August/September 2005
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Greg McKenzie's Motorbike Travels from Rio
Gallegos to Ushuaia
Trip duration: 19 days
Trip miles to date: 3,040
Miles since last update: 1,023
I've recently arrived in Peurto Natalès having successfully visited Ushuaia and the end-of-the-world!!! Having hoped to make Ushuaia in a single leap from Rio Gallegos, I had to overnight in Rio Grande (150 miles short) as 2 border crossings and a delayed ferry crossing (across the Straights of Magellan) slowed progress.
The borders were remarkably trouble-free and I'm thankful for getting the correct documentation (Carnet de Passage for the bike) prior to travelling. It's also a bonus that many bikers come through these borders on route to Ushuaia so the officials know what they're looking at - although I'm still impressed with the flamboyance and enthusiasm you can put into stamping a document 6 or 12 times.
Any thoughts of reaching Ushuaia that night were dashed at the ferry crossing at Pta. Delgardo, which connects mainland Chile with Terra del Fuego. Even by Pategonian standards, it was pretty bloody windy that day and the ferry ramp on the other side was closed. I joined a long-line of traffic and had to park the bike behind other vehicles to prevent it from being blown over!
With little information forthcoming, many vehicles turned around and headed south (I guess) to Punta Arenas and the longer ferry crossing. The other frustration was that trucks and coaches automatically drove to the head of the queue, taking priority over the proletariat like me. Of course everybody else could take shelter in their cars / vans / 4x4's etc - but for me it was a couple of hours sitting on the tarmac in the lee of the wind.
Eventually, 3 hours after arriving,
I got to board a ferry. Naturally I was pulled aside and
loaded last, squeezed on between a rental car and the now raised
loading ramp. I didn't share the loaders confidence in
the position of the bike so I decided to stay on the bike for the
incredibly bumpy 20 minutes it took to cross - if I hadn't
the bike would have fallen against the car for sure.
The blast down to San Sebastian (2nd border) was fun as it was dirt road all the way and I was able to catch, and pass all the traffic from both the ferry I was on, and the previous ferry that was full of vehicles that had driven past me in the queue (very satisfying!!!)
After over-nighting in Rio Grande I struck out for Ushuaia the next day. Pleasingly the terrain changed from the flat open pampas to forested mountains. The last 20 miles changed from dirt track to beautiful tarmac, which wouldn't have been out of place along the Route Napoleon outside Nice.
Eventually I rounded a corner and there it was - USHUAIA!!! It amuses me that after 2,000 miles this marks the start of my stated trip to Alaska.
From the gentle slope down into the town, I could see several ships in port ahead. Little did I appreciate what this really meant. Upon parking on the high street in search of a hotel list I was immediately approached by several Brit tourists - drawn by the Union Jack on my crash helmet. This was pleasant enough but it highlights the type of town Ushuaia is, a transit lounge for wealthy western tourists on route to a short trip around Antarctica. Ushuaia was quite unlike any other town in Argentina, full of tacky souvenir shops, Irish theme pubs and expensive hotels.
After spending a night at the (very welcoming) Hostel Albergue I decided to get out of town, choosing to camp in the remarkably picturesque Nation Park of Terra del Fuego, which coincidentally also contains the official end of the road.
I dutifully posed for the obligatory photo next to the wooden
marker (see below)
before setting up camp (first time
on the trip). The park is stunning and the following day I set
off early to climb the highest peak there (yeah, a bit foolhardy
I know). The trails were easy to follow but the climb was a
tricky one, rising through incredibly dense forest, sat points
resembling something out of Hansel & Gretal, into peat bog
and eventually a tall slope of loose scree.
The summit view was worth the toil (photo above) showing all around the Beagle Channel and off into Chile and Cape Horn itself.
Next day I set off north, aiming to stop in Punta Arenas. Another border, another ferry across the Magellan Straights, and once more I'm in Chile. At the ferry ramp at Porvenir I was entertained by 10 Czech engineers on route to James Ross Island to build the Czech Republic's first research station in Antarctica. Amusingly they were more impressed at my trip than their own forthcoming endeavour, but having just read about the fateful trip of Shackleton's expedition to that area, I'm in awe of anybody who elects to spend a lengthy stay there. One of them had contacts with the Czech version of Motorcycle News (magazine) and took my details and a photo for the journal.
So now I'm in Peurto Natales and about to embark on a 6 day trek around the Torres del Paine national park. This was a must do excursion for me before the trip and from what I can see of the Andes rising from the horizon, I wont be disappointed.
I'm 3,000 miles and 20 days into this trip and getting used to the change of lifestyle. What I have noticed is the western-world (and specifically US) 'culture-creep'. Every hotel I check into has 60 channels of TV with predominately US content spilling out and it inevitably impacts the local environment.
I wonder what this trip would find if it were repeated 50 years from now.
If you want to know more about Greg's travels, visit his website at: http://www.unbeatentrack.com/
Destination Guide - Trieste by Karen Bryan
Trieste is an Adriatic coastal city in north eastern Italy, close to the border with Slovenia. The sea in the Gulf of Trieste is very clear and clean, with limestone cliffs and rocky beaches. The centre of the city has a mid-European feel, more Austrian than Italian, Trieste was the seaport of the Hapsburg Empire. Here you can enjoy a combination of a sea/beach holiday and the attractions of a cultural city.
It is an ideal destination for a short break but you could easily spend a week here. The Verdi Theatre hosts an opera season in the winter and an operetta festival in summer. You can swim in the beautiful clear sea, stroll the promenade, and walk along the cliff paths. Take in the wonderful art collection at the Revoltella Museum. You can sip coffee on Piazza Unita Italia with its grand 19th century buildings, which face onto the sea.
