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Following on from Randy’s last article on Thailand, here he offers some advice on eco tourism in Thailand. Finding real eco tourism in Thailand can be difficult. Here are a few guidelines. It seems everyone is doing Eco tours and treks but what is it? Do you know the questions to ask a tour or…

Porto, also known as Oporto is a seaside town in the north of Portugal. It is proud to be known as “the city of work”. The city dates back to the eighth Century B.C. as a Hellenic village on the left bank of Douro River or the River of Gold as it is translated. Today,…

My experiences on a trip to Angel Falls were different to those reported in a Globetrotter e-newsletter a couple of months back. I went in 9/88. The US $ versus Bolivar’s exchange was great. My wife Rosemary and I flew into Canaima. We had a dugout trip to Orchid Island where we spent the night.…

Bill wrote in to tell us about his sponsored bike ride in aid of the Douglas Bader Foundation late January, early February this year. How did it start? It began with a mad idea to cycle somewhere warm in the middle of our cold winter, experience two summers in one year and lose some weight.…

On how my first birdwatching trip to Candaba, Pampanga Province, Philippines made my enthusiasm for conservation take flight. Trudging stealthily on a marshland trail, struggling to keep alert despite it being 5:30 in the morning. With binoculars slung over my neck and a species list on hand, I tried to make as little noise as…

All long-distance buses seem to have termini fairly near the Central Station [trains]. Outside this there is a massive square where most local buses start and from the other side there are roads into the centre, of which the Via Roma is the widest. The place where I stayed is just to the left of…

The success of the Harry Potter films has resulted in a spate of tour operators organising tours of Harry Potter film locations – and don’t forget there’s a third Harry Potter film coming out in June 2004. There’s no reason why you cannot see some of these locations yourself without joining a tour. Here is…

If you ever wondered which European countries were joining the European Union this year, look no further, for here is a list: Country Accession Date Population (mil) Area (km2) Cyprus 2004 0,728 9’251 Czech Republic 2004 10,3 78’866 Estonia 2004 1,37 45’227 Hungary 2004 10 93’036 Latvia 2004 2,37 64’589 Lithuania 2004 3,7 65’300 Malta…

I’m writing this as we turn into Spring. The weather is on the turn now. Each day you can feel it getting slightly warmer, although it does still get a bit nippy at night. A couple of Saturdays ago my friend Joao came over from Lisbon and we had a late lunch sitting by the…