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Category Archives: archive
Ontario:
A quick reminder that the Globetrotters annual picnic is at Meaford, Ont. (on Georgian Bay), it will be held at Vera Blowers' on Saturday, August 11, 2001. Arrive on Saturday (August 11) around 10:30-11 am. You are welcome to stay over till Sunday & camp in her huge backyard. For the less hardy, Vera has a couple of spare beds.
All are welcome! Car pools will be arranged.
If you would like more information on the picnic, car pools and Ontario meetings, please contact: Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca tel. 416-503-2933, Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911, or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.
Meetings are held on the third Friday of September and November,January, March, May (with the next meeting on September 21) Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.
Help Raise Money – Appeal!
Tom Freemantle, a regular at the London Globetrotter meetings has planned a walking trip – 2,500miles with a mule from the Mexican border to New York following the journey of his ancestor Lieutenant Colonel Arther Freemantle in 1863, crossing America at the height of the Civil War.
He is aiming to raise $20,000 for Covenant House New York – a crisis shelter in New York for runaway and homeless children. It helps youth of all ages with everything from free food and medical facilities through to education and job training. If you can help, please e-mail Tom on tomfreo@hotmail.com
The latest details on the appeal and the journey will be on the web site www.mini-mule.co.uk
Texas:
Christina in Texas is to hold her second Globetrotter meeting at the at the New Braunfels Public Library, 700 E. Common Street in New Braunfels, Texas. from 3 – 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 11, 2001.
Gerri Wright, from Hastings Book Store will present a review of Travel Books and Tour Guide Books and Trish Ross will discuss Practical Pre-Trip Planning Tips.
Christina’s advice is to come early so you won't be late! The Beetle’s is – come early and eat all the cookies! Handouts and refreshments will be available. Anybody want to help Christina or enquire about meetings, please contact her on: texas@globetrotters.co.uk
Budapest in August
From Paul (Webmaster) Roberts: he says that Budapest is a great place to be on August 20; it is their national holiday. Paul says that you can see the hand of St Stephen being paraded around the streets in its silver box. There are fireworks over the Danube and, (strange, this, Ed) you can also catch the Hungarian grand prix (19 Aug) which is very affordable.
Reader’s Questions:
Robert from the US says he is going to St Petersburg in early September this year and wants to know what ballet performances are on during this time.
After a good deal of investigation, and surfing of very of Russian websites, the Beetle says that she has news that the Mariinsky Theatre (formerly the Kirov) will be closed between August 13th and October 5th, but that the Mussorgorsky Opera and Ballet Theatre will be showing Swan Lake over the period including 6th September.
The Beetle says – where are you all!!! Are you all on holiday?
Have you got a tale to tell??
If you have a travellers tale that your aching to tell. Then why not visit the “Travel Sized Bites” section of the Website and share it with the world. Travel Sized Bites
Did You Know?
That the combined age of our two oldest Globetrotter members is 174 years!
Travel Quiz Last Month – Tahiti
The answers to last month’s Tahiti quiz where 1. the sea or ocean, 2. drinking, 3. baby oysters, 4. FAAA, 5. CFP
The winner was: Janine Gregor, the backpack will come winging its way to you shortly!
This month – Madagascar
We have a Bradt Guide Book on Madagascar, kindly donated by Bradt Publications to give away to the person with the correct answers.
The Chariot Festival at Puri
Sanjay, one of our regular readers in India is justifiably proud of Puri, the area in which he lives. He wants to tell us about the Chariot Festival: Puri, on the shores of the bay of Bengal is one of the holiest places in India. It was “discovered” by pot smoking backpackers in the early 1960s. The Jagannath Temple at Puri comprises one of the four dhams (holy places) for Hindus and is on India’s pilgrimage circuit. The temple, built in the 12th century stands 65m high and is in the heart of the town. The temple complex contains over 100 other smaller temples of different Gods and Goddesses. You can also find one of the finest beaches in India in Puri where beautiful and complex sand statues are constructed from sand, on the beach.
The chariot festival is an annual event, attracting many thousands of pilgrims and tourists and takes place during the early monsoon season. This year, it fell on June 23rd. It is an amazing spectacle: the God of the Universe, together with his brother and sister ride along the road in a chariot in three chariots. The procession starts from the Jagannath Temple and continues to another temple where it stays for eight days before setting off back to their own temples.
