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The Beetle
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The Spratly Islands
The Spratly Islands are 100 tiny formerly uninhabited islets and reefs making up 5 km of actual land spread over 410,000 sq km of sea. They are believed to have oil and gas reserves in addition to good fish stocks. The problem is that both China and Taiwan lay claim to all of them and…
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The Beetle
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Storm Chasing
Believe it or not, storm chasing has become something of a hobby. So when the weather is bad, throw away that jigsaw, that book, that piece of embroidery or the TV guide, get your waterproofs on, grab a map and jump into your car! Oh, and don’t forget your camera or camcorder and mobile (cell)…
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The Beetle
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Meeting News from Texas
Festive food and fellowship was shared at the December Texas branch meeting. The scheduled slide show of Portugal was postponed to the January meeting. In addition to the slide show we will share our 2003 travel goals during the January meeting. Hope to see you – same time, same place! New Braunfels Public Library 700…
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The Beetle
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New Diver Record
A South African scuba diver set a new world record after living underwater in a steel tank for 10 days and surviving by eating through a tube. Tim Yarrow was (30) cheered by hundreds of onlookers shortly after 12:30pm on Saturday when he climbed out of the 3 by 2,3m tank, his home in a…
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The Beetle
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Shiva Exhibition
In an exhibit billed as “The Sensuous and the Sacred,” the Smithsonian Institution introduces the public to a Hindu deity called Shiva, noted for being the Lord of Dance. Admission to the exhibit is free. After it closes in Washington on March 9, it will be seen at the Dallas Museum of Art, April 4-June…
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The Beetle
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San Ramón in Costa Rica by Helene
Costa Rica, a tiny country that forms part of the land bridge between North and South America, is almost too good to believe. It has more species of mammals and birds than the continental United States and Canada combined, unmatched flora that includes over 3,000 species of wild orchids alone and a world famous national…
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The Beetle
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Return To Firenze by Matthew
Wandering amongst Pisa’s famed sights, I found myself eased culturally back into Italy and following the big, rounded taste of the evenings Rosso Di Montepulciano I felt readied (or should be that steadied?) for the imminent return. The year that had passed seemed all too long to be away from such a good friend as…
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The Beetle
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Execution denounced in world protest
A coalition of international human rights organisations is calling on countries around the world to abolish capital punishment in the first World Day Against the Death Penalty. Sixty cities around the world marked the occasion by illuminating significant landmarks: Barcelona lit up the Gaudi cathedral, Santiago illuminated its central park, and Belgium lit up its…
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The Beetle
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UK Visitor Numbers Drop
The number of foreign tourists visiting the UK saw its biggest fall in 20 years in 2001, according to the National Statistics Office, particularly from US, who are traditionally the UK’s biggest visitor group. The impact of September 11 and the foot-and-mouth outbreak contributed to the sharp decline, which saw a £1.5bn drop in the…
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The Beetle
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Layer Marney . a little slice of history by Clare
Whether it’s a Bank holiday or any other weekend, Layer Marney is the perfect place to take the family for a fun-packed day out. Situated down a quiet, single-track lane, well signposted from the historic town of Colchester, it is hard to believe that anything so beautiful could exist in the heart of the Essex…
The Globetrotters Club
The travel club for independent travellers.