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The Seychelles are in the Indian Ocean, 1,000
miles away from the African coast and the island of Mauritius. The
capital is Victoria on the largest island of Mahe (17 miles by 5
miles) and they are about 11 hours flying time from London.

They consist of 115 tropical islands with some
amazing wildlife, for example, the huge tortoises that freely roam
some islands. The people of the Seychelles are called the Seychellois
and are a mix of Creole, Indian, Chinese, French and British. It is
not an easy or cheap country to travel around cheaply and most of the
food is imported, making it quite expensive to eat too.

A useless fact: the local beer is called
Seybrew!

Holly, originally from Austin, Texas but now
living in Newfoundland is hoping that readers of the e-newsletter may
be able to help her research for her doctoral thesis. Her thesis
explores the ways in which individuals experience food as part of
travel in Atlantic Canada.

Holly has a short survey that anyone who has
visited any of Canada's Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador) can
complete. There's also a web page that people can
have a look at to find out more about her project, if they wish or,
you can email Holly with any questions. To contact Holly for
preliminary questions, and returning any completed surveys, is drpepper@warp.nfld.net

Interview topics may include: 1) food choices at
home and while travelling; 2) lifestyle considerations influencing
food preferences; 3) extent of travel experience; 4) and expectations
of travel. The data obtained from interviews and observation will
form the basis of the thesis, and may also be used in published
articles and/or book chapters, class lectures and public
presentations. Anonymity will be maintained for any participants who
wish it.

Putting a backpack in a large rice sack or
specially made nylon sack is a great way of not only tidying away the
handles, but also deterring potential thieves.

Got any travel tips for the Beetle?
Then e-mail them to: the
Beetle

The travel company part owned by Sir Bob
Geldof:

deckchair.com/

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!!

Yes, the Millennium Bridge is open once again! It
is the first pedestrian river crossing in London for over 100 years.
The 325 metre bridge links St. Paul's Cathedral on the north bank
of the River Thames to the Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe
Theatre on the south side of the river. Its taken 20 months and
£5m ($7.5m) to add industrial strength shock absorbers to make
the wobbly bridge walkable. But it is open, and despite the
exceedingly inclement weather (hailstones and bone chilling wind),
the Beetle and Padmassana made the crossing the day after re-opening
in search of fish and chips at the local pub nearby!

According to Alt Wire OmPlace, bad news could come
to Machu Picchu. There is a proposal to build a funicular from Aguas
Calientes to Machu Picchu to make the site more accessible and
increase the average visitor rate from 2000 to 8000/day. UNESCO and
other groups are lobbying to block the construction, which would cut
a swath of rainforest down the mountain significantly deteriorating
the view. Anyone remember the Celestine Prophecy? Source: omplace.com/

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
in the UK is advising against all travel to Afghanistan, Iraq,
Pakistan, Tajikistan and Yemen until further notice. Reprisals are
also feared against Western travellers in other parts of the world
including the Chechen Republic, East Timor, Indonesia, Macedonia,
Somalia, the West Bank and parts of Albania.

FCO Website.

The United Nations last week identified Chernobyl
as being an eco-tourism venue of the future. Wildlife has started to
come back to the area after the terrible radioactive contamination.
Moose, red deer, beavers and lynx have all been spotted in the woods
along with flowers and birds. Would you go?