History: according to folklore, Trieste was founded by Tergeste, a friend of Jason and the Argonauts. Ancient Tergeste as a Roman colony is dated to around 178 BC. It became more important during the reign of Octavian when roads were improved. The city has had many rulers during its history: Goths, Byzantines, and Lombards. In the 13th century Trieste was forced to swear allegiance to Venice. To escape Venetian domination, Trieste sought the protection of Duke Leopold of Austria. Trieste was of great importance to the Hapsburg Empire as a seaport and was made a Freeport in 1719. Without customs barriers the port and city flourished. At the end of the First World War with collapse of the Hapsburg Empire, Trieste was returned to Italy in 1918. Trieste was taken over by the Third Riech when Italy withdrew from the Second World Ward in September 1943. Two years later there was a 40-day Occupation by Tito's Yugoslav forces. After 9 years under an Anglo-American government Trieste was handed over to the Italian government.
Trieste's history may help explain why 70% of Italians apparently did not know that Trieste was part of Italy in a recent opinion poll! With EU enlargement Trieste is ideally placed as the only natural port in the centre of Europe. Trieste is one of three finalists to host the international Expo of Science, Technology and Culture in 2008. If its bid is successful there will be more investment in the area and Trieste will become better known on the world map.
Literary Connections: the Irish author James Joyce lived
in Trieste during the early part of the 20th century. When he
first arrived he worked as a tutor at the Berlitz School of
English. He went on to write "The Dubliners", "The
Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man" and start
"Ulysses" in Trieste. The rich mix of central European
and Eastern Mediterranean culture in Trieste is said to have had
a great influence on his writing.
Joyce (pictured left) was English tutor to Itali Svevo, the Italian novelist. Svevo was born in Trieste in 1861, his Mother was part of a Triestian Jewish family, and his Father was of German descent. Joyce encouraged and praised Svevo's work and Svevo wrote critiques of Joyce's work.
Jan Morris wrote the book, "Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere". Morris claims this is her final book, a self-examination based in Trieste. Morris changed gender. Jan Morris first visited Trieste at the end of the Second World War as young Welsh soldier. She describes how the city "curiously haunted her" . She revisited the city as an elderly woman.
Morris describes Trieste as "natural capital of the nation of nowhere". By this she means a home for the so-called "Fourth World". This is a scattered group with the common values of humour and understanding, usually exiles in their own communities but probably numerous enough to form their own nation.
I laughed at Clay Risen's comment in his piece about Trieste in the Square Table in Spring 2003. He observed that "Trieste is the only city in Europe which appears more often in reflective essays than in guide books of newspaper travel sections."
Exploring the city: the best way to explore the city is to walk around. The Piazza dell' Unita d'Italia is the heart of the city. The square was created towards the end of the 19th century. It houses the City Hall, with its clock tower featuring statues of Mikeze and Lakeze, figures from Trieste folklore; Government House, with its gilded mosaic wall decorations; and the former Head Office of Lloyd Triestino, built in Renaissance style by an Austrian architect.
The Victory Lighthouse lights the Gulf of Trieste and commemorates the dead of the First World War. It stands almost 70 metres high with a scaled dome containing a statue of winged Victory. At the base of the column is the anchor of the torpedo boat Audace, the first Italian ship to enter the harbour in 1918. The lighthouse took 4 years to complete and was officially opened in 1927.
The Old Stock Exchange (see picture right) is a fine example of
neo-classical architecture, resembling a Greek temple. The Old
Stock Exchange stands by the so called Grand Canal. However this
is rather a misnomer as the canal is very short.
The Arco di Riccard is a Roman gate to the city thought to date from 33 AD. It is in Piazzetta di Ricordo in the old city. You can see the Roman amphitheatre at the foot of San Guisto hill. The Verdi Opera Theatre opened in 1801. It is of a similar style to La Scala in Milan. The Arco di Riccard is a Roman gate to the city thought to date from 33 AD. It is in Piazzetta di Ricordo in the old city. You can see the Roman amphitheatre at the foot of San Guisto hill. The Verdi Opera Theatre opened in 1801. It is of a similar style to La Scala in Milan.
Day Trips: there are many day trips that can be taken, including exploring the Carse. The Triestine carse starts at Montefalcone in the north and stretches down adjacent to the Slovenian border. The area is known as a paradise for botanists with a mixture of continental flora and Mediterranean vegetation. There is talk of the area achieving national park status. The Carsic house in Rupingrande has a collection of traditional furniture and local costumes. During the first week in May the works of local painters are exhibited during the Majence Festival, in San Dorligo delle Valle. The best known event is the Carsic Wedding, every second year on the last Sunday of August in Monrupino. There are dances every night of the preceding week. On the wedding day the bridal procession, all dressed in traditional costume, walk to the fortress church for the marriage ceremony.
Grado and Aquiliea : Aquiliea was founded in the first century BC. It occupies a strategic defence location. It became a Patriarch's seat and many beautiful churches were built. The Bascilica is considered to be one of the most important monuments of early Christianity. There are two museums to visit there.
Grado was the extreme southern part of the port of Aquileia (see
picture below left). Now it a beautiful island city joined to the
mainland by a causeway. It boasts 20 kms of fine sandy beaches.
Grado was very popular as a spa during the days of the Austrio
Hungarian Empire with its healing sands.
Grado can be reached by the no 21
bus from Trieste. There is also a boat service during the Summer.
Muggia: Muggia (see picture below right) is a pretty coastal town just south of Trieste, which can be reached by ferry from Trieste during the summer. The town is of Venetian origin, surrounded by medieval walls with a 14th century castle and a pretty port.
The Slovenian border is just a few
kilometres from Trieste. The Lipica Stud and
Riding School is under a half hour drive from Trieste. It was
originally founded in 1580 by Archduke Charles for breeding royal
horses for the Austrian court. Now you can tour the stud farm (6
Euros) or have a riding lesson, starting at 16 euros.
Croatia can be easily reached through by passing through the narrow strip of coastal Slovenia. Venice can be reached by direct train from Trieste. The journey takes around two hours. The train takes you right into the centre of Venice.
