There are several different types of antimalarial medication, the choice of which depends on such factors as area to be visited, length of stay, your own medical history, medication you may already be taking, type of holiday (hotel, cruise, trekking etc).

These drugs can be loosely divided between the older formulations (Chloroquine and Proguanil) and the more recent preparations licensed for antimalarial use (Doxycycline, Mefloquine and Malarone).

Chloroquine has been used for around 50 years and during that time vast areas of the ‘malarious world’ have become resistant. As a 4-aminoquinoline derivative chloroquine prevents nucleic acid synthesis in actively dividing erythrocitic malarial parasites and thus DNA synthesis is affected. The drug is taken as two tablets weekly on the same day of each week, Countries still sensitive to Chloroquine include Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico.

Proguanil is a Biguanide which is metabolised in the body to cycloguanil, an active form that blocks the production of folic acid and subsequent synthesis of DNA. The human cells are not affected by this action except during pregnancy where your doctor will usually give a folic acid supplement to counteract a possible shortfall in the mothers cells.

As with Chloroquine there is widespread resistance now to Proguanil and it is often given in areas where the traveller is unable to take Chloroquine for some reason (such as sensitivity to the product). The Chloroquine and Proguanil when combined in one pack as Paludrine/Avloclor travel pack form a more formidable antimalarial and can be used in many more areas where the individual drugs would not be effective enough.

In the Travel Pack of Paludrine/Avloclor produced by Astra Zeneca the dosage of Proguanil is two daily which would be taken at the same time and the Avloclor (Chloroquine) is two weekly, also taken together. (A calendar pack gives an easy format and prevents mistakes in dosage whilst away.) Proguanil/Chloroquine is used in countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal and most of India. These preparations can be purchased without prescription from Pharmacies.

The ‘newer’ group of antimalarials are helping to prevent malaria in areas where resistance has become a major problem, the malaria parasites being incredibly adept at mutating and hence overcoming the drugs used against them.

Malarone is Atovoquone and Proguanil combined to give a combination of an antiprotozoal and a biguanide. The dosage is one tablet daily for adults usually taken one or two days before entering the malarious area, during and for seven days on leaving. There is also now a paediatric formulation for children.

Lariam (Mefloquine) is a 4-aminoquinoline (as in Chloroquine) and in adults is taken as one tablet weekly. To check for side effects your doctor will often prescribe these at least two and a half weeks before travel, during and for four weeks on return.

Last but not least is Doxycycline a well tried and tested tetracycline antibiotic given as the hyclate. This was found to have marked antimalarial properties as well as being an antibiotic. It is usually given one week before travel (if it has never been taken before), during and for four weeks on return.

These last three products are prescription only and can only be obtained from a Pharmacy on supply of a private prescription issued by your doctor or travel clinic. Depending on your medical history etc., your doctor will decide which of these preparations are suitable for your travels.

Chloroquine for example is not normally given if you suffer from psoriasis or epilepsy. If taking Warfarin for blood thinning always check this out with your doctor, and likewise if pregnant or hoping to become pregnant then again you must consult your doctor first before taking an antimalarial drugs.

Your G.P. or Travel Nurse will check out the area you are about to visit and together with medical history and knowledge of the type of holiday will prescribe the relevant antimalarial.

For prices and supply of any of these preparations you can log on to www.travelpharm.com or ring us on 01395 233771

Meeting news from our branches around the world.

Our original speaker Matthew Leaming unfortunately had to drop out at very short notice, so Dick Curtis filled the gap with an interesting talk on a trip he made to China . The talk was a bit random as Dick had 3 sets of slides marked A, B & C, and the audience chose the order! I was glad to see Dick produce photos not just of the Great Wall and all the other sights you would expect, but also photos of the people and landscapes of this vast nation. Well done Dick.

Our second speaker was Amar Grover who gave us another talk on Pakistan. We saw the Khyber Pass near Peshawar, and then to the north to Gilgit to see photos of the spectacular mountains. As with the previous talk we saw the people, many are fair skinned descendents of Alexander the Great's army, who came through the area over 2000 years ago. Amar also showed us rural life, including colourful pictures of Apricots drying in the sun.

