May 6th 2002, the United States has added Cuba, Libya and Syria to its “axis of evil” – nations it claims are deliberately seeking to obtain chemical or biological weapons. In a speech entitled “Beyond the Axis of Evil”, US Under Secretary of State, John Bolton said that the three nations could be grouped with other so-called “rogue states” – Iraq, Iran and North Korea – in actively attempting to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Source: Reuters
Plans for the first new bus service in central London for over a decade have been unveiled. The route to be known as Riverside 1 (RVS1) will link together more than 40 arts and tourist attractions, five underground stations, three national rail stations and five river piers. It will go from the Tate Modern and the London Eye to the Tower of London and Covent Garden. The Beetle can vouch for the fact that this service has started.
This is East London's famous Sunday morning market that has been trading for more than two centuries. In Elizabethan times, the market was called Hog Lane, because this is where pigs were sold. The Sunday market grew out of observance of the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday. Amongst the bargains hanging up on the rails were second hand goods, hence the expression 'hand me downs'.
The name of todays’ market is derived from the petticoats that French immigrants used to sell in the area, but in 1846, the horrified Victorian authorities renamed the street Middlesex Street as it was deemed improper to have a street named after ladies underwear. However, it was too late and the original name stuck.
Prices are rarely shown, so you should bargain with the trader for the best price, particularly if you're paying with cash. There is said to be over a thousand stalls spread over Middlesex Street, Wentworth Street and surrounding roads. The market is known for its cut-price fashion clothes, fabrics, jewellery, china, toys, textiles, household gadgets and electrical items. At the Aldgate East end of the market, there is a large area devoted to leather jackets. Frying Pan Alley', is at the opposite end of 'The Lane' close to Liverpool Street. It got its name from the ironmongers who used frying pans to identify their premises.
The founder of the AMSTRAD Computer business and Chairman of the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Sir Alan Sugar began his career as a Petticoat Lane Trader. His earnings in 1999 totalled some £9.45 million.
Middlesex St, E1. Open Sunday 9am to 2pm Wentworth Street also open Monday to Friday 10am 2.30pm Nearest Underground Stations – Liverpool Street & Aldgate East.
Next month: Portobello Rd
Also free, the nearest tube is: A visit here can be combined with a visit to the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum, but maybe not all on the same day! This has a fabulous display of fashion over the last few hundred years and includes wonderful 1920’s gowns by Schiarpelli and Channel and some more outlandish but nevertheless design classics by such designers as Vivienne Westwood. Other exhibits include examples of design from Tudor times to modern day. Weekends are the busiest time since the admission fee has been scrapped, so try and visit during the week, if you can. Visit vam.ac.uk or tel: (+44) 020 7942 2000.
Since December 2001 we have chosen to dedicate our overland bicycle expedition to help raising funds for the Gray Cancer Institute.
Many people know of someone who has been affected by cancer and there does not appear to be any discrimination. The Gray Cancer Institute is one of the leading centres for research applied to cancer treatment, working in close collaboration with clinicians at Mount Vernon Hospital. It was originally a radiobiology research unit with its focus on radiotherapy, but research in tumour physiology has led to new initiatives in cancer chemotherapy and it is introducing new ways of exploiting modern molecular biology.
We would like to raise £1 per mile cycled but at the moment we do not appear to be doing very well.
Our website is financially maintained solely by Kiwisonbikes and the generous donation of time by Mike Fisher. If you have been enjoying the website and to date we have had over 16,900 hits, please help us achieve our goal by donating some money to Gray Cancer Institute.
It's simple. All you have to do is send a cheque or money order to: Gray Cancer Institute PO Box 100 Mount Vernon Hospital Northwood Middlesex HA6 2JR United Kingdom
Please mark Kiwisonbikes clearly on the back of the payment.
Or if you would like to donate online then Gray Cancer Institute uses the Charity Card system. Please then email us or Grays to say the donation was on behalf of Kiwisonbikes.
£1, £5, $10 or even more. Please give today and help make a difference. kiwisonbikes.net
Greetings from Guatemala! Yes, the South Amercing Circuit is finished and our overland is finished. Hopefully everyone who left Caracas over the past few days got home to their various destinations and I just wanted to let you know that I got to mine. The last two weeks of the trip were very relaxed, except for the aquaplaning outside Maturin and the theft of my lovely hammock from a beach camp. We (passengers, drivers and truck) suffered minimal damage from the first event and the second was sheer stupidity on my part as I had been warned. Apart from these excitements the last days were spent on beaches, packing (and re-packing) my bags, getting a little sunburnt and wondering where the time had flown to. It seems no time since I was excitedly joining the truck in Quito, and 31,203kms and many tears and laughs later, I was in Caracas and waving the truck goodbye.
Moping, however, is not allowed so…yesterday I flew off to Guatemala, via Panama, and got here in one piece, tired, hungry and really excited to be on my own again. (that doesn't mean I don't miss you all!) Found a nice hotel and am spending a couple of days getting my bearings before I start some more Spanish lessons. I am hoping to go out to Lake Atitlán to do these and will let you know what I decide. Antigua is gorgeous and a real gem, if a lot touristy. As I will be here a number of times over the next couple of months I am trying not to go shopping and be sensible with the spending. Difficult for me!
So, that's the state of things. All is well and I am just enjoying being here. Get back to me if you get the chance – email is cheap and easy here.
Thanks Jacqui and keep us posted! If anyone would like to contact Jacqui, her e-mail is: jacquitrotter@yahoo.com
What have you seen on your travels? Drop a line to the Beetle!
If you are thinking of travelling in Chile, it might make sense to investigate an air pass with LanChile and Ladeco flights. The pass is valid for 1 month and must be used in 14 days of arrival in Chile. Backtracking is not allowed. Special fares to Easter Island can be incorporated. Ask your travel agent about the pass before you book your international tickets.
South African millionaire Mark Shuttleworth has landed safely back on Earth after a 10-day journey into space. The Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying the South African millionaire and two crewmembers touched down near Arkalyk in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 0351 GMT on Sunday 28th April. As he was carried away from the capsule, a grinning Mr Shuttleworth said: “Every second will be imprinted and will be with me for the rest of my life.” He had spent some of his time carrying out scientific work on the ISS, including experiments on the virus responsible for Aids, and examinations of ocean life. Mr Shuttleworth, a 28-year-old internet magnate, was rumoured to have paid $20m for his trip to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr Shuttleworth, who lives in London, is the world's second holidaymaker in space.
He follows in the footsteps of Dennis Tito, a US businessman and former American space agency (NASA) employee, who rode into orbit last year. The South African is reported to have bought the Soyuz capsule and his space suit as a souvenir of his trip. We hear Tom Cruise is queuing up for his chance to do something similar!
Source: bbc.co.uk
Many travellers have their own tale to tell about Aeroflot. The Beetle has a vivid and scary memory flying from Dublin to Havana via Gander in Canada. It was December, and so cold and wintry in Gander. On final approach to Gander to refuel, the pilot decided to go around twice, which was worrying, then he decided to give landing a go, and the plane somehow missed landing on the runway and instead landed on some uncleared snow and drove the left wing through two huge snow piles. The entire Irish contingent of passengers were making signs of the cross and praying loudly.
Even Fidel Castro is said to have jokingly responded to a question asking about the most dangerous moment of his life, that it might have been one of the many CIA attempts on his life, but then again, it might have been flying Aeroflot!
According to a recent PR release, Aeroflot has hired a UK brand consultancy to give its image a lift. The consultancy are said to have remarked: the problem is one of perception….people think of Aeroflot as dangerous and unreliable, but it has one of the best safety records in the world and is value for money”
Let’s forget about the time when a pilot handed the controls to his 13 year old son, or the incident when the pilots put the plane on automatic pilot, went for a walk then realised they had accidentally locked themselves out and had to force their way back in with an axe, or the times when stewardesses served vodka actually on take off, or when a passenger cooked up a meal on his own portable gas camping stove at the back of the plane…………………
Good luck to them!
Washington DC is already known as a museum mecca, but in July later this year, the new International Museum of Spying will open. The museum has full official backing from both the CIA and the KBG. Exhibits include an enigma machine, a Soviet shoe transmitter and all the usual (and unusual) gadgets!
For more info