The Globetrotters eNewsletter
eNewsletter Archive

Yes, it's almost that time of year again. The annual
Regent Street Christmas lights will be turned on Wednesday 13
November and will remain lit until 6 January 2003.

The US carrier Horizon Air, based in Seattle, is set to equip
its entire fleet of 60 regional aircraft with defibrillators
and medical kits to deal with in-flight heart attack
emergencies.

Horizon is making the move two years ahead of a US Federal
Aviation Administration deadline requiring any US commercial
plane of at least 7,500 pounds and carrying at least one
flight attendant to install the life-saving equipment.

A recent UK survey for the Department for Education found
that of over 1,000 adults found 30% felt unable to compare
rates in exchange bureaux. A similar proportion said they
were not comfortable converting foreign currency into
sterling. Over a fifth of those surveyed admitted they had
wrongly calculated how much they spent on holiday, with 12%
saying they had run out of money.

The Globetrotters Club has just teamed up with Oanda.com to
provide people with information about currency conversions
and cheat sheets. To translate currency or make a cheat
sheet, visit:

The
Globetrotters Currency Converter — get the exchange
rates for 164 currencies
"http://www.globetrotters.co.uk/trav_cheatsheet.html">The
Globetrotters Currency Cheat Sheet — create and
print a currency converter table for your next trip.

They have got to be the most annoying junk mail that the
Beetle receives….ever! You must have received one at
least: you know, it's a long e-mail bemoaning the death
of a supposed husband, father, uncle etc. who has millions of
$ trapped in a bank account. In exchange for a small
investment – and you have been chosen for this very
exciting opportunity (not!) to receive a commission for
helping to release these funds by transferring a few thousand
dollars of your own to a named bank account and in return,
you receive 30%, or some variation on the theme. But have you
ever wondered who these people are, that send out these
blatant scams? And why? And do people really respond?

Frank from the US sent the Beetle a piece called The Nigerian
Nightmare - Who's sending you all those scam e-mails by
BrendanI.Koerner.lnk. In this, the author explains that the
e-mailers behind these e-mails are almost always Lagos-based
con artists looking for people greedy enough and stupid
enough to spend thousands in pursuit of nonexistent fortunes.
“They aim to lure you to Nigeria or to a nearby nation
where you'll be cajoled into ponying up endless fees to
secure the “riches”-$30,000 for a “chemical
solvent” to disguise the money or $50,000 for
“customs duties”. When you eventually wise up,
faux police barge into your hotel and demand massive bribes
in exchange for your freedom. Tapped out? Expect to be held
for ransom or murdered”.

This is a scam known as a 419, named after the penal code
making it illegal. According to the anti-spam software vendor
Brightmail, 419 scams are the Web's second-most common
form of junk mail, (ranking behind only those “herbal
Viagra” ads). Believe it or not, an estimated 1 percent
of recipients actually respond. Of that number, enough people
fork over enough cash to sustain an industry that ranks in
Nigeria's top five, right up there with palm oil and tin.
The U.S. Secret Service has estimated-conservatively, by its
own admission-that the scammers net $100 million per year.

So, just don't……..

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Flight Log Never let it be said that ground crews and
engineers lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual logged
maintenance complaints by QANTAS pilots and the corrective
action recorded by mechanics.

By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never
had an accident. P - stands for the problem the pilots
entered in the log, and S - stands for the corrective action
taken by the mechanics.

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. "http://www.globetrotters.co.uk/bites/">Travel Sized
Bites

Extract from The Star (Johannesburg): “The situation is
absolutely under control,” Transport Minister Ephraem
Magagula told the Swaziland parliament in Mbabane.

“Our nation's merchant navy is perfectly safe. We
just don't know where it is, that's all.”

Replying to an MP's question, Minister Magagula admitted
that the landlocked country had completely lost track of its
only ship, the Swazimar:

“We believe it is in a sea somewhere. At one time, we
sent a team of men to look for it, but there was a problem
with drink and they failed to find it, and so, technically,
yes, we've lost it a bit. But I categorically reject all
suggestions of incompetence on the part of this government.
The Swazimar is a big ship painted in the sort of nice bright
colours you can see at night. Mark my words, it will turn up.
The right honourable gentleman opposite is a very naughty
man, and he will laugh on the other side of his face when my
ship comes in.”