January 2005

Globetrotters first meeting of 2005 got off to a great start as Martin Featherstone , showed us pictures of all the exciting places he went to during his army days, then he gave us a talk on Belgium! To be precise he showed us the battlefields and cemeteries of WW1 and told us the stories of some of the many allied servicemen who gave their lives. He then showed us the battlefields and told some of the stories from southern Africa, including Rourkes Drift, explaining how a tiny group of Dutch settlers put their carriages in a circle and managed to defeat more than 15,000 Zulu warriors. Martin has a way of bringing these stories to life with such as why a Zulu spear had a special name, it was supposed to be the sound the spear made when it was removed from its victim, well it made the front row wince!

Our second speaker was Kevin Brackley whose talk on Sinai was hot off the press having only returned 4 days previously. His journey took him from Cairo, where he took in the pyramids and Sphinx, under the fascinating Suez canal where he watched ships in the desert and into Sinai. Kevin showed us the wonderful, if chilly sunrise at Mount Sinai, before he went camel trekking (KFC in Egypt stands for Kentucky fried camel) and walking in the White canyon, before chilling out on the Red Sea at Dahab.

After the interval we had a quiz, those who only got two answers correct will not be named (but for this they should send a donation to the Tsunami fund or else!), the winner of the Wind up radio was John Goddard , congratulations John.

Jayesh Patel was our third speaker and he took us to the glaciers of Chile . Jayesh and his party trekked into the windswept landscape, camping when there was no room in the Inn. Jayesh showed us the spectacular glaciers, icebergs and to prove how windy it was pictures of trees bent over at right angles. We saw the wonderful Torres del Paine National park in Chile with its fabulous rock towers.

Julian Webster arrived in the nick of time to give us a quick tour of India , starting in the Himalayas, then into warmer areas of Rajasthan, we saw some super pictures of the rainy season and my favourite of all a lifeguard in Kerala with a comical “Go-faster” pointy hat! Julian's images brought the warmth of India to a chilly London in January.

Many thanks to all todays speakers who helped to make our first meeting of the year a great success. The day culminated with the annual New Years party, enjoyed by all, thanks to Nadia and her helpers.

We cannot finish without mention of the Tsunami that struck on Boxing day. The days takings at the door of £157 have been donated to the fund.

Next month, on Saturday 5th March 2005, Matthew Leeming will be giving a talk on Afghanistan and after the break, Terry Richardson will be talking about Turkey's new 500km long distance footpath “The St. Paul Trail”.

London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month. There is no London meeting in August, but we will be back in September. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk Admission Members £2 Non-members £4

New York meetings will resume in February – subject will be TBD.

Please contact me (Laurie) if you’re interesting in speaking or know of someone who is! For details of forthcoming meetings email newyork@globetrotters.co.uk or register for email updates, click here at our website.

New York meetings are held at The Wings Theatre, 154 Christopher Street (btw Greenwich St and Washington St ), to the right of Crunch Fitness, in the Archive on the first Saturday of each month at 4 pm .

Globetrotter meetings have temporarily ceased until further notice due to a bereavement in Christina’s family. If you can help Christina resurrect the Texas meetings, as she would really appreciate some help, please contact Christina on texas@globetrotters.co.uk'

For more information about the Texas Branch: please contact texas@globetrotters.co.uk or register for email updates at our website (click here) or call Christina at 830-620-5482

If anybody would like to enquire about meetings or help Christina, please contact her on: texas@globetrotters.co.uk

If you enjoy writing, enjoy travelling, why not write for the free monthly Globetrotters e-newsletter! The Beetle would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 8,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter e-news.

To see your story in cyber print, e-mail the Beetle with your travel experiences, hints and tips or questions up to 750 words, together with a couple of sentences about yourself and a contact e-mail address to Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk

Which countries are represented by these flags? For the answers, see at the end of the eNews.

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A few months ago, we invited Globetrotter e-newsletter readers to send us their views on visiting Burma. One of the responses we included in February 2004 was from a retired British diplomat, Derek Tonkins. Since this time, Burma Campaign have been in touch and provided an alternative view on visiting Burma.

While there is much that is misleading and inaccurate in Derek Tonkin's article 'Burma Revisited', no-one can argue with the statement that “we should primarily be guided by the wishes and advice of the Burmese people”. However, the wishes of the Burmese people for or against tourism cannot be gauged from a dubious survey of anecdotal reports. In fact, with around 75% of Burma's people making their living from agriculture, most people in Burma have never met a tourist.

The fact is that the call for a tourism boycott comes from Burma's elected leaders. The National League for Democracy (NLD), who won a landslide victory in Burma's 1990 election, remains the only party mandated to represent the Burmese people and it is a party that continues to draw the support and respect of people inside and outside the country. Burma's Government in exile, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), supports the boycott and it is a position that has the backing of exile Burmese democracy groups around the world.

Derek Tonkin's criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi for not having “had time to discuss it [tourism policy] properly” in May 2002, when she had only just been released from house arrest, may leave him wondering what NLD policy really is. However, a look at their official statements will show that in 2003 the NLD confirmed that “the present situation has not reached the extent that tourists should be encouraged to visit Myanmar (Burma).”

Burma's military regime has identified tourism as a vital source of income and it is working hard to develop the industry. According to the Ministry of Tourism, its top two objectives in developing tourism are to generate foreign exchange earnings and attract foreign investment. Compared to its neighbours, Burma's tourism industry may be small but it is still earning a cash strapped regime millions of dollars every year. It seems odd that while Derek Tonkin is arguing for more tourists to visit Burma, he also admits that an increase in tourist numbers would help prop up the regime. Such a rise in tourist numbers would also result in an increase in investment to support that tourism. But investment in Burma does not benefit the vast majority of ordinary Burmese people. The regime spends nearly half the government budget on the military but less than 44p per person per year on health and education combined.

The article also fails to mention that in Burma many human rights abuses are directly connected to the regime's drive to develop the country for tourists. Throughout Burma men, women and children have been forced to labour on roads, railways and tourism projects; more than one million people have been forced out of their homes in order to 'beautify' cities, suppress dissent, and make way for tourism developments, such as hotels, airports and golf courses. And these abuses are not confined to history. In February 2004, for example, Burmese soldiers rounded up ethnic Salons, or 'sea gypsies' who normally live on boats in the Mergui Archipelago, forced them to live on land and to take part in a 'Salon Festival' aimed at foreign tourists.

A further claim that “travel and tourism advance the cause of democracy” is totally unsubstantiated. Tourists in Burma rarely witness the internal repression so prevalent in the country, indeed much of Burma remains strictly off-limits to tourists. One tour operator to Burma recently remarked “I regularly travel throughout Myanmar and have never seen any of the abuses that appear in the Western press”.

The typical tourist on holiday in Burma is there to visit a beautiful country, look at the historic monuments and temples and enjoy an exotic holiday destination. But even for those tourists wishing to see Burma's problems for themselves, there is very little opportunity to discover the realities of life in Burma. Burmese people are not free to discuss politics with foreigners and can face punishment or imprisonment if the strict regulations for dealing with foreigners are not adhered to. For example, in September 2004 two Japanese tourists were arrested for not obtaining a visa within the country to visit a ruby-mine town in Shan State. Their two Burmese companions were charged with laws relating to hotel and tourism acts and their two Burmese hosts were charged with failure to report the presence of strangers to the authorities.

The people of Burma need our support and solidarity. We can provide that support very simply by listening to Burma's democrats and choosing not to holiday in Burma.

The Burma Campaign UK is part of a global movement for democracy in Burma and is the only national organisation in the UK dedicated to campaigning for human rights and democracy in Burma. For more information on Burma Campaign’s activities, see: www.burmacampaign.org.uk

This is the first in a series of trip reports sent to the Beetle by Globetrotter Steve who is travelling around South America and Easter Island, the lucky chap! So, if you are planning trip to Suth America or are interested in knowing more about it, you may find Steve’s trip reports of interest.

Life has it's ups and downs. On Tuesday I started the journey with a tour to the Altiplano National Parks. There were just three of us in the group, myself and two Germans. We went first to the local farmer’s market to stock up on fresh vegetables and fruit for picnics on the trip. Then we headed inland for a view of ancient petroglyphs showing herdsmen and llamas. There was a tomato farm nearby where we bought fresh produce, exceptionally huge tomatoes.

The next call was a Hari Krishne monastery where we had lunch and then started to climb. It was the main road to La Paz and there were some heavy lorries on the road, one of which had started to roll backwards and had come a cropper. We called at a fortified site over 2000 years old where the entrance to a fertile valley was guarded by a series of semi circular walls. The countryside was now very dry and we climbed through an area of cactus found only in that area of Chile. Near Socompa we went for a short walk down an Inca roadway and we started to see the first wild guanaco and llamas in the fields. We entered the village of Sacompa and looked at the very old church with its squat detached tower. From there we climbed to Putre where we were to stop for the evening. Unfortunately for me I was unable to eat the evening meal as I was feeling light-headed and wasn’t hungry. I had a very poor night’s sleep and was sick in the morning. Nevertheless I set off with the group up to Lauca National Park. There were spectacular views of the volcano across the lake and vicuña to be seen. The group went for a walk but I wasn't feeling well enough to go and so stayed with the vehicle. In fact I slept most of the time they were away. When they returned I was unable to keep fluids down. We returned to Pucalpa as planned but once there the group leader took me to a doctor who said my blood pressure was dangerously low because of the altitude and I needed to travel down to sea level immediately. They tested my blood pressure before oxygen, while breathing oxygen through a mask and then again after the mask was taken off. It immediately fell to very low levels. And so the tour leader drove me down to Arica immediately and the tour carried on without me.

The next day my appetite returned a little. I got a bus to Iquique and booked into a hotel for a couple of nights there. Iquique is a very strange city. It is set at the foot of cliffs that must be above 3000 feet high. An enormous sand dune extends into the Southern part of the city. The old downtown area was very run down and poor, but right next door are two large sandy bays and a lot of quite wealthy looking seaside developments – a casino, sailing club and smart hotels. In the old town is one long street of big houses built when the city was wealthy from the nitrate trade. This extended from an Opera House where Caruso sang to the sea. The whole street is listed and the buildings, built of timber shipped from Oregon in the 19th century, are being restored. It has all been pedestrianised with timber side walks, Victorian era lamp posts and street furniture installed and a new horse tram route is being constructed. Apart from these features it was quite a dull place and so yesterday I boarded another bus and spent four hours twisting down the spectacular coast with cliffs and mountains on one side and the Pacific on the other but nothing growing and no settlement. The road then turned inland past the Santa Elena Nitrate plant and an enormous copper mine to Calama where I changed bus and travelled the last hour to San Pedro, through the desert, as the sun set and the mountains glowed in oranges, reds and gold.

As the bus pulled in I saw one of the Germans who had been on the National Parks tour and chatted to him. I found myself a pleasant hotel and then went out for a good dinner in a restaurant with live musicians where I bumped into a retired Irish teacher from Maidstone who I had met in Arica.

After the problems of the Andes, San Pedro proved a welcome change. I took it easy on the first day, just going to the wonderful museum. I chose the same time as a SAGA group. What has happened to adventure travel? One member of the group was so overweight she wasn’t able to manage the whole museum tour and commented that the thin gold used for face masks looked as though it had been made to cover chocolate.

The next day I was feeling more adjusted to the altitude and walked out to a pre-Inca fort 3km from town. I arrived shortly after the SAGA party. The fort is built on a steep hillside where the river leaves a gorge and forms the oasis. The stonework was interesting, similar if cruder than Inca work. There was a maze of rooms, passages and who knows what leading up to an excellent viewpoint. The SAGA group didn't get there. The area has an interesting history. The Incas were only dominant for 60 years. The local people just submitted to them so were not defeated. However when news came that the Spanish had defeated the Incas the community leaders decided they weren't going to be dictated to about changing their names to match a new not understood religion. They therefore rebelled and retreated to their 11th Century fort. The Spanish, with horses and assisted by some local antagonistic neighbours defeated them in short time and executed the leaders. San Pedro de Atacama then became the sleepy backwater it remained until recently.

Next day, feeling full of confidence, I joined a tour to the Salar de Atacame to see the birds. The Salar looked like thawing snow, a grubby white and crunchy underfoot, with surface water in places. In the distance the distinct shape of the flamingos could be seen although even with strong binoculars you couldn't tell what species of the three found there were in sight. When they flew they looked even pinker and had an unusual Concorde profile with the wings far back along their bodies. In the distance Volcano Lascar steamed. It erupts every four years, the last time being 2000! It seems it throws out ash, not lava, and the winds always take the ash into Argentina. So that was alright.

The next stop was the isolated village of Socaire which had a very small stone church and tower. The church had become unsafe and so the community built a replica on a new town square but were now repairing the original. Around were terraces used for growing vegetables but slowly going out of use. Local men work in the Lithium extraction plant at the Salire and so the local economy is becoming cash based.

From the village we ascended to the deep blue Lakes of Miscanti and Miñques at above12,000 feet. We walked along a ridge from one to the other with stunning views and then back close to the shore. It was an important site for the flamingos to breed. They’re poor parents producing one chick which they will abandon if disturbed. It was the breeding season so we had to keep back from the lake shore. I was pleased to manage the walking without breathlessness or losing lunch!

The final stop was the village of Tocanao which is at the end of a gorge with a stream flowing through it. The stream is used for irrigating figs, quince, grapes and other fruit. The contrast between the arid highlands and the deep green of the valley was outstanding. It reminded me of Dovedale with surreal colour enhancement. Walking along the valley was a real pleasure after the heat and exertions of the rest of the day.

San Pedro de Atacama has an odd mix of visitors. There is a 'hippy' Chilean element, European gap year students, young European Professionals and elderly Islington or Baden Baden types having an alternative retirement holiday. The restaurants are a little more expensive than usual in Chile but have some adventurous combinations on the menu and the wine is delicious.

Well, I moved on to Antofagasta. Antofagasta is lack lustre. It's just a busy city and a bit down at heel. I decided to spend half a day looking at an industrial museum a little out of town. At the bus station this morning there were several ticket windows with bored staff sitting behind them and closed signs firmly in place. I went to the enquiry desk where three men were assisting one customer. After a while one broke away to see me. Can I have a ticket to Bacquedano I asked. I was told to get on the bus already in the terminal quickly and buy a ticket from the conductor. After half an hour the bus left. (Why the hurry?) “Bacquedano” I said to the conductor. “Calama?” he replied. “No, Baquedano.” I said. “Maria Elena?” he said. “No. Baquedano,” I said firmly and pointed to it in heavy print in my guide book. “Ah, Baquedano” he said, “$1 000”. I paid.

The museum was hopeless, uncared for, vandalised and derelict. I nosed around, did a sketch and went top the village for lunch. I had a tasty empenada and a cola for about a pound and then asked where was the best place to get a bus back to Antofagasta. The cafe owner said they were every half hour and you could flag them down infront of the cafe. He would bring me a chair so I could sit in the shade. As he was telling me this a bus went past. I sat in the shade for an hour before the next bus came. I waved. The driver and conductor waved back and drove past in a half empty bus. I decided to walk up to the police check point at the entry to town were all buses and trucks have to stop. After half an hour of standing in the early afternoon heat a bus came and I got on. He then stopped and picked someone else up outside the cafe where I had been sitting half an hour earlier.

Back in town I felt I deserved a coffee and lemon pie. After quite a while the waiter returned with the coffee but said there was no lemon pie. I’m going to treat myself to a nice sea food dinner and white wine. Wish me luck.

Next Steve goes to Easter Island.