Category Archives: Sidebar

Visit the Spratly Islands

Where? A small island group in the South China Sea claimed in their entirety by China and Vietnam and in part by Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia – because of potential oil and gas reserves.

Recent reports state that Vietnam is considering its first-ever tours to the disputed Spratly Islands. China and the Philippines said that they welcomed efforts to explore and develop the Spratlys jointly.

An official in Vietnam’s central Khanh Hoa province, which incorporates the Spratlys as one of its districts, said there had been no tours to the remote islands so far. The official did not anticipate a rush for tickets. “They are too far away, it takes two days to travel so nobody wants to travel there,” she said.

Airline News: October 2003

Malaysian Airlines are currently embroiled in a row over saying “customers prefer to be served by young, demure and pretty stewardesses, especially Asian ladies”, and has placed age limits on its female cabin crews. The flight attendants union has launched a campaign against an MAS policy which grounds female cabin crew aged over 40. Those holding supervisory jobs are allowed to continue until 45. Imagine if this ruling applied to other airlines – no names mentioned.

British Airways are to resume direct flights between London Heathrow and Islamabad after halting services two years ago after the terrorist attacks of September 11 in the United States.

Singapore Airlines has confirmed that it is now carrying air marshals on some of its flights as part of increased security measures. They will also have surveillance cameras in place which will allow cockpit crews to check what is going on in the aircraft’s cabin.

JetBlue, the New York-based low fare airline, is to start service from Boston Logan Airport early next year. The service includes flights from Boston to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa and Denver by January 16 2004. They will be offering leather seats complete with free television, free on-board snacks and more leg room than its competitors.

Air France has announced that it intends to sign a final merger deal with Dutch airline KLM on Thursday in Amsterdam, creating Europe’s largest airline. The deal, which is scheduled to be completed in April 2004, would create a European leader and the world’s third-largest airline behind American Airlines and Delta.

UK airport update: As at 16th October, nationals of Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, India, Lebanon and Pakistan will need visas to travel through the UK. Previously, people from these countries have required visas to visit the UK, but have been able pass through the UK on their way to a third country without one.

Far and Wide

US firm Far & Wide (www.farandwide.com), a holding company for 21 well-known tour operators, went bankrupt and shut down several of its subsidiaries. They blame their closure on the TwinTowers, then two wars, the SARS crisis, and a national economy that has been throwing more and more people out of work.

People Happier in Latin America than Eastern Euope

A recent World Values Survey on the levels of happiness in more than 65 countries shows Nigeria has the highest percentage of happy people followed by Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador and Puerto Rico.

Russia, Armenia and Romania have the fewest. “New Zealand ranked 15 for overall satisfaction, the U.S. 16th, Australia 20th and Britain 24th — though Australia beats the other three for day-to-day happiness,” said New Scientist magazine, which published the results.

New Scientist says that factors that make people happy vary: personal success, self-expression, pride, and a high sense of self-esteem are important in the United States. In Japan, on the other hand, happiness comes from fulfilling the expectations of your family, meeting your social responsibilities, self-discipline, cooperation and friendliness.

TrekAmerica Discount

TrekAmerica has offered Globetrotters readers of this e-newsletter a 10% Discount on all of their tours.

TrekAmerica offers a range of over 60 adventure camping, lodging and walking tours in small groups (13 passengers maximum) in Canada, the USA (incl. Alaska) and Mexico.

In 2004 we will also be offering family tours and various specialty tours (e.g.- biking and birdwatching tours).

To claim your discount, you need to book direct and mention membership of the Globetrotters Club. For more information, see www.trekamerica.co.uk or call 0870 444 8735.

So You Think You’re Well Travelled?

Here’s a little Beetle quiz based on capital cities. See how many you get right! Go on, have a guess!

What is the capital city of the following countries:

1. Austria

2. Ethiopia

3. Mauritius

4. Swaziland

5. Vanuatu

For the answers, see at the end of the e-newsletter.

Top 5 Things to Do in a Lifetime

The BBC recently showed a programme outlining the results of a viewer’s poll stating the top 50 things they thought everyone should do in their life.

The top 5 things were as follows:

  1. Swim with dolphins
  2. Dive the Great Barrier Reef or Coral Reefs
  3. Fly on Concorde
  4. Whale watching
  5. Dive with sharks

What would your top 5 things be? Write in and tell the Beetle.

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

Globetrotters Travel Award

Under 30? 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!!

Travel Quiz: Los Angeles

The winner of last month’s Frommer’s Guidebook on Spain Moon guide is: Azusa Nakamura congratulations!

This month, win a Rough Guide guidebook on Los Angeles. See www.roughguides.com

for info on Rough Guides.