Getting there and around: Ryanair flies into Trieste from London Stansted. The airport is 35 kms west of Trieste but there is regular public transport on Coach 51 into Trieste. If you do decide to hire a car, it is worth checking that you can take it into Slovenia and Croatia if you are considering day trips there. Trieste has a good public transport network. There is a "Trieste by Bus" city tour in 13 stops. This is available on Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm from the end of June to mid October. The two and a half hour trip allows you to see the city's main attractions. The cost is around five euros per person. You can take the Opicani tram up to the Carso plateau, 348 metres above sea level. This funicular tramway was built in 1902. The tram leaves from Piazza Oberdan in the city centre up Scorolo hill to the plateau above.
Karen Bryan is an independent travel consultant and writer, specialising in less well known destinations in Europe. Her websites are: www.europealacarte.co.uk, www.europe-culture-activity-tours
The Legend of Sangkuriang by Tedy
West Java is one of the five provinces of Java, Indonesia. Bandung is the capital city. The greater part of west Java is mountainous, with the Priangan highlands forming the core territory. 21 mounts can be found here, most of which are classified as active volcanoes and have become an integral part of tourism in the West Java province.
Mount Tangkuban Perahu (capsized boat) is one of them. A smouldering 2000m wide, surrealistic volcano 1800m above sea level, it lies 28 km north of Bandung reachable within 30 minute ride.
This is an example of how nature was converted into a legend, such as Bandung lake and Mt Tangkuban Perahu with the story of Queen Dayang Sumbi and her son Sangkuriang cited from Neuman va Padang (1971). Once Sangkuriang, whilst growing up, he was so naughty and got hurt and the wound formed an ugly scar.
The King, who loved his son above everything was so furious that his son had hurt himself that he rejected his wife. Fifteen years later, being of age, Sangkuriang asked his father permission to take a trip to West Java. After arriving in the plain of Bandung, he met a beautiful lady, fell in love and ask her to marry him and she accepted. But one day when she caressed her lover's head she saw the wound. The loving woman, turned out to be the disowned queen, discovered that she was in love with her son and marriage was impossible.
The marriage had to be prevented. Not willing to admit that she was his mother she thought of a way out. The day before the wedding was due to take place, she said to her husband to be, tomorrow is our wedding day, and if you are true to your love to me and love me as much you say do then I want to celebrate the wedding on board a ship, a proa. Tomorrow morning at day break, I want to sail with you on a great lake in a nice boat and there must be a banquet feast. Sangkuriang was embarrassed but he was not willing to refuse. He begged the help of the lake's helpful spirits. By causing a landslide, the lake spirit dammed the river Citarum that flowed through the plain of Bandung. The force of the water felled big tree and a boat was constructed while other lake spirits prepared the wedding banquet.
Early in the morning the Queen saw that the impossible had been realised so she prayed to Brama, the mighty God, to help her to prevent the disgrace of a marriage between a mother and her son. Brama destroyed the dam in turbulence and Sangkuriang was drowned. The queen in her agony threw herself on the capsized boat, breaking through the hull of the ship and was also drowned.
Now, the vast plain of Bandung is flanked on its north side by the volcano Tangkuban Perahu, the capsized boat. The Queen's jump on the hull of the ship is the Kawah Ratu, the crater of the Queen. The hot fumaroles and tremors in the crater represent the tears of the sad mother still sobbing. East of Mt Tangkuban Perahu rises the Bukit Tunggul, trunk mountain, the trunk of the tree from which the boat was made and to the west we find Mt Burangrang, the "crown of leaves". At many places along the shore of the lake Neolithic obsidian tools of primitive inhabitants are found and described by von Koeningswald (1935). These Neolithic people noticed that the hold was cut deeper and deeper by erosion caused by the lowering water. Finally only a marshy plain remained.
Centuries later the inhabitants of Bandung plain still know about the legend of the existence of a former lake. Not knowing anything about geology, but living in the taboos of spirit ghosts and Gods, geological facts were put together in a tale that was understandable.
If you are thinking of holiday trip, or even just information on any travel requirements in Java especially Indonesia, please do not hesitate to contact me. I'll be most happy to assist you. Tedy can be contacted by e-mail as follows: abctour_td@cbn.net.id.
Wilding in Southwest USA
A group of US researchers at Cornell University have identified a novel approach to conservation called Pleistocene wilding. They have developed an initiative that involves placing lions, cheetahs, elephants and camels in some parts of North America.
The plan would help endangered African animals while offer ecotourism and land-management jobs to help the struggling economies of the Great Plains and Southwest as well as helping to maintain ecosystems and boost biodiversity.
During the Pleistocene age, between 1.8 million to about 10,000 years ago, North America was home to a wide range of mega fauna. When man arrived around 13,000 years ago he hunted the American cheetah and a type of camel to extinction. The disappearance of these extinct creatures has left gaps in the ecosystem. The pronghorn, for example, which exists today, an antelope-like animal for example has lost its natural predator.
By introducing living counterparts to the extinct animals, the researchers say, these voids could be filled. So, by introducing free-ranging African cheetahs to the Southwest, strong interactions with pronghorns could be restored, while providing cheetahs with a new habitat. Other living species that could "stand in" for Pleistocene-era animals in North America include feral horses, wild asses, Bactrian camels, Asian and African elephants and lions.
"Obviously, gaining public acceptance is going to be a huge issue, especially when you talk about reintroducing predators," said lead author Josh Donlan, of Cornell University. "There are going to have to be some major attitude shifts. That includes realising predation is a natural role, and that people are going to have to take precautions." Dr Donlan said that large tracts of private land are probably the most promising place to start, with each step carefully guided by the fossil record and the involvement of experts and research.
"We are not advocating backing up a van and letting elephants and cheetah out into the landscape," he said. "All of this would be science driven."
Advice on Booking Airfares by Corsa Dirfes
Need a vacation but don't want to stay around town? Want to go somewhere exotic, somewhere different? Want to fly but worried about the airfare? Sourcing the cheapest airfare available has been made easier with competition growing between travel agencies as people realize that a vacation need not be all that expensive. With so many travel companies vying for your business, securing a cheaper airfare is a given!
The airline companies set airfare prices, with travel agents adding a mark up to the wholesale price. You should always check whether the advertised price of an airfare includes government taxes or duties, so you may need to add these into your airfare budget.
Aside from the airline companies and travel agencies setting the price, it is important to be aware that many things determine airfare prices, but the most important influence on price is the final destination. Other influences include but are not limited to:
Therefore, being the money savvy person that you are, you should take into consideration all of the above points before you start searching for an airfare that fits within your budget. Researching airfare is critical to securing the cheapest rate and these days, research is made a good deal easier thanks to the internet.
Increasingly, last minute deal websites are being developed and there are some great bargains to be had particularly with regard to airfare rates. Checking often and subscribing to these last minute deal web sites will ensure that your vacation is one to remember without the added burden of over spending on airfare!
Corsa Dirfes is the owner of http://www.airfareson.com which is a premier resource for Airfares information. For more information, go to http://www.airfareson.com
Almost Meeting the Fish in Bali by Iona Hill
I can totally understand why people rave about Bali - a truly wonderful place - loved it - so serene - and very quiet. I took a flight from London to Singapore that took 12 hours, then a 2 hour wait in Changi - could be far worse places to wait! And off to Bali, on a low cost airline, Australian Airlines. It only took 2 hrs 5 mins, so only a hop and a good airline experience.
We were met at Depensar airport around 10pm by a very good natured man from the resort I'd booked and we transferred in an air con'd jeep that had seen better days to the north part of Bali, cutting through the mountains, past dark reflective lakes and rice terraces, past lush rain forest and neat houses adjoining the road and the silhouettes of Hindu temple after temple. Even in the dark, it all looked very clean and fascinating. It took two and a half hours, but we were later to realise that this was a very good time to do the transfer as during the day, the roads are unbelievably congested with men on motorbikes, men and whole families concertina-d on motorbikes, men and women riding side saddle on motorbikes, small stall holders with their wares on motorbikes, ancient lorries dripping with all manner of contents churning to get up hills and the odd short mini bus, but no tourists.
Got to the hotel about 1am, full of beans and explored the grounds, saw the sign saying do not feed the monkeys, dipped my toes in one of many hot springs and was up early the next day to sort out diving.
The place we stayed in had several natural hot spring pools: some really, really hot, some just very hot and some varying between just right to cold - total bliss. After 2 nights of staying in a very nice room, with a semi open air bathroom surrounded by tropical plants, I came back from diving and was met by a very excited friend, Marian, who told me that we had been upgraded to our own villa with its own hot spring tub kind of thing. It was very posh, and we spent hours in our own little natural spring hot tub in our own courtyard surrounded by tropical flowers and banana, mango and papaya trees - total bliss!
Very good
diving, all drift diving, some strong currents, including down
currents - hhhmm - oh, and dynamite fishing whilst we were in the
water! This was a little scary. The previous day we'd been
out diving around Menjangen Island when we unexpectedly came
across several men diving along side us, breathing in compressed
air from an umbilical cord leading from a boat on the surface.
They had a couple of weights wrapped around their waist but no
other safety equipment, like a gauge to tell them how deep they
were or how long they'd been in the water.
This is extremely dangerous, as they were doing hideous dive profiles, see-sawing up and down is a great way to get air embolisms, not to mention the bends if you are in the water too long. Not only were they carrying spear guns, but they were stealing tiny baby colourful tropical fish - for sale in aquariums. The three pictures show a baby puffer fish and a clown anemone fish, both the type these pirates were trying to catch.
They had long metal rods and were poking around behind coral and in the crevices, they knew exactly what they were after - baby lion fish and butterfly fish, but very, very small ones. They coaxed or frightened them out from their hiding places, caught them in a butterfly kind of net and then put them into plastic bags and tied them to themselves. It was not a good sight.
This was not
quite in the protected WWF marine reserve where I mostly dived,
but they most definitely should not have been doing this. They
were no more pleased to see us than me and the dive instructor I
was with, were to see them. They knew they were 'in the
wrong' and it was a very awkward situation under water, a
little aggressive and certainly very threatening. When we got
back to our dive boat, and were returning to our hotel, the
Japanese instructor (a tiny little thing, with the strength of
Goliath) said in Indonesian (which I picked up a fair bit of!) to
the guys on the pirate boat that she was going to call the
police. They were not impressed.
The next day
we dived in a different part of the same marine sanctuary, when
we heard this massive boom. There is only one sound, that, even
under water sounds like that - explosives. I was rather scared,
to put it mildly! Someone close by was dynamite fishing. It was
not a good feeling, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, my time
was up, and this is how it was all going to end - making enemies
with Indonesians stealing tropical fish who dynamited us out of
the water for revenge. But, as you can see, they did not dynamite
us, but there were four explosions on that dive and they were
further away than I first thought, but it was still very scary,
the whole water and landscape seems to vibrate and shake, almost
as if it was crying.
Apart from the dynamite fishing, I can whole heartedly recommend the unvisited northern and north east part of Bali, it's beautiful, the people serene, friendly and a privilege to have spent time there.
Mac's Travel Reminiscences - China Part 2
We are sorry
to say that Mac is not very well, but he is still e-mailing
strong and recently sent the Beetle a collection of travel
reminiscences about China.
Beijing, China. The Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing has 9000 rooms. We agreed that if we got lost and separated from each other we would meet in the Hall of Heavenly Purity (if they would let us in.) At the time I was there, the military did not wear rank on their uniforms (don't know if this still applies or not.) You could kind of get an idea of who outranked who by the number of pockets they had on their blouse of uniform. Someone with four pockets would have their baggage carried by someone with one pocket or no pockets.
In the hotels the orchestras (In the Peace Hotel in Shanghai I think they had some of the members or orchestra from the 30s) would play songs they thought we would like. Oh Susannah from a couple of decades ago seemed to be making a comeback, as well as Turkey in the Straw and and Auld Lang Syne. At the end of each number the players would put down their instruments and applaud us in the audience. We could hardly wait for the Tuba player to unwind from his Tuba to applaud us.
Our Chinese guide in Wushi kind of had a high opinion of himself (unusual for Chinese) and thought he was hip in Western ways. He liked to show off and showed us how he was proficient in Tai Chai. Blonde vivacious Liza asked him to dance with her. He said that no he could not dance with a client but that he would arm wrestle her! He told long involved stories about the Kingdom of Wu and Dragons and such. George whispered: "I wonder what he would say if we told him we didn't want to hear any more dragon stories?"
In 1977 I got in on a deal on a trip to China. A western cruise ship had not gone into China in twenty seven years but suddenly a Swiss outfit got permission and an ad was in the LA paper one day only and participants had a very short time to get on trip. I had to fly to Singapore and get on Norwegian Rasa Sayang ship. Why it did not leave from Hong Kong I don't know. Everything about that trip was strange. On board we were arranged into 24 groups of 24 people and in each group they arbitrarily chose a responsible person. This was the person the Chinese dealt with to give us bad news to pass on to us others. Your tour has been cancelled. Unpaid thankless job. Our Chinese guides had names that phonetically sounded like Mr Shi, Mr Ee and Miss Ou. They met us at gangplank with Miss Ou carrying a banner with number 13 the number of our group. 24 buses were there to meet us. It was like a military operation although we were all supposed to be civilians. One Australian before we left ship asked if it was alright if he wore walking shorts. He was told "You are going to look so strange to the Chinese that is makes no difference what you wear".
Our guide Miss Ou had pigtails, glasses no makeup and wore a bag like Mao suit. Most of our tour group dressed down, slacks etc but one lady in our group wore high heels and a different fancy outfit for each appearance as she said she wanted the Chinese to see her clothes and how they could dress.
There was no tipping but on the second day I gave Miss Ou some picture post cards of Washington, D. C. She then gave me a ten minute speech that she would accept hers as a signal of international friendship. I then became her pet and she would come to me on pronunciation of English. I, who have a speech defect, ha!
At the Pan His Restaurant No 15l Hsiang Yang Rd (Kissinger ate there,) Canton, where we ate one meal, Miss Ou would tell us what was in each dish. Duck, shrimp, vegetable and other materials. When she saw some smile at "other materials" she looked to me and I said other ingredients.
Wherever we went there would be Chinese on each side of sidewalk waiting for us to come out of antique stores, whatever and they would applaud us. I thought it was voluntary but was told that they had probably been ordered to do this and perhaps had been there since five o clock that morning waiting for us to arrive although they probably had no idea who we were or where we were from. I felt like Prince Philip viewing China and found myself walking with my arms behind my back. I bowed graciously to my fans. They have gotten so many tourists now that they no longer applaud us.
On my first trip to China they said that five of each 24 group of 24 could witness acupuncture which was new to me so I raised my hand. Most of us did not realize that this demonstration of acupuncture included watching five bloody operations in a hospital where they used acupuncture as an anaesthetic. One lady passed out immediately and they put one of the needles between her mouth and nose and she came right to. We were in a viewing area that looked down on the operating tables. One operation was to remove a goitre from an elderly lady. After they removed the goitre the size of a golf ball they passed it up to us on a tray much as if they were passing around something to eat at a cocktail party. After the fourth operation I felt woozy myself and so left room and climbed stairs to roof of hospital. Attendants came running after me. There was a church with a steeple nearby and I tried to act like I had just gone up there for the view and to see China as I wasn't seeing much of China in that operating room. I pointed to the church spire and said what is that building? I was told "It is where they store useless objects (religious statues, religious things). Just wait until I tell Father Murphy!
We were told that acupuncture did not work as anaesthetic unless you had faith in it. The advantage is that there were supposedly no after effects and one could eat after the operation. In fact before the operation which I don't think is usual practice. When the tumour was removed from the neck of the elderly lady, they wanted to show us that she could navigate on her own. She kind of slid off table looked up at us and waved and we waved back. She then kind of stumbled out of the room.
Would I submit to acupuncture in an operation? Only if I could have an anaesthetic as well.
I did later on another trip submit to this form a barefoot doctor. They call them barefoot doctor (not barefoot) but those that work helping those in communes and field. I paid something like fifteen cents. It was to cure a cold. They then gave me a certificate entitling me to free acupuncture care for a year.
Our Friends Ryanair
British Airways whose tagline has been 'the world's favourite airline' has been overtaken by our friends Ryanair whom it has been recorded carried more passengers in August 2005 than the whole of BA. This could have something to do with the Gate Gourmet catering fiasco/strike and increasing competition. Ryanair's latest monthly figures for August show that BA carried 156,000 fewer passengers than the Irish airline which saw numbers soar by 27% to 3.257m. As usual, Ryanair's Chief Executive had something to say: 'It's official. Ryanair has today become the world's favourite airline. Last month, Ryanair's traffic exceeded BA's worldwide passengers across its entire network.'
Whilst the Beetle does not believe that just because Ryanair's figures exceed British Airways' Ryanair can take over British Airway's mantle of being the world's favourite airline. This seems a little excessive given that Ryanair does not fly long haul, nor has anything like BA's coverage, provides next to no in-flight service and benefited in passenger volume particularly as a result of BA's strike fiasco during the month of August. Ryanair's success was put down to growing passenger volumes due to Ryanair's guarantee of no fuel surcharges. And not forgetting that Michael O'Leary likes to have the last word, he went on to say: 'At least on Ryanair, customers can buy a sandwich with the £100 they have saved over BA's high fares and that's why BA are now officially just second choice'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
51 holiday makers, mostly Belgians but including five Britons and fifteen Germans, were told that their flight from Carcassone to Charleroi airport, Brussels airport had been cancelled due to bad weather and would not be replaced. They were forced to hire a bus and drive 600 miles home after they were told that the next aircraft out of Carcassone would be in 10 days time. The 51 passengers led by a Belgian window cleaner, clubbed together to rent a vehicle for €4,000 (£2,700) to drive home to Charleroi in Belgium. "They abandoned us there as if we were dogs," said Gauthier Renders, the 28-year-old window cleaner from Brussels. "There were children there and even an old woman with a walking stick. They didn't even give us a glass of water." He continued: "At the Ryanair desk they said there were no available flights for ten days. Everything was fully booked. They said that some of us could get home via Gerona in Spain but that was 200 miles away and there were only 15 places available. They also said they wouldn't pay for us to get there. So I looked for a bus in the Yellow Pages and we were on the road by 9pm." The bus company provided two drivers and after a 16-hour drive the coach arrived in Belgium, on Tuesday.
