Venue: – please note the change: Old York Tower, 85 The Esplanade (SouthEast corner of The Esplanade & Church) – 2 block east of the Union station. Public parking garage is at the foot of Church St. right next to the Old York Tower. For information on Ontario meetings, please contact Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or…

Sally is British and has lived in the UK all her life. International travel as part of her work took her to many countries, including Portugal. She fell in love with the place and decided to sell her beautiful cottage in Malmsbury, Wiltshire, and relocate to Lisbon. In this article, she tells us about exploring…

Once again, we were honoured to have Norman Ford, founder of the Globetrotters Club, on hand presenting a slide show of his September 2003 Nordic adventure with us entitled: Around Switzerland By Bike–On Your Own, The Globetrotter Way”. Christina also shared stories and photographs from her Dec 2003 Santa Goodwill Tour to Asia. Dates of…

Mission Antarctica set up by Robert Swan after walking to both South & North Pole. Antarctica is a truly unique place, but not as white and pristine as you would first imagine, and Robert was amazed at the rubbish problem. Antarctica is not owned by anyone, however 44 signatory countries administer the continent. The treaty…

Derek, a retired UK diplomat, contacted the Beetle to say that all too often the controversy over whether or not to visit Burma tends to overlook the very important issue of whether the people of Burma themselves are happy to see and meet foreign tourists. Derek, who is to visit Burma again next month, has…

The World’s Newest Countries Country (Independence Date) East Timor (May 20, 2002) Palau (October 1, 1994) Czech (Republic January 1, 1993) Eritrea (May 24, 1993) Slovakia (January 1, 1993) Yugoslavia (April 27, 1992) Bosnia and Herzegovina (March 1, 1992) Kazakhstan (December 16, 1991) Turkmenistan (October 27, 1991) Armenia (September 21, 1991) Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav…

‘Mwenge’ is the Kiswahili word for torch but it also represents a major national event in Tanzania, which is also known in English as the National Torch Run. If you can imagine an African version of the carrying of the Olympic Flame, restrict it to one country but take it all over that country, and…

It’s been called Europe’s hottest capital. Slick advertising campaigns have championed the city’s famed nightlife. But there is more to Reykjavik than pubs and clubs. Reykjavik held the prestigious title European City of Culture in the year 2000, a welcome recognition of the energetic and colourful cultural life of Reykjavik. Reykjavik has the best of…

What is it: Lassa fever is an acute viral illness that occurs in West Africa. It is highly contagious and occurs mainly in the dry season in West Africa, particularly Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the DRC. How do I get it: Rodents shed the virus in urine and droppings which means that the…

LAB is running a working and Volunteering in Latin America workshop in London on Saturday 21st February from 10.30am to 5.30pm. From coffee brigades and tree planting to literacy teaching and human rights work, the day will explore the possibilities for being something other than a tourist in Latin America: practical advice and information. On…