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.

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.

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

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

If you have a travellers tale that your aching to tell. Then why not visit the “Travel Sized Bites” section of the Website and share it with the world. Travel Sized Bites

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Travelling abroad but finding accommodation expensive? Try home exchange, a rent-free and friendly option.

Home Base Holidays was established in London, UK in 1985 (by a Canadian) and now has attractive exchange offers world-wide. Full descriptive listings and photos can be viewed by visitors (contact information available to members).

New listings on-line daily plus three print directories annually. Free ‘Home Swappers’ newsletter provides information on arranging successful home swaps, stories by experienced exchangers, special offers and travel information. Visit Home Base Holidays to sign up.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against travel to Pakistan until further notice unless there are compelling reasons to do so. They advise all British nationals still in the North-West Frontier Province, Baluchistan and the northern areas to leave those areas immediately.

This is of particular interest to the Beetle as she used to live and work in Karachi and was due to go out to Islamabad during the month of November. Plans are on hold!

If you find yourself in London, at a loose end, fancy something just a little bit different, then give the Mandalay a go.

It can be found at 444 Edgware Rd Tel: 020 7258 3696. The nearest tube is at Edgware Rd.

The London and New York Globetrotter chairs went to dinner there earlier in the year (with their friend Rob of Grand Canyon fame!) and they had a great time saying the food was fantastic and the owners really friendly and interesting about their country.

Want to tell us about your favourite coffee corner, restaurant or watering hole? Then contact the Beetle: the Beetle

This was our first trip to Bali and I have to say that the Balinese are in general the loveliest people, very gentle and welcoming.

Driving out there was a real experience though! It appears that the traffic laws (where there are any) don’t apply to the thousands of motor bikes on the road. It was common to have them coming at you in a one way street!

Prices are fantastic, it cost us about a fiver to tank up a big people carrier, they thought we were mad driving ourselves but once you get used to it and remember to use your horn as much as they do it’s not too bad.

Certainly a destination I’d recommend and will definitely be going back. Kuta is very touristy but get out of town and it’s a whole different world.