"That's a long trip and everyone was pretty frustrated when we got there. Ryanair said they would refund our return flight - half the price of the original ticket - but said that it would take three weeks for the money to arrive," Mr Renders said. "They don't care about the bad publicity; they know they are a cheap airline and that people will use them again just because they are cheap. But not me: my wife and I will never fly Ryanair again."
Join the Globetrotters Club
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Countries with the Most Billionaires
|
Countries with the Most Billionaires |
||
|
Rank |
Country |
Number of billionaires |
| 1 | United States | 269 |
| 2 | Japan | 29 |
| 3 | Germany | 28 |
| 4 | Italy | 17 |
| 5 | Canada | 16 |
| 6 | Switzerland | 15 |
| 7 | France | 15 |
| 8 | Hong Kong | 14 |
| 9 | Mexico | 13 |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 12 |
| 11 | Russia | 8 |
| 11 | Saudi Arabia | 8 |
Source: http://www.aneki.com/billionaires.html
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Being
Careful: Uganda
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Uganda. This is what they have to say:
We advise against all travel to northern and north eastern Uganda because of rebel insurgency and tribal clashes. In July 2005, there was an armed attack on a vehicle in the northern part of the Murchison Falls National Park. We strongly advise people not to visit this park.
There have been no incidents in Mgahinga National Park and those parts of Kisoro District that border the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since early December 2004, but we advise travellers to this region to continue to check our Travel Advice regularly.
Most visits to Uganda are safe. Kampala is a relatively safe city. By day you can walk the streets and visit local markets. But opportunistic crime such as burglaries, muggings and drive-by bag snatches is on the increase in Kampala. We strongly recommend that after dark, you avoid going out on foot. Do not make yourself an obvious target for muggers and pickpockets. Do not carry large sums of cash in the streets or wear expensive looking jewellery or watches.
In urban areas keep car doors locked and windows shut at all times. There have recently been a number of thefts of personal property from cars and taxis while stationary in traffic. If stopped by armed men, do not attempt to resist. Avoid travelling outside main towns after dark.
Take care of your passport: theft of EU passports has increased in recent months.
We strongly advise that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.
Holiday
Theft Hot Spots
You don't have to go far to encounter trouble! New research from the UK's Direct Line Travel Insurance indicates that over one in 10 Britons has been robbed while on holiday and a further 27 percent know someone who has. Spain is the country with the highest number of thefts with 38 percent of those who have experienced robberies claiming it happened there. France is next on the list with 14 percent, Italy seven per cent and Greece five percent.
Money is the most frequently stolen possession (41 percent), followed by purses, wallets, cameras and jewellery.
Globetrotters Travel Award
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!!
Access
Cash Overseas
Ever worried about being able to access your cash whilst overseas? These two websites allow you to locate Visa and Mastercard ATMs.
Tiger
Meat Restaurant Busted in China
A restaurant in north east China was closed down for listing stir fried tiger meat with peppers for US $98 or a kilo of tiger meat for US $ 863. Maybe it was the fact that the sale of tiger meat is outlawed in China or that the restaurant was less than a mile away from a Siberian Tiger Park that attracted the attention of local authorities. Police raided the restaurant to find that actually the tiger meat was donkey marinated in tiger urine - to give it "a special flavour". Hhhmm, nice.
Singapore Giant Ferris
Singapore is following London's lead and plans to build a giant Ferris wheel. Designers estimate that it will be 142 feet taller than the London Eye and say that visitors will be able to enjoy views of neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia from the 587ft-high wheel when it is completed in early 2008.
Protect
against Malaria
Campaigners organising Malaria Awareness Week say that British tourists are too complacent about contracting malaria as they travel to more and more far flung locations. In particular, last minute bargain hunters are at risk because they don't leave time to arrange medication. Last year around 5m travelled to risk areas, but 60% did not take the right health advice before they set out. Around 2,000 Britons get malaria each year, and deaths are low but rising.
Chinese
Bi-Lingual Signs
The Beijing Municipal Traffic Administration has launched a campaign to standardise road signs to make it easier for visitors to navigate the city. Bilingual Chinese-English signs are to be displayed on streets as well as around the city's key tourist attractions. Many would agree that getting around Beijing can be difficult when you see signs saying "export" instead of "exit" for the word chukou and "scatter" instead of "evacuate" for the word shusan.
Hotel
Armed Robberies in Zanzibar
In the past two weeks, there have been two major armed robberies at separate hotels in Zanzibar. The first robbery took place at the Coral Reef Hotel about 28 miles north of Stone Town. Eight men disguised as police officers, armed with submachine-guns tied up security staff and made off with nearly £15,000 in various currencies, watches and mobile phones.
Less than a week later, six people armed with a gun and machetes arrived after dark at the Nungwi Village Hotel, an eco-resort in northern Zanzibar (where the Beetle passed a happy 10 days a couple of years ago.) After threatening to kill staff and guests, the gang robbed them of their laptops, mobile phones and cash before stealing nearly £9,000 from the safe.
Four people have been arrested in relation to the first incident but no arrests have been made re the second robbery.