Overland in Africa

New Globetrotter Renate would like to make contact with
others who share her interests: overlanding in Africa,
archaeology, anthropology, natural history and the
environment, conservation, and, others who have travelled in
the following countries in North and South Africa: Libya,
Algeria, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Sahara desert, Chad, Niger,
Mali, Mauritania and, S Africa: North Cape Province, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Kalahari Desert, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique,
Tanzania, Angola. If this is you, please contact Renate on href="mailto:desertfox@freeuk.com">desertfox@freeuk.com

Advice and Travelling Companion(s) wanted

Bengt from Gothenburg, Sweden is looking for a travelling
companion(s) for a road trip around June/July/August 2003 to
join him in full or in part for a 6-12 month trip overland in
the USA, Canada, Alaska and down through Central America to
Panama. He/she must speak decent Spanish as whilst Bengt
speaks good English, he is not so good with Spanish. They
must also be able to drive as he is shipping his own Toyota
Landcruiser over to the USA, probably to Jacksonville (Fl).
In addition, if any Globetrotter out there can help Bengt
with any advice about driving around, where to visit, car
documents etc, he would be very grateful. He also asks if
anyone knows if it's still exist a boat carrying vehicles
between Colon Panama to Cartagena Colombia? If you can help
Bengt with travel advice about specific countries or is
interested in being a travel companion, please "mailto:hellstrom.andersson@swipnet.se">e-mail him or
phone Bengt on: +46(0)31403327

UK Winter Break

Simon from the UK asks: I wondered if you could help me. I am
looking to get away for a winter break in the UK and want to
rent an isolated cottage without neighbours or developments
just the cottage and the elements. I have searched
extensively for this but can't seem to find it anywhere..
Do you know of such a company that can help me out with this.

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: "http://www.globetrotters.co.uk/mutual/mutaid.html">Mutual
Aid

LAPA, the Argentinean domestic airline went belly up a
while back but the name LAPA is to be revived by new owners
who rescued it from receivership. It has been operating as
AIRG since the Aeroandina group raised capital in both
Argentina and Bolivia to put it back in business. Plans are
afoot to start regional services to Sao Paulo, Brazil, the
Chilean cities of Santiago and Puerto Montt and to Santa Cruz
de la Sierra, Bolivia, by the end of this year.

Due to the dreadful and unpredictable event in Bali, the new
Bali based airline Air Paradise, which was due to
start flying in October 2002, said it was delaying its launch
indefinitely and refunding tickets it has already sold. The
airline was due to make its first flights to the Australian
cities of Perth and Melbourne.

According to union sources, a one-day strike planned by
Air France unions for October 24 has been switched to
November 5.

Workers are protesting over French government plans to
privatise the French flag carrier and reduce the state's
controlling stake.

Expanding Australian budget airline Virgin Blue plans
to add flights to New Zealand to its schedules and will cause
a few ruffled feathers in the Australian flight market,
largely operated by Air New Zealand and Qantas. Virgin Blue
was launched in August 2000 with a single route between
Brisbane and Sydney. It now serves thirteen Australian
destinations. Now, Virgin Blue plans a code share arrangement
with United Airlines so that it will be faster and easier for
booking flights from Brisbane to San Francisco and Los
Angeles and beyond.

Meanwhile, back in the US, Boston Logan Airport is to
introduce security scanners that can make immediate checks on
driving licenses and passports against government databases
or “watch lists.” Despite concerns expressed by
civil liberties groups, the airport said it will go ahead
with the system. Initially, it will only be used to check
around 10,000 people who work at Logan. However, the
airport's operators, Massachusetts Port Authority, say
they would like to see the system extended and in tests
carried out during the Summer discovered a number of
passengers flying out of the international departures on
forged passports.

Passengers due to fly into or out of Stansted (the
Beetle's most HATED airport, ever) near London may want
to alter their travel plans if this involves early morning or
late evening flights.

Due to alleged rail improvements, from Sunday 29th September
2002 through to Spring 2004, all Sunday train services to and
from Stansted Airport will be replaced by a slow coach
service.

Incidentally, the last coach leaves Stansted at midnight on
Sunday for Liverpool St station and 11pm from Liverpool St.
First coach to Stansted from Liverpool St is allegedly at
4.30am and 5am from Stansted to Liverpool St. You have been
warned, and allow plenty of time – preferably around 2
hours journey time! Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport
is closing down international services from Terminal 2 at the
end of October week due to reduced numbers of passengers. The
decision, by the Israel Airports Authority, is part of a
series of cost-cutting measures, according to daily newspaper
Haaretz. If international passengers start to increase the
Terminal 2 facility may reopen.