Web sites to muse about travel to:-

• From Tony Annis about the violent clashes over land ownership and use in Peru – http://www.avaaz.org

• From Matt Doughty on the possible dangers travellers can face, even on the most planned trips – confronting bureaucrats – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8158729.stm

• From Matt Doughty – ** Dancing with the devil in Africa **…Humphrey Hawksley has been on a journey across Sierra Leone and Liberia in the footsteps of the writer Graham Greene, 74 years after Greene’s journey. Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/8174516.stm

• From Terry Crosby on his updated travel web site – http://www.travelandtrek.com/

Regular contributor Mac ruminates on the world of travel & some of his adventures along the way J This time round he answers some questions on his various travels and what has stuck in his mind along the way…

1. What countries did you visit and what time frame?

Over 150 countries in and out of service thru 85 years.

2. Which countries were you the most glad you saw ?

India of all places, (made me feel most like an

international traveller. I tend to like the exotic over Europe. Japan when I was there (five and one half years in service), Thailand, Mexico, Hong Kong, Singapore.

3. Which sights did you enjoy seeing most?

Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China,

4. Which waterfall did you enjoy most?

Probably Iguassu, South America despite the

bugs. Then Victoria Falls, Powerful. Liked the noise.

5. Which country was the most different than your preconceived idea?

South Africa, I loved it especially the game parks.

6. Which game parks did you like most?

Kruger in South Africa even more than the game parks in Kenya

7. Which countries would you like to revisit?

Austria, India, Thailand, Mexico. Mexico is one of my most favourite countries.

8 In which country were the people the most friendly and helpful?

Mexico

9. Which least friendly and helpful?

France with some exceptions.

10. Which country would you not particularly like to revisit?

Russia although I was there three times and saw most of what there was I could see. Same I can almost say of China although again I was there about three or four times and saw many things.

11. Which country the easiest to visit?

Australia – they are use to backpackers and don’t look down on them. You can go into any pub at noon and get a noon lunch special. Stay in YMCAs, and budget accommodations and in my case use military clubs, Civilian could use Athletic Clubs etc by showing passport etc. I enjoyed their exotic animals.

12. What travel items you took with you used the most and were most glad you took?

Small scissors to open hard to open cereal plastic things whistle, space blanket (can get in Army surplus stores like astronauts first used I think. No weight, silver lining that gives warmth.

13. Which travel guide books did you take and which did you like best ?

Lonely Planet. I take too many guide books as I am afraid I will miss out on something to see. I tear pages out that I don’t need and after done with those pages. I used to tear sheets out and just take them but it works better with me if I leave in book to get to them and tear out when done.

14. Were you ever uneasy on your trip?

I was picked up as a spy in Egypt (temporarily)…a misunderstanding. Will explain later (maybe)…

I had just recently returned from my second trip to Ghana to volunteer with “Volunteer in Africa”, My friend and I worked at an orphanage there closely connected with the organization, and it occurred to me just how lucky we were to have had this experience.

The organization is highly professional and does a very good job in selecting host families and make sure to take good care of you during your stay. I was very impressed with how the stay was organized from pick-ups, host families and so on. The organization is local, which is a big plus. Also, the founder and leader of the organization is a local man, Eben, who is very honest and who has a lot of drive. The first time I was there, I quickly realized that Eben is a very unique man with the kind of strength and caring that is really one of a kind.

This organization is not known by any funding sources and when I was there I tried to change this by contacting some funding sources for help. All were either unable or unwilling to help. I started wondering how many places there are like this in Africa and the third world in general, that simply survive somehow under the radar without any outside help. As amazing and life-changing an experience it was for me being there, it also left me with an incredible feeling of helplessness when It became clear that the future of this wonderful organization is uncertain

The one thought that really bothers me the most is how the media portrays certain people as heroes and worthy of fame when nothing could be further from the truth and meanwhile countless people in the third world like Eben never get any recognition for doing the kind of work that is really changing the world for the better, even if it is just their small corner of it.

Ghana as is a very open and friendly country which makes it very easy to travel. People are friendly and very helpful. It is an almost hassle free zone which we found very nice. On the other hand, depending on where you go, it can also be your 15 minutes of fame, as kids want to say hello to you everywhere – we found it charming and a nice way of getting in touch with different people 🙂

We were placed with a family outside a smaller town (40,000 inhabitants) to the north of Accra working at an orphanage and school. Staying with the family was a big success. We met some very interesting people and there was always someone to talk to at the house. Besides from the family, the family also consist of 6-7 young men in the age 20-25, who are staying at the house or coming everyday to help our host mother. Most of the young men are in college and they have intelligent and very interesting perspectives on their community and life in general. We had some very rewarding conversations with them, and we became part of the family in the sense that they were bringing us everywhere. For example we participated in their son’s wedding and in all the preparation to the wedding, which was at least as fun as the wedding itself.

Working at the orphanage was a fun and rewarding experience. The kids love to meet new people and want to be around you all the time. Some of the elder kids are ok in English, but otherwise most of the kids only know some basics. Therefore, most of the communication is through playing, singing and just being together.

Everywhere we got challenged on how good we were getting in the local languages, which is good, because it meant that we were quickly catching up on some basics. You can get almost everything that you need. A good thing though is to bring a sunscreen from home. This is very difficult to find in Ghana .

Ghana is definitely an easy country to travel and you will quickly get to know people there. Guide books call Ghana ‘ Africa for beginners’ and I think that is true. I have been to Zimbabwe and South Africa before this trip, and I would say that Ghana is safe and you will feel welcome everywhere.

The food that we were eating was in general very good. They use a lot of fish that is smoked and some meat and poultry for delicious palm soups and stews, peanut soups and stews, light Soups, egg-plant stews and green leafy stews. These are usually served with rice, yams, ripe or unripe plantains, fufu, Kenkey, banku etc. Ghana is blessed with many varieties of delicious foods.

We spent the last week travelling along the coastline to see more of the country. It is very easy and I perceive it as a very safe place. There are many things to see and experience.

For anyone who is even considering volunteering on a project in Africa , “Volunteer in Africa ” would be a great place. You will absolutely feel welcome here and highly appreciated as I was for the two times I have been there. I cannot express how much this organization has changed me, and my outlook on life. I can highly recommend a stay in Ghana as a volunteer with “Volunteer in Africa “. We had a brilliant time and are talking of going back in a year or two.

More information about “Volunteer in Africa” program can be found on their web pages as follows: –

http://www.volunteeringinafrica.org/toursghana.htm

http://www.volunteeringinafrica.org/ghana.htm

If you enjoy writing and travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter! The Ant 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 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant at theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be approximately 1000 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.

I don’t usually travel via a group but will go with several friends, about 4. We do like to book some tours once there or before we go to insure access to places of interest. Can you drive easily in Greece? Are there some hotels of interest in beautiful places that are reasonable or B and B’s? Can you book a sail to the islands? When is a good time to go? I was thinking of late September or October. Please give me any advice or references that you may have.

eleanor h borkowski at ehborkowski@adelphia.net

Update – the deadline for submitting applications for the first GT Travel Award of 2009 has now passed and the club’s Committee are now considering any proposals they have received. Any winner will be announced shortly and the exciting part of organising these great ideas can then begin. More details to follow as soon as they are known…

Background – A member of Globetrotters Club and interested in winning a £1,000 travel award? Know someone who fits these criteria? We have up to two £1,000 awards to give out this year for the best independent travel plan, as judged by the club’s Committee.

See the legacy page on our web site, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we’ll take a look !!

Web sites to muse about travel to:

• Via Paul Roberts – details Robert Loken’s walk along the Great Wall of China to raise money for cancer research.
• Via Francesca Jaggs – yoga classes and climbs in the Indian Himalaya http://himalaya-raja.blogspot.com
• From Douglas Baird on a warm welcome for all travellers to Glasgow and how to enjoy time in the city http://www.glasgowwestend.co.uk
• From eleanor h borkowski – Last Summer I went to Altumura, Italy and worked on a volunteer project with La Sabranenque Restoration. It was such a great experience and the places we visited were out of this world. Their email address is info@sabranenque.co and their web site is www.sabranesque.com.

Dear all,

Can you write a winning travel article?

Enter the Bradt/Independent on Sunday Travel-Writing Competition and you could win a fabulous holiday for two in Colombia and a commission for an article to be published in The Independent on Sunday – and for unpublished writers there is a prize of a place on a travel-writing course in Spain

Entries must contain a strong travel element and the maximum length is 800 words. The competition is open to all writers, published or unpublished, aged 18 years or over. This yearÂ’s theme, along with full details of the competition, will be announced in The Independent on Sunday on 5^th April.

Details and rules of the competition will also be available from 5^th April on the Bradt website: www.bradtguides.com

With thanks and best wishes

Debbie Hunter

Bradt Travel Guides – Pioneering publishing for 35 years

23 High Street, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks SL9 9QE

Tel: +44 1753 893 444

Fax: +44 1753 892 333

Email: info@bradtguides.com

· Café society history & a great tango show try Café Tortoni, Buenos Aires – http://www.cafetortoni.com.ar

· Hostel del Glaciar Pioneros in El Calafate, Argentina for a modern, helpful & friendly place to stay- http://www.glaciar.com/pioneros.asp

· Superbly crafted beer after trekking around Mount Fitzroy stop at Cerveceria artesanal El Chalten, Argentina – http://www.elchalten.com

· Great vegetarian food in Puerto Natales and sofas to lounge on – http://www.el-living.com/

· Walking along the shoreline of Lago Nordenskjold on the Los Cuernos to Paine Grande stretch of the W circuit , Torres Del Paine – http://www.wcircuit.com/

· Taking the catamaran from Paine Grande to Pudeto, across Lago Pehoe, on a clear day – view the magnificent Paine Grande & Torres mountains rising

· Puerto Varas & volcano Orsono as a backdrop- http://www.frommers.com/

· A surprisingly great place to stay at the Happy House hostel, Barrio Brasil in Santiago – http://www.happyhousehostel.cl

If you enjoy writing and travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter! The Ant 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 14,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.

Email The Ant at theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be approximately 1000 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.