All posts by The Beetle

Mutual Aid

Can you help David and his wife and two young children who are planning to travel to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the US, Canada and Africa. Can anyone give him some advice on work permits? David's wife is an occupational therapist. Also can anyone give David some advice on travelling with young children? If you can help, please contact David on: david.flower3@ntlworld.com

The Beetle would like to hear from anyone who has dived at Madang, Tufi or Walinde as she is planning a trip there at Christmas. Please e-mail the Beetle: beetle@globetrotters.co.uk

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


Berlin National Holocaust Memorial

Building work on a national Holocaust memorial in the German capital, Berlin, has begun. The memorial is being built in the centre of the city, close to the Brandenburg Gate and near the bunker where Adolf Hitler committed suicide in 1945. The monument should be completed by May 2005 – in time for the 60th anniversary of the end of the World War Two.


Woman killed by Shark

A woman was killed by a great white shark while swimming with sea lions at Avala Beach, between Los Angeles and San Francisco in California. This is the first attack in almost ten years. Four lifeguards tried to save her life, but the 50-year-old was declared dead upon reaching the shore. The shark had bitten her left leg, severing her femoral artery. The area is known to be populated by sharks but they usually only attack humans if confused, said a shark specialist interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle. 'If you are wearing a wetsuit and fins and you are swimming with sea lions you are doing a clumsy job of imitating shark food,' he said.


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. Angola
  2. Cyprus
  3. Laos
  4. Nepal
  5. South Korea

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


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 Quiz

Win a Frommer’s guidebook on Amsterdam 2003. See www.frommers.com for info on Frommer’s guidebooks.

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.

The winner of last month's Moon Guide on Fiji is Eileen Hobson.

1. A beer has the same name as the river that gave its name to Amsterdam – what is it?

2. What is the currency used in Amsterdam?

3. What is the name of Amsterdam’s airport?

4. What is the first name of the young girl who hid from Nazis during WW2 and wrote a diary?

5. Which Dutch painter committed suicide in 1890 at the age of 37 and has a museum named after him in Amsterdam?

Your Name:

Your e-mail address:


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

1. Angola: Luanda

2. Cyprus: Nicosia

3. Laos: Vientiane

4. Nepal: Kathmandu

5. South Korea: Seoul

· 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?