Puri is connected by train and by road. There are also flights from Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay and Bangalore. There is accommodation for everyone, ranging from $4 a night to over $100 a night. Sanjay in Puri tells us that he has recently formed a backpackers community club in Puri called Rangers where rooms/dorms cost from US $ 4 a night. To get in touch with Sanjay, contact the Beetle: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
Next month: hiking in the Grand Canyon
Some silly signs seen overseas:
Norway, in a cocktail lounge: LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.
Hungary, at a Budapest zoo, PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS. IF YOU HAVE ANY SUITABLE FOOD, GIVE IT TO THE GUARD ON DUTY.
Italy, in a doctor’s office, Rome: SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.
Mexico, in a hotel in Acapulco: THE MANAGER HAS PERSONALLY PASSED ALL THE WATER SERVED HERE.
Japan, in an information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner: COOLES AND HEATES: IF YOU WANT CONDITION OF WARM AIR IN YOUR ROOM, PLEASE CONTROL YOURSELF.
If you have seen any funny signs, let the Beetle know!Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
Did You Know…World Heritage Listed Sites for the US
Arizona: Grand Canyon Nat Park, California: Redwood Nat Park, Yosemite
Colorado: Anasazi Indian dwellings at Mesa Verde
Florida: The Everglades Nat Park
Kentucky: Mammoth Nat Park
Missouri: Cahokia Mounds ~ pre Colombian civilisation ruins
North Carolina and Tennessee: Great Smoky Mountains Nat Park
New Mexico: remains of the Chaco culture (1020 to 1110), Carlsbad Caverns Nat Park now some 81 recognised caves!
New York: the Statue of Liberty
Pennsylvania: Independence Hall in Philadelphia
Virginia: Monticelleo and the University of Virginia – architecture of Thomas Jefferson
Washington State: Olympic Nat Park
Wyoming: Yellowstone Nat Park
Discounts to Globetrotter Members
Watch this space! We have a small but highly dedicated team investigating obtaining discounts for members of the Globetrotters Club. We’ll keep you up dated as deals are signed!
Best Beach in the World
Best beach in the world (3) is Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. Situated (strangely enough) in the west part of the island, about a 15 minute drive from the capital, George Town. Driving is British style, in other words on the left, and it is preferable to hire a car as the local minibus service can be cramped and infrequent, although cheap. It’s a great place to take children as it is a reasonably safe place. The beach itself is golden yellow is flat and gently sloping ~ no rogue waves here. Activities include sunning, swimming, snorkelling and diving. Most of the hotels and timeshare apartments are also in this area. The only downside is that it can be quite expensive to lodge, eat and drink.
Next month: The Beetle’s Top 3 Wreck Diving sites.
Help Needed in California and Australia!
We have some people in the Bay Area of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento in the US and also in Sydney and Melbourne in Australia who are interested in starting a branch of the Globetrotters Club. But we need some help! Please contact our Branch Liaison Officer via our Website at Meeting FAQ
Not to be Seen Dead In?
This year, the US State department suggests that the following destinations really aren’t such clever places to visit right now: the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Haiti, Congo, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza
Coffee Corner… Vienna
The Beetle can report back on the Palm House in the Burggaten, the historic heart of Vienna. It is perfect for coffee and cake or brunch ~ whatever ~ good service, good food and you can loiter and gossip with friends or just sit and read the papers.
Want to tell us about your favourite coffee corner or watering hole? Then contact the Beetle: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk
Stop Press: £1,000 Travel Award
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!!
Fave Websites of the Month
Bootsnall.com is an excellent website allowing access to a free travel club with members in 80 countries. There’s a newsletter, a chat forum and travel articles. Nice one!
For more high quality links why not visit the recently updated links section of our website, as well as a free link page we now have over 250+ travel links sorted into over 40 categoies.
Travel Tips
The beetle always carries a Maglite and stores lunchtime or dinner paper serviettes in pockets as emergency paper for the bathroom.
Got any travel tips for the Beetle? Then e-mail them to: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk