Category Archives: enewsletter

Mutual Aid

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

Fancy that! Australia

In about 200 AD a famous Greek astronomer named Claudius Ptolemy believed that the earth had to be balanced or it would topple over. He figured that there had to be a land yet unknown to Europeans somewhere below the Indian Ocean. Over time this yet to be discovered land came to be known as Terra Australis Incognito that means the Unknown Southern Land.

The Congo – Lightening Can Strike Twice!

NASA has recently published a map of the world showing the frequency of lightening around the world. They found that The Congo has 50 lightening strikes a year for each square kilometre of land, compared to two per square km in the UK. Antarctica and Egypt hardly have any lightening strikes at all.

Hyenas Have Good Reason To Laugh!

Researchers studying the spotted hyena in Tanzania have discovered that they are the only wild animal to be able to carry the rabies virus but not display any of the symptoms. So stop worrying about those hyenas biting!

New York:

The November New York meeting was cancelled due to clashing with the New York marathon.

Laurie, our New York Chair says “Hello Globies! and Happy Thanksgiving!” Due to holiday parties, travel and cheer, we will not be holding a December Globies meeting.
We WILL resume in January with what promises to be a great line up of speakers!

More to come on that later.

New York meetings are held at The Wings Theater, 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.

Travel Tips

Sort clothes together and put them in different coloured plastic bags – helps you to find your socks as opposed to your T-shirts and also keeps them clean and dry when your back pack is accidentally dropped in the river/sea or when it rains and it is stored on top of a bus.

Ontario:

As soon as we get information on the annual barbecue we will let you know what happened! For information on Ontario meetings, please contact: Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.

Meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.

Funny Signs Again….

Back in 1959, when Frank from the US was in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia on Lebuh Chulia Street he saw a local Chinese Hotel named the Hang Chow Hotel and Restaurant, referred to by some of the other back packers as the Constipation Hotel.

Texas:

The Globetrotters Texas branch held their fifth meeting on Saturday, November 10. Attendence continues to grow, with 19 happy people at the meeting. Brad and Mamie spoke and shared slides from their travels to Afghanistan in the early 70’s. Their separate stories were fascinating. The group discussed favourite travel websites and travel magazines. Most everyone learned about something new.

The door prize was a two volume Encyclopedia of World Travel – a classic from 1973. How appropriate that Mamie was the winner, as her presentation was based on her travels in 1973! Following the meeting, 11 people adjourned to the Hoity-Toit, a local beer joint for refreshments and fellowship.

The next meeting will be December 8. Everyone is invited! Christina’s advice is to come early so you won’t be late! Handouts and refreshments will be available. Anybody want to help Christina or enquire about meetings, please contact her on: texas@globetrotters.co.uk

Scams

Paying by credit card? Check the currency you think you’ve just paid in! Ensure that the currency you have paid in is clearly marked on the credit card slip and don’t forget to match it to your credit card statement when you get home – you may be in for a surprise!

Got any scam experiences you’d like to share with the Beetle? Then e-mail them to: the Beetle