to contact Mac, he can be e-mailed on: macsan400@yahoo.com

Globetrotters meeting on July 12^th

The Texas branch will celebrate their 2 year anniversary – 24 months
of meetings – in July! Their monthly meeting participation averages around
20. People come and go. Since their first meeting in 2001, close to 200
people have attended. Thanks to Christina for keeping the meetings on
track and Mary Jane for spreading the information about the meetings,
the Texas branch is a definite success.

The Texas Branch of the Globetrotters Club will meet July 12th 2003
at the New Braunfels Public Library – note back to old location.
Dan and Jensie will present the July program. The topic is China. As always,
there will be time for sharing and networking.

If you like independent, adventuresome, fun, daring, exciting, “off
the beaten path” travel, this club is for you. Our meeting begins
at 2 P.M. Come early so you won't be late! Enjoy handouts, travel
talk time, and door prizes!

Dates of future meetings: August 9th and September 13

For more information about the Texas Branch or if you would like to
help Christina, please contact texas@globetrotters.co.uk
or register for e-mail updates at our website (click
here) or call Christina at 830-620-5482.

Due to popular demand, we have included the answers to last month’s
Travel Quiz. We are inundated each month by people entering the quiz,
and receive many correct submission answers. Our webmaster collates all
of the correct answers into a draw, and the Beetle selects a number. We
notice that some people are sending multiple entries – if we notice
this happening, we will restrict their entry to one.

1. How many states are there in Australia? Answer: 6: New South Wales,
Queensland, Victoria, Southern Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

2. In which valley in New South Wales can you visit famous vineyards?
Answer: The Hunter Valley.

3. Which gorge named after a woman’s name is found in the Top
End? Answer: the Katharine Gorge

4. The Great Barrier Reef stretches for more than 2,000 kms (1,240 miles)
along Queens land’s coast and ends at which place 384km (238 miles)
north of Brisbane? Answer: Bundaberg

5. By which alternative name is Ayers Rock also known? Answer: Uluru.

#EndEditable

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Tokyo Haneda airport is the largest and the busiest airport in Japan
– over 300 flights take off and same number of flights land each
day and around half are Japanese domestic flights.

There are two railways connecting the airport terminal building (Haneda
Kuko station) and Tokyo city center. The Tokyo Monorail line from Hamamatsu-cho
on the JR Yamanote line is a circular line connecting to major places
in Tokyo. The monorail runs every 4 or 5 minutes and takes 24 minutes
journey from Hamamatsu-cho into the town centre, costing 470yen (US$4
or £3).

The other train is the Keihin Kyuko (Keikyu) line from Shinagawa also
on the Yamanote line. There is a direct service every 10 minutes, although
you must change train at Kamata station in the early mornings and late
at night. The journey takes between 30 and 35 minutes from Shinagawa,
and costs 400yen (US$3.50 or £2.50).

There is also a direct train to and from Narita every 80 minutes, taking
105 minutes journey. There is also a bus service between the terminal
building and major places and hotels in the Tokyo area.