From Ben and Elfriede from Texas would like to share with us their experiences with the 5W Group that is HQ’d in England. They have just got back from a 2-month vacation in Europe. “We stayed primarily with members of “Women Welcome Women World Wide“. What a great way to travel and meet new people! If you’re doing genealogy research, they can usually direct you to the libraries, etc. All of our hosts provided excellent accommodations, food, and also advised us or showed us the best sights to see in their communities.

Usually husbands and/or children are welcome too. We highly recommend the 5-W Group. We stayed with couples that included a lawyer, a civil court judge, a criminal court judge, a home economics teacher, a deep sea diver, a professor of Russian literature whose husband is a professor of Russian history, a doctor of chemistry, a young couple who are both dentists, and also an owner of a travel agency. The 5-W Group sends a booklet listing the name, e-mail address, home address, phone#, age, profession, type of accommodations, religion, and interests (some of which include genealogy) of over 3,000 women world wide.”

Click here for information.

The Beetle say thanks a lot, Elfriede Ben – sounds like you had a great time! Has anyone got any other info and good experiences they would like to share? If so, contact the Beetle on: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk

Under 24? A member of Globetrotters Club? Interested in a £1,000 travel award?

Know someone who is? We have £1,000 to award each year for five years for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested?

Then see our legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we’ll take a look at it. Get those plans in!!

Mike from the UK says: if you’re desperate for a toilet and can’t find a handy McDonalds, the more luxurious hotels always have toilets in their lobbies – walk straight past reception and you should find them 🙂

Shirley from Kent in the UK saw the following in Bali:

If you have any loose baboons in your pocket, you might want to visit the “monkey exchange” for something smaller! Also, did you know in Bali you can have “antiques made to order”?

Janelle from Roseville, MN saw in a street in Hong Kong at a tailors shop?;…”ladies, have fits upstairs.”

Dee from the UK was in Japan when she saw a vending machine selling cans of “Sweat”. Although it was hot, and the cans were cold – she decided not to buy one!

Tom from North Carolina wrote in to tell us his experience in Rome. He saw a woman ostensibly carrying a baby in her arms (all he saw was a rolled up blanket) and a child about 10 years old approached me begging in a very confined sidewalk area. The pitiful expression on her face would make an old grown man cry. He suddenly remembered warnings he had read – while the tourist digs in his pocket for some coins the kid circles around and slits the backpack or pocket. Fortunately he was carrying his daypack with camera, etc. in front and his

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

Sue (Deputy Chair, London) would like some advice/tips/pointers on where to go and what to do in Buenos Aires at the New Year. Please contact the Beetle with any advice: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk

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

The winner of last month’s East & Southern Africa Quiz was Thomas Simoneit who lives in Muenchen
Germany. Well done – your book is in the post (subject to delays we are currently experiencing.)

We have Charlie Loram’s Trailblazer Guide Book on Trekking in Laddakh, which he has kindly donated as a prize for the winner of this month’s quiz. And what is more, Charlie has set this month’s quiz: