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Mac.s Jottings: Border Crossings

U. S. Soldiers Home, Washington: during a century of travel (well 78 years!) both in and out of service I have travelled to over 150 countries (I count both North and South Dakota as countries) and for some reason have jotted signs and happenings that I thought funny at the time (and now wonder why). So here is the perfect opportunity to share some of my anecdotes.

The Brazilian experience: Be sure to get an immigration entry stamp in your passport before you leave. A tourist behind me interrupted the immigration official with a question and the immigration official did not give me a proper stamp in my passport. When I got to hotel I looked to see what their entry stamp looked like compared to mine. It didn’t look good. I was not upset but went to airline office and I thought they could straighten it out: the airline manifest would show I had arrived. They got excited. They made me go to Security way across town and said I had to go to a Notary Republic to get my statement notarised, etc etc. I wasted one full day trying to get this straightened out. When I got to security I explained to a man in the hallway what had happened. I waited awhile and was called into office. Behind desk was the man in the hallway I had explained what happened to. He smiled and entered that I had entered. I was going to go overland to Manaus in Northern Brazil and only discovered then that I did not have entry stamp. I suspect I might have been sent back to Security in Rio. I learn by my mistakes. When I did get on plane I was given a demi tasse of coffee in a coffee cup that I thought would be a good souvenir. I asked if I could keep it. The Stewardess said just a minute and brought back a cartoon of demi tasse cups. They must have heard about me! I said, “thanks but one is enough. Would you refill it?”

I read where some Mexicans tried crossing illegally into the States across the border from Mexico in a novel way. Border Patrols saw a truck go by with a portable toilet in the back. When they opened the door of the toilet there were seventeen Mexicans. They had paid $500 each to be in that toilet and there was no toilet paper.

One wag says when US customs ask you if you are carrying guns, drugs, psychotropic substances or any items harmful to the National Constitution, he always wonders what kind of person answers yes to a question like that.

When we got tired of filling our forms to enter different communist countries and got tired of all the red tape one wag suggested that on the form where it asked the reason for our visit that we put “penance”

At one border crossing someone was supposed to meet us at the border – but no one showed. It was a public holiday. The toilet on our bus had broken down and the lady in charge of the toilet at border would not let up in unless we gave her something like three cents in their money. None of us had any of their money yet and she would not take any American money. What do you do? Push her aside? Create an international incident? Suddenly I remembered that I had gotten a small amount of their money before coming and I treated everyone to a “toilet.”

Next month, Mac discusses: Thailand. If you would like to contact Mac, he can be e-mailed on: macsan400@yahoo.com

A visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens by Geoff Fairman

Cape Town has many beautiful places to visit and the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is one of them. It is situated on the mountainside near Constantia and covers many hectares of land. When you enter these gardens it is like entering paradise. The hustle and bustle of traffic and the city fade away and you find yourself in this most beautiful of places.

For those who don't know this garden, it is the home to many of the indigenous plants found in and around Cape Town and South Africa. There is always a show of colour as thousands of plants in the garden flower in their seasons. At the moment there are proteas and many purple flowers in bloom. The lovely king protea being the main flower on show at the moment.

The gardens are laid out in beds with large grass lawns in between them. There are many large oak and yellow wood trees that provide shade and there are paths set out amongst the beds so that visitors are able to see what is in them. One area is especially set out for the visually handicapped. Plants with strong scents grow in this area. All visitors have to do is reach out and touch the plant to smell the lovely aromas given off by the plants. This is one of my favourite areas as I grew up amongst many of the plants and know their smells intimately. Signage in this area is also in Braille for blind visitors.

At the top of the garden on the highest part of the mountain slope are the cycads (Bread trees). The trees date back to the dinosaurs. The fruit looks like a large pineapple. The trees are protected as they take many years to mature. They are normally found in the Eastern Cape where they grow naturally. Unfortunately as they are scarce and popular a black market has developed. The authorities have had to take measures to stop the trade in them.

Lower down the slopes you will find a bath that is known as Lady Anne's bath. The story goes that she used to come for a swim in it but unfortunately the story is untrue. The bath was in fact built by a Colonel Bird after Lady Anne had left the Cape. It is in the shape of a bird and was used to filter water for his farmhouse that was found lower down the slope. The water in this pool is very clear, as none of the natural tannins of the surrounding plants have entered the water. The water comes straight out of the earth and does not run along the ground before entering the pool. When we visited the gardens it was a veritable league of nations. Sitting having a meal in the restaurant at tables on either side of us, we had people from San Francisco, Colorado and Australia. There were also Germans, Italians and Chinese and Dutch people walking through the gardens.

On the lawns between the beds there are a number of African sculptures which visitors found very interesting. They were sculpted from rock in the shapes of African ladies in various poses. The number of visitors posing next to them for photographs was very interesting. To spend a day relaxing in the garden is a must. The visitors I saw were just running in and having a quick glance and leaving again. This is a complete NO NO. To really enjoy this tourist attraction and the fantastic feeling of peace and tranquillity, one has to spend a good number of hours just savouring it. The restaurant can provide picnic baskets for visitors who are then able to find a spot to sit down and enjoy lunch and take in the views. There are a number of birds in the garden, which are quite cheeky. The guinea fowl will follow you around hoping for a handout if it sees you with a basket. In the larger trees are a number of squirrels and near the centre of the garden is a pond with a number of ducks on it.

This garden is not only a garden but a natural theatre as well. On summer evenings they have symphony concerts on the lawns and thousands of people arrive for them. It’s like a big family, most of whom pack a picnic basket and come and have sundowners while listening to the music. You can miss other venues and tourist attractions in Cape Town but not this one. Visit this one on your free day and spend the day.

A note from Geoff, the author of this article: a quick and easy way to discover Cape Town is to read Turtle Essays Ezine. To subscribe just send a blank e-mail to TurtleEssays-subscribe@turtlesa.com or visit my site at http://www.turtlesa.com and read the essays and articles on line.

Sri Lanka Floods

Be careful if you are planing to take a trip to Sri Lanka. Up to 400 people in Sri Lanka are feared dead or missing after floods have swept through the Southern part of the country – a region popular with tourists. The downpours have been region's heaviest for 60 years has also left around 100,000 people homeless and sparked a massive relief operation.

UK's Longest Coastal Trail marks 25 years

Britain's longest national walking trail, from Minehead in Somerset to South Haven Point near Poole in Dorset, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

The 630-mile South West Coast Path takes in steep, ‘hog's back' cliffs rising to 800 feet, fishing harbours, pretty villages and unspoilt countryside.

There will be a wide variety of events between April and October, including guided walks, talks and displays of works by local artists, writers, musicians and other performers who have been inspired by the path. For more information, see http://www.swcp.org.uk/

Source: Britain Express

Meeting News from Texas

Globetrotters meeting on 12th April by Christina

The April meeting in Texas provided a plethora of travel tips – from the virtues of ziplock bags to the uses of duct tape when travelling. Each month new people attend this branch meeting (3 in April) and eagerly state they are looking forward to the next meeting.

Coming up May 10th at the New Braunfels Public Library

The May meeting will provide a magical mystery slide trip. Attendees come from Austin, San Antonio, the Texas Hill Country and even Corpus Christi. The May meeting will be at the New Braunfels Public Library, conveniently located 1 1/2 miles from IH35.

Come one, come all. Make new friends and see old ones. Keeping in tradition with the London meeting, the Texans adjourn to the Hoity Toit for more fun and fellowship following the monthly meeting.

Come see us, y’all! Second Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Texas Branch of the Globetrotters Club will meet Saturday May 10th, 2003 at the New Braunfels Public Library – note back to old location.

If you like independent, adventuresome, fun, daring, exciting, “off the beaten path” travel, this club is for you. Our meeting begins at 2 P.M. Come early so you won’t be late! Enjoy handouts, travel talk time, and door prizes!

Dates of future meetings: June 14th

Mark your calendars

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

What Counts As A Visit

Kevin from the UK wrote in to say: “I think it depends also on whether you need a visa to actually set foot in a country e.g. when I came back through Saudi last Xmas, there were lots of people in transit from India, but you cannot get out of Jeddah airport without a Saudi visa. Whereas Changi airport in Singapore actually gives you a free city tour if time allows between connecting flights. So you will in my book have visited Singapore, even if it is only for 4 hours”.

Any more comments, anyone? E-mail to the Beetle

Travel Quiz

Win a Frommer’s guidebook on Seattle 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 is Andrew Hindley.

1. Which monument was built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair?

2. What beverage is most associated with Seattle?

3. What is the name of the 14,410ft dormant volcano to the south east of Seattle?

4. To the nearest degree, what latitude does Seattle lie on?

5. In which state is Seattle?

Your Name:

Your e-mail address:

Write for the Globetrotters monthly e-newsletter

If you enjoy writing, enjoy travelling, then 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 7,500 people 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

Why Yoga is Like Travelling

Some thoughts by Padmassana, likening travel to yoga – or the other way round!

He says: “When you travel you are thinking about what you are seeing, where you are going to stay, how you are going to get there, the people you are with. You are absorbed in where you are at that moment in time, not thinking about the past or far into the future. In yoga you are thinking about the practice, the breath, the foot positions and the bandhas. As with travelling, you have so much to think about, you are absorbed in that moment.

In both yoga and travel, you are enjoying being where you are at that time and the clarity of mind and general happiness; you leave behind all the daily worries. I think that yoga has become a substitute for travel for me, for the 48 weeks a year when I am at home”.

You can contact Padmassana by sending an email to padmassana@globetrotters.co.uk

Airport Profile: London Heathrow

Heathrow airport is one of four airports that are almost dotted like the four points of the compass in and around London. There’s London Gatwick to the south of London, City Airport in the east of London and the Beetle’s most hated airport, Stansted, and home of the infamous Ryanair to the north of London. LHR or London Heathrow is some 24km or 15 miles to the west of London.

Before WW2, the airstrip at Heathrow was little more than a grass strip and a tent a little walk away. Back then, it was called The Great Western Aerodrome and was privately owned by the Fairey company and used largely for test flying. London’s commercial flights took off from nearby Heston and Hanworth Park airfields.

As was the case with many airports in large cities, WW2 changed the nature and importance of these otherwise small airstrips. The UK Air Ministry requisitioned the airstrip in 1944 with a view to it being developed as a major transport base for the Royal Air Force. The war ended before the work was completed but this new airstrip with its modern amenities lent itself to cater for the massive post war demand for civil aviation. One runway was ready for use and when the Ministry of Civil Aviation took it over in 1946 a tented terminal was quickly put in place. By 1947, three other runways had been completed and work on another three, subsequently abandoned as unnecessary, was going on. A new and permanent building arose in the central area at the start of the 1950s, replacing the army surplus tent.

In 1955, Terminal 2 was constructed to cope with the ever increasing demand for flight travel. Next came the new Oceanic terminal handling long-haul carriers, a function it still performs as Terminal 3, followed by the opening of Terminal 1 in 1968. Increased congestion in the central area led to the birth of Terminal 4 in 1986 on the south side of the airport, a 10 minute transfer away by tube.

Today, Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports and has 60,000 workers.

Terminal 1: is for all domestic flights, most UK airline departures to Europe plus EL AL and South African Airways flights.

Terminal 2: is for most non-UK carriers’ flights to Europe and some long haul destinations.

Terminal 3: is the long haul terminal for US, South American, Asian and Asia Pacific airlines plus most African carriers.

Terminal 4: is for British Airways long haul and Concorde flights and BA flights to Amsterdam, Athens, Paris, Moscow and Tel Aviv. KLM and Qantas also use T4.