Some people have said the quiz is difficult, we say do some research: try google.com or Ask Jeeves, if you need help with the answers.

1. In which year were the last Olympic Games held in Los Angeles?

2. You can find cement hand and footprints in the forecourt of which theatre?

3. Which famnous ocean liner is moored at Pier H at the end of Queens Highway South?

4. Which female movie star appeared in the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard?

5. What is the abbreviated name of the University based in Los Angeles?

Your Name:

Your e-mail address:

Giant Squid Found Dead

Four giant squid, one of which is said to be the length of a bus – 12 metres long – have been washed up on the northern Asturias coast of Spain. Spain’s marine agency believe that naval exercises have been causing shock waves that have contributed to their deaths, although the Spanish navy deny this. Giant squid, as in the monster that attacked Captain Nemo’s Nautilus in the Jules Verne adventure 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, is the world’s largest invertebrate and lives at depths of up to 2,000 meters (6,562 feet).

Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?

1. Austria: Vienna

2. Ethiopia: Adis Abbaba

3. Mauritius: Port Louis

4. Swaziland: Mbabane

5. Vanuatu: Port Vila

  • 0 out of 5 – you need to get out more!
  • 1-3 – not bad
  • 4 – very good! You are a Globetrotter!
  • 5 – are you sure you didn’t sneak a look?

Trouble in Paradise

London based human rights group Amnesty International has openly criticised the government of the Maldive Islands and asked them to end what it calls systematic political repression. Amnesty says torture, unfair trials and abusive power by the security forces are endemic in the Maldives, contrasting somewhat from their image of romantic holidays on beautiful coral atoll islands with white sandy beaches.

Amnesty are asking for an urgent radical reform of the criminal justice system. One opposition website has said that the security forces detained more than 100 people, but other sources put the number lower.

A Sri Lankan teacher who spent three months in jail in the Maldives last year said it was common for inmates to be tortured – hung upside down on bars and beaten on their feet or submerged head first in water. He said after the beatings, the guards would throw sugar on the prisoners so they'd be bitten by ants in their cell, and he said political prisoners were kept in the same cells as ordinary criminals, where powerful lights would be kept on to make sleep difficult.

Fave Travel Website

Our webmaster likes: the Theban Mapping Project a website that allows you to go on an interactive tour of the tombs of the Valley of the Kings, complete with film and commentary, explore the Theban necropolis and find out more about the history of the Valley of the Kings, its tombs and Thebes today.

No Mining Please!

UNESCO has hailed as “a major step forward” the pledge made by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) – comprising 15 of the world’s largest mining and metal producing companies – not to explore or mine in World Heritage sites. The sites include Kakadu National Park (Australia), Kakadu National Park (Indonesia), Huascaràn National Park (Peru), Huascaràn National Park (Spain), and the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park (South Africa).

Airline News: September 2003

Three US airlines have been fined $750,000 between them over failure to offer adequate facilities to passengers with disabilities. America West, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines were found not to have provided enough space for storing wheelchairs on their flights.

Australian airline, Qantas, has denied reports that it is considering arming its planes with anti-missile devices.

Australia's second largest airline Virgin Blue has unveiled a new low cost carrier, Pacific Blue. The airline will be based at Christchurch in New Zealand and plans to start flying on February 1 next year. It aims to offer heavily reduced fares on routes to Australia and South Pacific destinations.

Bankrupt United Airlines has announced that it intends to launch a low-cost carrier. It will be competing with Frontier, JetBlue and Southwest, in the US and Ryanair in the UK all of whom have grown quickly despite the economic downturn. The new airline, not named as yet will initially fly from its Denver hub to Reno, Nevada, Las Vegas, Phoenix, New Orleans and Tampa. Tickets will go on sale in November.

British Airways have planned 20 farewell Concorde flights between Saturday, October 18 and Friday October 24. The last flight on which customers can buy seats will be the BA001 London Heathrow to New York JFK flight on Thursday, October 23. Thinking of taking a final Concorde trip? The one way trip between London and New York costs £4,350 ($7,165) and the round trip is £8,292. ($13,658).

Being Careful: Bolivia Blockades

According to the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Bolivia is undergoing a period of social unrest. Since the start of the year there have been a number of fatalities. Roads are blockaded from time to time. You should avoid demonstrations at all times and should not attempt to pass through or go around roadblocks. Strikes and other civil actions can occur at any time and can disrupt transport locally or nationally.

Blockades intensified in mid-September and continue. Road traffic across the Altiplano from La Paz westwards, in particular up to Lake Titicaca, the Peruvian border, Oruro, and the Chilean border is subject to blockades or disruption at any time. La Paz to the Yungas is equally affected. Visitors are advised not to travel in these areas. Sorata has particular problems.