Indian
Railways E-Ticketing
Indian Railways has announced that it plans to introduce electronic tickets. Electronic tickets can be purchased for trains between New Delhi and Kalka, in northern India. Passengers have to show an identity card and the printout of the electronic reservation.
Great
Apes a Dying Breed
Ministers from 23 countries in Africa and south-east Asia have appealed for international help to save the world's great apes from extinction.
Urgent action was needed to protect the great apes and provide sustainable ways of living for local communities, the UN-backed meeting in Kinshasa agreed.
Poaching and damage to forest habitats have led gorilla, chimpanzee, bonobo and orang-utan numbers to fall sharply.
Fave
Website
Spotted on the Globetrotter's forum: http://milvetstravel.net/virtualtours.html is a website that allows you to take virtual tours of a whole host of places - check it out, it's pretty interesting!
Delta
and Northwest Bankrupt
Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, the third and fourth-largest US air carriers, both declared bankruptcy in September citing rising oil prices and low-cost competition among their reasons.
2006
Total Eclipse
On Wednesday, 29th March 2006, the shadow of the Moon will sweep a band starting from Brazil, through Atlantic Ocean, Gold Coast of Africa, Saharan Desert, Mediterranean Sea, Turkey, Black Sea, Georgia, Russian Federation, northern shores of Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan; ending in Mongolia. The duration of totality will be less than 2 minutes near the sunrise and sunset limits, but will be as long as 4 minutes and 7 seconds in Libya, at the moment of greatest eclipse. The partial phases will be witnessed by all of Europe. All Asia west of Yakutsk, Mongolia, central China and Myanmar, and north of the line joining Bombay and Calcutta will see some of the Moon in front of the Sun. Also, only the south eastern parts of Africa will miss the partial eclipse.
Good
News for Nepali Women
In some parts of Nepal, particularly the western parts of the country, there is a tradition of keeping women in cow sheds during their menstrual cycle. Nepal's Supreme Court has ordered the government to declare the practice as evil and have given one month to stop the practice. Women's rights activists have said that this is a positive move but a change in the law alone is not enough, that people need to be educated against such a scourge of society.
HK
Disney Row
The latest in a series of setbacks for the $1.8bn (£1bn) Hong Kong Disneyland occurred after Health Inspectors were called in after three cases of food poisoning. The two health officials were asked to take off their uniforms to avoid scaring clients. Hong Kong officials, angered that food inspectors were asked to remove their uniforms told Disney it is "not above the law". Disney has apologised and has promised to comply with local laws.
An editorial in the Ming Pao Daily News says Hong Kong residents suspect Disney "wants to engineer special rights and turn the theme park into an independent kingdom that Hong Kong laws can't reach".
The park faced criticism from animal welfare groups in July, after reports local officials had been called in to destroy at least 40 dogs roaming the site. A month earlier, it withdrew shark fin soup from planned banquet menus after campaigners condemned the dish, a local luxury, as cruel and ecologically destructive.
The
Great Express: Moscow - St Petersburg
The Great Express, a luxury overnight train for rich Russians and foreign tourists is now running between Moscow and St. Petersburg. The cost ranges from 3,150 roubles, or $110, for the nine-hour overnight trip in a first-class seat to 12,500 roubles for a luxury compartment with a bed and bathroom. All compartments are fitted with flat-screen televisions showing satellite channels and have wireless Internet connections.
Yahoo in
China
Be careful what you write whilst on-line in China. Yahoo was accused last week of helping Chinese authorities identify and imprison a reporter who described government fears about pro-democracy activists. Shi Tao of China's Contemporary Business News attended a meeting at which an official read a government memo warning of possible social unrest during the 15th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Using an Internet alias, Shi described the government memo in an email sent to a U.S.-based pro-democracy website, incurring the anger of Chinese authorities.
According to Reporters Without Borders, Yahoo's Chinese division helped local authorities crack Shi's alias, leading to his arrest, two-hour trial, and 10-year prison sentence. Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft are all competing for a share of the Chinese internet market and all three come under criticism for lowering ethical standards when it comes to free speech. In June, Microsoft fended off criticism for blocking Chinese bloggers on its sites from using words like "liberty," "capitalism," and "human rights."
Siberian
Tigers to go to Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is said to be about to import four endangered Siberian tigers from China for captive breeding. China had received zebras, elephants and impala as part of an "exchange programme". Yes, this comes from a country that is rapidly imploding, people being displaced from their homes and land, rampaging inflation and there is not enough to eat. A local biologist working in Bulawayo, said the plan was "a complete load of garbage", adding that the country even lacked the resources to look after its own wildlife.
Shaolin
Temple, Wales
A monk has travelled from China to Ruabon, near Wrexham in Wales to help open a special temple to teach the ancient discipline of Shaolin. Shi Xing Du will draft a syllabus for students to learn the Shaolin way, which includes kung fu, Chinese medicine, Buddhism and meditation. The centre of the discipline's teaching is the Shaolin temple in the Henan Province of China, which is a Buddhist temple. Shi Xing Du said he knew instinctively that north Wales was the right place to create a temple. "Wales is beautiful and I think it is the right place to set up a school," he said. Speaking through his disciple Pol Wong, he said the area surrounding the school in Ruabon was similar to the area around the Shaolin temple on the Song Shan Mountain. To find out more information, see: http://www.chenloong.com/school.htm
European
Airline Delays
According to a recent study, some 30% of European flights from London Heathrow were delayed in 2004.
The average delay per flight was 33 minutes. Zurich and Vienna were the second and third most affected at 26% and 24% respectively.
The lowest number of delays was reported at Oslo, where 13% of flights were delayed more than 15 minutes, with an average delay of 38.5 minutes. Helsinki, Brussels and Copenhagen airports also reported low delays.
Worst airline performer in the survey was Turkish Airlines with 100% of flights delayed out of Paris Charles de Gaulle, with an average delay of 428 minutes
Satellite Photo
Spotted by Webmaster Paul, here's a satellite photo from Google of the Stonehenge
"Failed States" Warning
Recent research from the United States publication Foreign Policy and the US NGO "Fund for Peace" has identified the twenty most vulnerable countries as: Ivory Coast, Congo, Sudan, Iraq, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Chad, Yemen, Liberia, Haiti, Afghanistan, Rwanda, North Korea, Colombia, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Bangladesh, Burundi, Dominican Republic and Central African Republic. Ten Latin American countries out of the list of sixty that run the risk of becoming what is described as "failed states" are: Haiti, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Honduras.
The "failed states" ranking is based on twelve economic, social, political and military performance indicators. Other organisations have different views. The World Bank has identified about 30 "low-income countries under stress"; the UK's Department for International Development has named 46 "fragile" states of concern. A report commissioned by the CIA has put the number of failing states at about 20.
British
Health Cover Overseas
British health officials are concerned that UK citizens are not taking E111 forms with them when they jump on a plane to EU countries. Form E111 covers medical treatment at public health centres at the 25 EU countries, plus Switzerland. The forms are currently being replaced by European Health Insurance Cards - the same system under a different name, with neater credit card-sized identification. The Department of Health website (www.dh.gov.uk) has information on the changeover, and how to apply for the new cards.
Know
Your Riyals from Your Kwatcha
Need to convert currency?
Take a look at The Globetrotters Currency Converter - get the exchange rates for 164 currencies The Globetrotters Currency Cheat Sheet - create and print a currency converter table for your next trip.
Mutual
Aid
Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country - want to share something with us - why not visit our Mutual Aid section of the Website: Mutual Aid
UN:
Antarctica Under Threat
Kofi Anan says that substantial increases in illegal fishing, tourism, bio-prospecting, climate change and depletion of the ozone continue to pose major challenges to the Antarctic, and governments should continue to make major efforts to secure the area as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science. Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing for toothfish in the Southern Ocean still exceeds reported catches despite major efforts to address such activities. Other major areas of concern are the increase in tourism over the last 10 years. There is an increase by 308% in ship-borne tourists to the Antarctic Peninsula since 1993, up to 27,324 in 2004-5, from 6,704 in 1992-3. An increase in high-risk, adventure tourism has also wrought havoc on the region, creating the need for new search and rescue missions and country liability assessments.
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
Travel
Writing Workshop
Saturday 12th November 2005, 10.30am - 4.00pm
Location:
The Newsroom, The Guardian
60 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3GA
Cost: £87.50
A day of two intensive workshops:
Travel writing and how to do it and how not to with Dea Birkett, the Guardian Travel columnist and author of Serpent in Paradise and Off the Beaten Track
Fact, fiction and creating a traveller's tale with Rory Maclean, author of Falling for Icarus and Stalin's Nose
The workshops include practical writing sessions. Participants should bring pen and paper - they will be expected to write! The emphasis is - whether you are a beginner or already have some writing experience - on developing skills which can be applied to both articles and books. Our aim is that, by the end of the day, each of you will have the tools to produce a publishable piece of travel writing.
We hope to build up a community of those interested in travel writing, by providing opportunities for participants to submit work they have completed after the course for further expert comment. You will also be able to move on to more advanced workshops, suiting the particular focus of your writing.
Participants will also be invited to exchange email details, in the hope that you may benefit from continued mutual support and positive criticism.
To apply for a place on the Travel Writing Workshop, see:
Is
Flying Safe?
We have seen four fatal plane crashes this month in Europe and South America claim the lives of hundreds of people. On 6 August at least 13 of 39 passengers and crew were killed after a Tunisian passenger plane made an emergency landing in the sea off the Italian island of Sicily. On 14 August, all 121 passengers and crew on a Cyprus airline flight bound for Prague died when it crashed into a mountainside near Athens. Two days later, a Colombian plane operated by West Caribbean Airways crashed in a remote region of Venezuela, killing all 160 people on board. In the latest crash, a passenger plane came down in Peru's Amazon jungle, causing the deaths of at least 40 of the 100 people on board. Investigations continue into what went wrong on these flights.
The Operations and Safety editor of Flight International magazine says that airline safety worldwide is now six times better than it was 25 years ago. In 1979 there were three fatal accidents per million flights, compared with one fatal accident per two million flights by last year, according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) figures. Safety improvements are due to better technology, compulsory industry audits and tougher competition, he said. When compared with all other modes of transport on a fatality per kilometre basis, air transport is the safest, insists the Civil Aviation Authority.
London Palaces: Clarence House
Clarence House stands next to St James's Palace and was built between 1825 and 1827 to the designs of John Nash for Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence. He lived there as King William IV from 1830 until 1837. During the second world war, the War Organisation of the British Red Cross and Order of St. John of Jerusalem for the duration of the war. Two hundred staff of the Foreign Relations Department maintained contact from Clarence House with British prisoners-of-war abroad, and administered the Red Cross Postal Message Scheme. In 1949 Clarence House was returned to Royal use, when it became the London home of Princess Elizabeth, elder daughter of George VI, following her marriage to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten on 20 November 1947. The couple could not move in straight away since the building needed complete refurbishment. Wartime restrictions on building work made progress slow. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as they were then known, moved to their new home in June 1949.
It was the London home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002. A story goes that she once (probably often) rang down to the butlers after getting no response from her bell pull and said in a very camp way: "I don't know what you old queens are doing down there but this old queen up here is dying for a glass of gin." For a time Princess Margaret lived there too. After the death of the Queen Mother, Clarence House became the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. It is open to the public during the summer months each year.
Strange Facts
Source: http://www.nationmaster.com/facts/
Change in US Screening Plans
The US government is dropping plans to collect data from commercial data bases to identify potential terrorists on passenger lists. The main reason cited is concern over privacy.
The
Globetrotters Club Officers
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Newsletter articles are mostly written by travel enthusiasts who want to share their experiences and thoughts with others; some do not have English as their first language. The editing of articles tries to permit the essence of the enthusiasm to come through, sometimes at the expense of strict grammatical protocol. We hope that readers will make allowances for occasional errors.
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